I know, I know...no race report yet!

Well, its been a long while since my last post... and I know I promised a race report, but I have such a hard time getting stuff (feelings, emotions, pain, etc) down on paper, or on a computer in this case. But, it will eventually be posted!

On a side note, all of my boyandhisbike posts now are gonna be focused on speed... my quest for it... tips to help others get it... equipment reviews... and all that other fun stuff that I fill my days and dreams with!

Anyway, I'm back...

With the right people by your side, anything is possible!

Hello again everyone... I'm back... and semi-functional (can't walk, sit, think, or type very well :-)

Thank you all again for following my progress through the Heart of the South 500 and for all of your notes of encouragement sent through my crew... they really did keep me going. I just wanted to get a quick post out here to thank everyone and I will be posting a full race report on here in a few days (and it will be a long one)!

Anyway, I cannot fully recollect how many times throughout the race that I wanted to:

1. Stop, curl up in a ball and sleep
2. Be warm and dry
3. Stop going friggin' UP
4. Just flat out quit!

But, I kept thinking about all the effort and time that everyone was putting forth for me. Geno and Mick taking off work, driving to AL, sleep deprivation, navigation, exhaustion... among gobs of other hardships. Heather and Meredith here in B-N, keeping in contact with us and updating the blog...and certainly not sleeping much either. And of course, all of you, my friends and family, that wanted to help me see this through. So, yeah, I had a lot of bad thoughts out there on my bike, and there was certainly new levels of tiredness and exhaustion, and OMG... the pain... I never thought moving my legs around the circle of a pedal stroke or sitting down on my saddle would make me want to cry and scream... I was WRONG!

Yet, like some sort of miracle, every time those thoughts or the pain set in, a thought or a memory would pop into my head about one of you... what you might say if you were there next to me... Or, knowing that despite what I was thinking, that you would believe that I would pull through and see this thing through to the end! I think my dad put it best in an email that he sent to me post-race: "Remember that there were a lot of people on that bike with you and trying to help you as much as they could". And he is right, all of you were out there with me, and this was certainly not the accomplishment of one, but of many. As truly believe that I would have stopped in the first 200 miles were it not for all of you.

In short, I can't find the right words, as 'thank you' doesn't seem to suffice, but just know that even though I only had contact with a few of you during the race, my memories of the race include all of you.

This certainly have been an interesting adventure (not one that I am currently antsy to jump at again)... but does go to show that with the right people by your side, anything is possible!

~Andy

Retract!

Just got a call back from Andy! His official finish time is 10:04 am!!!! How crazy precise is that? 38 hours on the dot!

The plan at the moment is to pack up the car get it semi ready to come home. Head back to hotel. Shower and take a nap.

Andy said they would be ready to receive congratulatory phone calls by 5:30 / 6:00 pm.

Andy also said they are thinking after dinner tonight, they might actually want to get on the road to head home. They may change their minds, but hey what is another 9.5 / 10 hours, right?

He FINISHED! 10:06 (unofficial by: Heather)

I got a phone call from Andy's friend Brian Simonds right at 10:00 am so I figured I would let it go to voicemail, just in case Mick called while we were talking. Good idea, right? No. While Brian was leaving a voicemail, Mick called. It went directly to voicemail too! Listened to Brian's message, and then realized I had ANOTHER voicemail. Frick! Listened to the second voicemail (left at 10:06 am) it was Mick, "Heather...where are you? Your husband wants to tell you he is a RAAM qualifier!!! Call us." Double Frick!

I called Mick right back and got to talk to Andy real quick. The conversation when like this..."Hey Babe." "Hi, how are you feeling?" "Really tired, whooped, beat, hung out to dry." "I am so proud of you!" "Thanks. Hey Babe? Can I call you back? They want to take pictures." "No problem. Call me when you can."

I am so happy and proud I don't know what else to say. I am sure you all are feeling the same. Thanks for reading and watching his progress.

