Author: Karen Cincotti

On June 24, 2017, John Heimback was having lunch with his friend Mark and discussing one specific question: “Should we do the Empire State Ride?”

“Are we doing this or not?”

“Let’s do it!”

Earlier that day, John found himself riding The Ride For Roswell’s Metric Century Route alongside some of the 2016 Empire State Riders. They welcomed him wholeheartedly and shared their stories and motivations for riding.

He also got to share his story. You see, riding to end cancer is nothing new for John. He has been an active participant in The Ride For Roswell since 2004. He joined his family’s team, the Rainbow Riders, after his aunt received treatment at Roswell Park Cancer Institute. Not long after his first Ride, John received a cancer diagnosis of his own.

John underwent surgery and treatment for stage III papillary thyroid cancer in early 2005, and was back on his bike for The Ride that June. He has continued participating in The Ride every year since and even joined volunteer committees.

In 2015, after a year of monitoring and testing, he was diagnosed again – only this time, it was prostate cancer. He underwent surgery, and it was this second experience with cancer that inspired him to join the Empire State Ride the following summer.

We asked John why he participated in the Empire State Ride, and his answer was inspiring.

“Why not? I’ve been blessed to survive cancer two times,” said John. “So the least I can do is give my time and effort and raise money to support cancer research. And right now, it’s through these events that I can participate and do something. It’s not a question of why. It’s a question of why not.”

In October 2017, John visited Roswell Park again — this time, to ring the victory bell to celebrate being cancer free! He was even joined by some of his fellow Empire State Riders as he rang the bell loud and proud to celebrate his survivorship.

“I want to inspire people. Even if it’s just one person who might say ‘because of you, I didn’t give up,’” said John. “I want to share my story and do these events to show that you can go through a whole lot, but you can take that and move forward and do something with it.”

If you’re now asking yourself “why not,” then register today and join the Empire State Ride to end cancer!

1. Social Media

You can use social media to tell your story about the Empire State Ride – what inspired you to bike across New York State? How can your audience get involved in helping you meet your goal? We have created social media badges to post to your Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Use these images to grab people’s attention and then share your story. It’s also a great idea to link directly to your fundraising page so it’s easier for people to donate.
You can also use social media to recognize those who have already donated to your campaign. Tagging a donor in a “thank you” post will make them feel appreciated for donating.

2. Email

Sending an email to families, friends, teachers, etc. is a great way to reach out to people in your larger social network. Be sure to come up with a creative subject to grab your audiences’ attention- “Cycling against cancer!” or “I ride for Roswell”. Once you have grabbed their attention with the subject line, tell them your story about Empire State Ride! Ask them if their company will match their donation or if they can forward your email to their contacts. We’ve updating your Fundraising Dashboard with a Giving Tuesday template to help you get started!

3. Ask for specifics

Being specific when asking for donations is essential on Giving Tuesday. Most donors want to see their gift have a direct impact on the cause, so it’s important to promote the specifics about Empire State Ride in order to get the best fundraising results. Share this link or printed document with your donor audience to help them understand how their contribution can make a difference – Where the Funds Go . This ensures donors that their money is being put to the best possible use.

4. Track Your Progress

Make a goal for yourself on Giving Tuesday and create a goal tracker, whether it’s a thermometer or social media updates, create a way for people to see your progress. If people see your thermometer increasing rapidly, they might become inclined to join the excitement! Or if somebody sees you are only $100 away from your goal, they may be willing to help you meet it. This kind of transparency and interaction with the donors can really make a difference.

5. Encompass the Holiday Spirit

After all, this is the season of giving. Many people want to give back around the holidays and this is your chance to help them. Remind people of the holiday spirit and that their contributions will make a difference emotionally and spiritually to our patients, especially during the holiday season.

Click here for #GivingTuesday Resources!

The Empire State Ride is committed to making sure its riders have a safe and enjoyable journey across New York State. That’s why we are proud to have a professional cycling trainer amongst the ranks of the 2017 Empire State Riders.
Meet Charlie Livermore!

Charlie has 30 years of knowledge and experience in the sport of cycling, which he uses to coach cyclists at Carmichael Training Systems. “Of all of the positions I’ve held in cycling, none gives me more pleasure than coaching,” said Charlie in his coaching bio. “The ability to change people’s lives gives me great satisfaction.”

Each night during the ride, Charlie will share his expertise with our Empire State Riders, giving them tips they can use as they embark on their next leg of the 546-mile trek. He will also be riding alongside them each day!
Not only is Charlie extremely knowledgeable in the sport of cycling, but he is also a cancer survivor. This makes him the perfect person to give sound advice and support to all of our riders, who are cycling across New York State with one mission: to win the fight against cancer.

Can you ride 500+ miles in 7 days? If you can ride 85 miles in one day, and are committed to the challenge, I think you can. It won’t be easy, but with the right mindset, smart, consistent training and good hydration/fueling habits, you’ll be surprised what you can do.
Let’s break it down.

Mindset – 500 miles!

We have all heard the saying, “Eat the elephant one bite at a time” when dealing with a large task, goal, or project.
It’s easier to wrap your mind around riding 500 miles if you think of the Empire State Ride as a series of 7 one day events. Breaking that down even further, the question becomes can I ride 30-45 miles to a lunch stop and 30-45 miles after lunch for 7 days? Take it a step further and break the ride into even smaller sections – from the start to the first hydration and feed station, then from there to lunch, then to the next station and finally to the finish.
With this approach, 500 miles seems much more doable. And remember, there’s no rush, you have all day. For a week you have the full support of an excellent crew and nothing to do but eat, sleep, ride and repeat. You can do it!

Training – Train Right!

