Spring Racing & Mechanicals

April 3 NWA RR

Today started with a bad omen...two deer ran across the road and one of them did real damage to our car. I should have known it was going to be a long day!

I started the day feeling great but my head wasn't in the game. I was nervous! This was my first race since my crash in Austin and I just kept thinking what if someone takes me out again! This is the wrong way to start a race. The race started, I was riding strong and getting some confidence back. Then, we a turn straight into the crosswinds. I was in the wrong position and got split from the front group. The group I was in tried to bridge gap but I was having gear troubles. It turns out my rear derailleur was bent and I couldn't get the lower gear I needed in the crosswinds. So, I did my best but eventually had to just decide to turn this day into a great training ride. I was bummed but that's racing! Placement 50/63

April 10th Eucha RR

Today was a new race day! I had taken my bike to get a thorough check and tune up so I wouldn't have any bike issues. This is not the place you want to have any gear issues as the climbing is insane. I started off great and could hardly wait to get to the big climb (Spavinaw Hill). I was super stoked to still be with the group through this climb but trouble started soon afterwards as I wasn't able to quickly get back into my big chainring. It was a downhill/flat section and I could not stay with them in my small chainring. When I finally got into my big ring it was too little too late. I was caught in no man's land, solo! I finally got with another small group. But, trouble started when we hit the feedzone... I missed my hand up (first time that's ever happened), and I was completely out of water. Thankfully, another rider grabbed my missed bottle and gave it to me! WHEW...that was a life saver as we still had about 30 miles to race including climbing Spavinaw AGAIN! I just kept working and when I saw the 5K to go sign I dropped the guys I was with and just took off! It wasn't a great day but I had completed my longest road race and learned a lot about myself this day! I'm learning more and more with every race that doesn't go to plan! You have got to stay positive and keep working to get better! Placement 24/31

April 16 Matrix Challenge Crit

I had a rough start with trouble getting clipped in. I lost the main pack but I worked really hard to get to a group. It was just a couple of guys for a while. I had to put in a lot of work pulling because the other two riders I was with weren't strong enough to keep our speed. I finally got with a group of about 15 riders. I learned how to move within the group, not letting gaps open and got more comfortable in a pack on a technical course. I didn't have to pull anymore so was able to just sit in with them. I worked myself up toward the front of our group on the last lap on the backside of the course near Stackhouse and stayed there until the finish. I started in last place and finished 37th out of 54. I also set a new 30 minute power record! I was really hoping to race on Sunday and get a better start to see if I could use what I learned. I wasn't racing scared for the first time. Unfortunately, Sunday was canceled due to bad weather!

Hey, this is racing and I'll come back better from all this disappointment!

2016 Racing Has Begun

This past weekend was the start of my second season with Transitions LifeCare Cycling Team and my 2016 racing season. I went to Austin to race Bat City Apache Pass and Pace Bend. These are both road races. I went down early to ride the course so I was prepared for the "Texas Cobbles".

I was excited when race day was finally here! On the first lap, I was sitting in a great position when I hit a bump and my water bottle popped out of my cage and got stuck in my wheel, chain and chain ring (see picture below). I have never seen anything like it. Good news: I didn't go down and didn't cause anyone to go down. Bad news: it took me plus the two guys in the SAG truck to remove the bottle, was down to one water bottle with Skratch, jacked up my front derailleur, was more than 2 minutes behind the field and it was windy. The SAG guys asked if I just wanted to call it a day get into the truck. I said, "no thank you...I want to finish the race." I knew my placement would be bad but I didn't care, I just wanted to finish. I was dead last coming through the feed zone but I didn't quit. I rode hard, caught some people and ended up 44th out of 53 starters but I finished. The good part was my coach, Mark TeRuki with TeRuki Training, was pleased that I set new peak power numbers for 10, 12, 20, 60 and 90 minutes during the race. Progress!

Sunday was the Pace Bend Road Race. I felt like today was my day! Legs felt good and I was confident. I really like this course! I was on the first lap and climbing a hill. There was a gap and I was trying to make my move up through the pack when a guy changed his line, hit my wheel and took me out. My bike wasn't rideable and so my day was over before it hardly started. Super bummed!

