Danielle and Lesley ride over Cancer!

Guest Post by David Haas: The Power of Fitness for Cancer Survivors

2011-08-21T13:43:00.000-04:00

Danielle and I are happy to have a guest post from David Haas. David has been recently exploring and writing about how beneficial cancer support networks are to people going through treatments, in remission, and even family members of cancer patients (holler PMC!). Hope you all enjoy and Thank you David for your hard work!

The Power of Fitness for Cancer Survivors

Recent research suggests that exercise can have positive long-term health benefits for cancer patients following treatment. Cancer patients face many challenges during the recovery process and additional challenges post treatment. According to the American Cancer Society, adopting an exercise routine can help cancer patients gain renewed confidence and vitality.

There has long been evidence suggesting that a combination of exercise and diet may help prevent certain types of cancer. Now, there is evidence suggesting that a proper diet and sufficient exercise may prevent some cancers from returning. Even patients with a very rare and mostly terminal cancer such as mesothelioma may enjoy some benefits of regular fitness. People who are in better shape tend to have a longer mesothelioma life expectancy, and it has also shown that people’s bodies that are in good shape often handle treatment better.

Patients who did a lot of exercise prior to their diagnosis should continue to do so post-diagnosis. Even walking around can help a patient avoid blood clots in their legs. This is a common concern for patients who have spent a significant amount of time in bed while receiving initial treatment. Patients who did not exercise prior to their diagnosis may still benefit from light exercise such as walking or swimming. General benefits of regular exercise include increased energy, stronger bones and muscles, improved mood, added confidence, reduced fatigue and a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Studies have shown that women with breast cancer who exercise after treatment live longer and have less recurrence. Similar results have been shown for people with colorectal cancer and lung cancer. Colleen Doyle, a nutrition expert for the American Cancer Society, contends that exercise has the same benefits for cancer survivors as it does for anybody else who follows a steady fitness routine. The following types of exercises have been shown to be good for patients following cancer treatment:

• Flexibility exercises such as stretching
• Aerobic exercises such as walking, swimming and jogging
• Resistance training such as light to moderate lifting

Patients should start exercising right after treatment if possible or possibly during treatment. Studies show that some patients tend to slow down their activity level following treatment. This may lead to bouts of depression and increased stress and fatigue. Patients should discuss any type of exercise routine with their doctor. Patients have reported feeling better with even mild to moderate exercise.

By: David Haas

No one ever said PMC riders could dance.

2011-08-06T18:11:00.000-04:00

Well this is a new one.

2011-08-06T07:25:00.001-04:00

DC posting: The morning started out smooth enough. Up at 3:30 and outside in time for the first bus... That NEVER came. Is it 2010 again!? Well no cause at least last year our missing bus showed up eventually (in fact last year's 30 minute delay doesn't sound so bad anymore). This time around our bus has legit gone rouge and the 50 some abandoned riders at our hotel have been forced to take cabs (!?!) to the starting line. Eeek! So much for getting up front with Lance. Guess we'll just have to catch up to him ;)
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PMC start line 2011

2011-08-06T07:21:00.000-04:00

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Screw you, Cateye! (Product Review)

2011-08-04T23:37:00.006-04:00

Well it was bound to happen eventually - last week my odometer battery konked out. In theory, this should be no big deal. In reality... it has turned into a nightmare!

After realizing my odometer was outta juice, I picked up a new battery and then promptly forgot all about it and my nonfunctional odometer. In fact, the problem completely slipped my mind until I rolled out of bed last Saturday morning to meet Les for a good ol' Quad Cycle group ride. With little time to spare, I threw the unopened battery in my bike bag and figured the always helpful Quad Cycle employees would be able to help me replace that bad boy no problem.

Ummm... not so much. As it turns out, my Cateye Strada odometer battery is locked behind the tiiiiiiiniest screws you've ever seen. They are SO tiny that Quad Cycles didn't have a small enough screwdriver to remove them, and I was forced to ride without any gauge of my speed or mileage... well, except for the updates I forced Les to give me every five seconds or so. What can I say - odometer withdrawal ain't pretty!!

Thankfully I made it through.... and then as soon as I got back to my apartment I AGAIN forgot all about this problem ! Until tonight that is - the night before we head to Sturbridge - when I was putting an emergency rain coat in my bike bag, and I saw it.... that goddamn unopened odometer battery ad;kgha;gdkh

So off I went to CVS to buy an eyeglasses repair kit - essentially the smallest screwdriver I could think of. Well ya know what, IT'S STILL NOT SMALL ENOUGH. I AM NOT EVEN KIDDING. I was finally forced to google this awful product only to find out that you need a "precision screwdriver" to remove the back panel.

What the hell is a precision screwdriver!?

I give up. At least for tonight, cause if you think I could survive this weekend's ride without a functional odometer, you're as stupid as the Cateye Strada.

Guess I'll just have to find a hardware store tomorrow morning and hope for the best.

In the meantime, I am giving this product a HUGE thumbs down - the Cateye Strada and its tiny screws have managed to screw me BIG time. Consider yourselves warned.

LiveStrong, StreamLive

2011-08-03T15:05:00.005-04:00

As repeat readers of this blog know, PMC weekend starts before a single rider mounts her bike at the Sturbridge start line. Instead, the weekend kicks off Friday evening with an elaborate opening ceremony that reminds all of us - riders and donors alike - why we contribute to the PMC. This year, in addition to hearing from the PMC's founder, numerous cancer survivors and Dana Farber doctors and administrators, we'll also be joined by the infamous Lance Armstrong! Whether you love him or hate him, Lance is a dynamic addition to this year's ride, and someone who clearly understands the PMC mission, having himself overcome testicular cancer to become one of the world's most well-known cyclists.

Even though the opening ceremony unfolds in the middle of Massachusetts, everyone now has the chance to experience this powerful event thanks to WCVB's premier news magazine, Chronicle (Channel 5), which produces a one-hour show from the grounds right outside the Sturbridge Host Hotel.

So if you're looking for a way to join in on the PMC experience without having to attend even a single spin class, tune into www.thebostonchannel.com this Friday at 7pm for a live stream of the weekend's opening ceremony. And, of course, we'll be live blogging about the entire weekend right here on this site. So keep checking back and if you haven't already done so, please be sure to donate!!!

Tattoos and Cancer

2011-08-03T12:59:00.000-04:00

Thanks to a dear friend (and cancer survivor/ass kicker) Lauren Alexanderson for finding this one:

The PMC is just 3 days away! Look for some upcoming guests posts concerning healthy lifestyles and cancer!

Bikes Vs. Babies

2011-06-27T21:14:00.014-04:00

This past weekend, Les and I biked the MS Society's Cape Cod Getaway charity ride. After conquering 150 miles in 2 days, and helping our team - Velox Rota - collectively raise more than $100,000 for MS research and care, we should have been feeling pretty darn good. But for the second time, our rider's high was squashed by the MBTA's ridiculous no-bikes on the Green Line policy. Even though it was 10pm on a Sunday night, and Les had given every last ounce of energy she had to the ride, MBTA employees refused to let her on the T; forcing her to instead bike home in the dark with all her gear.

Enough is enough.

Since my (MANY) angry letters to the T have gone unanswered over the years, I have decided that it's time for a new approach. Maybe the idiots that made this policy will have an easier time understanding a graphical argument for allowing bikes on the Green Line...

Haircut for the Cure Update

2011-05-24T07:48:00.000-04:00

Brian informed us that the mullet hawk won by 19 dollars with the deciding bid coming in 1 minute before the deadline. Brian raised 954$ for the PMC!

Looking good Brian!

Hair-ography

2011-05-19T14:20:00.002-04:00

A facebook exchange took place on a recent family photo. My uncle comments about his lack of hair and questioned whether or not the photographer had “photoshop-ed” it out. My mother [a beautiful Lymphoma ass kicker] responded with: “I learned a long time ago hair does not make the man, or for that matter the woman.”

True dat Mamma! You looked gorgeous sans hair!

Part II of this post also involves hair, or what will be lack of hair. A dear friend and amazing PMC supporter to both Danielle and I, Brian, mentioned to me last night that he has started a contest of sorts at his office. This contest is titled “Haircut for the Cure” and it involves his peers voting[with dollars $] on which 3 extreme styles Brian will have to sport for a certain amount of time. That time is based on the amount he raises: 200$ = 2 days, 300$=3days etc. Brain told me that his whole theory behind why this would work is that people [or his friends] would be willing to pay money to see him do something self-deprecating. [ha, actually very smart Brian!]

Brain, then went on to tell me that all the money he raises will be donated towards the PMC!!! [see, isn’t Brain smart and amazing?]

I am beyond grateful to Brian for his willingness to chop off those lascivious locks for the Pan Mass Challenge! So, Brian, just remember that hair doesn’t make the man!

OOOh and Bonnie says:

It's On.

2011-04-25T21:08:00.003-04:00

With the fundraising emails out, the training blog revamped, and Monday spin class conquered, I’d say the 2011 training season is well underway! Actually, while it might be hard to tell from the blog (I promise, we’ll resume a regular posting schedule soon), we’ve been back on the saddle for the last few months.

Unfortunately, given this year’s record snowfall levels and excessively rainy Spring, our training so far has been confined to the spin room. But helping motivate us through the dreary weather have been a series of grueling 2 hour spin sessions with our bike team at the Porter Square Ballys.

