Battenkill Roubaix and various info

Sorry for the not posting recently, been busy trying to recover and train.

I did Battenkill Roubaix last month and had a great time, that is until I blew up on the last climb and watched everyone ride away. Considering time off I felt great but caught some odd virus directly after that event and was off the bike almost two straight weeks.

Funny actually, was so dizzy could not even walk straight, must have looked great in public wandering around trying to get somewhere. Back on the bike and trying to catch up, should peak late in the season and that works well here in New England due to season length and cyclocross.

Yes, already thinking about cyclocross, what's wrong with me? :) I need to go to cycling anonymous meetings in order to deal with the fixation on it.
The 29er is 22.6 lbs set up for fast races and 23.3 for rough ones, that bike is da bomb! I am thrilled with it's performance at this point, just need to work on mine.

MRI Results

Spent all day at Sloan Kettering in NYC today, MRI this morning and follow up appointments afterwards.

Both Nuerologist and Radiation Oncologist were pleased with todays MRI results after the recent radiation therapy, nothing left of the tumor.

Want to say that it's in full remission but only time will tell, bit nervous even writing positive about this, don't want to hex the situation. :)

Tumor is/was anaplastic oligodendroglioma, not popular, with a strange habit of making a comeback.
There, those are the facts to cover bases but here is where I stand: hate to ruin a tumors day, but I am moving on with life, can't waste anymore time with ana oli.

Race season is here and now it can be focused on.

Thanks to everyone for the support and I will keep you posted as I'm in and out of Sloan, now it's time to chat about friends, cycling and helping others.

Time trial result.

King of Burlingame Time trial last weekend was fun, just a bit cold for me.

Course was great, started fast then right into wet rock sections and great single track before opening up a bit and back to techy riding, you hit one short road section and the last slight uphill that lead to the finish line. Pushed it very hard on the final section to make up for some mistakes, harder than I ever have in the past.

About fifty feet past the finish line I just leaned over and threw up a bit, assume it was from that last 1/2 mile, now that was cool! Don't know if that effort would have been given considering my lack of fitness in the past, but Sunday something just made me go harder.

Maybe radiation helped by eradicating useless thought patterns such as "stop, you're going to keel" that works for me.

Hope to see some of you @ Battenkill-Roubax next Saturday, I was out on the road for the first time today and my butt is in deep trouble next weekend.

Oh, I finished 4th in my class (Paul Curley got me again!) and 7th overall at Burlingame TT, no complaints at all.

Bike photos

Been a bit busy getting both rides set for the season. Here are the Superfly photos, great bike, think a bit of super hero recovery time needed for me to own up to this Fisher.
Joan and I met up with Brian Pierce Sunday morning, he was all set on his Superfly, learned quite a bit from watching/following.

Time trial this weekend should be a great one, funny feeling Brian's still gonna be king after chasing him on Sunday.(He is the current King of Burlingame time trial champ)



Thought a few might see the spoke guard photo and laugh. After the locked wheel/spoke/chain problem last season at Bradbury Mountain in Maine I started using them. Look a bit nerdy, but it works,

I will have a few nice clean photos up later, see some of you at the TT.

New Superfly is a great ride!!

Finally got out on the Superfly Friday, then Saturday and again today. The steering is tight, it climbs well and rides over practically anything with very little effort and plenty of foot clearance, all around best bike I've been on in years.

Hope I can catch up to the bike soon, fitness is definitely hurting a bit from time off/treatment, thats no problem, little more work.

I may not be this smiley/happy during or after Battenkill-Roubaix due to suffering while climbing but that is what racing is all about. Finding out exactly where you stand on that day.

Pete took this photo before our ride today, posting it for everyone to get a smile. Doc says that the hair should grow back on the left side and I certainly hope so. Otherwise, have to grow it really long on the top/right so it can pulled over to look cool. :)




I forgot to ask Pete to take a picture of the new ride but my camera should be back tomorrow, if it shows I'll post some of the Superfly.

Superfly!!

Superfly arrived yesterday! I messed around with that all day instead of riding, guess it will be muddy tomorrow.
No photos yet, camera is out for service, a medium with pedals mounted and SRAM XO Twist shifters comes in @ 23.3 lbs. Lose a bit more with XTR Cassette, different big ring and a few other items.

I am psyched to have the opportunity to be part of the 2008 Fisher 29er Team, hope I can live up to what may be expected this season.