The weekend didn't go the way I wanted it to but that's racing! I will keep training and getting faster!  Next stop...TEAM CAMP! Oh, by the way, I got new cages and a helmet from Celestial Cycles when I got home! Thanks Sheridan the Arundel's ROCK!!

DNA Racing Team 2013

Changes for 2013...my mom has been helping me with my blog in the past. But, this year...it's all me! Well, she'll probably help with typing she's faster than me! Thanks for everything mom!

I'm on a new cycling team. It's called DNA Racing. Their website will be updated soon. I think they will really help me get stronger and be a better racer. There are great guys on this team. They work really hard. I'm really honored to be a part of their Jr. Development Team!

Time Trial

I was invited to the team camp. We stayed at a ranch house. Thank you Mr. Little! Thanks to Chad, Andy, Andrew, Steven, Aaron, Beau, Evan, Tony, Erin, Rob, Biff, Mark, Ryan, and many others including sponsors for making camp possible and super awesome! We had so much fun! We introduced ourselves to our new team members, Chad and Mark talked about what we needed to work on this year and we put in a lot of miles on our bikes. One night Mark brought a movie for us to watch about Team HTC Columbia, Chasing a Legend. It was amazing! I felt like a star with so many photographers...it was like we were getting a lot of press!



Crit

Getting ready to start road race

This past weekend I went to Mineral Wells and they had a big stage race--a crit, time trial and a road race. I have been getting up so early to go train with my team on Saturdays. We start at Elemental Coffee, ride out and around Lake Hefner and then back to Elemental Coffee to pick up some additional riders and then put in more miles. I think this is really improving my speed and confidence. I think getting up early is paying off. I was happy with my results from the race in Mineral Wells. My road race I placed 6th, crit I was 9th and my time trial I came in 5th. I ended up 6th in the GC and 4th in the Team GC! Lee McDaniel took this awesome picture of me at the top of the BIG climb! Thank you Mr. McDaniel!

 

THERE'S STILL TIME

If you are planning to come the Luke's 5-Line it's NOT too late! We will have ON-SITE REGISTRATION! The only thing you have to do is email us, lukes5line@cox.net, to say your coming so we plan enough food to feed ya and get you covered by ICEdot.org/events! More information http://lukes5line.com!

BLACK MESA OR BUST!!!!

 

It's getting close...

 

The last time I updated you I had raced at the OK State Criterium Championships and Hotter’N Hell road race. Well, this past weekend I raced in the OK State Time Trial Championship. I was going into this race a bit under the weather. My mom took me to the doctor on Friday and we found out I had strep throat. I was totally bummed because the race was on Sunday and I was afraid either my mom or coach wouldn’t let me compete. Happily, they both agreed I could. I went out and gave it everything I had. I took almost 2 minutes off my time from last year and set a new personal best. I also brought home a silver medal for my second place finish. I was really happy for my teammate who took 1st and the jersey. So, it was a good day! I’m now training for the State Road Race Championships in a couple of weeks.

I can’t believe it … I have ONLY 303 hours before all my fundraising money needs to be turned in! I am hoping to average $11 per hour so can at least meet my goal from last year! I still have a long way to go to reach but I’m hoping I can count on you to help the 28 million living with cancer.

FACTS:
Goal: $20,000 (click HERE to donate)
1 week till registration for the 5-Line ride closes
2 weeks to turn in ALL fundraising money
3 weeks till Luke’s 5-Line ride
5 weeks till I’m riding in the LIVESTRONG Challenge

If you are planning to come to the Luke’s 5-Line ride please go to http://lukes5line.com to get all the details and find the link to registration. Remember registration closes in 5 DAYS, September 21, 2012!

We still have raffle tickets, shirts and decals for sale.

The raffle tickets are only $5 and we will draw for the bike at the ride on October 6th! You don’t have to be present to win! Hurry as you don’t want to miss out on your chance to win this awesome bike! BRAND NEW TREK!!!

Again, I hope you can help me meet my goal by making a tax deductible contribution. I will ride for your loved one or friend with your donation! The fight to defeat cancer is still on and I will never fighting for those who can’t!

If you have already donated …THANK YOU!!! Your support is greatly appreciated!

