It's MS150 time--again...

Hi folks--

So here I am, holding my hat out for the third year in a row as I get ready to ride another MS150 in June.

Clearly, times are rough--that's more than evident in "Off Topic". I'm hoping that those who can spare even a small donation (no donation is too small) might do me the honor of donating to my ride this year.

Last year, I managed to be the 7th-highest fundraiser out of a ride of 800+ riders, which I'm pretty damn proud of.

This is all for my wife, who was diagnosed with MS in 2009. She's a trooper. She's doing well living with it. Thankfully, so far, it's been relegated to body aches and fatigue. The hope is that the research fundraisers like this fund will come up with new and better drugs for treatment and maybe a cure.

Here is my donation link: http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR/Bike/RIRBikeEvents?px=7773859&pg=personal&fr_id=18292

...and for the bicycle geeks, here is a build thread of my primary road bike:

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/off-topic-discussion/my-road-bike-rebuildupgrade/48859/page1/

I also meant to say--please include your username so I know who is who.

Thanks in advance...

Donated. Good luck.

Thanks so much (YGM)

the one and only bump before I let this sink...

Thanks again to those who have thrown in

Done!

It'll be right back atcha in the near future.

We're the GRM Dynamic Duo of the MS150

gamby wrote: It'll be right back atcha in the near future. We're the GRM Dynamic Duo of the MS150

don't forget about triumph7 (iirc), he rides the Cincy MS150.

Bump.

AngryCorvair wrote: don't forget about triumph7 (iirc), he rides the Cincy MS150.

The Superfriends, then???

EastCoastMojo wrote: Bump.

Thanks so much for the generous bump, ECM.

I haven't been involved with them since 2009 when the MS Society sent an email to all their clients urging them to "contact your senators during the August recess and urge them to keep up the momentum on the Health Care Reform Act". Do you know how much attention you get as the #22 fundraiser and Bike committee member and you quit.... vocally AND loudly? They actually had one of their advocacy people from Washington email me. Having read a hundred or so pages of the House version of the bill I was able to slice and dice his arguments easily in my response. I never got a reply. That said, I do miss the ride. Down here it is the premier cycling event, well run and supported. My fiance and I are looking into other events as motivation to train.

Gamby, I wish you and your wife well. My wife passed away in August of 2008 after 8 years with MS. In spite of the fatigue keep her active. Mary died from a pulminary embulism (sp), a blood clot that traveled into the lungs. If you remember from a few years ago, a young lady traveling for Australia to Miami got out of the airplane after 15 hours in coach and made it to the concourse before dropping dead. After working, Mary would come home and hit the couch until bedtime. I think the lack of activity due to MS fatigue created the same scenario.

Good luck to both of you guys on the ride. Maybe I'll be back after Obamacare is repealed.

I'm not going to get political on it.

I will say--living with MS without insurance would be impossible. If that means federal insurance, then fine. I know we couldn't swing $2500/mo in drugs.

I wish the MS Society hadn't gotten political either but they did. Think about this though, when the inevitable rationing of care comes along would you want to face them with an incurable disease that only progresses and is very expensive to treat?

What medication is your wife using? 4 years ago Avonex was about $1500/month.

She switched from Betaseron to Copaxone recently and takes Nuvigil to combat the fatigue.

gamby, how's the training?

In reply to AngryCorvair:

LOL--literally 1 minute ago, I was thinking "holy E36 M3, I still need to donate to Pat's ride!!!" ...and here you are.

I've been training fairly hard. I'm on a massive fitness kick as I turned 40 last Saturday. Aside from riding, I've been doing yoga, kettlebells, jumprope, pushups, pullups/chinups, bar curls and a 3.5 mile run once a week.

Down to 189lbs (from 205 at New Year's) and I'm pretty diesel, if I do say so myself--watch out ladies Oh wait--married. Well, watch out, ladies, anyway...

The 15 mile hill loops on the singlespeed are paying off in droves. We did a hilly 41 miles on Saturday (650 feet of vertical climbing according to iMapMyRide). I felt great, my riding partner, not so much--then again, he just now realized his 11-25 cassette was a bit aggressive--after 2 MS150's on it.

I managed 89.xx miles last week.

It's been rainy around here for much of this week, so I haven't gotten out since Saturday. Hoping to throw down a quick (if it's not windy) flat 40 miles on Thurs and then another long ride on Saturday.

