The Bike to the Beach Blog

From B2B to Ironman Florida

2010-03-11T15:12:00.007-05:00

Who knows where one decision can lead you? In May 2008, I teetered on my bike during my first few rides and struggled to complete 26 miles. 18 months and 2 Bike to the Beach's later, I stood on the beach in Panama City, Florida about to embark on the most difficult one day endurance event. What struck me at that moment was how fortunate I was to be there and how thankful I was that I said yes to that first Bike to the Beach....

November 7th, 2009 started as great of a day as anyone can ask for. Standing on the beach with 2400 other athletes, I wasn't nervous or anxious but wanted to get started and see what the day held. No question it would be a long one....

After watching the pros swim off, the age groupers stood poised to start the 2.4 mile swim. The gun went off and we were underway. After an exchange of luck with Ann Barton (who talked me into this), I told her I'd see her on the bike course and we were on our separate ways. Ann swam at Notre Dame so there was no doubt she would have a nice lead coming out of the swim.

The first quarter of the swim is a complete mess. Most of your energy is spent trying not to get kicked or punched and really isn't a lot of fun. After turning the first corner, the field starts to thin out a bit and I felt myself settle into a rhythm. What's unnerving about the swim course it takes you about a half mile off the coast, so looking down into the abyss only made the Jaws theme song play louder in my head.

The bike course in the Ironman is 112 miles and Florida is nothing but flat and hot. I spent the better part of three hours looking for Ann and was thrilled to see a familiar face. The second half of the bike is very fast, but it's nearly impossible for the boredom not to sink in....

Entering T2 (bike to run transition), I had a burst of rationality. Was I really going to run a full marathon (26.2 mi) after 112 on the bike and 2.4 in the water? YES...there was no other choice.

Miraculously, I found a comfortable pace and prepared myself for the road ahead. After a few miles, I saw a woman grab a beer from a spectator and chug it. Cissy and I were quickly fast friends and spent the first 20 miles pacing one another. A short while later, I saw my girlfriend, Dad, and two friends cheering me on. Armed with a kiss (from the gf of course) and a few high fives, I was back on my way. At the halfway point of my marathon, my watch showed me at 2:05 and I was feeling good.

One of my competitors, a 65 year old man who's name I didn't catch was feeling a bit better. We shared our personal stories and he confided that this was his 15th Ironman. He said he was feeling pretty good, wished me the best, and sped off ahead of me. It was humbling to say the least....

What was day was quickly turning into night and quickly my body wanted no part of being in motion. Around mile 20, my feet hurt, I was hungry but couldn't eat, and felt the overwhelming urge to be finished. I kept pushing and told myself the finish couldn't be far away. With a mile and a half to go, Mike and Jeff had ventured onto the course and offered some much needed moral support.

Steadily the distance melted away and the lights at the finish got brighter. I turned the final corner and heard "Kevin Houk, YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!" Then they handed me a finisher's medal and a finisher's hat before pushing me to take a picture to commemorate the occasion. I've never looked more like a deer in the headlights and it's easily the worst picture I've ever taken.

"Nil Volentibus Arduum".....Nothing is impossible for the willing. With small steps and hard work, the unfathomable becomes the achievable. You just might surprise yourself....

Good luck in final preparations and fund raising. I look forward to seeing everyone Friday morning.

ONE WEEK!

2009-07-24T09:04:00.003-04:00

CAN YOU FEEL IT!?! I'm so excited I can barely sit still at work. My legs are bouncing up and down, my heart is beating quickly, and I can't focus at all. If B2B wasn't next Friday, I'd think I was having a heart attack!

I remember talking to Robby Walsh the morning of the ride last year (maybe it was more . Well he was joyfully proclaiming how B2B was "like Christmas morning"! I can't agree more. Last year, I woke up exploding with energy even thought it was still pitch black outside. We did our final equipment checks and piled into a car bound for the start point. The conversation was light, but there was a mix of nerves and excitement in the air.

For the first timers out there (like I was last year), I couldn't be more excited for you and congratulations on making a great decision to get involved with Bike to the Beach. This date has been circled on my calendar for 12 months now and you'll soon see why. Nerves happen, but they'll quickly vanish once you see the B2B bus pull up.

Great work on the donations everyone and keep up the good work!

Happy B2Bing,

Kevin

http://events.autismspeaks.org/b2b/kevinhouk

2009-07-03T15:55:00.001-04:00

About 4 months ago, Bike to the Beach signed up to compete in the DC BBQ Battle, against 47 other seasoned veteran BBQ teams. We didn't have a recipe or the necessary equiptment, we didn't know how to use the equiptment we didn't even have yet, and we weren't sure what the entire experience would entail... but we signed up, and hoped for the best. Sounds a lot like many of our B2B riders!!

And just like those riders will soon find out, its an amazing thing: the joy and satisfaction of joining a team, and working together to accomplish something that truely didn't seem feasible - whether its biking 100 miles (when you haven't biked in years), or raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for Autism Speaks, or learning how to slow-smoke tender, juicy, sweet, savory, spicy baby-back ribs and entering into the frenzy of a BBQ Battle!

In the end, the B2B BBQ team came together, through countless hours of preparation and training, and under the pressure of the prolonged grueling battle, to produce ribs that were "incredibly beautiful" (according to one of our 3 on-site judges, the owner of Facia Luna Restaurant), "well-cooked" (according to another one of our judges, the Washington Post Food Section editor), and "f^#*ing amazing" (according to numerous folks who were lucky enough to get a sample).

Literally, thousands of people came by our competition tent to find out what B2B was all about (and why our smoker was built out of bike parts). It was an amazing - and exhausting - 2 days, and its something the B2B team will never forget. THANK YOU to everyone who came by to offer support; we wouldn't have made it through the battle without you.

