Ride To Austin 2010 » ReneeZ

Lars’ Last Comments

ReneeZ — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 23:06:46 +0000

Hi. It’s Lars, the Towel Boy again (inside joke) having returned to Greenville earlier today. Big Joe, Joey, Jeff and I shared 20 hours worth of driving duties in bringing the bus, bikes and LOTS of luggage back from Austin. I never realized I could contort my body into a 2-wide bus seat in so many ways, all in search of 15-minute cat naps. Anyway, it was a great opportunity to reflect on events of the past week with Jeff (a friend from our college days), Big Joe and Joey. I think we were all in agreement that it was an amazing week. It was very different from last years ride and, in many respects, even better. Sure, there were challenges but, when you bring 40+ people together with a common purpose, challenges become opportunities for good things to happen. Again for the second year, the support and encouragement from friends, family and “fans” back home meant all the world to the P3C3 team. And once we got to Austin on Thursday, the energy and focus and purpose of the nearly 4,000 people in town for the LiveSTRONG Challenge energized us even more to continue our fight. To all those who participated in the 2009 P3 Challenge To Conquer Cancer, thank you for for making the past 9 days so memorable. The battle with cancer will continue in 2010 and beyond and I’m sure P3C3 will be leading the charge from Greenville.

LiveSTRONG!

Dennis

Riding Is Easier

ReneeZ — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 22:03:23 +0000

Lars, the Towel Boy here…logged on as Renee. This is my first chance to post ’cause it’s my first opportunity to gather my thoughts in front of a computer. Having been one of the riders last year, I knew what an awesome experience it was to spend so much time on one of those little bike seats with some amazing people. This year, I switched to the other side of the fence to participate as a support person, to help my wife Renee provide sports massage to the riders when they finished their legs of the journey. Well, let me be perfectly clear up front – I’ll take riding the bike any day! I have so much greater respect for the support staff for all the behind the scenes things they do to make this event so successful. From the van drivers and team “parents” (Sally, Dawn, Betsy, Loren, Jen, Anne, Jessica, Kim, Mike and Don) to the medics (Reuben and Keith), the mechanics (Arthur and Bob) and the massage therapist (yes, you dear), they work tirelessly to make sure the teams are where they need to be when they need to be there, line up places to stay, coordinate logistics with the other vehicles, find places to eat, etc., etc., etc. My heartfelt “THANKS” to all of you for all you do!! You’ve heard a lot from and about the riders themselves and I certainly don’t mean to slight what they endure – and the riding conditions this year were much more challenging than last year – but, guys, can I pleeeeze have a spot on one of the riding teams next year ’cause this support stuff is way too hard!!!

Dennis

Hi everyone! Just wanted to say one more thank you….

ReneeZ — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 01:27:00 +0000

Those medics David P., Reuben H., and Keith H., what troopers you were. You guys spent more time on your shifts than you were supposed to. Arthur (I don’t know your last name), our bike mechanic from Great Escape, I think stayed on the bus the whole time…..you are the bomb! Ric Shepard who was the bus mechanic, did not get to ride his bike much kept that “Special bus” moving. Especially when thoughts were that it decided to quit somewhere in Texas. Rick did the job and got that ole’ thing rolling again. Team drivers, you went far and above your limits, but you kept on going till the very end, you never stopped! Last but not least to Joey and Big Joe Sullivan for having the “in” to get the bus for our group to use. Support dedication in sticking with it till we arrived in Austin was “THE BOMB”. Thank you to the Hincapie clan for helping us out. You were instrumental in our ability to get to Texas!

LiveSTRONG RockON!!!

Renee’ Killian-Zeiger

Keith H. and I rode with Lance on Sunday……..or did we?!

ReneeZ — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 16:53:17 +0000

My last post and then back to the business of my clients at Greenville Therapeutic & Prenatal Massage in Greenville.

Hi Austin gang and all the followers who cheered us on as we made our way through to Austin.

