2010 Ride to Conquer Cancer

It rained. For once, the weather man got it right much to our chagrin. Even more annoying, apparently our route was the only wet one, as the 200K riders stayed dry all day. Anyway, I don't want to get all Eyeore on it, but the rain made a challenging weekend that much more difficult. I was going to write a long winded report, but in hopes that you might actually read on, I've decided to go with point form:

Friday:

- Mom came too, and we four (mom, dad, G and me) went to a Happiest on my Bike teammate's house for eats and greets -- amazing spread, thank you Larry!

- Late packing, got me to bed past midnight. Stayed up long enough to experience the torrential downpour that made it difficult to sleep well, envisioning a wet ride in the morning

Day 1:



- All that was left of the rain (sounded like pebbles pelted at our windows!) was the humidity; G drove me to the CNE with 4000 other cyclists. I ended up walking in so we didn't have to sit in the traffic

- Opening Ceremonies wrapped up and we slowly moved out of the CNE. Ten minutes in spot the first crash victim; ambulance was cleaning up ... sucky way to start and end the weekend. Good reminder to keep wits about us!

- Not very long before 200M riders split from 200K riders. Varying levels of experience with group riding in our posse of 6 Team Happiest riders, but managed to stay mostly together

- Rain started just before halfway, with full downpour at the 100K mark. Oh yeah, if we'd signed up for the other route, we'd be drinking beers now!!

- Near the end, dad's knee began to give him some grief ... hrmmm

- Finished the ride up the big escarpment climb, and rolled into camp where the party was in full swing

- Ryan Leech peformed, two free drinks for everyone, good eats of turkey sausage and salads with veggies

- Stats: 4,108 riders, $16.1 million dollars raised, 35.5 million calories burned, 45,000L of sweat, enough kilometres to circle the world 23 times, 1,000 volunteers. Oldest rider? 82

Day 2:

- Weatherman promised better weather, but he was wrong and we began in the rain again

- Dad's knee bothered him from the start and so the ride had a strange tension for us ... knew he could complete it, but should he? Each rest stop we talked about packing it in, and each one, he decided to go "one more". He showed the kind of determination Cancer demands and I'm so happy we finished together to show Cancer what's what. Way to go DAD!!!

- Mom, G and the Gledhills met us in Port Colborne at the cheering station!! Woo hoo!! It was so awesome to see them there, let me tell you.



- More drama: apparently a rider before us fell on the bridge over the canal in Port Colborne (one of those metal grid type surfaces) and lost her finger!!! We walked across that one.

- After the cheering section, we didn't see anymore rain, so we finished in relative peace

- Final 18km section was all along the Niagara River, on smooth flat road. Ahhhhhh.

- We made it!! Beers and burgers were our reward, but then we upped the ante back in Toronto at "My Place" (Jane and Bloor, great pub) where I had a steak dinner, and dad opted for pulled pork. Only, for some reason we were the ones who had trouble finishing while G and mom demolished their trout dinner and portabello burger.



Aftermath:

- 340km, ~13hours ride time, 10,000 calories burned

- Took yesterday off training. It was glorious. Made G a nice dinner to thank him for being such a good fan this weekend, driving all over southern Ontario, taking photos, getting up early on a Saturday and everything. Thank you Gerhard!

- Thank you mom for coming, cheering, taking photos, and all your help leading up to the ride!

- Thank you Aunt Mindy for coming out and cheering!! (... and with a sign too!!)



- Thank you Donors for making it all possible and standing up to Cancer with us

- Thank you Dad, for starting, for finishing, and for an awesome weekend (minus the farts in the tent. not cool.)

- Legs held up great, happy about that. A little knee pain (sports med on Thursday) and of course my "rib-out" is totally enraged at the moment (chiro on Monday)

- Dad's got his knee in a brace and he's icing and elevating (or else he'd better be!)

- Already signed up for 2011. Who's coming with us?