Now for anyone who hasn’t experienced this particular gym, let me paint you a little picture: With no windows, all black walls, and an inhumane lack of anything that might promote air circulation, the Ballys' spin room is essentially a pit of despair. Throw 30 hardcore cyclists into the mix, and it doesn’t take long for all of the mirrors to fog up like some twisted, adult version of 7 minutes in heaven… except that it’s 2 hours in hell.

But hey, this kind of training is what will set us apart once we can finally get out on the road. At least that’s what I’ve been telling myself to motivate through these torture sessions.

Thankfully, tonight’s class wasn’t quite as intense because on weekdays I spin at my normal gym, Healthworks, which is … um… a slightly different gym-going experience than Ballys. First of all, the spin room has three – count them, THREE – walls of windows that look out onto Porter Square. And, most importantly, the room has AC AND fans.

This. Is. Living.

But of course, what you gain in amenities at Healthworks, you lose in raw athleticism. In fact, the Monday instructor Jon has a habit of showing up a few minutes late and hopping on the bike while still wearing a white button down shirt from his day job. And while I’ll admit there’s something disturbingly sexy about a man on a bike wiping the sweat from his forehead with a tie (don’t judge me), it doesn’t exactly inspire a balls to the wall workout session.

That’s okay though. Every class can’t be a 2 hour torture session. NOR SHOULD IT BE.

The PMC is about a serious cause, but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be fun. So to make sure that doesn't get lost, we’ve cooked up some extremely fun new features for the blog (to match its snazzy new design). In the coming months you’ll see product reviews, bike maintenance videos, interviews with cancer survivors AND MORE.

So get pumped, and while you’re at it, get to donating!

Donate for Roger Ebert...

2011-04-14T22:48:00.002-04:00

Cancer sucks. Plain and simple, but upon watching this Im reminded of all those who overcome and make the best of what this disease lays upon them.
This TEDtalks is [per the usual] heart wrenching and inspiring. Take 20 minutes to watch and I guarantee this will make your day brighter.....
I have my legs. I have my voice. I have everything I need and everything I don't need.

link: http://www.hulu.com/watch/232234/tedtalks-roger-ebert-remaking-my-voice

PMC Landry's bike night...Oh Yes I did.

2011-02-17T23:28:00.001-05:00

First off. There was free beer and shrimp! And off course I bought something...Check dez shitz out:

New shoes. Way to expensive! Seriously. I better never have to buy any other shoe ever. Can I wear these to work? they are pretty darn beautiful, and the price will be worth the comfort....right? Please tell me yes.
Specialized S-Works Rd

New helmet (which hopefully makes me look like much less of a goof ball mushroom)
Lazer Helmet (i still haven't found the lazer or laser component of it, but I'm betting it appears when I need it.. Like to take down asshole cars, or maybe it fills potholes with its super laser power? ya think? Yes!

Danielle couldn't make it (but our newest PMC recruit Katie (http://katiespmc.blogspot.com/) came!) So I had to text her some helmet advice...

Im not the only one who believes in skull power!

2010-08-26T13:43:00.000-04:00

I found this woman sporting some skulls during the PMC too.

also, here I am in the last 10 miles

Insensitive headbands and Fear Tactics.

2010-08-20T12:14:00.001-04:00

I like things that are intimidating. Is this because I’m insecure at times? Yes, probably. I won’t deny it. I like threatening things because it makes me feel empowered. This is my approach to situations that are out of my control. Hearing “Mom has cancer” made me lightheaded and nauseous; I paced back in forth in my crappy little internship office, hands shaking, and tears uncontrollably rolling down my face. I’ve taken on a new approach to combat overwhelming emotions: my method of defense is not a wall, but a face and an attitude!

PMC weekend was amazing. Weather was perfect, legs were feeling good, and my emotions were high. This weekend 5 years ago my mother found out she had cancer and quickly began her first chemo treatment. It was Friday night: Pre 110 mile feast, PMC opening ceremony, and sweet little bike expo! I found a headband that I had to have. It had skulls all over it [see image]. I like skulls and immediately showed off my newly acquired fashion to a group of my coworkers who got me involved in the ride one year prior. One replied “isn’t that a little insensitive?” Insensitive? Where have you been living? Skulls are cool!

Ok, yes, skulls are cool, but what is my fascination with them? Here are a few of my many reasons:

1- I like pirates. We have a lot in common: They use violence to get what they want. I use fear tactics to get what I want

2- I have a fascination with paleontology. I found a bone in my backyard as a kid and convinced myself it was that of an Indian....pretty sure it was a chipmunk thou.

3 - Hard core bike gangs rock skulls on their leather jackets, and I have a personal mission to be a leader of a cycling bike gang with a sweet ass skull kit with crazy helmet skull covers.

So is this skull fashion just a generational gap thing? Or is it a symbol of death and I'm an insensitive bitch for sporting it during a charity ride?

Let me explain my reasoning on why I think Im right: I ride the PMC because I have no idea how cancer works, let alone how one would cure it. I wear a skull headband [and shoes and t-shirts for that matter] because I believe that to walk the walk and talk the talk you've gotta have a look that backs it up. I want to look cancer straight in the face and say: “Cancer, me and my bike gang are taking you down.” And I want to look that potential PMC donor in the face and say: “I’m a freakin pirate! Give the PMC your money for much needed cancer research or I will take it from you”

Fear Tactics. It worked for George Bush, and I believe it can work for the PMC.

The lost footage!

2010-08-18T18:20:00.000-04:00

Dc posting: Apparently some of the mobile blog updates never went through?! Here's some fun footage from the start of day 2- good morning, Bourne.

The beer helped.

2010-08-09T11:19:00.007-04:00

Party Ferry Home!!

2010-08-08T15:33:00.001-04:00

Rough seas so far. Extra hard with sore legs. We'll see if beer hurts or helps...

Done, son!!!

2010-08-08T12:36:00.000-04:00

20 miles left!!!

2010-08-08T09:57:00.000-04:00

It's her butt,

2010-08-08T08:42:00.001-04:00

And she'll do what she wants to!

We're getting close

2010-08-08T08:41:00.000-04:00

Water stop 2 of day 2

2010-08-08T08:39:00.001-04:00

Day 2- 82 miles to go

2010-08-08T05:41:00.000-04:00

Morning mayhem.

2010-08-08T05:20:00.000-04:00

At least it wasn't a 3:30am wake up call today. (More like 4 HA)

So what do people do after biking 110 miles? (and after 4 hours of free harpoon beer?)

2010-08-07T18:46:00.000-04:00

So what do people do after biking 110 miles?

2010-08-07T18:35:00.000-04:00

110 miles down!

2010-08-07T16:03:00.000-04:00

(DC posting) We seriously could not have asked for better riding weather- cool, no humidity, clear skies. In fact this was one of the nicest biking days I've ever experienced. Made for a wonderfully smooth day and we were enjoying our victory beers at Borne well ahead of last year's schedule.
Now we're sitting, listening to live music and talking about cancer- about how it's affected our loved ones, and the loved ones of those we love. As always this is a very emotional ride and there have been more than a few tears today. But for the most part they're good tears- tears of fond memories and the hope of healthier tomorrows.
Even if it's sad at times, it's nice to have such a raw reminder of why we ride.

Smooth start

2010-08-07T07:11:00.000-04:00

DC posting: We had big plans to be at the front of the pack this year. Then the 4:05am bus didn't show. Oh well, more time for photos :)

And so it begins....

2010-08-07T05:28:00.000-04:00

"Wake up in the morning feeling like P Diddy."

2010-08-07T04:15:00.001-04:00

3:30am wake up. Gaaaa.

2010-08-07T04:06:00.000-04:00

Hospital vs hotel?

2010-08-06T20:06:00.001-04:00

IPhones have some funny emoticons and sometimes are mis-interpreted

MA Senators do the PMC (part 2)

2010-08-06T19:36:00.000-04:00

MA Senators do the PMC! (part 1)

2010-08-06T19:35:00.000-04:00

Sturbridge!

2010-08-06T17:27:00.000-04:00

The weather is perrrrrrrfect! All we need to do tonight is load up on carbs, mark our bikes and take in the nervous excitement all around us.

Even without a breakdown

2010-08-06T14:15:00.000-04:00

It's a long ride to Sturbridge. Luckily we kept ourselves entertained...

The only thing left to do...

2010-08-06T12:51:00.002-04:00

Is personalize the helmet...

(DC posting)

Much easier journey to the bus than last year (thank you Motha Nay'cha for holding off on the rain this time!). Now if this year's bus can make it to Sturbridge without any breakdowns, we'll really be golden!

The best part about not working?

2010-08-05T14:03:00.002-04:00

Noon spin classes!

Thank you, groupon!

TWO DAYS TO GO!!!

Hate cancer? Love free stuff? This post's for you!

2010-07-27T11:12:00.009-04:00

With the PMC 11 (!?!) days away, we're going into hardcore final countdown mode. And with a bit of fundraising still to go, I found myself contemplating the best way to inspire people to give to the cause.

And then it came to me... the perfect storm of people hating cancer and loving free shit...

Starting today, until the PMC kicks off at 5am on August 7th, if you donate $15 or more, you get yourself a handmade "fuck cancer" shirt!!!

(Thanks to Brian for inspiring me with his homemade Fuck Cancer shirt at our fundraiser the other month, and Barack Obama for inspiring me with his ability to draw way more donations from me than my income justifies simply by offering cool swag.)

UPDATE!!! The shirt is now available with slightly toned down messages for anyone who was worried about getting strange looks in the supermarket. Now take your pick from the following designs: "fuck cancer", "eff cancer" or "suck it cancer ".

