Tour de Cure: Ride Review

Man, that was the most heinous thing I've ever done (on a bicycle). The temperature was in the low-40's and there was a constant rain.

Tour de Pluie
My apartment is just a few blocks from the start/finish point at the Portsmouth Middle School. As I pedaled there at six-o'clock in the morning, which is often about the time I'm going to bed, I questioned the weather report's definition of "light drizzle." Little did I know.

I could tell it was going to be a good day when I checked in and received my race number--thirteen. I'm not a superstitious person; in fact, the worse something augers, the more I want to do it. After that, I met up with the team in the parking lot. The rest of the team was concerned that I wasn't wearing anything apparent on my legs. I decided against wearing leg-warmers or tights on this raining, low-40's-temperature day, partially to prove my hardman status, but mostly because I don't have any leg-warmers or tights. I went to Gus' Bike the other day to get some, but they didn't have any in stock, since the summer season is around the corner. Anyway, instead I went for the so-called Belgium Knee Warmers--covering my legs in a thick layer of muscle-warming oil and Vaseline.

Early Breakaway
And we were off. We started around New Castle at a leisurely pace in the light rain shower for a few minutes, then a couple guys decided that the pack of riders was a little too crowded for them, and they took off ahead. Someone on my team very jokingly yelled "breakaway--someone get up there!" Playing the part of the dutiful domestique, I jumped ahead and caught up with the other guys, and we formed a tight little echelon, leaving the field behind. It was fun for a minute, but we held back and rejoined the field somewhere in Rye.

Detour
After a couple of towns, our team ended up riding mostly by ourselves, having left most of the field behind--though others were farther up the road. In some unknown town that I've never been to, a squad car was parked across the road. He flagged us down and informed us that we had to go another away--a tree was down across the road, blocking the route. He told us which road we had to turn down. I think.

So we go a way down the road, when I start to feel a familiar and unpleasant rumble in my rear--I had punctured my back tire. We pulled in to a gas station and changed the flat under the protection of the pump island. A couple other guys had brought CO2 cartridges to pump up the tire. I'd never used them before. You just just screw it in to a little gun-pump thing and pull the trigger once to pump up your tire. It beats hand-pumping any day--especially when your hands are uselessly numb.

While we were there, someone asked for directions, since we were off the course, and lost. Apparently we were in Amherst, Massachusetts. I'm not even sure if the tour was supposed to even go to Mass. The rain was picking up too. Tom Luther, NorEast president, snapped a photo of me, brandishing my number 13 bike, lost, off the course, in another state, in the driving rain. It was great. It was perfect. But when you are not moving, you get cold. So we headed on, in the general direction that we were told.

Fork in the Road
Eventually we came across the painted road markers defining the Right Way for the Tour de Cure. It was very encouraging for all of us. The we came to a fork in the road. There were four colors, one for each route: 25, 50, 75, and 100 miles. 100 and 75 went one way, and 50 went the other (25 had forked off long ago). I was in it for the 100 miles, I mean--that's what I signed up for, right? That's what everyone sponsored me for, right? Of course I'm tired and slightly hypothermic, but the rest of the team decided that it would be prudent to take the 50--the weather conditions were deplorable and we had already gone quite a bit off route, adding some mileage anyway.

New Hampshire
Eventually the road we were one came out on to Route 1A, Seabrook New Hampshire. Finally--familiar territory. This is about 15 miles south of Portsmouth--the home stretch. We followed the road north, and I lost my legs somewhere in Hampton or Rye. I couldn't keep up with the team. John Healy and Tom Luther kept coming back for me--John was physically pushing me, to help me up the hills. I owe him a debt of gratitude. The "Now entering Portsmouth" sign was a welcome relief.

Wet Steel Bridge
Upon entering Portsmouth from the southeast is the Sagamore "singing" bridge--a cyclist-eating cheese-grater of a bridge. It's also at the bottom of a big hill (we would be going up it after crossing). Last summer, I crossed it coming the other direction, having just bombed down the hill at about 35 miles per hour, and there was a light morning dew on the bridge. Wet steel grate bridges and bicycles don't make friends, I've learned this lesson before. Tom and John started to ride across it with comical results (no one got hurt but it was terrifying to watch). I walked my bike across the bridge, then pedaled up the hill in a huge gear, my fingers too cold to shift any more. Then we made our way down the last mile or so to the finish.

Epilogue
I immediately went home and took a shower that was almost as long and hot (and certainly as wet) as the Tour itself was long and cold. After a change of clothes, I went back to the Finish, where they were serving the best kind of pizza: free pizza. I mean, no one told me there would be free pizza when I started this. If I had known, I would have signed up a lot sooner! Some people say that hunger is the best sauce--I say that freeness is the best sauce. No doubt about it. But I digress.

