Yikes!!!

Cyclopath

Shop Owner / Employee
Shop Keep
Day 1 completed. Woo hoo!!!!

Rough start. 3 1/4 hrs sleep. Protein shake for bfast. Confusion at check-in, Got out of the gate DEAD FREAKIN' LAST!! Seriously. They were packing up the port-a-pottys. Missed first turn by 2 miles. Back tracked. And caught a couple dozen people.

With the lack of sleep, F-ed up start and only running on a 3-carb protein shake, I bonked(again) from 20-40 miles. And it was HOT out!!!

Oh yea, my month old Garmin. Lost it. So I can't really prove that I rode 100 miles today.(but then I can also lie about how well I did:rolleyes:) That sucks. (My family found it in the car and delivered it tonight on their way home from day in Boston-Yea!!!) Miles of real crappy roads in Mass. Sweet rollers through Connecticut. More Ct. tomorrow. Then UGH the Berkshires.

Yes Lou, pickle juice is good! the half sour deli dills tasted fantastic, but they refused to stay down. Yep, Mike, :puke: at the next rest stop.

Ya know, on long hard rides, I've found I can only eat tuna salad with no bread, no fruit xcept melon and my homemade goo, (Tim, I got a new recipe, BETTER than the last.YUM!!)

Then I poured ice water down my back and over my shoulders and chest. It hurt SO good. Got my power back and was ready to rip up the course, but the guy that stuck with me through my bonk(a self-appointed guardian) bonked big time and I just couldn't leave him to die on the side of the road. I was hoping he'd give it up at the rest stop, but he kept pushing and finished as I pulled him for 50 some miles.

Definitely not my best time on a century, not my worst either, but since I didn't spend it all today. I'll put that Garmin to use tomorrow.

Tim, what was your father In-law's name? I'll add him to my 'I'm riding for...' card.

Wish me luck tomorrow!!!
 

Fogerson

Former Resident Nerd
Sandie,

Sounds like a rough start, but you're pushing though the challenge. My father-in-law was cut from the same cloth.

Thank you so much for adding him to your card. His name was Tom Manganella. Diagnosed at age 59, passed at age 65. He was in full quadriplegic phase, with respirator, for nearly 3 years. I think the resolve that kept him going in marathons, and his grandchildren, helped him outlast most (actually *all* of his fellow ALS patients he met in a support group when diagnosed).

A new recipe? Better than the last? You're gonna' have to send it to me and prove it missy!

Good luck today. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate, hydrate...it is gonna' be a toasty one...

Tim
 

Cyclopath

Shop Owner / Employee
Shop Keep
I did it.
It was unbelievable.

I learned so much about how much pain and suffering the human body can withstand if the spirit is strong and the mind unfaltering. Experience that and you get a glimpse of what ALS patients endure. No matter how brutal the heat, how far the road, how deadly the hills, I'll wake tomorrow and get the chance to do it again. Eric and Tom won't.

It was an privilege to ride in honor of Tom and in support for Eric and emotionally mind blowing to carry them with me in this tour.

For myself, I found new strengths and new thresholds. Had some new experiences(like bleeding because of chaffing) and perfected some new skills(like Yaking over the shoulder at 16-20mph... Gatorade makes such pretty colors) and earned a lot of respect on a lot of roads...

Bored, curious? to read more go here>
 

pixychick

JORBA: Ringwood
JORBA.ORG
Great job Sandie!!! Awesome write up too. It sounds like it was an enriching experience. Don't worry about the :puke: . That stuff happens sometimes. My teammate puked 6 times before her race this weekend and put in her best race ever.

p.s. Yeh, skip the pickle juice and go for electrolyte drinks and calcium supplements like sports legs. That is what I use for stage race events.
 
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Neen

Guest
Wow, kudos to you on a great thing you did! I did a report on ALS many many moons ago and it is indeed a horrible way to die. Awesome, can't wait to read your full report!
 

Eileen

Active Member
Great job Sandie! I thought my race was tough this weekend, but what you did was amazing and for an awesome cause. You should really be proud of yourself!!
 

ArmyOfNone

Well-Known Member
Great write up and an even better job! That is some awesome stuff there. And that is totally aside from the cycling part.
 

Cyclopath

Shop Owner / Employee
Shop Keep
Thanks so much for all your words of support through this thing. I honestly had doubts and if it weren't for me having to feel guilty while spending the rest of this week with Eric, I might have bagged it. You all made me laugh and get out of myself enough that I could do it. And all things considered, I rocked it!

Here's the final report(and the one before) complete with GPS data

Cheers!

Days 1+2:
http://sandiereilly.blogspot.com/2008_07_20_archive.html

Day 3
http://sandiereilly.blogspot.com/2008/07/tri-state-trek-day-three.html
 

Cyclopath

Shop Owner / Employee
Shop Keep
It was really awesome to ride in support of my friend, Eric Lowen.
It was even more awesome to see him five days later, performing at a
music festival in NY.

Check out Eric's song "Learning to Fall", inspired by the book of the
name, infused with his own experiences, and meet some people I love
with all my heart. Yep, I love 'em enough to do the ride all over
again.
http://www.whatkindofworlddoyouwant.com/videos/view/id/884613/

Whatkindofworlddoyouwant.com facilitates a $1 donation for ALS for
each view this video receives.
See it and pass the link around.

Hugs,
Sandie
 
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