LIVESTRONG Challenge Philly

On Sunday I rode the 100 mile LIVESTRONG Challenge in Philly. It was a great experience. Shawn and Mike went to pick up our packets the day before the ride, so when we all arrived in the morning we just had to get our bikes together and go. Bruce met up with Shawn, Sara, Otmani, Mike and I in the parking lot right when we arrived. We geared up, put on the sunscreen and went to the start. We all waited 40 minutes past the start time for the opening ceremonies. Finally, it began and Lance gave a short speech and we were off.

The first ten miles were congested and we all separated. We gathered again at the first stop. At this time we saw a girl in a pink dress and sandals, riding the ride. Off we went for the next 13 miles, easy as cake so far. Otmani and I had some fun riding together trying to see how fast we could go on the downhills. The second stop came and this one was huge, and really congested. I thought this is going to be horrible, too many people everywhere, and commented how it was like being in New York City. As the day went on though the masses really spread.

Bruce had been riding pretty fast and ahead of us. I decided to stick with him and see how it went. I began with him on the next leg, but with the crowds, eventually got boxed in and lost him. Again, we regrouped at the stop. The next time I was able to stay with Bruce and we rode fast through all the downhills and continued up hills while people all around us were cramping and walking. I lost Bruce at one point in the cornfields, where the wind was bad, I found him at the stop just after I rode the biggest hill of my life. Bruce and I were pretty far ahead at this point, so we waited, I ate and ate - mostly oranges, they are key for me in long events. When the last of our group arrived, we found out that Otmani had broken a spoke. There was a bike tent, which was fixing it for him, but our time was running low. They set the cut-off for 4 p.m. and we were only 57 miles out. Shawn urged Bruce and I to take off, so eventually we set off. I was worried, we had been in the rest stop for at least 45 minutes just after a huge hill.

Right away another hill came to torture us, no cramping though. I was good and kept on behind Bruce. At the next stop we decided to skip it and just go for the cut time. We both took a swig of our Gatorade as we pushed on. Somewhere in this section we were coming up to a red light, but the cops stopped traffic so we would not have to stop. Next thing I know, Bruce said something like I will catch up. I continued up the hill and continued on. I figured he was right on my wheel as there were still plenty of people around. When I came to the next stop, I stopped. No Bruce. I waited and when he came in he was feeling it. Looked pretty pale, but as I was calculating we had 1 hour to do 19 miles, we had to move. So I urged him to eat something, and as he did he said let's go.

19 miles to go, with one hour. They told us they were going to pick people up even if they were one mile out. I rode as hard as I could, but the time was slipping by and the hills kept coming, though much smaller at this point. However small, 80+ miles into a ride they felt big enough. I started to see signs every 5 miles counting us down. I rode alone for the rest of the ride, just hoping to make it in. I skipped the last stop, which I heard was filled with the best treats, cake and soda. I had 15 minutes to ride 5 miles, I kept glancing at my watch. Skipping the last rest stop really hurt. I hit the wall in those last 5 miles and they were the longest 5 of the entire ride. People were riding past and it was all I could do to ride up the last hills. Where was this stupid college? It seemed at every traffic light we should be entering to the finish, but it was not there. Finally, I saw some yellow balloons and came up next to a man I had seen at the start. I told him great ride, and then he rode his way down the cancer survivor lane at the finish. I came in 7 minutes past 4 p.m., but no one ever came out to pick us off the street. Ten minutes later Bruce came in, I was so thankful they let him finish. All the others were allowed to finish as well, their threats meant nothing in the end. All of the volunteers waited out so the riders could finish their days.

It was an amazing experience. At the 57 mile rest stop I met a woman who was doing the ride for her second time, this time after beating cancer, last year in between her chemo and radiation. The people out there were brave and strong. Bruce could barely ride two laps of a parking lot five months ago and was now kicking our ass on a 100 mile ride. I had so much fun, and have a new respect for hills. I rode every last inch of that ride and it was a good feeling in the end. Over 3 million dollars were raised on that day alone for the fight against cancer. It is a nasty disease and I hope one day we will have a world free of it.