I have big plans this year when it comes to exercise. BIG PLANS. Racing is calling my name, and it's long overdue that I started listening.
Winter has been far too idle for me. I have spent countless hours sitting, and sitting, and sitting, and now I need to just get out there and start moving. This week marks the beginning of my half marathon training for the BMO Vancouver Marathon in May, which will kick off the series of road events I have planned for the summer. Here they are in a nutshell...
May
BMO Vancouver Marathon (half-marathon), Sunday May 6th. It's will be my 3rd time doing this race, though the course is totally new this year. Yay, no more super-long hill out of Stanley Park!
North Shore Spring Triathlon (sprint tri), Monday, May 21st. First time for this one. It's a 740m pool swim (20 lengths), 17.6km bike time trial, 5km trail & road run.
June
Tough Mudder, Saturday & Sunday, June 23rd & 24th, Whistler. Next to the Cyclebetes National Relay, this will be the highlight of my summer. I am SO excited about this one! A 10-12 mile course designed by British Special Forces, that combines running with military-style obstacles in icy cold water, mud, and hilly terrain. The same race runs both days, I haven't decided yet which day I'll do.
July
Valley First Granfondo Axel Merckx, July 8th, Penticton. 160km road race through the stunning Okanagan Valley.
RBC Kelowna Granfondo, July 14th, Kelowna. 115km road race from Kelowna to Vernon and back. This one is a maybe.
August
nothing planned at this time, perhaps another triathlon.
September
Cyclebetes National Relay, Sept 6th-9th (possibly 6th-13th), Vancouver to Calgary. My 3rd year in row riding with the BC Provincial Team. This year we ride 1005km over 4 days. I may ride the 2nd leg too, from Calgary to Winnipeg, a distance of 1345km. This event is the highlight of my year; the one I look forward to all summer, because it combines two things I am ultimately passionate about: diabetes awareness and cycling.
Surrey International World Music Marathon, Sept 30th. My very first full marathon!
Showing posts with label cyclebetes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cyclebetes. Show all posts
Monday, 6 February 2012
Monday, 7 November 2011
A Health Activist's Dreams
Don’t restrict your imagination here – because they say if you dream it you can achieve. it. Imagine money is no longer an option. And now you’re able to really accomplish your biggest, grandest, and most fabulous Health Activist goal. What is it? How can you [now] get there? Does your biggest dream goal focus on awareness, a cure, treatment, access, or a combination of other things? Now, quickly, before we get lost in dreamland – let’s bring our aspirations back down to size. How much of this can you accomplish now, in a year, in five years?
So many ideas, it's hard to choose just one. One of my goals would obviously be to find a cure for diabetes. Another goal would be to ensure that every person in the world with type 1 diabetes have access to insulin. Or even loftier, that every person with type 1 diabetes have an insulin pump and CGMS, and access to the same care, regardless of income. But I think for today's purposes, I'm going to start closer to home and focus on awareness.
There are too many people who simply do not understand diabetes; there is so much misunderstanding and lack of knowledge/information that as a parent of a child with type 1 diabetes it can get very frustrating, to say the least. As a teacher myself, I believe that the best way to combat ignorance is with education, so that it my dream goal: to educate everyone about diabetes. Every member of society needs to know that diabetes is not self-inflicted, and not a result of poor diet or lifestyle choices. They need to know that insulin is a life saving drug that is necessary to stay alive; that every human being requires insulin but that a diabetic does not produce any/enough to maintain stable blood glucose levels so they need to inject insulin into their bodies multiple times per day via syringes, or continuously via an insulin pump. They need to know that diabetes is random; it is not hereditary, and can affect anyone, regardless of age, race, or sex. They need to know that diabetes is not something one outgrows and that insulin is NOT a cure. They need to know these things so that they can be part of the solution; part of the ultimate goal: a cure.
So how do we get there? Well, we're already on our way. Each and every diabetes advocate is helping to do their part to spread awareness. We are educating people, sometimes even one at a time. I have been advocating for diabetes since my son was diagnosed almost six years ago, but I want to do more and I have an idea as to the "how."
For the past 2 years I have been involved with an organization called Cyclebetes (recently changed to Cycle4) which promotes awareness of type 1 diabetes through cycling events. They have a number of different programs, ranging from small, school based spin-a-thons, to mid-length community rides, to long distance cross country team rides. I have ridden as part of the National Relay team in 2010 and again in 2011, and plan to ride again next year, but I would like to get way more involved with the organization and help them take it to the next level. I'd like to see way more spin-a-thons, community rides across the country, and celebratory events in each major town/city as we ride across the country. I'd like to see media support of all of their events, and lots more corporate sponsorship. This is how I'd like to get the message out.
For previous Cyclebetes posts, see: Delivering on a Promise, Cycling to Find A Cure, Cyclebetes National Relay 2011, The Countdown is On, Cyclebetes Live Updates During the Ride, Cyclebetes Day 1, Cyclebetes Day 2, Cyclebetes Day 3, Cyclebetes Day 4, Conquering Fear.
Monday, 22 August 2011
Conquering Fear
A couple of days ago, while I was writing my summary of day 3 of the Cyclebetes National Relay, I realized that part of my post was worthy of its own entry. I have reposted a portion of the day 3 post below, to provide context...
"Next area we rode through was the lead up to Rogers pass. Now anyone who knows me or has ridden with me knows I hate riding up hills. In fact, that's not even entirely accurate; I am terrified of riding up hills. When I see a large hill coming up in the distance, I can feel my body physiology start to change - my heart rate accelerates, my palms sweat, and my stomach starts to spin. It's gotten quite ridiculous actually, but I know it's all in my head. I decided then and there that the only way I could ever overcome my fear is to face it head on. So at the next shift change (not my regular shift) I jumped out to ride. I thought I was getting out about 1/4 of the way up Rogers pass, where the grade isn't too steep, but it turned out we were actually about 1/3 up the mountain already and the worst section was about to come.
I cranked up the volume on my iPod and just started pedaling. I forced myself to look at the pavement immediately in front of me, instead of at the massive hill ahead and I simply just kept going...and going, and going, and going. For some bizarre reason, I felt terrific; I had a ton of energy, and my legs felt fresh and strong, even with the 68km they had already pedaled that morning. My original plan was to go as long as I could, whether that be 10 minutes, 30 minutes, or an hour, but I was going to cap it at an hour at the most and save some energy for one more shift later. At about the 45 minute mark I realized I was easily going to finish the hour."
Maybe it was karma, but at the same time a song came through my headphones that is very dear to my heart because it reminds me so much of my son, and that giving up on the fight to find a cure for diabetes will never be an option for me. My reaction was profound, and I'm glad no one was in front of me to see it. Overcome with emotion, tears of joy, or relief, and of hope, streamed down my face and I felt something shift in my core. It's hard to describe, but something changed in me in that moment, and I was reminded that anything is possible if I simply put my mind and heart to it. I felt as if a massive weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I felt invincible, and free.
