Carmel Crock's Inspirational Story

As Little Red 2014 quickly approaches, we are reminded of the deep connection many women have to riding Little Red as cancer survivors or as loved ones of those battling cancers. The Cycling Sistas, featured on our blog previously, are a group of cancer survivors out of Boise, ID riding strong and celebrating the gift of life after conquering many different cancers. Their cancer experiences brought them together - their love of riding keeps them together. We hope you are as inspired by Carmel Crock's story as we are. 

From Carmel Crock

It was Sept. 23, 2008, I had just finished deep water aerobics, rehabing a right hip replacement from April.  I was at the downtown TVYMCA in Boise.  There was food on a table drawing people to the health fair. A warm face waved me in after I grabbed a couple pieces of bannana.  "Have you eaten today? Wanna have a cholesterol check?"- Sure, I hadn't eaten. "Would you like to have your bone density checked?"- Sure...I went out to the St. Alphonsus Mobile Mammogram bus and while they were testing my bone density, the topic of a mammogram and manual exam came up.  My only mammogram had been in 2006, when my sister, Teresa Stepanek, who was undergoing surgery and treatment for breast cancer, had pleaded with me to get checked. "So, great, you've got a baseline", was the gentle response from the nurse. "It seems the appointment scheduled for now is a no show, would you like a mammo now?"- I felt trapped so agreed.  LIttle did I know that that nurse was to become my angel- in her manual exam, she discovered a lump, deep in my breast- I'd never felt it.  I wasn't good about monthly self-checks.

I came home from the hospital Thanksgiving Day, after a mastectomy and removal of 21 lymph nodes The protocol recommended was chemo.

I had always been healthy- except for this hip that had worn out with osteoarthritis and needed replace in April '08.  The Y was a natural destination for me and riding my bike  had been recommended to me by my Orthopedic Surgeon, heck, I was on my sister's bike on a trainer in her living room, 3 days after my hip replacement.  So riding a bike, was a friendly exercise for me.  I had even gotten my husband, Ken, riding that summer up in Sun Valley..."feel the wind in your hair" and I got him hooked.

Soon in 2209 I was fully participating in the "LiveStrong at the Y" program in Boise. At the time there were 8 YMCA's in the nation in the program.  The exercise and being with other survivors was encouraging and it was something I could control.  When the idea of cycling training was offered, I was "ABSOLUTELY".  I loved to bike. As LiveStrong participants, we get to use the Tri-athletes indoor computerized  training room to do winter training.  So the lst night that we had a "fitting",  I of course, brought the bike I had, an Electra Townie 21 speed-- cruiser bike.  Antonio the bike tech, didn't blink... he suggested that a road bike might be better for my joints, and he explained geometry.."Ah, OK" was my response.  And I found a Diamondback 16 speed at a neighborhood yard sale. It had nubby tires. Antonio put on road tires for me.  I still ride that bike.

Today, I've been riding for 4 years on a real road bike. I've developed some incredible friendships with great women who, like me, happened to be diagnosed with cancer. I've recovered from 5 surgeries and a broken ankle on my bike during these years.So I have an ongoing affair with returning to my bike to strengthen & find joy!  I've road in charity rides in Boise, Bend, OR, Moab, Utah.  This year for the 2nd

year in a row, I will be riding with my sister Teresa, who has been the one who got me back on a bike to get fit and strong after surgeries. We have both been Huntsman Home Town Heroes. We share not only the diagnosis's of breast cancer (totally different kinds), but most of all, the love of riding our bikes and we bring our husbands along.  Last year we rode at Moab Skinny Tire in March. Teresa is 7 years cancer free this year and I am 5. We've changed our diets and increased our exercise! We plan on riding our bikes the rest of our lives and our lives are going to be very, very long!

This will be my 4th year riding LRRH- the ride is well supported and offers ALL women, young and old the opportunity to get out and ride a bike and celebrate living a healthy life.