The BBQ Battle was an incredible journey, that seemed like a pipe-dream just a few months ago. But, in true B2B fashion, we jumped in the deep end, worked together, and got to the finish-line sweaty, dirty, tired, maybe even a little bloodied.... and glowing with happiness and satisfaction.

With the ride less than a month away, I'm looking forward to an amazing B2B 2009, and I hope all of our riders and volunteers are too!!!

Nil Volentibus Arduum - "Nothing is impossible for the Willing"

-Tommy Schmitz

A Moment of Reflection and Refocus

2009-06-29T16:09:00.005-04:00

Last year, my big ride was to head out from Vienna to the end of the WO&D trail and back. It would be a little over 50 miles and the "giant" climbs would be a good test of my fitness. I ended up cramping up and begging for a ride home. That's what I get for only eating gel packets.

Last weekend, I tried this ride again for the first time this year. Those climbs I remembered being incredibly high and long felt like a gentle massage for my legs. Blasting uphill, I was holding speeds normally reserved for flats last year. It's funny how much your perspective can change in a relatively short period of time.

We've got one month left, so I'm asking everyone to change their perspective and refocus their efforts on all aspects of B2B. I'm just as guilty as everyone else. I've trained my ass off, but have done little to raise money and haven't been making the training rides. There's nothing to do but look forward at this point.

Here's a link to a video Lance Armstrong just shot about his motivations for a return to cycling. Check it out: http://tinyurl.com/nj2qc4 . Basically, he rides for all those that are fighting cancer as an inspiration and is no different than us riding for Autism Speaks. I'm extremely proud to say that our actions make a huge difference in people's lives.

We all have a million other things to do, but I promise all your efforts are worth it and will pay off when we cruise into Bethany. I cannot express the feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction that comes from sipping that first Mango Margarita after the ride.

I look forward to seeing you all at the finish....

Kevin

First Year, First Group Ride, First Blog Post By CR Wooters

2009-06-22T14:41:00.004-04:00

So a few months ago my cousins convinced me to do Bike to the Beach. Like most of you we have been touched by Autism, our cousin Eric is Autistic. I figured this is a good cause and a great reason to get in shape. I purchased a bike off Craigslist and started to ride on weekends and in the mornings when the weather cooperated. I figured that I needed to get into some bike shape even before I took a ride with the B2Bers. I am glad I did. Last Saturday I cruised to the Georgetown waterfront to meet up with some folks for a 30 mile ride training ride. I was a little nervous. I wasn't sure what to expect - would I be able to keep up?

The day was nice but a little muggy. Around 11am, twenty or so folks start milling around the waterfront with their bikes. We get to talking and everyone seems cool. Some folks have brand new bikes and others have older beaters. Some folks clearly have been riding for a long time and others were like me - brand new. One rider brought her friend who was in town from NY. She rented a bike for the day and was a real trooper. I am still nervous but feeling a little better because everyone is and totally relaxed. I am thinking ...it's a great day and I am on my bike - how bad could it be?

We take off for the first part of the ride and I am feeling good. As we turn on to the bike trail, the line of cyclist breaks into 2 groups. A group of folks who are riding at the speed of light and the
other group taking it a little more under control. I unfortunately tried to keep up with Greg Lamond and Lance Armstrong at first. This was not the best idea. I almost had a heart attack. Fortunately, I came to a fork in the road and didn't know which way to go (Lance and Company were out of sight) so I waited for the second group. This was maybe the best decision I have ever made. The other guys were great but their pace, especially uphill, was just faster than I was
comfortable.

For the rest of the ride I cruised with the second group. We got into a nice grove. Sometimes we were riding side by side talking and other times we were drafting and really pushing it. It was fun to ride with other folks since most of my training rides are solo. I felt good. I was happy that I was in decent shape and not totally spent as the ride wound down. After the ride, I had a few miles to bike back to my place. There were a bunch of things running through my head ... that was a really fun ride... I met some really nice folks..... I think with some more work I will be able to make it to the beach.... and whatever happens stay away from the front, those guys are way out of my league!

Robby asked me to write something for this blog, another first for me, about what a first time rider is going through. Overall I am really getting addicted to riding. I ride almost everyday, or as much as I can. I try to push out longer rides on the weekends. So that's the first bit of advise ... just ride. It's going to take all of us a few hours to get to the beach (even Lance) so you should be comfortable on the bike. This training ride showed me that there will be enough people for you to ride at any pace you want. I am looking forward to more group rides and I am pumped to bike to the beach. This is a fun and hard but totally doable challenge. I wonder what the feeling will
be like having beer with all of you at Mangos after the ride. I am certain it will be rewarding and only made more rewarding if I roll into Bethany before my cousins! (Bring it Johnny C!)

Kevin Rapp's NYC Reflections

2009-06-12T14:07:00.000-04:00

6/11/09 - I am waiting in line behind about 40 people in Bethesda next to the old Shakey's Pizza place for my 12:15pm Vamoose Bus. A guy in front of me has a t-shirt on that says, "Talent is what you have, effort is what you give." I think that is a pretty fitting motto for today's trip and B2B in general.

It's times like these that I am able to pause and reflect on how far Bike to the Beach has come since incorporating in 2007. My first ride 2 years ago had 23 riders. This Monday we eclipsed the 100 registered rider mark. The combination of the talent within the organization and the effort put forth by its members is responsible for this exponential growth.

