August 9, 2008, Leadville, CO.  As a flatlander embarking on the Race Across the Sky, the concept of riding 100 miles at an average of over 10,000 feet is pretty intimidating.  The Leadville 100 mountain bike race is considered one of the most challenging tests of endurance.  There are over 1,000 entrants to this sold out race and participants are selected by lottery.  I got in through a connection.

The real story this year was the participation of Lance Armstrong.  The 7x Tour de France winner came out of retirement to ride in his first cycling race in three years.  Lance would face five time Leadville 100 winner Dave Weins who last year bested Floyd Landis a former road champion (and convicted doper) in an epic battle.  There is a lot of news about Lance and this race and here is a link http://sports.yahoo.com/sc/news?slug=ap-leadville100&prov=ap&type=lgns

I went out to Colorado with Adam Pemberton, a good friend and training buddy from Redding, CT.  We would meet up with his brothers Andy, a Boulder, CO resident and Publisher of Velo News and Chris who is from Oakland, CA.  Andy was kind enough to invite me to join the family and other co-workers to ride for Velo News.

After eight months of training (mostly all hills) our plan was to head out four days early to “acclimate”.  We went to Breckenridge (9,200 feet) to hang out, do some work, fix our bikes, create a race plan, and enjoy the mountains.

The weather the entire time was 45 degrees in the morning escalating to a high of 65 with heavy clouds and occasional sun with periodic rain.  Not what you would call “beach weather” in August.  However it was great for riding!

On the second day we went out to the Leadville course (about 50 min drive) to ride a couple of the hills and get familiar with the area before the race.  Leadville is 10,200 feet and claims it is the highest city in the US.  Based on the lack of oxygen I wouldn’t argue with them.  We rode the Power line climb which is considered the toughest because of its steepness, technical aspects and the proximity in the race (80 miles in).  A day later we rode the first climb (St. Kevin’s) which is much more subdued but a wakeup call at 1,200 feet none the less.  Both days I felt great and could ascend “clean” (meaning without touching down a toe) relatively easily.  This would prove to be a different story with 80 hard miles under my belt days later.

Friday before our ride we went to “check in” with the 1000+ other riders.  This was done in an old gymnasium and they had it pretty well organized.  We went through medical inspection and picked up our bracelets, then to get our numbers and “goodie bags”.  Our CT Challenge bag is much better. We had to stick around for a mandatory 11am race briefing.  There we heard from the race director, medical director (trying to scare us about taking ibuprophen while racing because it can cause kidney failure if dehydrated) and the past champion, David Weins.  We all were pleasantly surprised to hear that  Lance was indeed racing with us and he would take the microphone for a few words of encouragement.

I would be riding an Orbea 29” hard tail (no rear suspension) all carbon frame fully set up with SRAM X-0 and XTR components.  The bike weighed 23.08 lbs without pedals, which is light for a MTB.

The evening before race day I was stressed.  I had just ridden the course and had a major issue on my new rear tire.  I was running tubeless tires and on a decent I hit a pretty big hole and the tire “burped” air from the sidewall.  This caused it to feel completely flat and lose control.  Clearly I could not have this for the race.  The benefit of the tubeless tire is that it is lighter and you can run it at lower tire pressure without going flat.  My alternative was to put a tube in the tire; which I did.  I also had brake issues with my front disc rubbing against the calipers.  This would slow me down and I certainly didn’t need any handicap.  I had to head do to the bike shop to get them to look at the hydraulic brakes and ended up replacing the pads.  That was not all – I had big troubles getting in and out of my pedals (Crank Brothers Candy) and even with making adjustments to the cleats I could not get them to release.  So I replaced the pedals with a new set of Crank Brother’s Egg Beaters which were much better.  Lastly, I was having troubles shifting and needed to put a new cable on the bike.  Luckily Adam had one and swapped it out easily.

The apartment looked like a bike shop.  We had a stand in the doorway, four bikes, extra wheels, a big tool box (Andy brought it from Boulder).  It is great to know how to do your own bike work as it saves a lot of money and time.  We all had to make last minute adjustments and were fortunate to have all the required gear.