First and foremost, I want to thank each rider whom I had the privilege to work on during the ride. Matt T. got some extra lube from my tears while in Bogalusa, LA during a visit from Punkin’. She was an incredible 72 year old lady who stood by the massage table telling her story and how excited and thankful she was that we were all doing our parts in this amazing adventure/journey! I had to keep wiping my face I was crying so much. Secondly, I can’t thank Team 3 enough (including Stacy C., Keith H, and Reuben H.) for rescuing me in my time of need on Wednesday night in Navasota. You guys rocked my world!! I had been awake for a long time at that point (I think only a few hours of cat napping at best since Saturday night 10/18/08) and then stayed awake for the rest of the night in the Team 3 van watching Ron J., Dennis Z., Beth R., Toby C., and Rene Mc., ride the 12:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. shift (I got to watch my man, Dennis!!). What an honour!!! I still get teary just thinking about it. We finally arrived in Austin after launching Team 4 with Ron Jerina and Rene McCurdy hanging with T4. Well, I don’t have to tell you the story there. Everyone has already written much about those two hanging on for more riding. I think I was awake for more than 36 hours and was exhausted, in Austin, I kept bursting into tears and finally took a 2 1/2 hr. nap Thurs. afternoon. The journey was not over with yet. Sunday………….now that was a day to always remember. I chose to ride the 45 miler and was rocking and rolling along, minding my own business, when passing a rider (there were hundreds everywhere) and I heard…….pppppssssstttttt………I looked over and it was Keith Houston (one of our three medics), riding all by his lonesome. He said that he was alone, a slow guy per his words, and I said, “No worries”, I will ride with you. Little did I know at that point, that 15 miles was his longest distance. Did I forget to mention that Keith is a brain cancer, testicular cancer survivor!? I told him I would pull him in the rest of the way. He pulled me too! Keith and I had a blast!! We were rocking and rolling! I do not know at what point, but we heard what we thought was an ambulance so we got over to the right side of the road. Well, low and behold, it was Lance and his entourage!!! Keith and I were minding our own business when Lance, Taylor Phinney, a few hangers on, a personal State Trooper escort, and 2-3 motorcycle medics finally caught up with us!!!! Lance rode with us…………..about the distance of a gnat’s eye lash. Taylor Phinney was pulling Lance and that little (and I do mean little) group blew past us like we were not even rolling. If you have never had Lance PASS you, well, I can’t even explain it. When you see Lance riding with the peloton in the Grand tours, all the others are chasing and are hanging on somewhat, but this was something you had to truly witness yourself. He even stood up after passing us and DANCED ON THOSE PEDALS!! Huh! I was even close enough to Lance to see the sweat dripping off the end of his nose!!!! So at this point, whatever Lance left on the road out there somewhere around the hill country out from Dripping Springs, TX, Keith H. and I picked up and took off. We starting turning and burning and for about the next 4+ miles, we were cruising along at better than 24 mph. A number of riders were complaining about the “hills” on the 45 miler. These were not even as steep as some of the north Greenville county roads we ride on around here. So no worries here. That was exciting to say the least! Now I know there are a number of people in Greenville who have had an opportunity to ride with the “Lance man” when he has been here, but this……………………you just have no idea how fast that man really is. I finished ahead of Keith H. and when he got to the bus, he was cryin’ like a baby. That was the longest distance Keith had ever ridden. He was just INCREDIBLE!!! I am SSSSSSOOOOOOOOOOO proud of you and your new PR. You ROCK, Keith Houston!! Dennis and I also got to meet and talk for a while with Kevin Livingston (former pro cyclist) at Mellow Johnny’s Bike Shop (Lance’s bike shop on Nueces in Austin). Cool place! Kevin L. was a most gracious and great and kind guy. DZ and I hung out for a while (the place was rocking) and I could have stayed longer! Wanted to go back Sunday, just did not have time. Do I want to do this again next year. Well, here is my dilemma. Do I take care of the group with massage OR do I ride!? Well, I can’t tell you just yet, you will have to wait and see. I will have to figure out how to help all you folks if I ride. Stay tuned for my decision.

