24HOP Pre-Ride Crash

Day 2, Pre-Ride...

Friday morning, after heading over to the University of Arizona campus where I picked up my bike from FairWheel Bikes, Sandrine and I drove out to the Willow Springs course to wait for the rest of the team. We were anxious to ride! Dozens of RVs and trucks were lined up along the access road waiting to get in, and 24 Hour Town was hopping. (A far cry from the day before.) RVs and tents were crammed in to every little spot available as we made our way up to our campsite, grateful to team captain Michelle for staking our claim earlier in the week. Camp Kitty had a perfect location on the course.

Ahhh... the Arizona desert was so amaaaaazing. Ohmigosh, 86 degrees and sunshine... I was in heaven.

Addie, Dan, and Shelby - Pre-Ride

Addie and Dan arrived from Arkansas late in the afternoon with enough time to join Sandrine, Shelby, Jennifer and I for a pre-ride of the race course. Shelby and Jennifer live in Florence, Arizona, and were familiar with the course so they led the way!

The pre-ride had some challenges. The course starts out with rolling singletrack until it hits a wide gasline jeep road that includes a series of seven steep climbs and descents called "The Bitches". I was warned about this section -- though it was tougher than I'd anticipated. After struggling on three of the climbs, Dan and Shelby lowered my tire pressure and adjusted my shocks, which helped tremendously -- my wheels were no longer slipping and sliding through the sand without any traction, and I was able to climb the second-to-last of The Bitches without any problems.

Feeling more confident about tackling the last climb, I increased my speed on the descent to give myself momentum for the climb ahead -- and hit a little kicker at the bottom of the hill that sent me flying. (I later learned it was the same spot Noah wiped out on the week before**. (Note my asterisks here.) The jump was unexpected, (I saw it too late), and I couldn't control the landing after my front wheel hit the wall of the next climb. I knew I was headed for a crash and landed off course against a boulder, rocks, and low-growing cactus. (Thankfully, no snakes). I closed my eyes to brace for the impact -- and afterwards opened them to find myself staring straight ahead at a large cactus, inches from my face. Woah. Close call.

Addie, Shelby & Jennifer (pic by Dan)

Addie, Jennifer, me, Shelby & Sandrine (pic by Dan)

I'd slammed my backside and hip pretty hard on the wipeout, and got nailed with some cactus needles, but nothing was broken and I was feeling grateful that I missed the head-on collision with the cactus and could get up and keep going. (And, again, feeling lucky there were no snakes... because the heat during the day definitely brought out the rattlers.) I was hurting for sure, but shook it off as best I could while we continued our pre-ride, making a stop at the Whiskey Tree to share a slug of burning whiskey with several other riders as the sun was starting to set.

This was a big flask of whiskey.

Heading towards 24 Hour Town before sunset (pic by Dan)

We arrived back at camp just after sunset, and found Camp Kitty well underway. The rest of the team -- Michelle, Eric, Shannon and Wil, along with crew Ami and Colin -- arrived while we were out on our pre-ride and it was time to celebrate! Dan made a fire while we pulled camp together, (although Ami and Colin get mega kudos for doing the majority of the camp build), and everyone settled in. I was feeling pretty battered and bruised at that point, and the pain increased as the night wore one, but there really wasn't much I could do about it. My teammates took good care of me, (love them), and eventually we all called it a night and headed off to bed -- Soooo excited for race day.

The sun goes down in the Arizona desert

Getting things done, one step at a time

So many challenges. It's not easy sometimes to get past the obstacles, and would be so easy to just stop... but I am surrounded, (surrounded), by amazing friends who keep me moving along when doubts creep in. I'm so grateful for them.

I couldn't grasp the travel logistics to Tucson, even though I've done this before, and Ingrid subtly got me over that hurdle, though it was just the first of several obstacles to overcome.