Conclusions
Back when I started this year, I had stated that one of my goals for the year was to complete a 100-mile ride. While I still have that goal ahead of me, I feel like over-all Sunday's Tour de Cure was a success for me. The weather conditions were by far the most horrible thing I've ever endured--my toes were totally numb, and I was covered in several layers of dirt which were kicked up from the wheels in front of me. I feel good about it, though. In the end our mileage was around 60 miles, or 100 kilometers, so not bad. Mission accomplished!

And of course the point of the Tour de Cure--to raise money for research, education, and support services for diabetes. My sponsors generously donated $660 for me, and the NorEast team overall raised $3,120. This is a huge help and will help fight diabetes. For more information, I encourage you to check out www.diabetes.org.

Tour de Cure Morning

I've got everything I need ready. We ride out in one hour.

Preparing the Bicycle

Today I am getting my bicycle prepared for the Tour de Cure, my 100-mile ride to raise money for Diabetes research, awareness, and services in two days. I don't really have time to post about it, but it's going a little something like this:

Tour de Cure: One Week Left

I've got just six days until the Tour de Cure, my 100-mile ride to support diabetes research, education, information and services on Sunday, May 4th. I've made about 2/3 of my sponsorship goal so far, so we'll see what happens with that, with six days left.

The weather forecast for this week calls for rain, which is fine. I need a week off the bike anyway. I've got this tiredness deep in my legs that I can't feel until I try to put a lot of power in to them. They hurt deep inside, even though they are getting stronger. Last year, I was strongest after a week and a half of not being on my bicycle at all. Recovery is so important--taking a rest for a while helps a lot. I think this week it's more important to rest instead of training for longer mileage.

I'd just like to say thanks right now to everyone that's sponsored me so far--I've had a lot of extended family and friends that I haven't gotten a chance to see in a while that are sponsoring me. If I haven't gotten a chance to individually thank everyone, don't worry--I will. And of course next week will have a full ride report right here on the blog, and hopefully some good pictures.

Sugar Management

There's just two weeks left until the Portsmouth Tour de Cure, the hundred-mile ride I'm doing to raise money for diabetes research, education, and information & services. I'm about halfway to my fund-raising goal of $500. It's not too hard to scrounge up a little money--I even sponsored myself by rolling up my loose change for about $25.

The crux of diabetes is management of blood sugar, because the body has difficulty with insulin production--that's how the body metabolizes sugar and turns it in to energy. Consequently, blood sugar has to be managed very carefully, by eating the right things at the right times.

For someone that doesn't have diabetes, blood sugar management is important because you do produce insulin. Insulin has other effects than just metabolizing sugar in the blood. It also prevents the body from utilizing stored fat, converts carbs and protein in to fat, and moves fat in the blood to stored fat. It can also cause cravings for more sugar--which only exacerbates the situation.

Some foods deliver their carbs to the blood quicker than others, raising blood sugar, and increasing insulin, causing these negative effects. The glycemic index, which tells which foods deliver their carbs to the bloodstream fastest, was created for diabetics, but is of great use to everyone. Foods that are very highly glycemic include rice, baked potatoes, french bread, and who would have guessed: tofu frozen yogurt. Some very low-glycemic foods include peaches, plums, grapefruits and milk. What a food has in it affects its place on the index--fat and fiber slow down the digestion processes, lowering its glycemic factor.

Anyone, and especially athletes, can take a cue from the glycemic index. In order to balance your carbohydratic budget, generally try to avoid high-glycermic-index foods. The exception is during or just after a serious workout--in my case, a ride or a race. Restoring the body's carbohydrate stores is important, so getting carbs/sugar in to the blood quickly is a good idea after hard efforts, or you'll feel depleted for much longer.

Of course, it's not that simple--that was just a broad generalization. There are a lot of factors that can affect glycemic index, and the jury is still out on a lot of things. The American Diabetes Association weighs in on the glycemic index and its subtleties, which is worth a read if you're looking for more [precise] information.

In the mean time, I'll be continuing my training for the Tour. So far the longest ride I've done this year is 50 miles, and I've only got two weeks left, so . . . this should be interesting.

Diabetes Myths

Since I am doing the Tour de Cure, a hundred-mile ride around the seacoast towns to raise funding for diabetes research, prevention, and information, I'm taking today to clear up some myths about diabetes. The following is from the American Diabetes Association information page.

Myth #1 You can catch diabetes from someone else.
No. Although we don’t know exactly why some people develop diabetes, we know diabetes is not contagious. It can’t be caught like a cold or flu. There seems to be some genetic link in diabetes, particularly type 2 diabetes. Lifestyle factors also play a part.

Myth #2 People with diabetes can't eat sweets or chocolate.
If eaten as part of a healthy meal plan, or combined with exercise, sweets and desserts can be eaten by people with diabetes. They are no more “off limits” to people with diabetes, than they are to people without diabetes.

