2018 Mid-Atlantic 12/24

[Doug Kline]

I had a great race and a great time with the Parkers. The 2-person relay competition was formidable. John and Nancy Guth are legends in the sport. They had beaten me by a lot 3 years ago on my DF. And Marc Poland and Carol Beliveau from the RRT4G Ultra Cycling racing team. Both Marc and Carol did quite well in Sebring last winter among other accolades.

Marc was my main competition and he motivated me to go as fast as I did. Maria would put some time on Carol and then Marc would have to chase me down. I could see him coming in my 80mm B&M mirrors from afar and did all I could to hold him off. He is a much better athlete, but lucky for me he chose his bike poorly for this course. He lives in the mountains and invited me to come over and ride with him. Now he would dominate me in mountains, but I do OK on a flat course.

For a cheeky comparison, Jim did his drafting century at 23.7 mph and “Team 3000 Miles to a Cure” did our first non-drafting century at 21.6 mph.

The course is officially 26 miles, but actually about 25.7 miles, so you’ll see some variation from official records vs Strava records. It’s a very nice route, but about 2 miles of it are on the shoulder of a highway which had a fair amount of debris.

The men on all 3 teams did the 1st loop and the ladies did the 2nd loop. And we continued alternating. On the 6th loop, Maria got a flat on the shoulder of the highway. She was running tubeless on the front wheel, but unfortunately the rear disc wheel was tubed. So, they drove me out on the course where she was, and we got our race going again. Unfortunately, we lost our lead time, but Maria tied it back up on her next run.

On loop 10 while the ladies were out on the course a thunderstorm came in and they attempted to suspend the race. Not such an easy thing to do. The ladies managed to find a barn to shelter in until the lightening passed and then rode in, but the race was still held for a while.

It was still raining on the 11th loop, which made it darker. Marc and I just rode the loop side by side sharing our lights. This gave us a chance to chat a bit. It’s always nice to meet these incredible athletes. And it was also nice not to push that loop as my knee was getting painful.

When we started the 13th loop, I was in general feeling good. I had managed my hydration and nutrition well through the day and had plenty of energy, but my knee was very painful. I was on an antibiotic called ciprofloxacin which came with a warning against vigorous exercise. I was hoping that just meant things like running or basketball. When my knee continued to scream, all I could think about was that the drug was associated with tendinitis, sudden tendon ruptures, and permanent damage. I reached a point that I just had to let Marc go and resign to the fact that I was done. Even though it was hard, I have to admit I really enjoyed racing against Marc, you know, given that Maria kept giving me a head start.

In the end I had 186 miles before abandoning the race and the team had 338 miles. That fell short of my goal, but it was respectable. At the end Maria and I both admitted we were pushing hard to not let the other one down. Funny what motivates you. Even though this was supposed to be her fun year, she suffered right through the heat, wind, and lightening to support my goals. She’s been a great friend.

 

[ed72]

It was indeed very hot with a particularly unhelpful brisk wind out of the South given the course is mostly East and West resulting in lots of time with the wind on your left shoulder or right shoulder.

I knew there was no chance to out sprint DF riders and little chance of out sprinting a V20 nor would I be able to outdo Larry over a short distance. I had Plan A and Plan B. In any case, delighted with the race and outcome. Plan A was to time a break at about the first rail track but it had to have Larry and Jim for it to succeed. Now, I knew Larry could drop me at will. so, I had to pull away hard enough to put the hurt on the DF riders but no so hard that I'd be vulnerable to a counterattack, but I thought if the pull was long and hard enough, they would want me in the break. Larry then took a good pull, Jim took a good one and voila, we were launched. Since we were now well into the back stretch on the other side of Rt 32, there are lots of turns and we were out of sight and out of mind to the chasing pack of DF rider. Jim said we should all work together and I think it all went well. It was very apparent that the V20 had an advantage coming out of the corners by maybe 20% in power, I shad to work hard coming out of each corner but then I tried to time it to sweep thru first as much as possible. I suspected Larry would be tired after doing 100 miles on the weekend and setting a TT record on Thursday, plus going keto has a short term mineral imbalance making his susceptible on a long hard effort in the heat. Thus, this is why I launched the breakaway with 96 miles to go in the race. (Sorry Larry). There was a little mishap coming up the little hill but managed to bridge back to Larry who went into agonizing pain. I never heard someone scream like that. I thought his leg was chopped off. The message was he dropped out, we had had a huge gap on the field so there was no hurry. Unfortunately, I decided to use my condom catheter at the wrong time and a decent gap opened whilst I took care of matters. I wasn't too concerned as I was closing the gap but there was some open burning. I have asthma. My lungs closed down. I chased as best I could but was not able to breath properly. The light bulb went on. I said to myself, don't be a stupid idiot. I could maybe catch them but there wasn't any chance to win a sprint or more likely, I could blow up big-time and the pack could catch me. So, I decided to just keep it rolling. Delighted with the result. I worked hard. Best I could. Those three know how to ride.