100%

I hear my parents say all the time “where has the time gone?”. I am kind of thinking the same thing. WOW! It really isn’t too long now till so many things happen!! I thought I would send you an update on how things are going!

FACTS:

My fundraising goal is $20,000

I have raised $4,246 to date

8 weeks till the Luke’s 5-Line Ride
11 weeks till I need to turn in my fundraising money

14 weeks till I'll be riding in Austin's LIVESTRONG Challenge

CYCLING:

I'm getting in lots of base miles because the racing season has slowed way down. I've been working on many areas of my cycling so I will be ready to ride 65 miles in Austin.

FUNDRAISING NEWS:
I am still selling 5-Line t-shirts and decals at Dwelling Spaces in Tulsa, or you can contact me if you’d like to purchase one of these items.

100% of the proceeds will benefit LIVESTRONG.

I am raffling off a 2012 Trek LIVESTRONG FX bike. The raffle tickets are only $5 and, again, you can contact me to purchase.

100% of the proceeds will benefit LIVESTRONG.

I held a LIVESTRONG garage sale this past weekend and raised over $600!! I will be holding another sale as soon as I can gather some more items from family, friends and neighbors!

100% of the proceeds will benefit LIVESTRONG.

The biggest news is we are putting all the pieces together on the Luke’s 5-Line Ride. We have had riders signing up...how cool is that!?! We are lucky to have support from the local community in Boise City and the surrounding towns! I have to give a big thank to my Tulsa friends (who don’t want a lot of glory) but who are a huge help to make this ride a great time! I think it’s so cool that all our riders will be covered by ICE.events (In Case of Emergency). ICE.events is a system connecting your bib number to your identification, medical information and emergency contacts. If you’d like to come and ride with us you can get registered at https://www.usacycling.org/events/index.php?event=2054&year=2012. There is a limited number of spots so sign up early!

Registration for the ride is $250 ($200 will be tax-deductible and going straight to LIVESTRONG) Remember: This includes complimentary lodging in the bunk house for the first 25 riders and tent accomodations for the next 25, 4 meals and ride entry!!

I am very excited with the amount of donations I have already received but the fight is still on to defeat cancer. And, I still have a long way to go to reach my goal. If you are still trying to decide if you want to contribute please consider this:

“Where the Money Goes

LIVESTRONG endeavors to be the best possible stewards of the outstanding financial commitments made by its donors and partners and to leverage those funds in the global fight against cancer.

We gratefully thank our donors on behalf of the people served through your generosity.

Making a donation—at any level—can be a complex and difficult decision. For that reason, we are as transparent as possible about how we have been, and will continue to be, good stewards of your gifts.

Since our inception, we have raised more than $400 million dollars for the fight against cancer, and 81 percent of those funds have gone directly to support our programs and services for survivors.

2010
In 2010 we had functional expenses totaling $35,746,206, and 81 percent of every dollar raised went directly to programmatic funding totaling $28,954,426.”

Read more here http://goo.gl/YQzF2.

Please consider making a donation. Your tax deductible contribution would be one more weapon in this fight and would go a long way to help meet the needs of millions living with cancer. You can donate online at http://laf.livestrong.org/goto/lukeisthebikeman. Don't forget you can also follow me on my blog, Twitter (@lukethebikeman or @lukes5line) or Facebook!!

Thank you to those of you who have already donated. I am very excited with the amount of donations I have already received but the fight is still on to defeat cancer. And, I still have a long way to go to reach my goal. Check out my Tribute Wall (below) to see those I will be riding for in Austin. I will carry your loved one with me as well and put their name on the Wall of Honor in Austin with a donation, no matter the size. As always, my main inspiration and how I got started on this path was because of my grandfather (Poppy)! I think he would be proud!

LIVESTRONG

Tribute Wall



Jim Pemberton (my Poppy)-Angel

Scott Raffe-Angel

Theresa Hild-Angel

Mrs. Myers-Rose (survivor)

Aunt Norma Jo-Angel

Alex TeRuki (coach's father)-Angel
Austin Dej-Rose (survivor)

Christopher Parks-Fighter

Makenzee Highfill-Fighter

Loralei Decker-Fighter

Ronnie Slawson-Angel

Lance Armstrong-Rose (survivor)

Doug Ulman-Rose (survivor)

Chris Brewer-Rose (survivor)

YOUR COVERED

We are stoked to make this announcement!!!

