US Pro Championships and the Stars and Stripes Challenge

Monday was Memorial Day, a day I have been looking forward to for months now.  But instead of sleeping in and having a cookout, it was time to get up early and head downtown for the US Pro Cycling Championship road race.  It was also time to get to ride the pro course on the Stars and Stripes Challenge!

I have to say that the event actually lived up to the hype.  I got there and got the bike all set up, and rolled over to the starting area.  We had the national anthem played for the group, and even a gunshot as we took off.  Many of the roads were not closed off, but several of the busier ones were.  The course was extremely well marked, and with the number of riders on the course it was really easy to know where the turns were, even if you weren't familiar with the roads.  I was familiar with at least 2/3 of the course already, although I had not been on US276 before on the bike (for good reason!).

The halfway point of the loop is Paris Mountain, which has a 2.2 mile rated climb.  While I conquered it back in January is not a challenge I deem I have mastered anytime soon.  Paris Mountain a strong climb, and really tests to see if you can keep to your own pace and gameplan, especially in a group.  By the time we started up, the ride had thinned into much smaller packs, but there were still at least a dozen folks nearby as I made my ascent.  It was a perfect time of day to ride up, with a slight fog/cloud cover that we rode through.  Nothing thick enough to really coat you with water, but it was a nice mist that kept you cool.  When I reached the final tenth of a mile, I decided it was time to give it all I had and sprint to the top, passing 3 or 4 people that were ahead of me while I was at it.  I still struggle with going "over the top" during efforts like this (I think it's a mental thing of once I get 90% of the way up I slow down too much), but I love having the power at the end of a climb like that to just give everything in the tank to finish really strong.



The way down Paris Mountain may have actually been more fun than the trip up, though.  Typically I have kept my speed down while decending for multiple reasons, the least of which is control.  Going 40mph on a bike can be pretty frightening if you aren't very familiar with the turn ahead of you.  Heck, it can be frightening knowing the turn ahead of you!  I had spent some time over the weekend learning the proper way to take corners, so I was eager to test it out.  I was still keeping a pace on my speed, but being able to up the pace slightly as we descended was nice.  What was a blast was blowing through the intersection that the police had blocked off at the bottom going ~40mph, though.  Typically we have to stop there and wait for the light before going through to Piney Mountain, but with the traffic stopped we could go all out.

The rest of the trip downtown was pretty uneventful.  I can't say I love the climbs on Main Street (to be honest the longer flat climbs are probably my least favorite, because I get stuck between pushing hard and finding a pace.  I typically gas out about 3/4 of the way up them and have to just spin the best I can through it.  We went around Cleveland Park, by the Zoo and the Dog park, and back up to downtown.  Coming back through the start/finish line was something special.  I had decided beforehand that I really wanted to attempt 2 laps of the circuit, even though I knew that I couldn't complete the 2nd lap by 10am, which was when they were closing off the start/finish line to start staging the pro's.  Mentally I had told myself that I had to finish the first lap in under 2 hours to attempt the 2nd lap.  I actually finished it in 01:25:54.  I had plenty of time to run a second lap up to but not including the start/finish line!  This second lap was more for "me", something I could enjoy and take in more of what was going on than trying to keep a pace or worry about times.  The second time of Paris mountain I wasn't pushing for a person record, but I just enjoyed the fellowship, and got to notice the signs that P3Group put out along the route for all the reasons people rode.  I even saw the sign we made in honor of my Grandfather, which was about 2/3 of the way up the climb.

Once I got back and changed, I had a chance to watch the Pro's take on the course.  It was awesome to understand the course and know the challenges, and see the Pro's just tear it up.  Watching them make moves and play off each other was just spectacular.  The crowds were out in force, and there was plenty to do in between the laps when the riders would make it back around the circuit.  It made for a fantastic finish to a great day!  I got to learn a lot more about more of the Pro riders than I knew before, and so many of them I have so much respect for.  I'm sad to see the US Championships leave Greenville this year, but I feel blessed that I got to take part in it and that it got to be here for as long as it did.  Next year the Championships are in Chattanooga, which is only a few hours away.  It will definitely be worth the road trip!

