Pelotonia 2010

I participated in Pelotonia again this year and I am happy to announce that not only did I raise my fundraising goal ($1,500) but I also finished the ride from Columbus to Athens!   

Pelotonia started Friday night with registration, a catered meal, motivational speakers and live music.   I was honored, once again to bring Eileen with me as my guest.   Especially important to me as a celebration as she is "in remission" for lymphoma, which she has been battling for 2 years!   We met earlier and carpooled together.   Probably should have got there sooner - the place was a zoo with over 4,000 riders and their guests.   We waited in the registration line for about an hour.   Fortunately we saw several people while we waited in line, including Eileen's brother Henry, and my friends Anne and Jeanne.   This helped to pass the time, alot!    Once we got through line, we stayed with Jeanne, found some supper, and claimed a spot on the grass to watch the opening show.   Chris Spielman was the guest speaker this year and it was especially touching, as he lost his wife, Stephanie to breast cancer earlier this year.   He showed this video as part of his talk: 

I don't think there was a dry eye in the house by the time it was done.   Good thing the three of us had sunglasses on that evening!     After Chris, the main headliner, Counting Crows, played for a bit.   I found a few more friends - Ryan, Nate, Rocco, and Susan and forced them to take pics with me!    Unfortunately we didn't stay too much longer after this, as we had to be back at CAS early in the morning for the ride!

Saturday morning started way too early (4:30am on my clock)!    I decided to go down early because I was unsure of the parking situation or how long it would take to get my bike, given that there were double the riders from last year.   I got down there without issue, lucked out on a close spot, and got my bike pretty quickly.   At 5:45am, I had nothing to do until 7:00 am so I found a spot and just observed.   It was humbling to be amoung all of those riders, seeing survivors, and realizing we were all there for one purpose - to find a way to fight cancer!   It felt awesome!   I also got to see my friend Leighann, which was great because I hadn't seen her the night before. 

After a few trips to the bathroom, I met up with Jeanne and we decided to find a place to get into the line of riders.  Much to my surprise, our friends Tammy and Lisa (from MIT) found us to wish us a happy ride and see us off for the day!   Shortly after that, we randomly found some friends of mine that ride with COTT.   Couldn't have planned it better, but it wonderful to find Sara, Ryan, and Stephanie - it gave us a bigger group to ride with on this fine day!!    They also informed us, we would meet up with 4 more people at the first stop, this would give us a group of 9 to ride with for the day!!  Yay!!

At 7am sharp the ride started and we were out on the course!   Riding through Columbus at that time of day was slow, but alot of fun.   Lots of people cheering us on and much discussion about how different we felt on some of the roads on marathon day!    Less than 3 miles into the ride, I happended to glance over and saw my friend Ann that I swim with a few days a week!   We chatted for a bit and she stayed with us for the next 10 miles or so - such fun to see all these people that I know! 

At the first stop we pulled over and eventually found everyone.   It was good to have the crew all there, my "peloton" for the rest of the trip included:  Jeanne, Rocco, Susan, Ryan, Sara, Stephanie, Julie, and Melissa.   It was a great group, one that I was happy to be part of that day!

The next 15 miles went by pretty quickly and before I knew it we were upon the 2nd stop, we pulled in - most of us had to go to the bathroom by this point.   We also saw some more familiar faces - Susan' parents had driven down to see everyone and had a wonderful sign for Rocco and Susan!   We also ran into our friend Katie, who also runs with MIT!  

After this stop we started to get more of a headwind and we started to get into some rolling hills.   Funny, but I didn't really remember these from last year and I kept thinking "who put these hills here?"    After some discussion, Julie and I decided that the wind must have been the reason the hills seemed harder.   Oh boy, we aren't even half way there and I am already getting tired from the "hills."   Fortunately, about this time, my two favorite cheerleaders, Teri and Brenda, were spotted on the side of the road.   You could hear them about a quarter a mile up the road and they had on their bright orange MIT shirts, so it was hard to miss them!   I LOVE spectators and seeing them was awesome!  Just what I needed to get me through to the next stop!

The "half way" stop, Amanda, soon appeared.   I think this is misleading to the riders that do the Columbus to Athens route, in reality we are only about 40% of the way there.   But, it is a good time to stop - afterall, most of us had been up since 4:30am so it definately felt time for lunch.   OUr group had separated a bit, but we all regrouped and ate lunch together.   This was the last time all of us would be toghether until the finish.   As the bigger hills started I knew we would get separated - thank goodness for cell phones so we could all stay in touch! 

