Isn't this great, I received and email from he LAF yesterday about making contributions, just as I was going to send out another reminder to everyone that I only have 2 weeks left to have all my money in for the Ride of the Roses! OCTOBER 11 is coming very quickly! I have been steadily training for the upcoming ride, and I am finally feeling comfortable with the thought of this long ride. Last weekend 3 of us ventured up to Huntsville for the Raven Ride. What a beautiful area, although riding through the state park up there was a bit bumpy! They seriously need to redo the road through the park, you need a mountain bike to handle the craters. This weekend I'm heading out to Bandera, Tx for an outing for work. Fortunately for me, the roads are great for cycling, and the scenery is AMAZING. I'll be able to get in a few early morning rides with a few colleagues that also enjoy cycling. I can't wait....
Anyway... here's the email I received yesterday about the LAF donations....
It is so exciting to me every day to unite with citizens, cancer survivors, organizations and leaders across the country to write a history for our generation that does not include cancer.
Thirty years since President Nixon declared war on cancer, the Lance Armstrong Foundation and the LIVESTRONG Army are securing real commitments and advancements to eliminate cancer as the number one killer of Americans under 85.
Together, we are taking bold and historic steps. But our voices alone aren't enough. We need your financial support to help change the course of cancer in our country.
Your donation today will help the Lance Armstrong Foundation continue our research and community grants, cancer support services and public policy programs that are closing the gaps between what we know and what we do about cancer, including:
• Making cancer a national priority among elected officials.
• Hosting the historic LIVESTRONG Presidential Cancer Forum to renew national leadership in fighting cancer.
• Promoting legislation to increase access to screenings, make screenings available earlier and develop screenings for other types of cancer.
• Delivering direct cancer support services to people affected by cancer through the LIVESTRONG SurvivorCare network.
• Investing $28.9 million last year alone in cancer survivorship programs and initiatives to make cancer a national priority.
We know that 1/3 of all cancer deaths could be prevented. That means that 500 lives would be spared today, 3,500 this week and 182,000 lives this year alone. We also know that early screenings for cancers such as prostate and skin cancers will decrease diagnosis and mortality rates. Despite this knowledge, 560,000 people will die in 2007 from cancer. 182,000 of those will die needlessly because they didn't have access to screenings and the right kind of treatments.
We can no longer sit back and allow people to die needlessly. We face a historic opportunity—but only if we unite with a singular goal of getting rid of cancer forever.
Please unite with the Lance Armstrong Foundation with a tax-deductible donation.
Together we can make history.
LIVESTRONG,
Doug Ulman
President, Lance Armstrong Foundation
Friday, September 28, 2007
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Three More Weeks...
I have 3 more weeks before all donations have to be in and counted. This gives me 3 more weeks to raise as much money as possible for the LAF! At the moment, I'm hovering at $11,345, which I must say is one hell of a response from everyone. I honestly didn't think I would get over $10,000 when I first started the blog and decided to do this ride. So, for all of you that have committed to donating, but still haven't sent anything in, please do so as soon as possible. I'm counting on you all to help me fight this disease! In addition to the ride on Sunday 14 October, I'm doing the 5k run/walk on the Saturday before as a little extra event. I'm not a runner, so its more then likely that I'll walk the 5k. Don't forget to donate!!!
As for my continuing training.... I'll be doing the Raven Ride 61 mile route in Huntsville, Tx this Saturday. For those of you that are local and want to join, it starts at 0800. Follow the link for more information and directions to the starting sight.
As for my continuing training.... I'll be doing the Raven Ride 61 mile route in Huntsville, Tx this Saturday. For those of you that are local and want to join, it starts at 0800. Follow the link for more information and directions to the starting sight.
Cycling News....
Arbitrators find Landis guilty of doping, rule he must forfeit 2006 Tour title
By EDDIE PELLS, AP National WriterSeptember 20, 2007
AP - Sep 20, 1:36 pm EDT
PARIS (AP) -- Floyd Landis lost his expensive and explosive doping case Thursday when arbitrators upheld the results of a test that showed the 2006 Tour de France champion used synthetic testosterone to fuel his spectacular comeback victory, The Associated Press has learned.