In case you didn't follow the "live updates", here they are:
Twitter

Terrible night's sleep ... but woke up to birds, not raindrops. fingers crossed. 4:50 AM Jun 12th

good news! T-storms out of the forecast!! On with the show ... 4:51 AM Jun 12th

Having breakfast. smoothie. cereal. rain. 5:22 AM Jun 12th

Dropped off my bag, now just need to find my team. Thanks G for battling the event traffic! (@ Opening Ceremonies w/ 24 others) 6:47 AM Jun 12th

Looking for team "Happiest on my Bike"! (@ Opening Ceremonies w/ 27 others) http://4sq.com/boRcoC 6:48 AM Jun 12th

Found the team! Found dad, found mom, and hear aunt mindy's going to be cheering at a zone in mississauga. Woo hoo! (@ Opening Ceremonies) 7:07 AM Jun 12th

We're ready! @ the opening ceremonies! http://tweetphoto.com/26835790 7:15 AM Jun 12th

Here we are!! The "before" shot. Gonna have a great ride! http://tweetphoto.com/26835964 7:16 AM Jun 12th

Finally on our way. Back of the pack, tailwind! (@ Opening Ceremonies w/ 41 others) http://4sq.com/boRcoC 7:41 AM Jun 12th

De-layering! Split from the 200k riders now 8:52 AM Jun 12th

Is it really that hard to pee in a hole!? C'mon! (@ Pit stop #1!) 9:26 AM Jun 12th

Parking lot is our 2nd pit stop! 70km down. Six in our pack, working on road skills. A little mist ... But will it rain? 11:01 AM Jun 12th

Lunch!! My shoes are wet (my everything's wet), it's pouring rain and we *could* be done if we'd just opted for the 200K. Doh. 1:03 PM Jun 12th

Space man, oh space man, come rescue me! Brrrrrr http://tweetphoto.com/26890249 1:27 PM Jun 12th

Approaching the hammer!! Almost done day 1. Still raining ... http://tweetphoto.com/26905433 2:54 PM Jun 12th

Just heard some thunder .... Stay back!! Stay back, thunderstorm! 2:56 PM Jun 12th

Hardly any riding between us and a wet tent. Awesome (@ Ride to conquer cancer last pit stop)

Done! Day one in the bag. Time for beers!! (@ Camp w/ 37 others) http://4sq.com/9xoyZ5

Set up camp, had a shower, and now, time to eat. And long-awaited beers, of course.

4108 riders, 16.1 million dollars, 35.5 million calories, enough kilometres to circle the world 23 times. Oldest rider? 82.

We sweat 45,000 litres of sweat, collectively.

1,000 volunteers put on this event! THANK YOU volunteers!! 400 of those also added their fundraising to the cause!

By the way, the 82 year old gentleman lost his sight in both eyes in 1990. He's run the Toronto half marathon, and now the RTCC ... Twice.

Breakfast of champions! A lot of sore people around, but we're stoked. http://tweetphoto.com/27019715

I thought I was deaf in one ear. Then I remembered to take out my ear plug.

I just got asked if I am an Olympian. Now that's some morning sunshine! *flattered*

We're off! In the rain ... Please clear off, brrrr

38.75km first break. One crash on wet pavement by barb. She's ok. Joined a triathlon and felt like the race horse scene in mary poppins.

Pit stop #2. Dad's knees are hurting him ... I have faith. C'mon dad! (@ Grand island bar- b- q) http://4sq.com/aahKYi

74.76km down!

Lunch! About 95km down. And finally, the rain seems to be on its way out. Dry roads at last. (@ Wainfleet Beach) http://4sq.com/ddb5ZM

Last pit stop! 40 more km. Saw mom, g and the gledhills cheering! Wooooo!!!

We did it!! We didn't know if we could, but gramma helped us. Celebrating now! Thanks for tuning in. Full blog soon xoxo

Post-ride steak dinner. Check. (@ My Place - a Canadian Pub) http://4sq.com/aKeaN

Um ... no comment.

One more sleep!

At last, the long-awaited weekend is here. Between the training, the spaghetti dinner, and bothering everybody I knew for donations the past seven months, somehow it's all come together and it's going off tomorrow!!

I want to thank my donors and supporters once more for all their help -- thanks to you, I've raised nearly $4000, and dad's gone past $5000! It's great to think what kind of difference that will make for people fighting cancer, and researchers working for a cure.

Now all that's left to do is the ride! 200 miles is serious business; lightening is also serious business, and both are on our agenda for this weekend. Don't worry, we'll be riding with a "safety-first" mentality, but rain or shine, hell or high water, we're going to make it to Niagara Falls (by bike ;) ).

If you would like to watch our progress, I'll be sending live updates via Twitter (assuming my phone doesn't get too wet). My twitter feed can be found at www.twitter.com/kristenmlake and the feed is also available on the side-bar to the right of this post.