Snow and cold... I've been riding through both... though fortunately we've had unseasonably warm weather this year, especially in light of the winter we had last year. (I haven't been on my snowboard all winter. My fear is I'd wipeout on the slopes and derail my race plans.) Still, the colder temps and gray days often make for shorter rides, and I haven't gotten a real feel for the Kona.

I planned to ship my bike through Fitwerx, and knew Marty would take care of it, but a timing issue on the other end meant I'd need to break down my 29er in Tucson, on my own, for the return trip -- and therefore need to know how to disassemble it myself. It seemed a difficult task, (more complicated than my road bike), until Jen and Amy and Alison gave me reassurances at breakfast on Sunday that I could do it -- and after watching several YouTube videos, I did it. My bike shipped yesterday.

BikeFlights is the shipping option I chose for sending my bike to Tucson -- primarily because they sponsor several athletes I know and they are a sponsor for 24HOP -- but their website has a few glitches that made the order process painful. It wasn't until I dropped the bike off at FedEx yesterday morning that I felt a little relief that I'm still moving forward.

The girls are keeping me honest with my workouts, Nikki and Amy have been my P2 support crew, the Vanderkitten squad keeps me inspired, and my 24HOP teammies, Michelle, Sandrine, Ami, Addie, and Shannon are really THE BEST.

And of course I've had huuuuuuggggeeee love and support from the boys and Mike, who try their damnedest to keep me sane when I go a little crazy. Love my men.

It's going to be a good time. I just have to ride.

Vanderkitten = Awesomeness

I'm sooo excited for what's ahead at Vanderkitten Racing this fall. New adventures coming soon!! So cool.

RAAM Crew: The A Team

Top: Ingrid Hillhouse, Lindsay King, Mike Deitchman

Middle: Dex Tooke, Joni Tooke, Kati Bak

Bottom: Sonya Souza, Jeff Faillers, Tam Cronin

Our RAAM crew is comprised of nine members total -- all coming together from across the U.S. and Canada. Our crew includes two of my fellow VanderkittenVIP teammates, Kati Bak and Lindsay King, (so between Joan, me, Kati and Lindsay, the kittens are well represented.)

Mike Deitchman, (Joan's husband), is our crew chief; Paramedic Jeff Faillers is our medic and bike mechanic; Sonya Souza is our PT/message therapist flying over from Hawaii; and Ingrid Hillhouse is an ultramarathon runner, who crewed the Oregon RAAM Challenge with me. Ultracycling Hall of Fame candidate Dex Tooke, (who has completed RAAM himself and has written the book Unfinished Business about the endeavor), and his wife and former RAAM crew chief Joni Tooke round out our crew, bringing extensive experience and knowledge to the race.

Three is our magic number -- Our crew teams will rotate in three shifts of three people among three vehicles -- Mike/Ingrid/Lindsay, Dex/Joni/Kati, and Jeff/Sonya/Tam. The three shifts are 8 hours long each, and rotate from Follow, to Errand, to Sleep vehicle. Each vehicle/shift has a specific role and challenges, including sleep, (which may only be 4-5 hours, depending on where we are). We will not be traveling with an RV, as some teams do.

We'll be spending 18 days together, beginning Friday, when most of us fly into the San Francisco area to assist in driving vehicles and equipment down to Oceanside. The race doesn't officially begin until June 10th, but there are many pre-race tasks and obligations to fulfill. The countdown is on...

RAAM Crew: Shifts

As mentioned above, crew members will work in groups of 3 and will rotate through the vehicles in 8hr shifts. The 3 different shifts are:

Follow Vehicle: This vehicle/shift drives immediately behind the rider at their speed whenever permitted by the rules. (There are several sections and certain times of the day where direct follow is not permitted. The Follow vehicle then provides leap frog support.) The people in the follow vehicle are responsible for navigating the rider through the course, providing nutrition to the rider, providing gear/equipment to the rider, (dealing with flat tires, clothing changes, medical attention, etc.), and helping to motivate the rider through 2-way radio, or external music system. The night follow shift, (which I'm on), will also help orchestrate the rider's sleep breaks (2-3 hrs/night).

