Cycling Part 1

Okay, it's about time to talk about cycling, part 1.

I have always enjoyed biking, except for first time I showed my parents I could ride a bike. I was a timid mama's boy, scared of trying new things and that included riding a bike, which is why I didn't do so until age 9 . . . yes, 9. My cousin, Ann, came over for a visit when we were living in Hawaii (grew up there 1st through 8th grade) and taught me to ride at my elementary school. I was very excited to have mom and dad see me ride that evening, so we all went down later in the day. I climbed on my gleaming (from lack of use) blue Schwinn Stingray with banana seat (I wish I still had it now) and proceeded across the grass. Now, before I go any further, it's important to note the amount of pressure that was on me, not from my parents, but from my own nerves and pride. There was a single tether ball poll in the park that day, my friends, and I had evidently either insulted or offended it at some point in my semi-pro tether ball career, because I fixated on it the moment I mounted the bike . . . over 50 yards away . . . and squarely ran into it. It was a deeply scarring experience . . . for my parents. I was not hurt except for my pride and it lives on now in infamy, and at holiday family parties . . . great.

But once again, I famously digress. I became interested in, and a fan of road cycling/racing in 2001 after reading,"It's Not About the Bike," by Lance Armstrong. If you haven't read the book, I recommend it, cyclist/athlete/caner survivor or not. It's an honest account of the rise of one of the most, if not the most, accomplished athlete of our time. It's also a story of self-discovery and triumph over incredibly overwhelming odds that one man went through, emerging, not unscathed, as a reluctant hero now committed to making a real difference with the Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF), an organization I am firmly committed to supporting. There were things that Lance had to say in that book that really helped me to get my head on straight, once they sunk in, that is. Although I still am not able to say, as he has in his case, that cancer is the best thing that has happened to me, as I do say in the opening paragraph on this page I definitely feel that it has given me more more than it's taken away.

I've found a new self-empowerment and confidence through my love of cyling, not to mention a great group of friends; this began for me in early 2005. I read about the annual, "Ride For The Roses," event in Austin, Texas (if you've never been there, you need to go!) to benefit the LAF and decided to train for the 2005 century ride (100 miles in a day). The longest ride I had done to that point was 30 miles with a group of work friends in a charity event for MS on a hybrid/comfort bike. When I got serious about training and realized how much I enjoyed cycling, I dropped some dough on a true road bike, which was the best thing I could've done at that time to keep me motivated towards my goal. Training went very well and I stayed on a six-days on, one-day off per week ride schedule religiously, steadily seeing performance and confidence gains along the way. I was also able to raise over $7,500.00 for LAF due to the support and generosity of friends and family

In September I travelled to the event. To go into the kind of detail this deserves would take another full posting, which I will do soon, suffice it to say that it was the most challenging physical event I had done and by far one of the most rewarding on so many different levels. There is nothing like being in a room, or on the road, with the survivors, care-givers and others; people who, "Get it," in short. I was, and am hooked . . . for life. I have done many rides since, but none compares to that first ride. I've also accumulated a wide variety of spandex, lycra and other skin-clinging pieces of ride memorabilia, much to the chagrin of my girls.

More on cycling this week; make it a good one.