The decision means Landis, who repeatedly has denied using performance-enhancing drugs, must forfeit his Tour de France title and is subject to a two-year ban, retroactive to Jan. 30, 2007.
The ruling, handed down nearly four months after a bizarre and bitterly fought hearing, leaves the American with one final way to possibly salvage his title -- an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
If Landis doesn't appeal, he'll be the first person in the 105-year history of the race to lose the title because of a doping offense.
According to documents obtained by AP, the vote was 2-1 to uphold the results, with lead arbitrator Patrice Brunet and Richard McLaren in the majority and Christopher Campbell dissenting.
"Today's ruling is a victory for all clean athletes and everyone who values fair and honest competition," U.S. Anti-Doping Agency CEO Travis Tygart said.
It's a devastating loss for Landis, who has steadfastly insisted that cheating went against everything he was all about and said he was merely a pawn in the anti-doping system's all-consuming effort to find cheaters and keep money flowing to its labs and agencies.
Landis didn't hide from the scrutiny -- invited it, in fact -- and now has been found guilty by the closest thing to a fair trial any accused athlete will get.
Landis, who has a month to file his appeal, is still weighing his legal options, according to a statement released by his legal team.
"This ruling is a blow to athletes and cyclists everywhere" Landis said. "For the Panel to find in favor of USADA when, with respect to so many issues, USADA did not manage to prove even the most basic parts of their case shows that this system is fundamentally flawed. I am innocent, and we proved I am innocent."
Despite the result, it's hard to see this as a total victory for the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, which prosecuted the case. This was a costly affair for the agency, and it exposed flaws in the system.
In its 84-page decision, the majority found the initial screening test to measure Landis' testosterone levels -- the testosterone-to-epitestosterone test -- was not done according to World Anti-Doping Agency rules.
But the more precise and expensive carbon-isotope ration analysis (IRMS), performed after a positive T-E test is recorded, was accurate, the arbitrators said, meaning "an anti-doping rule violation is established."
"As has been held in several cases, even where the T-E ratio has been held to be unreliable ... the IRMS analysis may still be applied," the majority wrote. "It has also been held that the IRMS analysis may stand alone as the basis" of a positive test for steroids.
The decision comes more than a year after Landis' stunning comeback in Stage 17 of the 2006 Tour, one that many people said couldn't be done without some kind of outside help. Flying to the lead near the start of a grueling Alpine stage, Landis regained nearly eight minutes against the leader, and went on to win the three-week race.
"Well, all I can say is that justice has been done, and that this is what the UCI felt was correct all along," Pat McQuaid, leader of cycling's world governing body, told The Associated Press by telephone. "We now await and see if he does appeal to CAS.
"It's not a great surprise considering how events have evolved. He got a highly qualified legal team who tried to baffle everybody with science and public relations. And in the end the facts stood up."
Spanish rider Oscar Pereiro, who finished second to Landis in the 2006 Tour, said he hadn't officially heard the news yet.
"You never want to win a competition like that," he said. "But after a year and a half of all of this I'm just glad it's over."
Landis insisted on a public hearing not only to prove his innocence, but to shine a spotlight on USADA and the rules it enforces and also establish a pattern of incompetence at the French lab where his urine was tested.
Although the panel rejected Landis' argument of a "conspiracy" at the Chatenay-Malabry lab, it did find areas of concern. They dealt with chain of command in controlling the urine sample, the way the tests were run on the machine, the way the machine was prepared and the "forensic corrections" done on the lab paperwork.
"... the Panel finds that the practises of the Lab in training its employees appears to lack the vigor the Panel would expect in the circumstances given the enormous consequences to athletes" of an adverse analytical finding, the decision said.
The majority repeatedly wrote that any mistakes made at the lab were not enough to dismiss the positive test, but also sent a warning.
