The Ride to Conquer Cancer 2013

The Ride to Conquer Cancer 2013

Post Ride

Day 1

125kms

4997 cals

125 av hr

165 max hr

Day 2

115km

3822 cals

123 av hr

165 max hr

Ultimately, the training helped incredibly. At times, I thought I should be pushing harder, pedalling faster, but my riding partners had agreed to an average speed of about 27 kms/hr, which was dreamily easy to achieve once we were able to move away from the crowded four wide packs of riders and the pace thinned out the crowds of eager riders.

I guess it helped that there was virtually no wind and well the skies were filled with this odd orb I’d not seen for quite some time  - I have heard in some circles others call it the sun... It was absolutely PERFECT weather. Brisk in the start of the day (7am start times) and warming and energy inducing by Noon when you were getting ready to finish up the last leg of the first 125km.

Raising $10.4 million dollars towards cancer is certainly energy inducing and helps one focus on the task of keeping the feet going, but more than that, it was the people you passed, and those who passed you  - knowing all were pedalling for a unified cause.

And in all of that positive energy, in all of that power in hope, we were reminded that life is ever so fragile, and that at any moment we could cease to exist as Sunday morning a young rider, 16 years old suffered a fatal accident while on the Ride. Tragic and deeply saddening.

Today I prepare for another ride to honour another kind of loss and to keep in memory the young man who died giving hope to others.  This Saturday the Brainiacs (my team of 220), and other riders from the Ride to Conquer are making a Celebration of Life ride from Vancouver out to Horseshoe Bay to reflect on why we ride, and the community of people who’ve loved and who’ve lost precious ones to some force beyond our control.

On Saturday, I will be able to reflect and celebrate my blessings in each pedal stroke, knowing how truly fortunate I am to have loved ones who love me in return, and to be able to breath deeply and live with verve.

And so I continue to ride...