TORONTO -- When the darkness threatened to envelop Clara Hughes, the six-time Olympian sought solace on her bike. Cheap Curry Shoes China . Hughes climbed on her bike again Friday for what she called the most important ride of her life. The retired athlete, who is known almost as much as a tireless advocate for mental health awareness as she is an Olympic champion, set off on Claras Big Ride -- a 110-day journey around Canada to promote conversation about mental health. "This is bigger than anything Ive ever done or ever will do," Hughes said. "And the best part about it is its not about me. Im using the bike as a vehicle to bring the mental health conversation and then using every community event that we visit, every school, to really elevate the people in the community, the students to give them a voice, give them the platform. "Its so different from sport because this is not about me. It is actually what motivates me to do this." The 41-year-old Hughes, who has been vocal about her battle with depression, won Olympic medals in both cycling and long-track speedskating, and when she retired from competitive sports after the 2012 London Olympics and suddenly found herself with more time on her hands, a cross-country bike ride seemed the perfect vehicle for her cause. "Over the years, Ive done a lot of bike touring as well as my racing, and theres a curiosity when you roll into town and roll out of town. Where have you come from? Where are you going?" Hughes said. "And I wanted it to be epic. I felt like we need something epic for people to really connect to, and riding across and around Canada is epic. "This is a massive country and I just feel like maybe we can show also the importance of movement, of being active, whatever it is. Going for a walk, riding your bike. Thats a big part of my mental health practice, so I also wanted to show that." The Winnipeg native, accompanied by her husband Peter Guzman, will cover 12,000 kilometres and visit 95 communities, eventually reaching Ottawa on July 1, Canada Day. Hughes, the spokesperson for Bell Lets Talk, set off from a lunchtime ceremony at Maple Leaf Square, wearing blue cycling suit, black tuque, and her trademark megawatt smile. "Today, I woke up and thought Its game time. Lets go. And Im ready. And this is the best day of my life, that I get to start this journey. I cant wait for this to unfold," Hughes said. Hughes slipped into severe depression after winning two bronze cycling medals at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, and for nearly a year she hid her sombre secret behind her wide smile. She initially thought it was simply post-Olympic letdown, and believed shed get over it. But she found herself sleeping away the days, and crying uncontrollably when she was awake. She gained between 15 and 20 pounds. More than a decade later, Hughes has become one of the most vocal advocates for erasing the stigma around mental illness as the spokesperson for Bell Lets Talk Day. "I do feel theres a shift (in the discussion around mental illness)," she said. "Has it changed? No. The shift has started to happen in the last number of years and I think the (Lets Talk) campaign is a big part of it. And thats why I had the idea of when I finally did quit, I had all this time on my hands. . . what more can I do? And thats where this ride kind of stemmed from." Hughes and her husband plan to cover about 150 kilometres a day. Theyll be accompanied by a Greyhound bus carrying support staff and supplies. A rotating group of cyclists will ride with them. There were about 100 that set off from Toronto to Hamilton for Day 1 on Friday. "I think its going to be really different," Hughes said, comparing her Big Ride to her days of competing. "Its funny, the other day I woke up and had a big cinnamon roll and coffee for breakfast, and I was just like: I would never do this if I was getting ready for a race. "Get to relax a little more. And theres no finish line, Im not sprinting, theres no race. The race is just getting the message to as many people, connecting to as many people, and I really like that. Because I dont have to go hard either. So its different in terms of intensity as well, obviously. "And Im loving life after sport. Im a proud recreational athlete, and this is part of my recreation is riding my bike." Asked about her own health, Hughes said shes "doing very well" but admitted it was a big transition into life after sport. "One of the things even doing this ride whenever I have something big in my life, I worry about after, because thats when things start getting dark and difficult," she said. Hughes speaks regularly with a psychologist shes worked with since her last year training in Calgary, and will have that outlet during the ride if she needs it. Shes although thankful for the support of her husband. "Hes trained for many Olympics kind of in the shadows but with me, hes been a force behind me," she said. "But this is the first time weve done everything together and spent so much time together, and its going really well. Hes so excited. Hes the kind of person who never ever quits what he starts. So even if disaster strikes and whatever, and this ride doesnt finish, Peter will be out there on his own, finishing in Ottawa on Canada Day, so Ive got great partners." Mental