Last but not least, this is probably one of the MOST memorable experiences of my life. To have been a part of the initial group to make this trek was just……well I can’t even come up with a word to describe how truly fantastic it was. Some last comments to some folks on the trip. Susannah…..uh oh, I think I am about to start crying again! For all your words of tenderness, kindness, love and hugs on Thursday in Austin, I love you! Laurens for your hugs on Thursday as well. Lisa B. and Kevin D. for being there for me on Thursday as well. For my husband, who truly knew how much of my heart and soul I left along the way to help all of you because it was just the thing to do. IT WAS AND HONOUR AND PRIVILEGE!! Again for Team 3’s help, you were amazing. For Ed, your comment about being the “Unsung hero”. We all did this because………..well it was just the thing to do. For my dad, who passed 14 years ago. For Jonathan Pait for your beautiful tribute to this “Whole thing”! I did not mention everyone, but you ALL counted just as much as the next. You all have become so near to my heart.

Last but truly not least, Ron Jerina for your vision, (and Jennifer Jerina for being the woman behind the man) for all of the people who donated to Dennis and myself in the name of trying to wipe out this senseless dis-ease from our lives. God bless you and thank you!

Dennis and I hope to see you soon!

Renee’ Killian-Zeiger

I Think I’m in Austin Toto?……….

ReneeZ — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 01:53:23 +0000

Well, the time has come that I think I am coherent enough to write. So here goes. If I start to ramble and babble, I have been doing that for 6 days now so please forgive. I am still missing so many hours of sleep that I am a little loopy. Massage therapy is something that I did not start till…..uh…..middle age. I would never have thought I would be interested in working on a persons feet, gams or gluts, but I have such a passion for helping through massage therapy (especially sports massage) that I surprised myself at how much and how long I was able to keep going on this amazing project. I haven’t actually sat down to figure it out, but I think I hit the majority of team transitions and did sports massage. I wish I could have hit all the transitions. For me this Ride to Austin in a mommermobile (mini van) has been interesting to say the least, but we (Janet; cancer survivor, Donna; volunteer, and the occasional medic: Reuben or Keith) rock and rolled and at times seemed as if we may go postal on each other. But somehow, we all wound up in Austin, no thanks to Keith’s stupid GPS!!!! (Sorry Keith, you know I love you my friend) I now know why I just don’t care to go any place I can’t figure out by map. That GPS took us down backroads and places that (I am not joking ), can NOT exist on the planet. One night while attempting to locate a transition point (I do not even know what day or which team at this point, and maybe I really did not even know then) with Janet driving and per GPS coordinates, we found ourselves on some road, and I say that loosely, that was actually restricted! NO LIE……Janet saw the sign! Have you ever seen the bumper sticker that sez, Paddle faster, I hear banjo music…..well I think that it applies here, just not with water craft but with the mommermobil. Pitch black, there were lights in the crop fields. Maybe a close encounter was about to happen…..maybe it was Area 51, I don’t know but the three of us, Janet (driver at this time), Donna, and I were getting a little more than concerned, Keith doesn’t even count at this point because it was his GPS that got us there. All he kept saying was, ”keep going”. We did see blow up Halloween paraphernalia, Mr. Pumpkinhead and Casper the friendly ghost, along the way. I don’t even know how we got back on track. Anyway, that poor ole’ massage table saw some interesting places to be set up for sports massage like Waffle House parking lots at 7:00 a.m., abandoned gas stations….get the point?! I do not think that I have EVER been so stinking tired in my life. I really do not even think that I ever got any sleep, just tiny little cat naps and I have never been so honoured to do my part in this thing called the “Challenge to Conquer Cancer”. I worked on some dirty, stinky, sore, cranky cyclists, but I can tell you that when they got off my table, they were smiling. I have seen some massage hogs in my time, but this was ridiculous. Those boys and girls just kept on saying, “Can you work on my hamstring…..my butt hurts, can you help my shoulder, what do you think is up with that pain in my quad…..Ouch! That hurts……my lower back is killing me……What can you do about this pain in my neck………what is going on there! Oh, the list just goes on and on, but I have had a blast working on you kids. I even have had two massage virgins on my table during this trip. Okay, don’t get the wrong idea, that just means that those people have NEVER had massage. Thanks Rob D. and Crystal M. for trusting me with your owees, (is that a word in the dictionary?). Even Donna (volunteer), and Janet (cancer survivor) got in on the act of learning massage so that we triple teamed some of the cyclists. Those cyclists were in heaven. Some of the boys and girls just did not want to get off the table. Jonathan Pait and Matt Tebbetts (Team 1), you guys are true massage hogs to the max. Ed Hernando (Team 2) actually fell asleep on my table in Florida somewhere in front of a Beef O’ Brady’s on a very busy street. Talk about tired! John Harris was still having issues with his tissues even last night. The sore, tight, and general achy-all-over list is still growing. I seem to be still on duty, of my own choosing though. I just can’t walk by some of the kids without asking them if they need some work.

