2022 Post-Texas MS 150 Ride Update

267 miles. That’s the distance that I’ve ridden since January while training for and participating in the 2022 Texas MS 150.

It's not enough miles. I had some setbacks with allergies, travel for work and vacation, and a minor injury. I'm starting training back up next week so I can ride more miles next year.

My team, Texas Builders, and 6,000 other riders rode to La Grange on April 30 and College Station on May 1. It was great to be back on this ride after missing it for two years. Here’s the recap.

Both mornings started with clouds and moderate winds then gave way to sunshine and hot, humid weather. Each morning offered a moderate temperature and something of a tailwind. But, each afternoon previewed the heat and humidity that we can expect through our Houston summer. Two words: TOO HOT.

Day 1

My Calvetti Ferguson coworker and I started our ride towards La Grange with a bit of a headstart. Shhhh...neither of us trained enough to ride 80 miles the first day.

If you've never participated in a group bike ride with 6,000 riders, I'll explain how it goes.

The ride is punctuated by rest stops. They’re located every 10 to 15 miles. I stop at every stop. They offer several benefits: a chance to rest tired arms and legs, snacks, and hydration.

My mom always wants to know what I'm eating on these rides. Funny thing is that sometimes you don't even really taste what you're cramming in your mouth. This year they offered mini Kind granola bars, oranges, bananas, pickles, etc.

My fellow rider Curt Martin had this to say about pickles: "Pickles, you say? Indeed. Pickles are a big dill in endurance activities. They restore salt that cyclists lose in perspiration. And some researchers think that acetic acid (think vinegar) reduces alpha motor neuron activity in muscles and helps stop, or at least slow muscle cramps."

I've tried pickle juice and I just can't tolerate it. Thankfully I didn't have any muscle cramps this year.

Water isn't hydrating enough when cycling for long distances in the heat. Dehydration is the single most common medical problem reported on the ride. That's why they tell you to have two water bottles on your bike. One for water, and one for a sports drink. Luckily, the MS Society staffs each rest stop with doctors, nurses, and other volunteers who tend to cyclists' injuries and issues, like dispensing sunscreen, ibuprofen, and Biofreeze.

What is Biofreeze you ask? It's a miracle liquid goo that numbs your muscles so you can keep pedaling. Back on my first MS 150 ride in 2019, I used it nonstop on Day 2 so I could try and focus on pedaling. Pro tip: it doesn't work on knees, because they are joints, not muscles.

At some point on Day 1, we had about 15 minutes of good soaking rain. I was on my bike pedaling as fast as I could so that I could hurry and get to La Grange for my massage (more on this later).

During the rain, the temperature was at least 10 degrees cooler. It felt so good. My sunglasses were full of water, but I stopped quickly to wipe them off and was back on my bike. Then the sun came out and baked us dry for the last 20 miles to La Grange.

Once I rode through the finish chute in La Grange I was so happy to be "home" I almost cried. I put my bike on the rack and then hurried into the tent for a sandwich. I didn't eat breakfast stupidly so I was quite hungry.

Next up was my shower on a truck. I know this sounds weird, but just imagine 10 shower stalls in an 18-wheeler tractor-trailer. They have hot water and it works incredibly well to wash off the dirt, sand, sunscreen, and grease from the ride.

The Texas Builders team is incredibly lucky to be sponsored by so many wonderful companies and organizations. One of these is Massage Innovations which sends three masseuses to take care of riders' aches and pains in La Grange. I had a 30-minute massage and it was amazing. I felt like a new person.

After chugging three orange sports drinks I headed over to see my new friend James at the Houston Cycling Centers tents. I decided I needed better cycling shorts, new gloves, and a bike check-up. A week before the ride I bought a new (used) road bike. It is five pounds lighter than my old bike and SO much faster! Also, James spent the time and effort to fit me onto the bike so my back, neck, shoulders, knees, etc. don't hurt. I can't stress how important it is to buy the right bike and have it fitted. He also fitted my cleats to my shoes based on how my feet move while I'm pedaling. It's insane how much I didn't know about cycling!

Day 2

I was very blessed to start at the front of the 6,000 riders on Day 2 thanks to our Captain Joe Powers. As a member of Club 300 (the top 300 fundraisers for the Texas MS 150), he can bring a friend to start with him. Thanks, Joe!

My coworker and I chose the ride that had less elevation but was a few miles longer. It was the first time the ride has taken us to College Station instead of Austin, which was interesting as there were cities along the route that we hadn't seen before.

Lake Somerville was the lunch stop. Jason's Deli catered sandwiches and potato salad, which hit the spot after the 10 miles we had ridden. We might have taken the SAG wagon from the first rest stop as we were both really tired from not sleeping too well on cots and from the 50-mile ride the day before.

I kept going for another 20 miles and two rest stops until I just couldn't ride any further. It was only another 13 miles to College Station, but I was worried about the pain on my saddle (aka a bike seat) and weird spots on my feet that were hurting.

I rode onto the field and took a picture in the middle of the field holding my bike in the air. I then proceeded to the Texas Builders finish line tent just outside of Kyle Field to enjoy a freshly cooked burger with all of the fixings, camaraderie with my teammates, and a nice cold beer.

If this sounds like fun for you, please consider joining our team in the fall. We are an open team of architects, engineers, accountants, attorneys, etc. all with a connection to the construction industry. Friends and family are welcome too!

Fundraising Update:

The MS 150 is not all about cycling. Or even pickles. It’s about helping those with MS. Those that can cycle and those that can’t.

Our fundraising has been a huge success. The ride as a whole has raised $7,341,621 so far, and we should surpass the $7,500,000 goal by a wide margin.

Texas Builders Team fundraising has been a great success as well. We’ve raised $97,214 to date with only 64 riders. That’s a real accomplishment considering one-third of our team was brand new to the ride and many team members were new to the team as well.

Thanks to all who’ve given. We’re making a difference. For those of you who haven’t given yet, there’s still time. You have not missed the window of opportunity. We’re still accepting donations and will be through May 31. Here’s that link.

Emily Martin | Co-Captain, Texas Builders MS 150 Team