34.7 miles 4433 feet - Westridge, hub, paseo by stenogrl at Garmin Connect - Details
Solo - peace-of-mind ride! - Sunny ! easy endurance
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Saturday, March 23, 2013
34 miles; 4836 feet of climbing in SM mountains - flat tire took a LOT of time ! and running into a lot of friends
Paseo; Eagle Rock; Nike; Holly Hock - flat tire by stenogrl at Garmin Connect - Details
Started out pretty tired today. Dani and River gave me a great surprise visit yesterday. River spent the night with Oma (me) - We had a blast!
My friend Derek noticed a flat tire climbing HollyHock. Let's just say I need to learn to change a tire in less than an hour!!!!!!!!!!!! lol
Not sure how I am feeling for Counting Coup after losing a lot of training time with the recent cancer scare.
I am grateful to be alive and happy!
Started out pretty tired today. Dani and River gave me a great surprise visit yesterday. River spent the night with Oma (me) - We had a blast!
My friend Derek noticed a flat tire climbing HollyHock. Let's just say I need to learn to change a tire in less than an hour!!!!!!!!!!!! lol
Not sure how I am feeling for Counting Coup after losing a lot of training time with the recent cancer scare.
I am grateful to be alive and happy!
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Bone Marrow Biopsy results on March 19, 2013 - Great News - this has changed my life!
Hi Cheryl,
I wouldn’t worry too much about the last test (cytogenetics). It is unlikely to turn up anything, but has to be done for completeness sake. That result should be back today or tomorrow.
Once, I have that info, I’ll update Dr. Berenson with the final diagnosis. Then the next step will be determining what the source of the protein is in the blood. It could just be a false positive, but that will be something for Dr. Berenson to sort out. Hopefully it is nothing.
Best wishes,
-JJ
I wouldn’t worry too much about the last test (cytogenetics). It is unlikely to turn up anything, but has to be done for completeness sake. That result should be back today or tomorrow.
Once, I have that info, I’ll update Dr. Berenson with the final diagnosis. Then the next step will be determining what the source of the protein is in the blood. It could just be a false positive, but that will be something for Dr. Berenson to sort out. Hopefully it is nothing.
Best wishes,
-JJ
Monday, March 18, 2013
March 15, 2013 - Pathologist Prelim Report -FB post
PRELIMINARY RESULTS- The following email is from the staff pathologist who preformed my bone marrow biopsy yesterday.
I wish I words to express how much the love and support everybody has given me has pulled me through 10 days of worry and fear: From meditation, to prayer, to visuals - to writing -to crying. Every comment, and phone call and email would inspire me to keep positive thoughts as best I could - IF YOU SEE A GIRL RIDING TOMORROW AND ACTING CRAZY HAPPY ON A GREEN BIKE - GUESS WHO??? XOXO
"Hi,
I spoke with Dr. Berenson this afternoon to let him know that I don’t see any evidence of myeloma so far. I told him things aren’t finalized yet because we have to wait for the molecular tests, but he seemed quite happy to hear that there is no obvious disease present at this stage of the evaluation.
I’m sorry I can’t be more definitive yet, but if these were slides from my bone marrow that I was looking at through the microscope I would be very happy and encouraged.
Have fun biking,
-JJ"
I wish I words to express how much the love and support everybody has given me has pulled me through 10 days of worry and fear: From meditation, to prayer, to visuals - to writing -to crying. Every comment, and phone call and email would inspire me to keep positive thoughts as best I could - IF YOU SEE A GIRL RIDING TOMORROW AND ACTING CRAZY HAPPY ON A GREEN BIKE - GUESS WHO??? XOXO
"Hi,
I spoke with Dr. Berenson this afternoon to let him know that I don’t see any evidence of myeloma so far. I told him things aren’t finalized yet because we have to wait for the molecular tests, but he seemed quite happy to hear that there is no obvious disease present at this stage of the evaluation.
I’m sorry I can’t be more definitive yet, but if these were slides from my bone marrow that I was looking at through the microscope I would be very happy and encouraged.
