Bike MS: C.H. Robinson Cruise the Cornfields

I chose to ride the Bike MS: C.H. Robinson Cruise the Cornfields (June 21st, 2014) because I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in February of 2014 just a few short months before my 40th birthday.  For those of you who do not know much about multiple sclerosis it is an autoimmune disease where a persons body attacks the protective coating, myelin, around the nervous system as well as the brain.  It affects the nerves ability to send impulses correctly and can cause vision and motor impairment, as well as tingling in the extremities and fatigue just to name a few things.  For more information about MS you can take a look at this great article: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/37556.php

I wanted to do an MS event sponsored by the National MS Society.  The MS Society and the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America both do work to provide support programs, services and research which makes a huge difference to people LIKE ME who live with multiple sclerosis.  When a fellow triathlete who has a spouse with MS told me that my MS Society Chapter was holding their MS Bike event in Ames where I live it was a no-brainer for me.  I was in.  I had two weeks to do the obligatory fundraising of $100 but I wasn’t worried.  You can still donate for 2014 BikeMS until July 11th at the link below.

http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR/Bike/MNMBikeEvents?px=13447566&pg=personal&fr_id=23097

As for the actual event.  My husband and I decided that it made sense for him to ride with me so I would not be out on the 25 mile open road course alone.  These rides are supported but don’t have a designated start time so riders can be pretty spread out.  It isn’t a race and neither is living with MS so we decided to go easy (keep pedaling, minimal stops but easy pace).  I really struggle with the heat due to my MS so I wanted to make an early start of things so I could get home and rest for Copper Creek Triathlon the next morning.

We were blessed with a beautiful spring morning.  It was in the mid-sixties with a light wind and glorious sunshine.  We set out around 8:30 am and hit the course which ran right through our neighborhood.  It set out to the North on Dakota until we got to Cameron School road where we caught up with the first MS Rider we would see.  He was walking up a hill without a helmet on so I am going to use the opportunity to plug bicycle safety.  It is NEVER ok to ride without a helmet.  I have lost friends who were riding without a helmet and were hit. I have a friend with a metal plate in his head, and last year the bike helmet saved me from a head injury when I went over the handlebars and my helmet cracked instead of my skull.  Be safe, wear a helmet, dress brightly, be aware and use a mirror on your bike, use arm signals, and follow traffic laws.

Ok, back to the ride.  We continued along to County Line road where we passed a young woman wearing the same jersey as me.  This is significant because they only give them to people who have been diagnosed with MS (my first perk :).  One of my goals was to make a new MS friend so after we had passed her a couple of time the next time we rode up on her I asked her for her story.  She was also a mom of two who was diagnosed ten years ago.  She used to be a runner but had a major flare up while she was off meds and now has motor control issues in one leg.  She has taken to biking for fitness now.  Like me she has also changed to a whole food diet and appears to be living well with MS.  

All in all doing this event makes me more grateful for every day I have energy and still have my mobility, vision and mental capacity.  Joe and I rode in to the finish line and received our Bike MS shirts and medals, and then headed towards home to stop at the neighborhood coffee house for a cool cup of caf before heading home to kids and yard work

.  It was a great day and I hope to do a ride again next year.

Race Report - Hope Run for Hospice

This is the second year we have done this run as a family and is my first “race” of 2014.  Last year Joe ran alone and I ran with the kids.   Abigail imploded in the heat and humidity, and I lost my patience and spent the whole race running in circles back to get her..  This year we decided we would run pretty much as a family.  It was perfect sunny spring morning and not too hot or humid.  Abby and I decided we would run together and Joe would push the bike buggy with Joshua inside as he was going to take it easy due to a leg muscle strain.  

We love this race because Mary Greeley Hospital helps sponsor Mileage Club at the elementary schools in town.  The kids who participate have a chance to earn a free admission to the event by putting in 25 miles at lunch recess over several weeks at school.  Abby set her goal early and even though we knew months beforehand she had a soccer tournament that weekend I told her if she got in we would run.  Her final tally was 32 miles in the end.  The is a great run also because it helps to raise funds for the Ames Hospice House which is in our neighborhood.  They do wonderful end of life work and even supported my neighbor’s family this year when her mother passed.  

Run for Hospice is a timed race and has two distances 2.5k and 5k.  I love this race because there are hundreds of families running and being active together.  As I pulled our times from the website I couldn't help but notice family after family coming across the line with the same times.

Since this wasn't a run where I cared about time Abby and I decided we would walk once a mile when she needed it.  She did great however and I think we walked for a block each mile including the water stop in mile two.  Joe caught up with us at the water stop and all four of us ran together since by then Joshua was tired of riding along.  I am guessing next year he will be running with us.

We all crossed the finish line within 25 seconds of each other with Abby taking the lead due to her last second burst of speed.  Final times 34:36, 34:37 and the guys at 34:51.  We saw lots of friends at the finish and Joshua did the 50 meter little guy run with the biggest grin on his face.  I am pretty blessed and we hope to continue this family tradition for years to come.