JULY 2006 BIKE ODYSSEY--The Plan

Monday begins the virtual "race" to Traverse City, Michigan, approximately 175 miles north of Grand Rapids. Traverse City is a jewel of a northern Michigan town right on Lake Michigan. I have been there many times. Usually the weather has not been terribly cooperative the times I have been there, but it is still a recreational haven nonetheless.

My office is sponsoring a wellness-type program to get people motivated to exercise. I do not need motivation most of the time, but I do like to have a goal to work toward. Makes the 6:30 am workouts worth something. So when this "race" event came up, I found myself for the first time getting excited about participating in something office related. Generally, I do not participate in any of their contests, because generally it means only certain people always win. Generally, too it has something to do with coming up with a witty slogan, or a theme, or a better way to do something. This time, however, it was actually something I could do and was interested in at the same time. The idea is to get people moving, and the virtual goal was to be Traverse City, since we have 4 offices within Michigan (WNJ.com), and all are approximately 175 miles away from TC. The grand prize? A hotel/spa package at Grand Traverse Resort. There are other lesser prizes of worth as well, and as I've said before, the prize isn't what I'm after. Its making the goal. Doing the 175 miles. And beating everyone else at it.

I figured then that the easiest way to meet this goal faster than anyone else was on the bike. So I have dubbed this adventure "July 2006 Bike Odyssey--Race to Traverse City."

So the plan then is to bike 25 miles a day for at least 3 days, take a day off (run or swim otherwise), and then bike 50 and still have the weekend to make up any extra I need. I want to be done with this no later than August 1, even though we have until September 5 to complete this. The only thing I worry about is getting people mad here, thinking I cheated. And I don't want to kill their enthusiasm either, so I may let the powers that be know but keep quiet otherwise to keep people motivated. I am afraid if I don't take immediate and aggressive action that someone may sneak by me, sort of like happens in my races, so this time I don't want to be caught off guard.

So Saturday will be the tri and Sunday will be take it easy and DO NOTHING!