Have fun biking,
-JJ"
March 8, 2013 Facebook
well - help me stay calm: the tests are the
same and they want bone barrow and xrays - and i just cannot go there -
xrays, okay -bone marrow biopsy? F*** that - i have had them and it
hurts too much - so ??? SHIT - send your tea and plant based holistic
shit - i am done with needles -
February 28, 2013 - Leadville Article
Face of the Race
02/28/2013, 3:30pm CST
By Trisha Coffman
Cheryl Parrish's mountain is waiting. It waited while she kicked cancer. Twice. It waited while she struggled to get back on her bike, while she summoned her courage and regained her strength.
That wait will finally be over when Parrish competes at the
Leadville Trail 100 in August. Parrish will reach her mountain, and if
her history of triumph over adversity is any indication, she will
conquer it.
Tell us about multiple myeloma. What is your current status?
Multiple myeloma is cancer of the bone marrow and immune system. It’s a blood disorder related to lymphoma and leukemia because it usually arises in the bone marrow. There is no cure for multiple myeloma, but treatments are available that slow its progression. Its cause is unknown. Certain risk factors slightly increase a person's chances of developing multiple myeloma, such as being over age 65, male, African-American, or having a family member affected by multiple myeloma.
This is the funny part: They told me when I was 37, blonde and blue-eyed that I had 98% plasma cells cancer, that I had six months to live and needed to get my affairs in order. I am currently in complete remission, as far as I know. After my femur broke in 2009 and my foot in 2010, I stopped all treatment.
One of your doctors told you that you would never ride a mountain bike again. Describe what that first ride after cancer was like.
This was EXTREMELY traumatic for me. I was told after the spontaneous femur fracture in 2009 that I could never mountain bike again.
In fact, I had just ordered a new bike for Sea Otter that I still have only ridden a few times. I was in a nursing home, wheelchair, using a walker and crutches, etc. It was sometime in 2011 before I got back on a bike. My racier-type bike seemed too scary, even on non-technical terrain, so I bought a heavier suspension trail bike.
I was really terrified of falling and had some gross picture in my mind of the rod popping out of the leg or my left leg not being able to flex. My first time down the Guadalasca singletrack in Sycamore Canyon was very scary. I got off and walked a few times, and was very slow. Let's say it took a LONG time to get my confidence back and I’m still working on it. My technical skills have never been the same.
Why apply for the Leadville Trail 100? What will this race mean to you?
When I make my mind up, I don't back down. After I joined the lottery and slept on it, I joined the training camp the next day, to be sure I have a number at the race. Leadville will be my ultimate, but it's still "easier than cancer!" I have custom stem caps on my bikes that say "easier than cancer" to remind me on every ride.
This race means I am doing a lot of difficult training. It's a personal goal, and one of the biggest ones in my life, other than beating cancer twice.
What are your goals for your first LT100?
I am praying to just finish it in less than 12 hours and get a buckle. I’m also raising money for cancer through Cycle for Survival. Every dollar I raise goes to fight rare cancer. Join the battle with me! Donate here.
You've made it your mission to inspire other women, especially older women, to get out and ride. What is it about riding that makes you want to bring it into other women's lives?
Good question. It just seems there aren’t enough women in mountain biking, period, but as I get older, there are even fewer. One funny thing is last year, when I was training for Counting Coup, a few younger women made comments to me like, "Wow! I hope I am still pedaling when I am 50." What does that mean? I am 54. I will be 55 for Leadville. "Still pedaling?”
I would like to encourage all women to know that it's possible and that mountain biking is so much fun! I spent most of my life fighting to survive. The rest of my life is going to be riding mountain bikes, racing and showing that I go out there for me. I am not there to impress anybody but myself. There is no failure when you try.
What or who inspires YOU out on the trail?
This is a tough question. My favorite song is "God Bless the Broken Road." I have the photos that remind me every day of what it felt like to be in the hospital — room 860, no hair, feeding tubes, in isolation for weeks, and a machine sucking out my saliva. I could not swallow. Just dying. I never expected to leave that hospital room. So every day is a day to remind myself how lucky I am to have the opportunity to ride a bike. Just being able to walk gives me enough gratitude to be inspired to hit the dirt! I love the sound of the tires in the dirt.
And really . . . Leadville? Dreams just don't get any bigger, do they? Many people have inspired me. When I think of my friends, so young, who have died of cancer, this inspires me to go ride for them. I talk to many of them while I am riding and ask for faster legs.
