Projektyle - Moving Force

Updates and new years

2011-12-05T22:07:00.001-05:00

I was reminded this weekend that this is a place that people come to find out what is going on with me and my life, and that I should do a better job of keeping it updated. So, I commit to try. I can't promise I will be faithful, butmI am going to give it a shot.Team Type 2 is continuing to grow and thrive, and this coming weekend is the annual team meeting, in Tucson. There will be some changes in the format of the team structure this year, although I am not up-to-the-minute on what those are, but it is clear that there will be a "travel team" that will be representing the organization at events, and I am honored to have been chosen as one of the members of that squad for 2012. I will know more after the weekend, so,check back for updates...

The Hardest Day I ever spent on a bike

2011-05-15T00:09:00.002-04:00

Ouch. Strava says the ride today encompassed approx. 10,500 feet of climbing. I rode across the finish line about 9 hours and 10 minutes after the start (we'll see what the official results say). I wasn't last although I was next to last of the folks that finished. Can't wait to see how many DNF'd. More news tomorrow (must sleep). Atlanta Tour de Cure tomorrow ( oops, it's past midnight, so today, I really gotta sleep....).

The start of something epic

2011-05-14T05:45:00.002-04:00

Saturday morning 5:45am
I have been up since 4:30, waiting for it to be time to start the big weekend. There is nothing left to do in preparation, there is nothing left to do but mount the steed, grab the reins, and go out and slay the dragons. I went up to the end of the Brasstown Bald ride when I got to Helen, Georgia, yesterday afternoon, to see what I could see. It looks tough. I expected it to look tough, I suspect it actually will be tough. But I cannot bring myself to worry about that, there are 98 miles to ride, blood sugar to manage, nutrition to get right, before I can get to the point where I have the opportunity to face the test. Time to suit up, find some coffee, and get to work.

Thanks to our sponsors for their contributions to making this possible, especially Clif Bar and Hammer Nutrition, and De Marchi for our new kits!

See you after work...

Planning for Brasstown Bald, the Atlanta Tour de Cure, and the Assault on Mt. Mitchell

2011-05-03T22:07:00.003-04:00

In two weeks, I will have finished my first big weekend of 2011. Hopefully, I won't be posting some story about how it was all just too difficult, or I blew a tire at the wrong time, or I dropped my chain on the climb...

I have been looking at other people's reports from prior Brasstown Bald Buster Centuries, and I have to say, it's intimidating. 20% grade 98 miles into the ride...and then I am planning the Atlanta Tour de Cure as a recovery ride...then the Assault on Mt. Mitchell. I don't feel like I have trained enough. I am not sure it is possible to feel that you have trained enough...

Wish me the best!

What's Happening in 2011

2011-04-23T09:40:00.002-04:00

So, I guess I have not really met that goal of using this space more often. Let's remedy that...

When I went to the doctor in January, every number I track was moving the wrong direction. Weight was up, A1c was up, cholesterol was up, triglycerides were up, bad cholesterol was up, good cholesterol was down. Clearly, this was unacceptable, so it has been 90 days of change. Went to the doctor yesterday: A1c back where I like it (under 6.0), down 9 pounds, triglycerides cut in half, good cholesterol up 30%, bad cholesterol the lowest I have ever had, total cholesterol the lowest I have ever had. Looks like all that time on the trainer has been worthwhile. I have been riding outside when I can, and am now hauling my bike to work so I can ride from the office at the end of the day, putting me behind the bad traffic. All in all, pretty good results in a pretty crappy spring here in New England.

My riding program for the year is pretty crazy, centering on 3 crazy weekends, and several other weekends doing Tour de Cure events for the American Diabetes Association. The schedule starts out the weekend of May 13-17, with three rides: The Brasstown Bald Buster Century on May 14 (100 miles with 14,000+ feet of climbing), the Atlanta Tour de Cure on May 15 (planning on doing the century route), and the Assault on Mt. Mitchell (103 miles with over 10,000 feet of climbing) on Monday, May 16. This weekend may also be the end of my year; we'll see how it goes. I may not be able to walk at the end of it.

Let's assume I can, and I can still pedal a bike...next stop is a weekend in mid-June that includes the Salt Lake City Tour de Cure on June 11 and the Palo Alto Tour de Cure on June 12. Planning centuries at both of these.

