So, I haven't been doing so well with posting to my Blog this year...I know! No excuses. Regardless, we are here and the final preparations have begun. We arrived in Colorado this weekend and today was my first altitude ride. Rode from Vail up the Vail Pass and then back. Finished with just over 30 miles, hit a top speed of just over 42 miles per hour, and at one point was crushing the pedals and my lungs trying to maintain 10 mph up one of the climbs! Shew, the first one always hurts! Oh, did I mention the temps out here? Holy cow, woke up to high 40's and wow, the joints were reminding me of how they do not like the cold when I first started riding! HA! Supposed to be a high in the low 70's today with 60% chance of rain this afternoon.
The Krew began to assemble over the weekend as Jandy, Ken, Jennifer, and Bryce joined Julie, Alec, Brady and myself. My mom and dad will arrive on Thursday (the "Newbies") and then we expect to see Gary and Shelli some time before race day as well. You'd think we'd done this before, huh?
Donations seem to be progressing okay. I believe I will be a far cry from the original goal but boy, it sure would be awesome to be able to reach at least the same level of funds raised as last year...$10,000+!!! So, I need your help. Send me a note, add a comment to this post, or better yet, visit www.kaileyskrew.org a donation online. If you are a "FaceBooker", you can go to Kailey's Krew - Pedal of Hope page and "LIKE". Once you do that, you'll receive updates as Jandy and Julie post from the Start, 26 mile, 40 mile, 60 mile, 74 mile, and Finish. And they will post more than just how I am doing...they have a great time keeping everyone updated on the action.
Speaking of Action, the latest word from Leadville is that the field of riders this year will be very fast and records will be broken. Well, as long as that is all that gets broken, I'm good with that! ;)
Okay, stay tuned daily as I will post each day this week with an update of my final tune-up before we give it heck on Saturday!
Saddle Up, Dig Deep,and Ride Hard!
TNT OUT -
This BLOG is dedicated in memory of Kailey Wilmarth and in support of Kailey's Krew, a not-for-profit organization. This BLOG will share the story of Kailey as well as my challenge to complete the Leadville Trail 100 Mountain Bike Race. Our mission is to give Hope to other families that need support during their trying times. Your contributions to Kailey's Krew can help us reach our goal.
06 August 2012
10 July 2012
Trent & Gary Wilmarth were interviewed on WICS ABC 20 today. Click the link below to see the interview if you missed on the news today!
7-10-2012 WICS ABC 20 Interview
7-10-2012 WICS ABC 20 Interview
07 July 2012
A Good Saturday
Holy cow! So let me start with a bit of background chat before I tell you about todays ride...
Long day of activity on the lake on Friday and then at the "nth hour", Ken says, "Want to go listen to a Blues Band?" So sure, why not, right? Does it really matter that I had a training ride scheduled for 0730 the next day? Nah! Ha!
We go to Shorty Pants on mm21 (might be guessing at exactly where it is...ha) to listen to "Doghouse Daddy's". Long story short, we got home a bit late and 0630 alarm went off very early! HA!
So the ride was great. Dan, owner of "Oz Cycles and Kayaks" (you have to check this place out if you make it to Lake Ozarks) and Dave were at the shop ready to go. We knew we would push for about an hour...and push we did! Woo-hoo! Riding a mountain bike with 2.1 knobbies is always a good time when everyone else is on a road bike! Man, what a quick and hard work-out! Thanks Dan and Dave for the hour plus of push! My computer showed over 20 miles and just over a 20 mph average! Yes!!! Seriously everyone, if you get down this way, you must stop by Oz Cycles and Kayaks! Dan and crew are awesome and it doesn't seem to matter one bit whether you are a local/regular because they treat everyone very well! Thanks Dan and Team! Much appreciated and see you at the OGRE!!!!
So tomorrow we head back to Chatham. Had a great time at Jandy and Ken's place! Good training, good lake time, good eats, and lots of laughs! Gotta love it! Next month we will be in Colorado for final prep for Leadville! Woo-hoo!
Hmm, speaking of Leadville...not getting much in "shout-outs"! What's up everyone? Any challenges or words of encouragement? Let me hear you...