Sloan visit

Hit Sloan Kettering again on Wednesday for a quick appointment with my neurologist, everything is cool for now, he said my hair should grow back so I have that going for me. MRI on 4/15 to check out where it stands and will do chemo from there for roughly five to six weeks. Not worried about the chemo, it's been done before and was helpful for keeping me at a good climbing weight last time, eating is not a high priority. :)

Cannot help joking about this because last time on it I had a great season, always best to look at the positive. TEMODAR is the name of the product, doing this to off what may be left of tumor cells after radiation treatment.

Hope to have enough time to participate in the Ride For Research http://www.tbts.org/ out of Boston in May, going to to be tough this year getting started so late.
Great event that I've done in the past, family and friends of those whom are left behind tend be the largest participants, makes you appreciate your own health along with the family just a bit more.

Phoenix Park/Mask

My brother and I walked by this daily on my way to Sloan for treatment, found the "drinking consultants" title above the left window humorous. Here it is Doug, 2008 will be a better season for the Jets, myself a Rams fan, think I may take the year off.

I was allowed to take the mask/head holder home on Tuesday, best part was when mom left this in a Sloan Kettering bag by the Bloomingdale cashier after we paid and walked away.

The salesman caught us as we walked out the door, handed the bag over and wished us good luck, somewhat funny look on his face. Don't know what I am going to do with this, good costume party mask if trimmed correctly for sight, etc. I know it fits me so it has that going for it. :)

Treatment finished

Radiation ended on tuesday, look forward to getting some mileage in, spending some time with friends and prepping for race season.

Not having to wake up everyday at 5:00 AM to hit the train and once again getting some sleep should help make recovery from this fast and easy. Follow up MRI in April will show it's been beaten.
Lemond arrived last Thursday, Fisher 29er on it's way. Just pre-registered for the EFTA time trial event in RI on 4/6 and that should be fun, always a good course layout.
Hope to see you there.

Don't hit your head :)

Rode outside yesterday for the first time since the brain work in December, remember one thing and learned another.
Pete and I took the cyclocross rides out on some nice single/double track, it was a great time. Made 99% of them and decided to cruise down a steep boulder into a rock pit that thought differently.
The stones at the bottom took me and the right hip out pretty well but my bike was not damaged, priorities here.
Later on, cruising through a field, managed to catch the front wheel in a rut. Over the bars and into the grass headfirst, slid a few feet and stood up to see stars.

Weird, stars everywhere, faded after a few and we rode home from there, fun to explain to the doc tomorrow after treatment. She mentioned something about brain being swollen from radiation treatment, easy workouts, safety, etc. at our original appt.

Regardless, it was great to be outside and I'll be doing it again next weekend, just a bit more slow/safe.
New Fisher Parogon should be in this week, Madone 6.9 for the road is coming in as well, cannot wait to get out on these!
Learned a lot from watching Pete, his smooth riding much better in many cases than the bomb through dh attitude I have.

Hair, the good old days

Going through some things yesterday, found an old photo album.
This one is pretty embarrassing but what the heck, must have thought I was Frampton back then and he still has more hair.

Bob Eazarsky on the far left, Darrin Waterbury in the middle and wise a** on the right, forget what was said to get the obnoxiuos point at the # plate and myself stunt. See Darrin occasionally, have not seen Bob in about fourteen years.

A friends dad took this photo, never heard the end of it, August 4, 1985 back when I didn't know anything (too much alice cooper "18"). This was in Guilford, CT at one of the best courses ever designed, Footeland BMX was the name, run by the Landon's and it just kicked butt!

BMX definitely helped later on when bunny hopping during cyclocross races or potholes on the road.
Still have my old race bike from the eighties, can't ride it now unless clipped in. Funny, because hopping on a picnic table when younger was not a big deal with open pedals, I must be aging.

No complaints

In an out of Grand Central everday helps one realize that there is not much to complain about. I stop for coffee often and one day accidently sat near the "yeller" as I have titled her.

She tends just to yell about bad service at the station, expense of product, on and on, it is hard to zone out when you sit next to her. SHE IS LOUD.

My poor mother found out this week when "yeller" went off about "nobody knows how to do their job" while standing directly behind her.

Life is pretty good, family, friends, racers and sponsors support and are with me through all the bs. Some people not always as lucky, I appreciate the help offered without ever having to ask.

This year, more than just the fundraising events, some good time donation will be put in also.

