Tour De Cure

[Randomchaos]

Well, I went and did it, finally. I have signed up for a bicycle fundraiser ride! I chose Tour De Cure because it has a good bit to do with my own family. My father was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes several years ago. He now takes the insulin shots instead of the pill form of medication to try and control his sugar levels. His feet are also getting pretty bad now from the poor blood circulation. Doesn't help that he is 6'3" too.

My dads brother was diagnosed with Type 1 Juvenile Diabetes when he was at the age of 4. He has been taking insulin practically his entire life. My 6 year old niece was diagnosed with Type 1 Juvenile Diabetes a year and a half ago. She now shares the same fate as my Uncle.

My mother, and surviving grandfather have also been dealing with Type 2 diabetes for several years now. My other grandfather had been battling diabetes for a few years before he passed away.

This problem hits home for me. My wife is currently 5 months pregnant. There is a possibility it could be diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. I am also having to watch my own health. There is a good possibility that if I don't watch my own health, keep exercising, and keep my weight down, I will have to be fighting Type 2 diabetes myself.

The American Diabetes Association is working hard to help those who have been diagnosed with diabetes, as well as to try and stop diabetes from occurring all together through research.

I am doing this ride to show my support, and let everybody know that I care, and want diabetes to become a thing of the past. My goal is to raise $150 for this event. I have already put in $15 towards my goal, so all that's left is $135 to reach my goal. Any donation helps no matter how small it is. I have 27 days to reach my goal, and get myself prep'ed for the 28 mile ride. I appreciate any support anybody gives. Below are the links to my profile for the event, and the donation page.

My Personal Tour De Cure Page
Donate

 

[darkbluexplorer]

I have been thinking of doing this since it's so close. My grandfather was a diabetic but so far the rest of my family has been lucky. I'll donate what I can maybe I will be well enough to ride in the tour de cure also!

Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk 2

 

[Randomchaos]

Heck yea! I would love to ride in it with some others as a group!

 

[Randomchaos]

25 days to go! Going to get out on the bicycle today and work out some kinks. Stupid upper respiratory infections. Finally over it though and can breathe again!

Thanks to Adam I am that much closer to my goal. $110 still remaining though, every little bit counts.

 

[darkbluexplorer]

you sure you have 25 days?! I thought it was this weekend on the 19th. I am not going to be able to ride but when i get home ill pledge what i can! My Boss will be at the 10 mile rest area helping people out.

 

[Randomchaos]

Yup yup, it is listed as June 9th for the Knoxville Tour De Cure. Just got done with a 9.4 mile ride through town. Lungs aren't 100% yet, but made a nice charge up the last incline to my house! Went with the mentality of "The quicker I can get up this hill, the sooner I can rest!" lol

Just noticed there is a Tour De Cure in Chattanooga on the 19th this month . That's probably the one you were thinking of.

 

[Randomchaos]

Even with all the crap going on around here, I still found time for a nice training ride today. Pushed it pretty hard like I had planned on. Managed 9.5 miles, averaging 14 MPH. Kept my heartrate up pretty good, averaged 176 BPM during the ride. Also hit a new high of 197 BPM. The general max for my age is 190, give or take some. Guess its deffinately on the + side of 190 for me lol. Hopefully I will be ready for 30 miles in 24 days! Still taking donations too

 

[Randomchaos]

Quick update, wanted to thank everybody for their donations so far. I am only $25 away from my goal of $150! All donations are still accepted, even after the goal has been met. Every dollar helps us fight diabetes and provide help to those that are currently fighting it.

 

[Randomchaos]

Reached my goal and then some! Thanks everybody for the donations! If you would still like to donate, feel free to. Every little bit helps. I plan on using my action cam during the ride to record it all, and see if my wife feels up to taking some photos of me too . Will share them with everybody after the ride.

 

[Randomchaos]

Bumped my goal up to $250 now. Ride is two weeks away! Felt like seeing how much I can raise for this. This week was kind of a bust for training rides. Flew out for work on Tuesday, and back in last night, so the last few days I didn't get any time on a bike. Didn't get a chance over last weekend either thanks tot he weather not cooperating. Was over a week since my last ride!