Is your ride this weekend??? PLEASE tell me you've been getting out there...

In reply to gamby:

my ride? what ride? this is your ride thread, my friend. i did a combo ride last night, 4 miles of road to get to the trailhead, 10 miles of singletrack, 4 miles of road to get back to my car. the warmup made a huge difference in how hard i could go on the singletrack without blowing out my legs. i should warm up before every ride, LOL. last week i did a 34-mile road ride, and that was it. but the ride which i'm allegedly doing is very flat, so i'll be OK.

In reply to AngryCorvair:

I meant is your MS150 this weekend?

You might not want to opt for the double-century option if your training has been minimal. For your sake, I hope it is indeed truly flat. If you can crank out 34 then you can do 75 in the flats.

This year's route for us is totally different and I have a feeling the hills are going to be ridiculous.

gamby wrote: This year's route for us is totally different and I have a feeling the hills are going to be ridiculous.

I did the MS ride from Atlanta to Athens, GA and back a couple of weekends ago. Well, I attempted to do it. Most of my riding is pretty hilly but I wasn't prepared for the non-stop rollers. At mile 65 my legs started cramping bad and and it only got worse. The dually diesel that pulled up next to me so he could floor it and leave me in a cloud of smoke was the last straw. Rode back home in the car on Sunday.

I'm looking forward to the MS 150 at Callaway Gardens in September. Some hills but not too bad.

Day one of the "old" route got ridiculously hilly toward the second half of the ride. It was downright brutal at times--even with a nice, low climbing gear.

Last year on day one, my leg cramped beyond belief 1/2 mile from the finish, at the top of the last brutal hill. My hamstring was sore/tender for all of Day 2.

I think my lesson is--make sure there is enough salt in my system.

If you're not already using them, the electrolyte additives you mix in with your water are pretty decent. Helped me with cramping at least. I don't remember a specific brand, but I think those things are much of a muchness.

In reply to gamby:

As I think I said last time, thanks for doing this. I have MS and truly appreciate it. I give as much as I can to my local chapter, so I'm afraid I can't donate, but you are doing a great thing.

Luke wrote: If you're not already using them, the electrolyte additives you mix in with your water are pretty decent. Helped me with cramping at least. I don't remember a specific brand, but I think those things are much of a muchness.

I've been using the Nuun tablets and they work pretty well. I think most of my problem was my legs having to haul my 210 lbs up too many hills. Better fitness with less weight would have made a world of difference.

In reply to gamby:

oh, i know what you meant. i just don't want anyone throwing money my way in your thread. i'm riding second weekend of june in maryland (where my MS-suffering bro lives). century saturday, 50 miles sunday. then i'm going to do the mid-michigan ride second weekend of july, because i can.

AngryCorvair wrote: In reply to gamby: oh, i know what you meant. i just don't want anyone throwing money my way in your thread. i'm riding second weekend of june in maryland (where my MS-suffering bro lives). century saturday, 50 miles sunday. then i'm going to do the mid-michigan ride second weekend of july, because i can.

Hey! The riverside ride at National Harbor? If so I'll be there volunteering/ride marshalling. We're actually friends with some of the people who are part of the DC chapter organization, so if you have any last minute ride/route comments/requests, let me know!

We do the finger lakes ride every July as well to support my fiancee's mom.

Also, re: cramps/nutrition. I think it's common knowledge but just in case, when at the rest stops get the a bananya! the potassium helps a lot. If you're a coffee drinker or other caffeine addict, the camelbak tablets in the orange flavor come with caffeine so you get electrolytes and caffeine in your water. I usually do one bottle with that and one with a carb/protein mix for the longer rides ( just carb mix for rides less than 2 hours). If you dislike gel's, try the honey waffles you can get at bike shops and other sports stores. they're a nice change in consistency. on longer rides, i'll pick up some jerky or something like it as well.

In reply to bluej:

Oh, I enter banana hell on the MS150. At least 5 per day (so many bananas...). I usually do 50/50 gatorade/water in my bottles for carbs/electrolytes.

I think what it comes down to is--75-80 miles of hills on an 80-85 degree day takes its toll, period.

bravenrace--my pleasure, sir. The more research, the merrier. Paying karma forward...

Jesus, AC. That's some ridin'. I want to hear about more training rides!!!

I just did 31.86 miles in 2:01:14 today. Beautiful day--68, cloudless and no humidity.