Winning the XX1090 Contest

This is my 3rd year working with the Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF) and looking back at what happened to me in 2008 I can't help but smile.  Winning the XX090 Radio Contest was an experience I wouldn't give up for anything.  I grew as a person so much from that.  It was a challenge of balance with work, family, and another organization I committed to Trek Century Training Program.  In the end it made me a better person in all aspects of my life.  I started blogging and writing about my experience, secured new sponsors for CAF, raised awareness of CAF with friends, family and co-workers, and made Presidents Club at my company with the highest sales for the year. 

I'm often asked, "...how did you win that contest".  To tell you the truth I'm not sure really but I do know it wasn't just one thing.  There are no real rules and the judges are unknown.  How do you play a game when you don't have a rule book?

Jim Carbaugh was the previous years winner and on the first ride I had an opportunity to meet him.  As we rode up the coast we chatted about his experience from the previous year.  I could tell that he and I had a kindred spirit in that it's not about winning as much as putting your heart and soul into what is in front of you.  He had experienced a huge loss in his life, his wife and son prior to the contest.  He came to that event with something missing and yet he filled it with passion for CAF.

A week later I decided I was going on that ride so in reality the contest didn't matter anymore with regard to the trip.  However, it was still a part of something I had committed to and I would stand out.  Once I commit I take it all the way to the end.

I started to use the skills I had like teaching others how to ride and using that in the group rides each week.  If someone had a flat, I was the first person to stop and start helping.  If someone fell off the back and needed a draft, I pulled myself out of the paceline and went back to assist.  Last year it went beyond that.  Joe Weickgenant stopped for a stranded lady with a flat tire on her car.  That was impressive.

For fund raising I found another radio contestant, Todd Northup, who also wanted to go on the ride.  Neither of us knew if we would win the contest.  Todd made it to 10 people but, it didn't matter. We put our ideas together and came up with a Sushi Roll Your Own event and Silent Auction.  We raised enough for both of us to go from that event and our other efforts such as letter writing.  Here's a picture of us with a surfboard we had made with CAF, QMDC and Scott and BR Logo. 

So when I won the contest I was able to be confident in the things I did that justified my going.  I helped others during the training but also in my efforts of raising funds for CAF.  I never want a free ride in life.  I want to make sure I'm putting every ounce of effort I have into the job at hand even if I don't know the rules or how it works.  If I help enough people get what they want in life there's usually enough left over for me to see some happiness as well.