Well today we will be getting ready to pack up and head to Philadelphia for LiveSTRONG.  This summer has been quite a journey.  On June 19th when I had my accident I didn't think I would be able to do Livestrong more less ride my bike for months.  But here I am and ready to ride.  While I was on the couch this is the video I watched a lot and it contains one quote that has helped me make it through:

"Its about doing what you set out to do."

Go Marlene's Misfits!

Jimmy

It's about going for it......



Are you ready to go for it? 

Refueled

Yesterday I was able to head back out on my bike for a real ride (56 miles)  since my accident on June 19th.  I decided I wanted to go back to where I had my accident and thank the guy who helped Nicole and I that day.  As I began to ride I was very nervous and honestly a little scared.  If you have taken a nasty spill on a bike you know that it can be daunting to get back in the saddle.  As my nerves let up and I was noticing that my wrist wasn't hurting too bad I started to think about all the people I needed to thank for helping me out while I was laid up on the couch.

First of all I want to thank my wife who cared for me hand and foot for two months.  Without her I would've been helpless.  I am sorry for all the complaining and crankiness.  Also I want to thank Casey and Jason for coming over and cutting my grass this summer.  Not a fun job when its 90 plus outside with ridiculous humidity.  Also would like to thank all the friends and family that have sent me get well wishes.  Every little bit helped and without you I would not be where I am today.  

So as I rode today I could hear everyone whispering in my ears.  Telling me to move forward and to not give up.  So when I head out on my ride for the Livestrong Challenge on the 22nd I want to let everyone know you will be with me.

Each of you fuel my engine

I'm Back

This video I think personifies the shear joy of riding. 

Evan

His bike is the written and spoken word.  What is your bike?

What can you do?



Be informed...Be inspired...Be involved.

Sean

With one lung he climbed Everest and became the only cancer survivor to do so.  But this is only part of the story...

For Sean it was about screaming hope.



Be informed...Be inspired...Be involved.

Prayers For David

Before we go any further here please watch the video below:



David and Mary need our prayers, I have no doubt that they are fighters but some help wouldn't hurt.  David will be on my mind everyday this coming up week.  Be grateful for the days you have and live them to the fullest, because a simple pin prick can change your life.

To learn more about David and Mary go to their website or visit their page on Facebook.

Together we win....  LiveSTRONG David.

Help Me Pick A Fight Against Cancer

Cancer is a word, not a sentence.  

The Lance Armstrong Foundation inspires and empowers people affected by cancer. The LAF believes that unity is strength, knowledge is power, and attitude is everything.  This year my wife, Nicole, and I will participate in the LIVESTRONG Challenge in Philadelphia on August 24th.  I will be attempting to do a 45 mile ride through the beautiful hills of south Philadelphia and Nicole will be walking a 10k. 

This year has been a little bit of a struggle as of late because on Father's Day I severally fractured my right wrist.  Since then I have had surgery and currently rehabilitating quite well.  The pain of a broken wrist is nothing compared to the 28 million people who will be faced with hearing they have cancer.  My wrist will heal, but for a cancer patient nothing is guaranteed, progress has been made in the fight against cancer but a lot still needs to be done. 

This is where you come in; help us fight cancer with a donation to our LIVESTRONG team the Marlene Misfits.  Marlene's Misfits is in honor of Marlene Halstead who died from bladder cancer July 30, 2007. She was an amazing mother, grandmother, wife, and friend.  I am sure all of you know someone who has been affected by cancer, yourself, a loved one, or a friend.  Please join us to fight back against cancer. 

With your help, we are hoping to raise $1,000 and the team is hoping to raise more than $2,500.  To make things easier we have established one donation page.    Please click to link to join our fight against cancer, My Donation Page

Thank you in advance for your time and generosity. We look forward to hearing from you and will be sure to keep you updated on our fundraising and training progress as we prepare for the event. 

**Please feel free to forward this email to anyone who might be interested in donating.  We appreciate and thank each and every one of you.

Sincerely,

Ken and Nicole Durbin

Learning To Fall

So I have been watching the Tour de France and well I have learned in cycling you fall and you get hurt.  In today's stage several riders took tumbles on a descent and ending up with some nasty road rash including Lance Armstrong.  One thing I noticed is these guys know how to crash.  I am thinking I need to learn how to crash.  Never really considered it before but when you are sitting around on the couch with a fractured wrist you think about these things.  So I am taping the Tour and I intend to study it so I can be a little more eloquent the next time I tumble.

Update on me is this week stitches come out on Wednesday and I am hopeful that I can be back on the bike by the end of the month.  I haven't discussed this with the surgeon yet but that is my plan. 

To donate for my Livestrong Challenge ride please click the link to the left.

Livestrong 2009 Reflections

First let me extend my deepest thanks to those who donated and or supported me in any way for my Livestrong ride. Your gratitude will not be forgotten. As for Andrea and Christian you once again proved to me you are truly remarkable people and I consider myself lucky to call you two my friends.




So instead of giving you a boring play by play description of the weekend I have decided to share and reflect a little. Go beyond the details and let you inside my head. I know scary but stick with me.