Final Big Weekend is the BearPa Challenge in Utah, August 19-20. This is a charity fundraising ride for the Think Outside Children's Charity. Feel free to come join the fun! 2 days, 200 miles!

Non air travel Tour de Cures include the Saratoga Springs Tour de Cure on June 5, and the North Shore Tour de Cure on May 22.

I will do a few other things, like the Maine Senior Games in September, and the Seacoast Century (also in September). All of the Tour de Cure events will include multiple members of Team Type 2 and some include members of Team Type 1 as well. I will be posting ride reports here, and they will be up on the Team website as well. Special thanks to all the Team Type 2 sponsors for making another epic year possible!

A New Year

2011-01-02T20:25:00.003-05:00

I am going to try to use this space a little more in 2011. There will be a lot going on, not just in terms of Team Type 2, but in my training for events other than RAAM (I won't be doing RAAM this year, so I have some other targets). In the meantime, I had a great end of 2010, the net result of which was that I gained some weight that has simply got to go. So, workouts started on the first (when we were lucky enough to have 50 degrees and sun), and continued on the second (not so warm, not sunny at all, but what are you gonna do - it's New Hampshire in January :)). I have almost 50 miles on the year - you can see the workouts here and here...

Friday morning in America

2010-06-18T10:12:00.001-04:00

My squad (Smokey) starts the day in Columbus, IN, having spent the
night in the WalMart parking lot (we do this a lot, it's surprising,
really, how many RV's can be found in WalMart parking lots on any
given night). We all got a solid 7 hrs straight, and we are ready to
finish up Indiana and most of Ohio today. That will leave our squad
the mountains of West Virginia, and the finish.

--
Sent from my mobile device

Wow, It's Wednesday Night Already

2010-06-16T19:38:00.001-04:00

My squad worked Tuesday to pull 206 miles, then we rested while the
RV's moved (to where, I don't remember right now). Wherever it was, we
woke there and took off right around midnight on our next segment, to
Pratt, KS. One of our squad members got sick on the drive over, so we
hit the road with just 3 racers. We stuck with our 6 mile pulls, and
spent an epic early morning racing 2 others teams in the Race Across
West Kansas (RAWK). We ended up smoking both of them. It was a great
night or racing with perfect temperatures, little wind, and
adversaries. Pure, hard, fun.

Sleep, and a change of venue brought us this evening to Yates Center,
KS. When we got up, we were all lethargic and tired. As Bandit was
coming in, we had some weather to deal with. Currently, we are moving
East (where else) at a steady clip - thunderstorms around, and we have
been through one already, and we expect more...all we have to do is
get through the next 10 hours...

--
Sent from my mobile device

Gonna Be a Tough Day

2010-06-14T04:26:00.001-04:00

We hit some snags yesterday related to logistics, the end result of
which was that we only pulled 133 miles instead of 164, but we have to
make those miles up today. So, Smokey has to put in 206 miles today.
We started just after 4 am, so it will proabably be around 4 pm when
we get done...

--
Sent from my mobile device

Today's the Day

2010-06-12T08:34:00.001-04:00

Awake at 5:10 am, sitting in the dark. No sense getting used to local
time, because for the next week the only time that matters is Race
Time. What time is it in Annapolis, MD? The Race Across America team
start is at 5:00 Race Time, 2:00 local time. My teammate Antonino Vita
and I are the starters for this year's Team Type 2 squad. Given the
nature of the start (teams start the initial "parade route" section at
1 minute intervals) we won't actually start "racing" until after 3:00.
It's a day full of anticipation, of hurry up and wait, of simmer...

There are a ton of teams this year. Starting before us are 3 2-man
teams and 25 4-man teams. While there were 8 8-man teams lasy year,
this year there are 12. So, the team race has 40 teams totalling over
200 racers. It's the biggest RAAM in history, and it starts today...

--
Sent from my mobile device

Train Leaving the Station

2010-06-09T21:29:00.002-04:00

5am tomorrow, I am out of Durham, NH, and bound for Oceanside, California, for my second running of the Race Across America. The Race starts Saturday at 2pm PDT, 5pm EDT. You can follow all the action at the Race website. I'll be posting my observations here from the road, when there is connectivity!