If you have Mick and Phil's phone number, let's try to hold off on inundating them with calls right now. Not sure if they need a power nap or what. If/when Andy calls me back, I'll ask when they think they will be ready for Congratulations phone calls.

Update #14 OMG! Almost done (by: Heather)

Time: 8:00 am (36 hour update)
Mile marker: 488

The excitement is buzzing. Andy is still doing really well on the tri-bike. The sun is up and the miles are coming off. Mick said, "I can't believe it is almost over. When we had a century left I thought that would take forever, but here we are." They must be experiencing some sort of time vacuum. Or 517 miles seems more manageable on the "other side of 517." Not sure.

I can't wait to hear Andy's experience. I am really looking forward to seeing all of them.

Mick is going to call me when Andy finishes. Not sure what the plans are for immediately following the race. My guess, would be...

1. Sit down
2. Eat warm food
3. Drink something warm
4. Shower
5. Put on real clothes
6. Awards ceremony
7. I am sure sleep will fit in there some place. I don't know how Andy will feel. I have never stayed up for almost 44 hours.

They are planning on Staying in Birmingham, AL tonight and driving home tomorrow. I am sure Mick and Geno are thrilled they have more driving ahead of themselves. If I know Andy, he will try something like "I'll take the first shift." ;-)

Update #13 Talladega Mornings (by: Heather)

Time: ~ 6:15 am
Mile marker: 463.1 (mile marker #6)
Location: Going into Talladega on Rt. 385 state highway. Leaving Talladega Rt. 203

They switched bikes. The rear break on the Abici was rubbing (due to all the rain) so the trusty ole tri-bike came out to play. Andy has ridden the entire course, except for the first 10 miles and the last 50 miles, on the Abici.

Andy + Lucero + "flats" = 20 mile an hour! (At least that is what the car spedometer was reading when I was talking to Mick.

I also got a "disclaimer" if you will, about the 2 person team that passed Andy. Geno was put on the phone because Mick refuses to pass along good news about fixed gear bikes. Geno says, "Some day I will get a fixed gear for this very reason! Wink and a smile." You guessed it! The 2 person team that passed Andy, and started 4 hours behind Andy, were riding FIXIES!!! The horror! The horror! Geno said they were fast, really fast. They also had this super spiffy black SUV behind them with REALLY fancy GPS. The driver of the SUV was calling out directions like,"You can take this corner really fast there is nothing up ahead to slow you down." These fixie riders are like all the rest...no need for a brain. Just push.(just kidding Geno ;-) As the phone was passed back to Mick I could hear Geno in the background yelling "Cause they kick ASS!" At that point Mick stated, "Phil has not taken his meds." LMAO.

We were talking a little more about pacing and when they expected to finish. Really, now that the sun is coming up (currently 6:27 am), Andy is on a different bike, and there are no more mountains...they are really not sure.

The past 450 miles were hellacious. Mick says, "It makes Ironman Wisconsin's course look like a kiddie course." Geno agreed and said, "It makes IMMOO look like a flat billiard table." Holy jeese!

They are doing it! I am getting so excited. :)))))))))))))))))

Update #12 The "flat lands" (by: Heather)

Time: 5:19 am
Mile marker: 455
Location: 10 miles East of Talladega (check point #6) I was a little wrong in my last post. They had not gotten to check point 6 yet.

Direct quote from Mick, "Andy seems to be more comfortable on the flats now." I really think the "flats" in Alabama are NOTHING compared to here in Illinois. I wonder when Andy gets the feeling and strength back into his legs, if he is going to be pleasantly suprised to ride at home? I suspect these mountains will creep into his mind during the flats in Ironman Florida this November. I bet this ride will be unforgettable. Nuff said.

Mick mentioned a 2 person team recently passed them. He said they were really moving. I could sense a little envy in his voice, but I also know he is right where he wants to be... supporting Andy. It is so good to hear how proud Mick and Geno are of him. Andy picked a perfect support crew. It has been a joy to talk to them. They are amazing. Seriously, everytime I call they seem more awake and alert than I do! (Maybe except for the first morning at 5:50 am ;-))

I also think they are STARVING for some sun. They are really looking forward to the sunrise. Since yesterday morning was so dreary, they really couldn't notice when the sunrise actually occured. I looked on the online Old Farmer's Almanac and it says "6:25 am." I think Mick was a little disappointed to hear that. But the good news is it will be sunny!