Well, there is still much to write, however, I have to be careful, because every time I get still, I start fading. I actually went back to edit and finish this blog and just nodded off..no lie! Tomorrow morning is the 5K and I am helping with a wonderful person that Dennis and I met this afternoon, Kim Crane. Kim is an incredible cancer survivor that met up with Ron Jerina last year. Ron is going to push her in her wheelchair in the 5K and a number of people have offered to help. I volunteered to help as well and am excited to be able to to do so. It is early to be going to bed at 8:35 p.m. but I can’t seem to keep my eyes open and my typing is getting slower so I am going to call it a night. Got to get up early in the morning. To the Zeiger family and friends who have sent us good wishes, keep em’ coming. By the way…………………can anyone recommend a good massage therapist, I am in need of some hamstring work. It started cramping this morning on our ride in to Austin.

LiveSTRONG, ROCKon

Renee’ K-Z

p.s. I love all my new massage hogs……23 was the last count I think!!!!

What all this means…….

ReneeZ — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 01:30:37 +0000

Well, as a Support crew member for the Teams, why I am participating. I am Renee’ Killian-Zeiger, massage therapist for the “gang”, Dennis my husband is on TEAM 3 (a.k.a. Where’s Dennis?) and I do this for many reasons. I guess the largest reason..I lost my father to cancer 14 years ago. James D. Killian was only 61 years old and left behind a wife (Mom) of 39 years of marriage, Son #1 age 34, Daughter age 33, and Son #2 age 28, 2 grandsons, Josh age 11 and Chris age 8 and a new granddaughter, Cassie 8 weeks old in 1994. It was a fast and painful process, his passing, 6 1/2 weeks after diagnosis. I had never seen my father afraid. I did then. I was alone with him in the hospital the night before he passed. The cancer was so bad, he was yelling out in pain even though he was unconscious. I do this for Dennis’s mom who passed away 2 years ago Dec. 21st. I do this because I have seen how fast cancer can take someone down and how long it can linger in some people. I do this because I love helping try to defeat something that is vicious and stinky and pathetic and destroys the lives of people without reason to do so. I do this because I cry when I see a small child, bald from chemo. I do this because it makes me put my own life into perspective and makes me realize how blessed I am and how insignificant most things we get stressed about in life really are. I am sure I will cry my eyes out in Austin and I will run fast and ride hard when we get there. No matter how tired we ( riders and support crew) get along the way, I want to remember every minute and focus on the “WHY”. Why…..because we all have posted our reasons….people we love, people we know were taken too soon. So I want to somehow make a small difference, leave some type of small footprint so that maybe the people who will be struggling with this disease might come out the other side with more dignity, less pain, and in a shorter timeframe with a big smile saying,,,,”I beat this stinking #@#$&%^%#& and NOW I will live the rest of my life with grace. That is why I am Renee’ KILLIAN-Zeiger….to honour my father who was taken from me entirely too soon.

As others have said, I look forward to sharing this time in my life with you, we all have the same goals in mind, just to help in any way we can. Remember….we could learn a lot from crayons…some are sharp, some are pretty, and some are dull, “some have weird names,” and all are different colors, but they all have to live in the same box. So as we (The Palmetto Peloton Project) are on this journey, let’s make this box a blast and kick some cancer butt!!

Godspeed,

Renee’ KILLIAN-Zeiger