Pictures from the Tour of Courage

Here are some pictures of the Tour of Courage. The first shows Lance Armstrong giving us a talk at breakfast. The second shows Jordi and I before the start of the ride. The third shows me approaching the finish - all alone. And the fourth shows Jordi and I once I had finished.

The Big Day

Today was the big day - what I have been working toward in training, fundraising and injury rehab!

I got to the staging area a little early, checked in my bike and headed to the breakfast function. The food was great and everyone was upbeat and positive. After getting through the obligatory dignitary speeches, Lance Armstrong took to the podium and gave a very informal but good talk - mostly about cancer research, treatment and prevention and the differences between the US and Canada in those fields. Then, we headed to the staging area where there were more speeches and introductions of a bunch of people who were going to ride with us. Most notably, Lance, Axel Merckx (14 year pro cyclist and son of the great rider Eddie Merckx), Steve Bauer (Canadian cyclist who held the yellow jersey and had a 4th place overall finish in the Tour de France) and Phil Liggett (the bike race commentator for OLN).

The VIP group of riders left 5 minutes before everyone then the 90 km riders. I was in the front of the pack through the start and we caught the VIP group at the Camoson hill. Lance peeled off to catch a flight but the rest stayed with the pack. When we finished the 2nd UBC loop and turned onto SW Marine, I found myself alone and out front. I slowed down and let the others catch me as we headed out to Iona Park. I managed to stay toward the front of the pack the entire ride until we were back in Vancouver just onto SW Marine. My chain came off so the pack flew by as I fixed it. I tried but I could not catch up. I was fine while I was able to suck the wheels of a peleton but my legs had enough when I was pushing it solo. Also, my mishap happened with about 6 or 7 km left so we had already ridden more than 90 km.

Despite the chain problem, it was a great ride. The weather was nice - the wind was up in places but the pack acted as a shield. The riders were great, especially Axel Merckx with whom I was able to chat a little. Most of all, I had never ridden in a pack like that before. It was fun and a lot easier than riding solo. It gave me a new appreciation for big stage race riders when they have a mecahnical problem. Of course, they draft team cars and teammates usually drop back to help get them back in the peleton. Even so, 3 or 4 riders in a bunch do a lot more work than a big bunch.

Reaching the finish was exhilerating and a relief. Elena, Jordi, my mom, Elena's mom and our friend Olga were cheering me on. Because I was separated from the pack, they made special mention of my name and the fact that I was riding in Don's memory.

My ride data is a little off today because I walked my bike around a little after the ride and the computer was recording it as if I was riding a 5 km/h. So, my average speed was a little higher and my total distance and time were a little lower but you get the idea. It was a pretty fast day for me. I remember my total time was 3:00:31 at the finish.

Distance: 98.64 km
Time: 3:04:59
Average Speed: 32 km/h

I hope I get a chance to do this again next year. Thanks again to everyone.

Another heartwarming message

The following message came from Ali, one of Elena's clients. It is messages like these that make the training and riding worth while:

Hi Mark. It's Ali, one of Elena's clients. I lost my Mom two years ago. You are riding for so many people. I know how much Elena misses her Dad. You are an awesome hubby!! Cheers, Ali.

Last post before the ride

I ride the Tour of Courage tomorrow so this will be my last post on preparation.

On Friday, I had my last pre-ride appointment with Glenn. He took it light and gave me a hip adjustment just to make sure everything is aligned. I was going to get on my bike for half an hour but it didn't happen. I'm not too worried about missing the day since I have been more focussed on making sure I have enough energy and water stored. On that note, I have been eating a lot of high carb food and drinking a lot of water over the last couple of days. More pasta for dinner tonight.

I picked up my ride kit from the BC Cancer Foundation today. I'll be riding as number 9 and the number sqaure is red. All 90 km riders get red numbers but there is some significance to the colour. In the Tour de France, the most aggressive rider from the previous day's stage wears a red number instead of white. Number 9 also has some significance. Each team riding in the Tour de France has 9 riders at the start. Lance Armstrong's teams (US Postal Service then Discovery Channel) had numbers 1 through 9 for 6 of his 7 wins. Lance would wear number 1 as the previous year's winner. His teammates would wear numbers 2 through 9. So, I can pretend to be one of Lance's domestiques tomorrow.

I tuned my bike tonight and took it for a quick spin to make sure everything works. Everything is packed and ready to go. Tomorrow, I will arrive at UBC at around 8:30 and lock up my bike. I was able to get Jordi into the breakfast with Elena and I and that runs from about 9:00 to 9:45. Lance will be there for the breakfast with all of us who managed to raised $5000. After breakfast, Lance gives all the riders a pep talk at around 10:00 then we start to ride at 10:30.

The organizers expect the first of the riders to return around 12:30. I doubt I'll be in that group. But, if I can hook up with a few riders who are going at a good clip, I can draft with them for part of the way and save some energy. That means I can go faster. Who knows - maybe I can come in under 3 hours.

At the finish line, there will be a barbeque and entertainment for all ages. I'm sure it will be pleasant having a couple hundred stinky and sweaty cyclists hanging out with their families.

