Each individual has their own story to tell. To honor who they are and what they are all about, I asked each one of the 11 riders a few questions:
Roy Tyson
Tell me about your first bike. ~ Hand-me-down Specialized Hardrock from my father-in-law.
What kind of bike do you like to ride? ~ Blue Thunder...my 2011 Specialized Roubaix SL3.
Why did you sign up for 5/500? ~ Because I have lost my marbles! Signed up is all I have done, actually doing it is yet to be seen. Over the past year and half, I have accomplished things I never dreamed possible. Going from a 460lb couch potato, to 215lb athlete (not the right word, but don't know what else to use, I use that term very loosely)
What other bike events have you participated in? ~ Mainly just riding on my own and weekend fund raiser type rides. The long rides like Ragbrai, always conflict with work and I never have the chance to do them.
What other interests do you have? ~ Swim, bike, run. That's about all I have time for. I enjoy woodworking, working on my own cars, and generally handyman type work, but I have virtually not time.
If only word would describe you, what would it be? ~ Lucky. Lucky to have had the opportunity to have lost so much weight, to become active, to push myself to heights I never thought possible. Oh, one word, just "lucky".
What is your favorite food to eat while riding? ~ Perpetuum in the water bottle and Hammer bars.
Tell me about your training program for the 5/500. ~ I don't have a real program, I run at least 3 days per week for a weekly total 25-30 miles minimum and try to get in at least 100 miles per week not including at least one century ride per month. If I have time, I try to swim 2-3 days a week. My day starts at 3 am and I either ride my bike to work, which is 50 miles round trip or a 9 mile run. Work starts for me at 6.30 am and ends around 4.30pm, so that leaves little time for my kids sports, family and even smaller time for sleep. Guess I will sleep when I'm dead.
You can check out a little bit more about me at my website: www.roytyson.com
Marge Zvolanek
How long have you been cycling? ~ Does that mean I have to tell you my age...lol...I've been biking since I got my purple schwinn with the sparkly silver banana seat and curled handlebars when I was in 2nd grade. I loved that bike! My 30th class reunion is next year.
Tell me about your first bike. ~ See above....What kind of bike do you like to ride? ~ WSD specialized road bike
Why did you sign up for 5/500? ~ I love to bike. Riding in the 5/500 was a reach goal to shoot for to get me moving after these long winter months. Last summer I didn't get as much biking in due to some knee issues. So I am ready to go gung ho now. It is nice that we will be leaving Lincoln and returning to the comfort of my own bed every day.
What other bike events have you participated in? ~ Several MS 150's, RAGBRAI 2008, Heatstroke 100, Cornhusker State games Time Trials, Triathlons various
What other interests do you have? ~ My family - I have 3 girls and they are very active in various sporting events. I love to watch them. Biking of course, golfing, socializing, reading...
If only word would describe you, what would it be? ~ Determined (or stubborn if you ask my husband)
What is your favorite food to eat while riding? ~ Hmmm - I don't really have a favorite generally everything taste great after riding a good distance.
Tell me about your training program for the 5/500. ~ With all the rain it has been harder to get miles in on the bike outside. I have been working off a training program that I did for RAGBRI increasing miles every week. My long ride this week is 55 - 65 miles with a total of 140.
Inspired to sign up? It's totally up to you, but we would love to have you be a part of our event. To register go to: Active.com. See you soon!
Mike Jagadich
How long have you been cycling? ~ Since I was very little, as a hobby since HS.
Tell me about your first bike. ~ Schwinn “All American”, blue single speed, coaster brakes, with huge balloon tires – today’s “beach cruiser”.What kind of bike do you like to ride? ~ Both mountain and road. Mountain bike is my 4x4, road is my sports car.
Why did you sign up for 5/500? ~ Seemed like a great challenge and accomplishment.
What other bike events have you participated in? ~ Several triathlons, centuries, and MS 150 rides.
What other interests do you have? ~ Freshwater aquariums, building plastic car models, gardening.
If only word would describe you, what would it be? ~ Relentless
What is your favorite food to eat while riding? ~ Nothing
Tell me about your training program for the 5/500. ~ Had great plans, but the weather hasn’t been cooperating. Plan to do a few longer rides of 40 to 60, push harder on my shorter rides, and keep up my other routine exercise workouts – weights, iso, etc.
