In the wake of yesterday’s events at the Boston Marathon, all of us here at the American Diabetes Association want to extend our thoughts and prayers to the City of Boston and everyone who has been affected by this tragedy.

While we continue to mourn and process what has happened, we cannot forget to acknowledge all of the first responders, police, firefighters, medical staff, volunteers and citizens who jumped into action and did whatever they could to aid those who were injured or displaced. Their continued efforts prove that in times of tragedy, real heroes and acts of kindness persevere.

Again, our hearts go out to the family, friends and loved ones of those affected by these terrible and senseless events. To echo the words of Mayor Thomas Menino: “Boston is strong and resilient, and we come together in times of need.”

Stay strong Boston.

The American Diabetes Association New England Team

Hiya gang!
Since someone asked me earlier today about training tips for the NEC, I though back to this- A great overview of training for the masses… Since, well, you know, she doesn’t actually know you and your abilities, she wrote this awesome general training plan that can help EVERYONE!
Me, I’m more of the “Go ride as fast as you can, for as long as you can, over the biggest hills you can find… And once the limp goes away, go ride some more” school… But there’s no reason that getting your leg over the saddle should be painful, as our favorite personal trainer explains below:
*Editors note: I’m fairly sure that she’s a “10 time NEC 550 Participant” at this point… I was just speed-scrolling through the archives to find this.*

Nancy Marchand, ACSM Certified Personal Trainer

6-time NEC 550 Participant

You’ve registered for the NEC. NOW WHAT?? You tell yourself “it’s four months away, no problem; I’ll start to train in June. I can ride a bike 550 miles in seven days. No big deal.” Why not? After all you’ve been riding a bike since you were a kid. THINK AGAIN!!! If you want to ride the seven day NEC, you need to train.

That means riding……..a LOT.

WHY TRAIN?

Training is critical to any long distance bike ride. This is not a ride to your grandmother’s house. Training prepares you for being in the saddle for several hours and many miles at one time. By training in all kinds of weather, you’ll be prepared for the changing New England weather – rain, wind, heat. You’ll be prepared for the long hills and mountain passes….. New England is NOT flat! You’ll enjoy the tour and the camaraderie of fellow cyclists when you’re prepared for the miles that lie ahead.

WHY TRAIN NOW?

You need to build a base so that by the middle to end of May you will be ready and able to ramp up the distance. There are no shortcuts to putting in base miles. You simply have to ride, ride, ride and ride some more. By the end of base training you should be able to ride one third to one half of the longest day of the NEC (approximately 50 miles).

You should be prepared to ride 70 -75 miles on back to back days at least 3 weeks prior to the first day of the NEC. This takes time to build up to. As soon as possible begin your training; slowly. You should consider short rides during the week and longer rides on the weekends. Start with 15-20 miles per day, 3- 4 times per week and increase your mileage by about 15% – 20% each week. To give your body a chance to recover, you should take time to rest every 4 – 5 days.

You are training for endurance. Therefore the weekly long rides are the most important aspect of your training. The long rides train your muscles and cardiovascular system as well as your digestive system.

The weekly long rides should simulate the NEC as much as possible. This means hills, LOTS of hills; long hills, short steep hills, long steep hills, gently rolling hills and long gentle climbs. The NEC has rest stops about every 15 – 20 miles. During your training rides, stop approximately every 15 – 20 miles to rest and refuel your “gas tank” as though you were already riding the NEC. Be sure to eat and drink. This is NOT optional.

In addition to training on your bicycle, you should consider weight training either in the gym or at home. Bicycling requires the use of nearly every muscle in your body. In particular are the “core” (abdomen and back), trapezius (upper back and neck) muscles. The core and neck muscles are what hold you upright on the bike for many hours at a time. Consider doing stability ball crunches, oblique crunches, planks, hanging leg raises. For more ideas on core exercises/training, Google “core exercises” or “core workouts”. Train your legs with leg presses, squats, walking lunges, leg curls, etc.

The NEC 150 riders should consider training similarly, with less emphasis on the hills. The primary focus will be on endurance and being able to ride back-to-back days of approximately 60- 70 miles each day.

[admin note: Nancy's Training Tips are available as a downloadable PDF and on the 2010 Itinerarypage (see menu bar above left)]

It’s official, consider yourself invited.
Or, perhaps, “Stalked if you don’t show up” is more accurate.

OK, Listen up ya bastids.

Once again, my beloved Lulu and I will be opening up Chez Gear-Lu, our humble lakeside cabin to you- A crazed bunch of calorie-deprived heathens with a love of good food, warm water, long down-hills, and good friends.