My nutrition plan was another story.  Each of us were calculating our food and hydration requirements for race day and then going out to get last minute supplies.  Adam brought a bunch of extra Spiz (a high calorie powder used to nourish cancer patients) in vanilla and chocolate which we would split up.  The balance of my calories would be via GU packs (100 calories each).  My plan was to make two 1000 calorie bottles, one for the start and one at the 60 mile stop and supplement the rest with GU.  I need to take in about 350 calories per hour for a race like this and my plan was to have enough nutrition for 11 hours. I would drink water out of a Camelbak all the way.  My plan was to start with a 70 oz pack and drop it before the big climb at 40 miles, grab another 70 oz for the climb and then get my original one refilled when I came back down the climb. For electrolytes I used Lava Salt capsules (250 mg each) and take two each hour.

The prerace dinner for me was spent working on my bike while the others went out for Italian food.  They picked me up some penne with roasted chicken to go which I enjoyed around 8pm.

We hit the bed around 10p and our plan was to rise at 4a to get ready for a last minute pack and a 50 min ride for a 6:30 a start in Leadville.  I was anxious trying to get to sleep with visions of my bike or body falling apart on the course.  Luckily they faded in about 30 minutes and I was out.

I actually woke up sans alarm at 3:00 am and just laid there continuing my nightmare of the broken bike/body.  4:00am came quickly and I sprung out of bed like the rest of the others.
We quickly packed up our gear, ate some granola with milk, bagel with peanut butter, a banana and a bunch of water. We were out of there by 4:40a and all six packed into Andy’s Toyota Tundra pick up.

We got to the race site and met up with our support vehicle which would set up shop and provide us with supplies out at Twin Lakes just before the big ascent up the Columbine climb (@ mile 40). We got into our gear, on our bikes and headed to the start.  It was already packed and every one had their bikes laid down in the position they wanted to start from.  The start was broken out by estimated finishing time and riders had to use the honor system to place themselves into the right spot.  We found spots between the 9-10 hour finish group, which was good.

At 6:30a sharp, the shotgun blasted and we headed down the center of Leadville on a 4% road descent. We were all lead by a pace car holding steady at 25 mph.  There was no racing and we were all instructed to follow in our current place – no passing.  The group was a bit edgy as we cruised along and we had several mass panic stops to avoid group crashes.
After three miles the pace car pulled off and the race started on a dirt road.  We all packed in there and rode about a mile to let the field thin out.  At this point we had descended 600 feet and were about to climb 1000’ up St Kevin’s.  The pace was fairly subdued and I was riding without much discomfort. You could not pass anyone up the climb so it was just settle in and get focused.  We passed over the climb and then the course got on to road which descended 800 feet.  Here our speed would top out on the course at around 45 mph. Not bad on a MTB.
We would travel around a beautiful lake and then ride up again to the top of the Powerline climb heading the easier way.  This climb was pretty straight forward and the packs of like ability racers began to form as the mass field spread out.  I looked for numbers on bikes which corresponded to last year’s finish place and followed those that were in my time goal area.  I had no problem hanging and figured they knew how to pace themselves to at least finish near to where they were the previous year.

On the Power line decent I was feeling great, managing the very technical downhill, avoiding deep ruts and bowling ball sized rocks peppering the trail.  Just as I got comfortable my back tire flatted.  I was so pissed because I only had one tube and none at the pit stop.  I quickly changed it on the side of the trail as a hundred riders passed me.  This could not be happening at such a key time in the race.  I was done quickly in about 6 minutes, guessing at my correct tire pressure (30 lbs) and hoping it would hold for the rest of the race.

Negative thoughts faded after I completed the descent and got back on to the road.  Here my adrenaline picked up as did my pace as I tried to ride my way back into position.  I tried to get a group together on the road to ride as a pack but we could not get organized – even with me pulling.  I felt good cranking along at around 25mph on flat roads while down on my forearms as if in triathlon aero bars.  The hills were rolling for about 20 miles and it felt great.  I blew through the first aid station at mile 25 and just after I saw a mass wreck with a guy that had blood all over his face.  Not sure how that happened as it was flat and straight.  Too bad.
I passed a lot of riders and worked my way up to some previously familiar faces.  Heading into the main support area we had to ride down a short and steep embankment which took a sharp left turn at the bottom.  I flew down and my front end washed out leaving me to lay down the bike still clipped in on my right foot, directly in front of about 100 people.  Not my proudest moment.  I did recover without fully going down which was my only saving grace.  As I left, there was great applause and I would come to find out later that Andy did the same thing, but he went down.  I felt better.