The ride came full circle for me in this moment, its purpose at the forefront of my mind, the cycling taking a close second place. Everything around me seemed to stop; all of my fears, my worries, my trivial concerns, disappeared, and I suddenly became the force I need to keep working for a cure. All I could hear was the sound of my own breath, all I could feel was the beating of my own heart. Nothing else mattered. There was nothing but me in the present. I had conquered by biggest fear, while being reminded of why I was riding and what really matters to me. It was a truly magical moment for me and one I will never ever forget.
What now, you may ask? Now I continue to hope and continue to fight, until a cure is found.
Saturday, 20 August 2011
Cyclebetes Day 4 ~ Golden to Calgary
The fourth and final day of the relay and I have to admit the feelings were bittersweet. I was happy to be headed to Calgary; I have been missing my family and it was thrilling that the relay had been so successful so far, and that we all rode so well, but I'm already missing all the great new people I met, and I'm really missing the awesome group riding.
Shift 1 was not the opening shift, but the second shift of the day. We got on about 30km east of Golden, about 2/3 of the way up the hill to Kicking Horse Pass. It was a cold morning, only 4 degrees when we started, but we quickly warmed up with the hills! A stunning leg, as we rode over rolling hills atop the Rocky Mountains, headed to the BC/Alberta border. We passes pristine lakes, full of sky blue water, and didn't have to look far up to find snow. Our shift ended just shy of the border, after 31km of riding.
We were in Canmore, AB, before we had a chance to ride again, and this one would be our final shift before arriving in Calgary. Canmore is such a cute little town, and the landscape just east of it, with the jutting rock-face mountains perched atop the dry grasses of the prairies, was absolutely breathtaking. A bonus presented itself to us early on this leg: tailwind!! We hadn't had any tailwind in BC, but man did we ever have some in Alberta! Our average pace for this leg was over 30km/hour and 50km/hr was not hard to come by on the flats. We got a whopping 1:42:00 for this leg and sped over 51km before packing it in approximately 60km west of Calgary. Total for day 4 was 82km.
My personal riding total for the 4 days: 351km! My original plan was to aim for 100km per day on days 2-4, and 50-60km on day 1, so this is pretty much exactly what I had hoped to ride!
Shift 1 was not the opening shift, but the second shift of the day. We got on about 30km east of Golden, about 2/3 of the way up the hill to Kicking Horse Pass. It was a cold morning, only 4 degrees when we started, but we quickly warmed up with the hills! A stunning leg, as we rode over rolling hills atop the Rocky Mountains, headed to the BC/Alberta border. We passes pristine lakes, full of sky blue water, and didn't have to look far up to find snow. Our shift ended just shy of the border, after 31km of riding.
We were in Canmore, AB, before we had a chance to ride again, and this one would be our final shift before arriving in Calgary. Canmore is such a cute little town, and the landscape just east of it, with the jutting rock-face mountains perched atop the dry grasses of the prairies, was absolutely breathtaking. A bonus presented itself to us early on this leg: tailwind!! We hadn't had any tailwind in BC, but man did we ever have some in Alberta! Our average pace for this leg was over 30km/hour and 50km/hr was not hard to come by on the flats. We got a whopping 1:42:00 for this leg and sped over 51km before packing it in approximately 60km west of Calgary. Total for day 4 was 82km.
My personal riding total for the 4 days: 351km! My original plan was to aim for 100km per day on days 2-4, and 50-60km on day 1, so this is pretty much exactly what I had hoped to ride!
Friday, 19 August 2011
Cyclebetes Day 3 ~ Kamloops to Golden
Another early start on day 3, and our group was to ride first again. This is the day I had most looked forward to leading up the relay because of it's unique conditions. The longest day of the western portion of the ride, today we would cover 380km as a team, including Rogers Pass, the 1350m mountain pass through the Rockies.
A much more peaceful and serene leg would kickoff the day, however, with a long flat stretch between Kamloops and Salmon Arm. Our group, narrowed to 4 for today, started promptly at 6:00am, following the highway out of Kamloops, heading east. With a fast pace right from the get-go, we covered a whopping 52km in our 1 hour and 45 minute shift. By the end of this shift, we had our drafting down to an art form, each taking 10 minute intervals at the lead before dropping back to the rear to draft. The system was working for us and we looked darn good too.
Shift 2 was not so great. We started right at the base of Mount Revelstoke Park, just ahead of a large black thunder cloud. The thunder was audible, but the rain was light enough that I contemplated not wearing a rain jacket. Man am I glad I did! Within 2 minutes of riding, the rain was torrential, with thunder and lightning, and heavy, heavy rains. Just when we thought it couldn't get any worse, it started hailing. And not just regular little hail stones, but big marble size hail. Within 5 minutes of riding I was soaked through to my skin and freezing. After 30 minutes I was so cold, I couldn't feel my hands and feet and started to worry that I wouldn't be able to pull my brake levers because my fingers were so cold. I was literally chilled to the bone and could not shake it. So, as much as I hated my decision, I had to cut my shift short and warm up in the RV. My group went on to have a stunning ride through the park while I watched. Bummer, but what can you do, right?
Next area we rode through was the lead up to Rogers pass. Now anyone who knows me or has ridden with me knows I hate riding up hills. In fact, that's not even entirely accurate; I am terrified of riding up hills. When I see a large hill coming up in the distance, I can feel my body physiology start to change - my heart rate accelerates, my palms sweat, and my stomach starts to spin. It's gotten quite ridiculous actually, but I know it's all in my head. I decided then and there that the only way I could ever overcome my fear is to face it head on. So at the next shift change (not my regular shift) I jumped out to ride. I thought I was getting out about 1/4 of the way up Rogers pass, where the grade isn't too steep, but it turned out we were actually about 1/3 up the mountain already and the worst section was about to come.
I cranked up the volume on my iPod and just started pedaling. I forced myself to look at the pavement immediately in front of me, instead of at the massive hill ahead and I simply just kept going...and going, and going, and going. For some bizarre reason, I felt terrific; I had a ton of energy, and my legs felt fresh and strong, even with the 68km they had already pedaled that morning. My original plan was to go as long as I could, whether that be 10 minutes, 30 minutes, or an hour, but I was going to cap it at an hour at the most and save some energy for one more shift later. At about the 45 minute mark I realized I was easily going to finish the hour. I rode the last 15 minutes and hopped into the RV, so proud of my accomplishment. Total distance in that hour: 18km, all uphill.
My final shift of the day started 32km outside of Golden, at the base of the Rogers Pass descent. It wasn't my turn to ride, but I still had tons of energy and I wanted to get back out there. I wound up riding most of the way alone, but that's ok. It had been a long, emotional day and I was just happy to ride. Total distance for day 3 was 116km - a good hard day and one to remember for a long time.