health issues in sport made headlines again this week when Terry Trafford, a 20-year-old from Toronto and a forward for the Ontario Hockey Leagues Saginaw Spirit, committed suicide. Hughes spoke about meeting Olympic speedskating champion Stefan Groothuis last month at the Sochi Olympics. The Dutch gold medallist was on the brink of suicide a year ago. "Hes been talking about what that was like to go through that dark period and depression and to come back, and to say This gold medal represents that there is light to go to. Dont give up. "So there are so many athletes that are starting to come out and talk about their experience with mental illness, and the stress, anxiety. . .Athletes are not immune to it, but also athletes are not superhuman and need support. I always tell that to athletes, make sure youre getting the help you need." Along with her two Olympic bronze medals in cycling, Hughes won four winter Olympic medals in speedskating -- one gold, one silver, and two bronze. Her six medals ties her with speedskater Cindy Klassen as the most decorated Canadian Olympians. Cheap Curry Shoes . Both sides came closest to scoring in the first half, when Roma had a goal from Mattia Destro waved off for offside and Inters Rodrigo Palacio headed high. 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Thats a huge, huge win, and tomorrow I think its going to really carry over.With Pittsburgh winning 3-1 at Cincinnati, the Cardinals remain a game up on the Pirates, with two to play.The game came hours after the Diamondbacks announced manager Kirk Gibson had been fired.We gave them a nice little run tonight, said bench coach Alan Trammell, filling in as manager over the weekend. We were just again, probably a broken record, a little short. Give our guys a lot of credit for battling.Neshek, superb all season but struggling some recently, gave up three runs that tied it for Arizona in the sixth. Two of the hits were bloop singles. The second of them, by Didi Gregorius, brought in two runs.It seemed like everything was just out of reach, Neshek said.Ender Inciarte followed with a sharp hit to left that, to the good fortune of the Cardinals, bounced into the seats for an RBI ground-rule double. Gregorius, who had crossed the plate with what would have been the go-ahead run, had to go back to third.But the Cardinals didnt let this one get away.I think we just believe were going to pick each other up, St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said. You know Pat Nesheks picked us up all season long and been as good as anybody in that eighth inning. Just a couple things not going his way put us in a tough spot.Marco Gonzalez (4-2) shut down the Diamondbacks in the ninth to set the stage for the Cardinals 10th-inning success.It was an interesting kind of feel in the dugout, Matheny said. We got out of that inning with Marco, you could just tell something was going to happen.Peralta also had a two-run double in a game St. Louis led 6-3 going into the eighth.Evan Marshall (4-4) took the loss.Trevor Rosenthal pitched a perrfect 10th for his 45th save in 51 opportunities. Wholesale Curry Shoes. St. Louis was trailing 2-1 in the sixth inning when Peralta launched a bases-loaded double over the head of A.J. Pollock in deep centre, bringing in two runs. Yadier Molina followed with a sacrifice fly and it was 4-2. The Cardinals added two more in the seventhMichael Wacha got no decision after leaving with a 4-2 lead in the sixth. He retired 10 in a row before Mark Trumbos leadoff single ended his night in the sixth.TRAINERS ROOMCardinals: Wacha pitched 4 2-3 innings in his previous start after skipping an outing for rest and work on his conditioning following his long stay on the DL. He missed 68 games due to a stress reaction in his right shoulder.Diamondbacks: INF Chris Owings was a late scratch as a precautionary measure due to a sore left shoulder. ... Arizona is finishing the season with five on the DL, four due to Tommy John surgery a€” Bronson Arroyo, Patrick Corbin, David Hernandez and Matt Reynolds.UP NEXTCardinals: RHP Lance Lynn (15-10) makes his team-leading 33rd start of the season with the Cardinals needing a victory to clinch at least a tie for first in the division. Lynn is one shy of 50 career wins.Diamondbacks: LHP Wade Miley (8-12) needs 3 2-3 innings to become the second left-hander to pitch at least 200 innings in consecutive seasons. Randy Johnson did it for four consecutive years.FIRED BUT STILL HERESometimes fired doesnt mean fired right this minute.Trammell was fired along with Gibson. But Trammell is still working. He agreed to manage the Diamondbacks final three games.I will finish things thing up and then I will be on my way, he said. Then you will probably see me somewhere else, who knows?Kevin Towers is still in the organization three weeks after being dismissed as general manager.CLINCHEDWith the loss, the Diamondbacks (63-97) have dropped eight of nine and are guaranteed to finish the season with the worst record in the majors, and the first pick in next years draft.NO SWEEPSThe Cardinals were not swept in a series all season. Wholesale Hoodies NFL Shirts Outlet Jerseys NFL Wholesale Cheap NFL Jerseys Free Shipping Wholesale Jerseys Cheap Cheap NFL Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '