Key to Keys: The "Finish"

The start of our last day...Homestead, Fla to Key West.
(Matt Brown, our awesome photographer, is missing from the pic because he was taking it)

When you compete in a running race or a triathlon, it is often a solitary event. There are other competitors and spectators giving you encouragement, but ultimately it is about your best effort on that day. Sometimes there are stories of people sacrificing a faster time in the name of helping someone else get through the race. In the case of the Key to Keys ride, every day was about the sum of your team. What did we bring to the ride as a team? I learned an immense amount about cycling on this ride...how to ride in a pace line (thank you Jimmy), some more in-depth bike mechanics (Jimmy again), and patience...it wasn't about the time finishing most days, but about the journey. The biggest physical challenge was the amount of time in the saddle. The muscle fatigue wasn't as much of a problem as the saddle soreness that set in after hours of riding. Even when it hurt, it was easy to remind yourself that this was a lot easier than battling cancer, and that cancer doesn't always have a defined finish line.

In any big race I have done, be it a triathlon, marathon, or half marathon, I have cried at the finish line. I'm never quite sure what triggers this reaction...sometimes it is more overt than others. It is joy at finishing the race, a sense of elation at the accomplishment, and thankfulness that I was able to complete something I considered to be a major goal.

The finish of Key to Keys was different...I think we all would have added extra miles at the end if it meant holding on to the feeling of the ride for a little longer. There were lots of jokes in the last few blocks about pedaling backward to make the day last longer. All day, I had thoughts of hugging Tommy at the finish in my head, and I couldn't wait to see him. At the same time, I didn't want for this amazing journey to be over. As we rode through Key West, people on scooters joined in behind us, cheering us on. It made me think of little kids on their bikes, only they were adults. We rolled into the Southernmost Point, and there was Tommy with some of the other spouses. The Ulman Staff were waving our Team Fight flag and cheering, as were the tourists lined up for photos at the Southernmost Point. It was a neat experience to have never visited Key West Before and be seeing it for the first time on my bicycle.

Riding the "Seven Mile Bridge" (which REALLY is 7 miles)

We Made It!!!!!!!!!

Paul Lemle got some awesome shots of our viewpoint.

Paul getting us as we rolled into Key West.

Matt Brown, our elusive and awesome photographer.

The evening ended with a dinner on the beach at "Fort Zach", and a lovely celebration of our accomplishment. One last dedication circle as the sun set reminded us of our accomplishment and gave us an opportunity to say thank you. Despite tired legs and worn bodies, many of us danced into the night, celebrating our accomplishment. (It was funny watching people after a few frosty beverages completely doubt that we had ridden our bikes to Key West).

Patti took this one....a beautiful tribute to our ride.

This truly was an amazing journey, and while we crossed the finish line in Key West, I know that many of us feel our contributions to the Ulman Cancer Fund do not end here...through time, stewardship, sport, and fundraising we will continue to support UCF. A huge thank you to Brian Satola and the Ulman staff for the vision and hard work that made this amazing journey happen...and to Tommy who never says "you can't do that", just "tell me what I need to do". Not to mention all the family, friends, and coworkers who supported in so many ways. My cup is overflowing, and thank you doesn't seem to be enough, but thank you for helping me along on this journey.
Hugs,
Kier

Key to Keys: The Journey

Starting Our Journey

Our journey to Key West began on Saturday. It started with a send-off party in Baltimore City, which was an opportunity to get the group together and for our families and friends to say goodbye. It is an Ulman tradition to start events with a “Dedication Circle”. This circle gives everyone an opportunity to share thoughts on who they are riding for each day. It reminds me a little of a Quaker Meeting…someone starts off the dedication and everyone adds theirs as they are moved to do so. I started the journey for the Davis family. Ryan, Harmony, and their children are in the midst of their fight against cancer. Harmony led off the Run Across America last year.

Riding at the BWI Airport Loop

A stop at the University of Maryland

Ride Logistics

Many people have asked what the structure for the ride is. Each day we are assigned to one of four groups. Group 1 begins riding, while group 2 drives to the end of Group 1’s route and then begins riding. The same goes with groups 3 and 4. I was part of group 1, and our task was to ride from the Inner Harbor in Baltimore to NE Washington DC. We are given cue sheets, but discovered that there were a few snags. Thanks to Google Maps and good teamwork, we got from point A to Point B, with a little backtracking. We rode through College Park, which gave me time to reflect on my dear friend Nicole who lost her husband Mike to cancer. He was a University of Maryland alum, so College Park was a great place for me to ride.

After we finished our ride, and joined up with Liz (our driver for the day and an awesome Ulman staffer), we drove to Charlottesville, Va. Each day would have a similar layout. As someone who is a control freak planner, it was refreshing to have 8 days where my job was just to pedal, listen, and share our story with the people we met. We woke up in the morning, and during breakfast the “lineup” for the day would be posted. This included your riding buddies and your “SAG” (Support and Gear”) driver. The drivers were all Ulman staffers, who absolutely rocked. They had a tailgate picnic ready for us every day on our ride, and always offered crazy awesome encouragement.

Each afternoon/evening, we would arrive at our hotel for the night. It wasn’t until arrival that we found out who our roommate would be. We got to room with most of our teammates of the same gender, which lent itself to lots of bonding and getting to know each other. Once again….I didn’t have to make any decisions…just lug my bag and bike into the hotel and set up camp for the night. Dinner every evening was about camaraderie…sharing stories of the day, laughter, and often tears. It was probably less than 48 hours before everyone stripped down the layers of unfamiliarity and began to share their stories in a very raw, very real way. The laughs were frequent and hearty, and the tears came just as often. The 8 days on this journey did so much to revitalize many of us.

My Riding Routes on Key to Keys:

Day 1: Baltimore to Northeast DC  (aka lots of starting and stopping); Overnight in Charlottesville, VA

Day 2: Virginia into NC (my group got to cross the border); Overnight in Durham, NC

Day 3: Durham, NC to Myrtle Beach, SC  (my group got to ride from NC into Myrtle Beach); Overnight in Myrtle with an awesome dinner at the firehouse there. Day 3-4 were also the days when there was the most complaining (myself included) about how painful it was to ride so many days in a row...you get to know each other quite well on a ride like this...

Day 4: Myrtle Beach, SC to Hilton Head

My group got to ride through Charleston, which was beautiful. Hilton Head was where we met Edgar…a local who was certainly a little over the top and under the influence, but made us laugh harder than any of us have every laughed.

Laughter to the point of tears thanks to our friend Edgar

A rare moment when Jimmy wasn't busy texting on his "ATM"

Day 5: Hilton Head, SC to St. George, Georgia (My group got to ride Alligator Alley and cross the border into Georgia). We had an awesome homemade southern dinner here, hosted by Liz’s family and the local cycling club. This was also the location of “Key to Keys Idol”…some of the people on our team can really sing. In the midst of silliness, a local at the bar donated $400 because he heard what we were doing and wanted to help. Laughter turned to tears as he shared his story, but it epitomized our journey.

Pre-ride Caffeine

Post-ride recovery drinks

My buddy in the "way back" of the Suburban

Day 6: St. George, Georgia to Vero Beach, Fl with an awesome dinner hosted by Brian’s parents in Vero Beach. On this day we hit the headwind from the storms that hit Georgia. No rain but wind that made you feel like you were pedaling in place. It was mentally probably the most challenging day for all of us.

Day 7: Vero Beach, Fl to Homestead, Fl. On this day, my group rode through some really neat destinations, including South Palm Beach, Boca Raton, and Ft. Lauderdale. A lot of our riding was right along the coast, which means a gusting headwind at times but beautiful riding.

Photo collage credit: Chris Zahlis
This includes our awesome crew for the day Abby and Alex

Team "Boy Scout" helping Canadian tourists change a tire. 

Day 8: Homestead, Fl to Key West...more about this in my blog about finishing the race.

There aren't words to describe this journey. It was epic and emotional and fulfilling and invigorating. I am so thankful to all of those who supported me, by taking care of the kids, "liking" my Facebook updates, donating to my fundraising. There are too many people to thank by name, as I know I would leave someone out...know that each of you touched me beyond words. 

(Many thanks to Matt Brown who took many of these amazing photos along the way). 