Predicted finish for Team Type 2: Saturday, 3:45 PM!

One Week To Go

2010-06-05T07:07:00.002-04:00

This morning, I woke to thunder and rain. I had planned to ride this
morning, either at 6:30 or at 8:00. I'll ride in any weather if I have
to, but with a week to go, the risk isn't worth the minimal training
value, so I'll skip this morning and see how the day develops.

A week from now, we'll be making our final preparations and heading
for the start line. I can't wait to start the competition phase of
this year's effort. Come see us in Oceanside, or anywhere along the
route!

A Word from Our (non) Sponsor

2010-06-04T18:05:00.003-04:00

So, it occurs to me that I would like to tell you about the most important thing that I did in terms of getting ready for RAAM this year. I have been riding a bike for a while now, and got my current "best" bike last year for RAAM. Ordered it off the web, so sizing was iffy. But, it's a great bike. So, I thought, how can I make the fit of this bike be a little better? And, how can I accommodate the bad left ankle I have as a result of nerve damage caused by herniated disks in my back that I have lived with for the past 18 years?

Enter Trek Portsmouth, and a lady named Cheryl who runs the Velolab there. I don't get anything special from the folks at Trek Portsmouth; I pay retail like everyone else, but they are very friendly, and more importantly, they know what they are doing! Cheryl and I went through a fitting process that has vastly improved my comfort (and power) on the bike. It has made a huge difference, and I just wanted to say "Thanks!" and let you folks know, if you are in the Seacoast area, this shop is a great resource. I highly recommend them.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled blog...

Following RAAM via Twitter

2010-06-04T07:40:00.002-04:00

To get up-to-the-minute information (from lots of sources), you can look for tweets that include the #raam2010 hashtag...or you can click the link to the right, which conveniently has already done this for you, and updates in real time! Thanks to Chris Champion (what a great name!), one of the crew members supporting Team Type 2 in this year's Race Across America!

The RAAM Train is Getting Ready to Roll

2010-06-03T21:37:00.002-04:00

Yes, it is that time again...

Team Type 2, the first group of Type 2 Diabetics to ever attempt (much less complete) the Race Across America (in 2009) is at it again. We had a great training camp in February in Stone Mountain, GA that resulted in the selection of 8 hearty souls that are willing to try to beat last year's time. I have the distinct honor of leading one of the 2 four-man squads as we make our way across the country.

I'll be updating this site regularly as we cross America, so if you want to know what's up with the team, this is one place to look. There will be others, and as I learn about them, I will add them to the list at the right. Also, lots of the updates will be via twitter, which you can also see at the right, or follow me (@projektyle).

New Year - New Place - New Goals

2010-01-16T14:07:00.003-05:00

I haven't done a very good job of keeping this up to date. We moved east in December, landing in New Hampshire (why did no one ever tell me how pretty it is in New Hampshire?). New job started November 9, house closed on Dec. 4, furniture arrived on December 8, snow arrived on December 9, and we haven't seen the backyard since (nor have I ridden outdoors since then).

So, a new sport has been added to the mix, and I finally have something I enjoy to use as cross-training from the bike. Cross-country skiing. Our new house backs up to a set of trails owned by the University of New Hampshire, which are available for anyone to use. So, grab the skis, walk 30 yards, you are on trails, miles of trails that traverse hundreds of beautiful acres. It is a blast.

Today, a change of pace. The weather was warm (40 degrees) and the sun is out, so a couple hours were spent outside on the bike. Training camp is in less than a month, and I have to get ready! RAAM selection will happen at camp (a change from the original plan), so I have to make sure I am ready to go. Only bad news is, it means the trails outside my back door are going to become a pile of mush. But today, I got in a great ride, and there is snow predicted for Monday...