"If such practises continue, it may well be that in the future, an error like this could result in the dismissal" of a positive finding by the lab.
In Campbell's opinion, Landis' case should have been one of those cases.
"In many instances, Mr. Landis sustained his burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt," Campbell wrote. "The documents supplied by LNDD are so filled with errors that they do not support an Adverse Analytical Finding. Mr. Landis should be found innocent."
And in at least one respect, Landis, who spent an estimated $2 million on his defense, was exonerated because the panel dismissed the T-E test. But in the arbitration process, a procedural flaw in the first test doesn't negate a positive result in follow-up tests.
"An arbitration panel is entitled to rely entirely on the IRMS analysis as an independent and sufficient basis for finding that an anti-doping rule violation has occurred," the decision said.
In his dissent, Campbell latched onto the T-E ratio test, among other things, as proof that the French lab couldn't be trusted.
"Also, the T-E ratio test is acknowledged as a simple test to run. The IRMS test is universally acknowledged as a very complicated test to run, requiring much skill. If the LNDD couldn't get the T-E ratio test right, how can a person have any confidence that LNDD got the much more complicated IRMS test correct?"
It was confusion like this that led to the system receiving the harsh review Landis was hoping for during a nine-day hearing in Malibu, Calif., in May.
But Landis also took his share of abuse, and ultimately, USADA still improved to 35-0 in cases it has brought before arbitration panels since it was founded in 2000.
This was a nasty contest waged on both sides, with USADA attorneys going after Landis' character and taking liberties in evidence discovery that wouldn't be permitted in a regular court of law. And Landis accused USADA of using a win-at-all-costs strategy and prosecuting him only to get him to turn on seven-time winner Lance Armstrong, who has long fought doping allegations that have never been proven.
Addressing "problematic behavior on the part of both parties," the panel wrote it would not revisit the conduct of either side.
"They are just part of the litigation war games the parties counsel engaged in between themselves," the decision said.
More than the complex, turgid scientific evidence, the hearing will be remembered for the Greg LeMond brouhaha.
The hearing turned into a soap opera when the former Tour de France winner showed up and told of being sexually abused as a child, confiding that to Landis, then receiving a call from Landis' manager the night before his testimony threatening to disclose LeMond's secret to the world if LeMond showed up.
LeMond not only showed up, he also claimed Landis had admitted to him that he doped. That was the only aspect of the LeMond testimony the panel cared about.
"The panel concludes that the respondent's comment to Mr. LeMond did not amount to an admission of guilt or doping," the majority wrote.
This year's Tour began without the official defending champion, and the traditional "No. 1" jersey wasn't handed out when the race began in London. It only got worse as doping allegations and suspicions devastated the 2007 Tour. Three riders, including former overall leader Michael Rasmussen, and two teams were expelled during the three-week race.
At 31, Landis has vowed he hadn't given up on cycling -- he raced in small, nonsanctioned events in Colorado this summer -- even hoping to some day wear the yellow jersey again.
Updated on Thursday, Sep 20, 2007 2:43 pm, EDT
By EDDIE PELLS, AP National WriterSeptember 20, 2007
AP - Sep 20, 1:36 pm EDT
PARIS (AP) -- Floyd Landis lost his expensive and explosive doping case Thursday when arbitrators upheld the results of a test that showed the 2006 Tour de France champion used synthetic testosterone to fuel his spectacular comeback victory, The Associated Press has learned.
The decision means Landis, who repeatedly has denied using performance-enhancing drugs, must forfeit his Tour de France title and is subject to a two-year ban, retroactive to Jan. 30, 2007.
The ruling, handed down nearly four months after a bizarre and bitterly fought hearing, leaves the American with one final way to possibly salvage his title -- an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
If Landis doesn't appeal, he'll be the first person in the 105-year history of the race to lose the title because of a doping offense.
