Ladies and Gentlemen, it’s that time of year when the blizzards have passed, the temperatures have risen, the groundhog has grown some cojones, and the Peloton sets its sights on the annual City to Shore MS 150. We are a mere 6 months away from embarking on our 5th consecutive ride, but a lot needs to be done between then and now. And now is when we get started…

First, get signed up! The team is already 6 riders strong. This is the earliest we’ve ever started and we’re already half the size of last year’s team. I can sense the excitement. We’re going to be huge this year. If you’re not signed up, do it now by clicking HERE.

Second, get fund raising! Once you’ve signed up, you’ll be directed to the Participant Center on the Bike MS website. Use every feature available to you to reach out to your friends, family, colleagues and coworkers. The site has improved greatly over the years and it’s in all of our best interests to use it to its fullest potential. Send out emails, connect with Facebook, follow on Twitter… it’s all in there so get to it.

Third, get on your bikes! 150 miles is not joke, but if you put in a little bit of time in the saddle, it will be a piece of cake. More than anything, the ride is a reward for the work you’ll be putting in over the next 6 months.

Don’t forget to check back here often for updates and if you’re using Twitter, follow team updates at @TDPeloton.

For some added inspiration, highlights from last year…

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Ladies and gents, here’s the final post of the year (except for the soon-to-be-featured pics from the Crazy Super Awesome Prize winner sporting his new jewelry). Thanks to you, our sponsors and supporters, the Peloton raised more this year than in any of our previous 3 years - an amazing $7,327. The 2009 City to Shore raised a whopping $5,092,898.61 for the National MS Society. Let’s hope a few million manage to find a cure. And just in case it doesn’t, the team is already registered for 2010. Join us by clicking HERE. It’s never too soon to register.

That’s plenty from me. I’ll end this post with a special thank you from my mom:

There are no words to express the gratitude I feel for what you all did, individually and as a team, in the MS bike ride this year. You rode with your whole hearts for a cause that means so much to so many. On behalf of myself, my sister Theresa, and my family, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You have given so much help–and hope–in the fight to find a cure for this devastating disease. You should be so proud of yourselves; I know I am.
Love,
Bern

Note to self: Buy a bigger pasta pot for next year!

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Well, folks, as promised, the Super Crazy Awesome Prize Announcement you’ve all been waiting for. The winner of the Super Crazy Awesome Prize showed an exemplary willingness to shamelessly promote his fundraising efforts all over the interwebs. He was the first member of the Peloton to attain VIP status and he raised more money for the National MS Society than anyone else on the team, so this prize is well deserved. Without further ado, the winner and champion… THIS GUY.

And now a word (or 1,000) from our winner, Matt McCrory:

Hey everyone, Adam wants me to write an acceptance speech for having won the super crazy awesome prize. Admittedly, I came in second place. Mazy had more donations than me by the day of the ride, I honestly told him that she won but he insisted with my delicate wrist it would look better on me. I had a few last minute I.O.U.s come in which is what helped my total in the end. But all kidding aside everyone did a great job raising money for this very worthwhile cause. We kicked butt this year guys. Without getting too mushy about it, this bracelet was my main motivation to raise so much. I don’t mean that in any sort of selfish way, it was all for the cause but this little bike chain bracelet changed my life in a very real way this year. Through the announcement of the super crazy awesome prize I learned about the incredible story of Susan and Elden “Fatty” Nelson. I’d never read Fatty’s blog before [editor’s note: check out Fatty’s site and you’ll see Matt front and center in the banner image] and believe it or not had never even heard of the Livestrong Challenge before. After a short lived attempt at entering a TD Peloton team in the L.C. (That’s what Lance and I call it) I found out through Adam and Matt’s respective Twitter and Facebook accounts (ridiculous how we keep in touch these days) about the unfortunate passing of Elden’s wife, Susan. I spent half the day reading back posts of Fatty’s blog about Susan’s fight with breast cancer. I spent the rest of that day trying to get a hold of the Livestrong Challenge people for the collapse of the one man TD Peloton team and I joined Team Fat Cyclist: Fighting like Susan. I didn’t know a single person on the team but on the day of the ride that didn’t matter, we were all there for the same thing so for that day we were family. Fatty had lost his wife two weeks before the ride but was still joking and having fun with everyone, giving speeches on how much everyone on the team meant, how much money we’d raised in all four cities for the Lance Armstrong Foundation, and how he never thought that a blog about an overweight man on a bike would grow into something so different from where it started. I only had two very brief and both extremely embarrassing personal moments with Fatty both worth mentioning here. While I hope some of you join me, Elden and the other “Fattys” next year you’ll find that this course is tough. Very tough. Or maybe I’m just a wuss but that’s neither here nor there. Anyway I was doing the 70 mile course, Elden and the other “in shape” people did the 100 mile course. One of the best parts of having been on this team was that we were the biggest team that had raised the most money for the Philly L.C. so we got to leave first. If you look at Fatcyclist.com there’s a picture at the top that stands as photographic proof Elden and I left at the same time (I’m the gangly man about 4 people behind him with the giant ((as in long, not buff)) arms and sleeveless jersey). Anyway having left at the same time and my course being 30 miles shorter than his it would be natural to assume I finished at lease a few seconds ahead of Fatty. Well. embarrassing moment #1 took place at about the 55 mile mark as I pedaled squares and loudly wept up a hill. Elden shouted, “Yea, come on Fatty! You can do it!” as he didn’t so much as pass me as blew right by me. Embarrassing moment number 2 took place SEVERAL hours later as I finally got to the finish line where Fatty waited to congratulate and thank each member of the team. He was already showered and changed, no lie. Well as I approached being considerably taller than Elden what I effectually refer to as the most awkward high five in the history of the world took place. Being as beat as I was after the ride I was on my seat pushing myself on one foot when I saw him. He brought his hand up to about the level of my shoulder for the exchange while I, inexplicably, brought my hand approximately 3 inches above my top bar, forcing Fatty down to my level. My hand and wrist at a sort of inverted 45 degree angle, as our hand touched and lingered far longer than a conventional high five because of the failed mechanics. He said, “Thanks for riding”, I said “Thanks for having me on your team.” He looked at me puzzled, having been an open team, Team Fat Cyclist: Fighting for Susan had been open to the public. This was not the Tour De France, Elden had not picked me for his team. This was all done without missing a stride of my leg on my bike so I didn’t even slow down. Having been star struck by a cycling blogger and reduced to a blithering, non-highfiving idiot I just went straight to my girlfriend’s car where she had waited for me ALL DAY! Anyway, I hope I didn’t get too mushy but I’m so thankful that I won a little piece of Susan’s art and for that I’d like to thank all my fellow Pelotoners, Theresa Doherty, Bern Rhuberg, all those who donated, and my lovely girlfriend Holly who had to suffer all day in her car, using port-o-pottys while I dragged myself all over that dumb course. Thanks again to everyone, see you all next year.

