Tahoe 100 Bike Ride Life Changing

“The one upside to a potentially life-threatening condition is that it makes you really want to live.”

On June 6th, I biked 100 miles in Lake Tahoe for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. This season I raised over $3,300 for blood cancer. My total is now over $28,000 since 2004.

Our Honored Heroes

Each year I say I am going to take a break and then I talk to someone who is battling blood cancer.

This season it was baby Violette, she was diagnosed when she was one week old and lost her battle at the age of 44 days. She died in her father’s arms.

I had the privilege of riding with our honored hero Jarrett who was diagnosed in 2007 and is now cancer free. This weekend his two adopted boys were at the event and I kept thinking that if he did not get treatment, he could not be there for those two boys. I taught them to cheer for their dad “faster daddy faster”, I am not sure he appreciated that too much but it was adorable. Here is Jarrett’s story:

“*JARRETT HASKOVEC –Honored Teammate*

Around Christmas of 2006, Jarrett began feeling a general exhaustion he couldn’t account for and no amount of sleep seemed to help. At about the same time, a mass began to develop under his right arm and grow in size. In February, Jarrett visited his doctor due to these persistent symptoms. At first the doctors tested for mono but they were uncertain as to why he felt as he did.

The mass under his arm continued to grow in size and began to visibly develop near his collarbone. He was referred to a surgeon who immediately operated to remove the mass. On April 20th, 2007, the results of the biopsy showed positive for Hodgkin’s disease.

After the initial shock and difficulty hearing the diagnosis, Jarrett and his wife resolved to stay optimistic, to fight this cancer, and most importantly continue on with life. Jarrett began treatment at the Mayo Clinic where further tests revealed a rare composite of Stage 3 Hodgkin’s and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

By the end of September 2007, Jarrett’s chemotherapy was a success, and he is now in complete remission.

Jarrett and his wife are committed to seizing every day. Nowadays, he is doing more hiking, biking, and reading, and in April 2008, less than six months after he was determined to be in full remission, he hiked across most of the Grand Canyon. In June 2010, he will complete his first century ride through the LLS’s Team in Training program. He sums it up well with this: ‘The one upside to a potentially life-threatening condition is that it makes you really want to live.’”

About my ride
Ride Stats:
100 miles
6259 Calories burned
9 hours 18 minutes (including breaks and lunch)
10.6 miles per hour
38 miles per hour maximum speed

I have been blessed to be able to raise money and participate in events with Team in Training. Lake Tahoe was beautiful. The ride was difficult, but nothing compared to what the patients endure everyday. I rode with a team, but rode the 100 miles with Becky. We started at the hotel with an elevation of 6273’ and traveled to our first of two major hills, Inspiration point at an elevation of 6828’. This climb was full of switchbacks and very challenging. But the work was worth the reward, the downhill was AMAZING! We arrived at Emerald Bay at mile 14 and the view was incredible.

Mile 18-50 was pretty flat with a trek off the lake to Truckee. Becky and I opted to take the bike path out to Truckee and enjoyed the river and snow piles. At Truckee we stopped briefly and then headed back to the lake. The ride back was HORRIBLE, with a strong headwind. We tried it on our own, neither of us wanted to lead. Then we tried to follow a large group of people in a pace line, but they were really slow. Then Becky tried to pass them and did not like leading in that wind. We were doing about 7 miles an hour into the wind and we were miserable. The only plus side to our ride back to the lake from Truckee was seeing the Olympic flame. That was worth it. Then Becky got this bright idea to take the bike path back. Instantly we were back at 15 miles an hour!

Then at mile 64 there was a small hill called dollar hill. That was a little challenge but not bad. Then we arrived at King’s Beach for lunch. We dumped our bikes, enjoyed a sandwich and then headed out with Jarrett, Joe, John, Jamie and Russ. The boys quickly lost us up the Crystal Bay hill (right after lunch hills are NO FUN). Then off to Incline Village, not really hilly as the name indicated.

Incline Village was very challenging for me from miles 75-82. Large houses, lots to look at but mentally I was spent. I had to dig deep, remember my brother and ask for help to get me back on track. As well as some help from Russ’s wife with some much needed supplies.

Then at mile 81 was the beginning of the 7+ mile hill Spooner! From an elevation of 6324’ to 7100’. Spooner was not really that bad, just a bad place in the ride. Sometimes when you ask for inspiration you get it. It was about ½ way up Spooner that I met a survivor that had just finished her chemo last Monday. She was asked if she wanted to ride in a van up Spooner, SHE REFUSED. She said that if chemo did not beat her, Spooner would not. So she walked her bike up Spooner. One step at a time.

After Spooner the down hill rocked, but we have a strong cross wind that almost knocked me off my bike. We got to the finish line of 100 miles! Receiving my triple crown was a major accomplishment in my life, but nothing compared to the feeling I get knowing that I am helping save lives. But honestly, it would be better to have my brother here to ride with. I wish he could have been there. I sometimes wonder what we would have been like growing up as adults together, I wonder if we would ride together. There are many events where I feel him with me. This time was no different.

 

We are not blessed to have; We are blessed to give.