I've signed up for 2010 as well. I'm looking forward to it already.

We have a small team of Calgary, Okotoks and High River riders who get together and ride occasionally now but trained together a lot this spring. It makes training much easier when there is a group to ride with and we would love to have others join us. We are Spin to Live, and we're loving the ride!

2010 ride here we come !!!!
Any Airdrie or north Calgary give me a shout

Ja

wow I haven't been on the boards for a long time and I see things are still moving along.  Somehow I am thinking I should decide if I am going to sign up for next year and stop being lazy this summer( I am good at that)

Tacha,

I'm pretty sure that there were. Come spring, you definitely want to be climbing the hills out of the lower townsite...maybe do the run from King up to the Shell... a lot. There are a lot of hills where the Ride was this year and even if they change the route, it'll still be a fair bit of work :)

Just the same, it was great fun and I'm sure you'll enjoy it :)

You've obviously been up here. I was actually thinking of riding out to Suncor in the spring. That'll give us about a 60K ride with Supertest to challenge as well as the hill back up to Thickwood on the way home. Good thing we are relatively fit already! Just gotta get used to riding again.
We did about 25K this weekend and weren't hurting from it, so really just need conditioning and hill work. We have all winter to strengthen muscles to prepare for hills...
I'll keep my eyes out for more Fort Mac people on here to train with.

Well I did as the doc said and iced and elevated and stayed off my knees for the weeks ... I even gave it a few extra days due to being busy and finally got on my mountain bike out at the lake on Saturday and what do you know Tuesday my knee is killing me ... AAAUUUUGGGGHHHH!!!! I don't know what in the heck to do! So I may not be doing the 2010 ride with you guys if I don't find a way to strength my knee without hurting it!

Corries....

A couple of questions for you: 1st, do you use clipless pedals? If so, I'm wondering about the cleat positioning...maybe something is off and it is the source of the issue. 2nd, have you checked the height of your seat? It's a bike fitting thing...if it's too low, you put a lot more stress on your knees when you start pushing on the pedals. 3rd, what sort of cadence do you ride? Most folks I talk to suggest 80-100 rpm...it means you're not mashing the pedals hard and putting heavy stress on your knees but you're also not spinning out (feeling like you can't spin the pedals any faster).

These three are where I'd start...hopefully they help. If not, maybe a visit to the doc and a bike fitting at the local pro shop?

Hey Mike,

very good on the Jersey, all you are missing now is the yellow band.  :)

Hey Mike, I haven't been on the boards all summer, but am glad to see you have registered for 2010. I have lost my team mates and really want to do the ride next year. I'm concerned about trying to train and fundraise by myself and was wondering if you would like a potential teammate. I have some fundraising ideas but need help. Interested?

Haven't signed up yet but I will this weekend. Would you be interested in meeting to talk about some training rides &/or fundraising?

Perfect. Give me a call. I will send you a private message with my phone number.

sorry if I seemed short in my reply Mike ...I was out in the boonies and online hookup was bad ... I was trying to be brief...lol... I didn't get the part about 80-100 rpms... and I have the no clips on my shoes .... I have arthritis in both ankles and I have told the the clips cause you to put a slight more strain on your ankles... I couldnt handle that ... not that it will matter at all if Idon't get my ass back on my bike ... damn I miss it ... didn't have time the entire time I was on holidays... sigh... but the summer isn't over yet!!!!
Tammy

Hey ABS,

Nice to meet ya at MEC on the weekend. :) Hehehe...something tells me we're gonna have an absolute riot with this theme :D

Hey Mike, fun isn't going to sum it up adequately. This is going to be an absolute hoot and a wild ride. Anyone else on the boards want to come play with us???? I think we made need a moderating influence as the 2 of us could really go off on a tangent & get carried away. On the other hand, fellow tangenters WELCOME!!! The more the merrier.

Jason,

Yeah, we're in Edmonton. Doesn't mean we're not open to others from elsewhere around the province. :)

Sorry Mike! Just saw your post now! Broke my hand playing ball on the weekend (didn't get a cast till Tuesday!) so haven't really been on the computer in a few days. Can't ride my pretty new bike, can't drive my little sports car, can't go to the gym...sigh...
Let me know next time you're up...

Tacha...no prob....I'll let you know the next time I get up to oilsands country ;) Heal up fast, ok? :)

Jason...I don't get down that way often, but I do get there on occasion. We may be able to work something out...though I'm not sure if it'll be before the snow flies at this point. My schedule can be a pain in the keester sometimes.

