Ride to Conquer Cancer

[lilmira]

Thinking about doing it next year.

Has anyone done it before? How was the experience?

I just started riding not too long ago so I'll definitely need to work on my legs if I decide to do it. I got the info package from them and it looks like a fun thing to do for a good cause.

[Artega]

Take it from me who went from a couch potato to marathoner in 6 months.
Don't think too much about how difficult it is.
You have to be willing to accept that the training will be difficult but you are doing it for a great cause.

The experience will be awesome if you immerse yourself into how beneficial it is and how many people you are helping.

If you enjoy this event, doing it again. If you didn't, then do another event.
but don't wait on joining such a great cause.

[swak]

Dont worry about the distance too too much.
Anyone relatively in shape should be able to do this on a bike. Its all mental.

ive never personally done it, but i know they have tons of support for riders during the whole thing.

Definitely go for it!

[lilmira]

Haha, I'm not too worry about the physical part. I'm no where near a marathon runner but I'm not a couch potato neither. It will take some work for sure and there is a lot of time to get my legs back.

I just don't want to be stuck at a poorly organized event for two days. Most reviews are pretty positive so it sounds like it will be good. Now I just need some people to go with me as a team. Anyone here doing it this year?

[megavolt]

I signed up last month. Haven't done it before. Someone in my company put together a team.

I cycle to work every day year round (35K round trip) but I've never done any LONG rides. Going to have to train myself in that area in the spring.

I'm 100% sure I can do this, but I'm still psyching myself out.

My biggest concern is riding my hybrid. I asked and they said a lot of people ride hybrids, even mountain bikes. But most ride road bikes. I realize that the ride will likely be a lot easier on a road bike, so I'm probably going to be looking for a used one.

[bigboom]

Originally posted by megavolt
I signed up last month. Haven't done it before. Someone in my company put together a team.

I cycle to work every day year round (35K round trip) but I've never done any LONG rides. Going to have to train myself in that area in the spring.

I'm 100% sure I can do this, but I'm still psyching myself out.

My biggest concern is riding my hybrid. I asked and they said a lot of people ride hybrids, even mountain bikes. But most ride road bikes. I realize that the ride will likely be a lot easier on a road bike, so I'm probably going to be looking for a used one.

if you have a hybrid and don't really want a road bike all you need to do is change your tires to some 23 or 25c tires and it'll be almost as good as a road bike. no need to buy a new bike for it.

[lilmira]

I'm riding a hybrid too with 700c (29er?) hopefully that helps.

I want to do it so much now hopefully I can find a few people to go with me.

[megavolt]

I know it will be okay... the question just keeps lingering in the back of my head, how much better would it be. I've never been on a road bike.

Maybe just trying to justify getting a new bike.

[gogreen]

I've participated in the last 3 rides (including the inaugural Alberta ride), but I'm taking a break from it for 2012.

You don't need to be concerned about the organization of it, as it's a very well-supported event. It's always been well-staffed with volunteers, so you pretty much show up and ride. They set up the tents at camp, supply food and water at pitstops, provide breakfast, lunch and supper, and do basic bike maintenance if you need it. And there are always support vehicles travelling the route, so if you find you can't continue you can get transported to the next pitstop. If you can do 25-35 km at a time you'll likely be okay as that's the typical distance between pits.

Typically the fundraising is the tough part, but at last year's event the weather on day 2 was about 4 or 5 deg C with rain and heavy wind, so it was more grueling than usual. In all honesty it really kicked my ass because I had a hard time fitting in enough training time before the event, just because I was so busy with other projects. I still finished though.

So my advice is to train as much as you can on hills and do longer rides to build endurance. You'll want to work up to being able to do back-to-back long rides a few weeks before the event. Say 80 km one day, followed by 40 or so the next. Cross training is good too (skiing, snowboarding, running, hockey, etc.). Keep a log and set goals. And remember, you don't need to be quick, just efficient.

Hybrid bikes are fine. I did it on a steel mountain bike with 1.25" high-pressure tires, but I've seen just about everything including singlespeed dirt jump bikes, beach cruisers, recumbents, and full-suspension bikes with 2.35" tires. Just make sure your bike fits comfortably and give'r!

And if you're in the NW or NE, check out Team One Aim. I joined up with them last year. They do weekly rides that start at the Tuscany club, and rides out to Bragg Creek and back, and being part of a team really helps with fundraising. You can find info on other teams and training rides on the RTCC website too.

[lilmira]

Cool! Thanks for the feedback

Is it possible to find out the route at this time? Can't find it anywhere.

[gogreen]

They don't officially announce it until a month or so before the event, but the last two years it has started at Spruce Meadows.

Last year's route went to Chain Lakes campground and back. We went south from Spruce Meadows, through High River, then west to Hwy 22 (Cowboy Trail). We then turned south and went all the way down to Chain Lakes to camp. On day 2 we headed back north on 22, through Longview/Black Diamond/Turner Valley. The final leg was east on 22X (thankfully accompanied by a nice westerly tailwind) back to Spruce Meadows.

