Reinforcing his own commitment to make a difference and encourage the “extra-mile message,” Shawn will be pedaling the U.S. ocean-to-ocean solo in order to positively encourage others who may need a lift in their individual lives.

A “possibilty thinker” and a self-billed “Battery Charger of the Human Spirit,” Shawn has a lifetime mission of empowering 1,000,000 people to lead a more positive and purposeful existence. Author of SOAR to the Top and most recently Amicus 101: A Story About the Pursuit of Purpose and Overcoming Life’s Chaos, Shawn is passionate about empowering others to maximize their goals and fulfill their personal potential.

Shawn, 46, is also hoping that his extra-mile cross country effort can spark an extra-mile trend for others in their mid and older years to exercise.

“Although I am a fitness advocate, I am neither a regular bicyclist nor a race enthusiast. I exercise solely to be healthy. In 1998, I did bike the U.S. ocean-to-ocean as a challenge to myself; however, my novice status as a cyclist is confirmed by the fact that I bought my bike the day before I left! From the completion of that cross-country ride through March of this year (2009), I have ridden a bike for no more than 50 miles.”

“My exercise and fitness foundation has always been as a runner. I jog 3-6 miles 5+ days a week as I have for over 20 years. For this cross-country ride, however, I am getting my “seat” used to the bike much sooner than before!”

Read more about Shawn here – www.ShawnAnderson.com

Although this was probably intended for his riders in the Tour, one can easily find the real life applications in this approach on handling obstacles, road blocks, hurdles, or whatever you want to call the things that always seem to get in the way of what seemed to be the perfect game plan. My version of what to do should you become diverted from your initial plan, goes something like this;

Assess - Stop and access the specifics of the situation. Try to cut through the emotions and clutter and understand the true root of the problem.

Explore – Determine how many ways there may be to “fix” or remedy the situation and still receive the desired outcome.

Choose – Based on the options available, and the expected outcome, select the best option.

Adjust – Make whatever tweaks or adjustments are needed to the plan.

Move – Get yourself back on course and do not focus time or energy on what had gone wrong.

I know these sound like simple and logical steps. The problem is, in times of a crises, simplicity and logic can become obscured by anxiety, fear, anger, or any number of emotions which are counter productive to your ultimate goal.

For more on Johan visit www.johanbruyneel.com

Over the years, I have done many such charity rides both socially and as hard core training efforts. This year I rode with a couple of good friends, John and Kevin, as well as my nephew Sean and could not have asked for better weather or a better day. It was one of those rides that just hummed for all 66 miles. Everything felt right.

Riding with good friends is great because you can play off of each other’s energy and work together for a more efficient result. As with many of the rides of this nature, they would not work without a band of very dedicated volunteers so thank you to all who worked long and hard to make this event a success. Kudos all the law enforcement and community support throughout the day as well.

To make the day even better, my wife and one of our daughters made their way to the end point in time to see us all finish, to share in the accomplishment, and to grab some lunch with all of us. Sharing things like this with the people who are most meaningful in your life just makes the accomplishment that much sweeter. We had a good day. No, we had a great day. And the best part is that our efforts will pay big dividends to many others in their fight against so many cancers.

Thanks for everyone’s continued support.

 Although very flat, the shore can be a great place to ride with nice wide shoulders, and plenty of riding options featuring picturesque views and the often present scent of an ocean breeze.  On Saturday, I headed out at about 7 AM with a couple of modest goals in mind. First, to fully road test my nutrition intake plan, second, to log 100 miles of riding and third, to enjoy every minute of it. Or at least enjoy most of it. It sounded easy enough. And after the ride I knew I’d be able to kick back and enjoy a few well deserved hours on the beach.

What I didn’t realize was that someone had added a few extra agenda items for me. Apparently someone thought I needed to practice changing a flat tire (twice) and wanted to test my patience and resolve in the meantime. Although those items popped up just 15 miles into the ride, I handled them effortlessly and resumed my journey. No problem. I rode through beautiful Belleplaine State forest and revisited the venue of the Cape May Triathlon which was held a month earlier.

I then made my way all the way down a strip known as Ocean Drive. Ocean Drive essentially hugs the coast and runs through all of the South Jersey beach towns. It’s very scenic as you travel over the bridges and causeways. If you can block out the congestion at certain points as people try to get to the beach, it is a beautiful place to ride.

There are a few things that you will see every time you head out to ride at the Shore. I’m not sure what it is about road kill and flea markets in South Jersey but she sure has her share of both of them. Interesting road kill too. And a lot of unidentifiable road kill. Snake road kill, skunk road kill, turtle road kill, um … some other kind of road kill. You name it; you’ll see it. And if you can’t name it, you’ll still see it. You may see it for the next couple of weeks. And it’ll get a little funkier each time. Maybe the birds of prey can’t recognize some of these things either and figure it is best to just leave them alone. 

I reached my turnaround point on Ocean Drive and decided to pull over for a minute to enjoy the scenery, choke down a gel, and make a quick cell call. In that 5 minute period, I think I had 2 cars and 5 cyclists check on me to make sure that I was OK and didn’t need any help. I’ve said this many times before, but I still get blown away by the camaraderie that one sees out there on the road. I finished my gel, ended my call and headed back. The ride back on Ocean Drive always seems much faster. I’m not sure if it’s the wind or the psychological effect of going home. But whatever it is, it works. 

Of course I had had a couple of interpersonal exchanges with a few people along the way home. No ride would be complete without them. There was the guy in the passenger seat of a nice red convertible who felt the need to look right at me and spit at my feet as we sat at a red light. No problem bud, have a good day.

But for every irate and ignorant phlegm-meister, there is a kid with a lemonade stand there to make things all right. Of course, I had to pull over and fill up with some fresh squeezed and give the kid an extra three dollar tip. I made his day but not half as much as he made mine. Spend that money wisely dude. 