You know you want one! So contribute and get yours today! 100% of your donation still goes to the Jimmy Fund, and you'll be contacted about size and color preference after the donation is processed.

And then, if you feel inclined to send a picture of yourself in your fuck cancer shirt for the blog, well, I would fucking love that.

CLAIM YOUR FUCK CANCER SHIRT!

Not much has changed in 15 years

2010-07-20T14:14:00.007-04:00

This past weekend I went back to dirty Jersey to celebrate my dad's 60th birthday. Every time I go home I'm amazed at how my bedroom has slowly evolved from a tranquil personal space to an impromptu museum showcasing the Life and Times of Danielle Cerny. If I thought anyone out there cared about seeing a framed copy of my first work of art, the voodoo doll we used to pump ourselves up before field hockey games in high school, or the stacks of broken boards that chronicle my rise from white belt to red, I'd forget this whole school thing and base my retirement on admission and tour charges.

If only.

Well, this weekend I stumbled upon something I think people might actually care about - or, in the very least, get a good laugh out of: my 4th and 5th grade reading journals. These bad boys are choked full of goodies, but the entry that really jumped out at me was about a family trip to Maine back when I was 11. Here's an excerpt:

[The text in case it's hard to read: In or out of the pool it was a very peaceful place to be. But after the first day of sitting around we needed from exersize! So the next day we all rented bikes and went for a 40 mile bike ride. BEFORE... And AFTER... Very few survived. But going back in time this is what happened inbetween. We all started at a steady pace. We stayed together at first. But then my mom and I on our tandom raced ahead. Others got tiered. And we all needed a break here and there. When the bike trip ended we all spent the rest of the week in bed! The End!!!]

And there you have it, in 15 years very little has changed: I still love biking (and beating people on my bike), I still like to present my stories in before and after format, and I still have the same sense of humor (which I don't think my teacher even got from the looks of her notes!)

I dunno if that bodes well for the 11 year old version of myself, or poorly for the present day me ... but points for consistency I suppose! And definite extra credit for 15+ years of rocking the spandex.

DONATE

Helping bike lovers find love since 2010

2010-07-12T16:00:00.012-04:00

Les and I have made no secret of our desire to land hot bicycling boyfriends who court us with strolling rides through the countryside, trips to the repair shop, and outdoor weddings where we walk down the aisle in our finest spandex before riding off into the sunset on matching his and her road bikes.

Okay, perhaps we haven’t been that specific in the past, but that’s definitely the scene that plays out in my head whenever I reference my future PMC boyfriend(s).

Well, believe it or not, Les and I aren’t alone in our bike boyfriend fantasy… the French – arguably some of the world’s greatest romantics – are also embracing the concept of roadside romance.

The Frisky – an online news source that has covered pressing questions like “Are all your friends lying to you?” and “Would you rather appear completely naked (we’re talking full-frontal, vag-in-view nudity) on the cover of Vogue, or appear fully-clothed in a Playboy spread?” – recently reported on a hot new French dating website devoted to bicycle love.

Thanks to my sis for finding the link, and so that you don’t have to click away from our page, here’s the short blurb that they published:

“Nothing cuter than a cute girl or boy on a bike, right? A new French dating website works off this principle. Called Velibataire, it’s a play on the French word for single (célibataire) and the name of the Paris public bike system (Vélib’). Because so many Parisians use these park-and-ride bikes to get around the city, it makes sense that you might cross a few hotties on your ride, just as you would on your daily subway commute. Velibataire lets users find other bikers closest to their neighborhood Vélib’ station, signal when they’re about to leave the house to pick up a bike (because maybe you’ll happen to “bump” into someone there), or organize bike ride dates with potential mates. Kind of a cute idea, n’est-ce pas? Think an online dating service like this would take off in the U.S.? [Velibataire]”

And here’s a screen shot of Velibataire’s homepage:

Now I don’t speak French, but I'm confident that photo speaks for itself. And the concept definitely translates – I don’t think anyone gets on the T expecting to catch a love bug (though other communicable diseases are pretty much implied). A scenic bike trail, on the other hand, ripe with picnic tables and trees for carving in your lovah’s initials, well, that’s a different story.

So in response to the “article’s” final question – heck yeah I think that kind of service could take off in the U.S., and if I was capable of creating a website that involved more than picking a template from Blogger’s fine array of aesthetic alternatives, I’d be all over this.

So here’s what I’m thinking instead – I’ll supply the catchy website name, main graphic, and first dating profile, and someone else can do the dirty work of writing the html and finding me a biker boyfriend. Sound good?

I sure hope so, cause I already did my part of this assignment:

---------
Website name- Bicyngle (Get it? Love it? Good.)

Main graphic-

First Personal Profile-

Name: Danielle Cerny
Birthday: 3/3/84
Likes: Hydration, Helmets and hot chiseled men
Dislikes: Potholes, Port-a-potties, and pigeons, parakeets or really birds of any kind
About me: To be honest, I’ve already found love, and it came in the form of my Giant Avail. My Giant and I have shared many beautiful weekends together, but it has come to my attention as of late that my bike has found love with another:

At every water stop, the two seem to nestle up together, unconcerned with the backlash caused by their flagrant PDA. It was a hard reality to accept at first, but given the recent rumors that they’re expecting twin tricycles in the fall, I’ve come to terms with the need to find a bicycle boyfriend of a less literal sense.

On that front, I’m not asking for much- just someone who will hold my bike steady when I’m changing a flat, and agree to travel hand-in-hand with me down the bike trail of life.

Suitors should be in their mid- to late-twenties, capable of maintaining a minimum 16mph average on the road, and look damn good in spandex (photos required).
---------

And there you have it. I’m confident one of you oh-so-clever blog readers can make Bicyngle a reality, but in the meantime, feel free to post your own profiles or, even better, responses to my profile, in the comments section of this site. And, just putting this out there- I’m completely open to bribes, and will give dating preference to the biggest donors ;-)

Let the bicycle lovefest begin!

DIRECT YOUR BRIBES HERE

Killin diseases one mile @ a time

2010-06-26T07:11:00.000-04:00

Getting rid of MS before we knock out cancer!

Father's Day

2010-06-22T19:14:00.008-04:00

So.

My dad's cancer is back. And it's spread.

I haven't told many people yet, but Les keeps saying I need to talk about it more. Let it out.

And she's right.

I guess by posting it here, I'm telling everyone and no one at once.

It's a start.

The situation isn't great but the doctors are optimistic and the Cernies are fighters. We've beaten cancer before and we'll do it again.

To help in the battle, they've put my dad back on bi-weekly chemo, and we're trying to optimize family time while he fights: his birthday next month, a vacation in August, and Father's Day just this past weekend.

So after Friday's PMC Fundraiser (thank you again to all who came out) I jumped on a train and headed back home.

If you don't know my parents, they have a somewhat unique relationship. As my dad recently put it (and he meant this lovingly, I swear): he's the logical half of the couple to my mom's illogical side. The Jack to her Locke (pre-Smoke Monster), if you will. A constant source of conflict, to be sure, but a much needed balance that's not easy to find.

In keeping with their relationship's constant back and forth, I came home to find my mom - a nurse who has studied Reiki and references her "energy healer" in conversation without batting an eye - trying to convince my dad - a by-the-book doctor - that a complete natural overhaul of his diet was integral to a smooth recovery.

Not surprisingly, my dad was resisting. And I don't blame him- if I was already being subjected to chemo, I wouldn't exactly be in a hurry to give up little pleasures like a beer with my dinner or a steak when I go out. But my mom wasn't giving up, and while he was out running errands, she showed me the spices and oils she'd been slipping in his food based on tips from countless cancer-related books she's read since he was first diagnosed.

She's happy to do this for him, but as we sat down to play Mexican Train Dominoes (a game my dad insisted we try after learning Ashton Kutcher is internationally ranked - "if that guy can do it, anyone can"), I looked at my dad - exhausted from chemo - and my mom - exhausted from worry - and decided that reinforcement was needed.

If my dad's gotta drastically change what he eats, why should he do it alone? Actually, I'm happy to join him in this endeavor. When Les's mom had cancer, she went all natural with incredible success, so I totally believe it's every bit as important as the more mainstream solutions out there. Plus, I'm not gonna lie, our growing family history of cancer incidents has me a little concerned about what lies down the road for myself. There's really nothing to lose, far as I can tell.

Before I rode back to Boston, my mom loaded me up with a sampling of vitamins, herbs and books, and by my dad's birthday next month I am determined to be well on my way to joining him in this lifestlye change.

So as soon as I finish the last fork-fulls of leftover Chinese food that I'm currently savoring, I'm starting a fresh page in our family's medical history.

Like I said earlier, the Cernies are fighters. So listen very carefully, cancer: We're gonna punch you right in the FACE. You hear me? In the face.

Before and After - Photos Have Not Been Altered - Results Are Real!

2010-06-14T16:38:00.002-04:00

This past Friday, Les and I did something a little crazy- we rejected the prospect of another workday stuck glued to a computer screen, and joined an elite gang of bikers (gang symbol still pending) for an all-day training ride from Kingston to P-Town.

This seemed like a great idea… until I realized the following:

a)The ride was going to be 90 miles!
b)The longest training ride I’ve done so far this season was 55 miles, and that was only cause Les and I got lost!
c)We had to be at South Station by 6:30A.M. to participate!
d)We wouldn’t be “stopping” for lunch until the whole ride was done!
e)And yes, all of these exclamation marks were completely necessary!!! (Though the quotations around stopping are debatable)

I think this Before-Ride photo says it all:

(side note to potential PMC boyfriends: I promise, I clean up nice. Call me.)

