Tomorrow is MS-150

I woke up this morning with a sense of anticipation and thrill. Today is the MS-150 expo at Frisco and tomorrow morning we are riding towards the Texas Motor Speedway. There has been a slight change of plans due to the Swine Flu scares and the second day's ride starts and ends at the Texas Motor Speedway. This ride will be a testing one for me because it has been 16 years since I did any serious bicycling. As part of my training the best time I could manage was 12.3 miles per hour and the longest distance I did in a day was about 50 miles. The first day's MS-150 ride is about 80 miles. I sure I don't collapse midway and cause a nuisance for the organizers. I am quite determined to complete the ride, but let us see what happens tomorrow.

For now take a look at the map of both days ride and you will get an idea of what I am up to.

One day remaining for the MS-150

The day is finally dawning upon me and I don't know whether I am fully prepared or not. I haven't been able to train during the past week because of moving. I am quite confident that I will complete the ride but only thing is that it wouldn't be as effortlessly as I had originally envisaged. Tomorrow is the grand inaugural expo of the MS ride and I am definitely looking forward to it.
I received an email from the organizers that there will be a change of route because of the Swine Flu pandemic which is raging across the continent of North America. There has been one confirmed death in Texas and several cases reported in the DFW metroplex too. Some county governments have prohibited all public gatherings to stem the spread of the virus through carriers. Hence the original end of the route has been changed and a new route has been set up which we will know about tomorrow. Let us see what day after tomorrow holds.

Bicycle tricks and stunts

When I started training for the MS-150 bicycle ride last month, I added another facet to the training. To learn some cool and wacky bike tricks while training. How do I learn them? If it was old days when Internet wasn't there, I'd have to depend on TV and memory and a lot of trail and error. But now with Youtube there are thousands of self-styled experts teaching how to do stunts on a bicycle and a host of other things.

I liked these two stunts very much and tried practicing them during my training. Of course I haven't succeeded in mastering the tricks yet... but I hope to get there some day and when I do get there I will surely post some nice videos. And till then you could enjoy watching these guys.

Two More days for the big weekend!!!

The much-awaited Big Bike Weekend is just two days away. I have trained intermittently for this event, definitely not as much as I would have liked to have done. But more than the physical training part of the ride, I have been frustrated and saddened by the fact that only couple of my friends have actually agreed to donate to the cause and help me reach my modest fund-raising goal. Statistically the US is the largest giving country... almost $8 billion a year is given away to charity by people, corporations and foundations. But somehow I haven't been able to raise a mere $300, wonder why? Maybe my approach was not right, maybe I didn't talk to the right people, maybe I don't know the right people. Whatever the reason maybe... the bottom line is that I have failed in my goal to raise funds for a worthy cause.

I am pretty sure that Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and its ramifications upon patients is well known to most people. But still I wonder why 98% of the people I wrote to didn't consider donating towards research for finding a cure for MS. Maybe they have other pet charities to which they donate.

On the physical front also I haven't trained to the level I wanted to. For the past 5 days I haven't cycled even one mile. I could give a hundred reasons for not doing but the plain and simple truth is I haven't done it. Our moving homes did take a lot of my energy and time and also my approaching exams are taking me out of physical activity towards studies.

I just hope I would be able to ride the 160 miles smoothly... even if I am the last guy to cross the finish line it is fine. But my worst nightmare would be to collapse midway, unable to ride. I hope that wont happen...

And last but not the least, here is a last entreaty to all my blog readers to contribute to my cause, every $ counts. Do take time to visit my page and donate. All I am asking you all is to sponsor $0.10 for every mile I ride.. i.e. $16.00. That is not much is it?

Click here to contribute.

Last Year's MS 150

Since I registered and started training for the National MS Society's, MS-150 bicycle ride, I have been searching the web for videos about the previous events. This is basically to learn about the format of the event and also to get an idea of what its going to be like on May 2-3 this year. I found this video of last years event and felt that it would be great to share with all my blog readers.
My fund raising efforts are still on, few people have committed to donate for the cause of MS, nobody has actually donated yet. Hopefully in the next ten days I will achieve my fund-raising goal.

Inspirations for the MS-150 Bike ride

Since I registered for the Sam's club MS-150 bike ride I have been training on bicycling trails in the area and also looking up information, videos, pictures and articles about MS and the past rides. I found this video presentation of 2007 MS-150 bike ride and thought I'd share it with all of you.