Excited yet? To register go to: Active.com.
Adam Rawson
Tell me about your first bike. ~ When I was bout 8 years old I got a brand new silver Huffy that fit me perfectly. I rode that bike all over the family farm, in all kinds of weather, but later that year my brother borrowed my bike and left it lying behind a grain truck, where it was ran over, smashing the frame and wheels.
What kind of bike do you like to ride? ~ Road bike.
Why did you sign up for 5/500? ~ As a training challenge, and to build endurance I had been thinking about it for a while and remembered a quote from some training information, in the words of Tony Kanaan "No Excuse. If you want to, you can," and I guess I wanted to, but needed that extra motivational push to drop the excuses.
What other bike events have you participated in? ~ A few road races, some competitive as well as some more recreational group rides.
What other interests do you have? ~ Hmm, there's more to life than cycling? DIY home improvement, weight training, various card games, catch phrase, miniature golf, bowling, NSAA and NCAA wrestling. For the most part I like staying active and engaged in what I'm doing, I'm not a big fan of television.
If only word would describe you, what would it be? Ambitious
What is your favorite food to eat while riding? ~Cliff bars
Tell me about your training program for the 5/500. ~ I ride 2 long ride a week, which are up to 70 miles this week. I ride one competitive group ride a week, and 2-4 shorter recovery rides a week. I have also registered for a few road races this season.
What are you waiting for? To register go to: Active.com.
Irene May
How long have you been cycling? ~ About 20 years. Six years ago I started doing the multi-day bike rides.
Tell me about your first bike. ~ My first adult bike was a Diamond Back Sorrento mountain bike. I rode this bike on my first long bike ride - The Cornhusker State games 1/2 century.
What kind of bike do you like to ride? ~ Depends where I'm riding. I like my road bike, but I also like to ride my hy-bred bike on the lime stone trails. My favorite trail is the Katy Trail in Missouri.
Why did you sign up for 5/500? ~ Guilt! You changed the dates so it didn't conflict with the TourdeNebraska, so I thought I should come and ride with you. Also, I love to ride. Seeing the countryside from a bike is totally different than seeing it from a car. And IT'S FOR A GOOD CAUSE!
What other bike events have you participated in?~ TourdeNebraska, BRAN and RAGBRAI
What other interests do you have? ~ I love to travel. I love the Northwest U.S. and 20 years ago I used to SCUBA dive.
If only word would describe you, what would it be? ~ Over-thinker
What is your favorite food to eat while riding? ~ Homemade fruit pie
Tell me about your training program for the 5/500. ~ TourdeNebraska is going to be my training for 5/500. Lots of 30 mile rides to train for the tour.
How long have you been cycling? ~ I've been cycling for 56 years. Riding a bike when I was 5 yrs. old was an unforgettably freeing experience.
Tell me about your first bike. ~ The bike was a no name piece of junk that my father lubed and repainted. I rode it for 5 years. I did my first camping trip on a bicycle when I was 18. I've raced, toured, mountain biked, commuted, bar hopped, and played. I've suffered a little but never thought I would rather do something else with my time.
What kind of bike do you like to ride? ~ Most of my riding is on a track bike, which I have ridden for 16 years. I do the Tour de Nebraska on it, but I'll be riding a geared road bike for the 5/500.
Why did you sign up for 5/500? ~ I signed up for the 5/500 for the challenge.
What other interests do you have? ~ Other than riding, I like running, cross country skiing, kayaking, and camping. I do quite a bit of gardening with my wife. I also enjoy reading and cooking.
If only word would describe you, what would it be? ~ One word to describe me might be thirsty.
What is your favorite food to eat while riding? ~ My favorite food while riding is fresh fruit, hot dogs, and beer.
Tell me about your training program for the 5/500. ~To train for the 5/500 I'll ride the Tour de Nebraska the week before. I'll get a couple hundred miles a week training for the TDN. I get minor pains from arthritis, bursitis, tendonitis, and "oldguyness" so my performance enhancing drug of choice is Aleve.
