Cycling 100 miles to Celebrate 35 Years of Living with Diabetes

I have decided to ride my bike 100 miles at the Tour de Cure Twin Cities on Saturday, June 4^th, 2016. I realized that having a goal helps me focus my energy and plan my strategies for success. In 2016, I will celebrate living well with type 1 diabetes for 35 years. That calls for something special. This past summer, I didn’t ride my bike longer than 60 miles. I also didn’t ride nearly as much as I did in the summer of 2014, when I rode three 100-mile bike rides.

The goal to ride 100 miles at least once in 2016 is the exact same goal I’ve had before. The question I asked myself is, “How can I make this more interesting?” I thought about it for a number of days. At first, nothing came to me. Luckily I like repeating goals, I rarely get bored, even doing something for the zillionth time, as long as it’s something I enjoy doing. Riding my road bike is one of my biggest loves of all time.

Then it hit me. At the 2015, Tour de Cure I had a ton of fun because it was one of the first Tours where I rode with a group of good friends. I’ve ridden just about every year since the Tour de Cure started 25 years ago. Twenty-five years ago, I lived in Santa Cruz, CA and I rode in the Tour that very first year, 1991. I was 26 years old and I rode a short route on a hybrid bike. That first Tour of mine was long before I had any idea how to do endurance athletics as a person with type 1 diabetes. All those Tours I did, I often did them alone. Or later, as the Red Rider founder guest of the particular Tour I was riding. Until 2015, I had never ridden a Tour with a group of pals.

I realized, the key to this 2016 goal being exciting is to round up a group of cyclists who want to tackle this goal together! I put out the word and so far my friends Tammy, Rhea and Molly have signed on. Dana and Helen are thinking about it. If they do sign on, that will be six more women, three of whom have diabetes, at the start line of the 100-mile route at Minnehaha Falls in Minneapolis, Minnesota on June 4^th.

Already, just imagining the six of us at the start line, makes me extremely happy. We will train together too. Since the weather isn’t so fabulous for riding in February and March in Minnesota, we will start our training riding on our indoor trainers. Mine is a CycleOps. We will officially start our periodized training in early February.

Global warming seems to be hitting us this year here in Minnesota, as so far it’s only snowed a couple of times, and this week, the weather is up in the 40’s. That said, I have about 8 weeks before training will officially start. Last winter, I did virtually zero intentional working out for over three months. I just walked my dog every day, which isn’t horrible, but I was amazed at how much fitness I lost. This year, I vow for that to NOT happen!

How can I maintain my fitness? And not get bored? I don’t belong to a gym, although I am considering applying to work at the YMCA as a receptionist, so I would get a free membership. Yesterday, I was hanging out with Molly, showing her how to cook a yummy root veggie tagine, a dish from North Africa, and she told me about a free website that offers good workout videos. It’s called Fitness Blender. When I got home, I went to the website and tried out a 15 minute HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) video. And wow!!! Did I start sweating! Then I did a 10-minute cool down/warm up cardio video. When they ended, I realized I felt fantastic!

I was so energized, I looked up off season weight lifting for cyclists. I found this. My plan is to continue using Fitness Blender 4 or 5 days a week and do weight lifting 3 days a week. I also set up my bike trainer. I will ride for at least one hour at least twice a week, to maintain my cardiovascular fitness. If we ever get more snow, I will also cross country ski. Plus I will keep walking my athletic dog Echo!

What are you doing to stay fit and motivated?

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