Key to Keys: Why We Ride

My teammate Kacie did a great post about her Ride Across America (Two Women Riding across the country, going for the time record.....). They are riding for charity, and Kacie said she is often called "crazy" for doing such a thing. My journey on the Key to Keys ride isn't nearly as epic, but I understand Kacie's sentiment. Sometimes, the biggest part of the journey is setting and attaining a seemingly unreachable goal. 

The Key to Keys ride is a personal journey, and also one to support a cause I value greatly. The Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults does amazing work. Already, our group has raised $40,000 to support them...this will help fund the first year of a cancer navigator program at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. Imagine being a serviceman or woman, sent to a regional medical center with great oncology care...miles away from friends and family. The Ulman Fund will provide support, a peer group, and navigation services not available before at Walter Reed.

It is hard to explain what a journey like this is all about. People hear that you are cycling from Baltimore, MD to Key West, Fl and all they hear from that point is "wah-wah-wah-wah-crazy-wah-wah-insane-wah-wah-certifiable." It is partly selfish. I know that I will be absolutely inspired on this journey. The cycling will be hard, but fighting cancer is harder. The cancer survivors and fighters we meet will be beyond inspiring. The survivors who will be cycling with us and providing support on this journey will be motivation every moment of every day. 

I've asked friends and family to share those they would like me to ride in memory or in honor of. My first thought of cancer or memory of someone with cancer was my Grandmother, Virginia "Ginger" McDonald. I was the oldest grandchild and 1 when she died. We lost my husband Tommy's cousin Chris Abshire to cancer way too young, in his early 30s. Chris was an amazing spiritual leader, and while I know he and his wife Martha had amazing support, I wish we had known about Ulman then. 

I'm riding for "Team Davis". Harmony kicked off the Run Across America last year in honor of her husband Ryan. They are a phenomenal family with amazing faith, endless love, and incredible determination. I will be thinking of them every pedal stroke. Learn about their family here. I know there are people I left off this list...this is my flight of ideas, and list compiled in talking to friends and family. Know that your friends and family will be in my thoughts during this ride. Cycling is hard, but nothing compared to fighting cancer. My hope is that through this journey we CAN make a difference, and raise funds to support young adults fighting cancer. 

I'm riding for Chris, a Mom with young kids who is kicking breast cancer's butt...

I'm riding for the ladies I am privileged to work with at MedStar Montgomery who have battled cancer...Diane, Annie, Libby, Patti, Maryjane, and so many more...

I'm riding for Tracey...who kicked cancer's butt this fall

I'm riding for Carol, who is an amazing healthcare provider, with endless kindness and compassion, and began her treatment today...

I'm riding for Patricia Weir...the Mother of a high school classmate who is fighting hard. 

I'm riding for JP...the coolest liver transplant recipient a girl could ever know.

I'm riding for Abby and Meg and all the other cancer survivors on our trip!

I'm riding for Shawn Blatzer..11 years old and bravely battling stage 4 brain cancer. 

I'm riding in honor of John Howard...fighting melanoma at age 7

I'm riding in honor of Anya...kicking cancer's butt at 6 years old

I'm riding in honor of Nicole, Kellie, and in memory of Mike Kuchinski.

I'm riding in honor of Watson Dufresne... diagnosed with leukemia at age 2..now he is almost 6 and a few weeks away from finishing his chemo treatment

I'm riding in honor of Jhondra McNeely, recently diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

I'm riding in memory of Gail Ardner...a mother, wife, and friend who lost her battle with breast cancer last August.

I'm riding in memory of Drew Wall...lost this past November. #justdrewit

I'm riding in memory of Susie Ohlendorf, lost to breast cancer last month

I'm riding in memory of Chris Sarris...a fire department colleague lost to colon cancer

I'm riding in memory of Kristin Ebaugh

I'm riding in honor of friends of Ryan Davis...who prays for others daily even during his own battle....

Marcus Fowler (Leukemia) - Enduring stem cell transplant
Tim Mains (Testicular cancer) - Just started chemo
David Brenneman (Leiomyosarcoma) - Battling metastasis with changing chemos
Dan Noss - (Liposarcoma) - Chemo and stuck in hospital with infection
Brent - (Leukemia) - Just a kid, prayers that his make-a-wish trip is great

If you want to follow us on this journey, you can go to www.keytokeys2013.blogspot.com. I also hope to be posting updates here. Thank you for your support. You can check out my Ulman Team Fight page here.