The people in my life who inspire me at this time include Douglas Kubler (he says age is just a number), Lauren Mulwitz (a.k.a. Mighty Mouse), Amy Horst, AJ Sura, and Colette McFadden.
You've already booked your Leadville stay. How much time will you spend there?
I will be there for five days for the camp. I am going around July 21 until August 12 and hope I can acclimate a bit. I hear a lot of different stories about that part of it — whether or not it helps or not to be there early.
You’re coming armed with a Crock-Pot and a griddle. What will you cook for yourself in Leadville?
Yes. My favorite breakfast is one banana and one egg. Mix it in a bowl and it makes the best pancake! I can make oatmeal, tri-tip, chicken, and chili in the small Crock-Pot. I won't have a kitchen the last three nights before the race, and will be booted into a sleeper room.
How did you come up with the name of your blog, “Ride for Life Warrior”?
I always feel I am riding for my life. If you have heard of the Warrior society, they put on a big race called Vision Quest and Counting Coup. My endurance race last year was Counting Coup and I thought well, I consider myself a cancer warrior and so it all fit.
Growing up I knew the Indians were smarter than the cowboys. They did not come with loud guns and boots. They came quietly with bow and arrow. During chemotherapy I would visualize in my mind the Indian Warriors, scouting my body with a bow and arrow, killing every cancer cell.
Why did you choose the quote, “Courage is being afraid but going on anyhow,” from Dan Rather as your blog’s tagline? How does it relate to mountain biking?
I loved Dan Rather. I have always been afraid, but have gone on anyway! Yes, it applies on every ride, whether it's a ride I am not confident I can climb, or some scary technical downhill. It's a reminder that I may be afraid, but I can do it!
Do you have any other favorite quotes that motivate or inspire you?
I love inspirational quotes. One of my favorites is by Dr. Seuss. It’s etched in a glass dish that sits on my coffee table: “You’re off to great places. Today is your day. Your mountain is waiting, so get on your way.”
Helen Keller has inspired me the most and I live by many of her quotes: "Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. Security does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than exposure" and "When we do the best that we can, we never know what miracle is wrought in our life, or in the life of another."
I also like these two:
My favorite bike at this time is my 2012 RDO Niner — the Green Hornet! Fast and furious!
Tell us about multiple myeloma. What is your current status?
Multiple myeloma is cancer of the bone marrow and immune system. It’s a blood disorder related to lymphoma and leukemia because it usually arises in the bone marrow. There is no cure for multiple myeloma, but treatments are available that slow its progression. Its cause is unknown. Certain risk factors slightly increase a person's chances of developing multiple myeloma, such as being over age 65, male, African-American, or having a family member affected by multiple myeloma.
This is the funny part: They told me when I was 37, blonde and blue-eyed that I had 98% plasma cells cancer, that I had six months to live and needed to get my affairs in order. I am currently in complete remission, as far as I know. After my femur broke in 2009 and my foot in 2010, I stopped all treatment.
One of your doctors told you that you would never ride a mountain bike again. Describe what that first ride after cancer was like.
This was EXTREMELY traumatic for me. I was told after the spontaneous femur fracture in 2009 that I could never mountain bike again.
In fact, I had just ordered a new bike for Sea Otter that I still have only ridden a few times. I was in a nursing home, wheelchair, using a walker and crutches, etc. It was sometime in 2011 before I got back on a bike. My racier-type bike seemed too scary, even on non-technical terrain, so I bought a heavier suspension trail bike.
I was really terrified of falling and had some gross picture in my mind of the rod popping out of the leg or my left leg not being able to flex. My first time down the Guadalasca singletrack in Sycamore Canyon was very scary. I got off and walked a few times, and was very slow. Let's say it took a LONG time to get my confidence back and I’m still working on it. My technical skills have never been the same.
Why apply for the Leadville Trail 100? What will this race mean to you?
When I make my mind up, I don't back down. After I joined the lottery and slept on it, I joined the training camp the next day, to be sure I have a number at the race. Leadville will be my ultimate, but it's still "easier than cancer!" I have custom stem caps on my bikes that say "easier than cancer" to remind me on every ride.
