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Careful out there…it’s hot! August 23, 2010

Posted by id2662698.vfxho.xyz in Leadership, Training Rides.
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Not to be confused with a particular socialite/heiress’s catch phrase, “it’s hot” is meant here in the literal sense.  Training rides in August are typically the hottest rides and this August in San Antonio with temps at or near 100 is no exception.  Dehydration is on most riders’ minds at this time, but there is also something else to think about. 

I’ve lost count of how many days it’s been since we’ve seen rain, but it’s been a LONG time.  As the days get hotter and the rain is still out of sight, nice big cracks in the roads start to appear and open up almost right before our eyes.  These “tire grabbers” pose a particular danger to cyclists as they typically occur on the shoulders where we ride and are just wide enough to put an abrupt stop to an otherwise really nice pace.  They’re even harder to see if a previous attempt has been made to patch/tar them up.

Tire Grabber

Staring down at these gaping holes, I’m reminded of a particular training ride last year.  Our team had ventured up on the tail end of another team’s training ride only to find one of their riders had in fact fallen (and fall indeed!) victim to one of the treacherous tire grabbers.  Being one of the slower riders, she was at the back of her team.  All others out of sight.  The crack in the road grabbed her tire, bent the wheel and sent her flying head over heels onto the pavement.  Shaken up and bleeding we stopped to offer help.  This was a wake up call to us on the importance of having a cell phone, insurance information, a riding partner and if not, PHONE NUMBERS of those you’re riding with!  She had none of these.  Thankfully, her fall didn’t warrant a call to 911, but I did happen to see her several weeks later and learned she wound up going to ER on her own for some stitches.

Thankfully, we had a particularly fast rider with us who sped ahead to catch one of her teammates and inform them of her fate while a couple others helped clean her up and kept her company.  She was determined to ride back to her starting point – fueled purely by adrenaline from the crash, of course – but the bent and flat tire put an end to that idea.  She was in no shape to be riding anyway.  Before long her teammate came back to help her get a ride back to her car and we were freed to continue our ride.  However, I can’t imagine her fate had we not been right behind her.

SO!  Safety tips to point out:

  • Ride with a buddy system
  • Make sure someone always looks out for the last rider
  • Encourage all to have a cell phone, id, insurance
  • SHARE PHONE NUMBERS!!!
  • And watch out for those road hazards that can sneak up on ya’ at any given moment

"It's hot"

The slower riders join the team training rides not only because it’s fun, but because there is safety in numbers, for the confidence that they’re not alone and knowing that someone will be there to help if needed.  If your team welcomes the newbies and/or riders of all skill levels, make sure they are all taken care of and that help is in fact available.  Remind everyone to be careful out there…it’s hot!  🙂

ps:  HUGE shout out to all the team captains/ride leaders over the past years that have made sure I returned from my rides safe and sound!!!

De-ter-mi-na-tion August 17, 2010

Posted by id2662698.vfxho.xyz in MS, Training Rides.
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Failure will never overtake me if my determination to succeed is strong enough. -Og Mandino

Training rides can be a tricky thing.  There are so many variables to having a good ride and you just never know from one training ride to the next what will happen.  You don’t know if you’ll wake up feeling strong or a bit out of it.  You don’t know what the weather will be like.  Sure, you can monitor the weather, but you can’t predict when a stray thundershower will pop up or how hot the sun will REALLY feel or when that dreaded headwind will wake up right when you’re on your last reserves.  You don’t know how many of your team will show up.  Flat tires are waiting at each and every turn, or when you least need them…at the bottom of a hill…on the UPside.  Chains can go haywire.  Cables can snap.  You just never know…but determination drives you to make the best of it and to try, try again.

Multiple sclerosis can be a tricky thing.  There are so many variables to having a good day and you just never know from one morning to the next what will happen.  You don’t know if you’ll wake up feeling strong or even if you’ll be able to move.  You don’t know how hot the sun will REALLY feel or how hot it will be even out of the sun.  You don’t know how many symptoms will show up.  Footdrop is waiting at each and every turn, or when you least need it…your busiest day of needing to be mobile.  Vision can go haywire.  Nerves can snap.  You just never know…but determination drives you to make the best of it and to try, try again.

Determination is also what drives us to continue to train, ride and fundraise all to fight MS and its tricky symptoms.

mo-ti-va-tion August 6, 2010

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I’ve been reflecting on what motivates people to do certain things.  How can I get them motivated to join the team, come out to training rides, raise funds, get more involved, etc, etc, etc.?

Over the 10 years of riding in the BikeMS (MS150 not so long ago), I’ve been motivated by various things.  The personal challenge was my very first motivator.  I was going through a rough time and not only needed the distraction, but the feeling of accomplishment…the self esteem booster.  I was on the inward track focusing solely on my own personal experience.  I was out there training…a lot!  After not having been on a bike since high school years, I needed that training!  My first attempt took me all of 2 blocks, had me huffing and puffing and sitting on the curb to catch my breath before taking the walk of shame back to the car.  Yes, I said WALK!  There was no way I was going to get back on that bike at that time or that day or even that week for that matter!  Before long though I was up to a mile, then 5 miles, then after a couple of sizing adjustments to my bike, 10 miles and it was on after that.

The next few years, my motivation stemmed from raising enough funds to win a prize.  Nothing major, but nice tokens as well as bike shop certificates to keep my tubes well supplied and upgrade my hydration equipment and some other nice upgrades along the way.  I definitely wasn’t as motivated to train.  Saturday mornings were met with one too many hits of the Snooze button and then “oops!  Missed the ride start! Oh well…zzzzzzzzzzzz.”  Weekday evening rides were met with successful convincing that it was way too hot outside or too rainy or the cool and dry movie theater was just calling my name.  More fundraising had been done so mission accomplished!  I also gained quite a bit more awareness of the disease and found more and more people with MS connections.

These past few years have been the most glorious, if you will.  I was thrust into the Team Captain role in 2008.  Yes, thrust…or pushed, shoved, tricked, suckered…take your pick.  However, it was the right thing at the right time.  My focus turned outward.  My motivation was not only towards the team’s needs, but also towards the MS cause as well.  Not only did I attend training rides, but I actually had to plan them and encourage others to come out and fundraise and raise awareness.  

These past few years have led me down a different path indeed.  One of service and commitment…being a Club 100 member for 2 years helped as well as serving as a committee member and not to mention all of the wonderful and dynamic people I’ve met along the way…some involved with the cause and some with the disease and some are both.  There’s a greater sense of community…of belonging.

So now I’m back to reflecting on what motivates others.  For some it may be the personal achievement, others the prizes and yet, others may be at a higher level of motivation…that of providing a service.  Hopefully, all feel welcomed and appreciated.  Now to tap into all of those different levels of motivation to create a successful team.  Maybe I should just make them ALL Team Captains…it worked for me!