2012 US Pro Cycling Championships

Cancer's Impact (or Why the Fundraising for P3 is important to me)

Benedict Kupchunos was my Grandfather.  The first born of immigrant farmers from Eastern Europe, his mother could not Speak English fluently.  His father had an alcohol problem, and left the family when he was in the 6th Grade.  He ended up dropping out of school and working in the textile mills at night (along with working the fields during the day) in order to support his family.  He ended up getting married and having two daughters.  He was known for being a strong individual, and one that had a strong moral standing.  His family survived moving to a new country, the harshness of being immigrants in the Northeast United States during the turn of the century, being a single parent family at a time when it was unheard of, along with the Great Depression and the daily toils of being a farmer.  He was forced to be a Man well before any of us would want our kids to have to deal with the realities of earning a living, and helped to raise his younger brothers and sisters so they could live a better life.  The one thing that he could not overcome was the fight with cancer.  He went home in September 1977.  I was not quite 3 at the time.  I never got to really "know" my grandfather.  Pictures like this are how I remember him.

In the past 35 years, cancer research has come a long way.  I know of countless cancer survivors, and the chances of early detection and treatment are significantly better than they were back in the 70's.  I have known friends, coworkers and other family members that have been blessed to have cancer detected at early stages and to have been able to get quick treatment to be able to move on.  Just in my extended family I am blessed to know people that have been cancer survivors for decades.  Without the efforts that are put in every day to improve our ability to combat cancer, though, these people wouldn't have had a fighting chance.

It is estimated that this year 1.4 million Americans will be diagnosed with cancer.  35% of them will not make it 5 years past the time that they are diagnosed.  I have an opportunity to help in the fight against cancer in a way that I have never been able to before.  I've been blessed with the opportunity to be in the upstate of South Carolina, and to have been introduced to cycling.  I've been able to improve my fitness so I can take on the Stars and Stripes Challenge.  This is a way for me to honor the memory of my Grandfather and to help others both past, present and future in their fight against cancer.  The funds that the P3 group collect as a part of the fundraising for the Stars and Stripes Challenge goes to cancer research as a part of the Greenville Hospital System's Cancer Research Center as well as to Amgen's Breakaway from Cancer.


I have already had several others willing to help support me in my fundraising goal, but I'm still short of the $500 that I wanted to raise to help.  If you are able to donate to help me reach my goal, I'd be honored.  If you want me to remember someone you love that has fallen to cancer or is battling with it, let me know in the comments or in a private message.  I'm planning on finding a way to remember those that have been touched by cancer ride with me during the ride in some fashion, along with being in my prayers this Memorial Day.

Palmetto Peloton Project's Donation Page

USA Championships to leave Greenville

I picked up the newspaper this morning, and my wife looks at one of the headlines and was shocked to read this, but it looks like this is the last year for the USA Cycling Pro Championships in Greenville, SC.

USA Cycling announced today that after seven years in Greenville, South Carolina, the USA Cycling Professional Road and Time Trial National Championships will move to Chattanooga, Tennessee in 2013, as part of a new four-year partnership with Volkswagen of America. In addition to venue change, the championship event will at long last bring the professional women's national title race into the fold beginning next year.

While this makes me sad, it also means that this year is even more special for me as this will be the only time I get to ride the pro course here as a part of the Stars and Stripes Challenge.  I know that physically I can complete the course, and that I should be able to put in a good time, but now the real challenge of the fundraising becomes the key for me.  For this, I'm going to need help.

I have a goal set up of $500 that I need to finish raising between now and May 28th.   I'm still right at 50% of the way to the goal, and I hope I can get the rest of the way there.  The money raised is given to the Greenville Hospital System's Oncology Research Department as well as Amgen's Breakaway from Cancer. If you can help support me with a donation, I'd be completely honored.  I'm including the letter that I've sent out to several folks with more information as a quote on here as well.  To make a donation online, use the following information:

P3Ride's Donation Page
Select "Brian Lube" from the rider list

Some of the finest research in the war against cancer is taking place because of people like you and me. This year I am signing on to participate in the Palmetto Peleton Project’s Stars and Stripes Challenge Presented by Amgen’s Breakaway from Cancer. The event is part of an exciting weekend at the USA Cycling Professional Championships and I need your help.

Over the last 5 years, the Palmetto Peloton Project (P3) has raised over $1 million dollars for cancer research and advocacy and contributed these dollars to such programs as:

• Greenville Hospital System University Medical Center’s Institute for Translational Oncology Research (ITOR)
• And this year’s Amgen Breakaway from Cancer partnership

As I ride to honor friends, family members and colleagues touched by cancer, our dollars raised will make a significant contribution in shorter recovery times and better programming to support that recovery. Pedaling a course designed for professional cycling competition will put me to the test. But just consider what others have been through who have experienced a cancer diagnosis.