GearMan’s 5th Annual Training Ride / Beach Day / BBQ
Saturday, June 15th, 9:00 AM START TIME (Rain date; Sat June 22nd)

Starting line address: The beach. 128 Chases Grove Rd, Derry, NH 03038 for your mapquest or GPS pleasure.

The skinny: Same as in years past, I’m going to throw a challenging 50 mile route at you a month before the NEC- And you’re going to CRUSH IT! Then, refresh yourself with a nice dip in the warm waters of Big Island Pond, and refuel the machine with a monstrous BBQ feast. I intentionally schedule it roughly a month before so that if you have trouble on this ride, you have time to increase your training.

The Details: If I can beg, borrow, and steal their help again, we’ll have a fully supported ride with rest stops and SAG wagons, and hopefully a mechanic- Although we’re still waiting for the mechanic to actually have to do something other than change a flat at the starting line… On MY bike!
Oh, wait… Almost forgot that Ed came last year…

How it works: We provide literally everything except your beverages (Adult or otherwise) i.e. Ribs, potato salad, cole slaw, ribs, chicken drumsticks, baked beans, macaroni salad, sausages, chips and salsa, more ribs, kielbasa, burgers and dogs, homemade pickles and relishes, and of course, more ribs. We just ask for a donation to cover the cost of the meal- any overage once expenses are met, is donated back to the ADA and the NEC to be added to the ride totals.

What to bring: A HELMET You can’t ride without one, other related cycling gear, a swim suit, a towel, a beach chair, and your beverage of choice for the BBQ. I tell everyone, every year, to bring a beach chair, and almost no one ever does… There’s a few picnic tables, but just not enough seating at the beach… So, if you don’t want to be sitting in the grass or sand, bring a chair..

Want to join us? Please respond to switley [at] yahoo dot com so that we can get a head count BEFORE May 31st. Have a cycling friend that isn’t doing the NEC that might want to come ride for the day? The more the merrier. Have a friend or spouse that isn’t a cyclist, but might want to volunteer for this event? We’d love to have them.

What to do next: Get training, get fundraising, get a friend to join you, and get ready to have more fun than should be legal while wearing spandex!

Hope to see you there!
Keep the wind at your back, and the down-hills in front of you,
GearMan

Well, to best answer that, here’s a video made by one of our riders last year- I’m sure Tyler can give you all the technical info as to what camera/housing/editing software he used…
But to me, none of that matters, because I’m not hip, and wouldn’t know even if he told me… BUT, he did an amazing job, and it’s here for you to see!
All seven days- the scenery, the terrain, the route, the sights… In all their splendor.
I dare you to find a more beautiful, and better supported ride ANYWHERE.
Make that a “Double-Dog Dare”.

Can you help us?

We are hoping to infect thousands with the NEC-bug at the Hub in Wheels event Sept 22nd and 23rd!

We have booth space at Hub on Wheels! BOTH Saturday and Sunday we have the opportunity to promote the NEC and are provided with a 6′ table. The coordinator of Hub on Wheels said our best BANG for the buck would be Saturday (and Sunday, of course). Saturday is the rider packet pick up for all cyclists that did not register for their event by last Friday (i.e. potentially over a few thousand!). 11am-5pm for Saturday and Sunday will be very similar to last year.

Let’s strike with the NEC iron is Hot, Hot, Hot! Can anyone lend a hand and talk up the NEC both/either Saturday/Sunday? Please email me: rwilliams@diabetes.org

(ps – I’ll post an entry soon about the AMAZING results we had for 2012!!!!)

Good evening sports fans!
I can’t even begin to tell you how glad I am to be home, yet simultaneously how sad I am that the best week of the year is over. Another one down, in the history books, completed, finished, done, over… And this is when the sadness sets in. For me, it happened at about 7:30 tonight as we drove away after dropping off the rental truck: Sitting in the passenger seat, heading home, as opposed to wildly blazing across who knows what- Onward to our next adventure, our next challenge; What will it be? Where Will it be? What’s around that next corner, or over that next hill? Who knows? Who cares? Which one of us will go first? Follow ME!
Tomorrow, I’ll get to sleep in a bit, not have to fill a 26′ box truck to what seems like capacity, and sit with my honey for a real breakfast- Not just coffee and bacon delivered by others as I prepare for the day… I’ll probably lounge around in my favorite robe and perhaps even get started on those 300 emails that have piled up since last Friday. Then I won’t hurry out onto the road to first chase down, then get ahead of the riders, and I won’t have to make multiple stops for supplies- After that, I won’t have to get the truck unloaded and luggage organized, figure out all the details for that nights activities, ice down waters, sodas, and beers to be ready for them as they arrive, and set up for the evening festivities and after dinner raffles… Tomorrow, I won’t have to do any of that.
I’ll just be wishing that I did.
Thank you, my friends, for being a part of the best week of my year, for everything that you do, and for being you. Be well.
Keep the wind at your back, and the downhills in front of you
GearMan

