Noodle just sent in a video of her 100 Miles of Nowhere, which definitively answers the question, “What would happen if someone who knows what she’s doing with video documented her 100 Miles of Nowhere?”
I demand you watch this, right now:
That was so awesome. Noodle, thanks for taking the time to make that. Obviously, that took some work.
I’ll post more race reports tomorrow.
I just got a video race report from frequent commenter BuckyTheDonkey, who — along with friends Peter, Tom, and Colin did The 100 Miles of Nowhere on the Inner Circle of Regents Park in London.
Here’s what BuckyTheDonkey had to say about the event:
The course was 160 laps of the Inner Circle in Regents Park, one of the main parks in central London. Tom figured out a vertical gain of 7 metres a lap, so a surprising 1120 metres in all! ;-)
We had a great time in perfect conditions although I think we all underestimated the mental challenge of doing something so repetitious – the 70-90 mile period was pretty tough (every kilo a prisoner!). Very glad it’s over but we’re unanimous in being very glad that we took part!
The real reason I wanted to post this right away, though is that the video is so fantastic:
I tell you, BuckyTheDonkey makes riding around in a circle 160 times look like fun.
If you did the 100 Miles of Nowhere, be sure to send in your photos, stories (keep ‘em short), and videos. I won’t be able to post all of them, but I will definitely do my best to get up some representative samples.
Nice work, Charlie, Peter, Tom, and Colin!
A Proud-of-Sister Note from Fatty: Be sure to take a look at my sister’s blog post today. In one day, she’s went from $0 to $755 for her LiveStrong Challenge. All by not being afraid to ask people. For those of you who have signed up to be on Team Fatty but haven’t gotten up the courage to start raising funds, take a lesson from Jodi and get started. You’ll be amazed at how generous and helpful people will be when given an opportunity.
A What-We’re-Doing-Makes-A-Difference Note From Fatty: You all know Heather Gilbert as the person who came up with the cool “Cadabra” name for the new Kona bike, and is now giving it away to raise money to fight cancer (it’s not too late for you to enter that contest, by the way: click here to learn more). Well, Heather’s also a doctor who fights cancer full-time, and she just sent me this e-mail:
I [just] had the opportunity to interact professionally with the Lance Armstrong Foundation today. I’ve got an unfunded patient whose cancer has recurred. Her only chance for survival is a bone marrow transplant — which, of course, she can’t afford. The good folks at LAF are going to see if they can help her. They responded immediately to my request and have been incredibly helpful. It was a nice confirmation that the money we are raising is going towards a great cause.
It’s great to be reminded that the money we’re raising is going toward helping people fight cancer right now. And it’s really good to know there are people like Heather who are making this fight their life’s work.
Tomorrow’s the Big Race
I hope you’ve all been properly tapering and carbo-loading, because tomorrow is the big day: The Second Annual 100 Miles of Nowhere. Personally, I’m pretty nervous about the event, but am hopeful that I will be able to ride my own race, keep my head in the game, and stay focused.
If I do all this, I think it’s possible — probable, even — that I will win the “Fatty’s Upstairs Spare Bedroom” division of the 100 Miles of Nowhere.
Although I wouldn’t be surprised if it comes down to the sprint at the finish.
Prediction for Fastest Time
I’ve been getting email from some participants letting me know what their courses are going to be like. There are some I think are definitely worth sharing.
I think the person who will turn in the fastest time — while simultaneously expending the least energy — will be Erik B, who has programmed his Tacx Fortius T1940 with a course that is downhill for all 100 miles.
A good an conscientious citizen, Erik contacted me asking if this was legal. I of course responded that it is not only legal, but pure genius. I did, however, make the following stipulations:
Because he will be traveling tomorrow to go to a real race his wife is running, Erik’s downhill-specific heat of the 100 Miles of Nowhere will not begin until Monday. I will be interested in his results.
