Livestrong Challenge--Philadelphia

[mmh]

At age 46, I was diagnosed with early stage breast cancer treated and was told I dodged a bullet. Two years later, I was diagnosed with recurrent breast cancer and treated aggressively. Life is good and I am
healthy, happy and living life to the fullest. It took cancer to make me realize just how precious life is and to enjoy each and every moment. Cancer was my epiphany.

Please join me in supporting the Livestrong Challenge.

https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=219860&supid=174062244

[Trek1500]

I'll also be doing this ride. All the best to you and good luck in your fundraising efforts.

[juliejewels]

Way to go. I am an 11 year survivor and going to Livestrong Austin for the third time. Good luck. It was a live changing thing for me. It is my annual celebration of health and life.
Bring pictures to put on the survivor board and decorate your jersey.
Have fun!

-Julie

[Midget]

If I would have found out about this ride sooner, I would have seriously considered figuring out a way to do it. :p But I just saw the flyer at REI last week...oh well. I wouldn't mind doing the century next year. :p I'm really considering that, and hoping I could get myself ready in a year. I've only been riding a few months.

[Possegal]

better late than never (just found this site last week), but my sister, brother-in-law and i rode this ride in August. our other sister was diagnosed with lung cancer in may and we rode it for her. my avatar (if it worked) is the back of the cycling jersey i designed for our team, which was named after my sister (kelly's posse, hence my name). we love our Posse cycling gear. :)

it was a really tough ride! my sister and i did the 40 mile but my b-i-l did the 100 and he says now "that was not fun". as my sister says "rolling hills my arse". it was very hilly! but we felt like we had accomplished something in the end and intend to ride again next year, hopefully with a bigger team! we raised over $4000 though, which wa a nice tribute to my sister.

my sisters and i went to france in 04 to watch a stage of the tour, so this charity ride seemed appropriate. the fact that i actually spoke to lance as he biked by me, and he spoke back, all before i realized it was him, was a great story to share with my sister!

now i've got til next year to get myself in shape for the 70 mile ride, which is my goal for the livestrong ride, though i'd still like to ride a century one of these days.

[bikerchic]

my email today!

Livestrong Challenge will be in Portland, OR June 29,2008.

For the last three years I've been a volunteer for the LAF I and hubby hope to volunteer again this year and I would love to ride in it! I'm making it a goal of mine to do at least the 40 miler if not the 70. Can't wait! It's a great foundation and a great cause I'm pleased as punch to do whatever I can for them.

mmh how did your ride go?

[ny biker]

Is anyone else planning to ride in Philadelphia this year besides me and Possegal? Just wondering...

[Peanut03]

I did this ride 2 years ago and it was great. I don't know if they've changed the route, but the last 25 miles of the century ride was hilly. It was well supported, definitely worth doing.

[ny biker]

I did this ride 2 years ago and it was great. I don't know if they've changed the route, but the last 25 miles of the century ride was hilly. It was well supported, definitely worth doing.

The route changed last year. It was 100% in the 'burbs, didn't go into Philadelphia at all. It was basically a big loop and was hilly the whole way, with the worst hills in the middle. It was difficult but fun. Lots of friendly folks cheering us on along the way, including several kids out in front of their houses giving out water and lemonade.

I enjoyed riding through some parts of Philadelphia the first year but in some areas there was too much traffic, and the area near the stadiums was not very interesting. I think I used up too much energy during that part of the ride and as a result I wound up in tears after riding about 85 miles because I didn't have the mental energy I needed for the hills at the end. Fortunately I was able to pull myself together and finish the ride (mostly because I have the most awesome personal trainer who coaches me when I'm getting ready for these rides and I knew there was no way I could tell him that I quit so close to the end). I cried again at the finish line but those were tears of joy.

I'm still waiting to find out what the route will be for this year's ride but they told me it will be similar to last year.

[ny biker]

Ride maps and cue sheets have been posted for the 2008 Philadelphia ride. At first glance, it looks exactly like last year's route, or at least is very similar.