Good morning all!
It’s with a bit of sadness that we start today, knowing it will be our last. The riders took some team photos and pics of new friends and riding buddies they’ve made over the last week before hitting the road around 7:30. While none of us really want it to be over, we all still want to get back to the loved ones who loaned us all out this week- To the spouses holding down the fort, to the families that love us, and to our own beds.
When we hit the finish line, there won’t be any wifi service, so I won’t be able to do any posting until after we empty the gear truck and return it to the rental office- Figure in some traffic, and I probably won’t get home until 7 or so, and may sleep for about 18 hours- So please keep checking back and I promise to give you a complete wrap up.
In the mean time, I have riders to get out in front of-
Keep the wind at your back, and the downhills in front of you
GearMan

Dzien Dobry sports fans!
Well, we made it through dinner, but we were roughing it… Roast Beef, pork loin, sauteed zucchini and summer squash, Veggie lasagna, Mesclun green salad, fresh rolls… It was tough, but we suffered through. Then came the awards ceremony- LOTS of fun! Some recognition for the volunteers, and recognition and welcoming the newest members to our very exclusive family… Ryan also had some great gifts for the Champions, those who raise double their minimum or more, and also for the Team Captains of the top teams. There was lots of laughs had by all as we poked fun at ourselves, and each other.
As the week starts to wind up, I always get sad- Sad that it’s going to be over soon… And by this time tomorrow, I’ll be in the middle of a 22 hour nap. As I think about the coming sadness, I’m reminded of the kindness of strangers that have also been a part of our New England Classic family this week, even if they weren’t on a bike, they made a difference- The ladies of both the West Ossippee NH and Bellows Falls VT Rotary clubs that brought our cyclists fresh fruit, snacks and PB&J sandwiches- And since apparently, one of the members of the Bellows Falls club is, like myself, into canning homemade foods, the sandwiches they brought were all made with homemade jams- What a treat! Yesterday, (I would have told you about this last night if I wasn’t so drop-dead tired I couldn’t see straight) we also had a large group of riders go “Off Route”- Only “Off Route” usually means they have a friend in the area, or want to go to some nearby local landmark during their ride… And since it’s THEIR vacation, they can do whatever they’d like… Well, THIS year, they took it to a new level and created “Tube de Cure”- Yes, you read that right- Tube. They stopped in the middle of a 65 mile day, rented tubes, and went tubing for 2 1′/2 hours, then got back on the bike to finish the route. WOW. And I used to think I was edgy for stopping for a few trips down a water-slide…
Again this year, we’re staying at the Best Western in Keene- Which, unfortunately means that we’re not using Norm’s Ski and Bike as a rest stop, since they’re only two miles away from our hotel… JayCee and Patty, and the whole gang there have been GREAT to us for 15 years that I can personally attest to- And this year, while looking for a few old-style parts, they proved it again- By digging them out, blowing the dust off them, and donating them to us.
So many wonderful people, all coming together to do something good… No, something GREAT- Something that matters… Something that can literally change people’s lives.
It started when the ride was organized.
It continued when your friend or loved one decided to join us.
It grew when all these great clubs and businesses wanted to help.
It now, thanks to your support, includes YOU.

Sounds like a “Chain Reaction” to me…
Keep the wind at your back, and the downhills in front of you
GearMan

Guten tag sports fans!
Just arrived at the Best Western in Keene, NH about 5 minutes ago, the place is fantastic and treats us like we’re their only guests. The riders are literally screaming down from the mountains into the Connecticut River Valley all morning, only to spend the afternoon climbing back out of it… Might be easier to just jump it… What? They could get a running start. The weather is absolutely great, about 77 degrees with a light breeze and a few high, wispy clouds scattered about- GREAT cycling weather! Tonight we’ll have out last dinner together, and that means PRIZES!!!! All kinds of fun- The “Broken Spoke” award for the person whose bike spends the most time being worked on by the mechanics, and “The Rock” for the person who brings the heaviest luggage, are just a couple examples.
OK, this truck isn’t going to empty itself, off I go.
Keep the wind at your back, and the downhills in front of you
GearMan