Self Assessment: The Ride
With just under three weeks to go before the Alyn Ride, it's a good time for a self assessment.
I did back to back 50 mile rides on the North Shore of Long Island on Sunday and Monday. The rides were mostly rolling hills and flats with a few short hard climbs. I did them both at a decent pace without much trouble. It was the first time I'd ridden outside two days in a row (other than a couple of 25 milers to Point Lookout, which doesn't count). I am starting to taper down my intense spinning and will do no more than two or three hard spins between now and the ride. I will go out again Sunday morning for my last outdoor ride, this time either 25 or 50.
The good news is that I'm not sore at all and I was just as strong at the end of the second ride as I was at the end of the first. The bad news is that I was just as strong at the end of the first as I was at the end of the second.
Bottom line: I'm a piker. I will always be a piker. I don't have the time or the inclination to do the work necessary to be more than a piker. Not that there's anything wrong with being a piker.
Realistically, I will be among the stronger riders in the regular road ride. The first three days will be relatively easy and I will be able to handle the climb to the Carmel with the Challenge riders on the second to last day and manage the climbs to Nes Harim and Ein Kerem on the last day. But I am glad that I am not doing the challenge ride because I simply don't belong there. Other than missing the company of PsycleSteve (and driving him crazy with my ability to sleep through earthquakes and Bedouin tents) I will be happier with my less intense friends on the regular road ride.
The best news is that I've so far managed to raise almost $18,000 for Alyn Hospital (which, at the end of the day, is what it's all about).
With just under three weeks to go before the Alyn Ride, it's a good time for a self assessment.
I did back to back 50 mile rides on the North Shore of Long Island on Sunday and Monday. The rides were mostly rolling hills and flats with a few short hard climbs. I did them both at a decent pace without much trouble. It was the first time I'd ridden outside two days in a row (other than a couple of 25 milers to Point Lookout, which doesn't count). I am starting to taper down my intense spinning and will do no more than two or three hard spins between now and the ride. I will go out again Sunday morning for my last outdoor ride, this time either 25 or 50.
The good news is that I'm not sore at all and I was just as strong at the end of the second ride as I was at the end of the first. The bad news is that I was just as strong at the end of the first as I was at the end of the second.
Bottom line: I'm a piker. I will always be a piker. I don't have the time or the inclination to do the work necessary to be more than a piker. Not that there's anything wrong with being a piker.
Realistically, I will be among the stronger riders in the regular road ride. The first three days will be relatively easy and I will be able to handle the climb to the Carmel with the Challenge riders on the second to last day and manage the climbs to Nes Harim and Ein Kerem on the last day. But I am glad that I am not doing the challenge ride because I simply don't belong there. Other than missing the company of PsycleSteve (and driving him crazy with my ability to sleep through earthquakes and Bedouin tents) I will be happier with my less intense friends on the regular road ride.
The best news is that I've so far managed to raise almost $18,000 for Alyn Hospital (which, at the end of the day, is what it's all about).
Labels: Riding My Bike
posted by MoChassid @ 2:19 PM
2 Comments:
At 5:48 PM,
PsycleSteve said…
Will miss you too... :-(
Already have the sleeping pills prepared.
Don't call yourself a "piker" when you're easily more fit than 99+% of the planet.
Question: Chazak u'Baruch on your proficiency at separating people from their tzedaka. Is the bulk from your financial-work connections or from shul-related acquaintances? In my shul I have people whose homes could contain my entire house in their guest bedroom, but feel that I should be overwhelmingly grateful if they give me $18. I appreciate anything they do give, but in reality they drink more than $18 of good wine when they eat a meal at my house on Shabbat. In my younger, more naive days I used to buy kibbudim and almost always give them out to people that I felt were beneficial to the shul. For example I bought "kol hanearim" for six years in a row (during my procreative stage) and never once kept it for myself (usually gave it to people who were having fertility issues). Most of those people don't even give me a donation.
My patients are useless (especially the jewish ones who balk at giving me a copay) and as a specialist I'm not comfortable at hitting up physicians who refer to me. I'll be thrilled if I reach $5k.
At 6:04 PM,
MoChassid said…
My average sponsorship has been about $275 but that is skewed by a handful of very large gifts. Taking out the top four gifts, the average would be about $180.
A lot of the money comes from work connections. As GC for a trade association, I have gotten to know and work with scores of people on a regular basis. It also doesn't hurt that I've been in this industry for 21 years and I know a lot of people. Most have given me at least $100 (which I think is VERY nice) and some have been exceptionally generous.
In terms of the shul, after four years, I solicit very selectively. Many people did not respond in the first couple of years so I didn't bother soliciting them this year or last. Those that give have also been very generous, with gifts ranging from $100 to $360 and more. I have gotten three four figure gifts.
(It's worth noting that I am prepared to, and do, support their tzedakas in a commensurate way (except for the four figure gifts which are out of my league for this kind of cause).
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