I headed into the pits as planned and picked up my new water and nutrition for the climb.  I checked my tire pressure and it was spot on.  Off I went to ascend the 3,500 foot 10 mile Columbine climb.

Columbine wasn’t as bad as everyone had told me.  I was able to settle in and power my way up at around 145 HR.  My goal was to be at the top in 1:45, which would be very doable and still have energy to finish strong.  About half way up I saw Lance heading back down with Mike directly on his wheel.  They were racing and both looked serious traveling at around 30 mph. We were on a single lane dirt road which we had to split with the riders going downhill.  This got very hairy at times.

I had no issues going up Columbine.  As we reached the top the road became all rocks and ruts and at 24% grade it was time to dismount and push.  There was a line of riders ahead of me and even if I had the legs to ride it would have been impossible.  We all lined up and ground out the tough section walking hard.  You could see up the top of the course and there was a beautiful winding trail with riders in different colored jersey’s in small packs dotting the mountain side. Hope someone got pictures of this.

The altitude was setting in and you could feel the colder temperature at around 12,000 feet.  Fortunately it was sunny and it actually felt really comfortable.  I reached the summit and whipped around the top aid station not stopping for anything.  I missed my goal by 5 minutes, but overall I was right back where I wanted to be.

The descent was awesome, but really worked your upper body and shoulders.  I paced myself down safely and beat my next goal by 6 minutes to the pit stop.  Here I changed water and added my second bottle of Spiz for the final 40 miles home.

The way back was harder as it was a net elevation gain and we had the wind in our face.  There were two little climbs that seemed innocuous on the way out but had a line of bike pushers on the way up.  I did ride one of them but the other was too steep.

I got back on to the road and picked up my pace again.  This time there was no one around me to link up with.  At mile 70 I was on track to finish below my goal but the body started to feel sore.  I was diligent about refueling and was taking my electrolytes every hour.  This would save me.

At mile 80 I hit the toughest section of the power line course again, but first I would have to try my skills through a water crossing.  I failed and splashed down in the middle on my bike.  I cleaned it earlier but this time it was slightly up hill and I had 50% of my energy.  The cold water felt good, but the rocks underneath did not.  I was wet but okay.

Up the hill I went and it immediately got steep and rutty.  Two days before I cleaned the entire section but this time was different.  All the riders were walking and there was nowhere to go.  I managed to get a push up one good steep section by a guy but that just rammed me into a walker and I had to dismount.  At the top of the first rise I remounted and began another 1,300 foot climb.  This would be the toughest section on the course not only because of the steepness but the location and the technical aspects.  You had about 18 inches of dirt between rocks to navigate safely.  If you got out of that lane you were off your bike and had to push.  I managed to clear the entire section to the top riding past some pushers at speeds as slow as 2 mph (almost tipping over).  I felt relieved at the top because I had gotten over the tough part; I was headed down and was only 15 miles from the finish.

Not so fast, at that moment it started to rain.  Ten minutes later it started to hail.  I was climbing that long hills up St Kevin’s on the road and hail about the size of peas were pinging off of my helmet.  It wasn’t that bad.  I had on arm warmers and was pushing along pretty hard.  Near the top it changed over to pouring cold rain and started to get dicey.  I pulled over to put on a wind/rain jacked and started downhill.  As I was navigating downhill through small rivers which formed within the ruts and rocks I felt like at any moment that a water covered rock would grab my bike and toss me.  Even worse I would hit a rock and get another flat.  I prayed for no flats and was quick but cautious down the hill.  There was no one around me until the bottom and then I heard a bike come up on me fast.  It was a woman around 30 with a sleeveless jersey on.  I was blown away that a.) she was hammering faster than me and that b.) she wasn’t hypothermic.  I followed her down to the flat section and lead her out for the ride up to the finish.  We caught up to three others and flew down the roads to the final Broadway climb.  We passed where Lance crashed and carefully navigated through he deep ruts to get to the big dirt road to town.  I started to head up and at that moment I felt like someone hit me with a bat.  I went from great to no gas in my tank almost instantly.  My computer went dead at the top of the hill but I knew I was better than my goal so I didn’t completely kill myself to hang on to our pack.  I took down a GU, had some water and put down what I had left to get over the line.

