Alright y’all, this is it. My next update will hopefully be this upcoming Saturday, after my two days of 4K orientation and the night before send-off, which means that this is my last post before I really get into the 4K experience. I’m feeling lots of emotions right now (excitement, panic, nervousness, gratitude, etc.) as my mind jumps between all the things I’m excited for:
- Getting to ride my bike every day!
- Seeing the west!
- Seeing the impacts of our efforts in communities across the country
- Witnessing the generosity of strangers every day
- Biking across the Golden Gate Bridge on our last day… omg
- Spending every day outside
- Biking over mountains!
- Those sweet feelings of satisfaction when you finish a century or crest a huge climb
- Meeting my 4K family :)
- Watching some of the newer riders become confident cyclists
…and all the things I’m worried about:
- Having to ride my bike every. day.
- Overpacking
- Underpacking
- Asking for food donations
- Saddle sores… enough said
- My skin (sensitive skin + weeks covered in sweat, dirt, and sunscreen = bad time)
- Getting accosted by my dermatologist, aka burning to a crisp
- Biking over mountains…
- Spending 70 consecutive days with total strangers
- Leaving my friends, family, and cat for the summer :(
Final big training update: unfortunately, I was plagued by a bout of sluggishness this week, likely because I was feeling very unprepared for this trip– physically, emotionally, mentally, you name it. I tend to self-sabotage when I feel that way (e.g., not train so I have an excuse for being out of shape on the ride) so I really tried to push myself to get out and do something even when I felt like hiding indoors in sweats all day. One night that meant a quick 10-mile ride around my neighborhood with some hill repeats, another night that meant a 3-mile walk.
Another issue has been my time management (which has always been an issue, let’s be real). Now that I’m done with my thesis I have very little to do, so I’ll put off riding until I don’t feel like it or it’s too late or whatever excuse I can come up with. I’m very grateful for my dad and Beth getting me up early to ride with them, even though I was a liiiiiitle late for both of our rides this weekend. I’m counting on pre-trip nerves to get me up on time for our orientation sessions on Friday and Saturday :)
One thing that did make me feel more prepared was a crash course in tire changes with my dad! I’ve gotten very few flats in my life and when I do, he usually does most of the work. It’s hard for me to get really good at something without doing it over and over, so when my new tires arrived I really wanted to put them on myself (with dad instructing/supervising, of course). I actually ended up doing three changes instead of two because I accidentally put the front tire on backward (whoops) but the extra practice was nice! I was able to change the third one much faster than the first two and feel confident in my ability to do it on my own now.
Today I went on a nice 50-mile ride with Dad and Beth to more or less cap off my training. I may go on some short recovery rides this week but my main goal is to keep my legs fresh for send-off on Sunday. I sort of wish I had done an even longer ride (70+ miles), but I did plenty of those last summer so I can at least anticipate the mental challenges with longer rides. I am definitely not acclimated to hot temperatures yet but otherwise I felt very good on our ride today. Very fittingly, we saw a bald eagle on Memorial Day! I had never seen one so close before (probably ~30 feet directly over top of me). I didn’t get the chance to snap a picture but it was a beautiful sight. We sadly did see a lot of roadkill, but did save one turtle from being squashed.
Other highlights from this week:
- Getting to see family and friends at a little graduation/send-off party at my house
- Buying some supplies and talking about my trip with the staff at the Bike Doctor in Waldorf
- Finally having a pool day!
- Seeing Top Gun: Maverick in theaters (so good!!!)
- Receiving some of the last 4K gear I ordered from REI
- Just enjoying time off from school and most real-world obligations :)
On the docket for the rest of the week: finishing up last-minute Ulman requirements, shopping, trying to finish Stephen King’s The Stand: The Complete & Uncut Edition (which I foolishly started last week… 773 pages to go) and hopefully a lot of rest and time with friends and family. I seriously cannot believe that send-off week is already here. I’m quite nervous but so excited at the same time!
Some big 4K news: our team is growing! The run team had a small group to begin with and unfortunately had a lot of last-minute drops, leaving them with only seven runners. Their send-off date is later than ours because they’re able to cover more ground running relay-style than we can bike in a day (sounds impossible, I know, but trust me), but they are going to essentially chase us down and then group up with us for the rest of our trip. I’m sure there will be some logistical bumps along the way, but the more the merrier, right? I think it will be a very positive experience for everyone in the end. One of our trip coordinators was on last year’s 4K team, which consisted of riders and runners from the start, and she loved that riders and runners were able to talk about their different experiences on the road together at the end of the day.
I’ve also set up this Google form to submit requests for ride dedications. Each day I will dedicate my ride to a person (or persons) affected by cancer by sharing their story with my team and writing their name on my leg or arm to remind me of our mission. I know many donors have made their contributions in honor or in memory of loved ones, but if you would like me to dedicate a day of riding to you or a loved one please submit this form. More information is provided in the form description.
Another note: my “Team Lauren” shirts are still available here. I changed the settings to “smart launch”, which means you can order at any time but they may take a while to ship so that multiple items can be printed in batches. So far I have sold 32 items, raising $407.64 for Ulman through sales and additional donations. Considering that I was afraid I wouldn’t reach my goal of 20 items that is pretty incredible! Thank you to everyone who has ordered, and a huge thanks again to my dear friend Sarah Kirby for creating the awesome design!
I hope to share another update Saturday night to sum up our orientation, but if not I’ll be back with an update from the road (!!!!!!).
Until then!
Lauren
Lauren Bikes America 
Lauren, I know you will do a fabulous job as your dedication and perseverance will win overall. Your cause is so important as it unfortunately is with all of us in one way or another. Am anxious to hear about your trip. Have a wonderful experience helping others.Thank you,Marilyn Crosby
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Great update! It really is hard to belive the send off is this weekend!
As with everything , one step at a time gets it done. Don’t let it overwhelm you! Go out,be confident and ride safe! You will have a blast even on the tough days.
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