Talk about dynamic. The three founders, Ben Dalley, Joey Schmitz, and Tommy Schmitz have, "it". By, "it", I mean the ability to effortlessly inspire and captivate individuals. When you pair this it factor with tremendous effort and focus you get something special. You get Bike to the Beach. A growing, vibrant community centered around one audacious event. The 100 mile annual bicycle ride from Washington D.C. to Bethany Beach, DE that has raised over $150,000 for Autism Speaks.

As I wait here my mind wanders to the beginning. To two high school students, 10 years ago, who just wanted to get to the beach and were crazy enough to fathom doing so on their bikes. 12 hour later they arrived. Because of them I am here today about to board a bus to New York City for the first ever Bike to the Beach happy hour in the big apple.

6/12/09 - Exposure! A lot of fresh eye balls were fixated on Bike to the Beach last night. I scanned the bar and saw Bike to the Beach posters, t-shirts, and wristbands in every corner. I spoke with businessmen, baretenders, and babes. As I sit here on this bus back to Bethesda I am content; tired, but happy.

Mike Mahar's NYC Blog

2009-06-12T14:06:00.002-04:00

Greetings to Friends of B2B,

Recently B2B’s NY Chapter organized a happy hour soirée in New York City to raise some money and awareness about this fantastic Ride that’s been doing so much good. And you know what else? It’s growing! Like the Rocky Mountains jetting into the sky from plate tectonic shifting, B2B is spreading into cities all over the map. Ben Dalley and Kevin Rapp were among those in attendance along with about 50 other new faces at The Wharf Bar in New York City. These new faces are now wearing glow in the dark wristbands and that spells success for our cause.

For me this event was especially special because of all the special people there. A lot of people I have met while living in NYC don’t know about B2B and the strides it has made, and having them come to The Wharf and hear about the ride and the good it does made the experience even more meaningful to me. Most of the donations I had received from the 2008 ride were DC locals and family, and I felt that my ‘intense’ training was unnoticed by peers in NYC. The fact is that ever since Pat Montague told me, “Sure Mahar, I’ll donate $20 to you riding halfway to Bethany,” I was a man on a mission. It ignited a fire in me that there was no way I would not finish this ride. It’s a fire that burns inside every rider and eventually in their legs when they realize how far 120 miles is. Hopefully, last night helped to spread this fire and those new faces at The Wharf will one day become faces with a helmet on a yellow jersey riding to Bethany Beach!

Special thanks to Allison Puca, Katie O’Leary, Christine McDermott, Paul Baker, and Brian Boland for helping make this fundraiser happen. Also, a big shout out to Ben and Kevin for making the trip to NYC to be with us.

Michael Mahar

First Training Ride

2009-06-05T10:13:00.000-04:00

Saturday noon came around and I was sitting on the waterfront boardwalk in Georgetown with some other B2Ber’s and I was completely relaxed. Why I was about to put out 25 miles of physical exertion seemed crazy to me. I was on the water, weather warm, sitting comfortably, why change that? However as people began to show up it was clear I was about to tackle my first real ride of the year.

We started off cruising down past the Lincoln Memorial and pedaled past teams playing volleyball and softball having some beers and laying in the sun. Again I questioned why I was not doing that instead. We continued on out to Hain’s point did a quick lap, went over the Memorial Bridge and headed out to Old Town Alexandria. This first part of the ride we were in two packs, one pushing ahead, and the one I was in slowly getting our legs under us and enjoying the weather and the amazing scenery only DC can provide looking over the river at the monuments. We continued along the water and made it out to Old Town where a Bike to the Beach veteran Pat Schmitz had set up a quick rest stop for the riders. Being someone that was not bright enough eat breakfast that morning I was pumped to have some bananas and wheat Thins and fill up my water bottle. It was then that I checked my phone and I realized my casual biking pace had me running late to get back home for something I needed to get to.

My ride and mentality quickly changed to a charging high octane pace. I set out back with 3 friends heading back at a quick pace. We had 20 miles back to my house and we were going to cover them quickly. We got into a quick line formation and began to tear down the path at an average of a little over 20 mph. Whenever the lead rider got tired another took the lead and charge pulling those behind him along. The ride being two of ours first real ride of the year our legs were burning but we kept up with the pace, taking lead when it was our turn and hugging the back tires of those ahead of us for the draft when we weren’t in the lead. My view had gone from staring at the monuments on the way out to staring at the backsides of those ahead of me on the way back. We held our pace and arrived in my neighborhood over 30 minutes earlier then expected. But we still had the final few hills of my excruciatingly hilly neighborhood. We assaulted the hills trying to accelerate up them instead of letting them slow us down. The legs burned and ached, but we cranked it into my driveway, home.

As I hoped off the bike my endorphins were pumping the 4 of us chattering about different aspects of the ride home, where we felt great and were attacking the ride, and where we were struggling just praying we wouldn’t fall behind. It was awesome. My legs were a little cooked, but all I was doing was trying to think and plan the next time I was going to get back out on my bike. I remembered why I don’t stay sitting down on the waterfront; because getting out and riding is so much fun and I love this feeling. I was tired, but felt great. My first real ride of the year had been about 35 miles and, all things considered, I wasn’t too sore.

P.S. Kevin Houk and Mike McConnell must have felt even better because after we got to my house they went out and did 20 more miles.

Thoughts for the Week

2009-05-26T06:51:00.002-04:00

A few thoughts.....

First, there are a few deal of the day type of sites that have a ton of good stuff. The two I use all the time are Bonktown.com and Chainlove.com. Both will offer a deal for a certain period of time and usually things are offered for a pretty steep discount. I recently upgraded my cranks for a quarter of the normal price!

