WOW! I did it 
… WE did it!
Yesterday I successfully completed 75km and fundraised $1101 for the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
Thirteen thousand other riders who rode varying distances between 25k to 75k combined their fundraising efforts and together we raised a total of over
5 MILLION DOLLARS
It was amazing to be part of the 25th anniversary of the Ride for Heart and to be able to help reach this amazing goal.
Shall I recap you?
I’ll rewind to Saturday. Brad and I kept watching the forecast and it kept calling for rain Sunday morning. We headed to the mall for rain coats. When we got home we spent the remainder of the evening eating and hydrating. I can’t even tell you how many calories we ate the night before, but it was a LOT. I was chugging water, sports drinks, herbal tea for hours on Sunday afternoon and evening.
At 4am on Sunday morning we woke up and it was ride day.
I had planned to eat two bagels and a banana before we headed out. My stomach was in knots. I was far too nervous to eat and I barely got down half of a bagel. I was so thankful that Leah my west coast bff was still awake. She was sending me ridiculous Facebook chat messages and it took my mind off of things while I choked down that half bagel, some water, and got dressed.
Just after 5am Brad and I got on our bikes to head down to the start line.
I was feeling a bit chilly, my inured muscles were tight and I was still nervous when we arrived at Exhibition. I stretched, Brad got some air in his tire and the start line opened and riders were starting. We crossed the starting line around 6:10am.
First leg – the Gardiner. The sun was still rising.
It didn’t take long before we were on the DVP.
Rest stop #1. I had an energy shot and some water. (I trained with and consumed on race day the Vega endurance gels in raspberry – these were the KEY to keeping me going. They don’t taste great, but they’re the most natural fuel shots I could find). I instantly felt better after the energy shot. Because I ate so little for breakfast I was dragging in the first leg and starting to worry about my endurance.
Rest stop #2. This was the half way point for the 50k riders. There were some rolling hills to get to this point, it was at York Mills (for any GTA readers). I was surprised by the ups and downs on the DVP and desperately wished I had trained with more hills.
The way the course is set up is that the 75k riders head from York Mills to Bayview, then turn around and loop back up to York Mills (yes we go back for more of the rolling hills).
When we hit Bayview and started heading back up the loop and I turned to Brad and said “so it’s official, we’re doing the whole course.” During training, especially during my injuries, everyone kept asking if I was going to drop down to the 50k distance. I kept telling everyone (including you guys) that I would keep my options open until I hit that turn around point. I was so relieved that my body was cooperating. At that point I started to smell my victory … but man did I have a lot of kilometres left to go.
On the second loop we came upon an accident getting cleaned up (fire truck, police still there, ambulance gone) at the bottom of one of the hills, apparently it was a bad crash. I hope the injured rider is okay!
I had to get out of my seat for all of the hills because of my pulled hip muscles. It burned my legs but loosed up the hip a bit.
When we hit the top of York Mills again we were going into “no mans land.” We were 45k in and 3 hours in. Our longest training was 55k or 4 hours. We were about to cross into the part of the ride that “no man” in our house had trained for.
I kept trucking along. In fact I was having MORE fun in the last half of the ride than in the first. I started to relax and started to realize that I was going to make it.
Final rest stop. Look still smiling!
I skipped my energy shot because my stomach was starting to act just a little bit upset and just had water and bananas. I used a total of six rest stops, had five energy shots, and a bunch of bananas, oranges and water. None of our rest stops were for too long. Just a minute or two to get some fuel and stretch. The stretching was the most important.
Bringing it home! We headed back to the Gardiner and seeing the CN Tower getting closer felt SO GOOD!
WE DID IT!!!!!
I’m emotional again just writing about it!
We had so many set backs in the last month. I was in that car accident, Brad crashed that motor bike, man, I didn’t know if we’d make it to ride day. And after pulling those muscles on my last training ride, I worried so much last week, doubting my body would cooperate. Honestly, I spent a good part of last week limping or working from my bed with my hip stretched out.
I credit my victory to a combination of some very important things:
- disciplined training
- (mostly
) clean eating - physical therapy (my doctor deserves a medal!)
- and most importantly a TONNE of encouragement from Brad, my friends, my family, and my online community – THANK YOU!