Dear Luke's 5-Line Riders,

Your safety is extremely important to us. In an effort to protect our athletes we are happy to inform you Luke’s 5-Line Double Ride is officially registered with ICE.events. ICE.events (In Case of Emergency) is a system connecting your bib number to your identification, medical information and emergency contacts. You will be receiving an email from ICE.events the week of the ride, please take the two minutes to read the email and update your records before the event.

We care about you and are proud to have our riders protected by ICE.events.

(To learn more about ICE.events click here: www.icedot.org/events)

Thank you ICEdot.org for being a sponsor and protecting our riders!!!! 

SKA-DOOSH!

This is our official logo for the Luke's 5-Line Double Ride! We are so excited that Aaron Whisner (artist) created this great logo! We are super pumped that Dwelling Spaces in Tulsa, OK will carry our merchandise. This is so cool because they are also going to sell our merchandise during Tulsa Tough! A portion of the sales will benefit LIVESTRONG.

We are also pleased to announce our latest sponsor:   Lee's Bicycles of Tulsa!! It is because of all of our amazing sponsors that this will be an EPIC event! We would like to thank all our sponsors: Whitten-Newman Family Foundation, ExplorOlogy, ICEdot, Buchanan Bicycles and Lee's Bicycles. We owe a special thanks to Team Rad Racing for helping us permit this ride through USA Cycling!

You don't want to miss this AMAZING event! Register at USA Cycling (https://www.usacycling.org/events/index.php?event=2054&year=2012).

There isn't any fee to register and remember this ride benefits LIVESTRONG so 80% of your registration fee is tax deductible!

AMAZING SPONSORS:

HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT

UPDATE (8/1/12)

Please check out our new website for the Luke's 5-Line to get the most up-to-date ride information!! You'll find: What's Included, Routes, Photos, etc.

www.lukes5line.com

It's the ride of a lifetime

5-7 October 2012!

Black Mesa, Oklahoma

Calling all cyclists - from Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico and Colorado:

 

Here's the plan:

100 riders ... 100+ miles ... 5 states ... all in one day.

The distances you can choose are: 20, 40, 95 or 120!  Join us for this epic event! 

 

BLACK MESA OR BUST!! 

 

Special Thanks to our Sponsors:

    

2012 Racing Season Debut

Well, the 2012 racing season is underway in Oklahoma. It always starts with the Salty Creek Criterium/Tall Chief Cove Road Race. I had signed up to race in the Jr. category for both days but when I got there, on Saturday, they informed me that the Jr. road race had been cancelled for Sunday due to bad weather being forcast. I was really disappointed. So, my coach Mark Teruki suggested I race in the Men's 4/5. I was excited to be able to race, since I wanted to see if I had improved since last year, but I was a little nervous to be in my first men's race.

Saturday's criterium went OK. I made a major mistake at the beginning and although I finished closing the gap and feeling really strong at the end it was too late to make up the time I needed. I took third and learned something for future races. One thing about racing is you are always learning and getting more chances to do better!

Sunday I woke up feeling ready for the road race! I ate my new race breakfast, courtesy of Biju Thomas, and knew I was feeling better today. It was cold and wet and started pouring just before our race began. I felt really good and when the day was done I had taken 29 minutes off my time from last year and placed 11th. It was a long way from a win but it felt like a victory in a small way to me. I overcame my nerves, raced with men and showed a significant improvement over last year. I know I haven't come even close to my full potential and I will continue training hard but I will take small victories and build off them!

Next race...TIME TRIAL...this weekend!

LIVESTRONG

THE RACE IS ON!

H.E.L.P.

Hope. Empower. Love. Provide.

I have started my 2012 fundraising efforts to STOP cancer! Last year inspired me to do even more after being with 1000’s of survivors, cancer fighters and meeting my hero Lance Armstrong. I know one person can make a difference for millions. I’m a 14-year-old cyclist, I want to H.E.L.P. STOP cancer and make a difference in the lives of MILLIONS. 

Can you GIVE H.E.L.P.?

http://laf.livestrong.org/goto/lukeisthebikeman

LIVESTRONG,

Luke

It's ON!