The best part of the race? At the finish line.

The winner (I did not know his name or who he was at the time) was standing there. I congratulated him and he congratulated me. He thanked me for some monster pulls and said some kind things. Why was this special? Such words from a young man displayed remarkable character and frankly, it seems rare and such magnanimity from a young man just made me feel so good. Great race, Will. Congrats

 

[RAR]

Doug, Regardless of the outcome, congratulations on a job well done. Being a long distance rider, I know how difficult it is to get from the first thought of a goal to the finish. The time, effort and expense of such an endeavor is formidable. Hope to see you in Oct.

Rick

View attachment 7125

I had a great race and a great time with the Parkers. The 2-person relay competition was formidable. John and Nancy Guth are legends in the sport. They had beaten me by a lot 3 years ago on my DF. And Marc Poland and Carol Beliveau from the RRT4G Ultra Cycling racing team. Both Marc and Carol did quite well in Sebring last winter among other accolades.

Marc was my main competition and he motivated me to go as fast as I did. Maria would put some time on Carol and then Marc would have to chase me down. I could see him coming in my 80mm B&M mirrors from afar and did all I could to hold him off. He is a much better athlete, but lucky for me he chose his bike poorly for this course. He lives in the mountains and invited me to come over and ride with him. Now he would dominate me in mountains, but I do OK on a flat course.

For a cheeky comparison, Jim did his drafting century at 23.7 mph and “Team 3000 Miles to a Cure” did our first non-drafting century at 21.6 mph.

The course is officially 26 miles, but actually about 25.7 miles, so you’ll see some variation from official records vs Strava records. It’s a very nice route, but about 2 miles of it are on the shoulder of a highway which had a fair amount of debris.

The men on all 3 teams did the 1st loop and the ladies did the 2nd loop. And we continued alternating. On the 6th loop, Maria got a flat on the shoulder of the highway. She was running tubeless on the front wheel, but unfortunately the rear disc wheel was tubed. So, they drove me out on the course where she was, and we got our race going again. Unfortunately, we lost our lead time, but Maria tied it back up on her next run.

On loop 10 while the ladies were out on the course a thunderstorm came in and they attempted to suspend the race. Not such an easy thing to do. The ladies managed to find a barn to shelter in until the lightening passed and then rode in, but the race was still held for a while.

It was still raining on the 11th loop, which made it darker. Marc and I just rode the loop side by side sharing our lights. This gave us a chance to chat a bit. It’s always nice to meet these incredible athletes. And it was also nice not to push that loop as my knee was getting painful.

When we started the 13th loop, I was in general feeling good. I had managed my hydration and nutrition well through the day and had plenty of energy, but my knee was very painful. I was on an antibiotic called ciprofloxacin which came with a warning against vigorous exercise. I was hoping that just meant things like running or basketball. When my knee continued to scream, all I could think about was that the drug was associated with tendinitis, sudden tendon ruptures, and permanent damage. I reached a point that I just had to let Marc go and resign to the fact that I was done. Even though it was hard, I have to admit I really enjoyed racing against Marc, you know, given that Maria kept giving me a head start.

In the end I had 186 miles before abandoning the race and the team had 338 miles. That fell short of my goal, but it was respectable. At the end Maria and I both admitted we were pushing hard to not let the other one down. Funny what motivates you. Even though this was supposed to be her fun year, she suffered right through the heat, wind, and lightening to support my goals. She’s been a great friend.

View attachment 7127

View attachment 7125

I had a great race and a great time with the Parkers. The 2-person relay competition was formidable. John and Nancy Guth are legends in the sport. They had beaten me by a lot 3 years ago on my DF. And Marc Poland and Carol Beliveau from the RRT4G Ultra Cycling racing team. Both Marc and Carol did quite well in Sebring last winter among other accolades.

Marc was my main competition and he motivated me to go as fast as I did. Maria would put some time on Carol and then Marc would have to chase me down. I could see him coming in my 80mm B&M mirrors from afar and did all I could to hold him off. He is a much better athlete, but lucky for me he chose his bike poorly for this course. He lives in the mountains and invited me to come over and ride with him. Now he would dominate me in mountains, but I do OK on a flat course.

