Following are excerpts from an email to my sponsors recapping the big day:
Dear friends and sponsors,
My team and I made it! On Sunday, we completed the 100-mile long
"America's Most Beautiful
Bike Ride" around Lake Tahoe! Read on for details of the ride and a
fundraising recap.
Riding Success
The weather was perfect: chilly at the start, no significant wind,
and not too warm at the end. All my preparations, and I did a lot of
worry and preparation, paid off. I woke up on time, was ready on time,
and my beloved bike performed perfectly.
There were two substantial climbs on the route, at the beginning and
at the end. I hardly remember climbing over Emerald Bay at the
beginning! It was cool, my legs were fresh, and the adrenaline was
pumping. We were joking around and savoring the fast downhill after the
crest.
As we rode along the West shore of Lake Tahoe, I marveled at both
Nature's magnificence, and the spectacle of 2,000+ colorful bicyclists
from all around the country riding together on the highway. I saw so
many Team in Training
(TNT) jersies, from New York, New Jersey, Florida, Michigan, Texas,
and even Nebraska. I think some of these folks had never trained on or
even seen a mountain before, and it would show later in the day. Our
team of eight rode in "paceline" and enjoyed the camaraderie that
we'd developed over the season. Not all on our team were having a great
day, but we waited for each other and regrouped regularly on the route.
We rolled into Kings Beach on the North shore for lunch. It was a
beautiful location, and we'd worked up hearty appetites. I had kept my
family apprised of my progress, and they were waiting for me. It was a
joy to see them cheering us on as we rolled in. And my team graciously
let me lead the group into lunch, to make a good impression on my wife
and kids. :-) The best thing about the lunch stop is that we had
already completed 70 miles of the course. Only 30 more miles to go,
which didn't seem like much.
The next leg of our journey took us through Incline Village, Nevada.
This is a really beautiful area, with lots of lakeside estates. Riding
our bikes between the lake and the mountains reminded me of the bike
races along the Italian Riviera that I've seen on television. This area
was a nice break before the final big climb of the day, to Spooner
Junction.
This Too Shall Pass
The final climb is similar in elevation gain to the first one at
Emerald Bay, but it was much more challenging. The climb to Spooner
Junction is 8+ miles long, the weather was warmer, and we weren't as
energetic as at the start. It was a grind! Our group got separated and
we were each on our own until we regrouped at the top. Our Coach,
Kevin, was a superb leader. He gave us strategy and encouragement, and
then he rode back down the hill to accompany our last rider. I gritted
my teeth and alternated through different riding positions to ease the
discomfort in my legs and bottom. Finally, as I approached the top, my
family pulled up alongside me! It was great to visit with them at the
top as we waited for our team to regroup.
Going To California
Of course, the best part of cycling is the "dessert" after a long
climb! That would be a fast descent down Highway 50 back to the
California state line! It's quite a rush to be riding 40-50 mph in the
lane of a highway -- on your bike. That felt good, and made the finish
line approach even faster. As the road leveled out, we did some final
regrouping as we rode back to "civilization" and our finish at the
Horizon Casino. We lined up and crossed the finish line together, with
big smiles on our faces!
What now?
A nice thing about riding a Century vs. running a marathon is that
after you get off your bike, the pain stops! No need for an ice bath as
I need after a long run. I was very tired, and very much in need of a
shower! After cleaning up and resting, I was ready to enjoy Embassy
Suites Happy Hour with my teammates and family.
It was a great weekend, one that I won't forget. I achieved a
long-held dream, made some great friends, learned a lot more about a
sport I love, and helped raise awareness and funds for a great cause
(see below). I plan to continue riding, getting together with my
teammates whenever we can. I haven't picked out my next TNT event, but
that can wait. People are suggesting a triathlon, but it will take a
while for me to swim competently! For now, I'm grateful for a great
season, and deeply appreciative of your financial and moral support in
this endeavor.
Thanks to your generous contributions to The Leukemia and Lymphoma
Society, my fundraising total stands at $6,455!!!
That's well over the goal I set at the beginning of the season. Your
donations are already at work helping to fight blood cancers via
research and services for patients.
Other fun fundraising facts: during my three TNT seasons' fundraising
campaigns, my personal sponsors have donated more than $24,000 to the
LLS. And this season alone, our Silicon Valley Cycle Team has raised
$322,000 and counting! And adding together all the chapters nationwide,
Team In Training raised over $8.5 million in Lake Tahoe last
weekend!!!
Isn't that awesome? TNT is a great force in helping people.
THANK YOU AND GO TEAM!