MS Bike Tour - THANK YOU!

Thank you, so very, very much, for sponsoring me for the 2008 Bike MS event. This past Sunday, October 5, despite a bone-chilling, drenching downpour, I completed all 100 miles of the ride.

Through your tremendous generosity, as of today I have raised a total of $3,424. This will likely qualify me as a “Top 200” fundraiser among the 5000 participants in this year’s event.

Without a doubt, this was the most challenging cycling event I have ever completed. The pounding rain turned the streets of Manhattan into a slippery obstacle course. Riders were weaving left and right to avoid potholes filled with mud. Dark storm clouds, combined with water spinning off the tires of other cyclists, made it difficult to see the roadway in the pre-dawn twilight.

The rain had let up as we reached the 20-mile rest stop but the damage was done: my socks and shoes were soaking wet. Thankfully, by the time we completed 50 miles and stopped for lunch, the rest of my body had acclimated to the cold. I knew I could complete the ride and headed into Rockland County feeling pretty confident. The euphoria of crossing the finish line back in Manhatta at 3:12pm made it all worth while.

For those of you who might be curious what a 100-mile bike route looks like, a map of the entire course can be found here.

One very special moment came at around 8:00am, as we rode northbound on the FDR Drive. A large group of women were walking southbound along the East River wearing pink hats and rain ponchos. It took me a second before I realized they were participating in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. As we passed by, they started cheering for us – and we cheered and applauded right back at them! For the rest of the ride, all I could think about was my friend Sharon, a breast cancer survivor, who was probably among those intrepid walkers braving the downpour for their own important fundraiser.

Although I had set out to achieve a new personal best time this year, the dangerous weather conditions made that goal all but impossible. As we left the starting line, my chief concern was avoiding an accident that might jeopardize my participation in the NYC Marathon on November 2. Ultimately, I completed the ride at an average speed of just 15mph. My total ride time in the saddle was 06:35:51, burning roughly 4041 calories.

At a time of intense economic uncertainty, you proved, in a very real way, that it doesn’t take a lot to be very generous. Every dollar counts. Your support of the Multiple Sclerosis Society means a great deal to millions of people, particularly at a time when so many other worthwhile organizations deserve your support.

Once again, thank you so much.

And thanks also to Jason (no known lastname), a cyclist I met on the road, who stuck with me and lent me his slipstream for much of the ride!