Saturday 30 March 2013
Motivational Story - Ernest Gagnon
I love articles about normal everyday people who decide to take control of their lives or take on an issue close to their heart. Its different when a multi-billionaire decides to build a hospital or donate a bunch of money - they enough resources to ensure that this act is not really going to affect their lives too much. But when someone donates all their savings to charity, or gives up a year of their lives to help out in 3rd world countries - you just have to admire their motivation.
I read this story about Ernest Gagnon in US and was pretty inspired. This is someone who had been down and out for so long - he just got up one day and decided he wanted a different life. Some people would've opted for medication, a fancy celebrity diet or surgery - not Ernest.
After reading this - there is absolutely no excuse for anyone else. Any time you feel abit tired, or you would rather stay on the couch and watch TV, think of this story. Inspirational!
From Velonews.com
Two years ago, Ernest Gagnon weighed 570 pounds. The 30-year-old lived in self-imposed exile in his Massachusetts apartment, leaving only to go to work and to the grocery store. He was depressed, lonely and suffering from crippling anxiety. Then the doctors gave him the news and two choices: Gagnon had type 2 diabetes; he could undergo gastric bypass surgery or die.
Gagnon chose a third option — cycling.
Today, the big man from the small town of Billerica is on a mission from the bike gods. He’s lost more than 200 pounds. His blood-sugar levels have been reeled in from off the charts to the high end of acceptable. He’s rapidly becoming an Internet celebrity in the cycling world .
Even better, Gagnon finally fits in somewhere. After a decade of isolation, Gagnon has friends. Unlikely friends. Bike racers.
“I’ve kind of always been into cycling,” Gagnon said. “But because I was big, everyone said, ‘Oh, you’ve gotta be a football player. You can’t do that cycling stuff.’” So he quit, while still a kid.
It was a harrowing childhood for Gagnon, full of insults in the schoolyard and uncertainty at home with an alcoholic father. Eating became his escape. He went off to college, and then got a job doing tech support for Internet security. “I had a pretty rough life after college,” Gagnon said. “I didn’t really do anything. I didn’t go out of the house except to go to work and to go to the store. I didn’t really have a social life. I just kept eating and eating. My only friend was food.” He went on like this for the better part of a decade.
“One of the reasons I didn’t go to the gym or go work out was because I felt I was looked down upon,” Gagnon said. “I was depressed.”
Embarrassed by his weight, Gagnon kept turning to his only friend. Only when Gagnon was diagnosed with diabetes and reduced blood circulation was he shocked into action. “I was scared,” Gagnon said. “I had to do something. My doctor was trying to push me into a bypass, but I really had an issue with changing my anatomy to fix an over-eating or weight disorder. I was tired of being scared of everything and scared of people.”
So he made a new friend — the bicycle.
“It was not really a decision. It was a gradual process,” Gagnon said. He began a timid Internet campaign. He started a Facebook profile with a picture of a bike. “I was too embarrassed to publish my photo,” he said. “I didn’t think cyclists would accept me.”
But Gagnon pursued his dream with a sincerity that only the most carbon-hearted roadie could mock. He sent out hundreds of friend requests and messages to scores of cyclists, asking if they’d like to ride. Two of Gagnon’s first riding buddies were Zach LaBry, a Category 3 road and cyclocross racer from nearby Cambridge, and Cosmo Catalano from Hartford, Connecticut (author of the excellent blog Cyclocosm).
“I was on Facebook one day and Ernest sent me a message and was like, ‘Hey, when are we riding?’” Catalano recounted. “I understand it seems a little weird maybe to just go riding with someone random from the Internet, but a lot of cyclists I know are from the Internet. “All he had for a Facebook profile picture was a picture of a road bike. His story all sort of came out in bits and pieces from that conversation.
“He was like, ‘By the way, I ride really slowly.’”
“I was like, ‘That’s fine.’”
“Then he was like, ‘By the way, I weigh like 500-some-odd pounds.’”
“I was like, ‘… that’s good too.’”
