Runner on wheels
Alumna takes to the open road
By Breanne Smith
Patty Lovell, BSRS '82, is a dedicated runner, even competing in marathons. But when it comes to biking she claims she doesn't even know how her bike works. So her decision to ride it across the country this summer might seem surprising.
Her reason is simple, though. When she and her husband, John, created a list of things they want to do before they die, John's list included riding his bike across America.
"It wasn't on my list," Patty says. "But if he's going to do it, I'm going to do it."
On June 26, the couple will join 38 other riders to participate in the Big Ride Across America, the American Lung Association of Washington’s 48-day bike ride from Seattle to Washington, D.C.
Last summer the couple attempted a ride on their own from Canton, Ohio, to Seattle. Their bicycles were packed down with all the supplies they would need to cross the country. When they ended their trip short in Fargo, N.D., Patty's determination led her to find an organization that would help them make the entire journey.
"I have this in my mind; this is what we're doing," Patty says. "We're going to find someone who's going to do it with us."
Patty, a high school librarian and English teacher, came across the Big Ride online and decided that it was not only helpful for her plans, but for a cause near to her heart as well. Her mother, Dorothy, passed away from lung cancer eight years ago, and Patty says it's important to educate people about the disease.
"Had it not been for the evils of smoking, she'd probably be here today. Lung cancer is so preventable," Patty says. "That's what's so frustrating, and the more people who can learn that and be aware of that, the better."
Throughout the winter, Patty trained indoors to avoid bad weather and traffic. She put her Bianchi touring bike, which is made for long-distance riding, on a magnetic trainer. She could then ride for miles in her own living room while watching training DVDs. But training inside grew old quickly.
Back outside, she and her husband plan to spend weekends taking advantage of the nicer weather by riding centuries, or 100-mile rides.
"You go up 100 miles and back 100, so we figure that will be a good indication whether or not we're ready," Patty says. "I don't want to get out there to Seattle and just bomb on the first day, so fear's a good motivator."
Her biggest worries, though, are neither the mountains nor the mileage, but the heat, wind and camping. She and her husband stayed in hotels for the Fargo trip, but this ride will require sleeping outdoors nightly.
"Camping's going to be a challenge," she says. "I'm hoping I'm so dead tired at the end of the day that it won't matter."
Another difficulty the Lovells will face is boredom, which they combated on their earlier trip with writing haiku and stopping at public libraries along the route to let friends and family know how the ride was progressing.
"We'd send out e-mails and you just kind of grew into that, making goofy haiku on the day's travel and things like that," Patty says. "That's just because you’re bored out of your mind and you've got to do something."
The Lovells have set their fund-raising goal for the lung association at $15,000 and have already gathered more than $4,000. Family, friends, students and co-workers have helped; and the local Wal-Mart store let them hold a bake sale and bike-a-thon with the possibility of matching up to $1,000. Clif Bars, a California-based energy bar company, is also sponsoring the Lovells with various energy food products and biking jerseys.
"People have been really supportive, but our problem is with working full-time and biking and trying to train. We don't have a lot of time to do a lot of fund-raisers," Patty says. "So it really comes down to just asking people if they’d be willing to donate."
To support Patty, visit the Big Ride Web site at www.alaw.org/support_alaw/big_ride/across_america/. Click on "Sponsor a Big Rider 2006" to find John and Patty's profile. She can also be contacted at pjjalovell@sbcglobal.net.
Breanne Smith, BSJ '08, is a student writer with Ohio Today.
Posted 5-19-06