This race means I am doing a lot of difficult training. It's a personal goal, and one of the biggest ones in my life, other than beating cancer twice.
What are your goals for your first LT100?
I am praying to just finish it in less than 12 hours and get a buckle. I’m also raising money for cancer through Cycle for Survival. Every dollar I raise goes to fight rare cancer. Join the battle with me! Donate here.
You've made it your mission to inspire other women, especially older women, to get out and ride. What is it about riding that makes you want to bring it into other women's lives?
Good question. It just seems there aren’t enough women in mountain biking, period, but as I get older, there are even fewer. One funny thing is last year, when I was training for Counting Coup, a few younger women made comments to me like, "Wow! I hope I am still pedaling when I am 50." What does that mean? I am 54. I will be 55 for Leadville. "Still pedaling?”
I would like to encourage all women to know that it's possible and that mountain biking is so much fun! I spent most of my life fighting to survive. The rest of my life is going to be riding mountain bikes, racing and showing that I go out there for me. I am not there to impress anybody but myself. There is no failure when you try.
What or who inspires YOU out on the trail?
This is a tough question. My favorite song is "God Bless the Broken Road." I have the photos that remind me every day of what it felt like to be in the hospital — room 860, no hair, feeding tubes, in isolation for weeks, and a machine sucking out my saliva. I could not swallow. Just dying. I never expected to leave that hospital room. So every day is a day to remind myself how lucky I am to have the opportunity to ride a bike. Just being able to walk gives me enough gratitude to be inspired to hit the dirt! I love the sound of the tires in the dirt.
And really . . . Leadville? Dreams just don't get any bigger, do they? Many people have inspired me. When I think of my friends, so young, who have died of cancer, this inspires me to go ride for them. I talk to many of them while I am riding and ask for faster legs.
The people in my life who inspire me at this time include Douglas Kubler (he says age is just a number), Lauren Mulwitz (a.k.a. Mighty Mouse), Amy Horst, AJ Sura, and Colette McFadden.
You've already booked your Leadville stay. How much time will you spend there?
I will be there for five days for the camp. I am going around July 21 until August 12 and hope I can acclimate a bit. I hear a lot of different stories about that part of it — whether or not it helps or not to be there early.
You’re coming armed with a Crock-Pot and a griddle. What will you cook for yourself in Leadville?
Yes. My favorite breakfast is one banana and one egg. Mix it in a bowl and it makes the best pancake! I can make oatmeal, tri-tip, chicken, and chili in the small Crock-Pot. I won't have a kitchen the last three nights before the race, and will be booted into a sleeper room.
How did you come up with the name of your blog, “Ride for Life Warrior”?
I always feel I am riding for my life. If you have heard of the Warrior society, they put on a big race called Vision Quest and Counting Coup. My endurance race last year was Counting Coup and I thought well, I consider myself a cancer warrior and so it all fit.
Growing up I knew the Indians were smarter than the cowboys. They did not come with loud guns and boots. They came quietly with bow and arrow. During chemotherapy I would visualize in my mind the Indian Warriors, scouting my body with a bow and arrow, killing every cancer cell.
Why did you choose the quote, “Courage is being afraid but going on anyhow,” from Dan Rather as your blog’s tagline? How does it relate to mountain biking?
I loved Dan Rather. I have always been afraid, but have gone on anyway! Yes, it applies on every ride, whether it's a ride I am not confident I can climb, or some scary technical downhill. It's a reminder that I may be afraid, but I can do it!
Do you have any other favorite quotes that motivate or inspire you?
I love inspirational quotes. One of my favorites is by Dr. Seuss. It’s etched in a glass dish that sits on my coffee table: “You’re off to great places. Today is your day. Your mountain is waiting, so get on your way.”
Helen Keller has inspired me the most and I live by many of her quotes: "Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. Security does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than exposure" and "When we do the best that we can, we never know what miracle is wrought in our life, or in the life of another."
I also like these two:
- "Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter.” —Mark Twain
- "All endeavor calls for the ability to tramp the last mile, shape the last plan, endure the last hour’s toil. The fight to the finish spirit is the one . . . characteristic we must posses if we are to face the future as finishers.” —Henry David Thoreau
My favorite bike at this time is my 2012 RDO Niner — the Green Hornet! Fast and furious!