LIVESTRONG 2012 is ON!!! 

Well, I raised over $10,000 in 2011 but I've raised the bar and I'm going to raise over $20,000 in 2012. And, I've already started! So, if you would like to help me reach my goal I would really appreciate it and so will the 28 MILLION living with cancer plus their families and friends. Your donation can help so many! It's super simple just click on the link below and it will take you to my donation page! I will ride for your friend, family member or you with your donation! I wish you all a Happy Holiday season and a Happy New Year! 

DONATE

LIVESTRONG CHALLENGE-RIDE FOR THE ROSES-2011

amazing:
astonishing, astounding, awesome, awful, eye-opening, fabulous, miraculous, portentous, prodigious, staggering, stunning, stupendous, sublime, surprising, wonderful, wondrous, blindsiding, dumbfounding, eye-opening, flabbergasting, jarring, jaw-dropping, jolting, shocking, startling, stunning, stupefying

inspiring:
breathtaking, charged, electric, electrifying, exhilarating, galvanic, galvanizing, hair-raising, heart-stopping, inspiring, intoxicating, kicky, mind-bending, mind-blowing, mind-boggling, rip-roaring, rousing, stimulating, stirring, thrilling

I bet you can tell how my LIVESTRONG weekend went by just the list of adjectives above and still I don't think they fully describe how I felt at this year's LIVESTRONG Challenge. I have to say I really didn't think last year could have been topped but was I wrong. The only bad part was I had just gotten my braces plus my palate expander and my mouth was so sore. Oh well, I still had an incredible time!

I am still in shock at having raised over $10,000 for LIVESTRONG and qualifying for Ride for the Roses. I know that may not sound like a lot if you are a big time fundraiser. But, I just turned 14 years old and last year I only raised close to a $1,000 so this was BIG for me!! I just can't tell you how PERFECT this weekend was for a boy whose passions are CYCLING and LIVESTRONG. Keep reading and you'll find out why!

First, I need to say "Thank you, thank you, thank you" to everyone who helped me reach my goal!!! I raised $10,112 for LIVESTRONG and I was so excited!! I wanted to give you a glimpse at my AMAZING LIVESTRONG weekend you all helped me be able to experience.

We got to Austin on Thursday night really late and could hardly wait for Friday. Friday started with us going to the Ride for the Roses registration and I got jerseys, posters, jacket, bib numbers and so much more. We met our friends, Brad and Jennifer, I met them on Twitter. It was like we had been friends forever. Next, mom and I checked our bikes in with Fred the head mechanic. Mom needed her fit worked on and he got her all fixed up. Then, he took our bikes to store them where they would be cared for by some top folks. Next, we went down to the LIVESTRONG village at Mellow Johnny’s. Mellow Johnny’s is the bike shop that Lance Armstrong owns! It is such a cool place! It has all kinds of awesome bike stuff and you’ve got to see the 7 Yellow Jerseys hanging on the walls from his Tour de France wins. The village had all kinds of booths to check out. We picked up my dad’s registration stuff and met another friend from Twitter, Mrs. Flanagan. I couldn’t believe it! I even saw my friend, Mr. Hesketh, who checked me in last year and gave me my first LIVESTRONG jersey! It was starting out to be such a great day! I have to admit I was a little overwhelmed! We had to hurry back to the hotel so we could catch the bus for our tour of the LIVESTRONG Headquarters. WOW...it was full of amazing art, it’s a green building with lots of recycled materials and I loved it! Next, we met Mister Cartoon (Mark Machado) he is a tattoo and graffiti artist and he painted a fantastic mural on the outside wall at headquarters. His work has been used by Nike, Toyota and others. We got to watch him sign his artwork and then he autographed our limited edition posters he designed for the Ride for the Roses participants! Now, it was time to rush back to the hotel and get ready for dinner. The only thing we knew was dinner would be outside and we needed to dress appropriately...really it meant mom shouldn’t wear high heel shoes...LOL!

OCC LIVESTRONG motorcycle-gas tank looks like a TT helmet!