Just a friendly reminder: Active.com.
Betsy Guyer
Tell me about your first bike. ~ Christmas when I turned 4 my parents got me a red two-wheeler with training wheels. We lived in Pittsburgh so I rode it around the living room for awhile.
What kind of bike do you like to ride? ~ Lemond
Why did you sign up for 5/500? ~ I caved into peer pressure from Marge Zvolanek.
What other bike events have you participated in? ~ Just Ragbrai and a few short triathlons.
What other interests do you have? ~ Cooking, reading, watching my 5 kids do all their various activities..(athletics, dance, music)
If only word would describe you, what would it be? ~ handsful (it is my license plate)
What is your favorite food to eat while riding? ~ Bananas/peanut butter (anything really)
Tell me about your training program for the 5/500. ~ I am not following a specific schedule. Just trying to get in as much saddle time as possible. I just ran my first Lincoln Half and have been indoor cycling all winter so I feel like I’m in pretty decent condition. I just need to get in the time so that my soft tissue doesn’t suffer too badly.
Sheri Pfeil
Tell me about your first bike. ~ My very first bike was light blue with a banana seat and streamers on the handlebars. I rode with training wheels as a 2nd grader because our house in Iowa was on a gravel road and I never learned how to ride prior to moving to Nebraska. I learned quickly because no one else had training wheels in 2nd grade!
What kind of bike do you like to ride? ~ I just bought my first road bike (not counting my high school 10 speed) about 3 weeks ago, a Trek Lexa. I was previously riding a Gary Fisher comfort bike which I still like for running errands.
Why did you sign up for 5/500? ~ It was kind of an impulse. I was looking for a century ride and stumbled across this crazy event and fell in love with the skull and crossbones jersey! J I’ve done several endurance events with Team in Training in the last 6 years and I’m excited about kicking it up a notch.
What other bike events have you participated in? ~ America’s Most Beautiful Bike Ride 2006 – Lake Tahoe, Philadelphia Insurance Triathlon 2007
What other interests do you have? ~ I like doing anything outside, especially if it involves a lake. I also love watching football, NASCAR and the Boston Red Sox.
If only word would describe you, what would it be? ~ Determined
What is your favorite food to eat while riding? ~ Nutter Butter cookies
Tell me about your training program for the 5/500. ~ I rode my trainer pretty consistently over the winter and had a pretty good base, but spent most of April and May getting ready for the Fargo Go Far Half-Marathon Challenge and didn’t bike as much as I would have liked. I’m trying to make up for lost time and walk that line of riding enough to be ready and being smart enough to not be injured when Day 1 rolls around!
Jessie Ferdandez
Tell me about your first bike. ~ I bought my first bike when I attended college in Puerto Rico, in 1994. It was a Schwinn Mesa MTB and I used it mostly for commuting. I kept it for many years and even when I was pregnant, I still used it to exercise riding along the beach.
What kind of bike do you like to ride? ~ Right now I have both a MTB and a Road bike, but I don’t use the MTB that much. I bought my first road bike last year, a Felt Z100 and I really love it.
Why did you sign up for 5/500? ~ Last year I had the opportunity of participating in this event but only signed up for one day. This year, I decided to go ahead and try to complete the whole 5 days. I’m very excited with the challenge and can’t wait for it. Moreover, not only we get to have fun, but we are also contributing to a good cause.
What other bike events have you participated in? ~ I usually just ride by myself, but I participated on the Trail Trek with my son and completed one century last summer. In Texas I participated with my husband on an 80 miles event supporting war veterans called Ride for Heroes, and a 60 miles event called Ride for the Hills to benefit homeless children.
What other interests do you have? ~ I love outdoor activities. My favorites are running (just completed the Lincoln Half Marathon), hiking, kayaking, swimming and several others.
If only word would describe you, what would it be? ~ Passionate
What is your favorite food to eat while riding? ~ Nuts and dried fruits.
Tell me about your training program for the 5/500. ~ I have a tight schedule but I try to ride at least 100 miles per week on the bike, and attend cycling classes 3 days a week. I’m training for my first marathon, so I run 3-4 times a week. The days that I cycle at the gym, I also try to include weight lifting and swimming.
