MY handcycle has been delivered to the Lake City VA Hospital! I have to be there early tomorrow morning to have it set up for me and take a few test rides to get it tweaked for optimum performance. There will be two others there getting their new rides, also, so this will be a good chance to get some pointers.
I will try to get some photos during the set up and test ride phase. Check back tomorrow evening.
Monday, April 21, 2014
Sunday, April 20, 2014
Catching up
Life has been hectic lately.
Our landlady's Son-in-Law died ... and her daughter is moving back from Japan. We were given 30 days to vacate. We've spent the last two weeks moving the major items; getting the utilities, etc. set up at the new location; and generally going crazy. We still have a few items to get moved and the old house cleaned up.
Mom's Cancer and Dementia have both gotten worse, and we are in the process of getting Hospice involve. #CancerSucks
After some hassle (not going there), I registered for the 2015 Dopey (5K, 10K, Half and Full Marathons) at Walt Disney World. I had already made reservations at Shades of Green, so I'm all set - I hope.
The VA approved everything and actually issued a PO for MY handcycle. No word yet on expected date to pick it up, so I have no races planned between now and October.
Our landlady's Son-in-Law died ... and her daughter is moving back from Japan. We were given 30 days to vacate. We've spent the last two weeks moving the major items; getting the utilities, etc. set up at the new location; and generally going crazy. We still have a few items to get moved and the old house cleaned up.
Mom's Cancer and Dementia have both gotten worse, and we are in the process of getting Hospice involve. #CancerSucks
After some hassle (not going there), I registered for the 2015 Dopey (5K, 10K, Half and Full Marathons) at Walt Disney World. I had already made reservations at Shades of Green, so I'm all set - I hope.
The VA approved everything and actually issued a PO for MY handcycle. No word yet on expected date to pick it up, so I have no races planned between now and October.
Saturday, April 12, 2014
One victory at a time
The Race Director for the Space Coast Marathon has agreed to accommodate me. What accommodation? He is starting me at a different time. ALL races that allow wheelchair and handcycle racers have a different start time for them.
He is starting me 1 1/2 hours after the half marathon start to give them time to clear the course. For him, that means it is safer for the half marathon runners. That means I start 1 hour after the Marathon runner start. To me, that means I am going to be passing a LOT of run/walkers and will actually be MORE hazardous overall.
You take what you can get, and I registered for the marathon.
On a side note, he stated that the course was an out and back and it was a safety hazard for wheelchairs and handcycles. The course DOES have some out and back sections, but the start and finish points are NOT the same (not even close, for that matter) - that means the run is NOT an out and back. Out and backs require a little more attention because of oncoming runners as well as potential bottlenecks because of runners on both sides of you, but are NOT inherently dangerous.
I still call it a minor victory.
He is starting me 1 1/2 hours after the half marathon start to give them time to clear the course. For him, that means it is safer for the half marathon runners. That means I start 1 hour after the Marathon runner start. To me, that means I am going to be passing a LOT of run/walkers and will actually be MORE hazardous overall.
You take what you can get, and I registered for the marathon.
On a side note, he stated that the course was an out and back and it was a safety hazard for wheelchairs and handcycles. The course DOES have some out and back sections, but the start and finish points are NOT the same (not even close, for that matter) - that means the run is NOT an out and back. Out and backs require a little more attention because of oncoming runners as well as potential bottlenecks because of runners on both sides of you, but are NOT inherently dangerous.
I still call it a minor victory.
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
Planning ahead ... far ahead.
I came across an interesting series of runs, and I've decided I want to go all in. TEN days 366 Miles!
The Erie Canal Marathon Tour!
Day 1 - 29 Miles ... Albany to Schenectady
Day 2 - 42 Miles ... Schenectady to Fort Plain
Day 3 - 40 Miles ... Fort Plain to Utica
Day 4 - 37 Miles ... Utica to Canastota
Day 5 - 26.2 Miles ... Canastota to Syracuse
Day 6 - 50 Miles ... Syracuse to Seneca Falls
Day 7 - 49 Miles ... Seneca Falls to Fairpoint
Day 8 - 14 Miles ... Fairpoint to Rochester
Day 9 - 60 Miles ... Rochester to Lockport
Day 10 - 19 Miles .. Lockport to Buffalo
I'm Goofy; I'm Dopey ... I'm even an Idiot, but I REALLY want to do this!
The Erie Canal Marathon Tour!
Day 1 - 29 Miles ... Albany to Schenectady
Day 2 - 42 Miles ... Schenectady to Fort Plain
Day 3 - 40 Miles ... Fort Plain to Utica
Day 4 - 37 Miles ... Utica to Canastota
Day 5 - 26.2 Miles ... Canastota to Syracuse
Day 6 - 50 Miles ... Syracuse to Seneca Falls
Day 7 - 49 Miles ... Seneca Falls to Fairpoint
Day 8 - 14 Miles ... Fairpoint to Rochester
Day 9 - 60 Miles ... Rochester to Lockport
Day 10 - 19 Miles .. Lockport to Buffalo
I'm Goofy; I'm Dopey ... I'm even an Idiot, but I REALLY want to do this!
Monday, April 7, 2014
More idiots
WTH is going on with people? I contacted Space Coast Marathon about racing wheelchair and handcycle entries ... and was just informed that,
"This race is not set up for wheelchairs or hand cycles. It is an
out and back course, for the safety of everyone, we can not allow either
on the course. Good luck with your training."
It's ALL on public roads, so there is NO reason they can't accommodate wheelchairs or handcycles. I have raced on many out-and-back courses, and that is NOT a valid reason. I sent in a request for specific reasons they can't accommodate racing wheelchairs or handcycles.
Have race directors suddenly turned stupid?
I noticed that Florida's Space Coast was a sponsor, and called them. They were SHOCKED that the race was not ADA compliant. I might have also contacted a few of the other sponsors - such as Publix about the race denying Special Needs athletes accommodation. We shall see ...
Saturday, April 5, 2014
Bittersweet ... with some good.
At 10:30 PM on April 2nd I was on to road to Orlando. After too many hours of driving I arrived at MCO (Orlando International Airport). jetBlue was my airline of choice to get to BOS (Logan Airport, Boston, Massachusetts). There wasn't TOO much discussion about my racing chair being a wheelchair that they would have to fly for free. Since it was my ONLY luggage, it was probably an easier task.
An easy flight up, and I met with the people from Northeast Passage to turn in my leased handcycle.
Over 200 miles in just a few months. Sad to see it go!
Then it was back into the BOS terminal to wait for my flight back to MCO - with a stop at Boston Beer Works for lunch ... and some hydration. Flight back to MCO was a little rough because the weather out West was starting to pick up. A long ride back home had me arriving around 1 AM on the 4th.
But, I received a couple of e-mails from the VA just before and during my trip. They have approved everything, and a PO has been issued. Now I just have to find out exactly what was approved and when I can expect MY new ride.
An easy flight up, and I met with the people from Northeast Passage to turn in my leased handcycle.
Over 200 miles in just a few months. Sad to see it go!
Then it was back into the BOS terminal to wait for my flight back to MCO - with a stop at Boston Beer Works for lunch ... and some hydration. Flight back to MCO was a little rough because the weather out West was starting to pick up. A long ride back home had me arriving around 1 AM on the 4th.
But, I received a couple of e-mails from the VA just before and during my trip. They have approved everything, and a PO has been issued. Now I just have to find out exactly what was approved and when I can expect MY new ride.
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
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