The guys suggested Gagnon meet them at the Cycle-Smart International Cyclocross race in Northhampton, Massachusetts. Cycle-Smart is a UCI C2 cyclocross race — one of the biggest in New England with hundreds and hundreds of racers and fans. To say that Gagnon was nervous is a radical understatement. He was prone to panic attacks when going out in public. Inserting himself into a crowd of super-fit ’cross racers and sticking out like a sore thumb was terrifying, but Catalano and LaBry helped talk him through it.
They also helped Gagnon onto his bike after the race — not easy for a 500-pounder — and they rode a mile or so around the parking lot.
Then the racers started riding with Gagnon on the Minuteman trail, a flat bike path outside Boston. “The first time was only a mile down and a mile back,” Gagnon said. “Then we started doing half of it. Then we did the whole thing — the whole 22 miles.” Last year, Gagnon got a custom Seven Mudhoney S to replace his clunky coaster-brake Globe, which kept snapping seatposts. He started riding several times a week. Then he met another Cat. 3 racer, Steve Lachance. The duo rode the trainers together all winter. Eventually Gagnon built up to riding five or six times a week.
“He’s got this crazy drive,” LaChance said. “We’ll go on a crazy ride and he’ll go as fast as he’s ever gone, and it’s not good enough. He wants to go faster. He wants to go farther. The mental fortitude that it takes to push through all the barriers that he’s got is amazing. It’s really awe-inspiring.” Lachance and Catalano both initially rode with Gagnon just to be helpful. Today, they ride with Gagnon because they’re friends. His story has inspired the New England racing community. Gagnon’s Facebook profile is maxed out at 5,000 Facebook friends. Strangers say hi and congratulate him on the street.
He volunteers at races most weekends to give back to the community that gave him so much. This year he purchased a USA Cycling license and plans to race cyclocross in the fall. Catalano said Gagnon has undergone a change that’s bigger than the number of pounds shed — big as that number may be.“What hasn’t changed?” Catalano said. “We recently went on a trip to DC and it was as if he had forgotten that he had anxiety problems. He’s becoming comfortable with himself. He’s such a good dude. And it’s been cool helping him realize that.”“I feel free,” Gagnon said. “I feel like I can finally be myself. Beforehand, I felt like I was trapped. I’ve never been able to be who I wanted to be. I always felt like the world was telling me I can’t be that way because I was too big. So to ride with all these guys — I mean, these are elite racers and Cat. 3s — to have these friends is awesome.”
Gagnon has one rule for those who ride with him: Kit up. This stems from his “Spandex Theory,” which postulates that in order to lose weight, he had to stop hiding.
So no matter who you are, what you look like, or how far you think you are from your goal — kit up and get started. Your friends are out there, waiting for you.
Ernest's personal blog - http://ernestgagnon.blogspot.com.au/
I read this story about Ernest Gagnon in US and was pretty inspired. This is someone who had been down and out for so long - he just got up one day and decided he wanted a different life. Some people would've opted for medication, a fancy celebrity diet or surgery - not Ernest.
After reading this - there is absolutely no excuse for anyone else. Any time you feel abit tired, or you would rather stay on the couch and watch TV, think of this story. Inspirational!
From Velonews.com
Two years ago, Ernest Gagnon weighed 570 pounds. The 30-year-old lived in self-imposed exile in his Massachusetts apartment, leaving only to go to work and to the grocery store. He was depressed, lonely and suffering from crippling anxiety. Then the doctors gave him the news and two choices: Gagnon had type 2 diabetes; he could undergo gastric bypass surgery or die.
Gagnon chose a third option — cycling.
Today, the big man from the small town of Billerica is on a mission from the bike gods. He’s lost more than 200 pounds. His blood-sugar levels have been reeled in from off the charts to the high end of acceptable. He’s rapidly becoming an Internet celebrity in the cycling world .
Even better, Gagnon finally fits in somewhere. After a decade of isolation, Gagnon has friends. Unlikely friends. Bike racers.
“I’ve kind of always been into cycling,” Gagnon said. “But because I was big, everyone said, ‘Oh, you’ve gotta be a football player. You can’t do that cycling stuff.’” So he quit, while still a kid.