Second, there is a Bike to the Beach training ride this upcoming Saturday at noon. Last year we would often ride out the WO&D trail and would stop for lunch out at the Old Dominion Brewery. They are always productive, a great way to meet people, and overall a good time. I'll post more details when I know them.....

Finally, there is a pro bike race in Clarendon this weekend. The CSC Invitational is Sunday, June 1st and the course starts at the Clarendon Metro. The pro race starts at 12:15 and features team like Slipstream-Chipotle, Highroad, and Team CSC. It should be a great day of racing, as these guys tear up the streets of Clarendon.

Hope everyone had a great Memorial Day. I guess we deserve the rain today after such a beautiful weekend.

-Kevin

Why Everyone Should Bring a Spare Tube

2009-05-23T20:57:00.000-04:00

Lacrosse was over, the day was beautiful, it was the perfect way to kick off my 2009 biking season. The day before Don Ball, a B2B Veteran, had been down at my brothers graduation from law school at UVA. The trip, in a car, down and back traversed a 4 lane highway with endless rolling hills.

The entire return trip we could not stop talking about what it would be like to bike it. How hard this hill would be. How the last downhill give us just enough momentum to get us to the crest of the next hill without having to crank our legs too hard. The speed we could get on the next big downhill. And how over the course of a ride on this road how our legs would quickly get used up.

The car ride had me pumped, it was the perfect storm, motivated by the ride, beautiful day, and a few hours free since lacrosse had ended. I was getting out on my bike. I got home from work, quickly threw on some biking gear and headed out. I had my legs turning over at the start, and was ready to attack the ride. It didn’t take my body long however to remind me that it was my first ride.

The day before I had thought about the big hills I could challenge and conquer, and today I was being reminded that any incline would bring about some quick burning in the legs. My idealism of how the ride could feel from the day before was brought back to earth with the idea that I would have to put in some triaing to get myself back to cycling. But I was willing to do it, it was beautiful out, and I had time.

That was all true until mile 4 when, psssssssst, the sound of air escaping. Then the thump in my front tire as all the air had escaped and I could feel each time the air valve went around the tire. In my excitement to get out and ride I had not grabbed an extra tube or tire irons. I was now about 4 miles from my house with a flat tire. SO I turned around greatful for the free time that I had because now I didn’t have to rush my walk back. So I will try again tomorrow to tackle the hills and get back to real cycling shape.

And of course, I will remember to bring out a spare tube.

-Robby

Spring Rides

2009-05-15T10:48:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago I was down visiting my grandparents in Florida. The weather was gorgeous and I decided to rent a bike. So with a beautiful Trek, I headed out to meet the Naples Velo Club. I figured I would tag along for a nice easy ride with some older gentlemen. As soon as I arrived I was informed that this is was their "fast day". They said the lead group would pull at around 24 mph and I was willing to try to stay with the group.

We headed out on the first of 4 six mile loops and into the first turn the pace exploded. While petaling like my life depended on it, I watched the group slowly drop me and, glancing down, my spedometer read 32 mph. Who were these horses trapped in 55 year old bodies?

I tried to hang on a few more times and actually caught on for the last half of a lap. After the ride, I kindly thanked the guys for kicking my butt and went home for some of my grandmother's cooking. My grandparents absolutely loved the story (especially the part about me getting whooped up on by a bunch of older guys) and proceeded to tell every one of their friends that we met during the trip.

Recently I've been training to get some base miles on my legs. I got 45 in last weekend, but the legs still feel slow.

I'll cover options for training in the next post. Stay tuned!

Buying a Bike

2009-05-01T11:09:00.000-04:00

The first part to doing Bike to the Beach is getting a bike. Recently I took my grandfather into a bike shop and his response was "What happened to the $200 Huffy?!" Brand new bikes are expensive, but here are some basics so you can find what you want.

First, you can complete the ride on many different types of bikes. We had people complete the ride on road bikes, hybrid bikes, and even mountain bikes (shout out Mike P). Mountain bikes are the heaviest kind and have knobby, fat tires. The large tires are designed for off-road, so they're not ideal for a century ride.

Hybrid bikes take elements from both bikes. They have the bars of a mountain bike (straight across) as well as the triple cranks for more gear choices. But they also have the larger wheels that are more efficient on the road.

Finally, road bikes are made of the lightest components and have the largest wheels making it the most efficient on the road. Brand new, these can cost anywhere from $400-$10,000. An updated version of my bike (Scattante R-560) is selling for $699 at Performance Bikes and they usually have 10% off coupons that can also be used. You're probably asking, "What do you get for all this money?!"

The most important part of any bike is the frame. Frames are mostly made from two different materials, aluminum and carbon. More carbon is always the best option. Most bikes have a carbon front fork and if your better off if you can get carbon seat stays (they connect to the rear wheel). Carbon is lighter, stiffer, and absorbs the bumps from the road better. If you plan on becoming a serious cyclist, I definitely recommend making this investment.

The next important part are the drivetrain components. This includes the shifters, the front and rear deraileurs (executes the shifts), and the cranks and cassette (connected to the petals and transfers power to the wheel). The shifters are usually integrated with the brakes.
Ok, so you have a lot of stuff on these bikes. The important part is to get the best components you can for the money. Most bikes come with Shimano components (although there are other brands). The types of Shimano components are listed below in order of quality (highest to lowest):

Dura-Ace (race ready)
Ultegra
105
Tiagra
Sora (garbage)

Personally, I have 105 components and I wouldn't recommend going below them. There is nothing more frustrating than having to stop because your bike won't shift correctly.

Here's a link to a post about when I bought my bike: http://www.bike2thebeachblog.com/2008/06/my-first-road-bike.html

More to come in the future, but questions are welcome.