Errand Vehicle: This vehicle/shift does errands for the entire crew -- stocking up on supplies, buying hot meals for the crew, doing laundry, grocery shopping, etc. As time permits, they also help the follow vehicle with navigation by leap-frogging the rider and helping to mark turns, as well as provide encouragement for the rider from the side of the road. They also step in to do direct follow for short periods of time as needed, to allow the follow vehicle to get gas or orchestrate shift changes, etc.

Sleep Vehicle: This vehicle/shift is the sleep shift -- occupants either sleep in the van or find a nearby hotel to take their sleep break. They are then responsible for getting to the next crew exchange point at the next shift change.

(Note: Jeff, Sonya and I are on the following schedule, based on Eastern Standard Time. Follow: 9pm-5am; Errand: 5am-1pm; Sleep: 1pm-9pm.)

Crewing RAAM will be difficult, and at times exhausting -- emotionally, mentally, and physically. It requires a steadfast commitment to teamwork -- which I'm confident our crew has. I am excited for the opportunity to be a part of this adventure!

Vanderkitten 2014, Ready to Rock and Roll

Vanderkitten Pros Liza Rachetto & Miranda Griffiths
Image by Jason Perry 

I love our Vanderkitten VIP team -- 180 amazing athletes spread out around the globe, connected through social media and a shared value to empower each other to reach our goals. Together we encourage each other, motivate one another, and celebrate our accomplishments together. Kara, Ami, Shannon, Rose, Sandrine, Ashley, Sybil, Alana, Becca, Fiona, Clemmy, Lynda, Janay, Mollie, Kati, Lindsay, Liza, (o.k... too many to list)... What an amazing group of women. I feel so fortunate to be a part of this experience and look forward to many adventures this summer. (Including crewing RAAM for VIP Joan Deitchman! Wahoo!)

The backbone of our little tribe of kittens comes from Vanderkitten founder Dave Verrecchia, race director Jono Coulter, and the Vanderkitten pro team. When they say their mission is to help promote equality in sports and to empower ordinary women to achieve extraordinary things, it isn't just lip service or a catchy slogan. They mean it. They do it. They make it possible by being incredibly generous, supportive, and accessible. A total class act. Pretty cool.

The pro racers of Vanderkitten are in action this week with The Vuelta el Salvador and Old Pueblo Grand Prix. Headed to Tucson for the OPGP are pros Tiffany Pezzulo and Fiona Strouts, sidelined rider Emily Kachorek, (recovering from a broken jaw), development riders Libby Caldwell and Katie Quinn and VK founder Dave Verrecchia. (Kudos to the Arizona VKVIPs for their work in getting the pro riders to OPGP). In conjunction, Jono Coulter headed to San Salvador with pros Liza Rachetto, Jeannie Kuhajek, Rhae Shaw, Amy Charity, Miranda Griffiths and Kate Chilcott. Awesome!

Also on the VK 2014 pro roster: Korina Huizar, (whose season started in Belgium last week for the Spring Classics with USA Cycling), Elle Anderson, Sophie Williamson, and Gillian Carleton. (Fourteen-year-old development rider Kennedy Hill joins the team as well.) Fun stuff.

I'm so jazzed to be cheering for the Vanderkitten pro women's crew -- supporting the epically awesome team that supports us. (Thanks, Dave and Jono!)

Go get 'em kittens!

Pan Mass Challenge Week

Wow. So hard to believe that the Pan Mass Challenge is next weekend! We have a much smaller North Shore Cyclopaths team this year -- as the fundraising minimum has pushed many of our riders out -- but seventeen Cyclopaths (riders and volunteers) will be participating, including Jeff Brand, Sheldon Brown, Bill Cantor, Brian Carver, Dan Carver, Ethan Forman, Arthur Freedman, Ed Parish, Donna Cohen, Will Cronin, ME (of course), Michael Kelleher., Ann Kelleher, Mike Kelleher Jr., Mike Meehan, Drew Nelson, and Brenda White. (Bill C. is participating in his 30th PMC, turning 90 on August 11th. Amazing!)