Over 3,500 Americans are diagnosed with cancer each day. In fact, 1.5 million new cases were expected to be diagnosed in 2010. The National Institutes of Health estimates the overall costs of cancer to be $263.8 BILLION dollars last year.

This event is very important to me because nearly everyone I know has been touched by cancer. Please join me as I participate in this significant event to raise awareness to the importance of advocacy, outreach, and research towards treatment and cure.

I am asking for your support. Your tax-deductible cash donation would help me reach my fundraising goal of $500. You can make your contribution in support of my efforts on line at www.P3ride.org. (Click Donate under the Stars and Stripes logo, and find my name in the drop down menu there). Then follow the prompts to complete your transaction.

The battle against cancer is significant and grows every day. Whatever your desire or ability to contribute it will be meaningful. The Palmetto Peloton Project (P3) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization making your donation tax deductible to the extent of the law.

Thank you for your support.

Making an Impression on a Group Ride

Reminder - I'm still hoping to find folks willing to sponsor me for the Palmetto Peloton Project's Stars and Stripes challenge.   I need approximately 10 people to donate $25 each to help Cancer Research and Support in order to reach my goal.  The money that is raised is given to the organizations helping current cancer patients as well as funding research here locally in the Upstate.  If you can help support me, please go to the donation page and select "Brian Lube" from the drop down list.  If you have already donated to support me, please drop me a line and let me know so I can make sure that your donation is properly documented.  Thanks again for all the support during this journey!

This week I found out about a group ride that was being sponsored by one of the local racing groups in support of one of their sponsors:  Proaxis Therapy.  The purpose of this ride was to gain awareness for the services that Proaxis has and provide knowledge to the riders that may be beneficial.  It sounded like a really good time, thus I signed up to attend.  After church on Sunday I suited up with a brand new Jersey (my favorite Star Wars one is just too big now at XXXL, the new UCF one I'm wearing is a nice L with a little room in it at this point.  I'm calling it "club fit") and headed to the meet point.

I got there and met up with a bunch of the Brookwood Church folks that usually are on the Sunday ride that I attend, and we all had a chance to chat and such.  One of the guys that I knew even won the door prize of new water bottles from Greenville Cycling Center!  After the door prizes were handed out, we headed out on the ride.  We took off through Heritage park, and I made note that they have Train Rides for $2 over there, and enjoyed the scenery.  Through much of the first part of the ride I was mostly aware of the area that we were riding in, and with the large number of people in the "B" ride (there had to be 25+ of us in the group) I wasn't having to put out a large effort.  I did get separated from Joel at the beginning, so I was looking to drop back some, but I was happy overall with my position in the group.

Then, about 30 minutes into the ride, it happened.   I was attempted to signal that the right shoulder wasn't clean, and I ended up instead hitting some of the "not clean" section of the right shoulder!  The next part is a blur in memory, but I remember knowing that I just had to hang on and not do anything drastic.  I knew that oversteering or overbraking at this point would mean disaster, and would more than likely hurt someone else more than it would hurt myself.  I felt myself heading deeper into the shoulder, and saw brush (and wasn't sure if it was a fence, too) on my right side.  All of the sudden my handlebars touched the brush, and the rest became history.



I got up rather quickly to proclaim "I'm alright", with the response of "no you're not!" coming back and me rather quickly.  I took a quick survey of the bike and myself, and I didn't feel anything that was out of place or broken.  I found both of my water bottles, and I checked my front tire which was still round and in fact still inflated.  I then tended to a few of the cuts that were deeper, and the SAG vehicle came over and helped me clean up a bit more and bandage up my finger which had the worst of the cuts.  A few ants, mostly scrapse and one decent cut.  Not too bad.  I gathered up the rest of the stuff that fell off, fixed my front light (which was now pointing to the ground) and started testing everything out.  Next I figured out that my front Derailuer was turned, such that I couldn't move the chain.   A quick adjustment to move it back to in line with the crank, and I thought I was good to go.  I got about 200' up the road and something didn't feel right. Come to find out, my rear tube was completely flat!  A couple of folks had stayed back with me (thanks Jerry and Ken!) and quickly Jerry had the rear tire off and was switching out the tube.  The "C" group goes flying past, and we're still putting the bike back together.  After a grand total of about 15 minutes, I was finally able to get back up and rolling.

Now the fun started.