When it Rains, it Pours

2009-09-02T16:31:00.002-04:00

So, the UltraMidwest isn't going to happen for me. The gallbladder just took too much out of me. I was released back to the bike on the 20th, and scheduled the Wabash River Century on the 31st. I only got two rides in before the Century, but still, I was feeling good by the 31st. It was a beautiful October day in August when the ride commenced, and everything looked good. My GPS died 3:09 into the ride, but I was averaging 18.5 mph to that point and the day was still looking good. About an hour later, around mile 75, I slid into a descending corner that was flat, back tire slipped, I went off the right side of the road past the turn, buried the front wheel in sand and went over the handlebars into the trees. Of course, the bike came too, since I was clipped in. When everything stopped moving, I was laying on top of the back wheel, with the horn of the saddle through my chinstrap (I cannot begin to understand what happened to allow this). I couldn't move because the rear of the saddle was resting hard against my left cheek, and the strap was tight across my throat. Eventually, I figured out what was going on, and got loose. I got up, and everything looked OK, except for the bright red liquid on the leaves...

So, a little blood from my left cheek, and a scrape on my left leg, but the real pain was the "s" shaped bend to the rear wheel. Ride over at 75 miles in...

Good news: Mavic says they can repair the wheel for "only" 200 dollars...

Changes...

2009-08-08T07:28:00.001-04:00

So, the plan was to do the UltraMidwest 24 on Sept. 5...but there's this thing called a gallbladder. Mine is going to be removed on Monday, August 10. The doctor says I have to be off the bike for two weeks. Given my travel schedule at this time of year, the race was going to be difficult to train for without this additional glitch, so the chances of me doing the UltraMidwest are slim at this point. Slim to the extent that I am not planning to go. Hey, we'll see how it all shakes out.

Sunday Ride

2009-07-19T11:36:00.003-04:00

Thought I was going to do Attica-Otterbein-Battleground, but it wasn't supposed to rain. It did, so I changed the route a little. Here's what I did. It's a nice route, no traffic at 7am on Sunday to speak of. Saw 6 rabbits and a young deer. Got home in time to watch Alberto Contador show me how to climb...

Morning BS was 97. Weight was up a couple due to pizza and no ride and popcorn yesterday. Had some oatmeal with blueberries and almond milk, then took off for the ride. Had a PowerBar Gel 1 hour in and a PowerBar Triple Threat 2 hours in. Total ride time was right at 3 hours; BS was 114 when I got in the house...

So, What Now?

2009-07-18T12:49:00.002-04:00

I am working on a couple of things, including planning for my next race. For those of you that know my whole story, the Team Type 2 RAAM team was part of a larger desire to do solo RAAM. Next step on that quest is to qualify. There are several ways to qualify for solo RAAM, including a complicated "do a really long race and finish within x% of the fastest finishing rider that is not already RAAM-Qualified" and a simple "ride 425 miles in 24 hours at a specified time and place". I like simple. So, the next step is the UltraMidwest 24.

There's a story about it over on the Team Type 2 blog if you're interested.

Meanwhile, since I am not sure I can ride 425 miles in 24 hours (and really, I am not going to try until the race), I am also looking at the possibility of doing RAW (race Across the West) next year. This race is described as "the toughest third of the toughest bicycle race in the world". It's 1044 miles, which has to be completed in 90 hours. That's only 11.6 miles per hour (only is relative, since it's difficult terrain under the best conditions, and it's hot, and cold, and windy, which are NOT the best conditions).

We'll see how it all shakes out...

The Rest of the Story

2009-07-04T16:02:00.004-04:00

So, it just occurred to me that, if there were faithful readers out there, and if they did not know me in the sense that they see me on a regular basis, I have committed the sin of leaving them hanging.

Here's how it went. The A-Team took the road (I think it was Cleve). As we were waiting for the rider to come in for the exchange, I mentioned to our Fearless Leader (Curt) that Bob had to be the one to cross the finish line, since this was his team, and his vision. Curt thought about that for a second, then said, "OK, you just have to take an extra long pull, so that Bob is set up to take off about three miles from the finish". At this point we were about 9 miles out. So, I say, no problem, I can do that. Cleve comes in, I go out, and I am pushing hard to give Bob the best time we can get. There are a couple of roundabouts that are interesting, including the flying odd bit of profanity streaming from a vehicle that doesn't know what to make of a speeding bicycle in the roundabout on a Saturday night, but we make good time. Legs are pretty much screaming at this point (after all, the longest they have worked all week is 5 miles). I spot the van, pull to the curb as Bob takes off, and he yells, "Grab my wheel!". So, I grab his wheel, and we take off to paceline the last 3 miles. There were a couple of bumps and some timing issues, but we got it worked out. We get to the Shell station where they stop timing you (then add 13 minutes to create your "official" time), and Bob squirts to the side and makes me pull in first. Whatever, he's the boss. Felt great to finish. All the Cutters were there, and the rest of the A-Team, and we formed up two abreast and followed a monster Hummer to the dock, where we arrived around 12:24 (I assume, based on our time of 7 days, 7 hours, 24 minutes). Lots of people greeted us, including several from Team Type 1 (which was really cool). We did a little stage gig, where we had to answer questions about our pursuit of rabbits (especially the Georgia Chain Gang) and our favorite moments (which for the A-Team was sunrise in Monument Valley). Off the stage so the next group (the aforementioned Chain Gang) could be recognized, then an interview with Diabetes Forecast, then to the hotel, where we arrived a little after 3 if I recall correctly.