This year's challenge sort of snuck up on me as I've been focusing on the (longer) Undefeated/EOD Ride -- but I'm more than ready for it. Will has been training at the gym more than on the bike, but isn't worried. We're both very excited for the weekend and so tremendously grateful to our sponsors for making it possible for us to ride. THANK YOU! for supporting The Jimmy Fund and the PMC! Just 5 more days...

Habitat for Humanity 'Team BLC Build Day'

Spiders at Team BLC Build Day, June 27

I skipped my Cyclopath ride today to work on a Habitat for Humanity team building event with other SpiderOne and CrossFit IronSpider athletes. Still being (relatively) new at SpiderOne, and really doing a lot of my training on my own through Shayne, I haven't had many opportunities to get to know some of the other riders.

"Team BLC Build Day" was organized by fellow spider Brooke Cambridge of BLC Painting. I'd met Brooke only twice before -- once very briefly on a Monday ride, and then later at a team social -- and she's really nice. When she asked SpiderOne and IronSpider to join her company's Team Build Day, I figured, "Sure! I could help out Habitat for Humanity and count it as my Saturday workout!" Ha ha ha... man, oh man... am I exhausted!! What was I thinking? I worked so hard, I'm sore all over.

I have noooooo idea how this is going to play out tomorrow when I have to get in my long ride. Where's the Aleve?

Cyclopaths at Gillette Stadium

Go Team North Shore Cyclopaths!!

Good luck to Team North Shore Cyclopaths in this weekend's PMC! We have 22 Cyclopaths and friends on this year's team, including riders and volunteers -- Arlene Agree, Jeff Brand, Harriet Brand, Sheldon Brown, Lynda Beaulieu, Bill Cantor, Brian Carver, Tammy Cronin, Will Cronin, Donna Cohen, Ethan Forman, Cindy Hecht, Geoffrey Hecht, Ann Kelleher, Michael Kelleher III, "Sir" Michael Kelleher Jr., Mike Meehan, Drew Nelson, Ed Parish, Brenda White, Ben Yellin, and Marcy Yellin. Everyone have a fun, safe ride and remember the hills are smaller than they look!

2011 Tour de Cure

Four of us rode in the Tour de Cure for the American Diabetes Association -- Ethan Forman, Margie Detkin (team captain), Michael Sullivan and myself. It was another cool gray day. We can't seem to get out of this weather pattern! Despite the chill, Margie and I rode together while Ethan and Michael chose a longer ride. It was a nice ride along many of our familiar Cyclopath routes. I think we discovered a few new hills and roads. At one point, Ethan caught up to us (he had a 2 hour earlier start) and we all regrouped at the finish. We ran into Cyclopath Bruce Kapsten, who rode the 100 mile route with his "serious" biking group, the 4C's, at the finish. Fun to hang out after and enjoy the barbecue lunch and music. Great ride for a great cause.

With Tremendous Appreciation to my Sponsors

Pan Mass Challenge 2009 was a great success -- A $30,000 million dollar goal, 5,200 riders, 3,000 volunteers, and over 30 Cyclopaths participating in this year's event. (Many even made it to the team photo this year.) Fantastic! We had a gorgeous day, both of my teams did well, (NS Cyclopaths and Team Wishing Welles), Mike delivered 3,000 pieces of luggage to the dorms, and I raised a phenomenal $6,045 for the Jimmy Fund, making me a Heavy Hitter this year. (Only my third time in 7 years. It's not easy making HH!)

