Hi everyone and Happy Tuesday!
Well the Sam's Club MS 150 Frisco to Fort Worth was May 1-2 and Dad and I rode with the Gardere Gearheads for the 3rd row to raise money for multiple sclorosis. Here we are getting the bikes on the car and getting ready!
I was excited about the ride, but was praying for weeks it would not rain us out! Last year the 2nd day was rained out. We met at our meeting point at 5:30am in Frisco and of course it started raining pretty heavily. Everyone scrambled to get their bikes covered and us to take cover, grabbing rain coats, etc. But we were all prepared for this. Cell phones were in plastic bags as well as our computers. Rain passed, sun eventually rose but the ride was delayed till 7:30am.
The Gearheads got their turn to go thru the Start Line about 8:00am and away we went.
We rode with fellow teammates that we have become friends with and when training we rode together as well.
Day One was a great ride, weather was perfect and from the start to lunch my braces that I bought for my patellar tendonitis were doing great. The ride starts out in Frisco, heads to Ponder, Krugerville, Pilot Point, across Lake Ray Roberts to Sanger for lunch. Then to Krum, Ponder, Justin and finishes at Texas Motor Speedway finally riding 86 miles. This was the most we have riden for Day One since doing the ride. When we got to lunch I didn't really know at the time but I had my braces on too tight and they were cutting into my skin on both inner thighs. And from being too tight I started to get cramps in my legs around the knee area, above and below where the braces are on. That does happen from time to time. But lunch was great cause I love Subway. Here Shelley and I are enjoying our lunch break! And they had a bad ass DJ that was spinning music right behind us!
After lunch I suffered for about 25 miles with cramps in my legs, but when you're on a bike and you don't want to stop and really can't...you just push through it! I don't like pain, but if you ride bikes you really have to withstand a lot!!!! I have some great pictures that brightroom.com took of me throughout the ride that I will post once I get my CD in the mail. Has pics of me and others crossing the finish line. First day we finished in about 5 hours. Was super happy to get to Texas Motor Speedway to the Gardere tent.
Quick shower at the speedway, Franzia wine, BBQ lunch and waited for a massage from Cedric. I fell asleep during some of the massage, but it was fabulous!!!! Dad had his first ever real massage at the hotel that evening so we all grabbed our bikes and rode across the street to the hotel. But my bags were still at the tent. Bag was too big and heavy to ride with. So I get the shuttle that will take me back and forth to the speedway back to my hotel. Well hell...like an hour later I get back to my hotel. The shuttle was taking others to their hotels way, way, way down the road! We were lucky that we were so close, but then once I get my bag I then have to wait for another shuttle!!! I just wanted to take another shower and relax! Dad and I ordered room service and chilled in the room. I went to visit Shelley and Brian so Shelley could give me my riding cocktail to help with my muscle cramps and knees. Helped a lot! Here I am relazing in bed and nursing my knees.
Day Two came very early. 4am wake up it never easy! We met our team downstairs, got some breakfast bars, bananas, beverages ready to head over to the Speedway in the dark. And it was a chilly morning as well! Most of the riders eat breakfast at the Speedway and then take a lap around it. Our team take an even bigger lap around the outside of the Speedwayand parking lots to warm up and to see where we need to meet the rest of the riders at the Start Line. Our captain and his other fast friend riders always get a head start. This year our team being a much smaller group on Day Two joined them. We got a 30 minute head start and were more than happy to do that. Day Two leaves Texas Motor Speedway to Justin, then to Decatour for lunch. We had Subway again at 9:30am. You're really not hungry yet, but know you need to eat to finish out the day. Next we went to Boyd, Rhome to Eagle Mountain Lake where the dreaded mile climb is! Everyone dreads it. Day Two is a beating...all hills and VERY hard ones at that! That is why a lot of people do not do Day Two. After the lake we have about 14- 15 miles to go before getting to Fort Worth. There is one last rest stop with 10 miles left to go. I only stopped to put on my left knee brace. It had been bothering me and I knew with the beast of a bridge getting into Fort Worth at the court house I would need all the help I could get! We finished Day Two with 77 miles. Here are pics of Dad and I finishing and hanging out at the tent.
Here we are with Shelley and Steve. Dad and I rode in with Steve and Shelley beat us in. Steve's son Matt also ride with our team and does professional racing. We made it to Fort Worth about 1:00pm, changed our of my damn braces and tight shorts so I could get feeling back in my body and let my skin breath. No shower this time, had to wait. Mom met Dad and I in Fort Worth, so I now had a Franzia wine drinker with me. We all just sat around talking about the ride, relaxing and eating. I think the Vicodin and muscle relaxers I had been taking during the ride then with the wine made me tired and loopy. We finally were going to get going back to Dallas. It was not a far walk to the car, but long enough with my heavy bag on my tired shoulder while walking my bike to the car. Once in the car I think I passed out almost immediately!!! Mom and Dad woke me up when we got to their house and all I did was get out of the car, grab my stuff, walk in the house say bye and back out to my car to head home. Once home I just sat down and needed to eat some more before I could even take a shower. I think I might have napped for a bit! Finally found the energy to take a shower and spent the rest of the night on the couch! I had to be at work at 7:30am the next day for the Salvation Army Fashion Show and Luncheon. I usually do not work Mondays but for 2 years now its the day after the ride. Boy if I ever needed a day off it would be that one. I went to work Monday in a crazy cloud and finally barely got out of it by 3pm. But a little shopping in the Chic Boutique made me happy!
Thank you to Keith Novak, Jen Boren, everyone on our Gardere team and the many volunteers that worked our tents. And to the many friends and family that donated to the great cause to find a cure for multiple sclorosis. Without all of you this all could not happen!
Looking forward to the MS 150 on April 30-May 1, 2011.
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