Finally, I also want to thank team "Happiest On My Bike" for having Dad and I join as late additions. We're looking forward to a little get together tonight, and sharing the pulls tomorrow. Already stoked for the beer tent.

Wish Dad, me and our team good luck, and good weather! We're off!

Top Ten Reasons To Skip Mountainview

1.) Never got a chance to preride

2.) Would have interfered with satisfying every junk food craving imaginable this weekend

3.) I would have got my bike dirty.

4.) Even worse, I would have got my shoes dirty.

5.) I saved money on gas!

6.) My house wouldn't look as good as it does now, thanks to an IKEA excursion (G and I now actually LIVE here, without any boxes!)

7.) I'm saving my back and my knees for the epic Ride to Conquer Cancer 200 mile adventure

8.) I'll have time this afternoon for a road ride in the sun (apparently it's on its way)

9.) I'm using my rainy Sunday to do some writing on the raw food book (at our new desk!) instead of sitting in the mall parking lot in Midland

10.) Weekends feel so much longer when there's no race to cater to.

May Long ... riding.

Awesome weekend. Would have been even awesomer at Mont Tremblant, but then again, all that driving on such beautiful days would have seemed a waste.

Saturday, I just enjoyed the fact that it was raining and crappy. I did all the laundry, cooked up some food, cleaned up around the house, read my book-club book and rested. Much needed day of recovery.

On Sunday, I got out with the Conquer Cancer team, "Happiest on my bike", for the first time and we had a great 100km+ ride starting at Kelso, and lapping Guelph before closing the loop. Felt great, and I'm happy to report I've got the road bike back in a condition that doesn't hurt my knees (what was up with that?!). I was nervous about the upcoming ride -- 160km two days in a row seems a little heavy -- but now my confidence has been restored and i'm looking forward to spending some long hours in the saddle with this crew. Good times in the 5-1-9.

Note to self though, cloud cover still means you need to wear sun screen. I have a ridiculous tan line where my arm band was, but at least i wasn't wearing gloves so my hands aren't mickey mouse-ed.

Monday, I knew I wanted to ride the mountain bike, but I'd flatted the week before and as anyone who rides Bontrager knows, getting those tires to seat is nearly impossible without an air compressor, so it was still up on the figurative blocks.

A couple notes were flying around about various trail rides that were either too far to drive to, or too early in the morning to start on a holiday. But I was willing to do what it took.

After about my third session wrestling with the tire, Jerome emailed to say he was headed up to Hardwood, and had room for me. I jumped at the opportunity to check out the Canada Cup Course, and Ben at Hardwood was kind enough to end the battle with my tire. Jerome and I had a very awesome ride and I'm loving the course up there. Thanks for the lines, J-rock. If it's that hot on race day I'll have to figure out some creative cooling for bottles and bodies. Scorcher!!

At the end, we pooled our resources and ended up with an awesome snack mix for the ride home of raspberries, blackberries, raw almonds (toasted from sitting in my bag!), dates and dried mango. The traffic wasn't too terrible, but more than we expected on such a killer afternoon at only 2:30! I was happy for a cold shower at the end of the drive.

Staying home this weekend was definitely the right move -- the next three weekends are all laps. Feeling a little more recharged -- although some rest days this week will be a nice treat. Tonight, Boot Camp!

Cancer Conundrum

Today I was invited to luncheon with the Canadian Cancer Society as a thank you for the many years of monthly donations I have contributed towards cancer research. It was held at the Royal York, and the customary rubber chicken was served along with some sad steamed vegetables and a few pastries for dessert. There was also a plate of sliced fruit (which G tells me actually comes from a bag) and tea and coffee.

The speakers spoke about the impact our donations make in Cancer research. They spoke of dramatically improving the quality of life while patients undergo radiation therapy. Higher rates of "cure". But the final key note speaker went right for the jugular with a plea on behalf of children with cancer.

The whole lunch left me oscilating between pulling out my cheque book, and pulling my support entirely.

I will try to sum up in point form.