Training... Training and more training

Now-a-days the primary pre-occupation of my mind is on the MS-150 bike ride, the date of which is fast approaching. Until recently I had been training off and on in the gym, on some trails and mostly using the mountain bike. But yesterday I decided to change my training regimen and increase the number of miles I ride. Hence I took down the Miyata racing cycle which I had bought recently at a garage sale. It was a pleasant difference to ride a low-slung racing bicycle after a long time. Initially it was a challenge to maintain balance and effectively manage gears.. but once I got a hang of it, riding this bike became a piece of cake. I am trying to clock at least 10 miles a day on the bicycle so on May 2 & 3 I will be well prepared to do the 80 miles required.

Meanwhile I found this video of another individual who is riding to raise funds for Multiple Sclerosis and felt it was an inspiring one. Do take a look and let me know what you think. And of course do take time to visit my participant page and donate for the cause.

Join me to eradicate Multiple Sclerosis

I had earlier blogged about registering for a 160-mile bicycle ride to obtain donations for Multiple Sclerosis Research. Well as the D-day approaches I continue to scout for generous people who could open their hearts and wallets and donate for this cause. I recently came across this video which features real people suffering from MS. Apart from being MS affected people they all have one thing in common: They are all working to make a difference for the millions of others affected by the same disease.

Should we leave the problem of MS to those afflicted and their families and friends? I don't think so.. I believe that everyone in this world should get involved and work towards making a difference. The final questions boils down to: What will you do to eradicate MS from the world?

The easiest way perhaps is to support my ride.

Bike MS 150

Embedded is a promotional video about the Bike MS 150 in which I am participating and struggling to reach my fund-raising commitment. I call upon all my blog readers to come forward and support the Bike MS: SAM'S CLUB Ride 2009 * May 2-3, 2009 * Frisco to Fort Worth

Ride for MS Getting Closer

A little over a week ago I registered for the Bike MS: SAM'S CLUB Ride 2009 * May 2-3, 2009 * Frisco to Fort Worth. Fully understanding that this two-day, 160 mile bicycle ride will be a testing experience for both my body and spirit, I started training on my training and practice on the bicycle and at the gym. Like any new enterprise this too sailed smoothly for almost a week, I would either hit the trail on the MTB or the Gym to work out my thigh muscles.

But all this came to a halt two days ago... the MTB had a flat and I started feeling over confident. Now I look at the calendar and see that there is only a months time left for preparing myself as well as raising the modest $300 donations for the National MS Society, a commitment I made when I signed up for the ride. I am certainly going to hit the gym tomorrow and the trail from day after... otherwise I will cut a sorry figure in front of 4,000 cyclists who are going to be participating in the 160-mile ride.

I Ride to eradicate Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) aka disseminated sclerosis or encephalomyelitis disseminata is a progressive neurological disorder that affects people in many different ways. Patients afflicted with MS could be suffering paralysis one day, loss of vision the next or impaired memory the day after that. Living with MS means living with complete uncertainty.

Personally speaking I had not heard about MS until 2005. One day I received an e-mail from Aussie biker Ralph Dixon, who was setting out on a motorcycle journey from Sydney to London. The aim of the ride was to raise funds for and create awareness about MS. I came to know much later that Dixon himself was a MS sufferer and this motorcycle ride was indeed much more challenging than if a normal person were to do it. Dixon was indeed courageous to undertake a journey of such proportions. Back then I decided that when I get an opportunity I will do something for MS sufferers.

Couple of days ago I got this opportunity in the form of an adventurous activity - Bike MS: SAM'S CLUB Ride 2009 * May 2-3, 2009 * Frisco to Fort Worth. This is a two-day 160 mile bicycle ride which will see over 4,000 people riding across the DFW Metroplex, bearing the searing heat of Texas. All these people come together with one goal to help raise funds for research to find a cure for MS.

Every year the National MS Society, US organizes various outdoor activities to raise funds for research on finding a cure for MS. Long distance walking, running and bicycling are among the most popular ones. Bicycling being one of my favorite activities, I decided to sign up and be part of this mission to eradicate Multiple Sclerosis.

Apart from paying a nominal registration fee ($40) every participant has to pledge to raise a certain $ amount as donations for the National MS Society. I have registered and have set myself a modest goal of $300 and have started my fund-raising effort. I would be thankful if you all could help me achieve my fund-raising goal and at the same time help millions of MS sufferers get closer to a permanent cure.