A much more peaceful and serene leg would kickoff the day, however, with a long flat stretch between Kamloops and Salmon Arm. Our group, narrowed to 4 for today, started promptly at 6:00am, following the highway out of Kamloops, heading east. With a fast pace right from the get-go, we covered a whopping 52km in our 1 hour and 45 minute shift. By the end of this shift, we had our drafting down to an art form, each taking 10 minute intervals at the lead before dropping back to the rear to draft. The system was working for us and we looked darn good too.
Shift 2 was not so great. We started right at the base of Mount Revelstoke Park, just ahead of a large black thunder cloud. The thunder was audible, but the rain was light enough that I contemplated not wearing a rain jacket. Man am I glad I did! Within 2 minutes of riding, the rain was torrential, with thunder and lightning, and heavy, heavy rains. Just when we thought it couldn't get any worse, it started hailing. And not just regular little hail stones, but big marble size hail. Within 5 minutes of riding I was soaked through to my skin and freezing. After 30 minutes I was so cold, I couldn't feel my hands and feet and started to worry that I wouldn't be able to pull my brake levers because my fingers were so cold. I was literally chilled to the bone and could not shake it. So, as much as I hated my decision, I had to cut my shift short and warm up in the RV. My group went on to have a stunning ride through the park while I watched. Bummer, but what can you do, right?
Next area we rode through was the lead up to Rogers pass. Now anyone who knows me or has ridden with me knows I hate riding up hills. In fact, that's not even entirely accurate; I am terrified of riding up hills. When I see a large hill coming up in the distance, I can feel my body physiology start to change - my heart rate accelerates, my palms sweat, and my stomach starts to spin. It's gotten quite ridiculous actually, but I know it's all in my head. I decided then and there that the only way I could ever overcome my fear is to face it head on. So at the next shift change (not my regular shift) I jumped out to ride. I thought I was getting out about 1/4 of the way up Rogers pass, where the grade isn't too steep, but it turned out we were actually about 1/3 up the mountain already and the worst section was about to come.
I cranked up the volume on my iPod and just started pedaling. I forced myself to look at the pavement immediately in front of me, instead of at the massive hill ahead and I simply just kept going...and going, and going, and going. For some bizarre reason, I felt terrific; I had a ton of energy, and my legs felt fresh and strong, even with the 68km they had already pedaled that morning. My original plan was to go as long as I could, whether that be 10 minutes, 30 minutes, or an hour, but I was going to cap it at an hour at the most and save some energy for one more shift later. At about the 45 minute mark I realized I was easily going to finish the hour. I rode the last 15 minutes and hopped into the RV, so proud of my accomplishment. Total distance in that hour: 18km, all uphill.
My final shift of the day started 32km outside of Golden, at the base of the Rogers Pass descent. It wasn't my turn to ride, but I still had tons of energy and I wanted to get back out there. I wound up riding most of the way alone, but that's ok. It had been a long, emotional day and I was just happy to ride. Total distance for day 3 was 116km - a good hard day and one to remember for a long time.
Thursday, 18 August 2011
Cyclebetes Day 2 ~ Whistler to Kamloops
Yes, the original plan was to recap the day's events each night, but seriously, what was I thinking? Between the riding itself and the amount of time involved in dinner, team meetings, etc, sleep was my one and only priority at the end of the day.
I did, however, keep lots of notes throughout the journey, so that I could blog about it once I was finished riding and well rested, which is now!!
Day 2 started with a jolt, as my roommate and I missed our 5:00am wake up alarm and slept in 35 minutes longer than we had planned. A quick breakfast later and we were on our bikes, ready to ride at just after 6:00am for the 35km ride north to Pemberton.
5 of us set out for the first riding shift, under cloudy skies and a chilly 12 degrees celcius. The roads were wet, but the rain had stopped, so we quickly warmed up as we pedaled over rolling hills and along short flats. In less than 90 minutes we arrived in Pemberton for a shift change, as group 2 got ready to take on the challenging grade up to Joffre Lakes.
A few hours later our group was up again, for a much different kind of ride. 25km outside of the town on Lillooet we began, ready for some serious ups and downs! Almost right away we had a 2km descent down a 13% grade, followed by an equally steep ascent. Sadly, about halfway up the hill I tried to pull off into a gravel area to catch my breath and my cleat (which I later discovered was shredded) got stuck in my pedal. Not good! I fell to the left, yes into the traffic, thankful to see the Sanofi RV behind me, but not before absorbing all of the impact on my left elbow. I jumped into the RV with my bike, quickly cleaned up my bleeding elbow and jumped back out at the next pullout, missing a 4km section of riding. I got out just in time for what is likely the best road descent in BC: a 14% grade of switchbacks down into Lillooet. An amazing stretch of road, it was a struggle to keep my speed under 50km/hr, but necessary with the hairpin turns. As the descent continued, the temperature rose and by the time we left the quaint town of Lillooet, it was a lovely 21 degrees. Another shift change and we were waiting for the next round.
3rd and final shift of the day and again new scenery and road conditions. We started off about 75km west of Kamloops in warm, sunny weather with a light breeze. A nice tail wind to start helped us up hills at 30km/hr, and then about 30 minutes in we got hit with some pretty substantial cross winds. Towards the end of the leg it changed to a headwind and we found ourselves coming down a steep hill but barely moving! Strongest headwind I've ever felt on the bike!
All in all a great day, aside from a sore elbow. 92km of riding for me and we got into Kamloops an hour ahead of schedule - can't beat that!
I did, however, keep lots of notes throughout the journey, so that I could blog about it once I was finished riding and well rested, which is now!!
Day 2 started with a jolt, as my roommate and I missed our 5:00am wake up alarm and slept in 35 minutes longer than we had planned. A quick breakfast later and we were on our bikes, ready to ride at just after 6:00am for the 35km ride north to Pemberton.
5 of us set out for the first riding shift, under cloudy skies and a chilly 12 degrees celcius. The roads were wet, but the rain had stopped, so we quickly warmed up as we pedaled over rolling hills and along short flats. In less than 90 minutes we arrived in Pemberton for a shift change, as group 2 got ready to take on the challenging grade up to Joffre Lakes.