...then the phone cut out. >:-[ Damn cell phone connection.

Update #11 Up, Up, Up he goes! (by: Heather)

Ok, it is 2:24 am on 5/6/2008. I have 2 posts in one...

First post:

12:16 am - mile 408 - driving on Rt. 9, 1 mile South of White Planes, AL

Second post:

2:02 am - mile 427 - Hwy. 281 Junction with county Hwy. 24 - Still a few miles from starting to climb Mt. Cheaha.

Weather--Because of the altitude, it is really foggy. It is really hard to see a couple feet of front of your face. They are a little worried about when Andy gets to the downhills. Hopefully, when the decent starts they will come down in elevation enough for the fog to lift. The temperature is a steady 55* in the mountains. Looks like the temperature is going to stay right around 55* until Andy finishes (and no more rain :)).

Conversations with pit crew...

I asked if they have seen any wild life. Geno has seen a fox and some bunny rabbits. Awe...how cute. He also mentioned the first night at 2:39 am a deer ran across the road about 10 yards in front of Andy. Pretty exciting stuff. I bet that got his heart pumping. I also asked about the dog situation. How bad has it really been and if any dogs have gotten close to Andy? Mick simply stated, "We don't let them get close to him." I was like, "What do you mean?" Well, Meredith's description of the frogger game was pretty spot on. They really do "run those bastards down." I am a huge animal lover, but seriously I am SO glad those guys are "running interference" for my man. Gotta love a sleep deprived crew ready to protect their rider!

Mick also wanted to mention to the blog readers, when they get home there will be pictures to post. Not too sure of the quality because they have been moving non-stop since the start, but nonetheless there will be photographic documentation of this epic journey. Yeah photos!

Not sure what check point they are at now...I am guessing maybe 6? Mick mentioned 2 check points ago (check point 4) Team Sweet discovered the guy behind Andy is 1 hour behind Andy. The crew is pretty confident this is a substantial lead, especially in this type of terrain.

And again I asked about Andy's mental state. The crew says he is in really good spirits and he keeps plugging along. It sort of reminds me of the Tour riders in the movie "The Triplets of Belville." Great movie. If you haven't seen it, I would highly recommend the rental. Plus it is a cartoon. Gotta love cartoons, right?

Later taters. I will leave you with this thought for now...they are getting closer and closer to their goal (under 90 miles to go!)

Update #10 Mick's first text message... (by: Heather)

I think I just received the first text message Mick has ever sent. I feel so honored.

11:55 PM they are on Red Road 55 in Alabama...

...going back to nap.

Update #9 Lions and Tigers and Bears-Oh my! (by: Heather)

No worries, they haven't seen anything like lions, tigers, or bears. I do wonder if they have seen any wild life. Something to ask our sleep deprived, bored, and hotel hungry crew next time. =)

They are in the thick of the Talladega National Forrest (in Alabama). It is pitch black. Thank goodness for the awesome lights Andy has on his helmet and bike! Also, the road quality is less than to be desired. I could hear Andy in the background saying, "The poor road quality has to do with the roads going STRAIGHT up." I guess they just can't escape those darn mountains. Then the phone cut out. FYI-rural Alabama doesn't have the best cell phone connection. Just in case you are planning a visit soon.

When I called Mick at 10:28 pm they were stopped for a break. Andy was getting some food and taking a short rest. They were at mile marker 390. I asked if they were going to do a little dance when they hit 400 and Mick said, "I will do a dance when we hit mile 516." I get it, he wants to save his booty shakin' for just the right moment. "Shake your a**, sho me what you workin' with! Shake your a**, sho me what you workin' with!" Alrighty then. Eye on the prize. Eye on the prize.