It was a harrowing childhood for Gagnon, full of insults in the schoolyard and uncertainty at home with an alcoholic father. Eating became his escape. He went off to college, and then got a job doing tech support for Internet security. “I had a pretty rough life after college,” Gagnon said. “I didn’t really do anything. I didn’t go out of the house except to go to work and to go to the store. I didn’t really have a social life. I just kept eating and eating. My only friend was food.” He went on like this for the better part of a decade.
“One of the reasons I didn’t go to the gym or go work out was because I felt I was looked down upon,” Gagnon said. “I was depressed.”
Embarrassed by his weight, Gagnon kept turning to his only friend. Only when Gagnon was diagnosed with diabetes and reduced blood circulation was he shocked into action. “I was scared,” Gagnon said. “I had to do something. My doctor was trying to push me into a bypass, but I really had an issue with changing my anatomy to fix an over-eating or weight disorder. I was tired of being scared of everything and scared of people.”
So he made a new friend — the bicycle.
“It was not really a decision. It was a gradual process,” Gagnon said. He began a timid Internet campaign. He started a Facebook profile with a picture of a bike. “I was too embarrassed to publish my photo,” he said. “I didn’t think cyclists would accept me.”
But Gagnon pursued his dream with a sincerity that only the most carbon-hearted roadie could mock. He sent out hundreds of friend requests and messages to scores of cyclists, asking if they’d like to ride. Two of Gagnon’s first riding buddies were Zach LaBry, a Category 3 road and cyclocross racer from nearby Cambridge, and Cosmo Catalano from Hartford, Connecticut (author of the excellent blog Cyclocosm).
“I was on Facebook one day and Ernest sent me a message and was like, ‘Hey, when are we riding?’” Catalano recounted. “I understand it seems a little weird maybe to just go riding with someone random from the Internet, but a lot of cyclists I know are from the Internet. “All he had for a Facebook profile picture was a picture of a road bike. His story all sort of came out in bits and pieces from that conversation.
“He was like, ‘By the way, I ride really slowly.’”
“I was like, ‘That’s fine.’”
“Then he was like, ‘By the way, I weigh like 500-some-odd pounds.’”
“I was like, ‘… that’s good too.’”
The guys suggested Gagnon meet them at the Cycle-Smart International Cyclocross race in Northhampton, Massachusetts. Cycle-Smart is a UCI C2 cyclocross race — one of the biggest in New England with hundreds and hundreds of racers and fans. To say that Gagnon was nervous is a radical understatement. He was prone to panic attacks when going out in public. Inserting himself into a crowd of super-fit ’cross racers and sticking out like a sore thumb was terrifying, but Catalano and LaBry helped talk him through it.
They also helped Gagnon onto his bike after the race — not easy for a 500-pounder — and they rode a mile or so around the parking lot.
Then the racers started riding with Gagnon on the Minuteman trail, a flat bike path outside Boston. “The first time was only a mile down and a mile back,” Gagnon said. “Then we started doing half of it. Then we did the whole thing — the whole 22 miles.” Last year, Gagnon got a custom Seven Mudhoney S to replace his clunky coaster-brake Globe, which kept snapping seatposts. He started riding several times a week. Then he met another Cat. 3 racer, Steve Lachance. The duo rode the trainers together all winter. Eventually Gagnon built up to riding five or six times a week.
“He’s got this crazy drive,” LaChance said. “We’ll go on a crazy ride and he’ll go as fast as he’s ever gone, and it’s not good enough. He wants to go faster. He wants to go farther. The mental fortitude that it takes to push through all the barriers that he’s got is amazing. It’s really awe-inspiring.” Lachance and Catalano both initially rode with Gagnon just to be helpful. Today, they ride with Gagnon because they’re friends. His story has inspired the New England racing community. Gagnon’s Facebook profile is maxed out at 5,000 Facebook friends. Strangers say hi and congratulate him on the street.
He volunteers at races most weekends to give back to the community that gave him so much. This year he purchased a USA Cycling license and plans to race cyclocross in the fall. Catalano said Gagnon has undergone a change that’s bigger than the number of pounds shed — big as that number may be.“What hasn’t changed?” Catalano said. “We recently went on a trip to DC and it was as if he had forgotten that he had anxiety problems. He’s becoming comfortable with himself. He’s such a good dude. And it’s been cool helping him realize that.”“I feel free,” Gagnon said. “I feel like I can finally be myself. Beforehand, I felt like I was trapped. I’ve never been able to be who I wanted to be. I always felt like the world was telling me I can’t be that way because I was too big. So to ride with all these guys — I mean, these are elite racers and Cat. 3s — to have these friends is awesome.”