A few hours later our group was up again, for a much different kind of ride. 25km outside of the town on Lillooet we began, ready for some serious ups and downs! Almost right away we had a 2km descent down a 13% grade, followed by an equally steep ascent. Sadly, about halfway up the hill I tried to pull off into a gravel area to catch my breath and my cleat (which I later discovered was shredded) got stuck in my pedal. Not good! I fell to the left, yes into the traffic, thankful to see the Sanofi RV behind me, but not before absorbing all of the impact on my left elbow. I jumped into the RV with my bike, quickly cleaned up my bleeding elbow and jumped back out at the next pullout, missing a 4km section of riding. I got out just in time for what is likely the best road descent in BC: a 14% grade of switchbacks down into Lillooet. An amazing stretch of road, it was a struggle to keep my speed under 50km/hr, but necessary with the hairpin turns. As the descent continued, the temperature rose and by the time we left the quaint town of Lillooet, it was a lovely 21 degrees. Another shift change and we were waiting for the next round.
3rd and final shift of the day and again new scenery and road conditions. We started off about 75km west of Kamloops in warm, sunny weather with a light breeze. A nice tail wind to start helped us up hills at 30km/hr, and then about 30 minutes in we got hit with some pretty substantial cross winds. Towards the end of the leg it changed to a headwind and we found ourselves coming down a steep hill but barely moving! Strongest headwind I've ever felt on the bike!
All in all a great day, aside from a sore elbow. 92km of riding for me and we got into Kamloops an hour ahead of schedule - can't beat that!
Saturday, 13 August 2011
Cyclebetes Day 1 ~ Vancouver to Whistler
Wow, what a day! Today's section was was substantially less mileage than the next few days, but it was still pretty darn awesome!
So here's the lowdown for the day. We left John Henry Bikes in North Vancouver at 10:00am ready to pedal. All of the team cyclebetes and team sanofi aventis riders started together, along with a number of other cyclists planning to ride with us to Squamish. The first 30km were awesome - great pace, wicked conversation, fun times. Then we got to horseshoe bay and I felt my blood sugar plummet, thanks to poor breakfast choices on my part. A whole lot of carbs later, and I was back on the bike, ready to ride! At least that's what I thought. By the time we hit Lions Bay I was in full hyperglycemic hangover mode, a typical reaction when I get really low blood sugar and then over compensate with carbohydrates. So off the bike I went, into the RV, to battle my bg back to a tolerable level. At Brandywine Falls I finally felt human again and jumped back out onto the bike to ride the last hour into Whistler.
Quite the day! Not at all what I expected from myself, but hey, I can only control my blood sugar levels so much...all in all I rode about 60km today, which is not far off what I had planned.
Tomorrow I am up first shift, at 6:00am, to start the 100km+ day for each of us! Lookin' forward to it!
So here's the lowdown for the day. We left John Henry Bikes in North Vancouver at 10:00am ready to pedal. All of the team cyclebetes and team sanofi aventis riders started together, along with a number of other cyclists planning to ride with us to Squamish. The first 30km were awesome - great pace, wicked conversation, fun times. Then we got to horseshoe bay and I felt my blood sugar plummet, thanks to poor breakfast choices on my part. A whole lot of carbs later, and I was back on the bike, ready to ride! At least that's what I thought. By the time we hit Lions Bay I was in full hyperglycemic hangover mode, a typical reaction when I get really low blood sugar and then over compensate with carbohydrates. So off the bike I went, into the RV, to battle my bg back to a tolerable level. At Brandywine Falls I finally felt human again and jumped back out onto the bike to ride the last hour into Whistler.
Quite the day! Not at all what I expected from myself, but hey, I can only control my blood sugar levels so much...all in all I rode about 60km today, which is not far off what I had planned.
Tomorrow I am up first shift, at 6:00am, to start the 100km+ day for each of us! Lookin' forward to it!
Friday, 12 August 2011
Cyclebetes Live Updates During the National Relay
Tomorrow we officially kickoff the Cyclebetes 2011 National Relay, as 6 riders for team Cyclebetes and 6 riders for team Sanofi-Aventis leave from North Van, BC, and ride to Calgary, a distance of 1045km over 4 days. City schedule is as follows:
The awesome Cyclebetes / 4 What Matters Crew will be working tirelessly throughout the ride to ensure that everyone at home can stay up to date with the riders and see where they've been, where they're going, and how they're doing, so you won't miss a thing! There will be regular Facebook updates, tweets, blogs, YouTube videos, and live GPS tracking.
Day 1: Vancouver to Whistler (130km)
Day 2: Whistler to Kamloops (300km)
Day 3: Kamloops to Golden (360km)
Day 4: Golden to Calgary (280km)
The awesome Cyclebetes / 4 What Matters Crew will be working tirelessly throughout the ride to ensure that everyone at home can stay up to date with the riders and see where they've been, where they're going, and how they're doing, so you won't miss a thing! There will be regular Facebook updates, tweets, blogs, YouTube videos, and live GPS tracking.
GPS (follow live): http://www.facebook.com/cycle4?sk=app_137331002992480
*Updated every 15 minutes or so, depending on satellite positioning
In addition to all of the above, I will be blogging daily with my own ride feedback, here at Blood, Sweat, & Carbs as well as posting facebook updates and tweets. Follow me on facebook at www.facebook.com/jenlesliearagon and on twitter at www.twitter.com/bloodsweatcarbs.
Monday, 8 August 2011
Training Schedule Week of August 8th to 14th
Unbelievable that all of my training and hard work over the past few months is finally going to be put to the test. Beginning this Saturday, August 13th, I will be taking part in the Cyclebetes National Relay, in which I will hop on my bike and cycle from Vancouver to Calgary, a distance of 1045km, over 4 days.
This week's training schedule currently looks like this, but as usual it could change as the week progresses, especially considering I still need to prepare for a week away from home and work.
This week's training schedule currently looks like this, but as usual it could change as the week progresses, especially considering I still need to prepare for a week away from home and work.
Monday ~ Cycle 1 hour, moderate
Tuesday ~ Run 60 minutes, pace
Wednesday ~ Cycle 3-4 hours, easy
Thursday ~ Cycle 2 hours, hills
Friday ~ Run 75 minutes, easy
Saturday ~ Cyclebetes begins!
Sunday ~ Cyclebetes, day 2!
For more information on this incredible ride, visit: http://www.cyclebetes.com/national-relay-info.htm
Thursday, 4 August 2011
Nanaimo Triangle ~ A Cycling Paradise
Cycling is such a terrific way to see the world, so every weekend I make sure to do one long ride. I try to do something new each time and aim to keep it around 100km. Two weekends ago I tackled the "Nanaimo Triangle," as we called it, a 112km ride from Nanaimo to Victoria, on Vancouver Island. A super ride and a perfect distance to add to my training repertoire for the upcoming Cyclebetes National Relay August 13th.
Up at 5:30, I drove out to the Tsawwassen ferry terminal, met up with a group of 16 other cyclists, and we caught the first ferry over to Duke Point, in Nanaimo. Upon arrival we headed south, following the highway for the first part of the trip. Our first scheduled stop was in Ladysmith, where we converged on the Tim Horton's for a cold drink and brief rest.