Not sure if you all know this, but the Heart of the South 500 mile bike race is actually 517 miles long! There was some serious road construction and they had to lengthen the course for safety reasons. Isn't that a kicker? Not only has it been raining on our beloved team for what seems like an eternity, but they have to go longer than anticipated. (They did know this before heading down to Birmingham this week).

Weather update: Blasted! Bugger! Frick! It is "misting" on them. I didn't get a chance to ask anymore about the weather. We changed subjects VERY quickly so as to not test karma. Must be mountain mist; because I just checked weather.com and the radar is clear clear clear. Is there such a thing as "mountain mist?" If not, it is something now. You know why? Because I said so-that's why. No more rain I said.

I am off to take a short nap.

Update #8 It's dry!!!! (by: Heather)

Good news ya'll!

The rain has finally stopped. Andy has changed clothes and he is dry! I rode a century in the rain--once. I was so happy to be dry after 6 hours. I can't imagine how ecstatic Andy is to be dry after 24 hours!

I got an update from Mick at 8:04 pm. The 24 hour update: Andy is at mile 359.2. They are just outside of Talladega National Forrest on Georgia Highway Rt. 100 in Cave Spring, GA.

From the sounds of it, when they get into the forrest at mile 378 (approximately) they might have trouble with cell phone reception. I might not get another update for nearly 6 hours. Bummer :( But things are going really well so far and one can only hope things keep going in a positive direction.

I did get a chance to talk to Andy when Mick called. He was in much better spirits than when I spoke with him this afternoon. He was saying his knees were aching a little bit so he took some Aleve. He has also adjusted his saddle a little in hopes getting in a different position would alleviate the discomfort.

The crew seems to be in a positive mood as well. More awake tonight than they were this morning. Caffeine is a miracle worker!!

Well, I am signing off for now. Hope to have another post in a couple of hours. Take care and THANKS for reading and thinking about our "boy."

Update #7 Good News (by: Heather)

I have a couple new pieces of information...

First, Andy is doing really well. There are only 2 guys ahead of him. One is a guy on a recumbant and the other is another soloist upright. The guy on the recumbant is 3 hours ahead of Andy and the other solo upright is only an hour ahead of Andy.

Second, the upright soloist has already qualified for RAAM (Race Across America) and the recumbant is not in Andy's "category." So by power of deduction...Andy currently is in position to qualify for RAAM. :)))

All of this information is official. The HOS race officials were the ones that told Mick and Geno about who exactly was in front of Andy. And they just went though the fourth check point and found out how far ahead the other two riders were.

Fourth check point: Mile 304 at 4:22 pm

So far so good on the rain situation. The crew is not discussing how it is not raining at this point. They are worried they are going to jinx themselves if they say anything about the weather.

I am signing off for now. I should have another post in a couple of hours.

Update #6 He speaks! (by: Heather)

Elaine (Andy's mom) called Mick at about 1:30 pm today and they were taking a break at a gas station. Mick said, "Hold on, you may get to be one of the few people that gets to speak to him." Mick passed the phone to Andy and Elaine passed the phone to me, and I got to hear how he was doing "from the horse's mouth." He sounds tired, but that is to be expected. I asked him if he knew where he was on the course he said mile 235... he was really closer to mile 260. I told him people are watching his progress and checking the blog page. He seemed really happy to hear that.

I called back a little later to update Mick and Geno about the weather. Right now (2:02 pm / mile 265) it is still raining in Ellijay, GA. It looks like the rain will go bye-bye before 6 pm. According to weather.com, this evening is going to be partly cloudy with NO RAIN!!!! Sounds like that is exactly what the doctor ordered. Team Sweet is getting really sick of the dreary rain.

If any of you have wishes or thoughts to pass along, please post a comment and I will pass it along to the crew. Mick and Geno are asking for people to send some comments/thoughts to Andy. I think they may be getting into the situation we all do as spectators...there is only so much to say to someone to keep them motivated. New ideas and phrases are always welcome.