My Ride for Heart experience was so FUN and gave me such a feeling of ACCOMPLISHMENT. I may already be talking about next year’s ride
THANKS to my sponsors and donors for all of the fundraising support. It was a very special experience to participate in my first Ride for Heart as a VIP fundraiser.
Morgan: So happy for you! I am also envious of your thick, long braid as I always wanted hair long enough for such, but my hair stops growing at a certain length and that is it. Also, what is the DVP? (you are talking to a west coaster who was NOT awake when you got up. Holy cow!) Congrats to you both for doing the ride and for working so hard to raise funds to help others. You are a CHAMP! PS Yuck to bananas and yum to bagels.
http://funandfit.org/2012/06/working-obliques-right-and-wrong-way/
I love my side braid hahaha! Brad hates it because he thinks that dudes always try to pick me up when I wear my hair like that … it has happened a few times
The DVP is the Don Valley Parkway, that and the Gardiner are the two highway that run through downtown toronto, they shut them down for the Ride for Heart every year so it’s a really cool experience to ride along the highway with all those cyclists.
Love the recap and pix Morgan! Sounds like a great experience, so glad you were able to do it. Man, those storm clouds look scary!
Luckily the rain didn’t come until about 3pm and we were long done by that time … I was so worried about the rain but the weather was mostly dry, just a mist here or there.
Morgan, you are a rockstar. That’s all I can really say.
And I’m glad I could keep you entertained and distracted. I’m pretty helpful that way.
you pretty much saved me from vomiting due to anxiety … I get worked up so easily, but then again I don’t need to tell you that, you get the crazy Morgan parts that don’t otherwise see the light of day hahaha
Congratulations on finishing the whole 75K! And look at you… smiling all the way. Looks like it definitely was a great ride. Thanks for sharing.
thanks Christine
I really was smiling the entire way, even on the hills, well maybe not as much on the hills hahaha
YAY!!! MORGAN!!!! SO HAPPY FOR YOU!!
YOU DID IT! xox
thank you SO MUCH for all your positivity over the last few weeks – it made such a difference when I was doubting myself
I am SO proud of you and owe you a huge hug when I return!! Let’s do another lunch on a Monday <3333 Way to go Morgan!!! SO proud!
oh my goodness me I can’t believe you clicked over here on your vacation, you are the NICEST friend in the whole world
yes we will definitely catch up as soon as you get back
Major props!!!
I imagine that you are giving me a “pound” with your first
thanks
Congrats, Morgan! You did it!
And now I kind of want to do such a long ride, too. I smell trouble.
So proud of you, girly!!! YOU ROCK! Hope you’re not too sore!
thank you!!!! no I actually recovered very well … phew!
I am so beyond happy for you and you completing this goal. (I am wiping tears while typing) I hope you aren’t too sore today! Also, the photo of the finish is an amazing photo! Good for you and Brad! my big goal is to actually just buy a bike and use it. so you are my inspiration!!
ohhhh man, I read this on the subway earlier tonight with no kleenex – you got me all teary!
honestly thank you for your support, it means SO MUCH
yes bikes for everyone, and then you will come to Toronto and I will take you on a bike ride at the beach
Way to go guys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!You made it the whole way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You must have a great feeling of accomplishment.
WHAT”S NEXT????????????????????????
Brad……..the stoic look isn’t working for you. Show the pearly whites
nothing is next! rest is next hahaha … I’ve promised Brad that we’re taking the rest of the summer off from fitness events
he refuses to smile in pictures, he’s too cool
WOW! What an amazing accomplishment! You must be so proud! Congratulations!!!
very proud … thanks Genevieve!
WOW congrats! Amazing job
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So inspiring reading about your ride! And all the obstacles you overcame. Congrats on finishing and completing the whole 75 km.
Congrats so much on your training, your fundraising, and your completion of the ride!!!! Glad you had such a great time. Your smile says it all
I know I’ve already posted this on facebook and everywhere else and I have stolen your photos to add to my collection. Super proud of both of you….congrats x 1,000!
WOO HOO!!! Congrats on your 75K ride! Great recap, LOVE all the pics!
Also, I’m happy to hear your recovery is going well!
You are totally amazing!!!! I KNEW you’d go the whole way, you’re just too awesome to skimp out. hehe
Congrats on the finish girl, you rock.
you’re too nice!!!!!
PS I finally just got to catch up on all the baby pics … LOVE … post more and more and more
Great job!!!!
thanks Shannon!
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