But there was no going back once we’d purchased our ferry tickets and told our employers to screw. And since we’d be joined by 14 other hardcore riders - including Michael Augustine of Team Velox Rota and Bally’s fame - how hard could this ride really be?

Umm. Pretty. Effin. Hard.

The group was relatively cohesive for the beginning of the trek, but by 20 miles in we’d split into 3 distinct pacing groups, divided in large part by a slew of grueling hills. It was at about this point that my newly installed iphone mount decided to dislodge from my bike handles, sending both the holder AND iphone flying onto the pavement, where I immediately biked RIGHT OVER THEM.

Kerplunk!

Is that the saddest road kill you’ve ever seen, or what? No time to mourn, though – there were cold beers waiting for us at the end of the route! So after gathering up the pieces and confirming that the phone AMAZINGLY still worked, it was time to get back to pedaling.

Unfortunately, that pedaling remained extremely challenging, and after about 10 more miles, I had to stop and give my aching legs a pep-talk. This is when I discovered that my back tire had sprung a slow leak who-knows-how-long ago and was undoubtedly (at least this is what I like to tell myself) the cause of my struggles.

Thankfully, Ira I’m-Such-An-Intense-Biker-I-Don’t-Own-A-Car Kemp helped me replace my busted tube and gave me a fighting chance at finishing the ride alive. It’s worth noting that Ira used to (okay, still kinda does) scare the crap out of me. I simultaneously love and fear his spin classes because he demands the absolute best from himself and those around him. His approach certainly isn’t for everyone, but after watching him fix my tire and successfully intimidate an aggressive truck driver while on a bicycle – I can tell ya that Ira is a-okay in my book.

Ira – you da man.

The rest of the ride was filled with death-defying bridge crossings and more hills than my butt cared for, but by 4:30p.m. all 16 riders had successfully completed the route, and it was time for the real fun to begin.

$530 of bar tab, 90 minutes of ferry riding, 1 shattered iphone, and countless laughs later, we were back in Boston.

As it turns out, the night wasn’t quite over for me and les, but I’ll save my MBTA protest post for another day…

For now, an experience of Friday’s caliber deserves to end on a high note, and I think this After-Ride photo says it all:

Donate to Danielle
Donate to Les

Oh, what a difference a year makes

2010-03-30T23:25:00.007-04:00

Well there's no denying it - training has officially begun! This time last year, Les and I were barely blogging, but so far this season, we already have a 55 mile outdoor ride under our belts and more spin sessions than our aching legs necessarily care for.

While we're definitely off to a solid early start, I realized today that all this focus on our training has had a glaring, negative consequence... we've neglected our blog! It's almost as though our blog - our first love child with the PMC - has become overshadowed by the allure of our comparatively younger road bikes; and by god, as a first born child who clearly harbors no resentment about having to share the limelight with a younger sister after 3 1/2 glorious years as numero uno ... I will not let this stand!

So we're bringing the blog back to center stage! And in an attempt to repair its battered ego, we're even springing for the blog equivalent of a nose job - yeah, that's right, a brand spankin' new Danielle and Les Ride Over Cancer logo! Suck on that one, bikes! Okay, hmm, I'm starting to question my future parenting skills, but we'll save that one for another day.

Here's the kicker - since everyone knows self-esteem is based on popularity - as it should be - we can't do this alone. Next week, Les and I will be revealing the contenders for this year's logo (one you will see on your Thank You postcards once you donate... hint, hint) and you will pick the winner!

So check back soon for your chance to help rebuild our blog's self esteem. And while you wait for the big unveiling, we encourage you to kill some time by donating to our fundraising efforts:

Donate to Danielle!
Donate to Les!

But please, try not to play favorites; we can't afford any real-life nose jobs.

My butt is cancer free!

2010-01-22T11:23:00.004-05:00

I can’t wait to get old. In fact, I dream of the day I have nothing to do but sit on my porch and throw empty beer cans and disparaging comments at any young whippersnappers that dare pass by. When you’re old, you can get away with that kind of shit. And I intend to take full advantage.

Unfortunately, my genes have sped up the need for one aspect of old age I wasn’t looking forward to: The dreaded colonoscopy.

As most of you know, Les and I first got involved with the PMC because our lives were directly impacted by the bitch that is cancer. On my end, I lost my Grandma Murray 2 years ago to pancreatic cancer, and last year my dad was diagnosed with, and kicked the ass of, colon cancer.

We ride in hopes that someday no family will have to go through what ours did.

Problem is, this is a long-term goal. So when my mom saw a CNN report saying colon cancer was on the rise for young women with a family history of the disease, she decided that riding in the PMC wasn’t enough to keep our family cancer-free. Instead, she demanded I get myself checked out.

As awful as colonoscopies sound, I wasn’t about to argue with this request. I mean come on, I *need* my butt in tip-top condition if it’s gonna survive 192 miles of one-on-one time with my bike seat. Plus, I’m a big fan of my ass, so I take pretty seriously anything that threatens the junk in my trunk.

Setting up the appointment was easy enough, though I did have to explain on numerous occasions why a healthy 25 year old was seeking out an exam normally reserved for people who check off the 50+ box. Makes you wonder if “preventative care” is more of a sexy political talking point than a health industry standard.

But I digress. While my actual colonoscopy was Tuesday, the hardest part of the whole thing was Monday’s prep- You can’t eat any solid food, or drink anything that isn’t clear, for 24 hours before the exam! This did NOT mesh well with my constant-eater life style. The saving grace was advice from Les’s mom, who’s a nurse in the GI dept of an Indiana hospital. Her words of wisdom: Beer counts as a clear liquid, and green jello tastes better when made with a liberal helping of vodka. While the jello shots seemed like more effort than they were worth, a few beers mixed with my starvation-induced delirium helped me make the best of an otherwise unpleasant day.

Then came time for the actual procedure. Just like you’d expect, you get to the hospital and they have you strip down and change into a gown. Oh, let’s pause here for a minute actually. Ya know how your mom told you to always wear clean underwear in case you get hit by a bus… well here’s something she didn’t tell you- The only thing you’re supposed to keep on for a colonoscopy are your socks and shoes; information that would have been useful to know before I reached into my sparse supply of clean undergarments that morning and settled on a fluffy, hot-pink pair of socks. So much for getting through this procedure with my dignity intact.

I don’t remember too much once they hooked up me to the IV, but I know that about 45 minutes later, the nurse woke me up to announce that my butt was …. drum roll please…. Cancer free! And even better, I don’t need another colonoscopy till I’m the ripe old age of 45. Which is still a little young to get away with throwing empty cans at kids, but if the beer is part of my colonscopy prep, I would hope the neighbors could cut me some slack.

Our New Years resolution? KICK CANCERS ASS.

2010-01-12T09:14:00.004-05:00

9:14 a.m. and Les and I have already accomplished a lot: Morning spin... check. Bagel and coffee reward... check. Sign up for the 2010 Pan-Mass Challenge... CHHHHHHECK!

It's pretty incredible going into this year's ride free of our newbie status. Actually, Les and I were just reminiscing about the first morning of last year's PMC when we stood amongst a mass of red jerseys, the sun barely visible, wondering what the EFF WE GOT OURSELVES INTO.

192 miles and countless memories later we know the answer: We got ourselves into one of the most empowering, cathartic experiences of our lives. And we can't wait to do it again.

So let the training and blogging begin!

Found: Camera with PMC pics

2009-12-12T11:57:00.001-05:00

opening ceremony

name tag. lunch break day 1

70 miles in day 1!

Recaps

2009-08-07T11:59:00.004-04:00

The PMC is still processing their stats on this year's ride, and Les and I are still processing the experience as a whole, but in the meantime, here are some nice photo and video recaps that have started to trickle in:

Billy Starr - My Road to the PMC from David Hellman on Vimeo.

From the official PMC highlight photos:

PMC ReMix

2009-08-06T09:21:00.002-04:00

From

Ptown to Boston ferry

2009-08-03T13:23:00.000-04:00

We were trying to keep a positive attitute, but after all the ferry
mis-information, the impounding of our bikes, the ripping of my bag,
and the physical and mental exhaution we were experiencing- we were
kind of grouchy. But, we finally managed to get on a ferry. Praise the
bike gods we were not stuck in ptown!
Danielle and I decided to get a couple vodka cranberrys and to our
suprise they were the drink special! Things were looking up!
Then we met a lovely woman by the name of Brenda. She had come up to
us and appologized for her leaving a towel next to our seats. We said,
no big deal, she sat, we started to chat and that's when I glanced at
her name tag(sidenote: I love name tags. Everyone should wear one) her
name was Brenda White. She was from Revere and this was her 29th year
riding. Wait, what 29!!!! This was the PMC's 30 year anniversary!
She invited us up to the top of the boat to join her other pmc
veterans. The rest of the trip was filled with amazing stories and
Brenda even made us her specail cocktail with vitamins and vodka.
Meeting Brenda was the perfect PMC icing on our amazing PMC cake.
We love ya Brenda!

Still smiling :)

2009-08-03T00:16:00.001-04:00

Heading home

2009-08-02T15:11:00.007-04:00

DC posting:
The photo is hard to see but that's Billy Starr making a scene- it's 3:04 and his ferry was supposed to leave at 3!!!

We're waiting for our high speed ferry on the dock. Billys "party boat" is for veteran riders. We'll have tickets for that soon enough.