So, I made my way back home. Shoveled in a couple of PB & J’s and listened to my neighbors remind me of how slightly off center I can be. I just smiled politely and said … “thanks”. After a quick shower, I found myself perched quite comfortably in my favorite chair on the beach enjoying the sights and sounds of the Jersey Shore. Mission(s) accomplished. My nutrition worked out. I got my 100 miles in. And I enjoyed every minute of it. As I reflected back on another great ride, I reminded myself how lucky I am.

SB: Explain to us a little bit about your involvement in the sport of triathlon. How you got started, why, etc.

DG: My desire to train and compete in triathlon all began on a drunken morning 1994 when I realized there had to be more to life than drinking, partying and being overweight and out of shape.

I saw a triathlete magazine in the window of a bookstore, remembered seeing Ironman Hawaii coverage on TV, and thought it would be a great way to turn around my life. The next day, I quit my job as a nightclub employee, and found a job with hours that would allow me to begin my new life.

To my surprise, I had some natural talent and began entering local races. A steady and hard-earned progression brought me from through the pack and into the pro ranks. As a Jamaican citizen, I got the chance to compete with the Jamaican national team, and used that credential to race on the international triathlon circuit, including the 1997, 1998 and 1999 World Championships.

I have also been present in several Ironmans, including Hawaii, where my pro debut on the Big Island was an educational experience.

SB: How did the vision of Elite Bicycles come to be?

DG: When I was racing, I was unable to find a bicycle that had all the things I was looking for; proper fit and geometry, lightweight design, true aerodynamics, and the right power transfer.

I looked for the support and advice of my local shop-sponsor and we sat down, spec’d a perfect bike and went about finding the right engineer and builder. Elite was born.

SB: What are the goals of Elite as an organization?

DG: We have three separate goals; first, to be recognized as the leading builder of racing bicycles for competitive athletes, and secondly to help every Elite owner reach their maximum potential by building frames that incorporate all the things the most demanding pro would want from their bike.

SB: What sets Elite apart from everyone else?

DG: There are a few of things that set Elite apart:

We are one of the very few bicycle companies who build frames using tubing supplied by American manufactures, and all of our fabrication is done by hand in the US. (Almost every other major bicycle manufacturer builds in Taiwan or China).

Elite uses the highest quality raw materials available on the open market today: this includes aluminum tubing, carbon fiber forks and seat stays and paint. We also pride ourselves on using the industry-recognized leaders in the arts of welding and painting.

Elite is also one of only a handful of companies that builds customized bikes for the most discriminating rider. These custom frames allow Elite owners to get the best possible combinations of sizes and materials for unequaled value.

SB: Is it possible to name one single most important consideration when looking to invest in a bicycle?

DG: Correct fit is the single most important consideration in purchasing a bicycle. Without a proper fit, even the most expensive bike will not perform to expectations and can be both uncomfortable and even harmful for a rider.

At the same time, a proper fit on a less expensive bike will allow a rider to get the most out of his/her effort and equipment.

SB: You have some impressive athletes in the Elite family of riders. Care to drop some names?

DG: Two-time Olympian and Gold Medalist Sheila Taormina, National and World Amateur Champions Cecily Tynan and Joe Bonness, Ironman Champion Yoko Okuda, International Ironman and World Cup contenders Steven Sheldrake, Brent Foster, Jamie Yon, Peter Kotland, Todd Wiley, Laurie Hug, Fiona Dockerty, Peter Clode, Amy Farrell, and MaryEllen Powers are among the Elite Professional Team members.

SB: What are a few common mistakes or misconceptions that you see in the bicycle buying community?

DG: Buyers tend to believe that bigger is better and that the companies who spend the most marketing dollars build the best products, when in fact the reverse can be true. There are no technology advantages in this industry that are not readily available to even the smallest builders – it is the manufacturer’s choice as to where they want to position themselves in the industry.

Smaller companies can provide tighter quality control than mass produced manufacturers, and because of lower overheads, can deliver more value and customer service than the larger bicycle manufacturers.

SB: What significant changes (good or bad) have you seen in the industry over the years?

DG: I see a lot of companies who are making changes for the sake of change, with no regard to either performance or value. For sure, many changes in the design and materials used in bikes today are delivering both cost efficiencies and performance to consumers.

At the same time, many of these changes seem, to me, to be frivolous or designed for planned obsolescence.

The trend towards using cheap labor in the Far East for the complete build and assembly of high-end bikes by American companies is also troubling to me.

SB: And to follow up my previous question, what changes would you like to see?

DG: I would like to see high-end bicycle manufacturers that play on their country’s cycling heritage to clearly state where the bicycle components are built and assembled.

I would also like to see industry standards set for sizing and compatibility of components and parts so that consumers can easily purchase upgrades or replacement parts.

SB: What does David Greenfield do when he is not immersed in the art of bicycle design or the sport of triathlon?

DG: Like many small business owners, I spend almost 100% of my time either working on Elite or supporting Elite athletes at triathlons around the world. If I’m lucky I can get out for a quick ride or run, but for the most part I’m totally concentrated on Elite tasks.

SB: What additional knowledge would you like the masses to walk away with about Elite?

DG: I would like people to know that we are dedicated to building the absolute best Elite bikes we can, and delivering a high level of value to the athletes who ride them.

People should know that we’re an all-American company who values the “Made in America” label and is true to it. We’re not Trek, we don’t sell thousands of bikes every year. But we do have a very loyal group of customers who can and do attest to our level of materials, craftsmanship and service.

That concluded our chat. Elite continues to experience exponential growth year after year. But still manages to provide the personal attention to detail that has become their trademark. Stay tuned at www.elitebicyles.com