Training Ride #1

Here is what I know:

• There is only 39 days left until the ride
• Our team has collected $95,467 so far
• I need to go work out
• The team is required to ride at least 500 miles before the trip starts
• I have completed 2 team training rides the past 2 Saturdays (the first one was 37 miles and last week was 50 miles)  and have 3 more to go.

During my first training ride I learned a lot.  Our first ride- Saturday April 2nd- took us to and around Homer Lake Forest Preserve which made a grand total of our first 37 miles.  It was also alumni weekend for past riders of the Illini 4000 and riders from all of the past 4 years came out to ride with us!  (Even one of the founders of the organization was there!)  I got lots of great tips and learned a lot from past riders.  

One former rider who rode in my group was Steve and I asked him why he chose to do the ride last year and I was shocked to hear that he did it because he is actually a caner survivor himself...he was diagnosed with testicular cancer when he was only 17 years old!  This amazes me- this guy who is practically the same age as me not only has already rode his bike across America, but also has fought cancer- all in only 21 years.  It crazy to think because he is just like me- going to school, outgoing, and part of the Illini 4000- I would never have guessed he had cancer before.  Sometimes I think that cancer is only for older people or for people who aren't in shape but that is not true at all.  I was reminded that day that anyone can suffer from it.

I also learned that riding a bike is not as easy as it looks- especially in a group.  The most important thing that we focused on during our first ride together was communication.  It is very vital to be able to communicate directions and upcoming hazards to the rest of your group.  The person in the front of the line has to be the eyes for the person behind him and everyone up to the very back of the line. And the person at the back has to be the eyes for everyone in front of him and the person in the very front.  Everyone has to be alert, communicate and signal the entire ride.  It is kind of like a never ending game of telephone.  Common sayings are:

• "Slowing"
• "Stopping"
• "Rolling"  (aka moving)
• "Left turn"
• "Right turn"
• "Car up"  (aka car coming)
• "Car back"
• "Passing"  (Car or other motor vehicle passing)
• "Grate left/right"
• "Stick left/right"
• "Hole left/right"
• "Gravel"
• "Bump"
• "Tracks" (Railroad Tracks)
• "Clear"  (Road is clear for cars at the moment)
• "Gap"  (When there is too big of a gap between bikers in your group)
• And you can't forget any mics. items such as "Bud Light can left" or "Road kill right"

This can get very tedious and at times sound like a really annoying  parrot especially in urban streets where there is something to yell every second and everything gets repeated as it goes down the line up to 8 times (since there is a maximum number of 8 people in a group.)

I learned that I hate the wind.  The wind was extremely strong the day of our first ride and at times I am positive I could have been walking faster than I was riding my bike.  I was told by previous riders that the wind was the worst element to battle- they would rather climb mountains that go into the wind.

I learned that your legs are not the parts to get sore first during the ride- and its not your butt either.  It is your neck and shoulders.  They killed me during that ride.

I learned from a past rider that if you get lost along the ride you can assume that any direction uphill or into the wind is the right way to go.

I learned that snacks are important to have- because there are a lot of snack breaks.

I learned from previous riders that the I4K was the best thing that they have ever done (it is unanimous from everyone I have talked to)

I learned how to play "Chicken on the Roof" which is a ridiculous ice-breaker game you play with a partner.  Ron and David won hahahahahaha  (You had to be there)

I also learned that 37 miles into the wind was no cake walk.