March 6, 2013 Facebook Post
Dear friends and family - if you believe in
prayer, please pray, and if you don't believe in prayer, please send me
good-friend thoughts - my blood work came back today showing cancer,
after being in a complete remission for several years. Yes, I am
scared - as i fight my tears and my head is pounding, i want to thank my
friend Tracy for going with me - they took more blood and repeating the
test and sending to Cedar Sinai - So
when I call back on Friday after 3:00, if you all pray - they will tell
me this was a lab error - I cannot go through treatment again - So
that's not an option in my mind - send the thoughts and prayers, please
- I have Leadville to ride in August! Because I believe in PRAYER! love
- cheryl
March 8, 2013 FB post
Update: It has been a long and tearful day
for CP - I am just finally resting. I am thanking all of you from the
bottom of my heart for your comments and support and calls. I had no
idea I had so many friends. I love FB for this. It really helps me
to know so many care.
I spent the day being proactive. Special, special thanks to my friend Tracy Squire for staying with me and running all over town.
First things first! I was out of my favorite moisturizer and had to go to Barneys to replenish ;-) - I started making calls and getting referrals in an effort to get on board with an oncologist in Santa Monica and who will give me sedation for the bone marrow biopsy. I have had several of these and even with Versed, you know it hurts like hell, you just forget most of it. I dug out my fighting gloves and ready to go. This is just another bump in my road - most of you know I also had breast cancer in 1989 and double mast - so i have had silicone implants - my doctor feels they may be a cause of MM - so I am looking into having them out and getting saline (cycling boobs) that means a B cup, maybe - lol
This weight loss should improve my climbing by leaps and bounds, right?
I got aggressive and pushed my way to a new doctor today who was very helpful and got me referrals asap - she gave me her email and said she will do all she can to help me. Dr. Berenson says we need to see what the bone marrow biopsy shows to know about treatment, etc - I am optimistic, so keep on praying, please ;-) Being proactive is the key and it's a lot of work. Xrays never showed anything wrong in my left femur, and by time they did the MRI, it was too late and it broke. I am now having pain in right hip that happened in Georgia while running.
I will be riding this weekend, just a little easier until we find out what's going on - do i need bones to ride my bike?
With all the love and support I have, I will get through this and plan to stil get my Leadville buckle. Don't worry you fast riders, I am only going after the small buckle ;-) -
I am going to get back to my life as usual and wait for appt next week (i hope) for the BMP - I am grateful for my family and friends - Don't be taking my QOMs - I am not going very far!
I just got my new G2Bike kit and looking forward to wearing it tomorrow!
Love -
cp
I spent the day being proactive. Special, special thanks to my friend Tracy Squire for staying with me and running all over town.
First things first! I was out of my favorite moisturizer and had to go to Barneys to replenish ;-) - I started making calls and getting referrals in an effort to get on board with an oncologist in Santa Monica and who will give me sedation for the bone marrow biopsy. I have had several of these and even with Versed, you know it hurts like hell, you just forget most of it. I dug out my fighting gloves and ready to go. This is just another bump in my road - most of you know I also had breast cancer in 1989 and double mast - so i have had silicone implants - my doctor feels they may be a cause of MM - so I am looking into having them out and getting saline (cycling boobs) that means a B cup, maybe - lol
This weight loss should improve my climbing by leaps and bounds, right?
I got aggressive and pushed my way to a new doctor today who was very helpful and got me referrals asap - she gave me her email and said she will do all she can to help me. Dr. Berenson says we need to see what the bone marrow biopsy shows to know about treatment, etc - I am optimistic, so keep on praying, please ;-) Being proactive is the key and it's a lot of work. Xrays never showed anything wrong in my left femur, and by time they did the MRI, it was too late and it broke. I am now having pain in right hip that happened in Georgia while running.
I will be riding this weekend, just a little easier until we find out what's going on - do i need bones to ride my bike?
With all the love and support I have, I will get through this and plan to stil get my Leadville buckle. Don't worry you fast riders, I am only going after the small buckle ;-) -
I am going to get back to my life as usual and wait for appt next week (i hope) for the BMP - I am grateful for my family and friends - Don't be taking my QOMs - I am not going very far!