-Kevin

2009-04-24T11:05:00.002-04:00

Robby posted last week about his first time out on a bike in a while, and I wanted to follow up on that. This past weekend, I went with my dad to do a group ride out in St. Michaels on the Easter Shore. It was supposed to be a 60 mile ride, and I really wasn’t feeling up to the challenge.

My dad is claiming that he’s going to do Bike to the Beach this summer, so he is all jazzed up about training and preparing for B2B. The Old Man’s enthusiasm got me out there, but once I got on the saddle, I had to run on my own steam.

The weather was perfect, and the roads were flat and clear of cars – really couldn’t have asked for a better setting. So that was nice. But as Rob mentioned last week, it was tough to get going again. We started out from our own starting point, and expected to merge with the group (about 150 people) after about 15 minutes. Sure enough, 15 minutes in, a double column of tandem bikes, side-by-side and one after the other, start whizzing by me. That really caught me off guard. We had accidentally signed up for a tandem ride!

After a while, I discovered that drafting off the back of a long line of tandems does wonders for warming up the legs; they practically pulled me along. The ride was split into a 25 mile warm up, and then a 35 mile 2^nd leg. And by the 2^nd leg, I was being reminded of how much I was looking forward to Bike to the Beach. The thoughts started flowing through my head, as I lost myself on the asphalt: biking down the shoulder of the road, surrounded by friends and family, pushing forward for a good cause, with the beach and a few [dozen] cocktails waiting at the finish-line! Before I knew it, the ride was winding down, and I had met a bunch of new folks, almost all of whom were interested in hearing more about Bike to the Beach. I happily obliged and tried to recruit as many as possible – even passing out blue and white B2B wristbands. Watch out, this year could be a banner year for tandem bikes in the history of B2B!

First Ride of the Season

2009-04-24T10:59:00.001-04:00

I finally got around to pumping my tires back up that had deflated over the winter months. I had been meaning to do it for weeks, but a mixture of rain and excuses kept me from it. I had just lost a tough game I coached (St. Albans lost to Landon - lacrosse) and I felt we had underperformed. My mental review of every practice that week, play and coaching decision were cycling through my head, I needed to get out and take my mind off of it. A quick bike ride to get the endorphins going seemed like the perfect solution.

I didn’t want to get too ambitious for my first ride of the year so I decided I would do a short 12-15 miles. When I sat on my bike and got the gears cranking the bike did not feel quite as familiar as the last time I was on it, but I knew my legs would fall into their pedaling rhythm soon enough. My butt did not like the old feeling of being back on the bike seat and the beating it was taking every bump in the road, so I changed my course and made my new destination City Bikes in Bethesda to pick up a pair of bike shorts. The ride there was a little rough. It took about 20 minutes then I picked up a fresh new pair of padded spandex short.

On the ride home my body returned both mentally and physically to the enjoyment of riding the return trip was great, I picked up speed, and felt great closing out of my first ride. We shall see if I can follow it up with another ride this weekend, or if weather and excuses keep me from it again.

– Robby Walsh

A Statement of Purpose

2009-04-07T08:37:00.002-04:00

First of all, thanks to everyone that came out. We raised around 3k for Autism Speaks and, personally speaking, had a great time doing it.

It was great to see Malcolm H and his lovely wife hanging out. They were easily the MVPs of the post-ride celebration at Mango's last year. So in the B2B spirit, they've made arrangements to leave the kids home for the entire weekend to get the full experience.....

It's been exciting to see so many first timers interested and signing up. My hope is to use this blog to answer many questions that come with this journey. How do I raise money? What kind of bike should I get? How do I train so I can be the first person at Mango's (with Malcolm)?

Feel free to leave a comment with any other topics about B2B or cycling in general.

Kevin

A New Beginning

2009-03-26T22:12:00.005-04:00

It's a great time of year! It's starting to get a little warmer outside, there's great college basketball on at every turn , and summer is seemingly right around the corner. Sure there will be cookouts, the shore, and tanned ladies mingling at happy hours everywhere, but it also means that one of my favorite things things, Bike to the Beach (B2B), starts fresh with a new season.

Bike to the Beach kicks off next next Friday, April 3rd with a happy hour at Tommy Joes in Bethesda starting at 5 pm. A few drinks for a great cause is something we all can get behind.

The kickoff from last year is where my journey with B2B started. I walked into Tommy Joes only knowing my immediate group and a few sporatic others. Over a few Miller Lites, I got to meet a lot of the awesome people and hear more about the cause. Honestly, my first thought was a) I haven't ridden a bike since I was 14 and b) how many miles is it?!

Have no doubts, you can do it. Last year I started with no bike, no idea how to ride, and no idea what Bike to the Beach was. But don't take my word for it. Come check out the documentary from last year and get to know a few people. The worst that happens is that you walk away with some sharp looking gear. (And I do mean sharp. The B2B gear is FRESH!)

Everyone is welcome, so bring a friend, a coworker, or even your Mom (seriously).

Bottom line, it's a great looking crowd, an awesome event, and a phenominal cause. Don't miss it!

Here are the details:

Tommy Joe's

5 PM, Friday, April 3rd

4714 Montgomery Lane

Bethesda, MD 20814

(301) 654-3801

Get Directions

What is Bike to the Beach?

2008-11-29T18:35:00.004-05:00

It has been almost 4 months since I finished the 2008 Bike to the Beach for Autism Speaks, but I wanted to wait to write my thoughts until the magnitude of our accomplishment had completely sunk in.

So what is Bike to the Beach? Is it just a ride that tests endurance and strength over the 100 miles to Bethany Beach? Is it just a charity ride that benefits a great cause, Autism Speaks? Yes, it's an impressive ride and benefits a great cause, but it is so much more....

