Back in Austin
May 2, 2006
Austin again
Earlier this year I attended the 2006 SXSW Interactive in Austin. I met lots of fantastic people, attended some great parties, and even learned a thing or two about the web.
The weekend before last I was back in Austin, but for a totally different reason. I was participating in the MS150: a two-day cycling event from Houston to Austin that raises funds to help people living with Multiple Sclerosis. The ride is a little over 180 miles, and this year there were approximately 13,000 people that participated.
The ride
I’m not really sure what I expected, but by the time I rolled into La Grange on first day after 100 miles, I was still really excited. By far though, the second day was the best. There is a challenge route that goes through Buescher State Park, and it is the probably the one of the most fun parts of the ride.
Finishing in Austin was definitely the highlight of the trip. The atmosphere there is celebratory, there are thousands that come to show their support for the riders as they cross the finish line. Sharing this moment with friends and family was exhilarating. I had an incredible time, and I did way better than I expected I would. After months of training and hard work there was definitely a sense of accomplishment that made everything worthwhile.
What really reminded me of why I was riding was seeing those, such as my sister-in-law Jamie, diagnosed with MS cheering you on. It’s their courage to fight a disease for which there currently is no cure that inspires you to pick up a bike and ride 180 miles.
Thanks
Thanks so much to everyone who helped me out by donating. Your charity is greatly appreciated. For those of you that would still like to donate there’s a few days left, but I’ll be turning in my donations soon.
Thanks also to my wife, Alana for putting up with me the past few months. She’s had to sacrifice her time as much I have so that I could go on training rides, and I couldn’t have taken this on without her. I’m already looking forward to next year, and who knows? Maybe this time she will be riding with me.
Filed under: Cycling, MS 150 Comments (2)