1.) Kids with cancer. Children are now getting cancer more frequently, and while 80% are being treated to the point of being "cancer free", 20% cannot be saved. But it's only a recent phenomenom that kids get cancer in the first place. Cancer used to be something "old" people got -- a disease commonly associated with aging. So shouldn't we be more concerned about things like pre-fab baby forumla? Bisphenol A in our bottles (or whatever other chemical you care to list)? The idea that a trip to McDonald's is a "treat"? I'm by no means a scientist, but to me it seems like humans as a species are a weaker set because of the crappy things we eat, the way we throw medication at everything, and our propensity to treat symptoms instead of always striving towards optimal health. It's no wonder our next generations aren't getting a fair shake.

2.) Our meal. Here we are sitting at a luncheon, hearing the story of a breast cancer survivor, and yet nowhere on the table was there a cancer-fighting food. Where were the green leafy vegetables? Even a glass of red wine? And that chicken had better have been free-range because otherwise that's a whole other story. See Food Inc. to clear the air on chicken farming. Plus, our desserts (except for the fruit) were full of white sugars, flour, and dairy products, likely from cows with too much growth hormone. Should have ordered the vegan option. We're only beginning to realize now how our conventional diets have played into all kinds of diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and of course, Cancer.

3.) Cancer is not the enemy. Cancer is not the cause. Cancer is the EFFECT. They said every three minutes in Canada, someone is diagnosed with Cancer. There's more and more cancer because our environment, our diets, and our lifestyles are becoming more and more polluted. They said something like $48 million dollars was raised by the Canadian Cancer Society last year. Imagine if just some of that money was put into subsidizing organic farming. Or community centres, or awareness campaigns about how we really are what we eat. Even bike lanes, and green spaces to encourage people to cut down on their driving and their "screen-time" (honestly the fact that that's even become a term is just scary.)

4.) Cancer Care. At the same time that I gripe about all the points above, I've seen firsthand too many times what Cancer can do -- both to patients and their families. And I am so grateful for the work of the Canadian Cancer Society in their efforts to make the whole experience even one iota less hellish. Because big changes don't happen overnight, and you don't need a crystal ball to know that Cancer is going to be with us for a while yet. So having things like volunteer drivers to get you to your chemo treatments, or doctors who care about the mucositis that comes with treatment in children, or nurses to pray and cry with you, or researchers trying to figure out how to keep treatment-abandonment down in El Salvador are all super valuable to me.

So I guess at the end of this rant, I want to say thank you to Cancer researchers, nurses and doctors for the difference you've made in the lives of my loved ones, and strangers I'll never come to know. I know I said I might pull my support, but as long as there's cancer, I'll keep doing whatever I can to do something.

If you want to help, visit the Canadian Cancer Society online, or consider supporting my Ride to Conquer Cancer.

The following letter was forwarded to me by my dad this morning, and I was so moved I wanted to share it with everyone who reads this blog.

I have never met Michael Hewitson in person, but from what I've gathered from our short correspondence, cancer couldn't have touched a nicer guy. A young man, living his life, who even enjoyed cycling until rectal cancer put everything on hold. Some of you may know him from Bruce Power -- or may be seeing this email for the second time. Maybe you even put some money in the hat at the gate collection on your way to work.

I wanted to thank Mike for sharing his story, and for donating to my Ride to Conquer Cancer. But most importantly, I want to thank him for reminding all of us that you can never start screening too early. But, as we are too often reminded, you can catch it too late. The only person who will ever truly advocate for your care, is you. So take care of you.

To the Management staff

My Co-workers, Friends and Strangers

Of Bruce Power

My name is Michael Hewitson. My friends and co-workers organized and held the gate collection on my behalf, on March 10, 2010. I don’t know where or how to begin to express my overwhelming appreciation of the generosity shown that day. This past 6 months has been a roller coaster of emotion as you can well imagine, with endless trips to and from London and countless nights in hotel rooms down there while undergoing endless testing and monitoring. The expenses incurred through this time have just added up on top of everything else that is going on. I volunteered to take part in a cancer clinical study including 75 individuals across North America, with the hope that at the very least I could contribute to further education and a better understanding of rectal cancer through this trial, with perhaps new and hopefully improved methods of treatment for cases in the future. This has caused even more trips and tests at the London Cancer Research Center. We at Bruce Power are very fortunate as everyone there has medial coverage of some kind, but NO ONE IN THIS COUNTRY is more fortunate than Bruce Power workers when it comes to receiving a hand when in need. When Gord Young sent me an e-mail at 3:00 pm March 10^th, there is no way that I could have been prepared for the words that it said….. “We’ve raised $12,525.17 …“ tears instantly filled my eyes, tears of joy for the first time in over 6 months.