Prediction for Most Dizziness and Nausea
Will Swetnam is a LiveStrong fundraising powerhouse. He’s one of the driving forces behind Cyclists Combating Cancer and is the creator of The Cancer Mosaic.
So when Will heard about the 100 Miles of Nowhere, he had a completely insane idea: Do it in a velodrome. And better yet, get a group of friends together and make it an event.
He got additional sponsors, additional prizes, and even made an additional event t-shirt. Since the local velodrome was already scheduled for tomorrow, the “Superdrome Century: 644 Laps of Lunacy” will be held next week.
I’m looking forward to photos and a race description, and I love the course pre-ride GPS track Will sent me:
Seriously, I can’t even imagine doing a velodrome century. That is going to hurt.
In a completely awesome way.
My Plans
I’m afraid that my own 100 Miles of Nowhere is pretty pedestrian in comparison. I’ll be on my rollers, watching episodes of 24, season 7 I have saved up. And if I get through those, I’ll watch some episodes of BBC’s Robin Hood I’ve downloaded.
From time to time, I will go to the fridge and get something to eat.
Send Me Stuff
I’m sure your plans are more exciting than mine, though. Or maybe they’re not. Either way, post a comment here about your prediction for what your personal 100 Miles of Nowhere race is going to be like.
And make sure you get someone to take pictures of you during the race, write up a brief race report, then send ‘em in. I’ll post a bunch of them over the next several days.
Good luck. I’m sure you’ll win your division.
A Note from Fatty: I just got finished standing out in front of my house for fifteen minutes, where I was trying very hard to do the following:
My understanding is that KSL — the Salt Lake City NBC affiliate — will be running this story today, and there should be an online version of it available tomorrow. Which I will link to, unless it’s horribly embarrassing.
UPDATE: The story and video segment are now live. Click here to take a look.
Fight Cancer, Win a Kona Cadabra
A couple weeks ago, Fat Cyclist readers pitched in to vote for “Cadabra” as the name of Kona’s super-light, long travel all-mountain bike.
And we did it.
So now — true to her word — Heather Gilbert, a cancer doctor and the inventor of the name “Cadabra” is going to donate her prize — a Kona Cadabra — to some lucky random person who either raises money in their own Team Fatty LiveStrong Challenge page, or donates to mine.
Show ‘Em What They Can Win, Johnny
The Kona Cadabra…well, it doesn’t exist yet. There aren’t any prototypes. There’s not even a final drawing. But we do know that it’s going to be a lighter, climbier cousin to the $5799 Kona CoilAir Supreme:
Yeah, I think that’ll absorb the bumps quite adequately.
So, while we know you won’t get your Kona Cadabra until December at the earliest, we also know it that the Cadabra is designed to be the ultimate trail bike. Super light, a wicked climber, with enough rear travel to deal with rough terrain and make long epic rides sweet, fast and super comfortable.
So How Can You Enter?
The really cool thing about how you can win the Kona Cadabra is that you will be helping the Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF) fight cancer with your donation. When my wife’s cancer came back, I contacted the LAF and got terrific, personalized help right away. And since then, I’ve directed a number of people who email me with cancer questions and concerns to the LAF, which is always prompt, caring, and — above all– helpful.
So, here’s what you do to fight cancer and — just maybe — win a Kona Cadabra: just click here to go to my LiveStrong Challenge page, and donate any multiple of $5. The more you donate, the more random numbers you get, and the better your chances of winning.
Yes, it’s really that easy.
What If You’re a Member of Team Fatty?
If you’re a member of Team Fatty and are working to raise money for your own LiveStrong Challenge, donate money at your own page! And get other people to donate at your page, too. Every $5.00 you raise on your page between now and May 25 will earn you a chance at winning the Cadabra.
In other words, those of you who have joined Team Fatty but have not yet felt the urgency to start raising money, this should be a terrific incentive for you to get started.
When Does the Contest End?