We gave the "B" group a 15 minute head start, and the "C" group had passed us before we started moving, but I just got onto Jerry's wheel and we took off.  We went through just some amazing countryside, and a part of me is wondering how I was able to admire it as we went into Spartenburg county, and I learned about the estates out there with vineyards that had grapes that started with S (Jerry couldn't remember the name off hand) and we kept on moving.  I wasn't really paying attention to the speed, except to see that the average speed on my bike computer kept increasing.  Then we started seeing other riders.  We found the C group!  We found them, and proceeded to go right through them on our way to see if we could catch up with the B's.  About 10 minutes later while climbing one of the tougher hills of the afternoon we see Dan jumping into the back of the SAG truck to change a flat.  We rolled up and had to exclaim "we didn't know we could change the flat on the back of the truck" as we went through.  It had only taken us approximately 40 minutes to close a 15 minute gap that had been created by the crash!

After we got caught up, we stayed with the group for a bit, until we got back to 101.  At this point there is a sharp right turn, and then a steep hill.  We came to a stop, and I didn't manage to get into the proper gear in time.  It became an epic struggle to get up the hill, and at this point Joel had a pretty decent gap between himself and the back of the group.  I dropped back with him, and the two of us ended up just teaming up the rest of the way home.  For all the times that Joel has stayed back with me when I was off the back, I felt honored and priveledged to spend the time back there with him yesterday.  To me that was better than any time trial or any personal goal out there on the road.  We made it back without any additional incidents.  When we got back, I had plenty of folks that were commenting on the ride, and how surprised they were that I wasn't more seriously injured.  To that I give all the credit to God, as he was the one in control of that situation.  I know I sure wasn't, and I know luck has nothing to do with situations.

The most interesting part, though, is the comments that I have gotten since last night:

Epic wipeout indeed! Didn't even miss a beat...tried to jump right back on the bike like nothing happened!

epic wipeout indeed! I heard something behind me and turned my head to see your bike flying upside down into the the brush. I rode back thinking I would see someone badly injured, but you seemed to only have picked up a bunch of leaves and grass and a few ants.

I can't wait to read your blog about the ride today!

Were you doing full spandex cycle jousting? 

I will say that I definitely made an impression with a large number of people yesterday, although honestly I'm not sure if I can say if it was a positive or negative overall impact.  I would suggest that if you are looking to meet new people and cycling is your thing, areal acrobatics will definitely get you attention (although you may require medical attention as well!).  After my experiences, I think any career in "full spandex cycle jousting" will have to wait, though.

I do count myself as absolutely blessed that not only was I not injured as a part of this ride, but that after the crash I was able to get back on the bike and complete it.  Not only does it remove any lingering fear that I may have had regarding riding again, as I got back up and got back on the bike immediately, but it showed me that I'm not invincible on the bike without causing myself a lot of damage.  As it is I think this week is going to be a "resting" week for me as I prepare for the 5k on Saturday, and the upcoming Wheels for Meals ride on April 28th.  Letting my body mend and having good fresh legs for the weekend I think are going to be key this week.

Expectations

As a reminder - I'm riding in the Palmetto Peloton Project's Stars and Stripes Challenge this memorial day to help raise money for Cancer Research and support.  If you can, I'd love it if you would help sponsor me.  The majority of the money stays in the Greenville Area locally to help with Cancer Research, the rest is donated to Amgen to help Cancer patients and survivors.  You can support me by making a donation on their website (https://secure.p3ride.org/donate/index.php?eid=1) and selecting "Brian Lube" in the drop down list of riders.


I've found it more and more difficult to blog after every workout.  It's not that I'm not going out and riding, in fact last week I managed to not only do one of my best runs ever, but I was on the bike for almost 100 miles as well!  It's more that I don't want to just post up "went for yet another 31 mile ride today" or something minor.  I feel like I need to write about more than just what I did, but how this journey is changing and how I feel.  That said, I had a fantastic run/walk last week, where Rob Dempsey from HISRadio really pushed my limits.



It was interesting, because I didn't intend to work as hard as I did there, and I really didn't expect to be running with Rob that evening at all.  I had emailed out to our Big Losers group that I was planning on doing a run/walk that evening, as I knew that I spent too much time on the bike and that the 5k was about 3 weeks away.  I got there, and Rob was just running up, and I saw a few others already out walking.  I let Rob know that the others were out on the course, and I set off to catch them.  A few minutes later Rob caught up with me, and it ended up that only two of us were really able to run that evening (a few of the others have had foot/knee issues that make them unable to run at this time).  Thus the two of us take off around the outside loop of Brookwood church.  Rob gave me some awesome advice on how to work on my pace, and he was encouraging me to push a little longer than I thought I could go.  The end result was a 1 mile lap that was faster than I've ever run, and a renewed sense of heightened expectations for myself.