So, that's how the race finished up. Thanks for all your support! No doubt, we will be back next year...

MapMyRide.com - Training Log for projektyle

2009-07-04T16:02:00.001-04:00

MapMyRide.com - Training Log for projektyle

Shared via AddThis

On the road to Annapolis

2009-06-27T20:51:00.001-04:00

The A-Team has taken to the road to finish this epic journey. We are
pishingbhard to try to finish before midnight. It's not an easy goal.
We have less than 100 miles to go plus a small penalty to serve.
Current estimated have us missing midnight by almost an hour, but hey,
if you don't have a goal, it's hard to measure accomplishment. We are
so close to meeting our goals - first group of type two diabetics to
complete team RAAM, and everyone safe (with the exception of one small
chain accident). More after the race!

Update from Time Station 41 - Blanchester, Ohio

2009-06-26T13:23:00.001-04:00

The A-team left Bloomington, IN at 3:47 this morning. We were seen off
by a number of family members from both squads. It was the most
visitors we have had of any of the stops, an it provided a nice boost.
Today was a hard day; we encountered a variety of problems, none
insurmountable, but all bothersome. The genesis of a lot of them was
simple tiredness due to the combination of a broken air conditioner in
the crew RV, days of hammering on the pedals, the new experience of
dealing with our diabetes under this level of strain, and simple sleep
deprivation. But, we made it through the day, completing 164 miles in
just about 9 hrs.

The B-team is currently on the road, pulling somewhere in the
neighborhood of 190 miles into West Viginia. We need to get some rest
to attack the mountains of West Virginia starting in the wee hours of
the morning.

Headed for the Mississippi

2009-06-25T13:38:00.001-04:00

Been a while since I updated. Here's what's up. Yesterday we spent all
day crossing Kansas. The other squad brought us to Jefferon City, MO.
I led out from the Missouri State Capitol (see twitter for picture).
Our squad leader, Bob, had the pleasure of climbing Dutzlow hill and
crossing mile 2000 at the same time. Today, we will hit the
Mississippi in mid-afternoon. We are doing 190 miles today, ending at
Greenville, IL. We'll get cleaned up and head to Bloomington, IN,
where I will have the pleasure of seeing my family and introducing
them to all the crazy people who are part of this epic adventure.

Report from Clayton NM

2009-06-23T15:53:00.001-04:00

My squad finished a brutal section that took us through 3 time
stations overnight, bringing us into Taos NM around 6:20 am. During
the night, we crested the highest point on this year's route,
encountered elk, deer, and mice on the road, and enjoyed a great
tailwind (downhill even) going into Taos. On the other hand, it was
very cold (around 38 at the summit) and we had brutal headwinds after
the crest. It was definitely the most difficult session yet for my
squad, but we got through it. Following a warm shower and breakfast
pizza compliments of our outstanding support crew, we all crashed and
got some much-needed rest. Today, we are facing 165 miles downhill to
Plains KS via Elkhart KS. We will pass through small portions of Texas
and Oklahoma as well. the day promises to be very hot, but there is
currently no rain in the forecast. Highs will be in the 90s with low
humidity, and 10-20mph crosswinds. Sure would be nice if those became
tailwinds, but I am not holding my breath. It's 2 hours until "back on
the bike" time, so I had better go start getting ready to roll.