Gagnon has one rule for those who ride with him: Kit up. This stems from his “Spandex Theory,” which postulates that in order to lose weight, he had to stop hiding.
So no matter who you are, what you look like, or how far you think you are from your goal — kit up and get started. Your friends are out there, waiting for you.
Ernest's personal blog - http://ernestgagnon.blogspot.com.au/
Wednesday 27 March 2013
Tuesday 26 March 2013
Thursday 21 March 2013
Training Diary 21/03/2013
Charity Ride Stats:
Training Stats:
Continuing on the theme of the year - it has been a mixed bag in terms of training. The weather in Brisbane has been terrible for training - rainy days with the old day of clouds, then more rain again.
This has made training hard (as morale can get low if you spend 10hrs a week sopping wet and cold). Cleaning the bike is just about a weekly chore and I need to buy some new brake pads as the water is quickly dissolving mine away.
I have still been putting in long commuting hours (incorporating the Riverloop) which has been good and I am looking forward to finding some new weekend rides to do. Strava has a great "Activity Search" function where you can see the rides other cyclists have been doing near you. Good for new route ideas!
Newcastle and Hunter Valley Trip
Bianca and I flew down to Newcastle on the 9th March to spend just over a week in the area. The main reason for the visit was to see my grandma for her 89th birthday (not a bad innings!!) and see my aunty and uncle as well. I also wanted to spend some time in Newcastle city and Hunter Valley with Bianca and explore a little bit.
Contrary to most peoples opinion - I found Newcastle to be a great city to visit. Its a smaller, sleepier city compared to Brisbane - its CBD is only a few blocks across - but this was a great change of pace. Work has been really hectic lately (I had to work late in the days before we left) so the slow pace and lack of schedule suited me just fine.
We stayed at the Novotel near Newcastle Beach which was right in the heart of the city. The cost was pretty good and the room was very nice. Our morning ritual consisted of waking up (without an alarm) and wandering off to find a good cafe for breakfast. One our favourite places was the Estabar Cafe which overlooked the ocean and had really good coffee. They also served yummy bircher muesli and gelato (which we sampled many times). I highly recommend visiting.
The trip was timed perfectly with the 2013 Loop the Lake charity ride, which circumnavigates Lake Macquarie over a distance of about 90kms. The lake is a beautiful area and I was really keen to take part in the ride. More on that ride below.
I borrowed a hard bike case off a forum friend, and packed the bike neatly into it. The only other cost was for additional baggage on the flights and for 2 waterbottles as I forgot mine in the rush to pack! The hard case was excellent in protecting my pride and joy, but was a little on the heavy side. I have heard many horror stories of heavy-handed baggage handlers breaking carbon frames on delivery - I was keen to avoid that happening to me!
After 3 days in Newcastle, we caught the train down to Morisset where my relatives live. Its a sleepy town (theres only one main street) next to Bonnels Bay which is a part of Lake Macquarie. I was amazed that every area around the lake has beautiful views and barely any of it is ruined by high rise apartments or commercial developments. Its a great place to live. My extended family was excited to see me and even more excited to meet Bianca. I can read them like a book and I can tell they absolutely loved her. Nan was especially delighted to have someone new to tell all her stories too. I think I heard over 1000 stories during our 3 days stay - theres no secrets about the McGlinn family now!
From Morisset we hired a car (Nissan X-Trail) to drive up to the Hunter Valley. The car was beautiful to drive and I was thankful for paying more for a "4x4" as the potholes in the Hunter Valley would have swallowed up a small car.
We stayed a Peppers Guest House in Pokolibin, just north of Cessnock. It was very expensive and in high demand as there was some country music festival on the same weekend. The room was nice, but I couldn't help compare it to the places we have stayed in on our trips to Asia (for much, much less money). But it is what it is.
