2010 Bike Ms Ride

[pawpaw]

misc crappola semi-answers

AMF-
I didn't use the cooling vest, but the MS folks were very good about having it available for me. One woman kept our cooler in her car and gave me her cell #. She was willing to bring it to me whenever I needed it. I can't explain why I stayed so strong on Saturday with the heat. I guess just adrenaline and stubborness. I was stronger than I have ever been. Teammates were talking to my DH about me burning out, but it never happened. I was powering up hills and passing everyone. I felt fine at the end of day one. I did insist upon going to the hotel room, showering and changing. They had a shower truck, but I really wanted to lie down and rest for a few minutes. Luckily, we found a ride to the hotel. We took the shuttle bus back from the hotel to the dinner event.
Sunday was tougher for me. The hills did me in and the rain scared me. I fell in water in October and woke up in the CT scanner- some residual positional vertigo and lots of self-doubt. I didn't have much left at the end of that day. I did sit around with teammates for an hour but pretty much crashed once home. Luckily, the ride ended in our town, so minimal commute. I came down with a summer cold on Tuesday and have been sick ever since. Haven't been on the bike since Sunday.
Organization- Apparently, there have been significant organizational problems in the past- missing or poorly stocked rest stops, hassles with money for those who backed out and a "tone" to the emails from the local MS organization that annoyed participants. Unfortunately, annoyed riders talk a lot and that affected many people. Our team lost half of its members this year and raised less than half the money we did last year. I think it will be difficult to overcome the bad rap they received in the past. For many, a ride is meant to be fun and it is good if it benefits others. When it becomes a hassle, there are other options for many riders. A point A to point B ride has some inherent hassles with logistics. Our bus arrived at churchill downs at 7:15 and we missed the announcement about group photos. So, we don't have a group photo and this was a huge marketing thing for us last year. Also, we all had to get up at 4:30 to ride the bus...long day.
You have been pushing yourself more than a bit. Your wife could be right. Could you consider naming the demon to your friend with Afib? I found the demon has less power when named and you can support each other with your little medical issues. Everyone probably "knows" and are being quiet for your sake. Sort of the white elephant in the room.
Good luck and remember to have fun.

Pell

[AMFADVENTURES]

6/12/10

I’m off. The weather is miserable, rain, hail and snow over most of the state, even had a tornado warning yesterday. The forecast is for warming to hot by the end of the week.

I listed my MS Dx on the medical information sheet affixed to the inside of my helmet (clever system they have there), hope there’s no reason to open it up.

I have not forgotten that the purpose of this thread is the MS 150, RTR is just a sidetrack.

Intent on keeping the rubber side down,

AMF Adventures

[pawpaw]

Report?

AMF, I was hoping for a progress report. I hope you are doing well.
I caught a cold two days after the MS ride and have been sick ever since. I finally went to the doctor today, so you know I feel lousy. I haven't been near my bike since the ride. I don't even have a desire to ride. Of course, I can't breathe.
Hopefully, you aren't dealing with heat in addition to hills. My best wishes are with you.
Pell

[AMFADVENTURES]

Quick Update

Hey Pell, sorry you're feeling miserable, I know that's not uncommon after a putting out the kind of effort you did for the MS ride. It's something I'm concerned about after RTR. I'm hoping that if I taper down slowly it will reduce the risk of getting sick. We'll see.

I rode every inch of the last 4 days, 252 miles, over 18,000 feet of climbing. Needless to say, I was toast every evening but the power of recovery is truely amazing. I guess that must be part of what the training is all about. Here's a brief blow by blow:

Day 1, 45 miles, about 3,500 ft. of ascent. We missed a nasty hail storm by a half hour but all in all it was a good ride.

Day 2, Grand Mesa, 94 miles, about 6,300 ft. of ascent. This is arguably the second most difficult ride in Colorado. Much like Mt. Lemmon but steeper and a little longer. It started raining and hailing about 5 miles from the peak and didn't stop for the next 3 hours. The climb wasn't too bad but the cold rain and hail on the decent was the most miserable I can remember being since cross country skiing days many many years ago. A 10 hour day, maybe 8.5 in the saddle.

Day 3, 67 miles, about 3,500 ft of ascent. Almost a recovery ride. Took it real easy most of the time, HR about 70%, but of course there were a couple of short, steep hills. Not a bad day though.

Day 4, 61 miles, 6,000 ft of ascent over 3 different mountain passes. Tanya said it first, I can do hills and I can do wind but hills plus wind.... Started up the first pass early, 3,500 ft ascent, not terribly difficult. Went down and started up the second pass and that's when the wind kicked up. It was only 7 miles of maybe 5-6% average grade but the 20 mph head wind made it almost impossible. At 3 miles from the peak I stopped and started flagging SAG's. I wasn't the only one, the SAG's were all full so I never managed to get one. Slowly made my way to the top and continued on. The final pass was only 3 miles and 700 ft. of ascent so bit the bullet and just did it, headwind and all. The final decent was frieghtening, very steep, 20 mph winds with higher gusts knocking bikes all over the road. It was a 10 hour day, maybe 8 in the saddle. And that's why I took today off.

