Most people probably don’t know that I wasn’t sure I would be doing the Giretto again in 2010 under the Livestrong banner.  Their office was disappointingly unsupportive of us through a very difficult first year launch of our grass roots event, the Giretto d’Italia (Little Tour of Italy).  However, when my aunt, sister-in-law, and a half dozen other friends and family were diagnosed with various forms of cancer this year, that changed everything.  I needed to put my pride aside, and look to the bigger picture.

That lead me to spend the $900+ to go and participate in the “Challenge Ride” in Austin, TX.  It is the year’s final charity ride that raises money for the foundation, and those who have raised more than $10K get invited to this “Event within an event” called The Ride for the Roses (RFTR).  It would be a time to see first hand, the community of “soldiers” fighting this good fight, and to renew my faith in the system (when you get as big as the Lance Armstrong Foundation, it’s definitely a “system”) and the cause.  Well, it did all that and more.  The stories I heard from single individuals, families, and larger groups were both inspiring and heart wrenching at the same time.  It became more and more apparent that this disease affects (directly or indirectly) virtually everyone on the planet.  We need this level of effort to beat it back.

On Saturday night there was a big dinner for the RFTR participants.  Lance spoke as well as a number of other award winners from the current year.  There were messages of how folks struggled together, and raised both money and awareness, and found new ways to contribute something extraordinary to this fight.  I was also priviledged to meet 6 time Leadville 100 winner Dave Wiens.  He was in town to help layout a MTB race course on Lance’s property (sort of like Jack Nicholas designing a golf course right?).

Outside of needing this renewed hope and confidence, I also wanted to have some fun on the Sunday ride with Lance (and about 4,000 other riders).  Saturday they put my bike together (part of the super service they extended to RFTR participants)  I took the bike for a spin to check it out, and asked them to just adjust the handbars slightly upward after I came back.  They did, and I was all set.

The day of the ride, we were told that we could stage “up front” as a part of our perks as a RFTR participant.  Cool!  My number 1 objective was to ride just a few miles with Lance.  Even if I had to bury myself to do it, I wanted a few minutes riding with the big guy.  Well, I not only got myself up front, but I some how “mistakenly” got up in the super front with the Fatty folks who raised the highest amount for the year.  I was so ready!

As time went on though, more and more “special VIP” type folks came in, slotted even further in front, and now I was about 7 rows back.  I figured that was ok, because that could be easily made up for on the bike.  However, once Lance showed up, and said a few words, he and just the first two rows took off, and the rest of us were held up – for what seemed like an eternity (I think it was actually only 10 or 15 minutes).

Now I was getting nervous.  I’ve had no warm up, and I’m going to have to chase down a lead group with a 15 minute head start, with LANCE setting the pace!  YIKES!!!  I was undaunted though.  As soon as they let us go, I started finding my way around the pack and within seconds the trains started to form and fly.  I hooked on to every group of riders I could hang with.  We were averaging between 25 and 30 mph through the flats, and in less than 5 minutes I was already anaerobic!  Yikes, I didn’t know how long I could keep burying myself like this, but I wasn’t going to back off now.

Then I noticed how my handlebars were just a little to far forward and down.  I thought I had them adjust that yesterday, but it still wasn’t’ right.  I wasn’t going to worry about it at this pace.  I decided it could wait till after we catch the big guy to make any bike adjustments.  SO… flying along we went, and then we hit the first significant decent, and the pressure to go fast just increased.  As I pushed it into a higher gear and started pedaling even faster downhill, it happened… my handlebars came completely loose and flopped forward and down, as if they were about to fall off.  This was WAY too much déjà vu from my first crash for me, and so I slowly and gently reached way down for my break levers, and squeezed them just enough to slow me down and pull over.  WHEW!!! No crash, and unfortunately, no chance of riding with Lance.

I was still grateful to be in one pieces, so I continued to ride enjoying an awesome day with the fastest group of “charity riders” I have ever ridden with.

I had one particular “special moment” during this ride that was almost too perfect.  I was at the end of about 60 minutes of riding just below threshold, looking at one of the modest climbs ahead, but not feeling so great because of the pounding I was doing with no warm up.  As I hit the bottom of the hill, I realized I hadn’t even turned my music on (virtually a sacrilege in my book).  I flipped it on, and the song “Stand Up” by Remedy Drive came on.  After a short intro, I found my climbing legs, the lyrics found their way to the chorus “Stand up now, they can’t hold us down“, which got me right up out of the saddle (my preferred climbing position).  If that wasn’t enough,  just as I was nearing the top of the climb, the next song “Daylight is Coming” (by the same group) came on, just as the sun started peaking through the trees at the crest of the climb… it was such a “moment”, I had to thrust my hands in the sky and just thank God that I was there in that place at that time, lovin’ life!

That gave me renewed enthusiasm to continue the sufferfest.  By the end of the 2^nd hour though, I was in some serious pain (thinking it was hip at the time, but now know it was probably weak muscles from the hip replacement).  I wasn’t sure I would finish, and I met a young lady who was in the same boat.  As we bemoaned our mutual situation, we agreed to ride to the finish together and keep things “under control”.  I’m sure the consistent hammering was what got me into trouble in the first place.

Finally, at the line, I met Fatty himself (from the Fat Cyclists blog fame) – being the generous guy he is, waiting to meet each of his team members as they crossed the line.  While I’m not one of his team, I couldn’t resist taking a picture with him… after all, it was I who took the picture of his sister and DELVIS (which he blogged about this week as well).

All in all, it was a fantastic weekend, and encouraged me to double my efforts for next year.  Within hours of returning home, I completed my last blog post giving the top 10 reasons to do the Giretto in 2010.  If you haven’t considered it, NOW is the time!