I have never trained for something with as much intensity as I have for my first Tour des Trees. “You need to put in the miles” echoes through my head and motivates me to ride even when I don’t want to ride. Especially when I don’t want to ride. I could have skipped those cold windy late winter days but I will encounter wind on the Tour, lots of wind. Riding in the gale force winds will make me stronger I tell myself. One day that Midwest wind was so strong it blew me out into the traffic lane. If there had been a car there that moment I would have been in trouble. Seasoning they say. You can’t learn how to deal with wind on a computrainer or by reading about it in a book. You have to experience it.

My training continues with my first century this Saturday. 100 miles through Wisconsin, the Trek 100. Raising money to fight childhood cancer is a good cause. There will be some hills. No mountains, hills, but 100 miles. A century will be good to finish and to finish strong. One step closer to Portland.

– Scott Jamieson, Team Illinois