Randy Erwin promoting MS150 participation at our club
I'm not sure about where you live [wlm_firstname], but we are having a glorious spring here in Minneapolis... and suffering the consequences 🙁
Last Sunday, of my typical 40 indoor participants, 25 or so decided they would rather enjoy the sunshine and ride outside. I can't say I blame them and I was actually a bit jealous being stuck inside. Based on how nice it is supposed to be the rest of the week, I'm guessing that this coming Sunday will be more of the same.
So what to do?
Might I suggest finding a way to keep connected with them, outside?
As a followup to Christine Nielsen's two excellent posts about planning and training to ride the 183 mile Cabot Trail, I thought I should share how we have created a team to participate in a local MS150 ride.
Did I say "we have created"? I should have said "he has created"
He; as in Randy Erwin, a good friend of Amy and mine who's also our MS150 team captain!
Amy and I first met Randy as a rider in our class a bunch of years ago. The cycling bug bit Randy quite late in life and now his passion for indoor and outdoor cycling knows no bounds.
Sensing Randy's excitement for riding outdoors, Amy had originally invited Randy to join our earlier MS150 team The Psycholers and he was hooked! Fast forward a few years and chronic knee problems forced the original captain to quit and dissolve the team.
Enter Randy - he was having too much fun every year not to jump in as the new team captain. But Randy wasn't content to just continue this as things were, he (if you knew him you would understand this part) wanted bigger = we needed a sponsor. And Randy found us one in the form of a local bike shop FreeWheel Bikes.
The actual sponsorship was a bit unique; FreeWheel provided a Chef for the weekend, his assistant, and most importantly transportation of our bikes from Minneapolis to Duluth where the ride begins. In exchange for their sponsorship FreeWheel was on display all weekend in the form of a very fast (and long) paceline lead by your's truly, my very strong Tandem Stoker Amy and Randy tucked tightly behind - with another 40 or so close person friends making up the rest of the train.
Bigger for Randy is a fluid thing. What was cool and impressive last year became so 2011 this year. Bigger this year equals starting an official Life Time Fitness MS150 team. His goal (bigger is better) is to have the largest team on the ride this year, which will need to be over 250 riders. I'll keep you updated.
Keeping connected with your class this summer doesn't necessarily mean it will only come as a result from your efforts. You're class has a few Randy's. Next class pick up your head and ask who would be willing to help you put a team together.
Let me know what happens when you do 🙂
With our Captain Randy at the start
John is a member on the AFS (Association of Fitness Studios) Advisory Council.
Holding certifications from; Schwinn, Heart Zones, Team ICG and Life Time Fitness, John's held regularly scheduled cycling classes between 1998 and 2015 when he moved to Florida.
When the weather permits, you'll find him riding and leading outdoor groups by himself or with his Tandem partner (wife) Amy.
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