We visited a few winerys (even found a Petersons Winery, which we bought two bottles of Shiraz from) and drove off road to the various lookouts. It is not a flat area and you seem to either be driving uphill or downhill. I even got to take my bike out a few times and it was very hard work. It was quite hot during the day (between 25-30 degrees) which was quite a change from the dreary Brisbane weather. The scenery on my rides was fantastic - like nothing I have ridden thru before. I am glad I took lots of photos (which are now on my electronic photo frame).
All in all it was a great trip south and I was really happy to have the sunny weather. Can't wait for our next adventure!
Hunter Valley Ride Strava Link
2013 Loop the Lake
I rode from Newcastle city to the start of the Loop the Lake at Spears Point, about 20kms away. I knew the Loop ride was about 90kms so I was in for a big day on the bike. I decided to go pretty quick at the start to keep up with the fast groups and then take my time on the last leg so I didnt have to limp back to the city.
It was a beautiful ride - the weather was just perfect with blue skies and whisps of fluffly clouds. As we started early at 7am it wasnt too hot either. The roads on the loop are quite good considering you are pretty rural and alot of the roads had a generous shoulder. There were some parts of bad shoulder and potholes but this was less common than I had expected.
Although 2000 riders had signed up for the ride (it has several route lengths you can choose from), I found myself riding alone or with a handful of others most of the time. This was quite nice and allowed me to enjoy the scenery and new sights without being worried about crashes or crowds etc. On the last leg, I made friends with Russell from the Central Coast and enjoyed a good converstation which made the last 20kms fly by. Russell has signed up for the Five Peaks Challenge in Canberra which is on my bucket list of things to do one day. Lots of climbing but we cyclists are suckers for pain :)
After we rolled into the finish area, we shook hands and bid farewell. I ate a banana and refilled my bottles and headed back to the hotel. Bianca had made her way down to the beach so I showered and promptly filled up on a delicious steak burger and chips (hey, I earned it!) and met her on the beach to watch the late afternoon sunset. Dinner that night was shared spanish tapas and a jug of sangria - a great way to end a great day!
Loop The Lake Ride Strava Link
Donations:
Big thanks to the following people who have donated - It really means alot to me to have your support!
Chris McGlinn (my brother), Damon Oudejans, Tara Puzin, Nik Vassilev, Mum & Dad, Josh Taylor, Brody Willys, Dorothy McGlinn (my grandma) and Shirley & John Schulz (my aunty and uncle).
Thank you all so much.
- Weeks until Bridge 2 Bridge ride - <7 Weeks
- Donations collected - $2,330.00
Training Stats:
- Distance YTD - 2,364 km
- Elevation YTD - 20,950 m
- Ride Hours YTD - 97hr 33min
- Current Weight - 77.5kg
Continuing on the theme of the year - it has been a mixed bag in terms of training. The weather in Brisbane has been terrible for training - rainy days with the old day of clouds, then more rain again.
This has made training hard (as morale can get low if you spend 10hrs a week sopping wet and cold). Cleaning the bike is just about a weekly chore and I need to buy some new brake pads as the water is quickly dissolving mine away.
I have still been putting in long commuting hours (incorporating the Riverloop) which has been good and I am looking forward to finding some new weekend rides to do. Strava has a great "Activity Search" function where you can see the rides other cyclists have been doing near you. Good for new route ideas!
Newcastle and Hunter Valley Trip
Bianca and I flew down to Newcastle on the 9th March to spend just over a week in the area. The main reason for the visit was to see my grandma for her 89th birthday (not a bad innings!!) and see my aunty and uncle as well. I also wanted to spend some time in Newcastle city and Hunter Valley with Bianca and explore a little bit.
Contrary to most peoples opinion - I found Newcastle to be a great city to visit. Its a smaller, sleepier city compared to Brisbane - its CBD is only a few blocks across - but this was a great change of pace. Work has been really hectic lately (I had to work late in the days before we left) so the slow pace and lack of schedule suited me just fine.
Me enjoying my morning coffee and paper
We stayed at the Novotel near Newcastle Beach which was right in the heart of the city. The cost was pretty good and the room was very nice. Our morning ritual consisted of waking up (without an alarm) and wandering off to find a good cafe for breakfast. One our favourite places was the Estabar Cafe which overlooked the ocean and had really good coffee. They also served yummy bircher muesli and gelato (which we sampled many times). I highly recommend visiting.