I just got my new G2Bike kit and looking forward to wearing it tomorrow!
Love -
cp
March 9, 2013 Facebook Post
Took Samson for a hike on Gardenland and ran into Cheryl M. Parrish looking very spiffy in her new G2 kit. Sorry to mess up your QOM, Cheryl, but thanks for the hugs! — with Cheryl M. Parrish.
March 9, 2013 Facebook Post from my friend Angela
(it is friends like this and messages that will give me the will to fight, thank you so much)
My Ode to Cheryl:
I know a strong woman named Cheryl,
who discovered her life was in peril.
After sadness, crying, and thinking,
she asked for plants and tea for drinking.
Then when family and friends lifted her,
she understood what her priorities were,
There are no mistakes, she'll do what it takes.
Through thick and thin, Cheryl will soar to new climes,
and live to tell how she beat cancer three times!
I LOVE YOU, CHERYL!! GOD BLESS YOU IN YOUR GOOD FIGHT!
My Ode to Cheryl:
I know a strong woman named Cheryl,
who discovered her life was in peril.
After sadness, crying, and thinking,
she asked for plants and tea for drinking.
Then when family and friends lifted her,
she understood what her priorities were,
There are no mistakes, she'll do what it takes.
Through thick and thin, Cheryl will soar to new climes,
and live to tell how she beat cancer three times!
I LOVE YOU, CHERYL!! GOD BLESS YOU IN YOUR GOOD FIGHT!
March 11, 2013 Facebook Post
Full body X-rays at 1:00 pray for healing and peace of mind for me,
please- lots of pain in right hip- still working on bone marrow biopsy -
I appreciate your support - friend told me laughing is best for immune
system - so bring it on - maybe I will rent scooby doo? Lol — at Saint John's Health Center.
March 12, 2013 ( copy from Facebook post)
Love you mom. If anyone can do it you can. Leadville, Leadville, Leadville. Cheryl M. Parrish
Valerie Harper saying "don't show up to your funeral until you show up to your funeral" - that's sound advise. God Bless her, I now how it feels to act brave and be scared as shit - You hear it over and over about living your life like it's your last day....smelling the flowers when you walk down the alley, you may not see them again.
If you have your health, you have the one thing money cannot give you (in most cases) plenty of poor people die because they don't have medical insurance. I had to go on welfare and food stamps and stand in unemployment lines the first time I had chemo in 1990. Then I had to find the loop hole of how to get medical insurance when you are terminal and under age 65 and uninsured - Then I had to plead my own case in front a hearing office in Korea Town in 2009 in my desperate attempt to keep my insurance because I had not died in their time allowance. I won that battle.
It is depressing when you are trying to fight for your life, and on the side lines fighting for the money to pay for it. Then you are at the mercy of "the system" -- not much time for smelling the flowers, though I try - And it's not easy to take the steps we all need to take and make sure things are "in order", as they say.
Today in the POUNDING MRI cave, I kept repeating "Leadville" over and over again -
I really thought I would never have to go through this again after being in remission for so long. I am not handling it very well, but working on it.
Please keep praying. Thank you for reading this far, if you did. Love your life and love your loved ones - love the strangers you meet in your day, give them a smile and change your attitude and theirs. Life is precious, treat it with care.
30 miles 3600 feet - endurance - testing strava link
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Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Thank you, Trisha Coffman for the beautiful article about my Leadville challenge!
Face of the Race
02/28/2013, 3:30pm CST
By Trisha Coffman
Cheryl Parrish's mountain is waiting. It waited while she kicked cancer. Twice. It waited while she struggled to get back on her bike, while she summoned her courage and regained her strength.
Tell us about multiple myeloma. What is your current status?
Multiple myeloma is cancer of the bone marrow and immune system. It’s a blood disorder related to lymphoma and leukemia because it usually arises in the bone marrow. There is no cure for multiple myeloma, but treatments are available that slow its progression. Its cause is unknown. Certain risk factors slightly increase a person's chances of developing multiple myeloma, such as being over age 65, male, African-American, or having a family member affected by multiple myeloma.