A quick little tidbit though, my last ride I had done was on Thursday 5/17/2012. Some may have seen my other thread about the drug problem where I live, and how the cops here could care less about it all. A common thing here is for the junkies to toss their needles/syringes on the side of the road. On back roads, its pretty bad. Took a nice 4 1/2 mile walk one day, and came across 3. On my last ride though, I came across one laying on the shoulder of the busy 4-lane highway that runs through town. Its not like it was hard to see, it was pretty blatant. Just so happens, a 1/4 mile down the road from it where were 2 city police, and a volunteer fire fighter pulled off onto the side of the road. Figured what the hell, they are supposed to help keep the town/area clean and safe and they are right there, I will go ahead and tell them about it. Officers tell me ok, and I get the feeling they just shrugged it off. Today on my ride, guess what I find, untouched, int he same exact spot! That's right, these cops suck ass! It would have been so easy for the cop who was already facing the direction of where it was, to get in his car, drive down the shoulder, and clean that **** up! Is it not their job to at least call it in?

Anywho, enough of that ranting . 18.5 miles today! Felt great to do that distance. The first 6 miles were brutal getting my mind and body focused on it. Took a break though, cleared my head, ate a cliff bar, and kicked it into high gear! Really feeling good about the ride in 2 weeks now

Keep the donations coming! Every bit helps those that have to fight this disease that now plagues so many. Below are photos of the syringe still laying on the shoulder today. Video coming soon of me talking to the officers after finding it.

 

[Randomchaos]

Another training day down, and a lot more progress made . Tour de Cure is only a week away now! Still taking donations, contest from now until the 9th has gotten me trying for more donations . $60 more dollars and I will be entered to win an Apple iPad or iPod touch!

Today I managed to ride for 27.5 miles. Took 2 breaks, around the points they will have rest stations setup on the ride. I am feeling great about this event, and how quickly I have gotten back to my previous endurance and strength level I was at about a year ago.

Having a little difficulty watching my eating though. Keeping close to my diet of 1300 calories a day to try and cut my weight down. I am trying to figure out which calories burned calculations I should follow. GPS mapping data that follows my speed, and elevation changes says I burned around 1300 calories today on my ride. My cycleometer though that tracks my HR, Speed, and Cadence says I burned 2200 calories =\. Such a massive difference!

 

[Randomchaos]

Less than a week to go, $25 short of my new $250 goal. My legs are feeling good, and looking even better . Anybody close to the Knoxville area should come out and enjoy the event as a spectator . Here in St Louis until Thursday. Hotel just updated their fitness room with new equipment, including a nice new exercise bike! It's like god is saying to me "Your doing the right thing, now push it!".

It will probably take me a week or so, but There will be video recorded of the entire ride . If my wife is feeling up to it and can withstand the heat, I should also have some nice pictures from the event!

Bonus: Wanna see my sexy legs? Help me reach that $250 goal, And I will make sure pictures of them get "Leaked"

 

[Randomchaos]

Well today was the last day to make good progress on my riding. Pushed it real good and hard on the exercise bike! Tomorrow will be a day of rest, and Friday will be a simple low speed spin on the bike to stretch out the legs and recover them as best as I can. I feel good about the ride on Saturday, and as prepared as I can get!

I am still looking to raise just $25 more dollars, raised $225 so far! Just follow the link in my sig to donate, every little bit helps those in need. Got a nice song picked out for my video editing of the ride, can't wait! Might not have pictures from the side though, wife is on bedrest

 

[Randomchaos]

Less than 24 hours to go! Legs are feeling full of energy. Really getting excited now. Still looking to get $25 more! Just click the link in my signature to donate. Thanks to everybody who has donated so far!

 

[Randomchaos]

The ride went great, other than some technology issues, and me going out with an earlier group than I was supposed to . Missed the first 8 miles on camera, which sadly were some of the best! My speedometer magnet on my front wheel also came loose a half mile in, so my data is off until I fixed it at the first rest stop :-(. My wife did get pictures of me though! Also got pictures of other riders, nearly 400 pictures taken when all said and done . It took me just over 2 hours to complete the 28 1/2 mile route. Looking forward to more charity rides in my future! Back to training and weight loss now. 50 lbs to go lol.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

 

[Randomchaos]

Here are some of my favorite photos from the day

 

[sQuijeW]

good job on completing that ride man! i worked at the event as a volunteer so i probably saw you

congrats on your success and keep up the work toward your goal!

 

[Randomchaos]

Where were ya at? I know all of the volunteers were awesome, especially at the 8 1/2 mile rest area . So much enthusiasm! Photos are uploading right now, 371 in total. Will post up the link one they are done.

Photos are up! https://plus.google.com/photos/1097...ms/5753526856672032961?authkey=CMba4bDToMaRKg

 

[sQuijeW]

i was working at the check in station in reston town center. i worked on the food/drink distribution and pretty much everything else there