This whole thing has been such an incredible experience, all the things you think you can't possibly do and then somehow you just do. The cold, the pain, the despair of climbing in the face of heavy head winds, it'll take me weeks if not months to process all of this and really be able to comprehend and write about it.

Two days to go, hope to make rest of the ride.

AMF

[AMFADVENTURES]

Done

First, here’s a couple of cycling tips.
Cement roads typically have expansion joints running parallel down the road. The joints can easily catch a 700X23c road bike front tire and flip the bike. One rider had to be helicoptered to a hospital as a result of catching an expansion joint. Similar cracks can form in asphalt roads too.
NEVER draft off of a moving vehicle. As a bike moves out of the “draft zone” it will encounter turbulence that can be severe enough to tumble the bike depending on the speed of the vehicle. The rider who tried this got to take an ambulance to the hospital. There are other obvious problems with this idea too.
If you’re not comfortable riding in the wind, slow down. It can easily cause a rider to lose control and crash. A number of riders earned their “road rash” badges this way.

I completed 6 out of 7 days of Ride the Rockies for a total of 450 miles and 23,850 ft. of ascent. Day 6 was 90 miles including a 3,900 ft. climb up Wolf Creek Pass and another white knuckle decent with cross winds in the 20 mph range. The ambulances were very busy on this particular day.
Day 7 was 82 miles and 1,600 ft. of climbing up Poncha Springs Pass. The wind, which had wreaked havoc all week, was finally at our backs at 10 to 15 mph making the ride quite fast. The last 12 miles were all down hill and even though at the top of Poncha Springs Pass I thought I might never ride a bike again, by the time I finished the last 12 miles everything was OK. The bike, the wind and I were all friends once more.

Can’t wait to do the MS 150 next weekend. It will be interesting to compare the experience after RTR to last years MS 150 ride.

[pawpaw]

Congratulations!!!!

AMF, What you have accomplished is truely awesome. Congratulations on your amazing ride and tenacity.
Honestly, the MS150 is going to be a ride in the park for you.
I still haven't been on a bike although I can finally see the possibility in the next few days. I have a testerone free ride Tuesday (women's training ride working on climbing, shifting skills) that I do want to attend.
Again, great job. I hope you were able to enjoy some of the scenery on your ride. It doesn't sound like conditions were great, but I guess that happens in the mountains.

Pell

[Happy1]

AMF, congratulations! I agree with Pell, the MS150 will be a ride in the park for you.

Amazing accomplishment, you're inspiring!

Pell, I hope you feel better and get back on the bike! (just kidding)

Have a great week.

[AMFADVENTURES]

Thank You Jenn and Pell, and yes, the training paid off and I am very satisfied with my performance. The single most outstanding phenomenon of the whole experience was the ability of the body to recover overnight, even an MS affected body. That really surprised me especially in the face of a number of MS symptoms that worsened throughout each day. It took four days for that to finally wear me down, then only one day to mostly recover, totally amazing.

Did 1.5 hrs. at an easy pace Monday, it took that long to loosen my legs up. On the MS 150, I plan to find a couple of easy going team mates and doddle along. I think I deserve to just enjoy this ride.

Thanks Girls,
AMF

[pawpaw]

AMF- The human body, even one with MS, is pretty amazing. Be sure to give yourself some recovery time. Really.
I rode yesterday and today. The Testosterone free ride today involved driving rain and hail, so we didn't work on technique much. I have to get stronger on hills. I was pretty short of breath today, so I am hoping that will pass soon. As soon as it does, I am going to do hill repeats or something to make myself stronger. I still haven't figured out why I was so strong on the MS ride- especially in that heat. I am starting a weight lifting program. Maybe that will help something.
Jenn- What are you doing this summer? Are you hiding from the heat with indoor activity?

Pell

[AMFADVENTURES]

Omg

Pell,

Your first day performance on the MS 150 was remarkable, I thought you probably managed to peak off the training just perfectly. If the second day was more difficult could have been because you went out a little too hard on the first day. I don’t understand how you managed so well with the heat though.

That hail stings doesn't it?

This is a pic coming into Ouray on the third day. The mountains will be the fourth day ride which nearly did me in. The character in the sign says it all but the text should read OMG !!!