This is the funny part: They told me when I was 37, blonde and blue-eyed that I had 98% plasma cells cancer, that I had six months to live and needed to get my affairs in order. I am currently in complete remission, as far as I know. After my femur broke in 2009 and my foot in 2010, I stopped all treatment.
One of your doctors told you that you would never ride a mountain bike again. Describe what that first ride after cancer was like.
This was EXTREMELY traumatic for me. I was told after the spontaneous femur fracture in 2009 that I could never mountain bike again.
In fact, I had just ordered a new bike for Sea Otter that I still have only ridden a few times. I was in a nursing home, wheelchair, using a walker and crutches, etc. It was sometime in 2011 before I got back on a bike. My racier-type bike seemed too scary, even on non-technical terrain, so I bought a heavier suspension trail bike.
I was really terrified of falling and had some gross picture in my mind of the rod popping out of the leg or my left leg not being able to flex. My first time down the Guadalasca singletrack in Sycamore Canyon was very scary. I got off and walked a few times, and was very slow. Let's say it took a LONG time to get my confidence back and I’m still working on it. My technical skills have never been the same.
Why apply for the Leadville Trail 100? What will this race mean to you?
When I make my mind up, I don't back down. After I joined the lottery and slept on it, I joined the training camp the next day, to be sure I have a number at the race. Leadville will be my ultimate, but it's still "easier than cancer!" I have custom stem caps on my bikes that say "easier than cancer" to remind me on every ride.
This race means I am doing a lot of difficult training. It's a personal goal, and one of the biggest ones in my life, other than beating cancer twice.
What are your goals for your first LT100?
I am praying to just finish it in less than 12 hours and get a buckle. I’m also raising money for cancer through Cycle for Survival. Every dollar I raise goes to fight rare cancer. Join the battle with me! Donate here.
You've made it your mission to inspire other women, especially older women, to get out and ride. What is it about riding that makes you want to bring it into other women's lives?
Good question. It just seems there aren’t enough women in mountain biking, period, but as I get older, there are even fewer. One funny thing is last year, when I was training for Counting Coup, a few younger women made comments to me like, "Wow! I hope I am still pedaling when I am 50." What does that mean? I am 54. I will be 55 for Leadville. "Still pedaling?”
I would like to encourage all women to know that it's possible and that mountain biking is so much fun! I spent most of my life fighting to survive. The rest of my life is going to be riding mountain bikes, racing and showing that I go out there for me. I am not there to impress anybody but myself. There is no failure when you try.
What or who inspires YOU out on the trail?
This is a tough question. My favorite song is "God Bless the Broken Road." I have the photos that remind me every day of what it felt like to be in the hospital — room 860, no hair, feeding tubes, in isolation for weeks, and a machine sucking out my saliva. I could not swallow. Just dying. I never expected to leave that hospital room. So every day is a day to remind myself how lucky I am to have the opportunity to ride a bike. Just being able to walk gives me enough gratitude to be inspired to hit the dirt! I love the sound of the tires in the dirt.
And really . . . Leadville? Dreams just don't get any bigger, do they? Many people have inspired me. When I think of my friends, so young, who have died of cancer, this inspires me to go ride for them. I talk to many of them while I am riding and ask for faster legs.
The people in my life who inspire me at this time include Douglas Kubler (he says age is just a number), Lauren Mulwitz (a.k.a. Mighty Mouse), Amy Horst, AJ Sura, and Colette McFadden.
You've already booked your Leadville stay. How much time will you spend there?
I will be there for five days for the camp. I am going around July 21 until August 12 and hope I can acclimate a bit. I hear a lot of different stories about that part of it — whether or not it helps or not to be there early.
You’re coming armed with a Crock-Pot and a griddle. What will you cook for yourself in Leadville?
Yes. My favorite breakfast is one banana and one egg. Mix it in a bowl and it makes the best pancake! I can make oatmeal, tri-tip, chicken, and chili in the small Crock-Pot. I won't have a kitchen the last three nights before the race, and will be booted into a sleeper room.
How did you come up with the name of your blog, “Ride for Life Warrior”?
I always feel I am riding for my life. If you have heard of the Warrior society, they put on a big race called Vision Quest and Counting Coup. My endurance race last year was Counting Coup and I thought well, I consider myself a cancer warrior and so it all fit.
