In case of emergency, burn cue sheet

Hardest ride of the year, including Sugarloaf mountain at mile 9, twice over a mountain pass near Antietam, a hill so painful it's just called "the wall" and enough rolling hills to last a lifetime on the first hot day of the year.  At 81 miles and 4800 feet of climbing, it was the shorter of the two options, with a 93 mile cue sheet available too...

Word is that the ride was much harder than the century on June 6th, looking forward to 100 miles then!

 

Near the start before Sugarloaf

Some of the roads we got to ride.

With Karen Marsten after climbing Sugarloaf.

 Friends with cameras catching a moving pic with a smile.

 With Amy Burke at Sugarloaf.

 With Coach Will.

 With coach Will after riding the wall three miles from the end. That's a smile of relief.

 We waited for all the 93 mile riders to finish too.  This was close to 7PM, we met at 7AM...

Go TEAM!

2x100 Miles to Beat Cancer

Hi Everyone,

I'm about three weeks away from riding the Fletcher Flyer century with Team in training, and have been riding many miles of hills through every kind of weather imaginable short of snow.  This Saturday I woke up at 5:30AM, was out the door shortly after and rode 76 miles in the rain not because I wanted to, but because I promised you that I would.

My friends and family, you have donated very generously to the Leukemia and Lymphoma society on my behalf, and I've raised over $2400 for the society so far.  Looking at last year's total, this is about half of what I raised in total last year. I've figured out some more motivation for you.  Recently, Team in Training made us an offer that I've decided to accept: I'll ride a second 100 mile event with TNT in Moab Utah this September and keep training with the team until then, and in exchange, I have promised to raise a total of $5600 for both events.  With some hard work and with your help, I know I can reach both goals.

But it's really not about me, it's SO not about me. I can ride my bike any time, I don't need to wake up at 5AM and ride in the rain, in fact, I don't want to -  but I get to choose, and so I ride.  If you have cancer, you don't have a choice.  Chemo, radiation, surgery, losing your hair, parts of your body, this is what you do to survive. 

So how about it?  Now is when I need your help. You can donate here: 

 http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/fletcher11/pfrosst 

It's easy, it's fast, it's tax deductible.  It'll make you feel good.  But don't take my work for it, here is my teammate Amy explaining what Team in Training and the Leukemia and Lymphoma society have meant to her...

Amy's story in her own words:

Twenty years ago…
I was diagnosed with stage III Hodgkin's disease, had a splenectomy and other grueling tests, and completed five months of radiation.

Fifteen years ago…
I was considered cured of Hodgkin's disease.

Five years ago…
I was diagnosed with early stage breast cancer and had a double mastectomy.

Two years ago…
I had my thyroid removed to treat nodules of unknown origin.

A year and a half ago…
I was in the worst shape of my life mentally and physically. In a moment of mental dullness, having never really swam, rode or ran any distance, I signed up with Team in Training to train for the St. Anthony's Olympic Distance Triathlon.

Last April…
I crossed the finish line at St. Anthony's after swimming about 3/4 mile in the rough and current filled waters of the Tampa Bay, riding about 25 miles through windy conditions in St. Petersburg and running 6.2 miles in the Florida sun.

Today…
I look back and that moment of mental dullness and realize it was a moment of mental clarity for me.

I joined the Team again this year because I know being on the Team helped me and helps so many others, on and off the bike. When training began this season, I hadn't been on a bike in about 6 months, and it was just like riding a bike as they say. I put on my protective and warming gear, from my helmet to my toe covers, got in the saddle and rode. I started slow, practiced clipping in and out of my pedals, changed a few gears and soon enough I was back to passing others uphill. I rode for about 20 miles on paved roads to our team's finish line that first training ride. I was a little sore afterwards, but a few stretches later, I was feeling great. Now with each week I get stronger and go further than I ever have in my life. I am looking forward to my first Century Ride ever in June, just shy of my 40th birthday.

Life with cancer is NOT like riding a bike. There is no gear you can wear to protect yourself from the treatments, fear and anxiety. The conditions are rocky and often unpredictable. The obstacles come at you like a semi-truck out of nowhere. The pain can be constant, searing and deep. It is constantly an uphill grind. There is no finish line.

This is why I ride. I ride to remember how strong I am. I ride to remember how easy I have it now. I ride to remember those facing cancer still. I ride to remember those whose memories are all of them we have left. I ride to raise money to fund services for patients and research for a cure.

When you are climbing those hills, facing that wind and grinding those gears, remember why you ride. When we ride, we are carrying the hopes of many on our shoulders and feeling the love of so many more.

Thank you.

Amy Burk


"Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." Christopher Robin to Pooh

Many thanks in advance,

Go team,

Phyllis

Soggy 76 Miles in the Rain in Davidsonville

This one was a ride of mental toughness to keep going and not just give up in the pouring rain, but with Carrie and Geoff, we made it through.  A special shout-out to Jon Bon Jovi.

 A moving shot in the rain...

 Smiling because we're halfway done and the rain has eased.

And because we're finished, despite being completely soaked after 7 hours.

Thursday Night Ride at Glen Echo

A bright sunshiney day in Berryville VA

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