AMF

[pawpaw]

Ouray is one of my favorite towns. Did you get to swim in the hot springs pool?
Yes, the hail stings alot. I haven't figured out my tolerance of the heat either. The humidity was fairly low and I was okay when moving on the bike. I got really hot during rest stops but they did have paper towels in ice water so that you could towel off and cool down. One rest stop at a church had AC and I hid inside during that entire break. I think on the second day there were many more hills, a stiff head wind and I was already tired.
My MS may be a milder variant- for now. My neurologist hasn't figured out what is going on with me. He is amazed with how well I am doing with all of the exercise. I have been off all meds for 2 years after having reactions to both Avonex and Copaxone. He has mentioned CIS.
Spent the day taking the MIL to the doctor. I will take MS over Alzheimers...

Pell

[AMFADVENTURES]

Ms 150

Did just an hour yesterday morning at a very easy intensity. Hope I haven't taken it too easy this week, the MS 150 is still 150 miles, no mean feat and I'm feeling pretty drug out. Weather's looking fairly good, a little on the warm side for Saturday and possible showers on Sunday.

There have been a number of times when I've gone out for long hard hours on the bike and got up the next day able to walk almost perfectly. I'm thinking venous insufficiency might explain some of this, in fact, might explain why I seem to feel so much better wrt the MS when I persue rigorous cardiovascular exercise period. What it doesn't explain though is how the effects of some of the neural damage which is undoubtedly permanent, can come and go to the extent it seems to. Guess it's time to go see my Neuro. The Neuro's in my area haven't shown a lot of support for some of the newer MS theories like CCSVI but I suppose it is the place to start.

Ouray along with a hand full of other small towns in Colorado like Lake City and Crested Butte, display the idyllic mountain town setting. It's easy to see why it would be a favorite, they are captivating places. I meant to take a lot more pictures than I did but being in survival mode going up those hills and in white knuckle mode coming down just didn't lend itself to much opportunity for photography. Maybe next time.

AMF

[pawpaw]

Good luck!!!

AMF- you are the last of our little group to ride their MS 150. I am sure you will do great. I hope it isn't too hot on today.

It is very hot here. Yesterday was a pleasant day and I rode 33 miles with absolutely no fatigue. I felt great. Today I arranged a 50 mile ride with a friend and she had to nurse me along. We took 5 hours- 3:47 pedaling time- to cover 55 miles. ARGHHH. The heat got to me big time. I am so toast. This was my normal reaction to heat. Still don't understand why I was so strong on the MS ride but I wish I could get that back. DH didn't go on this ride but he wants to do a 50 mile club ride tomorrow. I think he is on his own.

Report on your MS ride when you can.

Pell

[AMFADVENTURES]

2010 Bike MS

Well, I wouldn’t call it a piece of cake, but I would say the hills weren’t nearly as bad as I remember them from last year. It was 70 degrees and raining when I got to the start cue and didn’t stop for about an hour. I don’t mind riding in the rain, at 70 degrees I love it. It stayed cool until just before the bigger hills towards the end and then the sun came out and things heated up for the climb. When I got to the top and sat down to adjust my socks, the clouds moved back in and made for a very pleasant ride into Ft. Collins. I did the 73 miles in 4:45, only 15 minutes better than last year…and I thought I was really booking it the whole time. Guess I’ll work on speed next season.

Colorado MS tried to put on their usual excellent show at the finish but the weather didn’t cooperate. High winds, rain and lightening shut everything down twice. The second time, most people gave up and went to their rooms, including me.

The second day stayed below 80 all day, heat was never a problem. There were 3 people with the “I ride with MS” jerseys that I played leapfrog with for most of the ride. One guy was really a strong rider. He’d blow by me, ride miles ahead, then pass me again. I guess it was a ride hard, rest, ride hard, rest routine. He finished after me but he wasn’t gimping around like I do. Then there was a girl who was passing me on the hills early in the ride. I rode with her for quite a bit but eventually she petered out had to stop for some extended recovery. The third guy was just a solid rider. He’d pass me on the flats and I’d pass him on the hills and we rode like that for hours. At the rest stops, he gimped around about like I do. If I finished a little ahead of him, it was only because of a very long hill a few miles from the end.

This has been a spectacular season and I thank all of you who’ve listened to my tales and told some of your own. I’m going to take some extended time off the bike now to rest and recover but I think it's only appropriate that I leave the “2010 Bike MS Ride” with the call of the “Raw Hinie”.

Hinie Ho,

AMF Adventures

Pell, don't suppose you're considering the "Tour de Tucson"? We could give Mt. Lemmon another shot.

[Happy1]

Wow, wow, wow! Sounds like a fantastic ride. The photo - seriously - so pretty! AMF, Pell, you guys are an inspiration.

I think I need to move somewhere other than the Dallas area. Today it's in the mid 90's with a ton of humidity. I haven't been outside on my bike since the ride but I ride 3x a week on my trainer for about an hour and 15 minutes. Also I'm starting to enjoy the spin class at my gym. I feel I'm getting stronger so who knows. Another ride IS in my future!

Thanks for sharing and the encouragement!

Jenn