Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer

Hi everyone. I have made a New Page Tab up above for "In Memory" of those that have passed away due to Heart Attacks or Strokes in which I will be doing this 500 Mile Journey in memory of those. If you would like someone you know to be listed on that page and my Jersey's please let me know.

Friends of ours, Dino and Kelly, we off last weekend to ride from Niagara Falls to Toronto on the Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer for Princess Margret Hospital.

Ivana and I headed down Friday night with Dino and Kelly to Niagara so that they could check in their bikes and get checked into the hotel for the night. Get some good rest before the trek to Toronto. Well, bike check in was good, Pasta dinner at Planet Hollywood was really good, we all went for a walk from Clifton Hill to the Falls and back, then came their night of listening to Karaoke until 2 am before things settled down. Their room was right outside the outdoor bar with drunk people attempting to sing. I am sorry Dino and Kelly, but I was laughing inside and feeling sorry for you both at the same time.

Ivana and I headed back to Toronto, picked up Miss Holly (Maya's BFF) and went home for a nice restful night of sleep.

Holly and Maya

Kelly would text us during the day, Saturday, to let us know how they were doing on the road to Hamilton. Saturday was a very hot day for their ride, but Sunday turned out to be great for riding  as the sun was mostly behind cloud cover.  Ivana, the dogs and I were out most of Saturday in the yard doing work with Holly helping Ivana in the flower garden.

Sunday came really early for me, up at 4:!5 out for a scheduled 16 mile run, but had to turn around earlier than expected. Knee was really starting to put a hurt on me, damn tendon was starting to swell up a bit. Cut the run short at 12 miles knowing I had some hill training and speed work during the week. This knee might be a bit of a bother to me on Saturday for the Ultra 50Km in Niagara. 

The Ride had an app to be able to track your riders, so on Sunday, we found Dino and Kelly on the app, It's Your Race, and in the beginning it was looking close to a good estimate of where they are according to check points. Ivana and I had taken the dogs out late morning for a walk and when we returned we checked on the app for Dino and Kelly. At 12:!5pm their position said they were at Medieval Times, which is right close to the finish line, we were still 40 min drive from downtown and were not going to make it.  We flew out of the house and headed downtown, about 10 minutes later, Kelly texts Ivana and says they just stopped for lunch break and were about 30km away from Toronto. Damn APP!!!!  Well we still headed down there anyways. 

There still was not a lot of people in Toronto cheering on as the bikers came through the finish line. I have heard that the finish line in Niagara is better.  It was amazing to see all the riders coming in and especially seeing the riders with a Yellow Flag attached up from their bike. The Yellow Flags indicated that those riders were Cancer Survivors.  So, not trusting the APP as to the position of Dino and Kelly, we sort of hung around the finish area waiting, but the Announcer was great as he could see the riders around the bend before the finish line and would state that "here comes a Yellow Flag". Then I would go up to the finish line and see if it was Dino that was coming. As I had mentioned in a blog before, Dino is a Survivor and has been cancer free for about ten years now and this is his second ride. Well Dino and Kelly did come across the finish line and looking good as well. This was Kelly's first ride and she was feeling the aches and pains and more aches of what comes with riding a bike and for that distance of over 200km's in two days. Ivana and I are so proud of them for grinding it all the way home and with no bike problems at all.

Just some of the Yellow Flags

Just some of the Yellow Flags

There was just over 5200 riders for the weekend and raising over $20 Million Dollars for Princess Margret Hospital. Each of the riders has to raise a minimum of $2,500.00 to be able to ride in this Epic Event, so that is a tuff job in itself to raise the funds during the year and then make your body go through the weather and road conditions and sitting in a saddle for that long. Way to go to everyone who rode and sponsored, and from what I heard, and an amazing Volunteer staff all along the route and at the rest areas.

Congrats Dino and Kelly!!!!

Well I am off now for some Hill Training with my friend Steve tonight and then speed work tomorrow night.  Rest Friday and up early on Saturday for the drive down to Niagara on the Lake for a 7 am start. Let everyone know how it went on Monday or Tuesday next week. 

Go Team Running Free Members this weekend in Niagara.

Damaged Heart