Your generosity knows no bounds, and I could not have done this without you! Together we made a united stand in the fight against cancer, and I cannot thank you enough for the love and support you have given me each year. You are all amazing. Thank you!! -- Tam

The North Shore Cyclopaths and Team Wishing Welles

Although I'm still a member of the North Shore Cyclopaths, (and one of the 30/30 in Bourne!), I will be riding this year's PMC on Team Wishing Welles in support of 4 year-old Welles Mason of Swampscott. Welles lives nearby and was diagnosed with lymphoblastic lymphoma last fall. (His older sister, Caroline, in this photo from October, is a first-grader at the boys' school). Welles is being treated at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, and is a pedal partner for Team Wishing Welles. The team is led by several riders the Cyclopaths have nicknamed, "Ethan's Posse" -- friend's of Ethan's who occasionally ride with the Cyclopaths, though never stop for breakfast!) They are really nice guys and have welcomed me to their team -- and hopefully a few other Cyclopaths will follow.

Team Photo, PMC 2008

Team North Shore Cyclopaths, at the Mass Maritime finish, after the storm. In photo: Ben Yellin, Lynda Beaulieu, Sheldon Brown, Brian Carver, Donna Cohen, Ethan Forman, Drew Nelson, Dave McCauley, Tammy and Michael Cronin, and Ed Parish. Several other Cyclopaths at MMA missed our photo. With 22 Cyclopaths riding & volunteering, you'd think more would have made it to the team photo...but to be fair, there was a storm.

Team North Shore Cyclopaths

We have a small team representing the North Shore Cyclopaths in this year's PMC. Several riders are taking the year off, while a few others have "retired" indefinitely. The yearly increase in the fundraising requirement became too much for a few of our riders, (including me at one point). When I first started riding with the group, there were over 2 dozen participating in the PMC. This year, I think there will be 18 of us riding, spread out over four of the seven different routes. A big change. (Team photo from PMC 2005, 25 riders including Sue de Vries, center.)

Another Pan Mass Challenge?

Registration for the 2007 Pan Mass Challenge is only a few weeks away! (January 2nd for Heavy Hitters). I need to make my decision quickly on which route to ride. I'm leaning towards the one day, Wellesley to Bourne route, with a $2,750 commitment. (A lot of money to raise for a one-day event.) It's hard to think about August with Christmas just a week away... but I also can't imagine not riding another PMC. As difficult as it is to raise the money and carve out time to train, there's that big payoff in the end -- knowing you're making a significant contribution in the fight against cancer.

(I love this photo taken at the MMA finish last year with a few of my riding partners; Brian, Lisa, Drew, Me, Dave, and Karen (in front). Celebrating a great ride. click photo for larger view)

Wow! PMC 2006 is over! It's going to take me a few days to write a wrap up. I am so beat!

First, however, I want to thank all of you for your amazing support and donations. I truly mean it when I say that I couldn't have done this without you! With $5,705 already submitted to the PMC, and several donations on the way, I reached the Heavy Hitter level. THANK YOU! Your generosity knows no bounds.

I also want to thank Michael and the boys, Nancy and Fred, and Donna for participating in the PMC weekend. I hope that Fred and Donna enjoyed working at the water stops, (it was such a treat to see both of them); Nancy kept the boys entertained, taking them to the movies, and the zoo, and the playground (whew!); Mike delivered the luggage for 4,000 riders... Thank you for being part of an amazing weekend.

I also want to thank my fellow Cyclopaths. What a crew.

I'll write a wrap up shortly... I need a few days to rest!

Quick notes

Had a great week of riding last week, logging in another 100+ miles for the week. Thank you, Nancy and Fred, for watching the kids for me on Wednesday. Those 100 miles came easier with that 35 mile mid-week ride!

Last Saturday's Cyclopaths ride was one I hope we never repeat. Wet, humid, uncomfortable weather, one rider being carried away in an ambulance, crazy drivers, and two flat tires in the group -- one of them mine! (I need new tires.) A good time was not had by all.

I've been setting the alarm early these last four weeks -- 4:45 a.m. - to ride a 15-18 mile loop. This morning I logged in 20 miles before I had to get home for Mike to leave for work. He leaves the house at 6:30 a.m.

The sun is rising later and later in the morning. Today it was barely peeking out above the horizon when I started.

Photo: A few of the Cyclopaths last weekend, cropped for the blog. (We had a large group!)