I crossed at 9:44 finishing 16 minutes under my goal.  They stuck a medal around my neck and I sat there in disbelief.  It was over.  I looked around for Andy, who I knew was in front of me and couldn’t’ find him.  So I went over to the finish tent and sat by the heater, had some hot soup and a wrap.  It was great to be done.  Adam came in at 10:50 and his brother Chris made it just under the 12 hr cutoff at 11:55 (he had three flats).  By this time I was changed and had a couple of beers in me which brought me back to over 12,000 feet again.  What a day!

Lance finished two minutes behind the winner Dave Weins and both of them broke the previous course record.

John Ragland Jr., Co-founder CT Challenge, August 2008

On Saturday we held our fourth annual Connecticut Challenge bike even to raise money for cancer survivor programs. From my perspective it was our finest day yet. As a Co-Founder, I had a chance to see what we had originally architect for a charity bike ride finally blossom into a mature and finely tuned event.

Running an event like the Connecticut Challenge is all about organizing and managing people. This year we saw one of the best jobs of running an event that I have ever experienced. Bob Mazzone, our Executive Director is a true professional and has taken what Jeff and I originally dreamed up to another level. We should all be grateful for his skill and effort to provide us with an amazing day.

The weather was perfect and the beautiful landscapes along our routes had a chance to shine. My entire family rode the short courses and we got to exchange stories with other riders that put life into perspective. The ride is hard for most, but that feeling is only a fraction of what the beneficiaries of our efforts have endured as part of their treatment for cancer.

We had more riders than last year and are on track to raise even more funds. That is quite an accomplishment in our current economy. The final totals won’t be calculated until October, but all the riders and donors should feel very proud to participate in our efforts to improve the health and quality of life for cancer survivors.

We thank you all for riding with us and we especially thank all of our volunteers for making this such a special day for everyone. John Ragland Jr, Co-Founder

We’re all still on a high from yesterday and there’s much to celebrate, but quickly, off the top of my head and not in any particular order, here are a few of my highlights:

The weather (3-4 yr CT Challenge veterans have experienced the other extreme)

The Lap of Honor and balloon release

The volunteers who poured their hearts and souls into the event

The number of families involved - seems to grow every year

Kari Craddock, 4 yrs old, from Trumbull.  Born with spina bifida.  She rode several laps in the Junior Ride on a specially designed bike.  Smiled the entire time.

All the kids on the Junior Ride.

The great music all afternoon - the band was Double Down

The large and colorful Greenwich Associates team riding as a peleton

Watching Team Sclafani come across the finish line as a group

Listening to cheers from spectators for riders they didn’t know

Looking down from the finish through all the Honor Flags

The police who stopped traffic at the busiest intersections

Officer Jim Chueka from the Fairfield Police who led the 100-milers on his motorcycle and checked every intersection ahead of the riders

The Fairfield Police bicycle officers who roamed the 12 and 25-mile routes

Reports from the rest stop volunteers about how grateful the riders were to see them

Watching people emerge from their massage with a smile

The report from one of our corner marshals about a member of Westport’s beautification committee who had so much time on her hands that she stopped her car to warn him to get our route signs off their streets within 48 hours.

The church neighbor who walked in complaining about the noise and walked out 5 minutes later with a CT Challenge t-shirt.

Driving the route on Sunday and seeing limp, deflated yellow and blue balloons hanging from mailboxes

Seeing the rain on Sunday, not Saturday

The kids running around with CT Challenge tattoos on their faces

Please reply with some of your highlights.

Riding the Connecticut Challenge 100-mile course is very. . . challenging.  Just finishing is a great accomplishment.  It is typically very hot and quite hilly and it appears that this year will be no exception.  The following are some helpful tips for those that want to have a great ride and finish strong.

Preparation

Rest: The best way to prepare for an epic ride is to rest.  In the few days prior try to get a good amount of sleep.

Eat right: Make sure you are eating healthy, wholesome foods. A well-rounded diet works for me (You don’t need to “carbo load”). Eat whole grains, salads, fruit and make sure you get some protein.  Stay away from “heavy” foods that are high in fats.

Hydrate: Drink a lot of water throughout the day and if your pee is clear or light yellow you are well hydrated.

Bike setup

Tune up: Make sure you have your bike tuned up prior to the ride and then get out and ride it around to make sure it is functioning.  Click through all the gears up and down while pedaling and tap the brakes.  Don’t assume that because your mechanic gave the bike to you that it is “ready to go”.