Words worthy of a champion. Congratulations, Matt, and thanks for being a part of the Peloton. I expect pictures soon of you and your “delicate” wrist sporting the new merchandise.

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Ok, maybe not a world record, but a record nonetheless. The final numbers are in and TD Peloton raised a grand total of $7,327 for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. In our 4th year of riding in the City to Shore Bike Tour, the team tallied it’s largest fundraising totals ever. With the help of 11 team members and more than a hundred supportive friends and family, we’ve reached new heights in our efforts to help find a cure for MS. Presenting our new 4 year grand total:

A thank you goes out to our entire team: Batman and Robin, aka Matt and Matt, The Mazinator, Lauren Flats, Sharon, Annette, Pat, Kathy, Jen, and Steve the Goalie. A special thanks to Dooter who couldn’t ride due to an unfortunately timed wedding, yet still raised a fat heaping sum of greenbacks for the cause. And of course, thanks to all of our donors for helping us year in and year out in helping to put an end to MS.

Recap of the C2S weekend coming soon as well as crazy super awesome prize announcement. Real soon. Promise.

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With less than 2 days to go before the Peloton embarks on our 4th annual City to Shore Bike Tour, a new fundraising milestone has been surpassed. We have now raised over $25,000 for the National MS Society! Thank you to all our donors and supporters low these many years. We wouldn’t be here without you.

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With 3 days to go and 150 miles to pedal (in addition to about 3,000 miles to be flown by two of us), we’re in our final fund raising push. We now officially have 3 VIPs and a heated race for the Super Crazy Awesome Prize. We’re closing in on a TD Peloton fund raising record and we’re almost at the incredible milestone of $25,000 raised in 4 years of riding in the City to Shore. If you haven’t donated yet, please help us get there by CLICKING HERE.

On Friday night, we’re going to have a repeat of the Momma Rhubergio Carb Loading Spaghetti Extravaganza. To wake up your taste buds, here’s a replay of Western Spaghetti:

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The Peloton is hosting a happy hour tonight to benefit the MS 150 City to Shore. If you’re in the SF area, please come on by. There’s no obligation to donate, but we are obligated to make a minimum bar tab, so the more people the better. And let it be noted, Cantina doesn’t just serve cocktails, they serve “culinary cocktails.” Here are the details:

Cantina
580 Sutter Street
San Francisco, CA 94102 US
Thursday, September 24, 6:00PM - 10:00PM

Come on by after work for a couple of “culinary cocktails.” We’ve got a private room reserved under Mazy. Here’s the Facebook event posting:
Cocktails for Cash at Cantina

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The Peloton has raised over $5,000 so far this year catapulting our team to gold medal status. This is going to mean we get to add another plaque to the trophy case. While plaques are sweet, what we really want is to see a cure for MS and we’re not there yet. If you haven’t donated yet, please click on one of our team members’ names on the right of the screen to donate today. Every dollar helps. And thank you again to all of our supporters.

TD Peloton… still chasing a cure…

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With 23 days remaining until the City to Shore bike ride, the Peloton has just this morning passed the $23,000 mark in 4 years of riding and fund raising in support of the National MS Society. We’re not done yet, though. We’re at only at 63% of our team goal for this year, so please consider donating here: MS150 City to Shore

Also, you may have noticed the new embedded Twitter feature on the left. Now you can follow our Twitter stream without signing up for your own Twitter account. We’ll be live-tweeting during the bike ride, with updates and pictures from every rest-stop and during every one of Lauren’s inevitable blown tire delays, so check in here often throughout the weekend of October 3rd.

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The Peloton has been racking up the miles in preparation for the 2009 City to Shore. We’re 13 riders strong, bigger than ever, and we’ve raised over $4,000 so far for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. We’re barely more than halfway to our goal, though, and we need your help. In these trying economic times, charitable organizations get hit especially hard while everyone tightens their belts, so your help is needed more than ever. Please consider donating, even if it’s just a couple of bucks. Thank you and keep pedaling.

Donate to the Peloton and help us chase down a cure for MS by clicking here.

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