It ends at Midnight, MDT, May 25. In other words, one week from today. So don’t dilly-dally. Go donate now.
Of course, the winner won’t actually get the bike until it exists.
Got any questions? Ask ‘em in the comments section and I’ll answer the best I can.
Good luck!
PS: As of today, Team Fatty has raised more than $200,000 this year toward fighting cancer with the Lance Armstrong Foundation. We’re making great progress toward that goal of $500,000. Thanks, and congratulations!
UPDATE: The voting has evidently ended, so I’m de-linking this post. However, on Monday you’ll definitely want to check the Kona site to see the final verdict.
A Note from Fatty: In a very longwinded way, today I’m going to ask you to go to this contest page on the Kona site and vote for Cadabra as the name for their new bike. There’s a great story behind why, but if you’re in a hurry, just trust me and go to the Kona site, scroll to the bottom of the page, and vote for Cadabra. Thanks.
A Big Thanks from Fatty: The 100 Miles of Nowhere registration is now over. And now that it is, I’d like to admit something: When I started it, I did not think anyone would sign up. I mean, seriously: Ask people to pay $75 for the privilege of riding either their trainer or a very short course for a hundred miles? Why would anyone do that?
Well, the answer, of course, is that you would do it to help fight cancer. And because evidently you have the same twisted sense of humor that I have.
And, of course, you want the very cool stuff that the very cool sponsors are providing. So, I want to again thank Twin Six, DZ-Nuts, Banjo Brothers, Garmin-Slipstream, CarboRocket, ProBar and Clif for making an irresistable schwag bag.
Now, guess how many people signed up? C’mon, guess.
OK I’ll tell you: 421. Yes, that’s right. More than 400 of my readers have completely lost their minds. Please seek help immediately. It’s not too late. Well, maybe it is, actually.
And you know what, my crazy friends? You have used your insanity to raise more than $20,000 to fight cancer. Which doesn’t suck at all.
Let’s Help A Cancer Doctor Fight Cancer In A Very Unusual Way
Heather Gilbert is a doctor at the Huntsman Cancer Institute, specializing in the hematologic malignancies with an emphasis on lymphoma. She helped Susan when Susan was there for her hip replacement.
And Heather is also a self-admitted hardcore bikeaholic. Which I mean in the very nicest possible way.
In other words, Heather is the very best kind of person there is: A cyclist who has chosen to spend her life fighting cancer.
And she needs our help so she can do even more.
Help Heather Name a Kona, Then Win That Kona
See, besides being a hardcore bikeaholic and cancer doctor, Heather is also very creative. She recently entered a contest to name a new bike Kona is coming out with. Her idea? Call it The Cadabra.
That’s a very cool name for a very cool bike.
And it’s also one of the finalist names in Kona’s “Name Our New Bike” contest.
So Heather has said that if she wins the contest — meaning she gets the bike she named — she will give it to me to raffle off to help Team Fatty raise money to fight cancer.
Let me recap: Heather — who fights cancer for a living — has a great chance to win a cool bike, thanks to her good idea. But instead, providing she wins, she’s going to give it to me to raffle off so one of you gets it, so we can raise more money to fight cancer.
Right this second I’m trying to think of something cooler than that, and I just can’t. There’s nothing cooler.
So let’s help her do that. Right now, go to Kona’s voting page, scroll to the bottom of the page, and vote for the Cadabra. It’ll take less than ten seconds.
At this moment, the two finalist names are tied right at 50%, so your vote is crucial. So go. Now. Shoo.
PS: Team Fatty Co-captain MikeRoadie has asked me to pass on the info for a fundraiser he’s doing:
From May 1st through June 30th, Hall Wines Napa will donate 25% of sale. Just enter code “livestrong” at checkout!
This is an opportunity for people to purchase some fantastic wines that are usually only available to the Hall Napa Wine Club members! Their incredible Cabernet Sauvignon is only $40!
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