Inspiration

[Trekhawk]

I also read this and thought good for you guys getting out there and giving it a go (one of the guys has actually now done 16 centuries). One part of the article did make me sad though and a little angry that some people can be so rude. Here it is below.

David says while he professes love for cyclists in general - thinks road racers are jerks. A few years back, when Dave weighed in at a featherlight 247, he packed up his Colnago and showed up at a USCF circuit race in Boston. Before the race, he was thrilled to see fancy bikes everywhere-he had never seen that many awesome machines in one place-and approached a guy on a Pegoretti, and said,"Hey,nice bike." The racer looked David up and down and said, "Cant buy speed." And rode off.

[bikerchick68]

I read this too... great article! It's too bad in every walk of life there are jerks... pro racing is no different. For the most part tho, cyclists that I have run into have been very supportive...

when my bro began road riding he was still 380lbs... road his first century at 320lbs... as we rode people along the way offered words of encouragement with no condescension at all... it was very, very cool... my bro is (as of this AM) now down to 238lbs!!! He has lost 220lbs from his original weight and wants to possibly write a book about how cycling changed his life...

[anaphase]

I read this too... great article! It's too bad in every walk of life there are jerks... pro racing is no different. For the most part tho, cyclists that I have run into have been very supportive...

when my bro began road riding he was still 380lbs... road his first century at 320lbs... as we rode people along the way offered words of encouragement with no condescension at all... it was very, very cool... my bro is (as of this AM) now down to 238lbs!!! He has lost 220lbs from his original weight and wants to possibly write a book about how cycling changed his life...

Your brother's story is really inspiring. I bookmarked that page on the mtb forum and show it to people I work with all the time.

I'd love to read his book!

[bikerchick68]

Your brother's story is really inspiring. I bookmarked that page on the mtb forum and show it to people I work with all the time.

I'd love to read his book!

anaphase thank you! Did you see the pics I posted of the Cool Breeze Century? My brother is in the first pic to the left of me as you view the picture... a drastic difference even since the mtbr forum pics!!! June 18th saw him down 200lbs and he rode his first DOUBLE century... Next year he wants to do the CA Triple Crown... 3 doubles in the alloted time...

[Trekhawk]

[QUOTE=bikerchick68]
when my bro began road riding he was still 380lbs... road his first century at 320lbs... as we rode people along the way offered words of encouragement with no condescension at all... it was very, very cool... my bro is (as of this AM) now down to 238lbs!!! He has lost 220lbs from his original weight and wants to possibly write a book about how cycling changed his life...

bikerchick68 - give your brother the thumbs up from me . That is a great story and yes he should write a book it would be inspirational for all.

Im pleased to know that he has been offered heaps of encouragement by other cyclists. I always feel bad when I hear that its not the case because its a rather catch 22 situation for larger people. Everyone likes to have a go and say why are they not out doing something to loose weight but then when they do people feel its their right to ridicule. It cant always be easy so I admire these riders immensely.

[bikerchick68]

[QUOTE Im pleased to know that he has been offered heaps of encouragement by other cyclists. I always feel bad when I hear that its not the case because its a rather catch 22 situation for larger people. Everyone likes to have a go and say why are they not out doing something to loose weight but then when they do people feel its their right to ridicule. It cant always be easy so I admire these riders immensely.[/QUOTE]

Having spent my young adult life being pretty overweight I can guarantee you the ridicule DOES NOT HELP... I didn't need people to tell me I was heavy... I knew that very well! Weight is not something you can "fix" for someone else... that person has to do it on their own... words of encouragement go much, much farther to helping someone succeed...

thanks for the nice words... I will pass them along to my bro! I can remember teaching him how to draft...now I have to draft him to try to keep up... he drops me easily BUT he always slows down without complaining or moaning that I'm going too slow... He's a good big brother!

[bluerider]

I read this too... great article! It's too bad in every walk of life there are jerks... pro racing is no different. For the most part tho, cyclists that I have run into have been very supportive...

when my bro began road riding he was still 380lbs... road his first century at 320lbs... as we rode people along the way offered words of encouragement with no condescension at all... it was very, very cool... my bro is (as of this AM) now down to 238lbs!!! He has lost 220lbs from his original weight and wants to possibly write a book about how cycling changed his life...

That's amazing bikerchick. You're bro is amazing and his story is a really inspiration. I hope he knows that he's really admired on this forum!