2012 Smiling for Smiddy Challenge
How do you summarise what takes place during an 8 day cycling challenge covering 1600 klms from Brisbane to Townsville? This is not an exercise nor is it a tour. It is every bit a challenge and it breaks those that are strong and makes others stronger. Determination and Motivation are some key phrases that are used to explain the phase of the emotional roller coaster that any individual can be experiencing at any one time. This is a summary of the events that took place while four Cyc'd members Stephen (Jenno) Jennison, John (insert nickname here) Leyshon, Rowan (Rowman) Foster and yours truely Brad (Scrivo) Scriven took part in this years Smiddy Challenge.
When Strangers turn into Mates
Well, you see there is the part about how 50 individuals form some special relationships along the way. When a group of cyclists get together and put their hand on another cyclists back to help them up a challenging hill. It's about the communication to one another to increase that level of trust that the upcoming pot hole, or road kill will be called early enough to stop you from riding over it. It's about how you address someone riding beside you that you know is hurting or how do you talk to someone about when your hurting. It's understanding the motivation behind what makes a person commit to putting themselves through this type of challenge.
The Legacy
There is a special bond that is required to gel this together and my friends this is all to do with the legacy created from Adam Smiddy's passing due to an aggressive Melanoma. It is the legacy created by one man Mark "Sharky" Smoothy. It is the leadership and team work thanks to Mark and another key individual being Rowan Foster. It is the level of comfort you have knowing you will be safe thanks to your shepherds looking out for you in vehicles located in front and behind the peleton. Its knowing that when you roll into Breakfast, Lunch, morning or Afternoon Tea breaks that there is more than enough food and someone there to cheer you on or to give you a hug. Its the feeling that you know all the details have been sorted by someone within the 15 strong road crew whom are looking out for your back. I never had the opportunity to meet Adam Smiddy, however I have had the pleasure of getting to know some of his good mates and his loving parents Maria and David. Yes David I used loving and your name in the same sentence. It is the level of commitment and the enthusiasm from his dear mates along with the stories I have had the privilege of hearing that tells me that Adam was one top bloke.
The Community Support
When you ride into a school and see the excited looks on a large group of young faces and giving high fives while trying to stay upright on your bike. When you experience a group of young students taking in the education we give them about Sun Safety to increase the awareness about how Melanoma is caused. Then you have that one conversation with a young prep student that their Grandfather passed away 2 Months ago because of Melanoma and you suddenly realise the other component about this ride... Raising Awareness.
When you arrive in a regional country town and find yourself being looked after by some dedicated local community member that is willing to do your washing and feed you breakfast and drive you to and from the evening function and home again so you can get some shut eye while also aware that you need to get up at 5am and drive you to the meeting spot for and early morning roll out. Usually this is not the first time that they have done this. It could be the third or fourth time and they will recall the names of the people that have stayed in previous years. I refer again to the Legacy.
The other option is sleeping under the stars in a swag which is an experience in itself. Not having too much opportunity to use one of these in the past I found myself just sleeping with the fly screen component zipped up but didn't think of the front cover. No wonder I woke up in the middle of the night wet from the falling dew. Oh well.
The games people play
When you are tired and sore and finding yourself searching for the keys to the hurt locker, the one thing that helps keeping you engaged with what's happening in the real world are a few games as listed below: -
Spotting the White Horse
Spotting the Wind mill
Who would you Shag, Marry or throw off a Cliff (giving the person a selection of names or characters to choose from)
The Road Crew
I know I mentioned some of these guys earlier however they do such a fantastic job that they deserve a couple of mentions. They are the first to rise and the last to get to sleep. They are the ones that will attend to your every need with a smile and they are the people that will keep the peleton organised so we don't spend too much time trying to recover from the elements. The food is laid out like a smorgasbord every time and was greatly received by the riders every time.
We were blessed this year to have Sammi Jo with us who keep some of the niggles at bay. The magic Zen spray certainly sorted me out a few times that's for sure. This lady was massaging some of the riders till very late in the evening and was always there for you during the breaks.
The Fundraising
This year the efforts of 50 riders has seen the total money raised exceed $300,000 which is a fantastic milestone to achieve. Another milestone for 2012 is seeing the total money raised since the beginning of Smiling for Smiddy top the $3million mark. Mark Smoothy you must be a proud man for this achievement.
The Peleton
Riding in a group of 50 riders can in itself be a big enough challenge when you consider the state of some of the regional roads. They are at times like riding on those audible lines. Perhaps one could even stretch the truth to say they seem like mini cobble stones in the spirit of some of our cycling ancestors.
It didn't take long for the group to start working together however there were moments when we had to hear the fatal call of "Rider Down". This is a call no cyclist is keen to hear let alone the sound of carbon and Lycra hitting the pavement at speed. These experiences can be ones that can stick with you for life. Day 4 from Biloela to Blackwater was a day that took its toll on the peleton as all were feeling a little fatigued. It was during this day that we would exceed the halfway mark so therefore the toughest half of any football game.
Thankfully our team of 50 riders all arrived in Townsville safely however there are a few bruises and bumps that won't be forgotten. In particular was one broken helmet from the worst incident which saw two riders going to Hospital to get checked over for further injuries. Simon and Nathan displayed enormous courage by getting back onto the Peleton as soon as their bodies or doctors would allow them. Kudos to you lads.
The other thing you never want to see happen to a mate is suffering injuries however with a challenge of this nature it is inevitable that there will be some niggles that will surface whether it's a Knee, Back, Achilles, Calf or hamstring. A couple of riders displayed enormous humility and courage by making the decision to do van time based on the pain and extent of their injuries. This eats away at any athlete that has trained relentlessly to take part in the challenge. Regardless of the perception, it takes great courage to realise that sitting in the van is the right decision for themselves as opposed to making the injury worse by continuing.
Day 8
This day was an emotional roller coaster ride for most of the team which included the road crew. It meant that their duties of care were almost completed while the riders were thinking about friends and family waiting for them in Townsville or just the thought of closure as we ride into the Strand.
The Summary
This challenge has been a two year journey for me to finish and from my personal perspective it was worth every bit of the wait. Ask me this question in previous months though and I would have answered this question differently as fear was manifesting in many ways. It is this opportunity I need to thank a number of individuals for their support and for assisting me with training and words of encouragement. I won't name any individuals as I am sure to forget someone without any intention however please feel comfortable that if you are a family member or a member of the Cyc'd or Smiddy community then you have played a major role and for this I am grateful.
This has been a memorable experience and I am honoured to have had the opportunity to be a part of this event. I am lucky to have another 64 mates.
The Stats
In our travels to Townsville we averaged a speed of 27.5k/hr and climbed 9849 vertical metres and burnt 32,000 plus calories while sitting on a very small saddle for something like 58 hours.
The End