Stay tuned. I have a calendar of events to share in the near future. Looks like we will expand beyond Leadville and take on a 56 miler, a 150 miler, another 100 miler, and possibly a 200 miler! What do you have to say about that? How about a contribution to Kailey's Krew if I finish one...and more if I finish all? Stay tuned...
Saddle Up, Dig Deep, Ride Hard!
TNT OUT-
Long day of activity on the lake on Friday and then at the "nth hour", Ken says, "Want to go listen to a Blues Band?" So sure, why not, right? Does it really matter that I had a training ride scheduled for 0730 the next day? Nah! Ha!
We go to Shorty Pants on mm21 (might be guessing at exactly where it is...ha) to listen to "Doghouse Daddy's". Long story short, we got home a bit late and 0630 alarm went off very early! HA!
So the ride was great. Dan, owner of "Oz Cycles and Kayaks" (you have to check this place out if you make it to Lake Ozarks) and Dave were at the shop ready to go. We knew we would push for about an hour...and push we did! Woo-hoo! Riding a mountain bike with 2.1 knobbies is always a good time when everyone else is on a road bike! Man, what a quick and hard work-out! Thanks Dan and Dave for the hour plus of push! My computer showed over 20 miles and just over a 20 mph average! Yes!!! Seriously everyone, if you get down this way, you must stop by Oz Cycles and Kayaks! Dan and crew are awesome and it doesn't seem to matter one bit whether you are a local/regular because they treat everyone very well! Thanks Dan and Team! Much appreciated and see you at the OGRE!!!!
So tomorrow we head back to Chatham. Had a great time at Jandy and Ken's place! Good training, good lake time, good eats, and lots of laughs! Gotta love it! Next month we will be in Colorado for final prep for Leadville! Woo-hoo!
Hmm, speaking of Leadville...not getting much in "shout-outs"! What's up everyone? Any challenges or words of encouragement? Let me hear you...
Stay tuned. I have a calendar of events to share in the near future. Looks like we will expand beyond Leadville and take on a 56 miler, a 150 miler, another 100 miler, and possibly a 200 miler! What do you have to say about that? How about a contribution to Kailey's Krew if I finish one...and more if I finish all? Stay tuned...
Saddle Up, Dig Deep, Ride Hard!
TNT OUT-
06 July 2012
One Month to Go!
Good morning everyone! I hope this finds everyone doing well and enjoying the warm summer. Warm would be an understatement for us in Central Illinois, though.
So, with just over a month to go, training has progressed well. Actually at Lake of the Ozarks getting some hill-training in this weekend. Spun for 20+ miles yesterday with lots of climbing and quick descents. Today's plan is for 36 off-road miles on some single-track trails. Temp is only supposed to hit 105 degrees down here today but I'll be in some shaded areas so I am sure it will be more like 100 degrees! Ha!
And then tomorrow morning I will link up with a group of "Roadies" at Oz Cycles in Lake Ozark for a fun and quick ride...at least we will get out before the heat of the day moves in on us.
The 2012 R&M/Kailey's Krew - Pedal of Hope jerseys are being produced now. California based company, Jakroo, is taking care of business for us this year. The jerseys will be available for sale at R&M Cyclery or by sending me a note, starting on or about July 29th. You'll want to be sure to get your 2012 jersey as they look pretty impressive!
As we made plans for this years Leadville Trail 100 in Colorado, we set our contribution goal at $20K as there were 3 of us racing on the team. Although our goal will not change and we have a long ways to go to raise funds for "Kailey's Krew", our "team" has dwindled a bit. Just in the last month, Neil and Alec had to assess their current training level and their available time to continue to train and prepare for Leadville. With work-related challenges, they both made the decision that this would not be the year they would try to race the LT 100 mountain bike race. Although it is a bummer that neither will participate in the race this year, I am impressed with the assessment and support their decision to opt out for this year. The LT 100 is a very difficult and challenging course and for us flat-landers, the altitude will sap the energy from you if you are not ready. You can get hurt or others around you could get hurt. So, my hat is off to Neil and Alec and as we add more races to our agenda, hopefully we can bring them on-board to participate.
