This past Saturday I rode in the Kelly Brush Century Bike Ride. It was the 7th year of the ride AND my 7th year participating! I have been doing this ride since it started, my junior year of college!
The bike ride is to support Kelly Brush Foundation which is dedicated to assisting individuals with spinal cord injuries and increasing ski racing safety. Kelly is a dear friend; we were on the Middlebury ski team together, college roommates and continue to be friends now! She actually just got married this past August and was the most beautiful bride everrrrr!
You can learn more about her story on her website but I will give you a quick overview now. In February 2006, Kelly had a tragic skiing accident at one of our college races and suffered a spinal spinal fracture at the T 7-8 level leaving her with feeling at chest level and above. She has use of her arms but is dependent on a wheelchair. She does not let being in a wheelchair hold her back and is the inspirational person I know. Her handicap does not slow her down, one bit!
This year, I did not train AT ALL. The last time I was on a bike was at the Kelly Brush ride, A YEAR AGO! I figured I could do 50 miles. I am in decent shape even though it is not bike shape. Well, let me tell you, that was a terrible idea. It was a long, hard 50 miles. Not to mention we were biking through what felt like hurricane strength winds. It was so brutal. I was exhausted. Every time a gust of wind came, I felt like I came to a complete stop.
I was so sweaty and happy to be done! It was definitely worth it, I had a ton of fun and will be back again next year.
I ate a lot of bananas, trail mix, Green Mountain coffee and clif bars.
It was so nice to be up in VT. I love it up there. Everything is so beautiful. Lake Champlain, the Adirondacks and giant farms are so perfect. It really doesn’t get much more New England than that!