When the Cycling Sistas formed we were coining "branding" phrases for our club- mine was "Live Long, Ride Strong".  It stuck and we have those words on our jerseys.

Get out and ride!
 Live Long, Ride Strong 

Our Friday Night Kick Off at Little Red

has plenty of action and fun!

 

COSTUME CONTEST - It's always a treat to see the costumes our ladies come up with and this year, with our BRAZILIAN CARNAVAL THEME, the costume contest is sure to be especially colorful and exciting (although perhaps not quite as revealing as authentic Carnaval costumes - let's keep it family friendly!).

It's time to start working on your costume for Little Red! The Costume Contest at Little Red is a beloved tradition that takes place ONLY Friday night.

  
Have your picture taken, dance a bit, strut your stuff and let the judges check out your costume. Coordinate with this year's theme, or plan your own crazy ensemble. Whether you're part of a team or on your own … great prizes will be awarded! 
The Costume Contest starts at 7:30PM.

DINNER -  A delicious Brazilian feast catered by Gaucho Grill from Logan, Utah.  Their staff will be dressed in traditional Brazilian apparel and dinner will be served from 5:30 -7pm.  Here's a look at our Friday night menu:

Mix Spring Salad

Feijoada (Black Beans with Onions)

Fried Bananas
Brazilian Rice

Coxa (Sweet and Spicy Orange Chicken Thighs)

Presunto (Ham with Brown Sugar Glaze)

Picalho (Sirloin Tip with Garlic and Parmesan Cheese)

Abacaxi (Roasted Pineapple with Brown Sugar Glaze)

Rolls & Butter

Dessert - Flan or Prestigio (Chocolate Cake with Coconut Center)

The Cost is $12.00 and please buy your tickets in advance. Dinner sells out if you wait until Friday night. Buy your tickets ONLINE at the LITTLE RED BOUTIQUE.

MUSIC, DECORATIONS & A FESTIVE ATMOSPHERE - Nobody does it better than Little Red and we promise not to disappoint. Come and groove to the sights, sounds and colors of Carnaval. Live music, dance lessons, who knows what else we might have in store??

LITTLE RED BOUTIQUE - Our boutique sells out every year. Let's face it - the clothing and items available are irresistible. Once you see our entire line of Little Red 2014 items for sale, how can you possibly resist? You can't! So be sure to bring your wallet.

VENDOR EXPO - More shopping and even more shopping. Come visit our vendors. Many of them have special deals and pricing just for the Event. We guarantee you'll find one, two or ten things that you absolutely must have. 

CAMPING - If you don't have hotel reservations are you planning on camping? You can camp for FREE at the Lewiston Fairgrounds. That way you'll be close to all the action 24/7.

REMEMBER, FRIDAY NIGHT IS WHERE ALL THE FUN IS AT LITTLE RED!!!

GET TRAINING!!

"How do I train for Little Red?"

Can you believe it? Little Red is only 11 weeks away! The days are getting longer, spring is just around the corner and many of you are determined to ride 100 miles on June 7th. A Century ride is a major accomplishment for a cyclist that requires training and preparation. Will you be ready? 

We've got a 3 Step Program to get you ready for Little Red. So what are you waiting for????

Just get riding!

Step 1: Follow a Training Plan
There are plenty of training plans out there that will help you build up miles if you like a structured approach. These plans focus on riding 100 miles, but you can modify them to fit your personal goals. Below is a 10 Week Training Plan from Bicycling Magazine. This is just one example - there are many training plans out there to follow. The main point is to get riding and be consistent. 