Brad & me in front of Mister Cartoon's mural on the side of LS headquarters

Mister Cartoon & me

We boarded the bus and headed to dinner. I was having a great time with all my new friends and the weekend was just getting started. Chris Brewer, a Sr. Manager for LIVESTRONG, was the host of our bus. He said, “I think I can now tell you that we are headed to LANCE ARMSTRONG’S house for dinner!” I thought my eyes would pop out of my head! I was so shocked! Well, needless to say, it was AWESOME!! I met Chris Horner and Ben King (both are riders on Team Radioshack), my friend Annemieke from the Netherlands, Ryan O’Donoghue my bud at LIVESTRONG plus so many others and OF COURSE...LANCE ARMSTRONG! I just have to say I was shaking all over I was so nervous and excited! Mom took our picture and you can tell I was in shock! This is funny...all I could think to say to him was “you are my hero”! It was the most PERFECT night EVER!!!

Mom, me, Brad & Jennifer in front of Lance Armstrong's

Chris Brewer in LA's LR

LA's backyard

Mrs. Flanagans & me

Chris Horner & me

Ryan O'Donoghue, me & Amy with GOOGLE

Annemieke, Jennifer & mom

Me & LANCE ARMSTRONG

 Saturday morning we went on a fun Photo Op ride with Stephanie from Mellow Johnny’s. We saw some really neat areas of Austin, took pictures and learned a little about Austin history. We even saw some protesters! Saturday evening was the Appreciation Dinner and this one my whole family was able to attend. I was really glad to have my mom, dad and Grams with me! This dinner was held outside at LIVESTRONG Headquarters. OK...you won’t believe this...Doug Ulman, the CEO of LIVESTRONG, got up to talk. There were about 700 people at this event. Alright, so Mr. Ulman is up on the stage talking about LIVESTRONG and all the programs the money we raised would help fund. Then, he said “there’s one person I really want to recognize tonight...LUKE NEAFUS where are you?” I couldn’t believe it! All of these people were looking at me, he starts talking about my cycling and all my fundraising. He even said I was part of the future of LIVESTRONG! I was shaking all over AGAIN! WOW...I was totally shocked! It was another PERFECT night!

me & dad

 

family pic

 

Guess who?

Sunday was the ride and it started with a 4:30 am wake up call! This bus ride was pretty quite! We had breakfast, got our bikes and then got lined up to start the ride. Lance addressed the crowd of over 2300 cyclists. I was ready to get going...I felt charged! It was a very cool morning but as we rode the day became perfect. I rode 45 miles with my friends, Brad, Jennifer, Mike and Stephanie (the lady from Mellow Johnny’s). I challenged everyone to hill sprints all day long! I had so much fun! True joy! This was the longest ride I have ever done but I felt great at the end...I will go further next year for sure! My Grams was waiting at the finish line and it was the PERFECT way to end this journey!

 

My biggest honor of the whole trip was to ride with the names of many on my back! I rode strong for ALL OF them! I wanted to make them all PROUD! After the ride I posted their names on the LIVESTRONG Tribute Wall! I rode for the following: Poppy, Scott Raffe, Alex Teruki, Mrs. Myers, Janis, Alice, Jeff, Chad Kavanaugh, Andie Ersman, Christopher Parks, Susan Ringer, Ronnie Slawson, Granddad, Charlene Mattingly, Lonnie, Shorty Thurman, David Copeland, Don Cook, Ida Yeager, Grandma Pettit, John M and John Calhoun! I WILL NEVER FORGET the way these Angels, Warriors and Survivors gave me strength!

November is known as MOvember! This is when men start with a clean shaven face and grow a moustache throughout the month to raise awareness and start conversations about men specific cancers. Early detection is key! So, men let’s grow a MO and not be afraid to talk to our dad, our sons, friends and co-workers about prostate and other male cancers. Come on men the test can be as easy as getting some blood drawn and early detection is key! Let’s spread the word!

I hope you all have a safe and happy holiday season and next year...I think I’m going to try and raise $20,000! I’ve set a goal to HELP STOP CANCER! I hope I can count on you next year!


LIVESTRONG

YOU HAVE TO BE KIDDING...

I JUST KEEP READING IT AND STILL I DON'T BELIEVE IT!