Monday evening update

2009-06-22T18:30:00.000-04:00

On Team Type 2, we are split into two squads. We don't have names for
them, just "us" and "our other squad". For now, think of them as "a"
and "b", respectively. "B" came rolling into Tuba City, AZ right at
midnight Sunday. "A" rolled out for a shift that included lots of
climbing (imagine that), and the chance to see some real beauty. At
one point, just before we attacked the 6683 ft. summit of a 30 mile
long climb, we stood and watched shooting stars, the Milky Way clear
in the sky. Later, at dawn, the light came up in Monument Valley,
slowly revealing the strangely beautiful mesas. We saw Pete Cowley
rocket down a descent a 56 mph (sure, that's impressive, but it's also
expected). What wasn't expected was his climb up from the San Juan
River into Mexican Hat, a little town named for a bizarre rock
formation. From Mexican Hat, it was a short jaunt to Montezuma Creek,
Utah. This was a tough little 39 mile stage that included some very
significant "rollers" including a finishing 5 miles that started with
a long 8% climb that Bob Avritt was left to handle. Our fabulous crew
had a great meal ready for us when we rolled in, and squad "B" took
over for a day that would take them to Cortez, CO, Durango, CO, and
finish up in Pagosa Springs, CO. Right now, squad "A" is waiting in
Pagosa Springs, trying to get a little more rest before what looks to
be another 160 mile night going from Colorado to New Mexico to
Colorado to Taos, NM. When we arrive there, we will have completed
1044 miles of the 2009 Race Across America.

If you are a Twitter user, many updates are available by following
@TeamType1, @TeamType2, @RAAMrace, as well as my own (which have been
sporadic due to network issues).

Blood sugar rollercoaster

2009-06-21T12:19:00.000-04:00

Started the day at 90, ate some stuff then did my first pull. Ate a
turkey sandwich and some fruit, checked before my second pull, was
152. Works well. Pulled, checked, 96. Ate some snacks, a gel, up to
124. Not enough. Ate a clif bar - no chance to ck again before third
pull. After pull, right at 100. Time to eat some more!

First shift done, second shift in progress

2009-06-21T11:29:00.000-04:00

Day 1 is in the books, as Team Type 2 is making progress in the Race
Across America. The first shift is already a blur, but it included 4.5
miles at an average 7% grade up Palomar Mountain (at least I think
that's where I was). Coming into the night, we caught a significant
tailwind that had several of us cranking all we had for speeds on the
flats nearing 40 mph. Our second shift (I am not covering what
happened with the other squad, since it wouldn't be my experience)
started with a bang this morning as we were told the other squad was
coming in hot and we needed someone up immediately. I jumped on it,
figuring that it would be best to get at the front of the rotation on
a day that promised to be hot, starting in Salome Arizona. So far, so
good. We have a short shift this time (looks like only 103 miles), so
we should miss the hottest part of the day.

It's Been a Really Long Day

2009-06-20T02:14:00.001-04:00

I can barely remember the start of this day. It was quite a while ago. The day has included team photo shoots on the bike, time at RAAM headquarters for inspection and RAAM rider and team photos, team introductions at the pre-race meeting for all teams, meeting with all the riders and crew members of both teams, and lots of personal interaction and problem-solving. Tomorrow will be the start of the race at 2:00 PDT (5:00 EDT), but before that we have to get out of the hotel and get down to Oceanside for a meet and greet with the local American Diabetes Association folks (Come on out to the pier starting at 10:00am). I am guessing that my first stint on the bike will be the portion starting around mile 21, running for about 8 miles.

Press Release went out today about the Team Type 2 race expectations. Here it is:

Team Type 2 Sets Expectations For RAAM

Oceanside, Calif. — Finishing the Race Across America (RAAM) – billed as the "World's Toughest Bicycle Race" – is the goal of Team Type 2 in its inaugural year.

All eight members of the squad have Type 2 diabetes. People living with the disease have too much sugar in their bloodstream because their bodies either do not use insulin properly or do not produce enough insulin.

Team Type 2 Director Bob Avritt said simply participating in the race is a daunting task. Teams in the eight-person division begin their 3,021-mile (4,861 km) cross-country journey Saturday at 2 p.m. PDT in Oceanside, Calif. The race ends in Annapolis, Md.