After Amanda, the ride goes into Hocking Hills.  This is my favorite part of the course, but also the hardest.   The hills get bigger but the views are spectacular - much of the ride is along a large creek, with winding roads and tree cover.   It really is a beautiful ride.    Jeanne and I decide to stop at the next stop, Amanda Clear Creek Park.    It is a quick stop and we also see Ryan and Sara (3 of the 4 of us has to use the bathroom), everyone else has gone on to tackle "the beast."    Shortly after this stop is the biggest hill on the course.   At one point on the climb, there is a 15% grade!    It is also decieving because you get up part of it, it levels out a bit, you round a corner and then there is more!    Last year I made it up all the hills without having to walk my bike.   Unfortunately this year I didn't.    I made it 2/3 of the way up the beast (including the 15% grade part), but the bronchitis that I battled a few weeks prior caught up with me.   I was wheezing, slightly dizzy, and the legs felt heavy, and then I saw that second incline.   I felt it best at this point to get off and walk the bike.   I was still short of breath 5 minutes after I had walked up the hill, so I felt it was a good decision at that point.  The hill was also a little harder this year - rather than smooth black top it is covered with that gritty, gravel like surface that seems to increase friction and make the bike stick to the road!    Jeanne and I regrouped at the top and went on with the ride.

Shortly after this we came along another (unofficial stop).   We weren't going to stop but someone shouted "homemade baked goods" and I spotted Stephanie and Melissa eating something fabulous -so Jeanne and I quickly swerved our bikes over to join in on the action.   Glad we did - best stop.   It was put together by neighborhood ladies, they had all kinds of fabulous baked items, water, wet wipes, it was lovely.    They had my favorite too - no bake cookies!! Yum!!  I only ate one, but in hindsite, I should have taken a package of them with me, they were GOOD!

After this we tackled more hills, Jeanne and I stayed together for most of it and we pulled into the Logan stop after awhile.   This was a relief - only a little over 30 miles left!   I can do this during the week, no problem.    We ate some more (homemade banana bread here - good stuff) and waited for Julie, Melissa, Sara, Stephanie, and Ryan.   Rocco and Susan had left us all behind by this point and were on a mission to finish.    Shortly after we got there it started to rain.   So, we left this stop rather quickly and headed back on course again.  

This part of the course kind of sucked, well it really sucked.   I don't mind the rain, but there was also alot of traffic.   This made me nervous, I had a hard time seeing much because of the rain and I always worry the people in the cars can't see us.   So, we slowed a bit to get through all the traffic and to make sure we were staying safe.   The rain felt good because it cooled us off, but it definately slowed everything down.   Stephanie passed all of us and took off, she is a strong rider and I had actually expected her to do this much sooner.    This section also had the last hill.   It isn't especially steep, but it is long and it is late in the ride so it seems much harder.   I remembered this hell (I mean hill) from last year and everytime we went up a bit, I kept thinking "is this it?"   We finally got to it, 75% of the riders didn't even try, they just shook their heads and stepped off their bikes.   I tackled it - took it slow and steady.   Oddly, it didn't seem as hard as last year!   Ryan passed me at some point and stopped at the top to wait, once I saw him, I pulled over as well and waited for everyone else to arrive.   One by one, Julie, Melissa, Sara, and Jeanne finally appeared.   Sweet!   Only flat roads from here.  

Last stop was at Hocking College.   Stephanie was waiting for us once we stopped there.   My bike had been squeeking alot so I decided to check my brakes.   Sure enough they were offset and I had been "dragging"  on the front brake!   Oops, no wonder everything felt so much slower . . .wonder how long that had been going on???  For those that don't know, if the brakes are "draggin" it slows the wheel down.   So ultimately I had been riding for God Knows How Long, with my brakes pressing on the wheel!   D'oh!  Oh well, it was easy to fix and then we were off for the last segment.   Jeanne and I were last to leave this stop, so it was just the two of us for the last 12 miles.

Blessed bike trail!   From here on we were on a very flat, paved, and smooth bike path!!  Yay!!  Less than an hour later we finally found the finish and the rest of our friends!   



I am sorry to say, but after we got to Athens, we learned that a rider had died.   Michelle Kazaluasky was struck by an oncoming truck at 2:15pm than afternoon and had not survived her injuries.  It is devastating to hear of a fellow rider being struck and killed, especially in event where she was riding for a great cause.   I only hope that she did not suffer and that her friends and family have plenty of support in this tragic time.  

Despite this bittersweet end, once again Pelotonia was a wonderful experience, made better by all the friends that I rode with and saw along the way.    I congratulate all the riders that did the fundraising, training, and met their goals.   I thank all of the people that made this happened and supported all those riders in their efforts.    Most of all, I hope that the cure for cancer is closer, because we put up a great fight this year and I know it will continue in the coming years!