That's all for now Team Sweet fans...I am planning on getting an update by 4:30/5:00 pm.

Update #5 (By: Meredith)

Sure are quite a few updates here, aren't there? Well I do believe they are necessary; Andy's covering a HECK of a lot of ground between updates!

Some of you might be interested in knowing the following:

Scenery:
*Andy is currently cruising on State Rd 52 with pleasant weather. The red bud trees are blooming, everything is green, and there isn't a flat road in sight! Andy's strong, so he'll be fine though! When I was on the phone with Phil earlier, he laughed because they just passed a sign that said "7.3 mile climb ahead". HA! Go get 'em Andy!!
*The pavement finally got dry after all that rain. And you know Andy's not going to 'rewet' the pavement with tinkle (Phil says Andy isn't peeing a whole lot because he's sweating so much, delicious!)

That brings us on to our next point: Food!
*Andy desires something other than carbs right now. Sure, carbs are wonderful, but not after you consume them for 16 hours. So now he's focusing on powerbars, perhaps a bagel, and his fantastic Infinit.

Food goes in and...what comes out??? (answer found below)
*Direct quote from Phil: "HOLY SHIT! ANDY JUST TURNED WHITE! YOU SHOULD SEE THIS MOUNTAIN AHEAD OF US!!! YOU CAN'T SEE THE TOP! THE TOP IS COVERED WITH CLOUDS! THE MOUNTAIN IS IN THE SKY! And what's this??? What is that brown stuff coming from Andy's back? ANDY JUST SHIT HIMSELF AT THE SIGHT OF THE MOUNTAIN!"

On to a classier note: Ra Ra Cheer Cheer Spirit!
*Random people will honk, cheer, and shout words of encouragement to Andy along the ride. One guy even sported a bike jersey and ran along side Andy (for quite a while, too). But those Georia Drivers are CRAZY (aka not biker friendly). What's worse than mean drivers? Mean dogs. There have been many dogs along the road that are barking and chasing Andy. No worries, Mick is behind the wheel now and ready to run those bastards down if they even THINK about touching a precious hair on Andy's body. (I pictured the game Frogger with dogs as the frog trying to cross the street and tons of white Minivans trying to barrel over them. Great visual!)

Other than that, Andy is doing very well. He's keeping a constant speed between 15-16 mph. The van has not had to refuel yet. Andy took a 30 minute break off the bike at one point, so he got some time to recoop.

If you're keeping track of Andy on his ride, he is currently on State Rd 52 by Chatsworth. This is in/near Fort Mountain State Park.

Fort Mountain:
This climb continues to be on the Tour de Georgia, one of two hill stages in this great professional race. It is about a seven miles of climbing 2600 feet. Most everyone will do this in the morning so there are some great views looking down the valley; enjoy the downhill!

Then they will get to Ellijay (pronounced L-J)

Ellijay:

After this climb, a long decent to Ellijay and then a right hand turn onto route 382 on the way back to Resaca, Georgia. This section is hilly, not a great deal of climbing, but hilly.

If you want to follow along the race course, go to http://www.heartofthesouth500.com/route.htm

That's it for now. I'm currently at work..not working. Probably should do something about that.

("I can't tell you where I'm staying... all I can tell you is that there are two trees involved...")

Stay tuned...

Update #4- DAYLIGHT!

9:55 am, 215 miles into the race, 13:55 hours into the race... total mph average: 15.44!!! Whoo-Hoo.

Just spoke with Geno. The weather forecast for the South this weekend is bleak. RAIN. RAIN. RAIN. It is pretty cool for them-59* I wish we could swap weather with Team Sweet. In Bloomington, we are currently sitting at 52* sunny, and winds WSW at 7 mph. What a beautiful day for a ride! I told Geno this, and then proceeded to tell him NOT to tell Andy.

Currently, they are traveling in Georgia on Rt. 136 heading toward Ranska.