At its core, Bike to the Beach is about friendship. It is about riding with 80 complete strangers who feel like old friends by the end of the weekend. It's about meeting new people and hanging out with old friends. It's about being completely exhausted from the ride and then heading to Mango's for some mango margaritas to tell stories of personal agony and triumph.

The ride developed from a group of friends who went to the beach and the only way to get there was by bike. So they sucked it up, rode the 100 miles, and celebrated their triumph once they got to Bethany. That spirit is still at the core of this event. Our trek started Friday morning and our celebration capped with being in the water at Seacrets on Sunday. It was exhausting, exhilarating, and just thinking about it makes me want to do it all over again.

Bike to the Beach is nothing without the commitment of its riders. We raised around $95,000 between 80 riders! I was fortunate enough ride with one lady who had driven all the way from Pennsylvania do the ride for her autistic son. This quote from her personal profile gives a glimpse into her character:

I started cycling only recently so 120 miles is a long & tough haul for me,
however it will be easy relative to the challenges my autistic son Chase faces
each day. I would ride 100,000 miles for him, yet it still wouldn't compare.

Not only did she end up raising over $4,000, but she was an excellent cyclist and hung tough up front for most of the day!

There isn't enough space here for me to go through all the phenominal stories. One rider kicked as soon as he got over the Bay Bridge to keep up with the front pack. While trying to turn on his IPod, he dropped it! He had to stop, turn around, and pick it up. To catch the front pack, he had to hold almost 30 mph for a few miles. His reward for this hurculean effort was to be dragged along as the group tapped out such a quick pace that they outran all volunteers at the rest stops. With no food and little water, he phoned his parents to ride along to pass some food and water to the depleted but pushing group.

On the other end of the spectrum, one rider (who will remain nameless) found himself at the back of the pack after an early flat tire. After riding for a long period of time and struggling with road dimentia-- the effect of the combination of the exhertion, dehydration, and heat-- he decided to pull off to the side of the road for a quick break. He was found by one of our capable volunteers asleep under a tree.
Needless to say that it was a long day for him......

Finally, I'd try to explain the sense of pride and accomplishment I feel from doing this ride. Not only was this a great physical accomplishment for me, but more proud of what we accomplished as a group. Nothing felt better than having someone whose lives were personally touched by autism come up to you and say simply, "Thank You".

I can only imagine the pride the leadership must feel after such an overwhelmingly successful event. They unbelievable efforts should not go unnoticed and that group of friends is the reason why Bike to the Beach is such a success!

See you next year!

Kevin

I'm Back!

2008-07-30T11:58:00.004-04:00

Yesterday I got possibly the best news in the whole world, that I can ride in the Bike to the Beach. Even though I have a strained MCL (medial collateral ligament), slight tears in my patella tendon and meniscus, and a decent bone bruise, none are serious enough to keep me out of the ride.

I don't think I can possibly convey how excited I am to be back in this! My imagination has been running wild with the thought of 100 riders dominating the 120 mile journey. I can't wait to see all of the riders depart sporting the sleek blue and yellow jerseys. I can't wait to look around during the ride and know everyone else is overcoming the same pain for this amazing cause. Most importantly, I can't wait to taste the exuberance and exhaustion that wait for me at the finish line.

Two days left until the ride. If you haven't donated yet, follow the link on the right side of the page to my donation page. A small sacrifice by every one of us can make a huge difference in the life of another. Starbucks doesn't need your $5, but Autism Speaks does!

And to everyone that has already donated, know you have both my thanks and my respect for your support.

Some Bad News......

2008-07-22T11:32:00.004-04:00

First, I can't thank everyone enough for their support up to this point. The response has been unbelievable and has completely blown my expectations away.

Now for the bad news and it kills me to write this. In a men's league lacrosse game last week, I took a shot to my right knee that felt pretty serious. I just got the preliminary word that it looks like a sprained LCL ligament (on the inside of your knee). The MRI will give the final word, but for now the probability of riding B2B isn't looking good at this point.

The most frustrating part is that I have gone from not being able to ride a bike (including falling over) to being able to handle myself with seasoned riders. I've changed from a complete novice to being able to handle 100 miles in a single day.

My hope is that the MRI will show a mild sprain and I will be able to gimp along to the finish. I'll know in the next few days and will keep you updated.

I'm Ready

2008-07-20T17:25:00.002-04:00

Wednesday was the first day I tried to take my mileage near the century mark (100 mi). First, let me take you back to Tuesday night.

I got caught at work late and didn't end up leaving until around 6:20. I intentionally lifted my pace to try to get home before it was completely dark. My legs were churning out the miles as I made it to Vienna in under an hour. Coming into Falls Church, I stayed out of the saddle to keep my pace. In Arlington, I had to stop for an ambulance, but eventually made it home in 1:40. Great ride!

Wednesday I planned both to and from work and then pick up a group to head to Mt. Vernon from there. My legs were somewhat heavy in the morning, but I still made it under 1:45.

The afternoon was shaping up to be a long, hot ride. I left the office late (4:20) and was supposed to meet the other riders at 5:30. For the few climbs, I tried to stay out of the saddle to keep a heavier gear turning and it worked. I arrived in Arlington to pick up my buddy Jeff at 5:55, a new personal best for the ride home.

My new found Clif bars kept me feeling pretty good as we headed off to Mt. Vernon. We kept a moderate pace, which was fine by me. After 10 miles or so (~mile 60 for the day), I was starting to feel the mileage. Even though I was complimented on looking very comfortable, the stiffness in my body, mainly my lower back, was starting to become annoying.