[Possegal]

I'm curious to see if the route is identical, but it sure looks like it. This year, instead of just my sister and I riding the 45 mile (with her husband doing the 100), we also have my other brother in law, two nieces, and 4 friends. So my little team of 3 riders, this year turned into 10 riders. And right now, 3 runners, but 2.5 more are joining (my niece Jordan is only 6 months, but she'll be in her stroller!). I celebrated by ordering custom-designed water bottles. :)

Hey NY biker, if you see a white jersey with green and black and writing on the back that says "may the wind be always at your back", yell out KIM, and you'll have found me. :) Though as a self-described "slowski", I'll likely be near the back of the pack!

[andtckrtoo]

I did the LiveStrong ride in San Jose. It was an incredible experience and one I will repeat next year. This was my ride report to my sponsors. I managed to raise $1011.00

We raised $1.5 Million in San Jose alone! Thank you for helping me be part of it. I knew this ride would be emotional, and it was. I even got to hear Lance Armstrong, the man himself, give an incredibly touching tribute to Tony Snow. Regardless of your party affiliations, knowing that cancer took a man with such power, strength and resources is humbling. I’m glad I got to participate in this ride as it really brought home how necessary the cancer research remains.

Yes, Lance rode along with us. No, I did not see him on the ride (I’ll bet very few people did – no one can keep up with him!!), but to know I was riding in the same event as Lance Armstrong is pretty powerful. I also got to ride with a cancer survivor. My company’s VP of Support’s sister-in-law is a breast cancer survivor and has been for a year. I loved getting to know her as well. I was also approached many times because of the number of people I was riding for.

The ride was fun. We started off in downtown San Jose. The streets were closed so we had them to ourselves. What a powerful sight as thousands of cyclists filled the streets of downtown! San Jose is in the middle of the Silicon Valley, so it’s fairly flat in the middle, but we have mountains on both sides, and we rode both sides. We started by heading to the west through Saratoga and Los Gatos. We hit some minor hills, then we had a killer climb heading in Campbell. The hill was deceptive – it did not look as if it should be as hard as it was! I hate those kinds of hills! But, at least it was behind us and we had a fun, curvy downhill back into the valley.

We rode to the far reaches of San Jose, and then finally started heading East. Around mile 30 we started the big climb up into Silver Creek Country Club. The East side of San Jose has no trees, so the climb was brutal as the breeze had died, but fortunately, just as many of the riders decided to walk, we turned a corner, the hill lessened and a breeze came up. I have never appreciated a breeze more! Once over the hill we had a fun downhill (I got up to 40 mph) then had a shape right turn and another uphill, although not nearly as bad as the first. Then it was down hill from there, and what a relief that was! From there it was smooth sailing to the finish line! I’m feeling good and ready to go for another ride, but not today. :P

Thanks everyone!!! You are the very best!! I’m so lucky to count you as my friends and family!

[Possegal]

Thanks for telling us about your ride Christine, sounds like you had a great day! I'm excited for our ride, always worried about the hills, but thrilled that I have a team of 10 riders this year to help me through, and beyond thrilled that my sister who is battling lung cancer is going to be at the finish line to cheer on her team. You learn quickly when there is a diagnosis of advanced cancer, to cherish every single day. So while I hope and pray she is at the finish line next year, I will cherish all the memories I'm able to make with her this year.

I spoke to Lance on the ride last year. I didn't realize until the exchange - which was me yelling to rider on his way back in as I was still on my way out "Way to go, great job", and the rider yelling back to me "you too, great job" - that I realized the rider had a motorcycle police escort. I looked at my sister and said "I just 'way-to-go'ed' frickin' Lance Armstrong". :) Though I joke now that I legally can state "I've cycled with Lance Armstrong". :)

If anyone out there was thinking - hey, wish I could donate to the Lance Armstrong Foundation - well click on my link in my signature. I'd love to raise even more money before my ride this weekend! ;)

[ny biker]

I "rode with" Lance during the first Tour of Hope ride in DC a few years back. He was riding into DC on Memorial Bridge while I was riding outbound.

I haven't decided yet what I'll be wearing on Sunday, Kim, so I can't tell you what to look for. It will probably either be a plain white or pink sleeveless jersey (I know, boring, but easy to spot when you're looking at the thumbnail photos on the Kreutz website). If you happen to notice a light green Prius in the parking lot with VA plates, it's probably me.

I do know that I'll be dining at the Cracker Barrel on Satuday night, Sunday night and Monday morning. I really hope they still have wild blueberry pancakes on the menu. Mmm mmm, I loooove me some Cracker Barrel.