Dear Luke,

Congratulations! You have hit the $10,000 fundraising mark, and we are thrilled to invite you to participate in the 2011 Ride for the Roses Weekend as a White Jersey member. We cannot thank you enough for all of your hard work and we look forward to celebrating your accomplishments.  

BLAH, BLAH, BLAH (a bunch of other cool stuff)

Again, we send our sincere thanks for your support of LIVESTRONG and the global fight against cancer. We are excited to welcome you to Austin and to celebrate your remarkable fundraising accomplishments.

We’ll see you in October!

SERIOUSLY!!

I STILL CAN'T BELIEVE IT!!

This email got me thinking about why they hand out Yellow Roses to all the survivors at the end of the LIVESTRONG Challenge Ride. What did the Yellow Rose mean? And, this is what I found:

"The bright, sunny color of yellow roses evokes a feeling of warmth and happiness. The warm feelings associated with the yellow rose are often akin to those shared with a true friend. As such, the yellow rose is an ideal symbol for joy and friendship."

So, it truly is the most appropriate flower to hand those who have survived cancer! I noticed last year that those who had survived truly had an instant connection with each other. They were true friends with stories to tell. They had a joy for life and valued friendships. They appreciated life differently than before and were happy to share their stories with you!

As I ride in this year's LIVESTRONG Challenge I will carry those roses with me (even if it's just a picture on my jersey). I will think of those who have beat this disease and still have stories to share but I will also think of those who were not as lucky. Those people (their families & friends) have stories to tell too. They also have a connection with each other in a different way. And, then, there are those who are still out there FIGHTING to survive the weeds of cancer and become a Yellow Rose! I will be riding for all of these people! I will be riding for the Roses, the Fighters and the Angels!

I can't wait till OCTOBER!!! It's going to be EPIC!

I LOVE YOU POPPY

AND I MISS YOU!

LIVESTRONG

Tribute Wall



Jim Pemberton (my Poppy)-Angel

Scott Raffe-Angel

Mrs. Myers-Rose

Alex TeRuki (coach's father)-Angel

Don Cook-Angel

Christopher Parks-Fighter

Chad Kavanaugh-Rose

Susan Ringer-Angel

Grandma Pettit-Angel

Ronnie Slawson-Angel

Andie Ersman-Rose

Ida Yeager-Angel

Janis-Rose
John M-Angel

Alice-Rose

Lonnie-Angel

Jeff-Rose

Granddad-Angel

Charlene Mattingly-Angel
Shorty Thurman-Angel
John Calhoun-Angel

Lance Armstrong-Rose

Doug Ulman-Rose

Chris Brewer-Rose

28 MILLION-ROSES & FIGHTERS

Races-End of the Year

I finished out my racing season with some good results.

My next to last race was the Team Exfuse 9-11 Circuit Race. The Jr's distance was 28 miles (2 laps) and was out at Lake Stanley Draper. The back part of this course is hilly and the roads are a bit rough but after the last climb is was fast and smooth. I climbed really strong but I still need work on my downhilling skills. I will work on this in the off season, for sure! I had a 2nd place finish. I made some mistakes but I will use these to help me become a better racer.

The last race of the season was the Bison Bicycle Classic Oklahoma State Road Race Championships. There was a larger field in this race and I was feeling really good. I was aiming for my teammate and I to both end up with podium finishes. We had about a 2 mile neutral zone and then the race took off. I stayed with my teammate, Dallas, for a few miles but then began to fade a bit. I had another kid trying to draft off me and I wasn't going to drag him to the finish line. So, I picked up my speed and dropped him. I loved this course and really rode my race. I had max speed of over 34 mph but set an average over 18! My coach and I were pleased with my numbers for this race! The best part is my teammate and I both took podium spots! Dallas took 1st and I took 3rd! I was really proud of my effort!

Luke 3rd, Dallas 1st, Austin 2nd

Teammates/buds wearing some hardware!

Overall, I've had a good year of racing. My results for 2011 are as follows: 16 races, 3-1st place, 3-2nd place, 2-3rd place, 3-4th place, 1-5th place, 1-9th place, 1-11th place, 1-15th place, 1-DNF (crash)

After the crash (didn't take pictures of the worst parts)
 but I did race the next day!

I'm already training for next year! I can't wait!

HAPPY RIDING!