For a cheeky comparison, Jim did his drafting century at 23.7 mph and “Team 3000 Miles to a Cure” did our first non-drafting century at 21.6 mph.

The course is officially 26 miles, but actually about 25.7 miles, so you’ll see some variation from official records vs Strava records. It’s a very nice route, but about 2 miles of it are on the shoulder of a highway which had a fair amount of debris.

The men on all 3 teams did the 1st loop and the ladies did the 2nd loop. And we continued alternating. On the 6th loop, Maria got a flat on the shoulder of the highway. She was running tubeless on the front wheel, but unfortunately the rear disc wheel was tubed. So, they drove me out on the course where she was, and we got our race going again. Unfortunately, we lost our lead time, but Maria tied it back up on her next run.

On loop 10 while the ladies were out on the course a thunderstorm came in and they attempted to suspend the race. Not such an easy thing to do. The ladies managed to find a barn to shelter in until the lightening passed and then rode in, but the race was still held for a while.

It was still raining on the 11th loop, which made it darker. Marc and I just rode the loop side by side sharing our lights. This gave us a chance to chat a bit. It’s always nice to meet these incredible athletes. And it was also nice not to push that loop as my knee was getting painful.

When we started the 13th loop, I was in general feeling good. I had managed my hydration and nutrition well through the day and had plenty of energy, but my knee was very painful. I was on an antibiotic called ciprofloxacin which came with a warning against vigorous exercise. I was hoping that just meant things like running or basketball. When my knee continued to scream, all I could think about was that the drug was associated with tendinitis, sudden tendon ruptures, and permanent damage. I reached a point that I just had to let Marc go and resign to the fact that I was done. Even though it was hard, I have to admit I really enjoyed racing against Marc, you know, given that Maria kept giving me a head start.

In the end I had 186 miles before abandoning the race and the team had 338 miles. That fell short of my goal, but it was respectable. At the end Maria and I both admitted we were pushing hard to not let the other one down. Funny what motivates you. Even though this was supposed to be her fun year, she suffered right through the heat, wind, and lightening to support my goals. She’s been a great friend.

View attachment 7127

 

[Maria Parker]

Thank you Doug Kline. I'd race again with you any day. Thank you Ed for your kind words about Will. Does a mother proud. Both Jim and Will said you were an incredible rider.

 

[RAR]

Thank you Doug Kline. I'd race again with you any day. Thank you Ed for your kind words about Will. Does a mother proud. Both Jim and Will said you were an incredible rider.

Yes Maria Ed is an incredible rider. I found that out two years ago when he out ran us all by 2 hours on a 200K in Fl.
Congrats Ed, and to Will and Jim also.
Rick

 

[Doug Kline]

I have to apologize, I was too busy at the start of the event and didn't meet Ed. Missed opportunity.

 

[Maria Parker]

Sorry no picture yet. I am looking forward to riding the 100 mile race. It has been a long time since I was in a pace line and perhaps there will be some of that before I get blown off the back. Extremely curious what the draft off a V20 feels like. I have spent the last three months chasing DF groups at a distance. Only finished my first 100 on the V20 this last weekend, so a bit green still. Looking forward to meeting all the Cruzbike gang and riding some different terrain than the Houston area, although it is nice out in the rural areas here.

North Carolina looks like a perfect place to ride bikes. My wife, Cathy, and I will be headed in that direction by car starting the week before, then swing back to Texas for the Hotter n Hell 100 on the following weekend in Wichita Falls. Doing a chill-out two-week drive vacation. Took some measurements and should be able to fit the V20 in a Toyota RAV4 without any disassembly. We will see. See you there.

So good to meet you Bill. Thank you for coming out. I'm sorry I didn't get to chat.

 

[Jeffrey Ritter]

I guess its my turn to submit my *first* Cruzbike full race report.

Racing on a Silvio 3.0, I had the best performance of my short endurance racing career (Mid-Atlantic 2017 was my first and did not last the full 12 hours and I had a mechanical at Calvin's-ugh).

Except for about 10 miles in the first lap drafting off the peloton of friends that Doug Kline's wife recruited to help her reach a new PR, I rode solo, finishing 172 miles by the 7:00 hour! I don't have the results yet, but I heard 212 miles was getting 2nd overall and Maria Del P.Vazquez won overall woman at 184 so I am really pleased. The bike was superb, having upgraded to Boyd 60's, disc brakes, and 42 cm cowbell handlebars with 12 degree flair. Very aero. Note the carbon case holds a Camelback 2.0 liter and also that I use a Garmin Varia radar unit without any interference by the case.