We moved at a decent pace until we turned around as the sun was going down. The ride back was at a significantly brisker pace looking to beat the sun down. The coolest part of the ride was as we went past Reagan Airport. The trail winds right near the runways and a plane came in for a landing right over us. It felt like we could reach up and touch it.

The only obstacle remaining between us and home was the hill climb on Custis Trail. After about 90 miles of the day, I felt this as the ultimate test of my legs and conditioning. I was definitely working hard, but it wasn't devastating either. I made it to the top and waited for Jeff to follow.

Overall, it showed me that I could ride a long distance in good time (averaging over 18 mi/hr to and from work). I'm pumped for the ride with the hopes that I can stay with the front pack for most of the race.

Also, It's come to my attention that my idea of a good pace might actually be slow. So I've ordered a cyclometer to see what my average speed, cadence (rpm), and hr are as I take on these rides.

Two weeks left!

A Tough Day on the Trail

2008-07-17T18:50:00.005-04:00

Last Friday, the 11th, was one of the hardest rides I've ever had. I have been steadily building both my mileage and pace and after a long week of work, what better way to unwind than with a 60 mile trek to the end of the WO&D and back?

I left Vienna around 4 with decent weather. The air was warm and calm, so there was little threat of thunderstorms. My pace was decently lively through the long stretches of trail in Vienna. After Herndon, the trail opens up again and my feet settled into a steady rhythm. Determined to keep my pace, I focused on maintaining a tougher gear on the inclines and accelerating downhill.

Around mile marker 35 the trail ticks up significantly. I had seen the elevation charts and knew this was going to be the first somewhat lengthy climb of my young cycling career. After a mile, I felt great. My feet were spinning fairly easily and I was in and out of the saddle attacking the climb.

The climb stretched on into mile 2, 3, and 4. My breathing was fairly constant, my feet were turning a tough gear, and my legs were cooperating! Higher and higher I climbed, jumping out of the saddle more and more to keep my pace. After a sharp turn, the hill crested and I was over the top!

Fatigued but invigorated, I kept going to the 42.5 mile marker. After a powerbar and a quick drink, I started my long journey back determined to beat 2 hours on the return trip. Going down the hill was exhilarating, feeling the speed overwhelms your senses! As my speed built, I tried to aero-tuck a little tighter to pick up every last bit of momentum.

I kept my agressive pace through the rolling hills of Leesburg and Ashburn. Then on an unassuming downhill cruise, I heard the a pop come from my back tire and the familiar sound of rushing air. Determined to still make my time goal, I quickly ripped off the back wheel, changed the tire, and furiously began pumping it back up.

Unbenounced to me, I was shimmying the stem back and forth with every pump until it gave up and broke off. Now, 18 miles from home and watching the daylight fade with every second, I was seriously concerned. My saviour came in the form of a rider on a Cervelo, who tossed me his spare tube without a second thought. I owe him a beer to say the least!

This time I carefully (and successfully) changed everything and went on my way. With stiff legs after the long break (~45 min) so I tried to makeup pace on the last leg. Then, without warning, my right hamstring started to sieze up. It felt like someone was grabbing my right leg!

Through the pain, I petaled with the left side only to avoid any more damage. With the sun going down and miserable from the cramping, Icalled for a ride. I limped along for the next 10 miles, petaling with my left leg only, until I could be scooped up in Reston. (Thank you Mom and Dad)

The ride was both encouraging and frustrating at the same time. I had taken my first climb in stride and made great time doing it (30 miles in 2 hrs with the climb and stops). At the end of the ride I was completely dejected. I had "bonked" and ruined what could have been a great pace, all because I didn't pay attention to my nutrition.

The moral here is to lose the gel packs in favor of a Clif bar or sandwich! Natural is always a better choice!

My First Bike to the Beach Training Ride

2008-06-23T22:01:00.003-04:00

Saturday, June 21st, was an immaculate day. The sun was shining and the temperature was warm but not overly hot. I could not have asked for a nicer day.

The Bike to the Beach training ride left at 10 am at the Georgetown Waterfront. I arrived early and found myself nervously awaiting the arrival of the other riders. Swan and Jessica, who both ride for team Artemis, rolled up a few minutes later and looked very official in matching biking jerseys. John, the training coordinator, arrived a minute later in and we were quickly off from there.

The ride was slated to go out to Ashburn and back for a total of around 70 miles. I was familiar with the ride since it was my normal route to work. This being my first training ride, I was nervous that I could keep up with the pace. However, it became clear that the point of this ride was to get comfortable with the milage rather than set the pace.

We rode for a while until we came to an uassuming sign on the side of the road. Apparently this was the turnaround point. We got off the bikes and carried them through an unassuming trail and meandered our way to the Old Dominion Brewery for lunch. A burger and a beer have never tasted so good!

The group shared a few stories, including some eye-opening tales of falls and injuries on bikes. Before long, we set off once again on the long journey home. The group slowly paced itself over the first couple miles, which I'll blame on the lighter heads and full bellies. After everything settled, the pace quickened.

Eventually, John started to seriously pick up the pace. I caught up and passed him, which lead to us going back and forth exchanging the lead. This was my first experience with riding in a draft and the benefits were quickly evident. We reached Vienna with both of us feeling great about our sprint, and stopped to wait for the rest of the group. I sped off after a short wait to make another appointment.

Overall, the ride was a great time. It was great to meet my fellow B2B riders and hear their cycling experiences.

The bottom line, get out and try these training rides. The pace is accomodating, the people are great, and you can learn a lot about the sport from other cyclists.