According to documents obtained by AP, the vote was 2-1 to uphold the results, with lead arbitrator Patrice Brunet and Richard McLaren in the majority and Christopher Campbell dissenting.
"Today's ruling is a victory for all clean athletes and everyone who values fair and honest competition," U.S. Anti-Doping Agency CEO Travis Tygart said.
It's a devastating loss for Landis, who has steadfastly insisted that cheating went against everything he was all about and said he was merely a pawn in the anti-doping system's all-consuming effort to find cheaters and keep money flowing to its labs and agencies.
Landis didn't hide from the scrutiny -- invited it, in fact -- and now has been found guilty by the closest thing to a fair trial any accused athlete will get.
Landis, who has a month to file his appeal, is still weighing his legal options, according to a statement released by his legal team.
"This ruling is a blow to athletes and cyclists everywhere" Landis said. "For the Panel to find in favor of USADA when, with respect to so many issues, USADA did not manage to prove even the most basic parts of their case shows that this system is fundamentally flawed. I am innocent, and we proved I am innocent."
Despite the result, it's hard to see this as a total victory for the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, which prosecuted the case. This was a costly affair for the agency, and it exposed flaws in the system.
In its 84-page decision, the majority found the initial screening test to measure Landis' testosterone levels -- the testosterone-to-epitestosterone test -- was not done according to World Anti-Doping Agency rules.
But the more precise and expensive carbon-isotope ration analysis (IRMS), performed after a positive T-E test is recorded, was accurate, the arbitrators said, meaning "an anti-doping rule violation is established."
"As has been held in several cases, even where the T-E ratio has been held to be unreliable ... the IRMS analysis may still be applied," the majority wrote. "It has also been held that the IRMS analysis may stand alone as the basis" of a positive test for steroids.
The decision comes more than a year after Landis' stunning comeback in Stage 17 of the 2006 Tour, one that many people said couldn't be done without some kind of outside help. Flying to the lead near the start of a grueling Alpine stage, Landis regained nearly eight minutes against the leader, and went on to win the three-week race.
"Well, all I can say is that justice has been done, and that this is what the UCI felt was correct all along," Pat McQuaid, leader of cycling's world governing body, told The Associated Press by telephone. "We now await and see if he does appeal to CAS.
"It's not a great surprise considering how events have evolved. He got a highly qualified legal team who tried to baffle everybody with science and public relations. And in the end the facts stood up."
Spanish rider Oscar Pereiro, who finished second to Landis in the 2006 Tour, said he hadn't officially heard the news yet.
"You never want to win a competition like that," he said. "But after a year and a half of all of this I'm just glad it's over."
Landis insisted on a public hearing not only to prove his innocence, but to shine a spotlight on USADA and the rules it enforces and also establish a pattern of incompetence at the French lab where his urine was tested.
Although the panel rejected Landis' argument of a "conspiracy" at the Chatenay-Malabry lab, it did find areas of concern. They dealt with chain of command in controlling the urine sample, the way the tests were run on the machine, the way the machine was prepared and the "forensic corrections" done on the lab paperwork.
"... the Panel finds that the practises of the Lab in training its employees appears to lack the vigor the Panel would expect in the circumstances given the enormous consequences to athletes" of an adverse analytical finding, the decision said.
The majority repeatedly wrote that any mistakes made at the lab were not enough to dismiss the positive test, but also sent a warning.
"If such practises continue, it may well be that in the future, an error like this could result in the dismissal" of a positive finding by the lab.
In Campbell's opinion, Landis' case should have been one of those cases.
"In many instances, Mr. Landis sustained his burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt," Campbell wrote. "The documents supplied by LNDD are so filled with errors that they do not support an Adverse Analytical Finding. Mr. Landis should be found innocent."
And in at least one respect, Landis, who spent an estimated $2 million on his defense, was exonerated because the panel dismissed the T-E test. But in the arbitration process, a procedural flaw in the first test doesn't negate a positive result in follow-up tests.