Growing up I knew the Indians were smarter than the cowboys. They did not come with loud guns and boots. They came quietly with bow and arrow. During chemotherapy I would visualize in my mind the Indian Warriors, scouting my body with a bow and arrow, killing every cancer cell.
Why did you choose the quote, “Courage is being afraid but going on anyhow,” from Dan Rather as your blog’s tagline? How does it relate to mountain biking?
I loved Dan Rather. I have always been afraid, but have gone on anyway! Yes, it applies on every ride, whether it's a ride I am not confident I can climb, or some scary technical downhill. It's a reminder that I may be afraid, but I can do it!
Do you have any other favorite quotes that motivate or inspire you?
I love inspirational quotes. One of my favorites is by Dr. Seuss. It’s etched in a glass dish that sits on my coffee table: “You’re off to great places. Today is your day. Your mountain is waiting, so get on your way.”
Helen Keller has inspired me the most and I live by many of her quotes: "Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. Security does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than exposure" and "When we do the best that we can, we never know what miracle is wrought in our life, or in the life of another."
I also like these two:
- "Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter.” —Mark Twain
- "All endeavor calls for the ability to tramp the last mile, shape the last plan, endure the last hour’s toil. The fight to the finish spirit is the one . . . characteristic we must posses if we are to face the future as finishers.” —Henry David Thoreau
My favorite bike at this time is my 2012 RDO Niner — the Green Hornet! Fast and furious!
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Back in the saddle - 40 miles and 5578 feet - working on zero elapse time!
Sullivan to Parker Mesa and back by stenogrl at Garmin Connect - Details
First day back in the saddle for about 10 days. 40 miles and 5578 feet of climbing and about 4:45 ride time.
I had one little emergency, or my stopped time would have been under 15 minutes!
This has been a long-time coming goal of mine on endurance rides. Stop for water and bathroom and that's it!. Eat while riding. Goal achieved!
Yesterday I rode for Cycle for Survival. There were 1700 riders sharing 300 stationary bikes for 12 hours and they raised nearly 14 million dollars for Sloan Kettering Cancer Institute for "rare cancers"
The timing was perfect. Last Friday was my time to the oncologist since July 2011, once I waited so long, I was too scared to go back. I do not like all this waiting for the results. I have done this for 24 years between breast cancer and multiple myeloma.
I have a few photos from yesterday and today I will post soon.
Thank you to my family and friends (some of whom I know get my blog) much love to you for chipping in and donating for such a beautiful cause. I raised 3500.00 in a short time. I was proud to be there and to ride for a cure.
And my trip to Atlanta to see my brother was far overdue and beautiful. Family bonding for which there are no words.
Danielle and River spent the night with me on Friday. It was the first time River slept with Oma and Mai -
It was another "moment" as we say. My life lately has been filled and overjoyed with "moments" of gratitude.
So, thank you, God for my life.
First day back in the saddle for about 10 days. 40 miles and 5578 feet of climbing and about 4:45 ride time.
I had one little emergency, or my stopped time would have been under 15 minutes!
This has been a long-time coming goal of mine on endurance rides. Stop for water and bathroom and that's it!. Eat while riding. Goal achieved!
Yesterday I rode for Cycle for Survival. There were 1700 riders sharing 300 stationary bikes for 12 hours and they raised nearly 14 million dollars for Sloan Kettering Cancer Institute for "rare cancers"
The timing was perfect. Last Friday was my time to the oncologist since July 2011, once I waited so long, I was too scared to go back. I do not like all this waiting for the results. I have done this for 24 years between breast cancer and multiple myeloma.
I have a few photos from yesterday and today I will post soon.
Thank you to my family and friends (some of whom I know get my blog) much love to you for chipping in and donating for such a beautiful cause. I raised 3500.00 in a short time. I was proud to be there and to ride for a cure.
And my trip to Atlanta to see my brother was far overdue and beautiful. Family bonding for which there are no words.
Danielle and River spent the night with me on Friday. It was the first time River slept with Oma and Mai -
It was another "moment" as we say. My life lately has been filled and overjoyed with "moments" of gratitude.
So, thank you, God for my life.
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