We all know someone who has fought the battle of cancer and watched how it has turned their world upside-down. Believe me, I was a healthy, just turned 42 year old man when a trip to the Dr.’s office turned everything into a crazy tailspin. “You have cancer” are the harshest words I have ever heard. The financial burden had taken its toll as, I have been off work since September 2009, and with recent medical setbacks won’t be back before September 2010. My fiancé has also taken 7 weeks off from her work to be by my side through my 2 week hospital stay and to do the endless work of looking after my never ending medical and day to day needs once we returned home.

Emotions take an even harder toll when you don’t know what’s going on, whether you will make it or be a statistic. I’ve closed my eyes often, in severe pain, wondering if this was going to be for the last time, I make sure to call my son in Toronto and tell him how much I love him and hold my fiancé an extra while on these nights, trying to remain calm and as strong and as normal as possible. The mind is cruel when you have lots of time to think, along with relentless pain. When this gate collection came in, the money certainly meant a great deal, but just as important was the renewed faith that there are so many caring, generous, good hearted people that we work with every day. I haven’t worked at Bruce Power for very long, I work shift work on a small crew, so most of this money actually came from strangers, of course not only from Bruce Power employees but contractors, appendix A employees, restart trades people, their support staff and so many others. Money can’t buy the feeling of knowing that people have given through their hearts with warm wishes and their kind thoughts the way all of you people have. With your generosity we won’t have to worry about finances any time in the near future, we have covered the racked up credit cards and will have money left for future trips and lodgings in London. When all is said and done, any left over money will be donated to cancer research, someone else in need or any good cause that comes up that is cancer related, your generosity will definitely be passed on.

I do ask one more thing of everyone! Especially you shy men, If something doesn’t feel right don’t be afraid to get it looked after, 5 years ago this tumour would have been removed during a routine colonoscopy examination, I had no idea at that time there was a problem and wasn’t due for my first colonoscopy for 13 more years. What would have been a polyp had grown into a tumour the size of a soft ball, still with minimal signs, but the signs were there, I figured I was just getting older and not eating enough fibre, now it’s a year of sheer hell. What was so easily preventable if it had been detected… A 15 minute, painless colonoscopy while you’re knocked out is absolutely nothing compared to this….

Thank you everyone, so very much.

With a special thanks to Gord Young (Bruce A control mtce.), D-crew and all of the volunteers that dedicated their time to make this such a huge success.

Shanda, Mike and Joshua Hewitson

Free Spaghetti!

If you're in the Port Elgin area on April 10, or want to be, then come by our Fundraising Spaghetti Dinner! It's going to be a delicious good time with my brother-in-law-the-chef in the kitchen, and my culinary-skills-challenged sister safely out of it. And of course, the rest of the family will be there as well to make sure you have an enjoyable evening! Plus, wine's included y'all.

The menu is going to include all kinds of spaghetti dinner goodness including a veggie sauce, meat sauce, crusty breads for dipping, nutritious and delicious mixed greens salad and did I mention the wine?

There's a spot for you and all of your generous friends any time between 5pm and 7pm and all you have to do is email mlake [at] bmts.com to get it. Please RSVP before April 8 so we know what to put on Bryan's shopping list.

What else? Oh yeah, it's at the St. John's Anglican Church hall on the corner of Mill and Stafford, and while there's no fee for dinner, we will be collecting donations in support of our ride to Conquer Cancer. You can visit Dad's page here, and mine here.

PS - Since I'm home that weekend, we'll also be doing some riding on Saturday and Sunday to help with the training. So you're more than welcome to come along for that too. All you need is a bike and a helmet.

Have your wine and drink it too!

This just in: Official Wine Sponsor East Dell Estate Winery will donate $0.50 from every bottle of their wine sold in the LCBO from March 28th to May 22nd, 2010 to The Ride to Conquer Cancer.

Makes sense to have an official wine sponsor for our ride through wine country!

So enjoy a glass of wine, and while you're at it, please remember to donate to our ride!

Kristen:

http://www.conquercancer.ca/site/TR/Events/Toronto2010?px=1365761&pg=personal&fr_id=1311

Dad:

http://www.conquercancer.ca/site/TR/Events/Toronto2010?px=1299377&pg=personal&fr_id=1311

Half way there!