"An arbitration panel is entitled to rely entirely on the IRMS analysis as an independent and sufficient basis for finding that an anti-doping rule violation has occurred," the decision said.
In his dissent, Campbell latched onto the T-E ratio test, among other things, as proof that the French lab couldn't be trusted.
"Also, the T-E ratio test is acknowledged as a simple test to run. The IRMS test is universally acknowledged as a very complicated test to run, requiring much skill. If the LNDD couldn't get the T-E ratio test right, how can a person have any confidence that LNDD got the much more complicated IRMS test correct?"
It was confusion like this that led to the system receiving the harsh review Landis was hoping for during a nine-day hearing in Malibu, Calif., in May.
But Landis also took his share of abuse, and ultimately, USADA still improved to 35-0 in cases it has brought before arbitration panels since it was founded in 2000.
This was a nasty contest waged on both sides, with USADA attorneys going after Landis' character and taking liberties in evidence discovery that wouldn't be permitted in a regular court of law. And Landis accused USADA of using a win-at-all-costs strategy and prosecuting him only to get him to turn on seven-time winner Lance Armstrong, who has long fought doping allegations that have never been proven.
Addressing "problematic behavior on the part of both parties," the panel wrote it would not revisit the conduct of either side.
"They are just part of the litigation war games the parties counsel engaged in between themselves," the decision said.
More than the complex, turgid scientific evidence, the hearing will be remembered for the Greg LeMond brouhaha.
The hearing turned into a soap opera when the former Tour de France winner showed up and told of being sexually abused as a child, confiding that to Landis, then receiving a call from Landis' manager the night before his testimony threatening to disclose LeMond's secret to the world if LeMond showed up.
LeMond not only showed up, he also claimed Landis had admitted to him that he doped. That was the only aspect of the LeMond testimony the panel cared about.
"The panel concludes that the respondent's comment to Mr. LeMond did not amount to an admission of guilt or doping," the majority wrote.
This year's Tour began without the official defending champion, and the traditional "No. 1" jersey wasn't handed out when the race began in London. It only got worse as doping allegations and suspicions devastated the 2007 Tour. Three riders, including former overall leader Michael Rasmussen, and two teams were expelled during the three-week race.
At 31, Landis has vowed he hadn't given up on cycling -- he raced in small, nonsanctioned events in Colorado this summer -- even hoping to some day wear the yellow jersey again.
Updated on Thursday, Sep 20, 2007 2:43 pm, EDT
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Today I'm in Connecticut. I flew up last night for a quick trip, and will be heading back tomorrow. I did get a good workout in this morning, but no cycling, obviously. I have been very alarmed today on two separate occasions. I found out today that 2 more people I know have been either diagnosed or have been affected by a relapse. The second one especially took me by surprise. I nearly burst in tears when I was told and in fact, I’m having a bit of trouble keeping composure while typing this in the hotel lobby. That said, I think I will keep this entry short. I’m devastated and I have to meet some people in about 30 minutes for dinner; don’t want to be all puffy-eyed. My prayers go out to the families and close friends of these people.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Massive Donation made to a local hospital...
I was just sent this article... a good read!
McNair, wife to donate $100 million to medical school
Associated Press
Updated: September 12, 2007, 1:31 PM ET
HOUSTON -- Houston Texans owner Robert McNair and his wife are giving $100 million to the Baylor College of Medicine, according to a newspaper report.
The gift equals the largest donation ever made to the school, the Houston Chronicle reported in Wednesday editions.
The funds, made through the Robert and Janice McNair Foundation, will fund research into breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, juvenile diabetes and the neurosciences.
"We're pleased to be able to do this," McNair, a Baylor trustee, said Tuesday. "I hope it has a significant impact on not just Baylor and researchers throughout the Texas Medical Center but people in Houston and everywhere who suffer from these diseases."
Baylor officials were scheduled to announce the gift Wednesday.
The donation comes about a year and a half after Baylor trustee and energy magnate Dan Duncan gave Baylor $100 million for its cancer center. The two gifts are the largest ever given to facilities in Houston's Texas Medical Center.
Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press
McNair, wife to donate $100 million to medical school
Associated Press
Updated: September 12, 2007, 1:31 PM ET
HOUSTON -- Houston Texans owner Robert McNair and his wife are giving $100 million to the Baylor College of Medicine, according to a newspaper report.
The gift equals the largest donation ever made to the school, the Houston Chronicle reported in Wednesday editions.
The funds, made through the Robert and Janice McNair Foundation, will fund research into breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, juvenile diabetes and the neurosciences.
"We're pleased to be able to do this," McNair, a Baylor trustee, said Tuesday. "I hope it has a significant impact on not just Baylor and researchers throughout the Texas Medical Center but people in Houston and everywhere who suffer from these diseases."
Baylor officials were scheduled to announce the gift Wednesday.
The donation comes about a year and a half after Baylor trustee and energy magnate Dan Duncan gave Baylor $100 million for its cancer center. The two gifts are the largest ever given to facilities in Houston's Texas Medical Center.
Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Luciano Pavarotti 1935-2007
Luciano Pavarotti died this past week. It’s been all over the news. He was a legend in music world having a celebrated tenor voice. It has taken me a little while to be able to write about this mainly because he died of pancreatic cancer, and if anyone has been paying attention to my blog, pancreatic cancer is a bit of a tough subject for me to discuss. I wish really that the news programs would have concentrated more on his life in music then on the fact that he died of this disease. I’m sure many would have rather listened to him sing rather then listening to a reporter repeat statistics of how many people a year die of pancreatic cancer, or how horrible a cancer it is to treat and live with. Most do not survive this cancer. Pavorotti lasted 14 months after diagnosis, he did well relatively speaking. Mom lasted 3 ½ weeks. In my hotel room last Thursday morning watching CNN report on the death of Pavarotti, I was once again smacked in the face with a reminder of what happened to my mother. Reminded of what I lost, what my family lost, what so many people are dealing with on a daily basis.
Pancreatic cancer statistics are not anything that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Not a good blog topic normally, but after all, this is one of the reasons I’m doing this blog. Sometimes the hard, disturbing truths about cancer are needed to remind us that it affects everyone, everyday and it needs to be dealt with urgently. Pancreatic cancer, or adenocarcinoma of the pancreas is diagnosed each year more then 30,000 times alone in the US. Most of the people who are diagnosed will lose their lives within the first year. The survival rate, if left untreated, is on average about 3 ½ months; and with treatment is approximately 6 months. This is a difficult cancer to catch early. Symptoms are loss of appetite, nausea, pain and discomfort in the abdomen, and weight loss, all of which are not feelings that would ordinarily make you think you have a cancer. People might just feel as if they are coming down with a stomach virus. I know my mother complained for a few weeks of stomach discomfort, but she wrote it off to working too much and not eating properly. She had always had a history of stomach problems anyway. Yellowing of the skin or jaundice is probably the most common physical sign of pancreatic cancer. It is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in men and women, and most likely has the worst median survival period of any cancer. It’s painful too; very, very painful. I have said this before to some of my close friends, in a way, I’m happy that my mother did not have to endure the chemotherapy. I didn’t want her to have to suffer not only the pain from the cancer, but the horrible effects of the drugs being pumped through her system. Those drugs, in all likelihood would have only prolonged her life a few months.
I guess this is enough for one entry. I’m still having issues thinking about what has happened. I would much rather think about what can be done to help find a cure, or be a part of a support system to someone who has survived cancer. I would rather write about a success story. Maybe by being a part of this fundraiser, I’ll be a part of someone’s.