Gears: Ideally you are riding a new nine or ten speed road bike.  For the CTC 100 it is good to have a low gear ratio enabling you to spin your legs faster with less resistance.  One way to achieve this is by running a compact crank on the front (most road bikes are 53/39 tooth chain ring and a compact is a 50/34). Another way is to set up your bike with a larger cassette on the rear.  Most bikes come with a 11/23 or 12/25.  I use a 12/27 and get almost the same effect as a bike with a compact cassette and an 11/23.

Chain: Make sure you have checked your chain and replaced it (they stretch and wear out after 1,000 + miles).  Your shop should have a chain length checker and ask them to do so.  Replace the chain if necessary.  If you are riding a lot it is often helpful to replace your rear cassette each time you replace your chain.  It rides very smooth and shifts great after that.  Make sure you have lubricated the chain thoroughly and wipe off the excess the morning of the ride.

Tires: If you are running typical 700/23 tires (clinchers - meaning that they have inner tubes in them) then you will want to check them for any rips or tears, stone or other debris that will get caught in the rubber. Replace your tires if you see excessive wear, chunks missing or small holes. Once you have good rubber under you then you will want to make sure that you have the proper pressure in them (I fill mine to the top level of most tires which is 120psi). You can see the “max psi” on the side of the tire.  Fill your tires the morning of the event (they will lose air overnight) so either bring a pump or use one of ours.

Body setup

Fill the tank: make sure you have a light breakfast with water or sports drink.  We serve bagels, muffins and fruit which should be plenty.  Don’t overeat and don’t drink too much coffee.

Empty the tanks: While we have aid stations on the road it is best to head out with empty tanks.

Lube the parts: On a long hot ride there is a lot of friction down in seat area.  The best way to have a good ride is to make it comfortable.  Make sure you lubricate the friction points (you know what they are).  I use Aquaphor or equivalent and take a hefty three finger scoop.

Sunscreen: Use it but make sure you use the sweat proof kind if you are putting it on your forehead (you don’t want it in your eyes)

Adjust your equipment: Make sure your helmet straps are comfortable and your shoes are snug but not tight.  Wipe your glasses clean.

The ride

Eating and drinking: There are a couple of easy rules to follow. Eat 300-400 calories per hour. The bigger you are the more you need and vice versa. You can get at this through bars, gels and even isotonic drinks (like Gatorade). On a hot day you need to drink between 20-30 ounces of fluid per hour. This is a large water bottle per hour.

Sodium: If you don’t get enough sodium on a hot day you will cramp and have a miserable ride. To avoid cramps you need to be proactive and take supplements. I use Lava Salts because they have a good blend of sodium and potassium, are more concentrated and work for my body. I take two caps every hour like clockwork. Endurolytes also work well but you have to take more per hour to get the same effect.

Passing the time: A great way to make a long ride seem shorter is to break it up into smaller parts. If you are at mile 30 of a 100-mile ride the remaining 70 miles can seem demoralizing, however if you think of it as being only twenty miles from the halfway point or next rest area you can mentally digest that thought. Also, if you have a bike computer that allows you to display data about your ride such as total miles, average speed, RPM’s, elevation, heart rate, etc. it can occupy your mind and allow you to think about your goals. I use a Garmin 305 which displays all of that and more. I love to see where the elevations rise and fall and keep track of my total climbing. Lastly, take in the sights. The Connecticut Challenge is a beautiful ride and you should soak up the beautiful landscapes on the route we have handpicked for you.

The first 15 miles: Use this time to warm up your muscles.  There are a lot of people at the start so resist the temptation to go hard and get caught up with faster riders.  Warm up at your own pace and gradually pick it up.  Stop at the first rest area and check to see if everything is working and top off your bottles. Don’t take more than 10 minutes per stop or you may be warming up again.

The next 35 miles: You are warmed up and ready to begin to put in some effort. Here is where you will start to experience some hills. After Brookfield make sure you take it easy descending down toward the lake. Stay to the right as there is a small crack in the road toward the middle. (NOTE ABOUT DECENDING: While descending do NOT hit the brakes in the middle of a turn. Slow down early and glide around the corner.) Climbing out of the Housatonic valley toward Bridgewater will get your attention – especially at the top. Gradually pace yourself on the hills and do not overextend yourself – even if you have to go slower than your group. (NOTE ABOUT CLIMBING: Make sure you spin your pedals at as high a cadence as you can manage. This will make your lungs burn a bit, but will save your legs in the long run. Focus on your breathing and keep it steady.)

