June 3rd, Portland, Oregon
My good friend Wade Trimmer and I rode a 75-miler today as a last training ride for me and one last training ride for Wade as well as he intends to ride a century on Saturday. In all, the ride went very well. No major aches or pains, and certainly plenty of energy to keep going. We did a straight 50 miles before stopping for a late lunch, then kept going. Wade had to meet his wife a bit early, so I added a hill and, would you believe it, got a ticket from a cop for running a stop sign. It didn’t matter, though, because I was in good spirits knowing I would be able to easily finish the 75 miles.
A couple things will hit me hard, though, once the ride begins next Monday. The first is the heat. It was a very cool (though not wet) day in Portland so we didn’t have to deal with heat. And I was also working off of two days rest, something we won’t have the luxury of during the trek across America. Regardless, though, I should be even stronger the next time I get on the bike, and Wade should be able to finish his century pretty easily. The training has gone well.
This picture was taken of us by a friend on Saturday night when Wade and I were on a different ride and snuck into the Starlight Parade here in Portland. For more info about that, read the previous days entry. Thanks again for continuing to check back. More exciting entries are soon to come as I head to Los Angeles on Thursday and then begin the ride on Monday. Again, I look forward to updating everybody from the road.
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Great stuff. On to bigger and better things!
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andy said,
June 4, 2008 @ 4:45 am
Donald…
You don’t know me at all but I just want to say you’re inspiring on multiple levels. In reading and hearing you you’ve inspired me to get real about my faith. In see you put feet to yours with this bike ride and the Foundation I’ve been challenged to figure out how I can. As a (kind of) big guy your weight loss has inspired me to keep loosing and the way you’ve turned it into ridiculous physical tasks I am thinking of crazy things I could do.
Thanks.
andy
Greg S said,
June 4, 2008 @ 6:10 am
Don,
I going to have to echo Andy. I’m a pretty big guy but I’ve recently (5 mos) been taking my health more seriously… a LOT more seriously. While I did anticipate how much better I would feel physically, but couldn’t foresee how this would affect my spiritual walk. I can’t put a verse to it, but it just seems that when my body is functioning more like God designed it, my spirit is able to function that way as well.
Well, I’m no theologian. I guess I’m just saying that I’m encouraged again by you, Don.
I’m with you on this trek (in prayer).
Greg
Chicago, IL
Dan Browne said,
June 4, 2008 @ 10:13 am
Don… I hope a book comes out of this. God grief man, I could not ride a mile let alone across the country.
Donald Miller said,
June 4, 2008 @ 10:49 am
andy,
that is awesome, man. i am so glad to hear that. i know its a long, tough battle, but it can also be really fun and exciting. i’ve never shared this publicly, but my rules for health are 1. no kicking yourself around for screwing up. at all. 2. pat yourself on the back for doing any kind of exercise and grow slowly into something you love. 3. go slow.
it seems to have worked. although man, it’s been a long, slow process. also, pray pray pray. and know God answers prayer through our own efforts. i think that is double the reward. thanks andy. hope to meet you out there.
don