The AIDS Lifecycle (ALC) event was a 6-day bike ride down the west coast of California. 2,000 cyclists began the ride in San Francisco and finished in Los Angeles for a total of 545 miles! The purpose of this ride was to raise money for San Francisco AIDS foundation and the Los Angeles LGBT Center. The AIDS Lifecycle raised just over 15.1 million dollars this past June! There were around 700 roadies who volunteered in a variety of areas such as food service, gear and tent, and rest stops. My specific job as a sports medicine roadie was to tend to the musculoskeletal injuries of the ride participants. As you can imagine, 2,000 cyclists traveling over 500 miles in one week kept the sports medicine team very busy!
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The AIDS Lifecycle provided volunteers with all meals, a small tent, mobile showers, and bus travel between camp locations. Volunteers were only responsible for travel to the starting line and home from the finish line of the event as well as personal camp bedding. Mornings were busy as we sports medicine volunteers quickly applied preventative treatment before the daily ride began. Then, we joined the medical, massage, and chiropractic roadies in loading up our supplies and tents into moving vans to be transported to the next camp site. All volunteers traveled in buses to the next camp site, unloaded their supplies, and then we prepared our treatment tent for the evening. We spent a longer time in the afternoon and evening taking time to stretch, massage, and tape the cyclists before finishing up the day with a nightly team meeting.
AIDS Lifecycle Sports Medicine Roadie
Rylie Miller
Las Vegas, Nevada
Athletic Training Major
Leadership Engagement Track
For my project, I wanted to do something that would take me out of my comfort zone. My skills improve the most when I am forced outside of my comfort zone because then I have to apply things I’m familiar with to a new situation. The AIDS Lifecycle took me to an unfamiliar place, helping athletes in a sport I’ve never experienced, and working alongside complete strangers. I was very interested in working with the cyclists because I’ve never experienced the sport in my normal clinical rotations at SUU. I also liked the prospect of being able to meet and network with healthcare professionals of different specialties such as massage therapy and physical therapy.
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The project went very smoothly except for just a couple of issues. On the morning of the second day of the ride, I severely sprained my ankle. This was a problem because my job required me to be on my feet for hours at a time. Thankfully, I was surrounded by healthcare professionals who helped me function for the rest of the ride. Another problem I experienced was that I was not prepared for the mental and emotional strain that 7 days of volunteering brought. By the end of the day, I was physically and mentally drained. This challenge helped me better understand the demands of my future career as an athletic trainer.
Most of my project was dedicated to helping the cyclists on the ride as well as some of the other roadies. I spent upwards of 10 hours each day evaluating and treating the injuries of participants. Nearly all of the riders expressed their immense appreciation for the service of the sports medicine team. One man told me that he definitely would not have made it through the ride that day if I didn’t treat his Achilles tendonitis the day before. While the AIDS Lifecycle benefitted me academically and experientially, I was able to help many cyclists make it through the 545 miles in one piece.
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I gained so much experience in the field of sports medicine through my participation as a roadie during the AIDS Lifecycle. I learned about the common injuries of cyclists, such as Achilles tendonitis and patellofemoral syndrome. I was mentored by the other sports medicine volunteers who taught me how to evaluate the riders and identify their injuries. The sports medicine team consisted of other college students as well as certified professionals. This allowed me to network and make new friends from all over the United States who I still keep in contact with today. I already have been able to apply and teach my classmates about the things I learned from volunteering on the ride. I continue to encourage other students in my major at SUU to add AIDS Lifecycle to their repertoire.
Journal Quotes:
“Despite having to move so fast during the day and barely having time to breathe, it felt so good to help some of the desperate riders and feel of their gratitude for helping relieve their pain.”
“…I just took a moment to breathe and realize where I was and how amazing this week has been. I have been uncomfortable 75% of the time but the reason for that is because there is no comfort in a growth zone. I have grown so much!! I know so much more now, but I have so much more to learn and I'm excited to learn it!”