LiveSTRONG Challenge – Austin, TX 2008

[tasr]

Register here http://www.livestrongchallenge.org/

Good luck to all in Austin, TX. :)

[beeballman]

I am registered! Livestrong.

https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=262612&supid=77552504

[Cereal_Killer]

I'm getting ready to register right now. See you all there!

[HigherGround]

Come on people, Philly already has at least 7 Bike Forums members registered! Philly is kicking your butts! Are you gonna let us do that to you??? :eek: :p

[barryflht]

What is the route for the Austin 100 like? /// Hilly ?? .. Flat ?? ... Scenic ??? I'm interested in possibly flying out to do that one.....

Thanks for the info

[z_hammer]

About 5500 feet of total elevation gain. Here is a link to someone's montionbase.com map of the 2007 route. http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/4222848

I haven't seen anything for sure if 2008 is going to be the same route, but I am fairly certain there will not be significant changes.

[cuda2k]

Do we not have a BikeForums team setup?? Really tempted to head down to Austin!

[beeballman]

As for the route in Austin this year, from all that I have been hearing is that it is going to be the same as last years route or very close to it. It was pretty Hilly, heard allot of people saying that it was much tougher than previous years. The new Livestrong Challenge site is supposed to be up in March. Looking forward to another great ride.

[barryflht]

If it starts and finishes in the same place as last year, what is the Host Hotel for the event.....Is it close to Austin proper, or out of town aways......?

[johnnyburst79]

I'll sign up for it! 90 in one day sounds like a great way to get some wind in my hair! :D

[beeballman]

The Host hotel was the Embassy Suites Hotel 300 South Congress Ave. in Austin. Its about a 30 minute drive to the start/finish line in Dripping Springs. The Start/Finish was at the Dripping Springs High school. They parked in a field there and then it was about .8 mile to the starting area. The hotel was great, allot of cyclists stayed there.

[TexasRider]

I would appreciate any donations to support my Live Strong Challenge ride in Austin. My mother passed away two months ago from cancer. I will be riding in her memory. This will be my first charity ride. I would also be interested in hearing from anyone who has done this ride before.

Thanks

[Beverly]

I would appreciate any donations to support my Live Strong Challenge ride in Austin. My mother passed away two months ago from cancer. I will be riding in her memory. This will be my first charity ride. I would also be interested in hearing from anyone who has done this ride before.

Thanks

Sorry to hear about your mother. I lost mine to cancer several years ago.

I've never done the Austin ride but I have done the Philadelpia Livestrong Challenge the past two years. It was well organized and I loved it. There's a reason they put "Challenge" in the event name:) If the Austin ride is anything like the Philly ride you'll be climbing every hill in the area. Train, train, train but have fun.

[beeballman]

Sorry to hear about your loss. I lost both my parents to Cancer. I did the Austin ride last year and I am doing it again this year too. Its my way to help the LAF. The ride was the best ride I have ever taken part in. The people at the LAF are wonderfull, and the ride is very well supported. You can find the course from last year if you go to mapmyride.com and search Austin Livestrong. It was a pretty hilly course starting and ending in Dripping Springs. Train hard and good luck with your ride and fund raising. I am the team captain for the LBV cyclists doing the Austin ride this year. Our team goal is 15K. Hope to see you out there.

[tasr]

So how is Austin doing?

[311miles]

After my first trip to Austin this weekend, I'm thinking of signing up for the 65 mile Livestrong challenge. I don't get to ride any hills in FL so I have a feeling 65 will be a great challenge for me.

Can anyone recommend a solid shop to rent a bike from? I'm not sure about renting vs. bringing my bike (it is a double). I think I may come out a few days early and ride some of the hills around Steiner Ranch where I'd be staying so I'd have some time to adjust to a rental.

Any advice would be great.

[CardiacKid]

Try the Bicycle Sport Shop. They do fill up their reservations fairly early. http://bicyclesportshop.com/page.cfm?pageID=174
What size bike are you looking for?

[beeballman]

I just checked into renting a bike at that shop, they only have like 4 left 49,49,52, and a 60cm frames. Looks like I'm shipping mine there for the ride. I was considering renting one.

As for the Hills, yes the Austin route did have plenty of hills last year. I live near Clermont Florida and Sugarloaf did little to prep me for the Hills in Texas. Great ride! Can't say enough good things about it.

[Grasschopper]

I have been signed up for months and will be riding with my boss/mother's husband. We have been doing the Ride for the Roses/Livestrong ride in Austin for several years now.

When someone buys you a jersey the day before the ride you wear it no matter how much of a dork you feel like:
http://mysite.verizon.net/vzeej440/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/ken_john_rftr.jpg

Feeling a bit more comfortable in 06:
http://mysite.verizon.net/vzeej440/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/Livestrong_2006.jpg

Still need to upload my 2007 photo...hmm maybe I still need to buy my 07 photos. LOL

And look out for Grasschopper in 08...I am already 20 lbs lighter than that last photo and working for 10-20 more by Oct. :D

[pdmech73]

I have been lurking on this site for the past 2 weeks. I signed up for the LiveStrong Austin Challenge 2 weeks ago and picked up my first road bike yesterday. The 45 mile ride will be my first event ever, and I look forward to accomplishing it. See ya' there!

-Paul :-)

[PhotoKat]

I've signed up for the 65 mile Austin ride in honor of one of my students, a 15 yr. old girl who was diagnosed with AML just this summer (June 2008). I've been training hard and although I am very excited about this ride, I am VERY nervous about the route since I live in deep south Texas - the biggest hill we have here is the 2nd Street overpass! I've been riding in very windy conditions to try and compensate but there just aren't many hills around here. What should I do? I'm currently training on a VERY OLD and HEAVY Trek Antelope 800 mountain bike with slicks rather than knobbies and will have a new 2008 Specialized Rockhopper by the end of the month - will probably modify those tires as well since I'm more comfy on a trail bike than a road bike.

I'm following a progam I found online for riding a century, figuring if I can do that I can do 65 miles...but now summer's over and school starts next week (I'm a very busy music teacher :innocent:) so my training schedule will have to be modified. I've been riding 6 days a week but will probably have to make it 5 now. I've also been doing strength training 4 days a week to help build upper body strength. If anyone's got any advice on how I can be successful at this ride, I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks!

Kat

BTW - I'm a 41 yr. old female in good health, if that makes any difference.

[Road Bike Guy]

My wife and I are registered and will be riding in Austin with 12-15 others from our area. I will be doing the 90 mile ride and my wife will do either the 30-45-or 65 depending how she feels that day. We are really looking forward to it and will be spending a couple of days on either end seeing the sights in San Antonio and Austin.

[lwla]

How many rides will enter the shorter rides Vs the 90 mile rides?