AIDS / Lifecycle
http://tinyurl.com/ryanguiboa
From June 5-11, 2011, I'm bicycling in AIDS/LifeCycle. It is a 7-day, 545-mile bike ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles to make a world of difference in the lives of people living with HIV and AIDS. The event this year is sold out with nearly 3,000 riders - each required to raise a minimum of $3,000 to become eligible to participate in the event. All donations I receive will benefit the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and are tax deductible. For additional information about this amazing non-profit, please visit: www.sfaf.org.
This will be my first time back on a bike since my undergrad days on the Stanford triathlon team over five years ago. But if the amazing stories I am hearing from past participants are grounded in any truth, it's the perfect opportunity to start pedaling once again.
In early January, I diverted my student loans from buying textbooks at the USC bookstore and towards Helen's Cycles in Santa Monica, where I purchased a Cannondale bike and numerous accessories to begin the training process. That same day, I rode down PCH on a beautiful sunny afternoon with fellow law students and AIDS/LifeCycle participants Natasha de Lange and Clifford Chang, knowing full well that we would all be back on this same stretch of highway for the final leg of our 7-day journey in 5 months time. Also, I would be remiss if I did not mention the wonderful company of Becky McCullough. She is a cycling extraordinaire at USC Law who biked to campus for the start of classes this academic year . . . from Washington, D.C. Consequently, Becky does not consider a short SF to LA ride in June to be worth her effort. That, and her summer externship is at the same time.
As my training progresses (and good stories unfold), I will do by best to post regular updates. For now, I have had my first painful experience of waking up before 5 a.m. to get in a 50-mile ride before class. During this adventure, I saw my life flash before my eyes as a car swerved into the bike lane I was occupying. I saw Natasha's life flash before my eyes as she rode into cross traffic. Then again, while swerving into oncoming traffic. And yet a third time, as she played chicken with merging traffic. Aside from being a witness to some maniacal riding, and seriously tempted by Clifford, who, being ever so resourceful, suggested that we find a bus to carry us the rest of the way back to downtown, my destroyed legs and I successfully finished. Ride 1 is complete!
Update: So, as with any training regimen, I have encountered a few bumps in the road. In addition to my cycling routine for the AIDS/LifeCycle ride, I have also been cross-training for the LA Marathon. But some over zealous runs have caused a foot/ankle injury. X-rays have come back negative and my doctors are unable to provide an exact diagnosis. Their sagacious advice is to simply rest. Um, thanks!
Update: After three weeks off my training has once again resumed. I have continued to cross-train (swimming, biking, and running) but as the June trek draws closer, I expect to focus on training rides more and more. A recent bike ride with Becky in the Malibu hills proved to be a much needed wake-up call as my legs were completely destroyed by what she considers an "easy" and "short" route. Competitive juices are now flowing since my complaints about the ride not only fell upon unsympathetic ears, but initiated a slew of fighting words. My upcoming finals schedule will limit my free time but I now have a bicycle trainer set up in my room for bouts of procrastination - aka study breaks.
Please help me support the San Francisco AIDS Foundation by donating what you can. Donations of any size ($5, $10, $15, $17.89) really add up! We will keep riding until AIDS and HIV are a thing of the past.