"I can only wait to see the impact that Team Type 2 will have on the diabetes community," Avritt said. "Our sponsors have been incredibly supportive and we will not let them down."

Team Type 2 is an extension of Team Type 1, which was founded in 2004 by Phil Southerland and Joe Eldridge. Team Type 1 has an eight-person team competing in RAAM, as well as men's and women's professional programs, a triathlon team and a development team. Team Type 2 strives to instill hope and inspiration for people around the world affected by diabetes; through active management, one can achieve their goals, dreams, and potential.

Team Type 2's squad consists of (name, age, hometown):

John Anderson, 48, Crofton, Md.

Bob Avritt, 42, Littleton, Colo.

Bill Arnold, 48, West Lafayette, Ind.

Bob Chaisson, 48, Severna Park, Md.

Larry Cleveland, 40, Wilmington, N.C.

Peter Cowley, 42, Milwaukee

Mark Thul, 49, Lyons, Colo.

Denny Vorhees, 58, Sayre, Penn.

Avritt said his biggest concern is the health and welfare of his fellow riders, who average 47 years of age.

"Since we're all first timers, doing something we've never done before, this is as extreme as it gets in the Race Across America," he said. "But I also think it's important to mention that all of the members of Team Type 2 hold regular jobs. We have families who have supported us through this process."

Thanks for reading. Keep the wheels pointed to the future (thanks Ken).

What it's really all about

2009-06-19T08:57:00.001-04:00

Last night, after a day of meeting people and hearing some of their
personal stories, lots of travel (thank you Southwest for making my
Indianapolis-Chicago-Denver-San Diego trip uneventful!), and a bike
ride along the Pacific Coast, all of the riders (except the two
stranded in Richmond) for both Team Type 1 and Team Type 2 and all of
the crew members for both teams sat down around the pool and heard
from Dave Eldridge, our RAAM Master. This guy is in charge of all the
logistics and planning and execution for moving these two teams across
the United States. He's pretty amazing. His son is Joe Eldridge, one
of the founders of Team Type 1. During his talk last night, he spent
some time discussing the Abbott Freestyle Promise Program, which is a
great way for people with diabetes to get personal and financial
support in dealing with the disease. Our goal is to give out 1000
Promise cards during the race. I may not have the quote exactly right,
but Dave said, "our mission is to help people with diabetes win the
human race, and if we happen to win a bike race in the process, that's
a nice extra." And he's right.

On the ground in San Diego

2009-06-18T15:00:00.000-04:00

Arrived safely in San Diego on a flight from Denver with Tim and Mark.

Approaching the Indy airport

2009-06-18T05:58:00.001-04:00

This was the view entering the airport at 5:57 am.

On the road to RAAM

2009-06-18T04:29:00.003-04:00

I am the featured rider on the team blog today, where they are profiling one each of the Team Type 1 and Team Type 2 RAAM riders leading up to the race. It's a nice way to start what will be a reallllllly long day, as I travel from home to San Diego to meet up with the rest of the team. Prep time is over; let's get to his party and get it started!

A race of epic proportion | jconline.com | Journal and Courier

2009-06-17T09:11:00.001-04:00

This article was in the local paper today.

http://jconline.com/article/20090617/NEWS/906170324

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Tour de Cure, Indianapolis, Indiana June 13

2009-06-12T19:11:00.002-04:00

Bill Arnold of Team Type 2 (yours truly) and Bob Schrank of Team Type 1 will be attending the American Diabetes Association Tour de Cure at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on June 13.

Posted via email from projektyle's posterous

RAAM is coming - or I am going...

2009-06-12T11:50:00.002-04:00

RAAM (Race Across AMerica - www.raceacrossamerica.org) starts for teams on June 20, 2009 in Oceanside, CA. The teams travel 3021 miles to Annapolis, MD. I am participating in this great adventure with a group of riders who all have Type 2 diabetes (www.teamtype2.com). The team blog can be found at http://teamtype12007.blogspot.com/.

Our goal is to to instill hope and inspiration for people around the world affected by diabetes; through active management, one can achieve their goals, dreams, and potential. We are a group of ordinary guys attempting to do an extraordinary thing.

I will be updating this blog from the race, as well as my facebook and twitter feeds. Come join the adventure!