The back half of the ride

You should be well rested from the midway stop at Lake Waramaug and ready to confront the road. The back half starts out with a flat ride around the lake and then some rolling hills. It is not until Washington until you are confronted with the first of the climbs. Make sure you are eating and drinking consistently. You don’t want to fall behind on nutrition or hydration. To manage your effort you should try to put in steady efforts on the hills, exert a moderate effort on the flats and rest your legs on the downhills. The back half has a lot of up and down especially on 199 through to Southbury. (NOTE: If your back gets tight on some of the long stretches try getting out of the saddle and standing on the pedals for a while (even on the flats). Twist your torso a bit from side to side and arch your back. This will help loosen it up and make you feel more comfortable.)

After you cross the bridge over the Housatonic you will have a couple of climbs up Walnut Hill Road. Get in a low gear as these will sting a bit. When you get to the top you will enter Newtown near the flagpole. If you are completely exhausted then there is a little general store on the right where you can take a short break (However, a rest area is another 5 miles way at Red Gate Farm if you choose to wait).

As you head down Poverty Hollow Road you can almost taste the finish, but don’t get too carried away. Just try to survive the Sport Hill Road climb and keep your focus. When you get to RT 58 be careful with all the cracks on the road. You cannot avoid them so stay to the right (there is a smooth little lane there) and get out of the saddle if you need to. Heading down toward the finish the town has blessed us with fresh pavement for almost the entire Redding Road section. Your body will appreciate this. After you head up the last hill on Verna Hill Road you are done; you should smile and take in the honor flags that line Bronson Road. Nice work!

After the ride

After you are greeted by friends and family you need to start the recovery process. Wipe down and get cleaned up then go sign up for a massage. Before your massage you should get off your feet, start rehydrating and get a little food in you. You can eat more later - you’ve earned it! Enjoy all the entertainment, camaraderie with your fellow riders and other goodies you get for your fund raising.

John Ragland Jr,. Co-Founder CT Challenge (john@ctchallenge.org)

Some of you may remember this sign from the final hill of the ride last year.  The following will confirm its truth:

All online donors to the CT Challenge get an immediate email thanking them for their support.  Earlier this week, a donor replied to that email.  Here is what he said:

“Being a two year survivor myself, I know the importance of what you are doing - and the affect you have on us.
The work you do has real substance and meaning in a world where it is becoming harder and harder to find.

Again, thank you for the work you and your team are doing for us.”

All the fundraising and volunteer work leading up to July 26th is hectic.  It is important to pause once in a while to fully comprehend the impact you are making on people’s lives by doing what you’re doing for the CT Challenge.  There are 11 million other people in the U.S. just like this person.  We won’t hear from all of them, but you have to know you are making a difference in their lives.

Keep up the great work.  Your efforts are being noticed.

Whether you’re a rider, volunteer, donor or supporter you can help kick of the CT Challenge at one of the two parties in the next week.

The first one is this Friday (7/18) at Ray Kelly’s Pub on the Fairfield / Bridgeport line.  Pub owner and cancer survivor, Larry Cosgrove, and his wife, CT Challenge cyclist, Cecilia Fung, are hosting the party to celebrate the start of the CT Challenge, raise awareness and, hopefully, some money.  There will be food and door prizes.  Music from Katie Pearlman starts at 9pm.  Drop by for a while.  You know you’ll be among friends.  Here is a map.

The second party - for those closer to Hartford - is next Tuesday (7/22) at Flatbreads Pizza in Canton.  Hosted by Mike Daly, a survivor, cyclist and member of the CT Challenge Survivor Advisory Board, the party runs from 5-10pm.  Bring the entire family to this one as Flatbreads will donate a portion of the proceeds from every pizza sold to the CT Challenge.  In addition, Mike has arranged a small silent auction for some terrific items.  For the best brick over pizza in the area, get yourself to Flatbreads on Tuesday.  Flatbreads is located in the Shoppes at Farmington Valley.  Here is a map.

Get out for a night and support the CT Challenge.  See you there.

We started the Junior Ride in 2007 to give young cyclists a way to participate in the CT Challenge.  It was a huge hit.  The kids loved it and the volunteers and spectators really loved watching them whip around the church green again and again - they wouldn’t have stopped if we hadn’t pulled them off the course.

