Back on course: Cyclist's first race since amputation is at today's El Tour

The Charter Funding El Tour de Tucson presented by Diamond Ventures is today. This is our final daily vignette from one of the entrants as told to Star reporter Patrick Finley.

BERT DOVER, 36

Tucson, Land acquisition agent

About a year and a half ago, I went to buy some life insurance. The man there asked how much I weighed. I said about 260. I got on the scale and it was 301. It really freaked me out.

I started exercising like a fiend. I lost 70 pounds. I figured that after that happened, I was going to need some kind of goal. I decided to do El Tour. I bought a bike. I lost another 30 and rode my first El Tour last year.

I just ran a marathon a month ago. I was training for that for the past few months. My time (in El Tour) last year was 5:20. This year I'm going for anything below 5:30. I'd like to think I could go faster, but I'm not sure. The legs might not be there, after the marathon.

Losing weight, it's like night and day. I just have a lot more energy. Just spectacular. El Tour served as a huge motivator for me. It was the first sporting event like that that I've done.The first one is special, definitely.