Back on the Bike

Well, last night saw me get back on the bike. It had been 10 days.

Plans to ride on Monday night went out the window when I made a ‘quick’ phone call to my uncle that lasted over an hour. Ahh … family drams – don’t we all love them NOT!!!

So, Tuesday night I couldn’t wait to get back on Mince for a spin session to get the legs moving, the heart beating and to reignite my passion.

10-8-10 was exactly what I needed. A quick, high intensity workout! A warm up, 10 minutes as hard as I could go, 8 minutes recovery and 10 minutes as hard as I could go. Then followed by a warm down followed by a nice hot shower and into bed! So as I got on Mince, got the garmin calibrated to pick up the cadence sensor, found some music on my phone and got ready to start the first 10 minutes. And BANG – I was off. Within 2 minutes my legs started screaming and I screamed back to the tune of “Marry You …” (Note – sync music back on the phone. It had all been wiped when my phone died and went to Nokia hospital to get fixed.) I kept peddling and kept up the intensity and then just when I thought my legs had nothing else to give, I increased the intensity! This made it harder and more painful, but I figured I could then drop back after a minute and it would feel easier! But I just kept going! And with that, the 10 minutes was over. Time to recover. With that I looked down at the frame and the 23 names that looked back at me. And there is was – the 23 people that I am doing this ride for. Since jumping on Mav out on the road, it is these names that I have missed.

So when it was time for the next 10 minute session, I completed it with my head down  looking at these names.

Wayne – a former colleague who was diagnosed with a strain of melanoma. At the time his kids were 7 and 9. He fought as hard as he could for 2 ½ years and tried anything to get an extra day with his family. But when he knew he was terminal, he took his family on a trip around Australia. I had relocated to Hervey Bay at the time, and Wayne bought his family and stayed with us for a few days. I never spoke about Cancer to Wayne. I just didn’t realise back then that it was going to take his life. Back then, melanoma to me was a mole that you got cut out and recovered from. I had no idea that it was going to take his life! When he left – the last time I saw him, he left a voucher for us as a thanks for letting them stay! When Wayne passed, I bought something that I would always remember him by …. A wind chime. And now when it rings, I think of him!

(I am going to dig up a photo of Wayne to put here, so stay tuned)

Another name, Bill – my dear old grand-father. Around the age of 60, my Pa was diagnosed with lung cancer. He had smoked about 50 cigarettes since he was 12 years old – and his trusty pipe as well. To see Pa without a cigarette was rare! Even when he was a trainer at the footy club, he would sit on his medical box on the boundary line and smoke. You would hear him curse if anyone needed help! He would drop his ciggie, run to their aide, and hopefully make it back before it burnt to the butt! Those were the days J But when Pa got Cancer, it didn’t really register to me. I was a rebellious teen who was discovering growing up and was not really that worried about the health of my Pa. But he went on to defy odds and beat his Cancer. He had radiotherapy. But he still would have a smoke before he went in … and one as soon as he got out. Pa didn’t die of Cancer, but he sure had his battles with it. (He also had several skin cancers removed … hence I had no idea people actually died from them)  I now wish that I had taken the time to apprciate what my grandparents were going through back then and taken the time to hold my Pa's hand and tell him how much of a hero he was to me. Even now, he has been gone from my life for 10 years, but he is and will forever be my MY HERO!

(Photo of my Pa will be inserted here, so check back again)

Another name – Sadie May Billeci – an angel I never met, but know her beautiful daughter. 6 weeks ago Sadie was reunited with her husband Tommaso! Both are angels taken by Cancer. And Tash is left her on earth without her beloved parents and has seen the fight of the two people who mean so much to her.

It occurred to me during this time that I had lost my focus when I had been on the bike. Since riding Mav I had been out enjoying the riding experience. Riding for a love of what it gave back to me. But I had a feeling that I had lost my Reason to Ride. I have not focussed or had much thought for these 23 people that I ride for. And maybe this is why I found it so hard to find my motivation over the last fortnight? (That and the fact that I was suffering from fatigue)

So when I got of my Mince, I headed in to shower and made a promise that those 23 names are going on Mav. I have a beautiful charm that represents these wonderful fighters and angels – but I have realised I need their names and their stories to help me fight. They will all fuel my Reason to Ride. They will all sit in heart and my memory and push me over the hills. And when I get to the top of that hill, I will say a prayer for them …. And then enjoy the thrill and the love that everyone else rides for!

Back on the Bike – in more ways than one