It Starts

Hello friends,

A little over a year ago, I picked up my bike and dusted it off and started riding around town for little trips. It started with the 1.25 mile ride from my house to the church where I work. My Diamondback Sorrento (a gift from my lovely wife) struggled to support my weight as we attempted to summit the hill inbetween McMurray Road and the church parking lot. It was even worse when I picked up a rack, and started trying to do our family's grocery shopping by bike, at the Giant Eagle about 3 miles away. As the months wore on and on, I started to take longer and longer rides, just to be out on the road or the trails and feel the wind in my hair. I used to love cycling as a child, and so getting back to it just seemed to connect me to something from my past. I was starting to feel like a real cyclist.

That is of course until a very dear friend challenged me to do something spectacular: The MS 150.

At this point, I weighed 247 pounds. I could barely go 5 miles in a trip, let alone 150 miles in two days. The excuses started pouring in: I'm out of shape. I don't have the right bike. I'll never be able to raise enough money. Summers are always so busy. But instead of opening up with excuses, something (probably crazy) in me said "Yeah, I'll do that."

What have I gotten myself into?

So starting in January of 2011, I threw myself into training for the MS 150. I started reading great books about cycling training, and joined a gym to do some strength training in the winter. I bought a mag trainer for riding in the basement while watching episodes of Futurama. If the sun came out even for a couple of seconds, I was on the bike and taking a ride. I even rode once in a (not particularly vicious) winter weather advisory. I purchased a Trek 1.1, and promptly wrecked it learning how road bikes cannot overcome obsticles in the same way that a mountain bike could. And of course, I signed up for an account at livestrong to track my calories, and get advice on fitness and nutrition. In the process, I've lost 14 pounds, and I've started to feel much better about my appearence and overall health.

And so here we are, 60 days out from the MS 150. I want to do more than just ask people for money. I want to invite folks into the story with me. I'd like to post some blogs, photos, and even videos from my training, just about each and every time I set foot on a bike. If you can, I would encourage you to support me financially by going here and making a contribution. If not, I'd love to have your comments and notes of encouragement here on the blog. And of course, there will be other rides, other opprotunities to get involved, and more adventures to find ourselves taking. So keep checking back as much as you can!

For now, time to spend about an hour on the trainer!

Godspeed,

Jason

@freyer28