Knot A Breast: Our Mission
...is to spread the message that people can lead a full and active life after treatment for Breast Cancer through public awareness, the media, and paddling our best.
Hi Wobin,
It was amazing!!! I'll try to sum it up...but let me say it was one of the most incredible experiences of my life - I hope I do it justice....
Day zero was Fri, we dropped our bikes off at the CNE grounds, I stayed at a teammates in Toronto and we pigged out on carbs (guiltless might I add:)
Sat Day 1, the nerves REALLY kicked in. I was questioning whether or not I trained hard enough..whether or not I could finish the ride. Then my bike got suited up with the yellow survivor's flag, that all survivors got. They made a big fuss over us and complete strangers were coming up and congratulating me. OK, so we have opening ceremonies and we're off....it was a sea of 3,500 yellow bike jersey's. Just as we pull out into the street, in typical Vicki fashion, I lose the cap to my camelbak water system - water's spraying everywhere, running down my legs, I looked like I peed myself (maybe people thought I was really nervous:) It's OK I tell myself- only another 105km to camp.
I did have a strategy set in place. Day one - go at a slower comfortable pace so I don't burn out before day 2 but that theory went out the window quickly! Speaking of quick, I guess all the crazy training we did on hilly roads paid off because the flat roads were easy-peasy and I flew across them. Enter the Halton Hills...completely different story. I realize it's called the Halton Hills for a reason....oh my God it was non stop hills, I'm not sure if my ass will forgive me. Thank God we had a rest stop with food etc every 25-35km.
Now, I generally try to "keep a stiff upper lip" and not show emotion too often but this event even got to me. I can't describe the feeling of fellow riders congratulating you because you're doing the ride as a survivor (even though they too are riding) or seeing 2 little girls sitting at the edge of they're lawn holding up a sign saying "Our daddy's a survivor - Thank You", not to mention the countless people cheering you on even though they're stuck in traffic because the police are letting us through. OK enough of that emotional crap. Day one ended with someone's brilliant idea that we should climb the Ancaster hill after 90km of riding - I beg to differ!! However, somehow I rode my sorry ass up that hill and didn't have to get off and walk like some of the others. I got to Mohawk and was greeted by my friends from PEI, which was awesome!!
We camped at Mohawk..that was allot of fun. The tents were up for us when we got there - VERY close together which was interesting when you're trying to sleep with snoring in stereo on either side of you.
Day 2,my team and I flew again. I told my family and friends to be in Niagara Falls by 3pm (thats what time my team got in last year). Well, at 11am I called them and said we were only 30km away...we almost beat them there. So now we're in Niagara Falls, We're getting closer, I can hear cheering but I can't see anyone and then we turn in front of a building and there is a carpet laid out for us to ride across and thousands (my mom says about 20,000) people cheering and every time a rider with a flag rode through the finish line it was announced that a survivor has just competed the ride.
So here I am 212km later feeling great and feeling sorry for the poor sucker stuck sitting beside me on the plane to Europe - they're in for an ear full,,,and possibly a slide show!!
The End!
Auf Wiedersehen
Vicki