However, if you're doing 45-50 km on a mtb at this point, then you're in fine condition. Speed isn't the be all and end all. I find my mixed rides (trail and road) on my FS mtb take about 2.5 hrs for 40 km. Granted, that's on knobby tires, not slicks...so the RCC will up that pace when riding slicks. Of course, the hills slow it down a bit too as we don't have anything like them up here!

If it helps any, last year I saw a lot of mtb (even bmx !!!) riders who were faster than me, and some that were slower. It isn't so much how fast you ride...after all, the RCC is NOT a race...but rather that you "git 'er done."

Cheers :)

Jason,

I'm a fat tire rider more often than not, though I have a CX bike for the long haul road work and commuting. If you're a member of MEC, I'd recommend some Ritchie Tom Slicks in 26x1.4. I'm 6' 240+ and have had no issues with mine. Plus, they do up to 90 psi, so if your rims will take it, they really cut the rolling resistance.

ABS,

I can't make the 20th for the group ride up here....too many other committments on Sundays right now to make that work :( But perhaps we can get together for a ride here before the snow flies (ack! perish the thought!!!).

Also, for anyone on Facebook, the Cancer Crusaders team has a group page :)

Sounds great, ABS :) I'll likely go for a dirt ride on Sat. am....though I could have my arm twisted and bring the cross bike for some road miles ;)

see ya there CP

Jason

Hey CP, glad to hear from you. I was on your page reading your blog. I know how you are feeling about your loss & questioning everything having a purpose. Let me just share this with you. I lost my best friend, confidante, and sister 3 years ago & my Mom 1 year later. The year befor my Mom was diagnosed my Dad survived prostate cancer. In the past 10 years I have lost 12 family members to cancer with 2 survivors. I was so bitter & angry I not only lost my faith but proceeded to eat my way into the grave. After reaching 270 lb, and almost losing my marraige, I decided my Mom & sister would not want me to live that way & decided to live again. As a result I met an amazing young man (my personal trainer) who helped me regain my life. My trainer not only has helped me lose 100 lb, but joined me last year on the ride. Without losing my sister & Mom I would never have met this amazing young man. Everything does have a purpose, just hang on & keep your eyes and heart open. Faith girl, one can become many & together we are stronger. Sorry to be so long winded but you touched my heart with your blog. 

Dear ABS,
Thanks for all of your kind words, I guess you could say I was hurt and angry when I wrote that blog.  I was still trying to keep my head about me, but life was just seeming so unfair!  The service for the gentleman who lost his battle with Cancer was the second service I attended this summer and was feeling the weight of it all!  I also got swept in for part of the ride in June and was feeling like maybe if I had rode it all god would have spared Wayne so his childern and grandchildern would not have to lose their father and grandfather so so soon after their mother and grandmother.  So I guess I was feeling a little bit of guilt too... I know unfounded guilt ... but guilt nevertheless.  After reading your reply I have to wonder, and after reading so so many others pages, why the people down at the advertising department picked me to do a bio and a podcast on .... But that you for your kind words!  I am hoping that by the end of 2009 I am still holding my head high and believing that everything in life has a purpose!  But now I am rambling on,,, lol

Dear sweet Mike,
Oh right I wasn't suppose to let anyone know that part ... It should have read Dear Pycho Mike ...lol... Thanks for you post I read your page before the June ride and your friend and his family are lucky to have a friend like you!  Not everyone can be as supportive as you have been!!! Thank you for you kind words too!!! Remember I am too too stubborn to give in or up!!!
Tammy!

CP,

Not a problem because Mike works either way....it is in my screen name ;) Last year was great and I am still absolutely flabbergasted that I was able to raise what I did. It still makes me say "wow" and I'm glad I was able to give you a boost when you needed it too.

This year, I'm going a slightly different direction. I had tried to get a team going last year and ended up hopping over to an established team later on. This year, my goal is raise the minimum, but I'm more concerned with properly doing a team. I want to get more folks involved, get them to the minimum amount (at least) and have a riot of a time doing it and the ride. If I could beat last year's fund raising myself, that woud rock... but it isn't my main goal. Last year was about my tribute to Dominique...this year it is all about "everyone" and what we can do together. So far, it seems to be rolling smoothly and I can't wait to see what this bunch of crazy Crusaders will do together ;)

Cheers,

Mike (yeah, the psycho one ;) )