So, let's get the show on the road, shall we? Who will challenge me to finish faster than last year? Who will raise the bar and help Pedal of Hope make a bigger contribution to Kailey's Krew than in 2011? In 2011 I finished in just over 11 hours...is under 9 hours possible for my old butt? Hmm, let me here you!!! Until my next post...
Saddle Up, Dig Deep, and Ride Hard!
TNT OUT-
So, with just over a month to go, training has progressed well. Actually at Lake of the Ozarks getting some hill-training in this weekend. Spun for 20+ miles yesterday with lots of climbing and quick descents. Today's plan is for 36 off-road miles on some single-track trails. Temp is only supposed to hit 105 degrees down here today but I'll be in some shaded areas so I am sure it will be more like 100 degrees! Ha!
And then tomorrow morning I will link up with a group of "Roadies" at Oz Cycles in Lake Ozark for a fun and quick ride...at least we will get out before the heat of the day moves in on us.
The 2012 R&M/Kailey's Krew - Pedal of Hope jerseys are being produced now. California based company, Jakroo, is taking care of business for us this year. The jerseys will be available for sale at R&M Cyclery or by sending me a note, starting on or about July 29th. You'll want to be sure to get your 2012 jersey as they look pretty impressive!
As we made plans for this years Leadville Trail 100 in Colorado, we set our contribution goal at $20K as there were 3 of us racing on the team. Although our goal will not change and we have a long ways to go to raise funds for "Kailey's Krew", our "team" has dwindled a bit. Just in the last month, Neil and Alec had to assess their current training level and their available time to continue to train and prepare for Leadville. With work-related challenges, they both made the decision that this would not be the year they would try to race the LT 100 mountain bike race. Although it is a bummer that neither will participate in the race this year, I am impressed with the assessment and support their decision to opt out for this year. The LT 100 is a very difficult and challenging course and for us flat-landers, the altitude will sap the energy from you if you are not ready. You can get hurt or others around you could get hurt. So, my hat is off to Neil and Alec and as we add more races to our agenda, hopefully we can bring them on-board to participate.
So, let's get the show on the road, shall we? Who will challenge me to finish faster than last year? Who will raise the bar and help Pedal of Hope make a bigger contribution to Kailey's Krew than in 2011? In 2011 I finished in just over 11 hours...is under 9 hours possible for my old butt? Hmm, let me here you!!! Until my next post...
Saddle Up, Dig Deep, and Ride Hard!
TNT OUT-
13 June 2012
June - The Time to Get Serious IS Here!
Welcome back to the next chapter of Kailey's Krew - Pedal of Hope. As past practice has haunted, we are under the gun in getting our new jersey printed for the 2012 race. But hey, we are 2 weeks ahead of last years schedule and all worked out fine. I'm confident that all will work out fine for this year as well.
Administratively, it's been busy. We took a new approach for this season and we welcome our 2012 "Supporters"...R & M Cyclery; Henderson Eye Care; The Creek Pub & Grill; AthletiCare; Brandt Agriculture Professionals; The Right Stuff; Blackmoon Tattoo; Maldiner's; and Monkey's Fist AR Team. Their logo's will be on this years jersey and we will get them uploaded to the blogspot soon. Thank you to all for supporting Kailey's Krew and our Kailey's Krew - Pedal of Hope challenge. I promise that Pedal of Hope will not let you down!
Training...wow, it's been a bit slow in developing but now it is here. We have a huge weekend ahead of us and from that point on it's sleep, drink, eat, and dream R-I-D-E- And if you recall from 2011, it's all about Saddle Up, Dig Deep, and Ride Hard!
If you are not aware, this is not only another year for me to personally attempt to complete the Leadville Trail 100, I now have teammates. My son Alec joined as well as Neil Wilmarth, brother of Kailey. It's been a bit crazy but I have already learned that I might be able to coach wrestling (to a certain extent) but a cycling coach I am NOT. There is so much more to it...I can pound the pedals and get myself prepared but figuring out how to get others ready is just down-right hard! Hats off to those that have it figured it out. But I will continue to support and help in any way I can.