Pancreatic cancer statistics are not anything that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Not a good blog topic normally, but after all, this is one of the reasons I’m doing this blog. Sometimes the hard, disturbing truths about cancer are needed to remind us that it affects everyone, everyday and it needs to be dealt with urgently. Pancreatic cancer, or adenocarcinoma of the pancreas is diagnosed each year more then 30,000 times alone in the US. Most of the people who are diagnosed will lose their lives within the first year. The survival rate, if left untreated, is on average about 3 ½ months; and with treatment is approximately 6 months. This is a difficult cancer to catch early. Symptoms are loss of appetite, nausea, pain and discomfort in the abdomen, and weight loss, all of which are not feelings that would ordinarily make you think you have a cancer. People might just feel as if they are coming down with a stomach virus. I know my mother complained for a few weeks of stomach discomfort, but she wrote it off to working too much and not eating properly. She had always had a history of stomach problems anyway. Yellowing of the skin or jaundice is probably the most common physical sign of pancreatic cancer. It is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in men and women, and most likely has the worst median survival period of any cancer. It’s painful too; very, very painful. I have said this before to some of my close friends, in a way, I’m happy that my mother did not have to endure the chemotherapy. I didn’t want her to have to suffer not only the pain from the cancer, but the horrible effects of the drugs being pumped through her system. Those drugs, in all likelihood would have only prolonged her life a few months.
I guess this is enough for one entry. I’m still having issues thinking about what has happened. I would much rather think about what can be done to help find a cure, or be a part of a support system to someone who has survived cancer. I would rather write about a success story. Maybe by being a part of this fundraiser, I’ll be a part of someone’s.
Monday, September 10, 2007
$10,000 and counting!!!!
Well, I have finally done it; I have reached the $10,000 fundraising goal today. I’m so pleased with everyone’s support and encouragement! Thank you Robin for getting me through that number! I do believe I have slacked on the blog entries as of late, but honestly, I have been training. Here’s a quick summary: Sunday, 2 September I rode a flat 54 miles out west of Houston. Thankfully it was overcast, not too hot, good company. I got in a very short jog in Chicago on Thursday morning, and played golf on Friday, (but don’t think golfing counts really). Yesterday, after returning from a few days away, I rode a sponsored ride starting at the Prairie View A&M University campus, 63 miles for the Tour de Pink. This was a Pink Ribbons project fundraiser for breast cancer, this small but lively ride has raised over $225,000 for breast cancer research. Originally, I had intended to ride 80 miles, but I was too late to the start, and by the time I reached the turn off it had been closed. I rode strong for the first ¾ of the ride, keeping pace between 21-23mph, but slacked off the last ¼ due to being tired and having a few mechanical issues. Also, the pouring rain that I had encountered caused me to slow up a bit although the cool rain was very, very refreshing! Final stats for the ride, averaged 18.6mph, burned 2200 calories, and my heart rate average was 157. Not too shabby....
Here are some sponsored rides that I will likely do before my big event October 14th, in combination with my own personal rides with my “teammates.”
Ride the Coast, September 16, (distance uncertain)
The Raven Ride, September 22, 61 miles
Cy-Fair Lion’s Club Bike for Sight, September 30, 62 miles
This one is the weekend after the Ride for the Roses, but looks like it would be fun.
Bike Around the Bay, October 20-21, 170 miles total over 2 days,
One last thing, even though I have reached my goal, I will still be accepting donations up until the deadline set by the LAF. So please continue to forward the links and sending in the contributions. All donations have to be in by October 11, 2007. Let's see how much I can get the final tally too, I'm so very excited about this event!
Here are some sponsored rides that I will likely do before my big event October 14th, in combination with my own personal rides with my “teammates.”
Ride the Coast, September 16, (distance uncertain)
The Raven Ride, September 22, 61 miles
Cy-Fair Lion’s Club Bike for Sight, September 30, 62 miles
This one is the weekend after the Ride for the Roses, but looks like it would be fun.
Bike Around the Bay, October 20-21, 170 miles total over 2 days,
One last thing, even though I have reached my goal, I will still be accepting donations up until the deadline set by the LAF. So please continue to forward the links and sending in the contributions. All donations have to be in by October 11, 2007. Let's see how much I can get the final tally too, I'm so very excited about this event!
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