For now, we're just lucky to have gotten on ANY ferry! We finished at 11 and with our ferry scheduled to leave only 45 minutes later, we knew there was no way we'd make it. We needed food, showers and most of all, we needed to enjoy the overwhelming moment that had just happened. So we approached a volunteer to see about bumping back our departure time (and I might add that these volunteers were AMAZING the entire time) but the news wasn't good... The ferry was over a mile away... and even though that's nothing compared to 192 miles of biking, the prospect of lugging our bikes, bags and tired asses another mile was just too much. Thankfully, after some cajoling, we landed ourselves a on standby for the 3:45 ferry, which will give us a minute to sit, relax, have a beer and revel in what we've just accomplished.

Then- Home. Sleep. Refuel. The last part will be helped along by Les and Danielle's Day of Pampering tomorrow- hour long massages, hair cuts, and a Coldplay concert (which we'll be getting to via limo!). After all that we'll do more thoughtful recaps. For now we're just happy to be heading home and thankful for an unforgettable first PMC weekend.

Done Son!

2009-08-02T12:29:00.000-04:00

24 miles to go!!!

2009-08-02T10:01:00.000-04:00

Dc posting:

My grandma would have loved this day- overcast and gray. And most
importantly for cycling, it's cool. Perfect for the final stretch.
Only 24 miles to go!! In theory we're racing to make the 11:45 ferry
but it's gonna be close... Plus we wanna hang out in p-town and soak
up what we just accomplised. Hopefully we can do standby and don't get
stranded on the cape cause there's nooo way we'll be biking back up to
Boston.

(the photo is of bikers sitting on packs of ice haha)

Half way done day 2

2009-08-02T08:26:00.001-04:00

Sleeping Quarters..on top of desks, no pillows, dorm heat,

2009-08-02T08:25:00.001-04:00

Water stop 1

2009-08-02T07:22:00.001-04:00

First 20 miles of day 2: rollercoaster of fun. Seriously that was
awesome.

Pmc ain't a track meet it's a marathon

2009-08-01T19:37:00.000-04:00

Let's rest before the final 82.

Victory beer

2009-08-01T16:36:00.001-04:00

Mile 110!

10 more!!!!!!

2009-08-01T14:42:00.001-04:00

PMC boyfriends

2009-08-01T13:18:00.000-04:00

DC posting:

Les and I are on the hunt for PMC boyfriends. It makes perfect sense.
We love to bike, PMC men love to bike. We love rock hard legs and abs,
PMC men *have* rock hard legs and abs. You do the math.

Our hunt has been tough so far cause our prey is well camoflauged in
the mass of 5,200 cyclists all wearing the same jersey. But that
hasn't stopped us. The PMC supplied us with name tags for the back of
our bikes. Their purpose was to encourage pleasant biking behavior-
the difference between "passing on your left, lesley" and "MOVE OVER."

Well Les and I have found another use for them. Drive-by (bike-by?)
flirting. "on your left, loooooooouis" ( the equivalent of a
verbal :wink wink:).

No one has officially asked us to go steady yet but I think we're
setting the stage for landing boyfriends at dinner.

We even have an opening line planned. "can I buy you a beer?" (they're
free). Yep, after 85 miles, that's the best we've got. Maybe that's
why we find ourselves on this hunt in the first place. Hmm.

Well till this all pans out, Les is covered. Just look at how she's
enjoying these chocolate, salty balls.

80 down 30 more to go

2009-08-01T13:13:00.001-04:00

I'm pretty sure when this is over I'm gonna strip down, look in the
mirror and see a killer six pack cause My abs are killing me! And so
are my knees. Shit. They feel like they might bust through my knee
caps. No more hills please !!!!!!!

SpeakIng of hills on the last monster 60%incline( maybe I'm
eaggerating) I thought, shit this hills sucks!!!! But then I thought
what would suck worse, this hill or having cancer??

Camel back, yes

2009-08-01T13:02:00.001-04:00

Camel bladder, no. Rest stop time.

More cowbell

2009-08-01T11:37:00.000-04:00

Dc posting:

We've reached our lunch break. 70 miles down. Everything after this
point is more miles than I've ever done in one day. But I feel totally
confident.

What's helping get us through it all is of course encourgement from
you guys but also the smiling crowds and heartfelt signs peppering the
route. We haven't gone more than 2 miles without seeing someone
cheering, spraying us with a hose or playing bag pipes at the top of a
tough hill (Betsy- I know you're jealous ;-) ). But more than
anything, we've been greeted with cowbells.

Actually the cowbells started last night during registration when the
volunteers rang them every time they checked in a new rider. A
completely dorky and awesome ritual.

The cowbells haven't stopped since. And thank goodness. The training
has definitely paid off- these first 70 miles have been easier than
expected and generally very enjoyable (even in spite of the rolling
hills that dominated the first leg of our journey). But the next 40
for today are a jump ball. So pleeeeease, bring on the cowbell.

Sent via iPhone.

H20 stop 2 for the pmc, stop one for us!

2009-08-01T09:09:00.001-04:00

Beautiful morning. Amazing experience.

The beginning

2009-08-01T09:09:00.000-04:00

6am:

Witch's hat

2009-08-01T05:37:00.000-04:00

On the bus

2009-08-01T04:46:00.001-04:00

"It's bad when dunkin donuts isn't even open yet!!"

"That sleep was really just a nap"

"Rough night. My body was turned off but my mind was already racing."

The sky is starting to lighten. When's the last time you really took
in a sunrise?

Sent via iPhone.

"We'll be needing a 3:45am wake up call"

2009-08-01T04:20:00.001-04:00

Still dark outside and the day has begun. Leaving the hotel to meet
for breakfast, pep rally and the start of the ride.

Carb LOADing

2009-07-31T18:17:00.000-04:00

Guilt free night.

2 buses and 3 1/2 hours later we're in Sturbridge!

2009-07-31T16:56:00.000-04:00

Our bus is broken

2009-07-31T14:21:00.000-04:00

Here's where we are (blue dot)
Here's where we need to be (red dot)

Broke down

2009-07-31T14:05:00.000-04:00

We are on our way sturbridge and the bus seems to be stopped dead.
Looks like the pMc starts here! Aghhhhh! Someone call AAA!

Getting to the bus- not as easy as it sounds

2009-07-31T13:46:00.001-04:00

DC posting:

You'd think getting on the bus to Sturbride would be the easiest part
of the weekend. But not so much. Thank you for the downpour, Motha
Nay'cha.

As Les and I walked our bikes and bags over to the warf, drenched
beyond belief, we were mocked by a passing by cyclist ("they work
better when you ride them") and a cabby ("having fun gettig
wet" ::evil laugh:: ::speeds off::).

Oh Southie.

Desite the heckling, we made it through the monsoon and are now en
route to the starting line.

The rest of the weekend is supposed to have clear skies. So hopefully
motha nay'cha got it out of her system cause we're doing this thing
rain or shine.

hydrate. stretch. and breathe.

2009-07-30T11:08:00.006-04:00

As Les mentioned in her post, this last week has been all about last-minute PMC purchases- tire patch kits, extra bike shorts, mini witches' hats, etc. All the running around has led to a constant state of nervous excitement. And apparently it's not just Les and I that are feeling it. In this final week, Billy Starr has emailed me more than David Plouffe during campaign season. The emails have felt like random brain dumps covering everything from parking, to rider etiquette, to weather forecasts. The emails have been trickling in every few hours with no apparent forethought as to the next "pressing" issue.

Finally, this morning, Billy sent out what he at least claims will be the last pre-ride email. It read:

"Thank you for taking part in the 30th year PMC. Everybody wins on this weekend based on the nature of the work and the cause. But in the heat of the moment, with 5,000 riders on the roads, the big picture can, sometimes, get lost. Please remember:

1. ROADS ARE OPEN to vehicular traffic even though we enjoy comprehensive law enforcement support through the 46 towns we travel.
2. MOVE OVER - that means single file or into the breakdown lane - for a passing car or a faster cyclist who, firmly but endearingly states "ON YOUR LEFT"
3. NO LITTER anywhere: your cycling jersey has pockets. Use them.
4. NO IPODS OR HEADPHONES ARE ALLOWED while riding
5. SUNDAY MORNING BEFORE 6AM - keep the conversation down. Remarkably, some people are still sleeping in the communities through which we travel.
6. START HYDRATING NOW - cut down on alcohol. Stretch. Breathe.

Enjoy your PMC. You have earned it."

The message was pretty simple, but I thought it was the perfect conclusion to his barrage of updates. It *is* easy to lose sight of the big picture in the rush of an event like this, which is why just the other day Les and I were reminding each other that we'd have to check in with ourselves throughout the weekend to make sure we are fully appreciating the experience. I would never claim that the 192 miles will be easy, but I know they're going to pass much faster than one might think, especially when compared to the months of training and thought that have led up to this single weekend.

But first thing's first. For the next 24 hours we just need to hydrate. stretch. and breathe. A seemingly simple equation but one that really does require effort as anticipation continues to mount.

hydrate. stretch. and breathe.
hydrate. stretch. and breathe.

*Then* we ride.

And what a ride it will be.

Whhhat the F*&%# !!???????

2009-07-29T21:50:00.003-04:00

In preparation for the big weekend there's been some necessary gear purchased, tune ups, lots of laundry, and meditation sessions [aka-OMG, WTF am i about to do?]

Over the past weekend I noticed how thin my cleats were wearing on my cycling shoes. My Saturday ride was cut short [55 miles] because of a busted cleat, so when I took my bike in for a tune up I purchased new cleats. Now if you are not aware of how or why cyclist 'clip in' to the pedals then here's the gist;
how:
you place a small piece of metal on the bottom of a special shoe
you 'clip in' to a small pedal on your bike.
you 'twist out' when you need to get off your bike.
why:
you get more push for your shove - ya know what I'm sayin'?