Quote from Geno, "Andy is doing fairly well. I don't know how he is doing it, but he is. I don't think Andy will ever forget this experience. They sure did pick about the worst weekend for weather to have this thing."

More information from the pit crew...Mick has officially been dubbed "Crew Chief." Geno has been doing most of the driving, and with Mick heading to the back of the van to gather the many things he needs to successfully fill his job description; Geno gets a glimpse of Mick's lethal weapon--his arse! I asked how the gaseous state of the grocery go getter was, and Geno said they haven't had enough to eat to supply themselves with the proper ammo. Since the sun has peaked its lovely face, they can leave Andy for a bit and play catch up later. Geno said, "The first McDonald's we see, STOP! Egg McMuffin here we come." The crew is really sleepy. Hopefully, they will get some caffeine soon and their spirits will lift.

Later taters, H

Update #3 - Them thar hills boy! (by Heather)

Well, the boy made it through the first night! From the sounds of it...lots and lots of hills. Well in the South, they call them hills. Here in the Midwest we would probably call them "OMG! Are you freakin' kidding me? What the F? This is a 'bleepity bleep' mountain!" or at least I would call them that ;-)

I got up at the perfect time this morning. 5:50 am. As I was calling Mick's phone, they were checking into another check point. I am not sure if it was the third check point, but I am guessing so. By 5:50 am, Andy has traveled a total of 159 miles. The break down for this segment is 125 miles averaging 15.08 mph. The total time so far is 9 hours and 46 minutes averaging 16.27 mph! Nice work baby!

Andy has been blessed with rain, rain, and more rain all night. Total bummer! They stopped to change rain clothes one time. Thank goodness for all that extra gear, right? Sounds like he has been taking a couple bottles of caffeinated Infinit here and there as well.

When I ask, "How is he doing?" or "What type of mood is he in?" Mick keeps saying, "He is in really good spirits." Hope this trend keeps going. =)

The super sexy soccer mom minivan (SSSMMV-ok that doesn't work) situation is holding steady. Mick is in the driver's seat. Geno has taken over navigation and nutrition duty. Word is they haven't taken in any caffeine yet, but it is coming soon. The fumigation situation is under total secrecy. As of last night, neither of them had "cut wind," so it was a contest to see who could hold out the longest. I am SURE someone lost, just haven't found out who, yet. I called back to get more information, and like we thought, cell phone reception in the mountains is spotty at best. I sent Geno a text message...we will see how the "old guy" does with that ;-) Not too sure if I will get a text back, but anything is possible, right? The mental picture of Geno typing a text message just slays me for some reason--LMAO! Last night when I called they (Mick and Geno) instructed me to drink at least 2 beers each for them and this morning I was told to go back to bed and get some sleep for them. Wow, I am really do a lot for them. Sheesh, what divas!

Anything you all are interested to hear about, post a comment and I will see what I can do.

Later taters! ~ Heather

Update #2- First check point update (from Heather)

I got an update from Mick about an hour ago. Andy is in really great spirits. As I was on the phone with Mick, a pick-up truck full of red-neck hotties (at midnight) were hootin' and hollerin' for Andy and cheering him on his journey. You see, my man has fans all over this great country ;-)

Ok, specifics...when Mick called, they had just passed the first check point. What this consists of is Mick or Geno calling a special "Heart of the South phone number" and telling the person on the other end who they are and who they are calling in for. Very fancy and high tech. :)

Andy has traveled 74 miles in the first portion. Since his official start time is 8:04 pm and they called in at 12:12 am...well I can't do that math, but our trusty friend Drew Hartman has a wonderful pace calculator on his web-site http://www.jetall3.com/PaceCalc.asp

...Andy has averaged 18.5 mph for the first 74 miles of his epic race.

I just can't get over this. I mean I was lying on the couch tonight, waiting for a phone call from Team Sweet, and I FELL ASLEEP! I can't even stay awake while watching a movie, let alone "be in good spirits" after riding 74 miles in the very dark and very wet deep south. Good thing Andy can't read this until he is done -- Whew.