Training Concepts

• The main principle of training for a century is to increase your mileage gradually over a number of weeks. By doing it that way, you help avoid injury, burnout and over-fatigue. Plus you will also be able to detect any issues with your body or your bike that you want to discover before the big day.
• To set in motion your training plan, pick a known date for your century ride and count back from there to determine your start point. This ten-week training plan below assumes you are in shape at the start to be able to ride 20 miles comfortably. That's a two-hour ride at a very easy 10-12 mph pace. If this is more than where you are, consider a metric century (100 km/62 miles) as another potential goal.
• The best way to learn training and riding tips is to ride with people who have done it before. Find an experienced riding buddy.
• As you prepare, aim for the targets as laid out in the table below to get you ready. It shows the distance of your longest ride each week (typically on a Saturday or Sunday) plus a cumulative mileage total for the week that you reach with your other riding.

  Century Training Plan

  Century Training Plan
  Week	Length of Long Ride	Total Miles/Week
  1	25	55
  2	30	65
  3	35	73
  4	40	81
  5	45	90
  6	50	99
  7	57	110
  8	65	122
  9	50	75
  10	Century Ride	Yeah!

Step 2: Grab Your Posse - The Buddy System
Get your friends, neighbors and family together and get your riding group going! Its always more fun to ride with friends and helps the miles to pass quickly. The more fun you have, the faster those miles seem to go.

Step 3: Cycle with the Bonneville Cycling Club

 Make new friends, learn new routes! The BCC has rides throughout the year, for every level of cyclist. You do not have to be a member to ride with the BCC and we have a large variety of rides, routes, distances, challlenges and members.

Check out our Ride Calendar 

 ... then come and check us out! You'll find a fun & welcoming group of people - all ages - who simply love to bike for the pure joy of riding. The BCC has dozens of rides scheduled every month with a variety of terrains, routes and miles to choose from. Ride with us and you'll be ready for Little Red in no time.

Tricia Fitzgerald's Story

Our First Inspirational Story comes from Tricia Fitzgerald and is a great testimonial to the importance of mammograms and positive outcomes when cancer is caught early. Tricia is a member of the 'Cycling Sistas', a group of cancer survivors who ride with hope & joy in the Boise area. We plan to feature more stories from this group of amazing ladies.

"Thank You"  Tricia for sharing your story!

Project Hope & Inspiration

We know you're out there.

Lots of you.

Women with stories.

Stories of HOPE.

Stories of DETERMINATION.

Stories of INSPIRATION.

Stories of COURAGE.

Stories of BEATING THE ODDS.

And we want to hear them. We want to share them. 

To connect with each other, to support each other, to give each other HOPE.

Send us your story. Send us a picture. We'll post it to this blog.

Let's share. Let's give each other HOPE.

Please send your story to:

its4littleredridinghood@gmail.com

It's Carnival Time!

Brazilian Carnival 
(or Carnaval, as they say in Brazil)...

The words alone conjure images of samba dancers, kaleidoscopes of color and surreal floats - all set to percussive rhythm and dancing like no place else on Earth. A feast of color, sight, sound and taste for the senses. Each year the party grows bigger and more outrageous. 

Carnaval in Brazil is spread over a four day span and is said to be the festival of festivals. It happens to be the world's largest carnival celebration.

Carnaval or 'Carn Vale' - meaning farewell to the flesh, takes place just before Lent, usually during February or March. It is a seasonal celebration that combines elements of street parties, parades, masquerade, singing and dancing.

Brazilian Carnaval is rich in vibrant music, exotic costumes and dancing, not to mention an overindulgence in eating, drinking and merrymaking. Although Brazilian Carnaval has its roots in religious festivals in Europe, modern day Carnaval can best be described as the 'Party of all Parties'.

So what does any of this have to do with a bike ride? Nothing... and everything, of course. Each year the Little Red team draws on a theme for inspiration. We design our jerseys, boutique items, decorations, entertainment, music, etc... around that theme. And a GREAT PARTY is just the sort of thing we like at Little Red, right?  

The Party of All Parties is coming to Little Red Riding Hood in 2014 as we salute BRAZILIAN CARNAVAL!

Little Red Riding Hood 2013 by Robin Perkins