Why I Ride
On January 12, 2012 at 5:45pm my son Ryan was diagnosed with type 1 Diabetes at the age of 3 ½.  It was like being kicked in the stomach.  After a sleepless night in the Emergency Room, I called my son’s daycare to report his absence.  The daycare director informed me that they did not have the resources to care for a student with diabetes and that he could not return to their school.  I felt like I was kicked while I was down.  At 2:00am that night, while researching diabetes care and advocacy, I read about JDRF and the Ride to Cure Diabetes.  I knew immediately that I wanted to get involved, but knew that the first priority was learning how to care for and treat our son in the days and months ahead.  After a crash course in caring for a diabetic child followed by months of ups and downs, we finally eased into what became our “new normal”.  Throughout it all, I never forgot about my desire to put my energy and resources behind JDRF and get involved in the Ride To Cure Diabetes.

My First Ride
In March of 2013 I registered for my first JDRF Ride in Burlington, VT and was determined to make a difference.  Coming from a background of competitive mountain biking in the early 90’s I was confident I could ride the full 100 miles.  However, by early June I realized that it really had been 15 years since I had actually pedaled a bike and I was starting to get nervous. I was only training 15-30 miles a week, and I knew I was in trouble. Between my kids’ sports, work, and family obligations, I missed all of the chapter training rides/events and really did not know anyone or what to expect.

On July 25th 2013 I arrived in Burlington and I was scared. The JDRF staff, coaches, riders, and volunteers were amazing!  I met three other riders from the Westchester Fairfield chapter (Steve Slipe, Mike Muha, and Jim Kent) at the starting line and they coached and motivated me through the ride. I completed the entire 100 miles that day, more because of my emotion and commitment to the cause than actual training or ability.  Thank you Steve, Mike and Jim!  I could not have done it without you.  I have never found the right words to adequately describe the event, the people, the experience, and the sense of community.

Since that day I have returned to Burlington each year to:

1.       Acknowledge the strength, courage and commitment that all individuals with Type 1 (and their caregivers) possess.  Ryan, I love and admire you.

2.       Support JDRF and its fund raising efforts.  Thank you to all those who have donated.

3.       Stand (sit on a bicycle seat) in solidarity with the most committed and compassionate people I have ever met as we work together to find a cure.

4.       Ride a bicycle – JDRF has brought cycling back into my life, and for that I am so grateful.

2016:  What could possibly be different?
While this year’s JDRF Ride was not really different, it was in fact entirely different.   As with diabetes, just when you think you have a plan and have it all figured out, things change.  The weather forecast for the ride called for severe thunderstorms.  From the Safety Clinic, to the tune up ride, to the pre-ride celebration, conversations about riding in the rain could be heard everywhere.    Planning, preparation, and packing supplies… it’s what T1D families do for every trip.  But this time it was lights, shoe covers, rain vests, and fenders in our supply list.  The “Ski Rack” and “North Star Sports” saw a huge uptick in sales on Friday.
The best way that I can describe Ride Day 2016 is to compare it to a day in the life of my 8 year old with T1D… it was unpredictable.  At 7:00am it was a bit chilly but not bad.  At 10:00am there were reports of severe weather approaching and many of the course marshals advised people to consider turning back. Most riders continued on with the mentality that if diabetes doesn’t take a break for bad weather, neither can I.  At 11:00am it began raining and by 11:30am rain and hail were coming down hard.  Again, most of us refused to concede and continued on.  One hundred miles of hills, rain, and hail… It was definitely a challenging ride, for the riders, as well as the dedicated staff and volunteers.   The entire group rose to the challenge and joined together to complete our individual and collective mission that day.  And while the conditions for this year’s ride were beyond challenging, I believe that stronger bonds were forged because of it.   The sense of community and the stories shared at the finish line and dinner that night where inspiring.

After completing 4 rides with JDRF I still cannot find the right words to describe the rides, the people, or the organization.  As I reflect on the ride I am in awe.  All I can say is that I know that with this amazing group of people supporting the causes, a cure has to be close.  Thank you to all who donated, rode, volunteered, and coordinated the event.  Special thanks to all of the coaches.
Written by: John Denneen, Burlington 2016