Moving south, we left the highway in Ladysmith and turned down to the waterfront route to enjoy rolling hills and peek-a-boo views of the ocean.
From Chemainus we continued along the waterfront route, crossing an old wooden bridge just before entering the small town of Crofton.
In Crofton, we broke for lunch, but not before encountering two young boys and their lemonade stand. The boys didn't know what hit them; their quiet lemonade stand was quickly transformed into a high pressure booth, as seventeen hot and sweaty cyclists lined up for a glass of ice-cold lemonade!
After a longer than planned lunch, we upped our speed a bit and pedaled towards Cowichan Bay, the next planned rest stop. By the time we reached Cowichan Bay, we were about 70km into the ride and it was very hot.
A very brief rest for a cold drink, and we were off again, allowing us one hour to travel the 21km to the Brentwood Bay ferry in Mill Bay. Seemed like more than enough time, but no one expected the elevation increase that was coming next. Immediately south of Cowichan Bay is very long and steep (15% grade) hill. Between the scorching temperature and the miles we had already logged, the majority of the riders decided to walk their bikes up the hill and save their legs for the remaining 40km+ of the ride. It turns out that this hill was only the beginning of a very hilly section, that would cause us to split into two groups for the Brentwood Bay ferry. Five of us made it to the ferry in time, and the other twelve riders missed the ferry and had to wait for the next one. Brentwood Bay ferry itself is a tiny little twenty minute ferry that travels back and forth over Mill Bay, allowing drivers to bypass downtown Victoria.
Once on the Saanich side of the ferry, our group had over ran hour to wait for the other riders, so we stopped at the Mill Bay Resort & Spa's pub to enjoy a bite and the breathtaking scenery.
The last leg of the ride consisted of a fast 20km sprint to Swartz Bay and the ferry back to the mainland. All in all, it was 112km of gorgeous riding. What an incredible day, I will definitely be doing this ride again!
Up at 5:30, I drove out to the Tsawwassen ferry terminal, met up with a group of 16 other cyclists, and we caught the first ferry over to Duke Point, in Nanaimo. Upon arrival we headed south, following the highway for the first part of the trip. Our first scheduled stop was in Ladysmith, where we converged on the Tim Horton's for a cold drink and brief rest.
Moving south, we left the highway in Ladysmith and turned down to the waterfront route to enjoy rolling hills and peek-a-boo views of the ocean.
An unscheduled stop in Chemainus to take some pictures of its famous murals, and we were back on the road in no time!
In Crofton, we broke for lunch, but not before encountering two young boys and their lemonade stand. The boys didn't know what hit them; their quiet lemonade stand was quickly transformed into a high pressure booth, as seventeen hot and sweaty cyclists lined up for a glass of ice-cold lemonade!
After a longer than planned lunch, we upped our speed a bit and pedaled towards Cowichan Bay, the next planned rest stop. By the time we reached Cowichan Bay, we were about 70km into the ride and it was very hot.
A very brief rest for a cold drink, and we were off again, allowing us one hour to travel the 21km to the Brentwood Bay ferry in Mill Bay. Seemed like more than enough time, but no one expected the elevation increase that was coming next. Immediately south of Cowichan Bay is very long and steep (15% grade) hill. Between the scorching temperature and the miles we had already logged, the majority of the riders decided to walk their bikes up the hill and save their legs for the remaining 40km+ of the ride. It turns out that this hill was only the beginning of a very hilly section, that would cause us to split into two groups for the Brentwood Bay ferry. Five of us made it to the ferry in time, and the other twelve riders missed the ferry and had to wait for the next one. Brentwood Bay ferry itself is a tiny little twenty minute ferry that travels back and forth over Mill Bay, allowing drivers to bypass downtown Victoria.
Once on the Saanich side of the ferry, our group had over ran hour to wait for the other riders, so we stopped at the Mill Bay Resort & Spa's pub to enjoy a bite and the breathtaking scenery.
The last leg of the ride consisted of a fast 20km sprint to Swartz Bay and the ferry back to the mainland. All in all, it was 112km of gorgeous riding. What an incredible day, I will definitely be doing this ride again!
Tuesday, 2 August 2011
The Countdown is On ~ 11 Days until the Cyclebetes National Relay begins.
11 days until the start of the 2011 Cyclebetes National Relay! 11 days until we ride 1045km from Vancouver, BC to Calgary, AB, to raise money and awareness for type 1 diabetes. 11 days. Wow.
Am I ready? I think so. I still have a little fundraising to do, and a few more hill training sessions, but I should be ready for the kickoff on August 13th. I've done loads of training over the past few months and logged hundreds of miles on my bike.
Am I excited? Extremely. Last year's ride was incredible. The scenery, the people, the support we received, all of it was magical. This year I'm thrilled that Vancouver is the launching pad of the ride, rather than the finale, and I'm super-psyched that the route has changed and that we're riding through towns I've never cycled in before. I know it will be an amazing experience again, and I look forward to blogging about it each day!
Am I nervous? Yeah, probably more than I should be. I know I've put in the work, but the hills involved this year do scare me. There are some serious elevation gains, as we have to go up and over two mountain ranges - the Coast Mountains and the Rocky Mountains. I'm not a fan of hills. I love riding on the flats, and I'm a bit of speed demon, so downhills excite me. I am much more comfortable doing 60km/hr on a twisty downhill than riding up a 10% grade. But I'll do it. For Dylan and the thousands of other people living with type 1 diabetes. And when the hills are really steep, and the pedaling really hard; when my thighs are burning and I'm gritting my teeth trying not to cry from the searing pain, I will think only of why I am doing this. To cure diabetes. Period. After all, a few hours of discomfort for me pales in comparison to what Dylan, and other type 1s live with each and every day.
Interested in riding with us for the kickoff community ride? Join us Saturday, August 13th, as we leave from John Henry Bikes in North Van at 10:00am, and ride with us to Squamish! Check out the following video for highlights of last year's 150km community ride from Hope to Vancouver to get an idea of what it entails! And visit Cyclebetes for full info on this year's ride.
Should you wish to donate to my 2011 Cyclebetes fundraising campaign, visit Cyclebetes - Jen Aragon. 100% of funds raised will be donated to JDRF.
And be sure to stay tuned to my blog as I countdown to this extraordinary journey!
Am I ready? I think so. I still have a little fundraising to do, and a few more hill training sessions, but I should be ready for the kickoff on August 13th. I've done loads of training over the past few months and logged hundreds of miles on my bike.
Am I excited? Extremely. Last year's ride was incredible. The scenery, the people, the support we received, all of it was magical. This year I'm thrilled that Vancouver is the launching pad of the ride, rather than the finale, and I'm super-psyched that the route has changed and that we're riding through towns I've never cycled in before. I know it will be an amazing experience again, and I look forward to blogging about it each day!