Now last spring when i purchased my hybrid, I bought the spd pedals and shoes and learned right away how to clip in. It was more difficult for me to put the special pedals on[and figure out how to take the regular ones off] than to learn how to clip, and un-clip.
I've heard horror stores of people falling and injuring themselves because they cant turn out of the pedal. I NEVER had this issue. I clipped and un-clipped like lance Armstrong's first born child. It was nothin'

So, to my amazement, today when I took a ride here's what happened:

1st stop light, no cars, no need to unclip

2nd Stop light--Comm Ave--lots of city traffic, NBD, I do this all the time...un-clip, un clip, un-clip.....UN CLIP!!!!
I become stagnant, lost my balance and feel to the ground. Hurting my precious. My orange giant I saved all my tips for months for :(

WTF just happened? I've done this for like a year and never had a problem! ok, maybe they need some loosening...just be on your A game and twist a little faster.

3rd Stop light [fenway park, redsox game and lots of red sox fans]
un-clip, un-clip, twist you asshole, fuck!!!!!!!!!!!!! down again?

WTF- [yep, I'm cursing up a storm...embarrassed,pissed because I fell?!? and pissed because there are drunken sox fans everywhere along with taxi jerks honkin there gosh darn horns]
As I'm picking up my beautiful giant again, some woman rides by me...she has one of those old lady bikes with the flower basket and bells that sound like the ice cream truck when you ring it. She's actually quite large, and i look at her and think "wtf are you looking at".... yea, i was angry. She says 'oh honey, you okay"? I say, while giggling [cause what else could i do but smile and laugh at my stupid ass] yes, thank you, I'm apparently having some issues.

Beacon St and St. Paul ---aka fall #3
Now, I'm just thinking, twist god dammit, just twist...why cant i twist like before?
♪♫just twist, like we did last summer, just twist, like we did before♪♫ .......stop light, another crazy lady on her bike [it had a basket too, but this woman was much more mean witch from wizard of oz---dun dun dun dun da da da......] She positions herself so i cant move around her of the vehicle blocking our bike lane. i managed to twist my left out, but i could not keep by balance and fell to my right- thank god.

I took another lap around working on the twisting, and eventually loosening up the pedals. Hopefully this is remedied. I don't need to be fallin all over billy Starr this weekend!

I look like I was just mad handled by Wolverine.

The Final Countdown

2009-07-29T11:29:00.001-04:00

Believe it or not, we are only THREE days away from the PMC and I dunno about you, but I am FREAKIN EXCITED. Les and I have both met our fundraising goals (THANK YOU EVERYONE!) and we wrapped up our final practice rides this weekend. Now all that's left to do is bike 192 miles in 2 days... but what does that really mean?

Up until now, I'd been so focused on training and getting donations that I hadn't stopped to think about the logistics of PMC weekend. But with my fundraising complete, and my mind free to wander, I amassed quite the list of lingering questions by the end of Saturday's ride - Am I supposed to pack a toothbrush for the weekend? What about pajamas? Where am I going to lock up my bike at night? Is there going to be somewhere to recharge my iphone so I can live blog about this madness??

When I brought my concerns to Les, she suggested that I umm... read the Event Handbook that had arrived in the mail several weeks ago. Good thinkin, partner.

So for anyone who's ever wondered about these kind of details, here's some of the interesting stuff I learned:

The Basic Schedule-
- The whole weekend kicks off Friday July 31st with the PMC Opening Ceremonies- essentially a big ol' pep rally that'll be broadcast live on NECN from 7-8pm! If you wanna play some real life "Where's Waldo" and try to spot us in the mass of 5,204 cyclists, be sure to set your DVRs or ask your bar of choice to tune in. Heck, you can even make a drinking game out of it- Half beer penalty for every false Les and Danielle sighting- evening-long rule making power for anyone that actually locates us.

- Our ride begins from Sturbridge on Saturday morning at 5:30a.m. We bike straight up until lunch at the Dighton-Rehoboth waterstop and then finish off the day at the Mass Maritime Academy in Bourne, where we'll be met with live music, an all-you-can-eat-buffet and a "well-earned 15-minute massage." Umm I just stopped typing for 5 minutes while thinking about how clutch that massage will be... Alright, must push forward.

- Sunday morning kicks off at the ass crack of dawn - 4:40a.m. - and with the exception of some rest stops, we ride straight to the finish line at the Provincetown Inn.

- Then we get our tired, cancer kicking asses on a ferry back to Beantown. (check out this detailed breakdown of the route: http://www.pmc.org/ems_client/html/pdf/pmcmap2009final.pdf our ride is in the left-hand column, starting in Sturbridge)

The Less Obvious Stuff:
- Thanks to an army of 3,000 volunteers, a lot of the weekend's logistics are taken care of for us, including all of our meals, snacks and adult beverages! Ever wonder what it takes to feed 5,200 bikers? Well this year it'll take 14,000 bags of trail mix, 9,800 hamburgers, 7,000 clif bars, 6,800 slices of pizza, 5,500 hot dogs, 3,000 bagels, 3,000 pounds of chicken, 1,600 loaves of bread, 1,400 pounds of pasta, 850 pounds of peanut butter, 500 pounds of sliced turkey, 500 pounds of sliced ham, 275 watermelons, and 140 kegs of beer. Mmmmmm.

- As far as my toothbrush and pj questions- the volunteers will transport all of our personal gear for us, which is a good thing cause the checklist of items to pack includes casual clothes, rain gear, fleeces, sheets, a flashlight, towels, toiletries, a flashlight and a fan. Not exactly a light load to be towing for 192 miles. Thank goodness for the army of volunteers.

And that's everything that we can predict about the ride. Of course, the most memorable parts of the weekend will take place in between the carefully planned rest stops and press ops, and we'll be live blogging about it the whole way. Well, pretty much the whole way- I don't intend to blog during that 15 minute massage but I'll tell you upfront, it's gonna be great.

thePMC Mixer - you drink, we bike, cancer dies

2009-07-14T12:50:00.003-04:00

Date: Saturday July 18th
Time: 7pm-19pm
Location: Slainte' [ 28 West Broadway]

Come for food, drink, raffle prizes, and a fun time!

see invitation

What have we been up to?

2009-07-13T12:31:00.002-04:00

Danielle and I getting our bikes back in May:

Odometer--a few weeks back

my new TROJB cycling gloves. I got so excited I wanted to wear them at work...

They work better on my handle bars than my mouse...

The Red Sox Love the PMC

2009-07-13T12:09:00.001-04:00

Bike with us!

2009-07-01T15:27:00.006-04:00

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again- your support, both verbal and financial, has been integral to our PMC training. That's why we’re so excited about the recently revamped PMC site, which was specifically designed to capture the interactive relationship between donors and riders.

Starting this week, when you donate to our PanMass efforts, you’ll be given the option to add yourself to our "PanMass Paceline"- a virtual and virtually endless online bicycle that allows you guys to saddle up right behind us, essentially becoming part of our virtual team. You can customize your avatar's jersey, hair style, skin color and more! You can even add a little thought bubble with words of encouragement or a message about how cancer has touched your life.

There are no minimum fundraising commitments to become a PaceLine Rider and no credit card numbers will be kept on file. Most importantly, 100% of all donations will go directly to fund groundbreaking cancer research and treatment at the world-famous Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.

How freakin cool is that? And even if you've already donated (thank you again!!) you can get yourself onto the avatar congo line with a new donation of as little as $1!

Go ahead- get clicking so so you can get pedaling!

JOIN LES'S PACELINE
JOIN DANIELLE'S PACELINE

Hydrate or Die! (Aka- How I came to love my Camelbak)

2009-06-29T11:09:00.005-04:00

Due to some setbacks, I wasn't able to take part in any group rides this weekend and was instead resigned to two more low key rides around the Charles. As much as I love my new bike, I had some doubts about its ability to navigate the somewhat unpredictable terrain around the river, so I decided to show some love to my old, hybrid bike. Only thing is, I recently transferred my water bottle holder from my old Trek to my new Giant, leaving me with a bit of a water flow problem- no minor issue since we all know that you either hydrate or you die!

Luckily, I remembered the Camelbak hydration system that Betsy and Sarah so kindly gave me for my birthday. Thus far in my training I have resisted wearing the Camelbak and have even engaged in my fair share of trash talk- convinced that it would detract from my otherwise badass biker look. But this weekend I really didn't see any alternative, so I dug the pack out of my closet and lemme tell ya, my attitude instantly changed.

First of all, I had forgotten that the pack was neon green- automatic bonus points:

Some of you may not be aware of this, but neon green is the Color of the Millennium. This term was coined by myself and my good friend Stephanie Farkas after years of close observation and field research confirmed that neon green was not only the consistent clothing color choice of Jersey shore beachcombers, but also showed no sign whatsoever of decreasing in popularity. Essentially, this Cambelbak gives me instant Jersey street cred (which I can only assume translates to the trails of Massachusetts).

On top of just looking good, the pack was also incredibly functional. Its convenient over-the-shoulder drinking nozzle kept me wonderfully hydrated, even allowing me to drink WHILE biking, something I've never been able to do before since I have yet to master retrieving my water bottle while my legs are in motion. What can I say, it really is the small pleasures.

All in all, I will never ride without my Camelbak again and I take back all of my unfounded trash talk. I was young and naive and I will never preemptively judge biking accessories again.

