What a Difference a Year Makes...

Well it was one year ago yesterday that I got the news that I had cancer. It was a dark and trying time for us with my wife away attending to her dad's affairs due to his death and me up here waiting for 'the call"... it's really hard when you need to be with your spouse and you can't. Thank heaven for all the great friends and family who we are fortunate enough to have surrounded ourselves with.

So what has changed?
Well I think Connie and I much closer and more tolerant of everything in our lives. We realize how fortunate we are.
I'd like to think I have more tenacity when getting things done, but unfortunately it isn't really showing lately. I'm having a hard time dealing with the tedium of things I need to get done and accomplish. Something I REALLY need to work on.
If anyone has any suggestions on overcoming this, I'm all ears....Cabin Fever isn't helping.

My goal this week is to get all the sponsorship requests out for the new website and get that going...again, it's the tedium making this process so slow. Airborne has stepped up with their support so I owe people to add to that

Like everyone else, I'm TIRED of all the snow.... enough already, the novelty has worn off. I need to get outside and do something besides shovel. Can't even hike or anything. If anyone wants to donate a trip to someplace warm... I'm available.

Well I don't have much to write about right now, but I had to say something to mark the anniversary.
I promise to do better next time....

Snow, Strep and a Quiz....

Miss the summer yet? This snow crap is getting ridiculous. Here I am typing and it's snowing AGAIN, and the kids have a snow day AGAIN and I'm starting to go stir crazy AGAIN. Looks like that except for a short break tonight, it's going to snow right though to Wednesday night. So that brings the snow total to what, close to 7 feet and it's just now February?

On a related note, strep throat has ravaged our house this year. Noah just finished up round #4 and Luke is on #2. Wifey and I each have had it once. Between snow days and strep, I don't think Noah has put in a full week of school since Thanksgiving.

On the bike/fitness front, working out has been limited to indoor stuff. Not the most ideal way of doing things but when life gives you lemons.... Maybe a video of the work outs are in order.
I'm still determined to get racing again this season and do some things to "pay it forward". I owe alot of people so I need to keep plugging away at it.

Now it's pop quiz time. The Livestrong Foundation has written a quiz to test your knowledge about cancer awareness. Take the quiz and pass it along. Taking it also gets you discounts on really cool Livestrong gear! Follow this link
http://quiz.livestrong.org/?tr=y&auid=7700239

Well that's all I got for now...See ya!

Well I finally did it...

Just a reminder of where I was and how lucky I am....

What the Hell Happened? A P90X Saga....

Well in the quest to get back into my normal life (riding, health and fitness, etc.) I was finally able to REALLY start P90X (A bout of strep derailed my plans to start earlier).
For those of you who don't know, P90X is the workout infomercial that you see late at night while you're eating Cheetos on the couch.

There was a time where I though I was in descent shape... maybe not stupid O'Leary shape (the locals know what I'm talking about), but able to hang with most....
WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED? I can't even make it through a work out now.
I guess all I can do it keep at it and keep pressing the play button.

A side note... Props to my wife who has been kicking it hardcore at the aforementioned O'Leary's 5:15 interval class! I'm proud of you!

On the bike front, the brains behind Airborne bicycles are just coming back from a press junket and they have been getting some amazing reviews... Here's one...
http://www.mtnbikeriders.com/2011/01/19/airborne-bicycles-is-in-socal-and-we-got-to-hang-out-with-them/
I truly hoped I'm picked to represent them again in '11... I owe them alot and would love the opportunity to pay them back (another reason why I'm killing myself now...lol).

On the DoIt4Others.Blogspot front, things are going really slow. Companies are making it super hard and tedious (and anyone who knows me knows I hate tedium) to solicit sponsorships. Again, I'll keep at it.

I have a surprise coming up to show you guys soon... stay tuned...

By the way... enough with the snow already!!!!

Shape of Things to Come?

I have a feeling this is where the "Scope That Colon" Blog may be heading...

Stay Tuned....

Another Chapter Ends....But Another Begins...

Colon Cancer 2010 has officially come to an end!

As of December 29th 2010, I had my port removed. It's a big step in the "recovery", especially mentally.
There's way too many people I need to thank and I hope you all know who you are. If it wasn't for all of you, this would have been a long tough journey.

"So what happens now in 2011?" You may ask...
Well I will defiantly keep my sunny disposition

But this year it will be about goals that I'm setting myself that I can use to help others.

http://www.root66raceseries.com/- Local mountain bike series that I can use to spread the word about what I've gone through...
http://www.seaotterclassic.com/- Hopefully going out here to race, spread the word and help out Airborne Bicycles by doing some tent time.
http://www.patspeak.com/summer/bike.php- 24 hour mountain bike race in New Hampshire... I need to get riding. I hope this to be a major fundraiser...
http://www.warriordash.com/register2011_new_york.php- A 3 mile or so run up a mountain with good friends, obstacles and beer at the end...how cool is that? Maybe have some t-shirts and info there too.
And finally I'd like to try to fit in a triathlon someplace.
I NEED to get back to working out and eating right, I guess...

The plan looks to be that I will be starting another blog (or maybe just use this one...who knows)
where people can come and read about events and the training and the groups I will be helping.
Donations will be solicited through here into a Paypal account that only I will be able to access and pay out.
I also hope to incorporate friends into this process and give them the ability to do the same... solicit, blog, etc.
Please offer any ideas and suggestions on how I can get start-up $$$, Website ideas, jerseys, t-shirts, stickers, hand outs, entry fees and/or logistics done.
Also if you have an event you would like to challenge yourself to for others, don't hesitate to ask me to get you on the website!
Thanks everyone and may you have a healthy and happy 2011!

Cancer withdrawls?

Is there such a thing? I've been thinking about it alot lately. Is it possible to miss cancer? I think it might be. Maybe not the disease per se, but it might be that I'm missing something else that went along with it.

Those morning where I got up at 5 am and walked a couple of miles, or the mountain bike rides I labored through or being there for just about every drop off and pick up at school... these where all things that I fought through and frankly, are ways that I impressed myself and hopefully inspired others.

Now that I'm not doing those things like I was before (for various reasons/excuses) what am I now? Not as strong? Lazy? I think I really need to break a couple of habits I developed over this past year or so and take that "next step" in my progression and transformation into a better and stronger person.

2011 is right around the corner...wish me luck!