LIVESTRONG BLOG

LIVESTRONG Challenge Philly DONE!

Yesterday was the big day and what a day it was ? to those who contributed to my journey and to my team mates; I thought I would share the day with you. Before the day of the event you inspired me by being there to help me push on and helped me personally raise $420. As a member of Team La Forza, my donations were combined with the total of the other 33 members of the team which equaled $16,080! Our team?s contribution combined with the other 3,500+ other riders.

As a new member to a team of strong and dedicated riders this was ALL new to me! I cannot wait to do it again despite all I am about to describe?

The day started with Nina and I waking up on an air mattress balanced on a pull out couch in Dave’s suite the Embassy Suites at 4:50am. Dress up in our Team LaForza (TLF) bike jerseys and down for 5:15am breakfast. Coffee, eggs, potatoes, bagels, peanut butter, bananas ? basically, carbs and calories for a long day. We filled the water bottles and added the protein powders and stuffed a few energy gels in our jersey pockets and made our way to the event at 5:45am.

We were early enough to get a nice parking spot and quickly started to pump up the tires and do the final dressing for the ride ? bike shoes, bandanas, helmets and valuables like cell phones in zip lock bags because it ?might rain?. As a high value contributing team, we had our own tent for the team to gather for MORE breakfast. At this point I was pretty full but I had a feeling I was gonna need it. It was all about the TEAM and the support was awesome. While there were a few different mileage options at this ride we all staged together in the 100 mile chute ? cameras were out and there will be plenty of pics to share soon.

Through all the excitement it was easy to lose track of why we were there in the first place. Our first big reminder came when they introduced a Philly based R&B recording artist in all her glory. First they listed her professional credits ?new album, recording contract, blah blah? and then the news she is a 3x cancer survivor. Silence fell over the 3300+ riders and she belted out the National Anthem powerfully as can be ? acapella. We know why we?re there.

Final announcements, thanks and good wishes come from the man himself ? LANCE ARMSTRONG! His words were strong and informed us that Philly rose over $3.3 million for the LIVESTRONG Foundation at this event! Amazing to see how coming together for a cause can really make a difference and HE would join the riders by leading the 100 mile riders out of the chute! Fist bumps to the team and kisses to Nina ? LET?S RIDE!

We rode as a team for a good long while. The first rest was at mile 12 and we were all there feeling pretty good. At this point we grouped with team mates doing the different distances. There were a few riders looking to blow out 20 miles, me and 5 others were planning to complete 45 miles, the rest (including Nina were going to the century (100 Miles). It was time to break out and really master your distance? kisses again and GO TLF!

This was about the time things got interesting? HERE COMES THE MOUNTAINS and THE RAIN! What started with a great first 12 miles but it got ugly fast. Each distance rode the same course with a cut off for option. Soon after the first rest we said goodbye to the 20 milers as they made a left and we went UP! The first hill was steep and long but still feeling OK. I made it strong and enjoyed the first down. As a group of cyclists on the course we quickly coined a new phrase ?Opposite for gravity ? when riding LIVESTRONG, what goes down must go up?. Here come the second ?nice little incline?. Probably about 2 miles long and just at this moment the rain decides to turn into an all out bone soaking storm. I couldn?t even lift my head to see more than 5 feet in front of me. It was one of those moments in life when you really question you choices or wonder what the hell am I doing here! The hills kept coming and the hard rain lasted about 10 minute.

Rest stop number 2! About 21 miles done! As I pulled into the rest, the TLF Century team was finishing their break and ready to move. I got to share a few minutes with Nina again. One last peck and a ?see you at the end?. I was really glad to finally be out there with her after standing at the finish line for too many events to count. I?d have another power shot gel and join the ?45?ers? to get moving. Soaking wet, there was not a lot of resting. We all wanted to finish and get dry!

When riding with this many people safety is everything. When the roads get this wet, we were all over the brakes and down hills were NO fun! Every time there is a car on the road everyone will scream out ?Car up? or ?Car back? to warn you where it?s coming from and how you need to get out the way. A few miles past the second stop we hear ?CARS UP!?? I move over to the right and see it?s not a car but a police motorcycle? followed by another police motorcycle? followed by none other than LANCE ARMSTRONG!!!! The riders around me all start screaming ?LANCE!!!? and if I was hurting or tired at that moment it all went away and I got a few miles of rejuvenation from one guy on a bike passing you going the other direction. Amazing and SO COOL!

Soon after was the left turn for the 45 mile riders. At that point I started to think ?this ain?t so bad, I feel pretty good, I?ve conquered more hills than I ever have and I am turning around now and heading back?. ?NOT REALLY. The turn was in the direction of the last ?big mountain?. The total climbing elevation for the 45 mile route was 1,731 feet. It seemed like half of that was right in front of me?. And here comes rain storm #2! A second deep tissue soaking on the hardest part (up to now) and no way out but to pedal. I find my lowest gear and settle in around 4-5 MPH (a brisk walking pace except I am riding) and hold on. Half way up there is an intersection and a left and I remember saying to some random person next to me ?why do I get the feeling this is gonna get steeper when we turn?? boy was I right! There was probably about a quarter mile after the turn and it was steeper indeed. For the first (and only time) I managed to move so slowly I actually STOPPED. My feet on the ground and off the bike. Damn! OK ? get over it ? walk a little and get back on. The top was too far to walk all the way so after about 4-5 minutes walking (in the rain, BTW) I got back on and pedaled on.

Pains all over at this point and about 33 miles down I was really wrecked. My right knee does this painful thing like a tendonitis pain and pedaling sucks. It was just then that I got my next little inspiration. On a little incline I came up on a dad and his daughter. She was on a kids bike (wow) and starting to hurt a little. The dad said just as I passed, ?It?s OK, lets walk a little ? you?re still my hero?. GREAT! I asked her how old she was ? she said 8! I said right back ?You just became my hero TOO!?. When I was about 10 feet in front of them I called back ? ?hey 8, how far are you riding today??. I heard the dad say, go ahead tell him, nice and loud?. She screamed, ?20 MILES!? PRICELESS! I cheered nice and loud and I was good for a while.

There were two more rest stops, and one we didn?t even bother stopping. A slow long gradual uphill climb home. I almost lost my mind when the odometer on my bike said 42.5 miles and the sign on the road said ?5 miles to go!?. Hey! This hurts, I only signed up for 45 miles ? what do you mean 5 miles to go and I could barely maintain 13mph!!! It was a LONG 5 miles indeed.

The finish was back at the college and there was a long line of cheering onlookers to bring you in. About a ¼ mile out you can hear the crowd and the announcer on the loud speaker and the band jamming something and I felt every bit of pain but a sense of pride to be there and a part of the whole thing. The rain stopped about 4 miles out (figures). I as I finished and got off my bike as happy as I was to be done ? the other team members I was with (who wanted to tackle the 100 mile journey) were not yet ½ way done. OUCH!

I found the team tent before heading back to the car to change out of soaking clothes. I put on my TLF tee-shirt. On the back it says ?GO HARD or GO HOME!?. Indeed I did go hard? and then I went home. Before and after pics attached.

For me it was ? 3.5 hours, 3,690 calories burned, 48.5 total miles, pains in places there should be no pain? and I cannot wait to do it again.

I learned later that Nina and the other century riders were diverted to the 70 mile course due to bad weather and they came in about 2 hours after me. They had 2,652 total climbing distance. All good.

THANKS for the donation and inspiration!

Great summary by Mike DeLucia of the day I shared with him……and it was all worthwhile. I wish I had his tent!!