The 2014 Solvang Century is history. We had a great ride, despite the weather being unseasonably warm. It was in the mid-80s for most of the afternoon, but we stayed hydrated and kept going.
I was concerned about a few members of our team, but everyone finished in good spirits. I guess I forgot how the excitement of finishing your first century can really put a smile on your face at the end. I was really hungry at the end and my low blood sugar made me a bit of a grouch. Still, I wanted to record 100 miles, so when we got to the hotel and my GPS showed 99, I had to ride around the block. I’m an idiot, but I’m an idiot with a Strava Gran Fondo 3 badge on my profile now 🙂
Now for the withdrawals. The end of the season is always bittersweet. This season is harder than others because we came together from all over the Bay Area to form this team, so it’ll be hard to do random rides together. But a few people are connected on Facebook, so who knows what will happen in the future.
As always, I want to thank everyone who supported me and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society this season. We’ve come a long way in blood cancer treatments; survival rates are way up since Team in Training began in 1988. The organization has raised more than $1.4 billion, benefitting blood cancer patients, their families and the researchers who are doing vital work looking for cures. Over the past six seasons, my supporters and I have contributed $14,600 to that total. I’m more proud of that than I am of the endurance events I’ve completed because I think the fundraising is harder! But as long as I have your support, I’ll continue doing these stupid things — riding bikes and running farther than a sane person would — to raise money for this important mission. Someday, there will be a cure for a blood cancer with your name on it, thanks to the money you’ve donated to support my adventures. And as they say at the LLS, Someday is Today 🙂