Thinking about 500 miles one small bite at a time makes it less daunting, but you still have to prepare your body to withstand the demands of the event. The training plan blue print provided on the ESR website is a great guide to help you get to the start line at your peak fitness. Follow it as best you can and remember this, consistency is your #1 priority. As a famous cyclist likes to say, “Ride as much or as little or as long or as short as you feel, but ride!” – Eddy Merckx
One other thought I’d like to share that falls under training is bike fit or biomechanics. You’re going to spend a lot of yours on your bike. Get a bike fit from a certified fitter and maximize your comfort and performance. Body Geometry Fit from Specialized or RETÜL Bicycle Fit Technology are two reliable systems.

Hydration and Nutrition – This will make you or break you!

Your ability to repeat 50-85 mile rides over seven days depends on how well you hydrate and fuel your body every day.
If you can ride 80 miles one day, what stands in the way of doing it again the next? Not drinking and eating enough!  Keeping your body hydrated and your fuel reserves loaded every day is the key to repeatability.
I can’t stress the importance of this enough. Start hydrating as soon as you wake up, and eat a solid breakfast with plenty of carbohydrates. Then while you’re riding, understand that you are drinking and eating for tomorrows ride. This is the primary difference between performing for one day vs. seven. If you make a fueling mistake in a one day event, you’ll suffer the consequences in the last hour. If you make that mistake in a multi-day event you’ll suffer all day tomorrow. Keeping your fluids levels and glycogen stores full is critical! Aim to drink all your liquids between each stop and enjoy the great snacks and lunch that the ESR support team provides every day.
The nutrition support the crew at ESR provides will make this easy. Everything is taken care of for you. Catered breakfasts and dinners designed for endurance athletes, great food, drinks and morale support at the rest and lunch stops makes it easy to stay fueled and ready to go.
I look forward to seeing you all there!
Coach Charlie Livermore
Charlie is a seasoned riding coach from CTS Training and will be along for the entire Empire State Ride this summer. 

One of Guy May’s friends was always known for asking, “What’s your next adventure?” Last month, that friend passed away after a battle with cancer.
In her memory, Guy’s choosing the Empire State Ride as his next adventure — in hopes his efforts will help scientists develop new treatments for those who are battling.

Q: How did you find out about the Empire State Ride?
I found out about the ride last year while looking for a long distance ride that would fit into my summer work schedule. Unfortunately, it didn’t fit. But I did not forget about it and after 20-plus years working as a sailing instructor, I have decided to take some time off in the summer and the Empire State Ride came to mind.

Q: What inspired you to sign up?
Around the time I retired from my summer job I was informed that a dear friend at work had been diagnosed with both pancreatic and lung cancer. She was an outgoing person who loved an adventure so thinking of her and both my parents who died from cancer I thought it was the right thing to do. My friend lost her battle last month so I am even more inspired to go on this adventure for her. As she would say, “What’s your next adventure?” The ESR is mine.

Q: What is your history as a cyclist? Have you ever done anything similar to the Empire State Ride?
I have never done a ride like the Empire State Ride before. I started really riding about five years ago when I purchased a used bike on eBay. Since then, the bicycle bug has gotten hold of me. A few bikes later and a few thousand miles later, I am hoping I am ready for the ride.

Q: How are you fundraising for the ride?
I have been reaching out to all my friends and they have been fantastically supportive. I cannot say enough how lucky I am to have friends like mine. We all have been touched by cancer and the outpouring of support has been inspiring.

Q: What do you hope to accomplish by raising funds and completing the ride?
My hope is that the money I raise will help our generation and future generations find cures and treatments for cancer. There are so many people suffering due to cancer we need to find ways to relieve some of their pain.

Q: What are you most looking forward to about the ride?
I am looking forward to the ride itself, seeing the state at a bicycle’s speed, and meeting new people that share the love of bicycling.

Get Training Tips from Empire State Ride Veterans!

Whether you’re a newbie to bicycling or a seasoned pro, you can complete the Empire State Ride — and have fun doing it!
Just take it from five Empire State Ride veterans, who signed up for the Empire State Ride with varying levels of cycling experience. We asked them to share with us their training advice for new riders who may be new to bicycling or nervous about mileage. Here’s what they had to say:
“You will be amazed how quickly your body can adapt once you start training. Your back side is going to hurt and your head will feel really heavy during your first few long rides. In a matter of no time you will feel amazing, accomplished, and stronger than ever. You will be looking forward to the next ride with your Empire State Ride family!”
“For me wasn’t the physical challenge — but the mental one. So one day I rode from Buffalo to Rochester alone. I posted the trip on Facebook so everyone knew I was safe and had fun. Once I arrived, 76 miles later, it was then that I knew I could finish the Empire State Ride.”
“Start training early. But don’t think, ‘Oh gosh, 540 miles and those hills?!’ Take it easy and slow. The Empire State Ride is not a race. If you treat it as such, you will burn out very quickly.”
“Listen to your body. If you’re tired, slow down or take a break.”
“Personally, I have an active imagination so I like to talk aloud (often to myself) when I ride. I pretend I’m on television and all my fans are watching and cheering for me. Talking helps me breathe better and helps me keep my mind off the mileage.”
“Core training is key. Conditioning and a balanced diet will make those hours on the road enjoyable instead of painful.”
“Start yesterday. If you can find a dry safe road, get out for a ride. If not, hit the gym and use the cardio equipment. Build up your cardio endurance, push yourself now and your ride will be easier later. During the colder months, I do 30 minutes on the stair master five to six days per week, and I have my bike set up in my trainer at home. Get on your bike as much as you can.”
Remember, the Empire State Ride isn’t just about the physical challenge. It’s about raising funds for cancer research and impacting the lives of those who are fighting this disease. Knowing that you are making a difference will help push you through those long rides and challenging times.
Click here for more training tips and a sample training plan.