Thanks to everyone who has supported me. I have had a lot of fun, despite the pain, getting ready for this ride. I hope I get a chance to do something like this again.

Morning Ride & Last Physio

I went for an easy ride before physio this morning. I rode around the UBC loop once starting at 10th and Blanca. I followed that loop with a smaller one heading east at 16th instead of going all the way to 4th. I looked at my computer when I was done and it indicated I did the ride in just over 50 minutes at an average of just over 30 km/h. Somehow, when I got into the office to type this up, the numbers had changed:

Distance: 27.23 km
Time: 54:51
Average Speed: 29.8 km/h

My physio was fairly light as well. A little deep tissue work, especially on the vastus lateralis. I have one more chiro appointment on Friday and I plan one more easy ride before Sunday just to keep everything loose. It's almost time.

The Entire Route

I test rode the entire route today. It would appear that the organizers did not accurately measure the distance. Either that or my bike computer is not properly calibrated. My computer says I rode over 98 km today - a big difference from the anticipated 90 km. Even so, it was a good ride. The longest I have ever done, no pain, and I kept a good pace. I really tailed off on the final approach, especially from about Camoson up to Thunderbird Stadium. I was averaging about 31.4 km/h until that stretch.

For the rest of the week, I am going to do short, easy rides just to keep my legs limber. The hard training is done and it's all up to the big ride on the 23rd.

Details of today's epic journey:

Distance: 98.28 km
Time: 3:14:13
Average Speed: 30.4 km/h

A Great Day

I reached $5000 last night! Thanks to everyone who sponsored me. You have all helped me get to an amazing milestone. If you look back in this blog's posts, you will see where I started. I thought $1000 was a lot. Then the donations started coming in and I kept raising the bar. At the start, I would not have dreamed I could raise $5000 but you have all proved me wrong.

I want especially to thank the Kirschner family for their love and support. I know this means a lot to them. It means a lot to me too. I am motivated to ride my ass off on the 23rd.

I spoke to the co-ordinator of the event today. The Lance Armstrong event on Friday has been canceled but, in its place, I have the opportunity to have a more informal breakfast with Lance on Sunday morning before the ride. I like that better. I would not have had that opportunity if I did not reach my $5000 goal.

I was pretty pumped about reaching my fundraising goal so I put that energy into a morning ride today. I scouted the Richmond loop - the 3rd leg of the ride. It's dead flat and longer than I anticipated. I kept a good speed without pain. Things are looking really good on all fronts.

Here are the details of my ride:

Distance: 40.84 km
Time: 1:16:32
Average Speed: 32 km/h

Quick Test Ride

I took a little time yesterday taking the bike for a spin to see how the new pedals and shoes feel. I fine-tuned my cleat positions and I think I have them in the right alignment.

This morning, I woke up early and drove out to UBC. I rode one lap of the 1st leg of the ride route. I knew I could only fit in the 15 km lap because I had to get to physio by 7:30 so I pushed it. Part of the design was to test the shoes and pedals. Another part was to test my fitness. The third part was to become totally familiar with that part of the route.

It went really well. The stiffer shoe and wider pedal base means that I transfer more power into each pedal stroke. I don't lose any energy to the flex of the shoe (because there is no flex). I felt no pain in my leg. My Achilles' heel is my leg endurance. I have good lung capacity but my legs get fatigued. There is not much time to work on that aspect so I have to be pretty happy with the way my body is feeling. I already had a good sense of the UBC leg of the route from my weekend ride. I feel pretty confident about the twists, turns and bumps. I see no problems with the route so far. I think I am ready to tackle the long ride.

After my ride, I saw Dave. He has put me in maintenance mode so it was a pretty light visit. My exercises are going well and my hip alignment seems pretty stable.

My goal from here on in is to check out the Richmond leg of the route on Friday then do the entire route on Sunday. Next week will consist of shorter rides at an easy pace to give my body some time to work up some reserves for the 23rd. The countdown is on.

My ride today:

Distance: 15.43 km
Time: 28:38
Average Speed: 32.5 km/h

Today at Chiro & Gear Update

I was able to see Glenn today. He did the same active release and fascial work but there was almost no pain. It looks to me like the injury is all but gone. So, I am encouraged that I will be able to push it on the 90 km ride on the 23rd.

I also finally received my new shoes. I intalled the new pedals on my bike and spent a little time adjusting the cleats. I will take the bike for a little test spin tomorrow to see how the pedals feel and make any fine adjustments. Hopefully, I will be ready for a more significant ride in the next couple of days. But, I don't want to push it too hard with new gear in case I cause a new injury.

Part of the Route

I thought it would be a good idea to check out part of the route today. I didn't have time to do it all so I chose to start at Thunderbird Stadium and follow the course around UBC. Instead of doing the 2 laps as outlined in the route, I only did one hookng onto SW Marine Drive. I then followed the 2nd leg of the route out to Iona Park and back.

As I anticipated, the route is mostly flat. There are few sections of false flats but they don't effect the average speed much. One section will be a little trecherous - the leg along Camoson between W 29th Avenue and SW Marine. This is a straight and relatively steep downhill but the road is in bad shape. There are potholes, hidden dips, and deep cracks in the pavement. It is also pretty narrow, especially of there are parked cars on the sides. If there is a large group of riders at this point, we could get in each others' way - a potential hazard.