Myth #3 Eating too much sugar causes diabetes.
No. Diabetes is caused by a combination of genetic and lifestyle factors. However, being overweight does increase your risk for developing type 2 diabetes. If you have a history of diabetes in your family, eating a healthy meal plan and regular exercise are recommended to manage your weight.

Myth #4 People with diabetes should eat special diabetic foods.
A healthy meal plan for people with diabetes is the same as that for everyone – low in fat (especially saturated and trans fat), moderate in salt and sugar, with meals based on whole grain foods, vegetables and fruit. Diabetic and “dietetic” versions of sugar-containing foods offer no special benefit. They still raise blood glucose levels, are usually more expensive and can also have a laxative effect if they contain sugar alcohols.

Myth #5 If you have diabetes, you should only eat small amounts of starchy foods, such as bread, potatoes and pasta.
Starchy foods are part of a healthy meal plan. What is important is the portion size. Whole grain breads, cereals, pasta, rice and starchy vegetables like potatoes, yams, peas and corn can be included in your meals and snacks. The key is portions. For most people with diabetes, having 3-4 servings of carbohydrate-containing foods is about right. Whole grain starchy foods are also a good source of fiber, which helps keep your gut healthy.

Myth #6 People with diabetes are more likely to get colds and other illnesses.
No. You are no more likely to get a cold or another illness if you have diabetes. However, people with diabetes are advised to get flu shots. This is because any infection interferes with your blood glucose management, putting you at risk of high blood glucose levels and, for those with type 1 diabetes, an increased risk of ketoacidosis.

Myth #7 Insulin causes atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and high blood pressure.
No, insulin does not cause atherosclerosis. In the laboratory, there is evidence that insulin can initiate some of the early processes associated with atherosclerosis. Therefore, some physicians were fearful that insulin might aggravate the development of high blood pressure and hardening of the arteries. But it doesn’t.

Myth #8 Insulin causes weight gain, and because obesity is bad for you, insulin should not be taken.
Both the UKPDS (United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study) and the DCCT (Diabetes Control & Complications Trial) have shown that the benefit of glucose management with insulin far outweighs (no pun intended) the risk of weight gain.

Myth #9 Fruit is a healthy food. Therefore, it is ok to eat as much of it as you wish.
Fruit is a healthy food. It contains fiber and lots of vitamins and minerals. Because fruit contains carbohydrate, it needs to be included in your meal plan. Talk to your dietitian about the amount, frequency and types of fruits you should eat.

Myth #10 You don’t need to change your diabetes regimen unless your A1C is greater than 8 percent.
The better your glucose control, the less likely you are to develop complications of diabetes. An A1C in the sevens (7s), however, does not represent good control. The ADA goal is less than 7 percent. The closer your A1C is to the normal range (less than 6 percent), the lower your chances of complications. However, you increase your risk of hypoglycemia, especially if you have type 1 diabetes. Talk with your health care provider about the best goal for you.

Tour de Cure

Diabetes

Diabetes is a disease which staunches insulin production, and affects 20 million Americans--a quarter of them undiagnosed. But what does that mean?

Well, when you eat simple carbohydrates like sugars and starches, they make their way in to your blood stream, where your body's cells generally metabolize it either by converting it to energy to use presently, or by converting it to storage form for later use.

The hormone insulin is what facilitates the conversion of blood-sugar, by allowing the body's cells to receive the carbohydrates. Diabetes is a disorder of the pancreas, where insulin is not generated, causing sugar to remain in the blood. This is dangerous essentially because sugar is, as we all know, quite sticky. Sticky blood is, as you can imagine, a Very Bad Thing.

So, with diabetes, you have to carefully monitor and maintain your blood sugar, and/or take insulin shots regularly, lest your blood gets too sticky, and stops moving.

Now What?

Well, that was a wild over-simplification. If you want to know more, I'd definitely recommend taking a look at the American Diabetes Association's website. It has solid information for diabetics or friends and family. And with 7% of the American population diabetic, and another 18% pre-diabetic, chances are that means yourself or somebody you know, too.

For my part, I've registered to ride 100 miles on May 4th to support research, education, and awareness of diabetes. If you're interesting in supporting diabetes research, education, and awareness, you can sponsor my ride. My fund raising goal is $500, by May 4th. I'm asking for $50 from friends and family, and $100 from philanthropic entrepreneurs, but any amount is of course welcome.

Sponsorship

You can sponsor under your own name, the name of your company, whatever name you want, or even totally anonymously, if you like. Your name will go up on the sponsor list on my Tour de Cure page. Also, there's a Goal-o-meter, too. Those are always fun. And of course, you'll get a receipt for any donations--they are a tax write-off!

For the next month, I'll be keeping the blog updated with progress in my sponsorship and my training, so keep checking back every Monday/Wednesday/Friday for regular updates!