Estabar - A must visit cafe
The trip was timed perfectly with the 2013 Loop the Lake charity ride, which circumnavigates Lake Macquarie over a distance of about 90kms. The lake is a beautiful area and I was really keen to take part in the ride. More on that ride below.
I borrowed a hard bike case off a forum friend, and packed the bike neatly into it. The only other cost was for additional baggage on the flights and for 2 waterbottles as I forgot mine in the rush to pack! The hard case was excellent in protecting my pride and joy, but was a little on the heavy side. I have heard many horror stories of heavy-handed baggage handlers breaking carbon frames on delivery - I was keen to avoid that happening to me!
After 3 days in Newcastle, we caught the train down to Morisset where my relatives live. Its a sleepy town (theres only one main street) next to Bonnels Bay which is a part of Lake Macquarie. I was amazed that every area around the lake has beautiful views and barely any of it is ruined by high rise apartments or commercial developments. Its a great place to live. My extended family was excited to see me and even more excited to meet Bianca. I can read them like a book and I can tell they absolutely loved her. Nan was especially delighted to have someone new to tell all her stories too. I think I heard over 1000 stories during our 3 days stay - theres no secrets about the McGlinn family now!
Family portraits
From Morisset we hired a car (Nissan X-Trail) to drive up to the Hunter Valley. The car was beautiful to drive and I was thankful for paying more for a "4x4" as the potholes in the Hunter Valley would have swallowed up a small car.
We stayed a Peppers Guest House in Pokolibin, just north of Cessnock. It was very expensive and in high demand as there was some country music festival on the same weekend. The room was nice, but I couldn't help compare it to the places we have stayed in on our trips to Asia (for much, much less money). But it is what it is.
We visited a few winerys (even found a Petersons Winery, which we bought two bottles of Shiraz from) and drove off road to the various lookouts. It is not a flat area and you seem to either be driving uphill or downhill. I even got to take my bike out a few times and it was very hard work. It was quite hot during the day (between 25-30 degrees) which was quite a change from the dreary Brisbane weather. The scenery on my rides was fantastic - like nothing I have ridden thru before. I am glad I took lots of photos (which are now on my electronic photo frame).
Mt View Lookout - This climb was tough!
All in all it was a great trip south and I was really happy to have the sunny weather. Can't wait for our next adventure!
Hunter Valley Ride Strava Link
2013 Loop the Lake
I rode from Newcastle city to the start of the Loop the Lake at Spears Point, about 20kms away. I knew the Loop ride was about 90kms so I was in for a big day on the bike. I decided to go pretty quick at the start to keep up with the fast groups and then take my time on the last leg so I didnt have to limp back to the city.
Loop the Lake - Looking euro pro...
It was a beautiful ride - the weather was just perfect with blue skies and whisps of fluffly clouds. As we started early at 7am it wasnt too hot either. The roads on the loop are quite good considering you are pretty rural and alot of the roads had a generous shoulder. There were some parts of bad shoulder and potholes but this was less common than I had expected.
Although 2000 riders had signed up for the ride (it has several route lengths you can choose from), I found myself riding alone or with a handful of others most of the time. This was quite nice and allowed me to enjoy the scenery and new sights without being worried about crashes or crowds etc. On the last leg, I made friends with Russell from the Central Coast and enjoyed a good converstation which made the last 20kms fly by. Russell has signed up for the Five Peaks Challenge in Canberra which is on my bucket list of things to do one day. Lots of climbing but we cyclists are suckers for pain :)
Loop The Lake Ride Strava Link
Donations:
Big thanks to the following people who have donated - It really means alot to me to have your support!
Chris McGlinn (my brother), Damon Oudejans, Tara Puzin, Nik Vassilev, Mum & Dad, Josh Taylor, Brody Willys, Dorothy McGlinn (my grandma) and Shirley & John Schulz (my aunty and uncle).
Thank you all so much.
Hunter Valley...blue skies, dirt roads and vineyards
Tuesday 12 March 2013
Sunday 10 March 2013
Wednesday 6 March 2013
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