2017 Sebring 12-24hr & Century

[RojoRacing]

Ok this is going to be your one garanteed shot to see that one West Coast Mountains Racer in action on your east coast flat lands. I'll still be on the mend and still unable to ride my beloved Mtb so I'm going to go ahead and commit to the Sebring 24. Feel free to post anything Sebring related like carpools, suggested places of lodging or even your favorite Florida proof sunscreen.

My itinerary is completely open at this point. I may just fly out the day or two before then race and head home. I could also maybe fly out and hang out with someone for a few days and help gather and prepare things for the Team CruzBike pit area. Things will become more clear as we get closer.

List of goals in order of importance and probability.
Goal #1 have fun
Goal #2 finish(ride till they make me stop)
Goal #3 win overall
Goal #4 new CruzBike 24hr distance record(I think 474 miles)
Goal #5 new recumbent 24hr distance record(mileage not sure)
Goal #6 eclipse the current 24hr DF distance record(mileage not sure)

 

[RojoRacing]

Looks like there's 4 race options.
100 mile
12hr drafting ok
24hr drafting ok
24hr no drafting (RAMM qualifier)

I'm going for 24hrs and I don't need to qualify for RAMM so which 24hr do you guys think I should enter? Before you guys jump in a say 24hr drafting there's a few things to consider. If I'm on par physically to going for over 550 miles I may find it rare to have someone to draft at that speed give pit stops and such. During my 24hr race last year beyond the first 30 miles I never once came across someone I thought I could draft.

Would you consider there to be more prestige in a non drafting record vs a drafting one should I even set a record?

 

[trplay]

No question, race in the 24 hr non drafting. Big dawgs should go for the big bone. But, If you decide on a drafting race I think Cruzbike should register you for all three drafting races. The 100, 12 hr and 24 hour draft. That way you can try for a Sebring triple sweep!

 

[RojoRacing]

No question, race in the 24 hr non drafting. Big dawgs should go for the big bone. But, If you decide on a drafting race I think Cruzbike should register you for all three drafting races. The 100, 12 hr and 24 hour draft. That way you can try for a Sebring triple sweep!

:lol so I have actually won both 5k and 10k running races in the same day at the same event twice now. Both times I ended up registering for both distances based on a dare or challenge from a friend. One event was two 5k loops and the other was one race after the other.

So the idea of me entering all 3 drafting races and finishing them as I continue through is not all that far fetched. I wonder if the race officials would catch that my name was in all three races?

Don't tempt me with shenanigans you don't want to see attempted

 

[trplay]

So the idea of me entering all 3 drafting races and finishing them as I continue through is not all that far fetched. I wonder if the race officials would catch that my name was in all three races?

Don't tempt me with shenanigans you don't want to see attempted

No shenanigans here. I don't see it as far fetched and wouldn't try and sneak in an entry. Go straight up to the officials before the race. They should welcome the challenge. What do they get? More money with two less bikes on the course. Do note my first choice is the Non drafting 24 hr. Second choice is the Sebring triple sweep.

 

[LarryOz]

So the idea of me entering all 3 drafting races and finishing them as I continue through is not all that far fetched. I wonder if the race officials would catch that my name was in all three races?

I wanted to do this at the Mid-Atl for the 100 mile and 12 hour events, but Alvin said it was against the UMCA rules:
So, I think It really depends if it is a UMCA sanctioned event.
If so, I don't think they allow you to enter more than one event.
I am on the UMCA board now and am chairing the next meeting. I will put it on the calendar to talk about.
..
I also think there is also "higher" personal prestige in during solo as apposed to drafting.
Having said that, there would also be some advantage (mostly for Cruzbike - and of course all riders involved) if we went as a team in the 12 (or 24) hour drafting and smashed all records.
I seriously think with 5 or 6 of us, we could probably break 300 in the 12, and may be able to come seriously close to the record in the 24 that I think Jim V has.
Of course, weather plays a big part, as well as everything else has to run like clockwork - I up for whatever - I think no matter what we choose to do, it will be good training for the RAAM in June.

 

[trplay]

Larry check your conversations.

 

[Jim Parker]

Hi RojoRacing,
Happy to support you at Sebring after I win the 100-mile race!
At Bike Sebring, in the drafting races, they have no rules against registered racers sitting out every-other lap, and then jumping in and pulling a teammate the other laps. Personally, I think this should be made illegal because it gives an unfair advantage to the racers who can hire (or coax) pullers. Maria got beat in 2011 by a group of Bacchetta racers doing this with DF riders, and I know because I'm friends with one of the DF riders who raced that year. A well-rested Schlitter racer sat out an entire 25-mile lap (for a flat tire) this past weekend, and then got back in for the final lap and led the breakaway that earned them a very narrow victory over Larry and I. My point is that drafting races are prone to tricks that are legal, if not ethically sketchy. That's why I would stick to the non-drafting 24-hour race at Sebring. Then you can just focus on your performance, and not worry about the politics and scheming that go on in the drafting races.

Jim

 

[RojoRacing]

Hi RojoRacing,
Happy to support you at Sebring after I win the 100-mile race!
At Bike Sebring, in the drafting races, they have no rules against registered racers sitting out every-other lap, and then jumping in and pulling a teammate the other laps. Personally, I think this should be made illegal because it gives an unfair advantage to the racers who can hire (or coax) pullers. Maria got beat in 2011 by a group of Bacchetta racers doing this with DF riders, and I know because I'm friends with one of the DF riders who raced that year. A well-rested Schlitter racer sat out an entire 25-mile lap (for a flat tire) this past weekend, and then got back in for the final lap and led the breakaway that earned them a very narrow victory over Larry and I. My point is that drafting races are prone to tricks that are legal, if not ethically sketchy. That's why I would stick to the non-drafting 24-hour race at Sebring. Then you can just focus on your performance, and not worry about the politics and scheming that go on in the drafting races.

Jim

Yes that is all very true and I'd hate to steal your thunder in the 100 mile race . Pacing and focusing on my own effort is going to be the only way to have a chance at over 560 miles. A little help from friends early on could pull me into an effort beyond my plan and bury me later on. I can still imagine where I would have finished in each race based on my recorded times at those points. It'll be interesting to see where we all end up after 50 miles, 100 miles, 6hrs, 12hrs and 24hrs.

Only real kink in my plan as far as tuning my motor is I'm going under the knife to fix the ligaments in my left thumb the week after the Borrego 24hr so that gives me exactly 3 months to heal for the race. Figure 4-6 weeks on the trainer to recover and maintain my base then ramp up the speed for a month or so then taper week.