The leg out to Iona Park runs pretty much due west and it is exposed. If there is a wind, it can really slow you down. That's what it was like today - a stiff headwind all the way out. I was not able to go faster than 26km/h on that stretch. But, I was pushing 40km/h on the way back. There is also a short portion that runs north-south and it is just as exposed. If the wind is blowing, it cuts right across the riders. With a light racing bike, that can be scary. The bike gets pushed across the road.

I have yet to check out the circuit around Richmond. I am going to try to get out there this week. Then, I will put it all together for a full test run next weekend.

My ride today:

Distance: 47.45 km
Time: 1:33:53
Average Speed: 30.3 km/h

Quick Ride to and from Physio

I intended to ride to and from work today but my wife is out of town and I am a single dad this weekend. Everything takes a lot longer when there is only one parent. I ran out of time this morning so I threw my bike in my car and headed to court. I had a physio appointment over lunch so I rode to the clinic. I treated the ride there like a time trial except that I was forced to make the usual traffic stops and avoid clueless drivers who cut me off. Once I got there, Dave took a look at my position on the bike and he gave me some tips to ensure my mechanics are in line. Things are looking good as far as the injury goes. I have some new exercises to work on and some things to think about when I am on the bike. Dave instructed me to take it really easy on the ride back to the office since he didn't want his work of loosening me up be for nothing.

My ride to physio:

Distance: 7.o5 km
Time: 15:47
Average Speed: 27 km/h

And my ride back to the office:

Distance: 7.15 km
Time: 20:18
Average Speed: 21.3 km/h

Early Morning Ride

I went out for an early morning ride today. I took the same route toward Deep Cove as I did a couple of weeks ago but this time I went right into Deep Cove and I took Dollarton Hwy back instead of Mt. Seymour Parkway. My leg felt really good. I was pushing it more than I have since I got hurt and there was absolutely no pain or stiffness. I am still being very conscious of my mechanics but I am sacrificing less in efficiency. It is starting to feel more natural. On long flats, I really tucked in and rode as hard as I could. I'd have to look back but I think this is my fastest ride for the distance.

Distance: 36.64 km
Time: 1:11:23
Average Speed: 30.8 km/h

The Route

Here are the route maps. They show each successive leg of the ride.

Tour of Courage Developments

I got my route plan for the ride on the 23rd. It looks like a pretty flat course starting at UBC, around the campus twice, onto SW Marine Drive, out to Iano Island, back into Richmond to Steveston, north mostly along No. 6 Road to River Road then back to UBC. I plan to try the route in segments and at least once as a whole before the ride.

If I can figure out how to convert the .pdf maps into jpeg or gif, I will post the route maps here.

Physio Yesterday

I went to see Dave yesterday. Since I was not able to see Glenn on Friday, Dave got a little more physical with me than he has in the past. His thumbs got pretty deep into my thigh and I was not feeling too comfortable. But, he's encouraged by my 2-hour ride on Monday. I see him again on Friday and I will bring my bike in so he can see how I am set up. We are talking about mechanical changes that I can make to limit injury and still provide efficiency. When I rode on Monday, as I was focussed on keeping my hips stable, I noticed a compromise in power. So, we are going to see what I can do differently.

Back on the Bike

I felt much better today so, after three days of frustrated rest, I went out for a two-hour ride. Everything went really well. No stomach problems and no leg pain. As with my last ride, I focussed on keeping my hip stable and I was able to keep up a pretty good pace.

Although we have no idea what the route plan is for the ride on the 23rd, I have heard that it starts at Thunderbird Stadium at UBC. So I headed to the campus to get used to the terrain. I did much the same ride as the 90 km one on which I injuired my leg. The difference was that I hooked onto West 4th Ave at Alma instead of riding along the beach. I tried not to push it too much but I wanted to put in a decent average speed. I was slowed a little by a stiff headwind along the south arm of the campus road.

I have ordered new shoes from Nashbar.com and I hope they arrive tomorrow. I chose the Adidas Girano. I have not had a chance to test them out at a store so they may be totally wrong for me but they were a great deal. They are sure to be a lot stiffer than my old shoes which should add efficiency to my riding. I also picked up some real road bike pedals this weekend. I have been riding with my old mountain bike pedals made by Onza. They are no longer available, nor are replacement parts. I bought some inexpensive but very light pedals by Exustar: model E-PR70P. They are mostly plastic and they have a wider platform than SPD-style pedals so they are supposed to be a lot more comfortable since they spread the load over more of the foot. I'll put the pedals on when the shoes arrive because I can't remove my old cleats fom my old shoes. I hope the new gear will also help with my leg.

Distance: 58.41 km
Time: 2:01:24
Average Speed: 28.9 km/h

Stomach Bug

I cought some kind of stomach bug early yesterday so I had to cancel my appointment with Glenn. I'm better today but not great so I won't be riding. I'll see how the weekend goes and I hope to get on my bike for a long but leisurely ride. It's no fun being sick when I really want to get out for a ride.