Supported by my terrific wife, Jane Kuhar, who also kindly did bottle duty for Larry Oslund, I was most pleased with the consistency of my lap times (generally within 10 minutes of each other), particularly when the wind flared to 20+mph. Jeesh. But I was surprised how well the wheels handled the cross winds. Overall rolling average of 16.1 miles per hour. Rode the 1st 52 miles non-stop, took an early lunch at 75 miles, and then rode 104-156 virtually non-stop except for a quick re-load of fluids.

We handled hydration and nutrition well, and one secret weapon--ice socks filled with ice wrapped across my chest. Wow, never really over-heated or felt near that point. Great for bent racing especially. Also highly endorse sweet potatos--great pick me up!

One more thing: with an hour left, some clouds and a falling tailwind, I rolled out and push as hard as I could and completed 15 miles in 52 mins, so nearly 17 mph after already doing 156 miles. From what I have learned, not so bad on a Silvio. I can honestly say I got off the bike and had no discomforts or pains--just some muscle soreness. Wow.

Cruzbike and the Cruzbike tribe have been so supportive of my journey--my thanks to the Parkers, Doug Kline and Larry Oslund and, last year, Lanier Meeks! Four years ago, I never thought I would ride again, much less reach my goal of being an endurance racer capable of going long! And, to the unnamed farmer that stopped his pick up and let me toss the bike in and hitch a ride back as the heavens unleashed, my thanks as well. On to Sebring and the magic 200+ in 12.

 

[RAR]

Jeff, Congratulations on a job well done. So glad you can continue riding on a Cruzbike.
Hope to see you at the Cruzbike get together in Oct.

Rick

 

[Jim Parker]

Hi Ed,
After I recovered a bit from the race, I went to look for you to congratulate you for a podium finish and to thank you for the great pulls, but I could not find you. I'm glad you got to talk to Will. He is a a very fine young man. I guess he takes after his mother.

I have not had a chance to write-up my race report, but Will did amazingly well with NO training. He is young and a good runner, and he's been riding Cruzbikes since he was 12. So I'm not surprised that he ALMOST won. When I had to back off to keep the leg cramps at bay, I thought Will would finish first, but he got hit with the same heat exhaustion we were all feeling. He says he "bonked" and I caught him and finished a little a head of him. More later.

Jim

 

[ed72]

Well done, Jim. A family member became ill with sepsis, I rushed back to help my wife. She is ok but never a low risk event for elderly. Great riding with you all. You must have caught Will at the end.....I was watching you two for the last 8-10 miles and I thought he was ahead of you on rt 264. But my eyes are old. Well done. On a side note, Larry throws no draft.....note to anyone in the future......stay off his wheel.

 

[Doug Kline]

I have to add a little anecdote to this thread that I'm still laughing about. On Friday I got an email from Jim saying "Maria and I will be in Washington late in the evening tonight. Our son, Will, is going to ride the 100-mile event. He's not trained, but he is young!"

I didn't think much about it, because Washington is a nice place to ride a bike.

Jim and Maria brought all the equipment in their RAAM van. As we were setting up Saturday morning, Will (the young medical student) drove up separate. Jim pointed to a cloths basket full of shoes and said to Will "pick a pair of shoes". I laughed. Nothing underscores "not trained" more than not showing up with your own shoes.

Lucky for us old folks, these "not trained" youngsters don't show up to these events very often.

 

[Jim Parker]

My race report in now posted here.

 

[Zzzorse]

Will Parker's race report is now posted here.

 

[Gary123]

Ok. Young untrained med student drops a pack of df riders going 26-28 mph and goes on to nearly win a 100 mile race in 90+ degree heat. ( Still wondering if he sandbagged for his old man). Pretty amazing story

 

[ed72]

Will's report is interesting for two reasons.

I wonder if the same DF rider who made the slightly untoward comment to him is the same one who made a comment towards me, which is why I decided to make them suffer with 99 miles to go. I am not as mature as Will. Seriously silly to "go" 5 miles into a 104 mile race.

I was unaware that all four of us were not together at the break. Lousy mirror. After I peeled off, I was hoping Larry would just maintain the pace (so that I would not be dropped). He slowed it down a touch to around 26 mph and then Jim maintained it there. I was thinking to myself that these guys do 10 mile TTs at 30 mph, what's up. It is impressive that Will bridged nonetheless. It was smart and it took guts.....huge potential in that lad. I don't know how far back he was but once together as four, working together we built a huge gap.

I do so get a chuckle that Dad still won (this time).