Well, ta ta for now. I am off to try to sleep for a couple hours. Hope this has been helpful.

Update #1-Start of the Race and First Boo-Boo (By Meredith)

Well, Andy was calm going into the start of the race with Mick and Phil by his side giving full support. The temperature was 59 degrees (dun dun dun... nice dramatic effect!) There had been some concern that the start of the race would be delayed due to tornado warnings and tornado watches in the area. Thankfully, that blew by and the rain stopped in time for Andy's start at 8:04 PM. He was the third rider to take off as each rider started in 2 minute intervals starting at 8:00 PM.

Sounds too easy, doesn't it? Well it was. Just so that Heather could worry a little, Andy decided to climb a hill, but this climb wouldn't be a fun ride in the park. Ohhh no...Andy's crank arm fell off his Lucero as he climbed the hill. Oops. Tumble. Boo-Boo. He lost third position from this. But being a Sweet, he jumped onto his alternate bike (the creation he has been working on for several months, also known as the new bike, the cool bike, the wicked awesome paint job bike) and reclaimed his initial position. Mick's mechanical skills were put to the test in the back of a white minivan. Andy hammered on. No word yet on how many bumps were accumulated from his tumble, but he's strong...strong like moose (Andy sure loves mooses!), so Heather and I have no doubt that he'll be fine.

What about the hot "Soccer Mom Minivan" you might be wondering? So far no damages have been reported from gas leaks, compliments of Mick. Phil is still alive in the van (good thing, because he's driving!). Minor technical difficulties shorted a wire with the flashing lights on top of the van before the race started. These guys are a handy bunch, so surely they can fix this conundrum in a jiffy (don't want those race officials to notice this violation--hopefully they don't read this blog. I'd hate to be the one responsible for a time penalty!!) :O

You stay classy, Andy's fans. This is Meredith signing off for now. Stay tuned as Heather and I update this blog, keeping you hooked to the screen wondering "What is Andy up to NOW?"

Walking the green mile...

I know, I know.... probably not the best title for the last blog update that I do myself before the race... but somehow it seems appropriate! Sitting here in the hotel before the race meeting is making my nerves a bit jittery; as I really still don't know what to expect to encounter on this journey!

But the trip down was good, although a bit rainy! And this morning has been great... We met up with my friend Andy from Birmingham that I haven't seen in a couple years and we got some coffee and high caloric food and just relaxed for a bit.

Then, a quick stop at the local Wal-Mart for last minute supplies, and back to the hotel to wait... and wait...

It's still raining outside, but the forcast is saying that it should be clear by start time, so hopefully the rain will just knock down the pollen (yeah, they have pollen down here right now!!) and clean off the road debris!

Anyway, thanks to all of you for your support once again! I can't wait to catch up with you all on the other side of 500 miles!

Cheers,
Andy

They are OFF!

BTW...it is Heather writing this entry. Andy currently is in a 'Town and Country' mini-van (with Stow and Go seating) with Mick and Geno heading down to Birmingham, AL ... as I type.

Well at 5:00 pm on 4/3/2008, the Team Sweet Crew set off for a true adventure! What they will find...one can only dream of. What they will bring back…a very tired but fulfilled young man. I really think with Andy, Geno, and Mick on the team...only good can come of it. =)


After many, many, many days of everything "bike" sitting around the house, all of it was organized and put into the rented mini-van and hauled down South. Wow, this was Ironman packing on steroids! Seriously, there were more gloves, tights, shorts, bibs, food, tools, “personal items,” bottles of inflate, food, servings of Infinit, gels, bars, food, socks, flash lights, head lamps, batteries, maps, sun glasses, helmets, bike lights, food, pieces of rain gear, and tubes of Preparation H – I have ever seen! I do have to say, I have NEVER EVER seen Andy this organized. Whew.

Meredith and I will be posting more information/photos tomorrow night. Please stay tuned for additional information.