Am I nervous? Yeah, probably more than I should be. I know I've put in the work, but the hills involved this year do scare me. There are some serious elevation gains, as we have to go up and over two mountain ranges - the Coast Mountains and the Rocky Mountains. I'm not a fan of hills. I love riding on the flats, and I'm a bit of speed demon, so downhills excite me. I am much more comfortable doing 60km/hr on a twisty downhill than riding up a 10% grade. But I'll do it. For Dylan and the thousands of other people living with type 1 diabetes. And when the hills are really steep, and the pedaling really hard; when my thighs are burning and I'm gritting my teeth trying not to cry from the searing pain, I will think only of why I am doing this. To cure diabetes. Period. After all, a few hours of discomfort for me pales in comparison to what Dylan, and other type 1s live with each and every day.
Interested in riding with us for the kickoff community ride? Join us Saturday, August 13th, as we leave from John Henry Bikes in North Van at 10:00am, and ride with us to Squamish! Check out the following video for highlights of last year's 150km community ride from Hope to Vancouver to get an idea of what it entails! And visit Cyclebetes for full info on this year's ride.
Should you wish to donate to my 2011 Cyclebetes fundraising campaign, visit Cyclebetes - Jen Aragon. 100% of funds raised will be donated to JDRF.
And be sure to stay tuned to my blog as I countdown to this extraordinary journey!
Saturday, 30 July 2011
Training Schedule Week of July 31st to August 6th
My incredible journey with Cyclebetes begins two weeks today. We will cycle from North Vancouver to Calgary, a distance of 1045km, over a period of 4 days, from August 13th to 16th. I am excited, anxious, and nervous all at once!!
As of now, this week's training will look something like this, but very well could change as the week progresses.
As of now, this week's training will look something like this, but very well could change as the week progresses.
Sunday ~ Cycle 6 hours, moderate
Monday ~ Cycle 5-6 hours, easy
Tuesday ~ Run 40 minutes, pace
Wednesday ~ Cycle 2 hours, hills
Monday ~ Cycle 5-6 hours, easy
Tuesday ~ Run 40 minutes, pace
Wednesday ~ Cycle 2 hours, hills
Thursday ~ Grouse Grind (hiking)
Friday ~ Run 75 minutes, easy
Friday ~ Run 75 minutes, easy
Saturday ~ Cycling 1 hour, intense
Wednesday, 13 July 2011
Training Schedule Week of July 11th to 17th
With just over 4 weeks until the Cyclebetes National Relay kicks off, I have upped my cycling time to ensure that I am ready for this amazing journey. This week's training will look something like this:
Monday ~ REST DAY
Tuesday ~ Run 35 minutes, pace / Cycling 30 minutes intense
Wednesday ~ Run 45 minutes, pace / Cycling 90 minutes, moderate
Thursday ~ Grouse Grind (hiking) / Cycling 60 minutes, moderate
Friday ~ Run 30 minutes, pace / Cycling 2 hours, easy
Saturday ~ Cycling 4 hours, easy
Sunday ~ Cycling 2.5 hours, vigorous
Wednesday, 29 June 2011
Saturday Snapshots ~ Summer Solstice Squamish Ride
Weekend exercise is something I look forward to all week and last week was no exception. With a long ride Saturday and a half-marathon Sunday, last weekend was an exhilerating, exercise-stuffed two days that left me feeling gratified and sore.
Just north of Vancouver, on the Sea-to-Sky highway, is the town of Squamish. Touted as the "Outdoor Recreation Capital of Canada," Squamish is home to some of the best hiking, rock climbing, mountain biking, and snow sports BC offers. It was also the cycling destination for this ride, approximately 70km north of my house, along a very hilly section of highway. A beautiful journey, and a great training ride for the Cyclebetes National Relay beginning August 13th, along this same stretch of road.
I started out at 10:45am, joining a group of riders that had set off from downtown Vancouver. The first section of ride was uphill, followed by long, windy, rolling section through West Vancouver, passed the Horseshow Bay ferry terminal to Lions Bay. The weather was ideal for this kind of ride; overcast and cool, with a chance of showers. And shower it did. Our first rainstorm hit just past the village of Lions Bay. Heavy rains fell for about 2-3 kilometers, before the sky opened up again and sunshine streamed down on us as we rode through Porteau Cove to Furry Creek. A quick stop to regroup and wait for other riders to catch up turned into a full shower as severely heavy rains poured down. By the top of the Furry Creek hill I was completely drenched. With water pouring down my face and sloshing around in my cycling shoes I finally reached the summit of the last big hill, just north of Brittania Beach, and began my much-earned descent into Squamish.
A nice relaxing lunch at the Howe Sound Brewing Company ensued before I rushed home to begin prepping for Sunday's half-marathon and dinner party. What an awesome day and a ride I will definitely be doing a few more times this season. Below are a few pics of the views along the route, plus an elevation map of the ride (I started about 18km in, at the base of the first big hill.
Just north of Vancouver, on the Sea-to-Sky highway, is the town of Squamish. Touted as the "Outdoor Recreation Capital of Canada," Squamish is home to some of the best hiking, rock climbing, mountain biking, and snow sports BC offers. It was also the cycling destination for this ride, approximately 70km north of my house, along a very hilly section of highway. A beautiful journey, and a great training ride for the Cyclebetes National Relay beginning August 13th, along this same stretch of road.
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| A cultural journey it is indeed. |
I started out at 10:45am, joining a group of riders that had set off from downtown Vancouver. The first section of ride was uphill, followed by long, windy, rolling section through West Vancouver, passed the Horseshow Bay ferry terminal to Lions Bay. The weather was ideal for this kind of ride; overcast and cool, with a chance of showers. And shower it did. Our first rainstorm hit just past the village of Lions Bay. Heavy rains fell for about 2-3 kilometers, before the sky opened up again and sunshine streamed down on us as we rode through Porteau Cove to Furry Creek. A quick stop to regroup and wait for other riders to catch up turned into a full shower as severely heavy rains poured down. By the top of the Furry Creek hill I was completely drenched. With water pouring down my face and sloshing around in my cycling shoes I finally reached the summit of the last big hill, just north of Brittania Beach, and began my much-earned descent into Squamish.
A nice relaxing lunch at the Howe Sound Brewing Company ensued before I rushed home to begin prepping for Sunday's half-marathon and dinner party. What an awesome day and a ride I will definitely be doing a few more times this season. Below are a few pics of the views along the route, plus an elevation map of the ride (I started about 18km in, at the base of the first big hill.