Race day...August 11th, 2012. 3 teammates lined up, ready to take on one of the toughest mountain bike races in the country, if not in the world! It's nothng like a stage of the Tour de France, so I am told (ha). I'm not sure what to expect that day but I can only believe one thing...we are not racing just to beat the clock and finish the LT 100, we are racing because of a greater cause and a greater mission. Kailey has inspired us to do this "little thing" in order to bring "bigger things" to others. It's not about us, it's about those we can help.
So, whether our goals individually are 12-hours or 9-hours, collectively our goal is to continue to raise awareness of the Kailey's Krew mission and raise funds, that in turn, support local families that are challenged with the unexpected financial burdens of having a child with a long-term illness.
So, with your help, last year "I" raised somewhere in the ballpark of $10,000. This year, "WE" have set a goal of $20,000! Seems like a lot, but check on the expenses you could expect with a long-term sickness...$20K isn't even a drop in the bucket! Help us reach our goal! Challenge each of us, one of us, or all of us with a "Pledge" and be part of the KREW. There are two categories to be recognized again this year. The Kailey's Krew "Peleton" with a donation or the Kailey's Krew "Challenger's" with a pledge based on distance completed or time completed in...
Thank you for following us and stay tuned. Blog updates will be coming from each of us through-out our training and right up to the BIG DAY!
Saddle Up, Dig Deep, and Ride Hard!
TNT-
Administratively, it's been busy. We took a new approach for this season and we welcome our 2012 "Supporters"...R & M Cyclery; Henderson Eye Care; The Creek Pub & Grill; AthletiCare; Brandt Agriculture Professionals; The Right Stuff; Blackmoon Tattoo; Maldiner's; and Monkey's Fist AR Team. Their logo's will be on this years jersey and we will get them uploaded to the blogspot soon. Thank you to all for supporting Kailey's Krew and our Kailey's Krew - Pedal of Hope challenge. I promise that Pedal of Hope will not let you down!
Training...wow, it's been a bit slow in developing but now it is here. We have a huge weekend ahead of us and from that point on it's sleep, drink, eat, and dream R-I-D-E- And if you recall from 2011, it's all about Saddle Up, Dig Deep, and Ride Hard!
If you are not aware, this is not only another year for me to personally attempt to complete the Leadville Trail 100, I now have teammates. My son Alec joined as well as Neil Wilmarth, brother of Kailey. It's been a bit crazy but I have already learned that I might be able to coach wrestling (to a certain extent) but a cycling coach I am NOT. There is so much more to it...I can pound the pedals and get myself prepared but figuring out how to get others ready is just down-right hard! Hats off to those that have it figured it out. But I will continue to support and help in any way I can.
Race day...August 11th, 2012. 3 teammates lined up, ready to take on one of the toughest mountain bike races in the country, if not in the world! It's nothng like a stage of the Tour de France, so I am told (ha). I'm not sure what to expect that day but I can only believe one thing...we are not racing just to beat the clock and finish the LT 100, we are racing because of a greater cause and a greater mission. Kailey has inspired us to do this "little thing" in order to bring "bigger things" to others. It's not about us, it's about those we can help.
So, whether our goals individually are 12-hours or 9-hours, collectively our goal is to continue to raise awareness of the Kailey's Krew mission and raise funds, that in turn, support local families that are challenged with the unexpected financial burdens of having a child with a long-term illness.
So, with your help, last year "I" raised somewhere in the ballpark of $10,000. This year, "WE" have set a goal of $20,000! Seems like a lot, but check on the expenses you could expect with a long-term sickness...$20K isn't even a drop in the bucket! Help us reach our goal! Challenge each of us, one of us, or all of us with a "Pledge" and be part of the KREW. There are two categories to be recognized again this year. The Kailey's Krew "Peleton" with a donation or the Kailey's Krew "Challenger's" with a pledge based on distance completed or time completed in...
Thank you for following us and stay tuned. Blog updates will be coming from each of us through-out our training and right up to the BIG DAY!
Saddle Up, Dig Deep, and Ride Hard!
TNT-
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