A fitting end

Goals reached. As in other years, my mileage reads high, but my actually riding in August is well past my 1000km goal. I suffered more to get my miles this year than any other, which made it more personally meaningful, but also made the incredible generosity of my supporters even more significant to me.

As a final bonus, I completed an achievement I’ve been focused on for some time. A few weeks ago I read that only 0.06% of Zwift riders have competed level 100, and on my final GCCC ride for 2024, I joined that number. For reference, this means I have earned every riding badge save one, climbed 447,887 vertical meters, covered 44,675km, and pedalled 66 1/3 DAYS on my indoor trainer.

Last week update, with an important message of thanks

Sometimes words feel a bit shallow, but they are all we have. Three thank you messages I need offer today:

1. To my support team of riders (Matthew C. and Rosco) for the huge draft on the Nowhere Ride! Windy day made shorter, and faster. I had hoped to crack 200km, but I will take a 166km day, given some of the health challenges I've faced the past 18 months.

2. To all our GCCC supporters for a huge year of donations! I am humbled and so very gracious.

3. To the City of Saskatoon, for giving us our own lane to cycle for the Nowhere Ride. It made a significant difference to our riders, and the city made it easy and straightforward. Next year?

This is the last week of the ride. I am only a few KM short of my 1000km goal, and still able to receive donations.

Nowhere ride is coming soon

A huge THANK YOU to all my donors. This year has smashed my fundraising goal completely. I am shocked and deeply grateful for the support. I never dreamed of reaching $5000, let alone breaking $10,000.

I have rested for 2 days, as I can tell the extra miles are affecting me. It has been a busy month professionally, before trying to do justice to the GCCC goals I have for this year. The plan is some steady miles tonight and Friday, and to be on the Nowhere ride course before 5am on Saturday. Matthew, an old riding friend I have lots of charity riding experience with, just arrived to join on for Saturday, and we have decided to ATTEMPT 250km, which will take us past the 7h we had originally planned. If successful, this will be my longest ride since GCCC 2 or 3 years ago when Joel and I did 214km.

Donations are still welcome! Just because I've smashed through my goal doesn't mean I want to stop. Any and all support in the battle against childhood cancer is appreciated.

Double donation day!

I have stepped up my riding as much as I have been able to, and am well ahead of pace to meet my 1000km goal this month. If the Nowhere Ride on Aug 24th goes as I hope, I should be well over my mileage goal for 2024. (Please note: my mileage is incorrect on this system due to a problem with automatic report. Some of my riding is counted twice, so by my count I'm at 505km.)

Today is double donation day, meaning any money given to support the battle against children's cancers is matched, to a maximum of $1.3mil.

2 Days down. And sorry, but the mileage is counting high again this year...

I do NOT have 132km finished, as any Zwift rides I do count twice because of the way Strava is tracking my data. I am keeping my own count, however, and will aim to exceed 1000km again this year, which is a bigger step up in riding than I care to think about. In addition to work, I've gone back to school, and haven't been putting in nearly the time I did in previous years, though my fitness seems to be ok.

2 days in, and I am 70km complete. This is a bigger accomplishment than it might seem, as Michael and I were working at camp this past week, and I fit my rides in between sessions on Zwift. Tomorrow I'm planning a double ride day, as I know I will likely miss a day or two this month, and I don't want to miss my goal. I am focused on August 24's Nowhere Ride as my big event for 2024.

All donations are appreciated! As I get older, I encounter more people with cancer, and the importance of fundraising for family support and research becomes more clear to me. Please join us in the battle against children's cancers.