On April 19th I bought a mountain bike.  A shiny new Rocky Mountain Vertex.  I needed a bike as I had signed up for the Ride For Rob to help raise funds for Rod and the CPA.  Never did I think it would reawaken me in the way it has.

I was 245lbs on April 19th, could barely ride 10KM on a gravel path.  I wore a size 38 pants and size XL shirts.

It wasn’t long before I started riding more and more.  The more I rode, the better I felt and the smaller I got.  I started eating right, proper portions, no soda and after a rough separation started feeling even better.  The Ride for Rob soon arrived and I was already down to 230lbs and could ride 20-30KM on the trails.

After finishing the ride I was so hooked that I kept riding, kept losing weight and kept getting in better shape.  Soon I was out buying another bike, this time a road bike and started hitting the roads for some longer rides.  I started with 40KM, then got up to 110KM and then finished my first century (aka 100M or 160KM).  In the mean time I rode in a few more mountain bike races and could feel myself getting faster, riding harder and riding longer.  By the time the Fall Epic 8 came around I was running 35-38 minute laps over 10KM of trails.  That same distance on a gravel path would take me over an hour when I started.

Today my PDPB is down 54.8points as I weighed in at 190.2lbs.  I’ve had to buy new pants (size 32), new shirts (size L) and had to make an emergency run to buy a new jacket as the weather has gotten colder.

I am still riding, have started running and have plans set for next year.  Muskoka 70.3?  Crank the Shield?  Right now it doesn’t matter, I am having fun and I am focused on the Ride to Conquer Cancer and I am loving the new me!

I’ve blogged a few times on our friend Rob over the past few months.  Yesterday was the one year anniversary of Rob’s accident and what better way to celebrate Rob’s recovery than to gather the crew and head out for a bike ride.

Yeah it rained, and Rob’s bike isn’t the same kind he used to ride but we still rode and had a great time.

Rob picked a route that would challenge most people with some great climbs and some great descents down escarpment where we reached speeds of 72+ KM/hr.

One thing that hasn’t changed is Rob’s need for speed :)