In other news, my bike short-, ipod band-, bike glove-, and Camelbak-tan lines are developing nicely. I will be quite the sight to see at the beach this summer- that is, if it ever stops raining.

LOST! (And not the fun version involving Smoke Monsters)

2009-06-21T23:33:00.005-04:00

For those of you who haven't already heard, Les and I bought those sexy little road bikes. Actually they're not little, they're Giants and they were worth every penny.

We took them out for a short test ride the other weekend, but their first *real* ride was this Saturday. Since we don't have fancy GPS systems, and there are only so many directions we can keep in our heads or scribble on our arms, we decided to join a Quad Cycles Bike Shop ride, which is "a rolling loop through Arlington, Lexington, Bedford, Concord, Carlisle, Chelmsford and Billerica" - basically, a nice little tour of the beautiful Third Middlesex District.

The nicest part of these rides is that while everyone starts off together at the shop in Alrington, you break off into personalized groups based on what kind of pace you want to maintain and how far you ultimately want to ride - anywhere between 1 and 60 miles.

Unfortunately, when we got to the shop, Les ran into some technical difficulties trying to get her pedals switched out, so I ended up leaving with the first wave of riders and Les caught up to the group a little later. I hadn't been planning on biking without a riding buddy, but I wasn't too worried- there were about 40 other bikers there who stayed in a pretty cohesive caravan, and the Quad Cycle employees kept looping around to check on stragglers.

The first 30 miles of the ride leading to the lunch spot - Fern's in Carlisle - were great. We biked through some beautiful portions of the Minuetman Trail, and I started to learn some of the vernacular and hand signals that are second nature to seasoned riders. There's this one move that I've labeled "The Monkey," which looks like you're tossing a ball behind your back (Try it. Congratulations - you just looked like a monkey). This motion warns riders that there's some obstacle to the side that's causing the group to veer into the center of the road. When someone in front of you does a certain hand motion, you mirror it, and the message gets sent down the line - like a big game of sign language telephone. That way you're adjusting your ride for obstacles you haven't even seen yet. It's very cool.

Anyway, we hit the lunch spot and everyone refuled with cold water and power bars. Then it was decision time. Some of the riders were heading back, but another group - most of whom had been in a pack with me during the first half of the ride - wanted to continue on another 5 miles to Hanscom Airforce Base. That way they could cover about 50 miles by the time they returned to the shop. I decided to go with that group, but after about 2 miles it became clear that these cyclers had done CRACK during our lunch break. I mean here we are 35 miles in, on the hilliest part of the ride, and they were maintaining a consistent 19mph speed. Un-freaking-real. I was giving it my all but the gap between myself and the group just kept getting wider and wider. It got to the point where the others were just specks in the distance and I was barely able to keep track of the turns they were making.

Then I rounded one final corner and collided with a Route 2A junction- a wideopen highway intersection and there wasn't a single rider in sight. I was officially left behind and lost in what I believed was Bedford. Now sure, it's not exactly the same as getting separated in Dorchester or Brighton, but still! It felt like anything could happen. I was imagining having to pull over and call Senator Fargo for help. I invisioned search parties and missing girl posters.

But then I channeled Mike, and I knew his advice would be what it always is: "Just keep pedaling." If I absolutely had to pull over and check my iphone GPS, I could, but if I kept going, I still had a chance to catch up (especially since I didn't believe those crack cyclers could maintain that pace much longer). I couldn't afford to lose any time. I had to just keep pedaling.

After about 15 minutes of riding down 2A without seeing a single cycler, the rest of the group literally ran into me as they pealed out of a side road. It was pure luck, but I'll take it.

Needless to say, for those final 5 miles - I made damn sure not to lose them again.

Door to door we rode 60 miles. Not a bad start at all. And hopefully after a few more of these rides, I won't have to worry about getting lost again- not only cause I'll know the routes, but because people will be fighting to keep up with me. Just you wait.

PMC Love

2009-05-24T10:48:00.009-04:00

Attention Zipcar users,

Our awesome friend Paul R sent us this pic of a zipcar he saw zooming down the road with PMC labes smacked all over it. Looking into this I found out that Zipcar is also riding in the PMC [their 3rd year!] they've set out to raise 150,000 for the Jimmy Fund, and one way they are raising these funds are discounting all their strategically placed [there only seem to be a few-search here http://www.zipcar.com/boston/find-cars] PMC wrapped Scions xBs to 8$/hr and donating every 2$ for every hour to PMC. Awesome.

So, now I ponder how Danielle and I can work this approach into our fund raising. I initially thought we could give rides on our bikes, but would that require investing in pegs or some sort of carriage system?? No, I think we could pull off a combo piggy back/bike ride. So next time your intoxicated, bored, or just plain lazy, give us a ring. We'll fly on over and carry you where ever you need----for a donation of course.

That was one rough spin class

2009-05-14T15:17:00.003-04:00

I pushed myself pretty hard, and Danielle and I were both hurting last night and this morning.

So I decided that today my tired body and mind deserved this:

half a delicious brownie and a chai from my favorite bakery, Flour....yummmm. to be honest, ill probably finish the other half by the end of this post.

"These are only your limits because you haven’t pushed them farther yet"

2009-04-23T11:35:00.003-04:00

Les and I have been in serious training mode these past 2 weeks, attending every spin class possible, and we’re starting to see the payoff. Not only between classes, but within classes themselves, I can feel my form improving, my legs getting stronger, and my breathing staying more consistent. This is serious progress.

Of course, the sessions are still a bitch to get through, cause like Mike says: The class never gets easier, you just get faster. But this initial improvement is noticeable and it confirms another of Mike’s go-to lines: These are only your limits because you haven’t pushed them farther yet. A great motto I’ve tried to use on my current LSAT students, though, admittedly, with mixed success.

But even if my students aren’t drinking the Kool Aid, I sure as hell am, so I’ve started applying this motto to as many aspects of my life as possible. And this weekend I discovered a different kind of limit that the Pan-Mass is helping me to push- my credit card limit.

Saturday afternoon, Les and I took a little joyride over to Farina’s bike shop in Watertown – an official sponsor of the PMC – so that I could buy some bike shoes and we could collectively drool over the brand spanking new road bikes.

And that’s when it happened. We fell in love:

30 speed drivertrain, Kenda Kriterium tires, ALUXX SL frame, road-smoothing carbon fork (whatever that means). Damn, that’s one sexy bike. I wanna take it home and ride it. My butt wants to be up on it. I could go on.

Lust, love, call it want you want, but that bike will be mine. The only hitch, unsurprisingly, is that all that sexiness comes at a hefty price. I won’t even go into the exact figures, but Senate Prez Terry Murray would definitely have yelled out an emphatic “Cha-Ching!” had she been with us on Saturday.

But hey, someone’s gotta stimulate the economy and I intend to do my part- Time to take this training battle to the streets!

"Just keep pedaling"

2009-04-14T09:37:00.005-04:00

Mike kicking off this morning's rogue a.m. spin class: "Don't slow down just because it looks like I'm taking it easy. I have stitches in my abdominal, so I'm not really sure how this is gonna go. But even if I'm slow, keep pedaling. If you see blood streaming down my leg, don't worry. Just keep pedaling."

Luckily, Mike survived (and blood free!). As did Les and I. Morning spin accomplished, training now seriously underway.

Pan-Mass Cha(lle)nge

2009-04-10T12:18:00.001-04:00

Paid for by viewers like you.

2009-04-09T11:02:00.004-04:00

Even though I'm pretty sure Les and I are collectively responsible for half of our blog's hits, other people are apparently reading this thing as well, so I just wanna take a minute to say THANK YOU. Whether it's conveyed through words of encouragement, comments to our posts, monetary donations, or just a silent increase in this page's view count, your support is incredibly important to us and we are forever grateful.

To keep this dialogue going, I wanted to post a little graphic love that just came our way from our most consistent commenter, the infamous Neel Chaudhury:

Thanks Neel!

If you find *yourself* doodling about me and les (in relation to the Pan-Mass Challenge, not just cause you're drawing hearts around our names in your trapper keeper), send your drawings our way and we'll put them up! In fact, if you've got anything you wanna throw into the mix- a story, a photo, an animation, you name it - we'd love to hear from ya.

Thanks again!

1st Ride of Season Results in Skateboarder Attack!

2009-04-07T14:17:00.002-04:00

Sunday afternoon, the bike is all geared up for the first ride, my legs and lungs however were not, but I pushed through the 20 flat miles anyway. On the last mile of the ride, I was headed down Comm Ave in Brighton. Off on the side road to the right, where all the cars park, I was coming down a hill when out of the blue a pack of wild skateboarders uncontrollably fly out of a side street!
I try to remain calm, and attempt to think quickly. It’s pretty clear that one of the ten is going to hit me, and sure enough I hear one start to yell “oh shit, oh shit.” At this point I realize that if I slam on my breaks I risk being thrown from my bike or being hit by one of the other nuts in the pack, so I brace myself and keep straight.
The skateboarder jumps off his board and the board runs between my front and back tire…..I’ve taken a few minutes to give you a little re-inaction of the event.

Mr. Skateboarder, If you are reading this, I hope you are ok. You seemed ok as you hopped out of the way and said “yes, I’m fine” but maybe that’s just you being a big tough skateboarder in front of your skateboarder gang. Thank you for not crashing into me, and next time you should be wearing a helmet!