Met Lance

I had just walked in the door today after my radiation treatment, was tired and about to take a nap when the phone rang. A friend from the hospital called to tell me that Lance was going to be there later today to speak with patients and family.

So I hopped back on Metro North for another ride to NYC a half hour later.

Lance Armstrong did give a small speech today at Sloan Kettering and I found it very helpful. The positive attitude he carries towards fighting cancer was great to hear in person and very inspiring for all patients there to hear it.

I did the geeky thing afterwards, had him sign my '08 Gary Fisher catalog and a good friends jersey. Talked a bit about cycling, he will be racing the Trek 9.9 SSL mtn bike soon. Would liked to have talked more, but could not hold the line up any longer with bikes/racing chat. :)

He is a great guy with a positive attitude, doing the right thing and helping fight cancer.

Great week

Had a positive week during my treatment. Two of the specalists working with me are avid cyclists, leads to some interesting conversation and makes time fly.

Have not ridden since last sunday, getting used to this schedule has been a bit harder than anticipated. Think I actually may be a bit whooped from the two weeks of treatment at this point also but refuse to deal with that.

Road frame in and it will be built up in a few weeks, have a photo up in a few days, new camera on its way.

Radiation Therapy, 6 down 27 to go. :)

Here are a few photos from a radiation therapy session. The mask makes sure that no head movement occurs and helps prevent damage.
Treatment is going well just makes you a bit tired, try to sleep on the train back, then hit the computrainer when I get home.















Only 27 more sessions, then training, race season, fund raising and work can go back to full time.
New bike orders made today also, can't wait to start building them when they arrive. Gary Fisher 29er Crew is where I hope to be this season. Know all the details in a few weeks.
All I can say is that racing the Superfly this year should be a blast!

Radiation/riding again.

Treatment started on 1/18. I had been sent in the previous friday just to be fitted with a Hannibal Lecter like mask and they make the real one from that. Need the mask so your head doesn't move, don't want to radiate the wrong section.
Doctors had to take photos of that and they are pretty amusing, trying to get copies from the hospital to post.

Actual therapy is not a big deal at this point, 5 minutes of radiation beam shooting into the head at different points and then you go home. Seemed to take away a bit of appetite, so climbing well shouldn't be an issue this season. :)
This is a Monday-Friday treatment for the next six weeks and then I am finished.

Still waiting for test results from the Fish study (for 1p/19q deletion). This will give more answers on re-growth and all the other bull****.

Training is cool, just easy riding for now, lots of miles on the computrainer for the next two months. Give my head time to fit in a helmet properly.

On the real plus side I am ordering the road bikes and Fisher will be sending out the '08 bike soon also! Cannot wait to get out there and race.

Thanks for all the support.
Mike

Treatment day

Got the word from Sloan last week on treatment. I head in on wednesday to be setup for radiation therapy. It starts friday, six weeks and it's all done. They removed all tumor that could be seen and this treatment will destroy any remaining cancerous cells.

It should clear things a few years and give them time to invent an easier treatment that will beat tumors, grow back good brain. :)

Got permission to ride again, hook up the bike and computrainer tomorrow, should be fun after six weeks off.

Battenkill-Roubaix'

Registered at noontime for this one! Should be in half a** shape within four months, depends on when I am allowed back on bike.
Probably delayed bike return a bit on wednesday when I decided to easily shovel and chop the driveway ice away. Picking the shovel up and heard something go "pop" in my head. Doc told me that just pushes healing time back!

Now forcing myself to go easy and not do anything too physical or fast.

Need to be ready for race season.

Patience is a virtue I'll start working on now.

Back from Sloan Kettering

Hey everyone,

I missed the last few weeks of New England cyclocross prepping for surgery and then spent last week in NYC at Sloan getting it done.

Back home now, no complaints, only issue is no riding for at least a month and for some reason I have a headache. :)
Attached this photo from post surgery, people kept asking, so here it is.

Far as the tumor, it upgraded to a cat III which is actually a positive thing. There is more treatment available in this form than the previous, lucky to be around this day and age.

All you need to do while at the hospital is swing by the kids section, any and all complaints about yourself get tossed out the window. Children are amazing with their strength and positive attitude when it comes to all of this.

Feel I've learned more from them about survival in some ways than the doctors and hospitals.

Already planning next season, heading back out for UCI masters worlds in Pra Loup, France, no time to hang out doing nothing here.

Thank you for all the support,
Michael Patrick