The Longest Day

2008-06-19T16:50:00.004-04:00

I had decided that Wednesday was going to be the day that I finally went to and from work in a single day. My first commitment of the morning was at 8 am, so I would be embarking substantially earlier than I usually wake up.

I wokeup at 5:15 and was out the door by 5:40. The person I usually ride with had left at 5:30, so I was determined to catch up. Under a freshly risen sun, I left on the exact same track as I had ridden the 10 hours before.

The morning was crisp and cool (~65F) with no breeze to speak of. It was ideal riding conditions. I carried the momentum from the previous nights success into this ride. By the way, there were a suprising number of people on the trail for that time of morning.

It was a feeling I don't know if I can describe to see the mile markers clicking off, one after the other. There is a unique thrill that comes from cranking your feet as hard as possible just to feel the resulting in the wind on your face. Or maybe it comes from handling those speeds on tires an inch wide? Either way, I'm hooked!

As I cruised into the Lockheed parking lot, I felt a sense of accomplishment that I had made it there and back with no issues. Oh and my time, 1:50:15, nine minutes faster than the night before!

The day of work was a blur. I can barely tell you if I existed for those nine hours. All I knew was that the bike home was going to be brutal.

I somewhat reluctantly left the office at 5:35 with one ominous looking cloud overhead. After about a mile in, the skies opened up! It absolutely poured buckets for 15 minutes. All the while, I rested under a tree praying that it would end so I could just make it home already.

The skies cleared and again I set out for home. My pace was slow due to the wet roads. Something about leaning the bike into turns on wet roads gives me the chills. As I rode towards the path, I could see more unfriendly coulds coming east. I hustled North, but the oncoming clouds provided no motivation to my already throbbing legs. Every cycle meant feeling that dull ache from the back of my legs letting me know fatigue had already set in with 20 miles left to go.

Once on the path, I fought with my legs to keep them turning. Every hill meant coming out of the seat and praying I would have the momentum to carry me to the top. There were no record times going to be set on this ride.

The last hill of the ride took every ounce of my strengh. My legs were already screaming as I got out of the seat. I was shifting down through the gears, but they were not helping. Every petal seemed like I was getting further and further away from the top. Breathless and exhausted, I hit the crest. My ride was almost over.

I cruised into the house at a final time of 2:15. Not good by any means, but decent considering that I had done almost 90 miles in a 24 hour span and 60 in a single day.

The Joy and Pain of the Open Road

2008-06-19T15:41:00.007-04:00

First, let me say that last week was again filled with bike issues (A pothole absolutely dominated my wheels), but I'm done talking about that nonsense.

This week has been the first real week of training. Also, I'd much rather pass out on this keyboard than write this, but I'm pushing through for you all. Anyway, here's how it's gone so far....

Tuesday:

After a long day at the office, I was pumped to get on the bike and ride home. However, when I came out of the office, I found that I had no shorts to go over my spandex. I had two choices, man up and ride home half naked or pack it back in and try it the next day. I chose to ride of course.

It took me almost an hour to get onto the WO&D trail, but the ride goes very quickly after that. I was cruising through Vienna where I started to follow a group of riders. The draft coming off of a group of bikes is substantial and saves a tremendous amount of energy. I stayed with them, crouched as low as possible and turning my legs at a quick pace. They dropped off somewhere in Falls Church, but the idea that I could make it home in record time propelled me from there.

When I got off the trail, my clock said 1:50. If I pushed it through Ballston, I could make it under two hours! I saw my watch turn to 1:57 right as the light in front of me changed to red. I was close, but doubts started to creep in. The light changed to green and I full on sprinted until I reached my house. My watch read 1:59:25. I had done it!

Four Flats in Four Rides!

2008-06-05T23:14:00.005-04:00

First off, I realized I didn't load a picture of my bike. This is the infamous Scattante R-560 that I bought at Performance Bikes in Fairfax, VA.

Things have been interesting since my last post.

Monday, June 2nd:

I took the bike out on the Custis Trail around Arlington after work on Monday to make sure it could withstand the 26 mile trek to work. If you haven't tried it, I recommend the Custis Trail because it's a great mix of hills and long flat stretches. The bike performed flawlessly and I finally started to understand why people enjoy biking so much. The bike behaved so well that I wanted to try it on the ride home from work.

Tuesday, June 3rd:

I loaded to bike and made sure to check everything out that morning. After work, the skies looked ominous and overcast, but I still was ready to try the ride home. After getting changed, I took the bike out to find not the back, but the front tire already flat. UNBELIEVABLE!

I took the bike back to Performance immediately and, just like before, they changed the rim tape and the tube. For those of you keeping score at home, that makes three flats in three rides!!!!

Thursday, June 5th:

Again determined to complete the ride home, I set off around 5 o'clock. The ride started off well. I took a new route out of work that eliminated some of the more treacherous road crossings (like route 28). After riding through the neighborhoods I finally came to the Fairfax County Parkway, where I could really open the bike up. I was clicking through the gears and again feeling the thrill of speed. However, this story doesn't have a happy ending. As I came up a hill, I felt that familiar vibration from the front tire. That makes four flats in four rides!

I stormed back into Performance determined to return the bike. The staff there was completely understanding, and offered to change the wheels and tires for free. They put on Mavic Open Pro wheels and sent me on my way.

Friday, June 6th:

I set out for work at 645, understanding that I would be completely stuck if this set of wheels failed. I met up with a coworker, Ann Barton, in Arlington and we started to cruise. After 45 minutes, we had already reached Vienna and the wheels were performing flawlessly. The only problem I had with the bike was that I couldn't shift into the top gear on the front, but that was minor. We made it to work in a little over 2 hours (about 30 minutes faster than before).

After four flats in four rides, I finally had a bike that worked!