"When In Doubt, Look Good"

2009-04-01T13:52:00.005-04:00

Here’s another gem that Mike loves to whip out at that midway point in every class when heat and exhaustion start to take over. The theory behind “when in doubt, look good,” is that no matter how tired you are, you’ve gotta remain in good form. It’s the difference between slumping over your handle bars and looking like you’d welcome death; and keeping your arms loose, your butt back and your legs strong.

But let’s get serious- on Pan Mass Challenge weekend, every rider is going to be showing off the impeccable form they’ve been working on for months. If I really wanna stand out (which I always do), I need to focus on the true essence of looking good: A kickass jersey and a pimped out ride.

Which makes this a good opportunity to talk a little bit more about why this ride is so important to me. Come that first weekend in August, I will be riding in memory of my Grandma Murray, who died of pancreatic cancer last year.

My Grandma was my favorite person.

She was also a witch. In fact, she was one in a long line of witches that currently ends with my sister and myself. Now, don’t go getting the wrong idea- my Grandma was a good witch...unlike her sister – my Great Aunt Lorraine – who we were always told had a streak of black magic in her. While my Great Aunt never embraced the wicked witch title, even by her own account it would be fair to describe her as a retired psychic turned animal healer.

I am not even kidding. Here’s a rough family tree:

Lemme give you a little example of what this all means: A few years ago, my cousin was preparing to celebrate her bat mitzvah and sent out invitations to the entire family telling them just that. Well, when my Great Aunt received the invite, she RSVPed that she would be unable to attend the ceremony – at this point, 3 months away – because she KNEW that her cat would be sick. Again, I am not even kidding. To make up for her absence, my Great Aunt sent a check. Not surprisingly, this response was poorly received by my cousin’s family, who proceeded to rip up the check and mail the pieces back to my Great Aunt. Rinse and repeat this absurdity a couple of times and what ensued was a cross-continental, snail mail battle the likes of which this country has never seen before. Of course, come bat mitzvah day, my Great Aunt swore her cat was even sicker than she had foreseen…

But, okay, I just got way off track. My Grandma was not that kind of witch, at least, not for the most part. There was, of course, that one time when my Grandma and Grandpa had just started dating and my Grandma got wind that my Grandpa was seeing another girl on the side. Well, like any love-struck witch would do, my Grandma found a picture of the little hussy and stuck some pins right in her gut...

...within a week the girl was in the hospital with a burst appendix, or at least that’s how the family legend goes.

Then there was the time that my Grandma – a dedicated figure skating fan – made a voodoo doll of Michelle Kwan and proceeded to stick needles in its knees for politically incorrect reasons I won’t even get into...

...now even though Michelle didn't meet the same end as Nancy Kerrigan, she did have enough stumbles to keep her from the gold, and my Grandma never stopped happily taking credit for that fact.

Yep, like I said, my Grandma was a badass witch, and when she passed away last year, I was the one to inherit her witch’s hat and spell books to carry on the tradition. So when I was thinking of ways to personalize my PMC riding outfit, it didn’t take long to land on a witch theme. Thing is, my grandma’s witch’s hat is about 3 feet tall- not exactly the aerodynamic accessory I had in mind.

As a substitute, I’m gonna use the next best thing and glue a *mini* witch’s hat right onto my helmet. And for my jersey, which is still very much in the design phase, I’m going to incorporate my favorite photo of Grandma.

Basically, this is what I'll look like on PanMass Challenge weekend:

So forget the doubt. I'll definitely be lookin' goooooooood.

Reform Before Revenue

2009-03-20T11:20:00.001-04:00

Mind over matter - if you don't mind, it don't matter.

2009-03-09T13:09:00.006-04:00

In what I can only describe as a shit storm of motivation, my spin instructor unleashed his full arsenal of inspirational quotes during last Thursday's class. And not just classics like HYDRATE OR DIE, but a slew of long-forgotten gems I haven't heard him utter in over a year. In fact, had I not been there to witness the spectacle firsthand, I wouldn't have believed anyone could pack that many catchphrases into a single hour-- which I guess is just another example of why Mike continues to amaze me for reasons that go far beyond his physical prowess.

I did my best to remember as many of Mike's phrases as I could, but by the class's 45 minute mark, I had switched into pure survival mode and was barely hearing - never mind remembering - what was coming out of his mouth. Still, I was able to recreate a pretty healthy list of quotes and will be using them to give some semblance of structure to my next few posts- starting with this one.

"Mind over matter- if you don't mind, it don't matter."

With 192 miles to bike over 2 days, the main focus of Les's and my training is physical- and rightly so. Just look at the core muscles we'll be exhausting from now until August: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SyLSEnYPv8&feature=related. As an aside, I think that clip might have been the inspiration for Robbie William's freaky Rock DJ music video circa 2000 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BOyvOsMqk4&annotation_id=annotation_690565&feature=iv). But I digress.

As important as our gym sessions are, there is a point in every long ride when your body wants to stop, when your leg muscles scream that they *can't* go any farther, and when the remaining miles seem downright impossible. It's at this point that mind takes over matter. During training, I use music to help overcome this critical juncture, but during official rides, ipods and the like are usually discouraged, if not straight up prohibited.

Without the aid of music, you've gotta come up with some pretty creative ways to pass the miles, but even though I think I have a pretty (overly) active imagination, this ride is going to be ONE HUNDRED AND NINETY TWO FREAKIN MILES LONG and there are only so many ninja fighting scenes and high speed chases I can dream up (Yes. That's what I think about when I ride.) Luckily, Les and I have come up with a solution: The Turntable Bike.

Hear me out. When a DJ is mixing at a club, he's got 2 turntables (and a microphone), right? Well when a biker is riding, he's got 2 spinning wheels (and a handlebar bell)... see where this is going?

It's no new idea to harness a bike's spinning power to create sound- I mean, kids have been attaching playing cards to wheel spokes for decades, but it's 2009- time to take this idea to the next level.

If we simply replace the wheel spokes with records, and rig the break clamps to double as turntable needles, well, we've pretty much created a party in motion.

Still not convinced? Here's a rough diagram for all you nay-sayers:

Problem solved. You're welcome.

Weekend Converstations

2009-03-09T12:19:00.005-04:00

D: it's really nice outside!
L: yea, we should get on our bikes!
D: let's walk to Target, I need new sheets!
L: how far is it?
D: 3 miles
L: umm, ill just walk with you to comm ave. 3 miles is too far.

FYI- the PMC ride is 192 miles.

Place: Starbucks coffee line. Coolidge Corner
D: so, les what are you getting?
Random guy bumps into Les
L: Pissed off!

ER visit #1 [lets face it, there will probably be more]

2009-02-26T11:57:00.001-05:00

Training has been non existant on my end.

props to danielle. Im pretty sure while i was up at 6am being sick, she got up and went to her spinning class. yea, I have some catching up to do!

I did spend 5 hours in the emergency room yesterday. All i wanted was an antibotic for what I knew was a sinus infection. So there I was, in the world renound MGH, feeling like my head was going to explode off my body with every small noise, surrounded by the freaks with missing eye balls and fingers, and after i explain my symptoms this woman insists that I put on this blue SARS-esque mask on my face.

All the breathing I was doing in this mask was being filtered back up into my glasses, fogging them. So, naturally I had to move the mask, and was then told multiple times "mamm, please keep the mask on."

I waited, and waited, and waited...because that's what you do, you wait for someone, and when this someone finally came, he did not want to hear my diagnosis, he had his own theory....I had the flu. Ok, buddy, you are not listening to me. I know whats wrong, just give me some antibotics and ill take my sudafed and be on my merry way. Nope, I got to wait some more, and have giant q-tips stuck up my nose which felt like they punctured the frontal cortex of my brain. After that brain rattling test, I was privelaged enough to be sent to another waiting space. It was an awful, overcrowded, HIPPA violating space, with uncomfortable faded blue wooden chairs, two teenage kids, [one pregnant] making out next to me, a man who looks like he's going to blow chunks everywhere, and an overweight man with an iv pole who insists on staring at me and my SARS mask..... and finally the results come back---negative for the flu.... Thanks

training delayed due to illness.

2009-02-23T21:23:00.001-05:00

I have 2 questions:
1- can you take nyquil durning the day?
2- does moving from my bed to the couch count as cardiovascular activity?

Training has begun! (At least in theory)

2009-02-23T16:27:00.000-05:00

With our blog launched and our facebook group live, there's really nothing left to do but start training, which makes today the official kickoff of Danielle and Les's super hardcore PMC training schedule! (Yeaaaaah- The crowd goes wild!) By my count, training season has been going on for ohh about 14 hours and so far has consisted of me drinking 3 glasses of water (but I totally chugged those glasses, so trust me, it was some pretty hardcore hydrating) and obsessively refreshing our new facebook group page, which at last count was a whopping 78 members strong! (Thanks for the support, guys!)

Now, some PMC riders might consider that *plenty* for the first official day of training and resolve to reward their hard work with a little Jack Bauer power hour and the promise of an even more intense training regimen tomorrow(dare I suggest 4 glasses of water!?). But not us. Come quittin' time I'll be heading over to my gym for some spinning, which could be a bit painful given my months-long hiatus from class, but hey, as my favorite spin instructor loves to say, nothing worth doing in life is ever easy. Great motto- second only to his other tag line- HYDRATE OR DIE! Which actually makes me think that maybe I will try for the 4th glass of water... I'll let you know how this ambitious plan pans out...

TRAINING BEGINS TOMORROW

2009-02-22T13:43:00.000-05:00

L: hi my name is lesley!
D: and im danielle!
L: welcome to to
D & L: OUR BLOG!