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| Looking southwest from Lions Bay |
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| Looking west, from just south of Porteau Cove |
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| A stunning early sunset |
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| Elevation map of the full ride |
Tuesday, 7 June 2011
Sunday Snapshots ~ Ride and Roam Fundraiser for the Ride to Conquer Cancer
This past Sunday, I had the pleasure of attending a Ride to Conquer Cancer fundraiser and a wonderful group ride that was planned around the fundraiser. Starting at the TELUS World of Science, we rode through Vancouver, Burnaby, Port Moody, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Pitt Meadows, and into Maple Ridge, where the fundraiser took place. Following the event we rode back via Langley, Surrey, and New Westminster. All in all the ride was 92 kilometers, or 57.5 miles. I've posted a few pictures below.
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| Brief rest along the Trans Canada Trail & a peekaboo view of the North Shore. |
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| Crossing the Pitt River bridge, view to the north |
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| Crossing the Pitt River bridge, view to the south. |
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| Crossing the Golden Ears bridge, view of Mt Baker to the southeast |
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| Crossing the Pattulo bridge, view to the south |
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| Crossing the Pattulo bridge, view to the north |
Vancouver has a lot of bridges, and they provide great spots for a quick photo stop! For a detailed view and description of Sunday's ride route, click here. That is the basic route we took, plus a few miles exploring the new bike trails in Tynehead Park. Gorgeous route!
Monday, 30 May 2011
Sunday Snapshots ~ Cycling the Biennale Sculptures
The Cyclebetes National Relay begins in less than 3 months, at which time I will be part of a team of 6 riders, cycling from Vancouver to Calgary. As part of my training for the 1000+ km journey, I am cycling at least 3 days per week with one of those rides being a minimum of 3 hours in length. These longer length training rides are not focused on speed, but rather on endurance - get my legs spinning for long periods of time, and my body, especially my shoulders, upper back, and butt, used to extended saddle periods. The other 2 weekly training rides consist of shorter distances with the focus on speed and fitness.
Yesterday my long ride entailed touring around the city to view the Biennale Sculpture exhibit. The Biennale Sculptures are an outdoor art exhibit currently featured throughout the city of Vancouver. Consisting of 33 large sculptures, the exhibit has been here for 2 years, though I didn't hear about it until last week. All of the pieces are either for sale or sold, and starting next month they will be removed from their current spots and shipped to their permanent homes. For full info check out their website at vancouverbiennale.com.
So a group of us decided that we would hop on our bicycles and ride around to check out some of the pieces before they're gone. We managed to see 19 out of the 33 sculptures in Vancouver and its neighboring city of Richmond. Total mileage for this route was just over 50km (50.2 to be exact).
I took tons of pictures so that I could share these interesting works of art on my blog:
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| Walknig Figures by Magdalena Abakanowicz (Poland), Broadway & Cambie Canada-Line Station |
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| Eros Bendato Scrippolato by Igor Mitoraj (Polish-Italy), Yaletown Park, Nelson and Mainland |
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| Barbora by Vladas Vildziunas (Lithuania), Thornton Park, Station Street & Main Street |
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| King & Queen by Sorel Etrog (Canada), Harbour Green Park, between Jervis & Bute |
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| Artificial Rock #143 by Zhan Wang (China), Vancouver City Centre Canada-Line Station |
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| A-maze-ing Laughter by Yue Minjun (China), Morton Triangle on Denman at Davie |
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| Close up of one of the laughing men above |
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| Pillows by Liu Jianhua (China), Harbour Green Park |
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| Meeting by Wang Shugang (China), Cardero Park, Cardero Street and Coal Harbour Quay |
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| Ceramic Forms by Yee Soo-Kyung (Korea), Cardero Park, Cardero Street and Coal Harbour Quay |
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| Doors of Knowlegde by Patrick Hughes (UK), Minoru Park, Richmond |
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| Reverse of above |
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| Echoes by Michel Goulet (Canada), Kitsilano Beach Park at Watermark |
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| Miss Mao by The Gao Brothers (China), Elmbridge and Alderbridge Way, Richmond |
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| Water #10 bu Jun Ren (China), Cambie Plaza, Cambie and River Road, Richmond |
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| Freezing Water #7 by Jun Ren (China), Vanier Park, Whyte Avenue and Chesnut Street |
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| WE, 2008 by Jaune Plensa (Spain), Sunset Beach Park, Beach Avenue and Thurlow |
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| Engagement by Dennis Oppenheim (USA), Sunset Beach Park, Beach Ave between Broughton and Jervis |
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| Cabeza Vainilla, Cabeza Cordoba, Cabeza Chiapas by Javier Marin (Mexico), |
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| The second piece in the same series |
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| The third piece in the same series |
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| Donut #7 by Fletcher Benton (Canada), Queen Elizabeth Park |
Tuesday, 3 May 2011
Cycling to Find A Cure for her Son
From the Non-Blog Archives:
Cycling to Find A Cure for her Son
Local Mom wants to help those with diabetes
Sep 04, 2010 09:00:26 AM
The below is a brief news article that aired on a local radio station in September of last year, while I was cycling across British Columbia with Cyclebetes.
Cycling to Find A Cure for her Son
Local Mom wants to help those with diabetes
Sep 04, 2010 09:00:26 AM
The below is a brief news article that aired on a local radio station in September of last year, while I was cycling across British Columbia with Cyclebetes.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) - It's called 'Cyclebetes,' and it's a pretty big accomplishment for a North Vancouver mom. She's wrapping up a 1,000 kilometre cycling journey tomorrow and it's all for a good cause.
Jennifer Aragon is riding for her nine-year-old son Dylan, who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes five years ago. She admits it's not easy. "I've always been a bit of a bike rider. I'm not, by any means, an avid cyclist, I'm more of a runner."
Aragon and nine others are riding a total of 5,000 kilometres split across each province; they pass blood glucose metres as batons at provincial borders.
She and her partner have cleverly named their two-person tandem bicycle, "Diabetsy." This is all part of a promise she made to her son when he was diagnosed, that she'd stop at nothing to find a cure.
Jennifer Aragon is riding for her nine-year-old son Dylan, who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes five years ago. She admits it's not easy. "I've always been a bit of a bike rider. I'm not, by any means, an avid cyclist, I'm more of a runner."
Aragon and nine others are riding a total of 5,000 kilometres split across each province; they pass blood glucose metres as batons at provincial borders.
She and her partner have cleverly named their two-person tandem bicycle, "Diabetsy." This is all part of a promise she made to her son when he was diagnosed, that she'd stop at nothing to find a cure.
Thursday, 7 April 2011
Cyclebetes National Relay 2011
I was very fortunate to be able to ride as part of the Cyclebetes National Relay in 2010, and I am thrilled to be riding in the relay again in 2011.To add to the excitement this year is a change in the route itself. This year's relay will go from western Canada to eastern Canada, specifically from Vancouver, BC to Halifax, NS (previous relays went east to west, from Halifax to Vancouver in 2009, and Halifax to Victoria in 2010). As part of the western Canadian team, we will kick-off the ride here in Vancouver, BC, on August 13th and will ride to Calgary, AB, a distance of 1045km (627 miles), over a 4 day period.