'09 was similar, only it included the giant climb from Nanton to Chain Lakes. '08 also went south on 22, but it was a one-way route ending near Lundbreck.

So expect long climbs with side- and headwinds.

[lilmira]

Wow, it goes pretty far. You are right though, the fundraising part is pretty aggressive, no wonder they can raise so much every year. It looks like I"m gonna need more time to do that than to train my body for the ride.

[gogreen]

Yup, they advertise it as 200 km over the 2 days, but it's always been slightly over, usually 215-ish. When I first signed up for '09 I hadn't been on my bike for several years, and wasn't a road rider by any means. You'll see riders of all abilities and body types, along with cancer survivors just weeks removed from chemo. It's really quite inspiring if you think about it.

My best advice regarding training would be to start early and make sure you have a bike that fits. I saw lots of novice riders struggling due to improper fit (sore knees, shoulders, back, etc). I'd also suggest working on your cycling technique as efficient pedaling will really help. The Ride does provide a lot of info in this regard, and they have "Ride Guides" that you can phone up if you have any questions regarding training. And they also make arrangements with bike shops where they'll offer a discount on gear.

As for fundraising, again, start early! It can be tough with all the other causes and events out there (Underwear Affair, MS Bike Tour, various runs and walks), but don't be afraid to ask friends, family, and coworkers for donations. A good thing to do is ask for a donation in lieu of a Christmas or birthday gift. Also, if you do join a team you can get in on group fundraising, and funds can be directed to the team members who have yet to reach their minimum. Which is nice, because some people have an easy time with it, while others struggle. One member was 17 so didn't really have a lot of sources of donations, while others were more established (doctors, accountants, real estate agents, etc.) and had a lot of contacts to draw from. We also had some bbq's and bake sales. I certainly don't know a lot of rich folks, but I've always made the $2500 minimum. So it's definitely achievable if you take it seriously.

megavolt, to answer your question regarding road bikes, they do have a definite aerodynamic, weight, and gearing advantage over mountain bikes and hybrids. The route is always windy, so an upright position can be a bit of a bear! If you are thinking about getting a new one, just make sure to log plenty of miles on it before the event so it's set up comfortably and you're familiar with it. Particularly if you intend to go with clipless pedals for the first time! There are always multiple low-speed falls involving people who forget to unclip.

[megavolt]

I've been riding clipless for a year now. Had a few falls at first. Trying to get my friend into it but he's afraid of looking dumb.

[lilmira]

Clipless is awesome. Having both feet secured to the pedals give me much more confidence when pedaling hard. It's a bit intimidating at the beginning with the thought that I may not be able to remove my feet from the pedals when needed. I got used to it within a couple days, now it's quite natural to get off by twisting my foot slightly. I did fall the first day when I stopped for the first time, totally slipped my mind, luckily no one saw .

[megavolt]

So who all has signed up and how's your fundraising going? Also who has tips for fundraising/training?

So far I've got $622 raised and I just started asking this week.

[lilmira]

I'm not doing it this year. Couldn't find anyone to do it with me. I really want to do it though.

Had they not set the minimum amount that high, I would do it on my own even if I couldn't find anyone to go with me.

[98type_r]

Originally posted by lilmira
I'm not doing it this year. Couldn't find anyone to do it with me. I really want to do it though.

Had they not set the minimum amount that high, I would do it on my own even if I couldn't find anyone to go with me.

There are plenty of other rides you can do that don't have a fundraising requirement. Personally I don't like that there is a $2500 minimum to participate, but that's just my $.02

http://www.granfondorockies.ca/
60, 100, 140 or 170km distances
all you have to do it register and pay up

[lilmira]

That's interesting. I'll definitely look into it.

[gogreen]

Originally posted by megavolt
So who all has signed up and how's your fundraising going? Also who has tips for fundraising/training?

So far I've got $622 raised and I just started asking this week.

Well done. That's awesome! You're well on your way.

The $2500 minimum is daunting, but totally doable. I didn't have any experience in fundraising when I did my first Ride but I did okay for three years in a row.

One tip I have is simple: donate to your own campaign if you haven't already. It's a tax deduction for you as well, and if you donate $100 of your own money I think it tends to inspire people to follow suit. It shows you're committed to it and sets the bar at a good level. Then you just need 24 more people to give $100.

Another thing, if people ask when the deadline for the fundraising is, don't tell them that it's the day of the event (though you can drop off last-minute donations at the event). Instead, find out when the deadline is for getting your rider package in the mail (the package consists of your jersey, nameplates, wristband, etc.). If you don't get all your donations in before that date, you need to either pick up the package at the Ride office (which is in downtown Calgary) or get it the day of the event. Although last year you could pick everything up the day before at Spruce Meadows.

Getting it the day of the event can be a major pain. It's much better to have everything in advance so you can just show up, grab some breakfast, and be ready to rock and roll.