Wow, after almost two months of training, the time has come to put my wheels where my mouth is and get this ride done. I've spent the past three weeks working like crazy to get my mileage up to the point where I can do 40 miles in an afternoon. Honestly, I'm not really worried about not making it through Bike MS, at least not physically... my bike may be another matter.
Last Sunday I set off for one last really long training ride only to have my bike chain fall off and get stuck against my bike frame while riding up a particularly gnarly hill. How I managed to do that, I have no idea, but a couple of friendly and helpful cyclists stopped and helped me get my chain out but my bike still wasn't road worthy until I got a new chain. So... I get a new chain and get it put on only to have it fall off *AGAIN* after riding to work on Tuesday. Fortunately it didn't get stuck and I managed to fix it myself (go me!). I don't know what is going on with all these chain issues but I just hope I get them all out of the way before Saturday.
This week... my training schedule is really light. Now is not the time to push but take it easy and reserve my strength for the ride. I can't stop cold turkey, but no more 20-30 mile jaunts around town and to Boulder. Lets face it... if I wasn't ready by now, I wasn't going to be ready by Saturday. However, I AM ready and as this weekend is approaching... I'm excited but also a little nervous. Not riding is making me a little antsy, which is kinda good because I will be more than ready to hit the road on Saturday.
I know I can do this...
Looking back, this has been an incredible journey. Starting off with making the decision that I wanted to challenge myself physically, to the incredible amount of training I underwent, to a major attitude shift towards a high level of physical activity... I'm not the same person I start off being. I am really glad and proud that my first major test of physical strength and endurance is going to be for MS. This condition kicked my ass when I was first diagnosed. It threatened to rob me of so much, and I think it's poetic justice that I use Bike MS to rob multiple sclerosis of its power over me.
When I first started this journey, there were some people who wondered if this was going to be too much for me. Was I putting my health at risk? They weren't wrong to have concerns... but for me that was the whole point of doing this, not to make myself sick but to go beyond the supposed limitations of MS. What I learned was that the limitations I had, I'd set for myself, and the moment I let go of the self imposed limitations there really wasn't anything I couldn't do. I learned that I had used MS as a crutch for not doing things; it was a convenient excuse to get out of a lot of things I don't like doing. Sometimes I would catch myself not pulling my weight and start to go... I have MS so I can't... then I'd stop and remind myself that I had no excuse, if I could ride 30 miles to Boulder in an afternoon, I can carry the big gigantic bag of dog food from the car into the house.
There is no crutch anymore...
So, here I am at the cusp of a major feat that I've work so hard to get to and there is no fear or doubt, just determination. I will make it across that finish line come Saturday.
I want to thank everyone who has helped me by making a donation to the National MS Society in my name. It really means a lot to me. If anyone hasn't had a chance to make a donation you can go to my donation page and donate. Any amount is appreciated, and the money goes towards helping those of us inflicted by MS get care and support that is needed.
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