Hot Wheels

My new BFF

Earlier this week I had the sheer pleasure of picking up the beauty you see to the right.  She is a Cannondale Synapse 5 105.  To be honest, I still don't really know what that means.  What I do know is that my bike is pretty. :)  It's different shades of purple with some white and silver accents - it has girl written all over it!  


To those of you that know me and the current level of my cycling ability, I realize this bike ride might sound a little crazy; slightly insane perhaps.  As I've started telling people that I signed up for America's Most Beautiful Bike Ride with Team in Training, the conversations have gone a little something like this:


Me: Hey, Jer and I decided to sign up for a 100 mile bike ride!
Them: Wow! That's pretty far. You must be a serious cyclist.
Me: It definitely is far... but no, I'm not a serious cyclist. I haven't been on a bike in years.
Them: *Weird look on face* Oh, have you lost your mind??

Measurements at my final fitting

Again, I realize it may sound a little rash to some. Let's consider the facts: I haven't actually ridden a bike in years; I don't know how to change gears, when to change gears, or what gear to be in when; I'm scared to be clipped into the pedals; I'm a little nervous about going crazy fast downhill; and when the bike shop owner explained the difference in Carbon vs Alloy frames and Compact vs some other kind of gear system I totally tuned out... however, I have serious motivation.  My motivation is this: to help better the lives of the individuals who have been diagnosed with blood cancers, to support their families, to help raise money to find a cure, and to finally one day rid the world of these diseases.


You may be asking, just how does a 100 mile bike ride do that?  WELL... along with the training it will take to get ourselves to be able to ride that distance, we are also fundraising for the Leukemia Lymphoma Society.  Our goal is to raise $8,200 that will go toward the fight.  We won't be fundraising alone either - the entire Central PA Team in Training group will be fundraising as well (along with all the other Team in Training chapters across the country).  As a team we will bring in tens of thousands of dollars for this cause.... and that's what this bike ride is really about.


So, while we will blog here about our training and our rides, we will also be introducing you to our honor teammates.  We will be riding for them - as they have already fought, or in some cases are still fighting, some type of blood cancer.  I look forward to those posts!  I also look forward to our final post... once we have completed the ride... and telling you all, that with your help and support and donations, we did it!


Here we go!
Jenelle
Believe deep down in your heart that you're destined to do great things - Joe Paterno


P.S. - This blog was originally going to be about my experience getting fitted for a bike, picking one out and all that good stuff.  I got a little off track... I guess we'll save that story for another time. :)