Team Fat Cyclist featured on LIVESTRONGChallenge.org

Check out the team information on LIVESTRONGChallenge.org. Team Fatty and all the antics to raise money are featured this month. We are making good progress toward our goals but still need help. Please consider donating, joining the team or passing it on to all your friends.

The Final Word on the 100 Miles of Nowhere

The final date for the 100 Miles of Nowhere is now hard and fast: May 23, 2009. You can check out all the details at FatCyclist.com.

This means the donation period is extended to May 23. Every $5 you give is another mile I ride (up to 200 miles, because I have desire to raise $1000, not a death wish) and every $10 you give is a vote on how it gets done. I still need some folks to put in their picks: on the trainer in the garage, on the spin bike at the gym, or doing .16-mile laps around the neighborhood. (No, riding the pedal tractor is NOT an option.) You may split your vote if you wish. The vote at this time is 2 for the trainer, 0 for the spin bike, and 4 for the .16-mile loop.

Thanks again for all the support and I hope you'll join us for the fun. Donate online to make your dollars work harder for the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

Special Challenge Event

Show us your spirit! Join Team Fat Cyclist: Fighting for Susan (in Seattle, preferably) between 12:01 a.m. Wed., April 22, and 11:59 p.m. Wed., April 22, and get $15 off registration with the discount code "SPIRIT09". Help us reach our goal of 125 team members in Seattle and each of the other cities.

But I don't want to go to Seattle on June 21, you say. Well, if you register as a runner/walker for the 5K, you can fundraise, be a part of the most excellent Team Fat Cyclist: Fighting for Susan and if you don't come, well, I won't tell if you won't and I'll even pick up your goodie bag for you and make sure it gets into your hands. Of course, it would be much more fun if you were there.

The LIVESTRONG Challenge is the Lance Armstrong Foundation's signature fundraising event inspired by the hope, courage and determination that exist in all of us. We take to the streets on bikes and on our feet, uniting individuals to stand together to fight cancer.

For the 2009 LIVESTRONG Challenge, Team Fat Cyclist: Fighting for Susan - Seattle is looking to recruit 125 team members and raise $125,000 to support cancer prevention, provide access to screening and care, fund research, and enhance the quality of life for cancer survivors everywhere. We are over $42,000 already. Whether you walk, run, or ride, your participation is one more powerful weapon in the crucial fight against cancer.

Ready to join Team Fat Cyclist: Fighting for Susan? Register today by following these easy steps:

1. Visit www.livestrongchallenge.org
2. Click on Seattle
3. Click on Register for Seattle ($50 fee - Special $15 discount 12:01 a.m. PT April 22 - 11:59 p.m. April 22 "SPIRIT09")
4. Agree to the waiver ($250 fundraising minimum required for riders to participate)
5. Choose “Join a Team” and select Team Fat Cyclist: Fighting for Susan from the drop down list.

Remember to recruit your friends and family to join you on Team Fat Cyclist: Fighting for Susan. We need their help to reach our fundraising goal.

Through the dollars and awareness that we raise, we will inspire and empower individuals, and we will make life better for the more than 12 million Americans living with cancer. We look forward to having you unite with us as a partner in our fight.

Join the Fight. Take the Challenge.

As always, thank you for the continued support and if you can't join, please send this on to someone you think might be interested.

P.S. The 100 Miles of Nowhere challenge is still on. My crazy self is up to 73 miles, but I'll go 200 if it means I raise $1000 for the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

Sunny days are back again

We made the newsletter! With your help, we have raised over $167,000 for the Lance Armstrong Foundation. That's almost as much as the entire group of participants in San Jose!

I would love your help and support. Please tell people you know about Team Fat Cyclist: Fighting for Susan. Encourage them to join the team or donate to a Team Fatty member. Every little bit helps in the fight against cancer and meeting our goals of having the largest team ever, raising the most money ever and creating a legacy the Nelson family can be proud of.

In other news, the Team Fatty booth at the Keizer Iris Festival is starting to take shape. The one major thing I have left to do is get internet access at the booth for online donations. I've got information and goodies from the Lance Armstrong Foundation to give away. I've got keychains and bracelets made of recycled bicycle chain to sell. I'm picking up some extra sunscreen to give away. I'm really excited for this fundraising and outreach opportunity. Please join me May 15-17 at Keizer Station. Drop in for an hour or two or just pop in and say, "Hi!"

The 100 Miles of Nowhere looks like it may be postponed from the end of April to sometime in May. If it is, I will extend the time for donations toward mileage. Right now, I am riding 73 miles based on the $365 in donations already in, bringing my overall total to $655 (one check isn't in the online total, yet). With some other pledged money, it looks like I may be riding the full 100 miles and then some. I would love to have to ride more. Encourage everyone you know. Just tell them this crazy guy you know is riding 100 miles (or more) going absolutely nowhere to raise money to fight cancer. If that doesn't work, well, threaten them with those pictures you took in college. :-)

I got up and out early today after getting no ride in yesterday. We planted our side garden so that meant running around town picking up tools and soil. We put in lettuce, broccoli, peas and artichokes. Fingers crossed we get a good crop and some fresh veggies in a few months. The upper garden will be tilled and planted in a couple of weeks for the tomatoes. We are hoping to put in an apple tree with the multiple varieties in one tree at some point.

The ride today was a longer group ride and with my ride from home to the meet up and back, I got in 68 miles. One of the guys who was with me the whole way said we averaged 17.7 during the 55-mile group portion of the ride. I felt good but the guys I was with wound it up to about 28 mph a couple of times on the way home so I felt pretty well cooked by the time it was over. It's time to rest and recover for a trip to the pool with the girls and another group ride tomorrow.

Cha-ching!

Well, we have raised $205 for the Lance Armstrong Foundation. That means I'll ride 41 miles for absolute certain in the 100 Miles of Nowhere. Why do I say "for absolute certain"? Well, my friend, Billy, called me tonight to let me know he has $240 pledged for the 100 Miles of Nowhere. He thinks he can get $300. If he does, I'm riding the full 100 and then some. I'm so excited.

Does that mean it's all over? No, way. Let's get me up to 200 miles. That's truly insane.

I had a great ride today. I rode with the club and made a wrong turn for an extra couple of miles. I felt great and averaged 18.6 mph for the ride. I need to meter my outputs so I don't overtrain early, but the weather was phenomenal and I couldn't help myself.

27 miles - 73 to go

Thank you! Another round of donations came in today and together, we've raised $135 for the Lance Armstrong Foundation. That means I'm riding 27 in the 100 Miles of Nowhere. Tell all your friends and help me get to (or beyond) 100 miles. Remember, you get to help choose my method of insanity.

I had an awesome ride today. The weather cleared up and it was so warm today, relatively speaking. I started in leg and arm warmers and had to peel them off after the engine got warm. I was going hard and fast, up near LT most of the ride. I still feel a little slow but feel pretty good with the effort.

I tried to GPS the route today, but I lost signal at the start and the program never picked it back up. That was a bummer as I really like the route I took.

Ride time: 2:11:03
Distance: 37.47 mi.
Average speed: 17.1 mph

15 down - 75 to go!

So far, $75 in donations have come in and that puts me riding 15 miles. Make me ride more and donate today!

I got in a short ride today. 10.13 miles on Big Blue ending at the club to catch Mom and the girls after swim lessons. It's still a little chilly but is supposed to warm up this weekend and I'm planning on logging some big miles on Saturday and Sunday.

11 miles in - 89 to go

So far, $55 in donations have come in and that puts me riding 11 miles. Make me ride more and donate today!