John Jurczynski over 40 hours into his charity indoor cycling ride.

I'll be racing RAAM 2007 at age 50 to raise $50,000 for the American Diabetes Association. Where I live in New Hampshire the winter months are often less than ideal for cycling. To prepare for RAAM I need to be creative with my training.

I just finished a 50-hour spin at the Fitness Edge in Meridith, NH. My ride was part of a five-day series of charity events to raise funds for our local Children's Santa Fund.

I know it might be hard to believe, but I managed to have fun sitting on a stationary bike for 50 hours. That was entirely due to the staff and members of the fitness center. They took turns keeping me company. Of the 51 hours I was there (I did an extra hour to cover my bathroom breaks) I only spent about seven hours spinning alone.

The midnight to 6 a.m. time frame was probably the best. It was like a slumber party on stationary bikes. We watched movies and RAAM DVD's, listened to music and chatted the time away. It didn't hurt that most of my company were attractive women. I did appreciate the company of my cycling buddies as well. I even found a little time to promote my RAAM fundraising ride.

I was never so tired or sore that it concerned me. My butt and hands got a little uncomfortable at times, but after a while they would feel fine again. I finished feeling that I could have gone quite a bit longer.

There were six spinning classes during my 50 hours. I worked hard during those, but didn't go very hard outside of that. I figured this effort was more about sleep deprivation and toughening my contact points. Besides, I had never been spinning for more than 16 hours before, so I needed to play it a little conservatively.

I had planned to do this thing primarily on Ensure, V-8, and Powerade, but folks kept asking me if I wanted anything. After a couple Ensures I realized that they will not be my staple on my RAAM. Pizza, a turkey sandwich, chai tea, and few lattes all went down much better than the Ensure. They also seemed to provide me with steady energy. I like real food and am guessing I will survive on that and a variety of fruit smoothies in RAAM.

Members and staff at my fitness center got a charge out my event and would like me to do another one in January. Next time it will promote my ride and my charity (the American Diabetes Association).

More information at John Jurczynski's website