Winner!

October 7, 2009

It started with an on air interview on June 2 when the 30 contestants were announced and ended today with the Sensational Seven in the studio.  Today, I was declared the winner.

Thank you everyone for your messages filled with kind words and support.  My phone has all but exploded with text messages, emails, and Facebook notifications!  I am honored and humbled being chosen as the winner of the Scott & BR Cycling Challenge and team leader/coach for next years group.  This has truly been a memorable experience and I am honored to have been a part of it.

 

I want to thank everyone for your donations of time and funds for the Challenged Athletes Foundation.  This has all been a big job, but all things worthwhile are.  Honestly, 4 months ago I did not think I had what it was going to take to come out of this competition as the champ, but each week I was inspired more and more by the other riders and the challenged athletes.  I saw an opportunity to help on each Sunday ride and jumped in to put all of the skills that I have absorbed from the Trek training series to work.  Whether it was helping out and directing people when Alex crashed, changing a flat tire, or providing words of encouragement to a friend struggling in the saddle, I was happy to help out.

 

I also owe a lot of thanks to my teammates.  We really bonded and worked together the whole way.  We came together as strangers but walk away as great friends.  It was an honor to be surrounded by such incredible people.  As a group we raised over $50K, and with an additional $10K from XX1090 and my $10K sponsorship, we had enough funds for 7 riders to make the trip.  Alex, Joy, Brian, Rob M., Joe, and Mark, thanks for the inspiration and motivation, and see you in Frisco!

 

And many thanks to Brent Smith and Mike Henderson for encouraging me to enter the contest.  When I was planning the Ride-4-Cancer trip in June I did not think I had it in me to handle another big event and big ride.  They both said the right things and got me motivated to tackle this thing...and in the end, I am so happy I did.  Thanks for showing me the way, guys.  By the way, Mike really did stay impartial for the whole contest.

 

I was so filled with emotion this morning that I could not find the words that I wanted to say on the air.  Thanks for listening to the show and following along my blog.  This journey is not over yet.  Stay tuned, folks.