To tell this story properly we have to start on mile 21. This is were I was faced with the biggest hill of the day. Actually it was the biggest hill I have seen on a bike. Immediately feelings of failure came over me. For some reason I became very scared that I wasn't going to make it up. Then as I started up I could see people getting off their bike and walking up the hill. As I kept climbing I was so tempted to just quit and and walk it up. As I shifted down to the granniest of all granny gears I refused to stop even if that meant I could pass out. When you reach that level of pain and suffering you learn a lot about yourself. I learned that I have more fight in me than I thought. Although that is not because of any hard training schedule or anything like that. No it was the countless stories I have heard of or read in the last year after committing to this ride. Stories of people who go through worst pain everyday just because of this disease we call Cancer. I also thought of the namesake of our team Mrs Marlene. Although I have never met her in person I feel like I know her enough to say she was a fighter. So as I drew near to the crest of the hill and got out of the saddle to push over I felt calm. Weird but as my legs went numb and then I knew I had made it over. She gave me the fight I needed to win that hill.

So as the ride progressed I made some friends and chatted a little. And as the finish line approached something very unexpected happen to me. I became very emotional. Yeah I cried, there I said it. Reason? Well ever since I lost my Dad 12 years ago to a heart attach I promised myself I would do something in his honor. Unfortunately I am very lazy so I never got around to it. Even though he didn't pass from Cancer I quietly dedicated this ride to him. So as I crossed the finish line it took everything I had to hold back my emotion. So Dad that was for you, thank you for being my Dad, my Father, and my friend.

So in closing one more thing I want to say so its official, yes it was the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. Mentally and physically. So if you think you are up for the challenge let me know and we can add you to the team for 2010.

Livestrong.

Thanks Tracey

This is an email Nicole recieved from an old high school friend responding to a Fundraising email Nicole sent out. It puts things in perspective once again. Thanks Tracey for sharing your story.

Nicole,

It is good to here from you. I have received several of your e-mails and wondered how you are doing. I rode in a bike ride back in 2006 out in Lake Tahoe Nevada. It was for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Foundation. It was a wonderful experience and the lake and mountains were beautiful. How do I make a donation? Can I send it to you through the mail? Could you give me your address? We have a very special friend from churhc who is battling lung cancer and it is stage 4. Four months ago they gave him eight months to live. He will have his last chemo treatment next week. He is 66 years old and someone I look up to so much. His faith is amazing. He has not given up yet. I wish Ken luck and hope he has a wonderful experience.

God Bless,
Tracey

My Teammates For Livestrong

Our team page

Double Down

Hi there, first I want to thank all the individuals who have made a donation to The Livestrong Foundation is support of my 45 mile ride in the Livestrong Challenge in Philadelphia on the 23rd. It really has blown me away by the generosity from people I know and some people I have never met before in my life. Know your money is going to fight a disease that kills eleven thousand people a day. Every little bit counts!

For those who are still wanting to donate ..... please do. Because I want to double or more my original goal. I think we can do it. If you can't donate but still want to help out just go to Livestrong.org and see how you can help in your community.

Again thanks for all the support!

Go Marlene Misfits!

Please Help

Well I am sure by now you have heard me talk about my upcoming Livestrong Challenge bike ride in Philadelphia this month. I am very excited about riding but I have to be honest there is one part I am dreading. Asking for donations to support my ride. Each rider needs to raise $250.oo dollars to ride. So I have waited to ask anyone because times are very tight. I know how much it stinks to add another item to your check book that you didn't budget for the month. Now realize any money donated doesn't go to buy Lance Armstrong new houses or Ferrari's. It goes to fight cancer, a disease that claims the lives of eleven thousand people a day. I am sure if you sit and think about it I am sure you have known or know someone affected by cancer. Now I don't want to guilt you into anything here, it is not my purpose. What I will ask is if you know or known someone who has been effected by cancer that you give what you can in their name.



Click here to donate.

Cancer Climber

Why Cycling?

Now this is a question that came to me as I watched the Tour de France today. Why do I think this could be something that I could enjoy as I get older? Because lets face it I am not what you consider having a cycling frame. I am fat. Oh sorry I am big boned.

I think to really analysis these questions there are a few things you need to understand about me. First of all ever since I can remember I have been a husky guy. I love that word husky. Reminds me of school shopping as a kid and having to buy the husky size in my Catholic school required dress clothes. Next item of note would be I have never really participated in sports that require you to be a super fit to just to participate. Baseball and Football you can have a gut and still be a champ.

Now I am a huge support or of Livestrong and a fan of Lance Armstrong but why do I need to ride a bike? I can enjoy Lance and other cycling superstars without owning a bike and subject myself to embarrassing escapades on local country roads. I am sure I am a prime example to passer bys on why they would never take up cycling. My hope is they see me and think, "if that husky guy can do it, I can too." Then continue on the road considering themselves lucky that wasn't them almost in cardiac arrest and doing it willingly.

One possible answer to the above question is that I believe that just by having a bike and riding it occasionally that I will get fit. You know the whole " if I sleep with my history book then I will ace the test tomorrow" kind of mentality. Now we both know this doesn't work. To be successful in cycling it requires a lot of individual dedication and it is super hard work. Also it requires, and this is were I fail horribly, that I have to eat much much better. Unless you ride everyday and burn mass calories you can't enjoy Dairy Queen daily. Or shove pizza down your pie hole. Pie hole reminds me of Chris Farley. Another guy, like me, who really wasn't born with the ideal cycling frame.

In closing, let me say that by no way am giving up cycling. I love this hobby, even if it is not the best choice for my chubbiness. And you never know, someday I might just shed a few pounds and make it out of Huskyville.

Deadly Bunnies

Why?

Livestrong Challenge Video Blog 6/27/09