We have a nice story developing for this year’s Junior Ride.  It doesn’t involve a cancer survivor, but is still terrific.   Kari Craddock, a 4-yr old girl from Trumbull who was born with spina bifida wants to ride in the Junior Ride.  You can read all about her in the Trumbull Times.

The Junior Ride is all about fun for the kids, but, like last year, when young survivor, Luke Whittaker, led our lap of honor and then raced around the green, these kids have an amazing ability to inspire and lift our spirits.

Some things have happened in the past week that have really made me excited for the success of this year’s CT Challenge and for it’s long-term growth - all of it fueled by our riders and our volunteers.

1.  Team Connecticut Challenge accomplished an amazing feat of cycling, conquering 3,000 miles of terrain in amazing time and injecting great energy into our sleepy little charity bike ride.

2.  Connecticut Coast Cycling, a local bike racing club and partner of ours, announced that the $1,500 in proceeds from their recent race series, the Connecticut Coast Criterium, will be contributed to the CT Challenge.  Some of their pro racers who finished in the money actually donated their winnings back to the CT Challenge.

3.  One of our veteran and most enthusiastic volunteers (and a 3-time cancer survivor) threw herself a birthday bash, but instead of gifts, she requested donations to the Connecticut Challenge.  The tally is not final, but at last count, she had raised enough money to achieve the CT Challenge jersey level.

4.  Another veteran rider - himself a survivor - has rented out a pizza place in Canton, Connecticut where he will hold a CT Challenge fundraising night on July 22nd.  He is promoting the night through the local papers and radio stations and the restaurant owners will donate a portion of revenue from pizza sales to his CT Challenge fundraising account.  He is gathering items for a silent auction and raffle.

5.  A rider from Fairfield hosted a block party in May to introduce his neighbor hood to the CT Challenge.  Slides and moon bounces for the kids, beverages and snacks for the adults.  Several of his neighbors signed up to ride on the spot.

When the Connecticut Challenge started three years ago we never dreamed that people would be racing across America or hosting fundraisers in upstate Connecticut.  The message is spreading and the mission to support cancer survivors is falling on willing and enthusiastic ears.  KEEP IT UP!  Let’s make 2008 another record year for fundraising.

Team Connecticut Challenge finished the RAAM course on Thursday 6/19/08 at 12:19am EST, completing the race in 7 days, 7 hours, and 7 minutes. 

Congratulations Chris & Jeremy - Team Cyclist! What a magnificant finish! 

Congratulations Mike, Wayne, Lawson, Jessica & Jessica for the tremendous support you gave throughout the race to keep our racers healthy.

They finished 2nd - 2 hours ahead of the SwissTeam and 4 hours behind Team Orca. 

I remember Jeremy telling me weeks before the race that he wasn’t putting any pressure on himself or the team to finish first.  This was the team’s first RAAM experience.    “My goal is just to finish the race within 8 days”. Jeremy said. Well, the team did better than that and I’m sure I am not alone in this when I say how proud I am of them. 

Thank you for the opportunity to be there with you and write the events as they unfolded. 

Get some rest and come home safely.

Thank you, Jeanine Puma

6:00pm Wednesday 6/18/08, Maryland.  Jeremy’s strength is downhill.  Chris’ strength is uphill.  The rotation in the hills were every few seconds.  Jeremy barrels down the hill and screeches to a stop at the bottom. Chris gets out of the van and Jeremy piles in.  Chris jets up the hill and gets picked up at the top.  They repeat this again and again.  The crew gained about an hour with this transition technique. 

They just past Station #50: Rouzerville, PA.  Mile 2882+.  130 miles to go.  They expect to arrive at 10pm.  That’s 32.50 miles every hour.  They are ahead of the SwissTeam 1.25 hours.  They got food.  They are getting rest.  They are on their way to the finish line. 

The CT Challenge here in Fairfield, CT needs information for a press release.  They would like names and  hometowns of each crew member. My conversations are brief with the team and I will not be able to get this information.  Their schedule is very tight.  If anyone out there has this information please call me ASAP.

I need Chris and Jessica Gottwald’s hometown, Lawson’s last name and hometown, Wayne’s last name and hometown, Jessica Johnson’s hometown.

I have Jeremy and Mike’s information.

Thank you.  Please call me at 203-259-3210 or write it in comments.