Personal note: I am really proud of Andy and all that he has accomplished this season so far. His dedication and commitment to this race is more than I could ever muster. I know he truly appreciates his friends, family, and sponsors for all their help and support. Please keep Andy and Team Sweet in your thoughts this weekend.

3 days till we head south!

Well, it's only three short days till we start the journey to the south. And that means only 4 days till race day... Whew!

Anyway, just a few updates right now:

1. The crew is going to be a bit smaller than expected. Heather is going to stay home to take care of our dogs to save the money and stress of boarding them. Which leaves Geno and Mick with a lot more responsibility, but I have faith in my crew!
2. The rental crew van is finalized. We will be cruising around (mostly under 20mph) in a snazzy Town and Country mini-van from Avis! Ooooo, Stow and Go seating :-)
3. I went out shopping for last-minute supplies... and let me tell you, it feels weird to check-out at Jewel with Handi-wipes, Preparation-H, Band-Aids, Nu-Skin, and Red Bull!

Anyway, stay-tuned for the real updates in just a few days!

~Andy

And I'll leave you all with a poem about riding...

The Other Guy - by Andy Sweet


I spot another lone biker on the road behind me,
He’s seems to be gaining, but no worry.
Slowly, slowly he creeps up to me.
Young kid, never seen him before.

No words spoken,
My mind instantly assessing.
Noting cheap component groups and discount riding gear,
Calculating weights, and critiquing his position.

Ha, this guys in for a hurtin’,
Confident in my 5k steed and swollen legs.
Our cranks turn in quiet unison,
The tires whirr on the rough Illinois pavement.

Numbers churn through my head,
Watts, cadence, drag, speed, heart rate.
He seems happy and careless,
Content and smiling.

His wheel pulls ahead,
This kid’s gonna half-wheel me.
I’m good at that game,
So, I up the ante a watt or two.

Time to wipe that smile away,
I dial in to my lactate threshold.
I know this pace well,
The friendly, familiar pain sets in.

I hear a down shift,
There’s that bloody wheel again.
He’s drinking from his water bottle,
And I swear, he’s listening to the birds and looking at the trees.

I swig from my custom blended nutrition drink mix,
Time to end this charade.
Strategically prepping my attack,
Five, four, three, two…

He’s out of his saddle,
This kid’s good.
BOOM, my legs react instinctively,
I jump to a full sprint.

We both see the railroad tracks ahead,
The perfect finish line.
200 meters,
100 meters.

I can’t drop him,
It’s gonna be close.
75 meters,
50 meters.

There’s that pesky black spot,
Brain’s running low on O2.
Legs about to give out,
But I see the pain in his eyes, too.

We rocket over the tracks,
Neck and neck.
Not even a camera could rule this one,
That kid must have the heart of a bull.

We stop,
Both gasping for breath.
I impulsively check my computer,
He smiles and picks up some trash from the road…

As he rides away, I feel a change,
Recalling that love for the ride and that passion for life.

Wait a second, I recognize that old Cannondale,
I remember that smile.

The day I started a blog

It's a dark, cold, and ugly night... the perfect evening for a young, innocent man like myself to turn to the dark side. And start a blog!!!!

I swore against them, but I promise to use the power of my blog for good... not evil.

Ok, so if you're still reading, here's the real reason behind creating this blog: My journey to the Heart of the South! And I don't mean a family vacation to Alabama... I'm going to race!

Check it out: www.heartofthesouth500.com

I have spent a lot of time training for this race, and a lot of people have supported me (and are still supporting me) in my journey! So, the race is now less than two weeks away, and I've decided that a blog page is the perfect way to keep those of you interested in my race up-to-date.

So, I'll update over the next two weeks with my final prep, the trip down south in the crew vehicle with my crew (Phil 'Geno' Warlow, Mike 'Mick' Hannah, and my lovely wife Heather...'Heather' Sweet :-), and of course most importantly... my hometown crew member Meredith will be updating the blog page for me during the race (via phone calls and pics from the crew), so that all of you back home can track my progress!

Anyway, first day with a blog and I'm already blathering on... I see this going downhill from here :-P