Listen to my conversation with Rob and Kristen on their highlights page!


Expectations are always a weird thing to me.  Typically they are pressure that I feel from outside forces, but I am always my own worst critic.  I feel like I can do more, be faster, work harder, be stronger.  Although it seems strange, I also tend to put artificial limits on what I can do, or should be able to do for longer term goals. At this point in my journey, I see that there is nothing beyond my scope of vision that I cannot accomplish if I put my heart into it and let God determine the pace.  I may not compete in an Ironman tomorrow, but if I keep working at it I know I can.  Right now my focus is on SCTAC tomorrow night, and experiencing that level of group ride for the first time.  After that is the 5k at Eastside YMCA to cap off the end of this 12-week warm up to the rest of my life. In May is the Stars and Stripes Challenge by P3group and Amgen to help raise money for Cancer Research.  There will be new events and new challenges that I will be training for, but as long as my focus is on my journey and I let Christ be the focus and the glory, I know that all things are possible.

The Stars and Stripes Challenge

This is definitely a year for me to push myself outside of many of my comfort zones, not just physically with getting active, but spiritually and emotionally.  I knew that moving to Greenville would mean a lot of changes, but I feel like I'm being led more to move beyond who I was into who a person that God can use as a vessel for His glory.  In some ways it's not a comfortable experience, but I am striving to take each challenge with a "Dive In" mentality.  I've taken that to my cycling, and to the Rob's Big Losers contest, as well as getting back to regularly attending church and even joining a Sunday School group that both Christy and I deeply enjoy.

As a part of that, I have signed up for the Palmetto Peloton Project's "Stars and Stripes Challenge".  This is how they describe the challenge on their website (http://www.p3ride.org):

A ride like no other. Sandwiched between the USA Professional Cycling Time Trials and Road Race, the Stars and Stripes Challenge weekend puts you on the very roads where cyclists train year-round in Upstate South Carolina. Join us for a fun day benefiting cancer research, outreach, and advocacy.

To qualify participate in the Stars & Stripes Challenge, cyclists are required to donate and/or raise an entry fee, as well as meet a fundraising minimum. 

This creates two different challenges for me. First is the ride itself. The course is a pro-course. I'm going to be focusing on training for it between now and May as a part of my routines. It's going to be challenging still during the race day, and it won't just be "me against the mountain", there will be a bunch of other riders on the course. The physical aspect will bring a new level of accountability to my workouts, and a goal that I'm not going to back down from. It's a challenge I can rise to meet, as my internal fortitude is strong enough for that. The second half of the challenge is going to push me well beyond my comfort zone, into a realm where Dragons of my own fear reside.

"[C]yclists are required to donate and/or raise an entry fee, as well as meet a fundraising minimum." 

Fundraising is a challenge for me.  I dread dealing with fundraising, as I always do some research and find out that some suit is pocketing up to 49.5% of the money that I think is going to a good cause.  Many of you have heard me state that on some of my kid's fundraising exercises I feel like I should be buying them a fez and getting out an organ grinder with how they make them peddle goods to make us feel better.  So thus me asking others to support me is a stumbling block, and a stresser automatically.  I set myself a goal of $475 to raise by May, and with my typical fervor I intend to make or surpass it.  I just need to get off the blocks somehow.


One thing I have found while reading through P3's site is that a vast majority of the funds they raise go to 3 specific organizations (you can read the full information on their site (link):  

• Amgen's Breakaway from Cancer:  An cancer resource and advocacy group aimed at helping patients.
• Greenville Hospital System, University Medical Center's Cancer Research:   They are aimed at new cancer treatments as well as being a local system not a national organization.
• The Lance Armstrong Foundation:  "The Lance Armstrong Foundation serves to inspire and empower people affected by cancer".

What I would challenge you to do is do your own research, but I did find out while going through P3's site is that a vast majority of the funds raised went to Cancer Research in the Greenville area (not some national organization with a lot of overhead). In fact, of the $210,000 raised last year by P3, $140 ,000 of that went to GHS Cancer Research! The remaining $70,000 went to Amgen. You can read all of their history on their site (link)

If after spending time praying on it, and doing your own research, you felt led to support me in raising money for Cancer Research and Treatment, I would be humbled if you donate to my efforts. P3's site is set up to support the riders, you just have to select "Brian Lube" on the dropdown list on their donate site.

Palmetto Peloton Project's Donation Page

I deep appreciate all the support I've had so far, and look forward to having a follow-up to this post with pictures from the Stars and Stripes Challenge!