The National Relay is, without a doubt, the most powerful and rewarding event I have ever been involved with, and I will be blogging about my complete experience this year, from pre-ride training, to fundraising, to nutrition, to my daily reflections during the ride itself.
This year's campaign is fully underway, but there are still a few spots open for riders who wish to join in on this life-altering experience!
For a detailed breakdown of where each team will be heading and their daily milage, click here.
For a current National Relay team list, click here.
The National Relay is, without a doubt, the most powerful and rewarding event I have ever been involved with, and I will be blogging about my complete experience this year, from pre-ride training, to fundraising, to nutrition, to my daily reflections during the ride itself.
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| Cyclebetes 2010 riders, between Revelstoke and Salmon Arm, BC |
This year's campaign is fully underway, but there are still a few spots open for riders who wish to join in on this life-altering experience!
For a detailed breakdown of where each team will be heading and their daily milage, click here.
For a current National Relay team list, click here.
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| Jen Aragon (Me) & Richard Biddlecombe as we entered Vancouver on Sept 4, 2010 |
For general information about Cyclebetes and the National Relay, visit www.cyclebetes.com
Wednesday, 30 March 2011
Delivering on a Promise. Cure Diabetes.
Last summer I, along with 9 other cyclists, had the great pleasure of representing the province of British Columbia in Cyclebetes' 2nd annual cross-Canada relay. As a team, we pedalled almost 1000kms over 5 days. The experience was one that I will never forget and has led me to register to repeat the journey again this summer. What is Cyclebetes and where did it come from? It all stemmed from one man's promise to his daughter. Cure diabetes.
(The rest of this blog is taken directly from Cyclebetes' website)
Vancouver businessman Kyle Balagno promised his daughter Taylor he would do everything in his power to help find a cure for her juvenile (type one) diabetes before her 18th birthday. He had 6 years.
"I must have been in a state of pure panic when I first uttered those words to my daughter after she had been diagnosed with Juvenile Diabetes. If not panic then my love for her must have left me momentarily dazed. How could a guy like me really cure a disease, let alone do it within a 15-year period?
If that wasn't crazy enough, mentioning it to my friends in passing was my next biggest error. One casual comment about my promise and I am thrown so far out of my comfort zone that my head was now actually spinning. Others knew of my dreams for a cure, my wishes for a family life void of pumps and injections, and now I was going to be held accountable to a promise I knew I had stated but wasn't sure I had really made a commitment to."
Kyle Balagno
Founding Rider Team H2V
Father committed to finding a cure.
That commitment spawned Team H2V, a 5 man team who cycled across Canada at break neck speed in September 2007. They made the epic ride in just 8 days, set a Guiness World Record and raised $800,000 for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) and millions of media hits.
Where five men once set a standard now thousands will follow. Where five ordinary men proved the extraordinary was possible, new champions conquer their own personal goals; For themselves. For teams. For those with juvenile diabetes.Cyclebetes is a festival of cycling events designed to bring a country, cyclist and the type 1 community together in celebration of what is possible.
"Being involved in events my whole life we knew we had something that could capture the imagination of the masses if we made it about their experience. The spin-a-thon and the relays will allow people to tell their story. It will allow them to deliver on their own promises. Promises that they may have made to themselves. Get fit, help a friend, do something different, become involved in a community and possibly be a part of finding a cure for one of the world's largest diseases. Cyclebetes is about young people being a part of the solution and leading. It is about standing up and removing the ordinary in favor of the extraordinary. Cyclebetes is about making a difference personally and in your community."
Willie Cromack
Team H2V Rider
Cyclebetes CEO/Founder
In 2009, the organization established the cross Canada relay. This ride was similar to the original H2V ride but with a twist...the relay was completed on a tandem bicycle! Each Province had a team of 10 riders, 5 adults and 5 youth with Type 1 Diabetes. The ride on the tandem was a challenge but they all lived up to it and in so doing, managed to raise awareness and funds for diabetes research. This ride was repeated in 2010 and will be repeated again in 2011.
For more information, visit www.cyclebtes.com, or follow on Twitter at @cyclebetes, and on facebook at www.facebook.com/cyclebetes.
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| BC Team at the end of our journey in Victoria, BC |
(The rest of this blog is taken directly from Cyclebetes' website)
Vancouver businessman Kyle Balagno promised his daughter Taylor he would do everything in his power to help find a cure for her juvenile (type one) diabetes before her 18th birthday. He had 6 years.
"I must have been in a state of pure panic when I first uttered those words to my daughter after she had been diagnosed with Juvenile Diabetes. If not panic then my love for her must have left me momentarily dazed. How could a guy like me really cure a disease, let alone do it within a 15-year period?
If that wasn't crazy enough, mentioning it to my friends in passing was my next biggest error. One casual comment about my promise and I am thrown so far out of my comfort zone that my head was now actually spinning. Others knew of my dreams for a cure, my wishes for a family life void of pumps and injections, and now I was going to be held accountable to a promise I knew I had stated but wasn't sure I had really made a commitment to."
Kyle Balagno
Founding Rider Team H2V
Father committed to finding a cure.
That commitment spawned Team H2V, a 5 man team who cycled across Canada at break neck speed in September 2007. They made the epic ride in just 8 days, set a Guiness World Record and raised $800,000 for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) and millions of media hits.
Where five men once set a standard now thousands will follow. Where five ordinary men proved the extraordinary was possible, new champions conquer their own personal goals; For themselves. For teams. For those with juvenile diabetes.Cyclebetes is a festival of cycling events designed to bring a country, cyclist and the type 1 community together in celebration of what is possible.
"Being involved in events my whole life we knew we had something that could capture the imagination of the masses if we made it about their experience. The spin-a-thon and the relays will allow people to tell their story. It will allow them to deliver on their own promises. Promises that they may have made to themselves. Get fit, help a friend, do something different, become involved in a community and possibly be a part of finding a cure for one of the world's largest diseases. Cyclebetes is about young people being a part of the solution and leading. It is about standing up and removing the ordinary in favor of the extraordinary. Cyclebetes is about making a difference personally and in your community."
Willie Cromack
Team H2V Rider
Cyclebetes CEO/Founder
In 2009, the organization established the cross Canada relay. This ride was similar to the original H2V ride but with a twist...the relay was completed on a tandem bicycle! Each Province had a team of 10 riders, 5 adults and 5 youth with Type 1 Diabetes. The ride on the tandem was a challenge but they all lived up to it and in so doing, managed to raise awareness and funds for diabetes research. This ride was repeated in 2010 and will be repeated again in 2011.
For more information, visit www.cyclebtes.com, or follow on Twitter at @cyclebetes, and on facebook at www.facebook.com/cyclebetes.
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