I received a Super-Bowl themed donation today that put me over the halfway mark on my Ride to Conquer Cancer fundraising. Milestone! Thanks to all those back home in Port Elgin who had a good time last night to benefit a good cause.

And huge thanks to EVERYONE who's contributed so far! Cancer sucks and we can do more together than I can on my own.

Help me get the rest of the way by considering a donation.

PS: Two hundred miles is a heck of a long way so I'm also accepting moral support ;)

We’re riding to conquer cancer in 2010. Please support Mark and Kristen Lake

Dad emailed today to let me know he's made a flyer to spread the word about our ride. He'll have them available at local [Port Elgin area] events he's involved in. For those not in Beautiful Bruce County, here it is:

****

Mark and Kristen Lake have committed to fighting cancer by participating in The Ride to Conquer Cancer® benefiting The Campbell Family Institute at the Princess Margaret Hospital. We will join thousands of other men and women in a history-making ride from June 12-13, 2010. Mark and Kristen will cover 200 miles (320km) from Toronto to Niagara Falls in two days with a night of camping in Hamilton. Riders help support breakthrough research and the discovery of new cancer therapies at Princess Margaret Hospital.

With one in three Canadians diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime, we are rallying for the cause and cycling in The Ride to Conquer Cancer because:

“We've been standing on the sidelines watching cancer attack the people we care about and feeling helpless because we cannot fix it. Now we have an opportunity to do something about it.

This 200 mile bicycle ride from Toronto to Niagara Falls June 12 to 13, 2010 offers us all an opportunity to make a real difference in helping to conquer cancer. 100% of your donation will go directly to benefit Canada’s leading comprehensive cancer research centre at the Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) as soon as it is received. The Campbell Family Institute at the Princess Margaret Hospital have assembled a team of world class doctors, scientists and support staff whose sole vision is to conquer cancer for those struggling right now and those yet to be diagnosed.

Kristen and I dedicate this ride to all who are courageously facing cancer now particularly my father James, my sister-in-law Nancy and cousin Vi and in remembrance of my mother-in-law Margaret, and my friends Richard and Robin. In particular this year, Kris and I are riding in remembrance of my mother, Marian Lake who passed away suddenly on November 27, 2009 two days after being diagnosed with lung cancer.”

For real impact, Mark (participant ID number 542028-9) and Kristen (participant ID number 547786-7) have set personal fundraising goals of $2500 each. To help them reach their goals, visit www.conquercancer.ca to make a donation online or call (416) 815-RIDE (7433). Mark has donation forms (paper copy) available upon request if you’d prefer to mail your support in. Visit Kristen’s blog at www.krislake.blogspot.com for updates and to download paper forms or link to the online donation site.

Riders will be supported by hundreds of Volunteers and Crew Members who will provide meals, water and snack stops, gear transport, portable restrooms, safety on the streets, comprehensive medical services and an overnight campsite complete with tents, massages, and hot showers. For more information on Conquer Cancer rides held across Canada, please go to www.conquercancer.ca or call (887)699-BIKE (2453). All you need is a bike, a helmet and a little motivation.

About Princess Margaret Hospital
Proceeds from the sold-out 2010 Ontario Ride to Conquer Cancer will benefit The Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation, one of the top five cancer research hospitals in the world and the largest institution in Canada exclusively devoted to cancer treatment, research and education. For more information about the Princess Margaret, please visit www.pmhf.ca. The Ride will generate all-important funds for research, which will be allocated based on the highest cancer research priorities at PMH such as tumor metabolism, cancer stem cells, cancer genomics, and molecular imaging/guided therapeutics.

Oh boy oh boy oh boy!!!!

I guess I was a good girl this year because Santa brought me the best thing EVAR. My very own Garmin Edge 705, the most amazing cycling computer in the world. It is GPS enabled of course, but also has a HRM, cadence and speed sensor and is fully compatible with third party power meters. You can store your favourite workouts, save courses, put lap markers wherever you train for automatic lap times ... and the list goes on and on. What more could you want?!

I took it for a little "test-run" today, literally. I haven't got a bike to mount it to at the moment while away for holidays, so I just held onto it while I went for a run around St. Catharines. I thought heading to Port Dalhousie along the waterfront trail would be a good idea, but some of those sidewalks go super close to the water and by then, I was so in love with my new gadget my HR was up five beats just from the stress of imagining a poorly-timed trip, and the Garmin (which I have nicknamed "G") flying into the cold, deep water.

