I’ve found a new respect for those amazing people with Parkinson’s that strive to achieve things that many healthy people couldn’t do.
There’s Louis Peters of Blue Springs, MO. Who since his diagnoses in 2015 has completed 4 marathons including the Boston Marathon! There has been two people with Parkinson’s on “American Ninja Warrior” Jimmy Choi age 41, diagnosed at 27 and Allison Toepperwein age 39, diagnosed at 37. And there’s Bob, Jeremy, Chris, Johnny and the many others taking boxing classes at “The Parkinson’s Exercise and Wellness Center” here in Overland Park.

Where has my renewal sense of respect for these people come from? Well to be honest, it was due to my lapse of dedication to doing what it takes to achieve what they have done. I’ve been lazy the last 6 months about getting my ass to my boxing classes and then there’s the cycling, Those of you that actually read all my posts know that I’m hooked on gravel cycling and my goal of completing the Dirty Kanza 200, it’s a 206 mile endurance race in the Flint Hills of Kansas which is considered by many to be the holy grail of gravel riding, such that there’s a limited of 1,100 participants and 900 for the 100 mile version and 500 for the 50. There is so much demand (It Sold out in 2018 in 30 seconds) that they went to a lotto system this year. I was one of the lucky ones to get an entry to the DK200.

My history with the DK is checkered, my first year I was entered in the 100 and had a mechanical breakdown after 2 hour 51 minutes and 25.2 miles. Year two I made it to the halfway checkpoint at 47.4 miles but my average speed of 9.7m/h was just under the 10.0 m/h needed to make the cutoff time to continue. Last year I felt ready to finish the 100 but my father passed away the week before and we had his service the weekend of the race. I’m actually at 587 miles of training this year, which is within 137 miles of all last year’s total! This brings us to this year disappointment. I went all out with a new indoor trainer. I’m actually at 587 miles of training this year, which is within 137 miles of all last year’s total! I knew that I was going to spend a few days in Evansville IN for the D2 basketball Elite Eight; even called ahead to make sure they had a fitness center (which turned out to be two old treadmills in a room better described as a closet) there went 5 days of training. Then after 3 days back on the trainer at home I came down with the head cold from hell, chills, fever, aches, congestion, cough and after 10 more days of not training and with the recon report from a friend on the toughness of the course this year I realized that the DK200 was going to be out of reach so decided to transfer my ticket to someone has been in the DK200 the last three years but didn’t get a lottery ticket in this year. I’m instead going to put my training efforts to my own Gravel Grinder “The Parkinson’s Heartland Shaken not Stirred” 100/50km in October.

In the last week I have found a new drive inside me to get off my ass and back to not only my cycling but back to boxing, as this disease progresses I’ve come to realize even more than before the importance of exercise and the programs that places like the Parkinson’s Heartland Foundation have to offer.

Time to get moving after all I’m still shaken not stirred, and thanks for all you support
Stew