Well never fear, I held on tight and we made it back to Grampa's house dropping virtual breadcrumbs all the way.

I am so stoked on this thing I can't even tell you. Stay tuned for future route-postings as I slowly learn how to make it do all the wonderful things it knows how to do.

PS - Dad got a matching one, so we're all set for our training leading up to the Ride To Conquer Cancer.

Christmas morning! Mom and I inspect every single piece in the box.

Photo shoot for blogging purposes ...

Maya Papaya wishing she could come running too ... maybe next time.

Where I went!

Get your money back!

The Ride to Conquer Cancer emailed the other day to point out that all donors who contribute before Dec 31 will get their money back on their '09 tax returns instead of waiting for '10.

A little extra incentive for a good cause!

Happy Holiday season everybody! Only 10 shopping days left!

RTCC Milestone!

Thanks to some very generous donations, we've made it over the $1,000 mark. Hurray!!! But that's not all! We're also ahead of Dad's fundraising!

Just $1,500 more to go.

Double Century for Grandma

Me, Grandma, Grandpa and Dad on the 2008 Ride to Conquer Cancer

Our Ride to Conquer Cancer has gone from a double metric century to a true double century, 200 miles, or about 320 kilometres between Toronto and Niagara Falls.

I was signed up all along, but my dad originally opted for the 200K. When the Ride Guide called me to let me know some info, I found out that the 200M ride I'd signed up for wasn't like the 2008 edition where we got an added ride in the afternoon to make up the miles. Instead, the 200-milers are riding an entirely different route! With different rest stops! So ... if dad and were to ride together, we'd need to decide which route we're doing.

I thought switching down would make the most sense but they said that the 200km route was full!!

So Dad has now bravely moved up, and we're doing the BIG ride. I don't think I've ever been in the saddle for that long, so this is going to be something. I hope you're inspired to donate to our now-harder-than-ever challenge!!

I know we'll make it because I'm very sad to tell you, we have a new family member to add to our memorial list.

My Grandma -- dad's mom -- passed away on November 27 2009 peacefully at St. Catharines General hospital. She was diagnosed with Lung Cancer on the 25th. So we'll do this one for her, and I know she'll help us get it done.

Losing her is a reminder of how important it is to do what we can to help researchers find a cure, and families get the care they need.

Thank you in advance for whatever you can contribute.

Please DONATE to Kris Lake or DONATE to Mark Lake in memory of Marian Lake.

Water colour by my grandma, Marian Lake

2010 Ride to Conquer Cancer

I heard there were only 300 spots left in the 2010 Ride to Conquer Cancer and since my dad already had one, I figured I'd join him!

I hope you will offer a donation towards my goal of $2500. I will be working hard to meet that target because otherwise I will not qualify to participate in the ride. So as you can see, I need your help! You can donate online from this page; you can set up a monthly contribution from now until the ride; or you can donate by personal cheque, either directly to the RTCC or I would happily forward the funds in your name. And of course, all donations over $10 are tax deductible.

Dad and I were part of a team of four back in 2008 for the inaugural ride which raised an incredible $14 million for Princess Margaret Hospital. We had a wonderful time. The event, although running for its first time, was organized to a tee. I did the 200km ride plus an additional 70km in the "Afterburn" with Steve Bauer. It still ranks as one of my favourite days in the saddle, ever.

This year I saw there was an option to be a 200km rider or a 200 mile rider. So I decided to test my mettle and sign up for the dual-century, imperial style.

While the cycling is unsurpassed (amazing scenery, and roads just for us), that's only half the RTCC story. As cancer affects more and more of us and our loved ones, it is more important than ever to work together to stop it.

I first heard of cancer when I was just a little girl, and it was hard to understand — it seemed to me that people who get sick ought to get better. But my Grandma was sick for as long as I knew her. She was the toughest woman I’ve known and I will always remember her for her grace and strength.

I dedicate this ride to all who are fighting now, particularly my grandpa, my aunt, and my cousin. I'll ride in remembrance of my grandma, and my "neighbourhood dad" Mr. Lutz.

The money raised in the Ride to Conquer Cancer will support breakthrough research, exemplary teaching, and compassionate care at Princess Margaret Hospital, one of the top 5 cancer research centres in the world.

Thanks so much in advance for your help!