Barefoot Biker
Active Member
I started biking in 2015 on a Giant Defy. I soon met a group in Port Charlotte Florida and started improving my fitness. I was dropped. I was dropped a lot, but I kept trying and kept improving. At the same time, I was researching recumbent bikes. It made sense to me that the aerodynamic advantage of the position would make them faster. One of the bikes I was considering was the Cruzbike Vendetta. Fortunately, I met Paul Gagnon and he let me test ride numerous recumbent bikes that he had. It took me three tries to get started pedaling his Vendetta, but once I did, I was able to easily pedal down the block and back and I instantly felt the difference. Somebody mentioned that it was a bit like riding a big-wheel. That concept in my head worked for me. Soon after I bought one. I was instantly 10% faster on the Vendetta and within a couple of weeks joining the group rides. I continued to improve and slowly took Strava KOM’s one after another. At this point I could drop the group at any point and then the competition was mostly against myself. I rode with a few other recumbents in Sarasota, mostly on Schlitter’s. They are much stronger riders than me, but I was able to stay with them in the draft. In the 8 weeks before the race I trained a bit more methodically and even road a couple of times with Amanda Coker. I road my S-Works Tarmac on some of the off days. Mostly though I trained with the group where I started, Team Ghost Rider, on the bike I like best, the Vendetta. So, that was my background and going into the race I felt prepared.
My strategy was to hang with the A group as long as possible until I was dropped. I decided in advance that I would not pass Larry Oslund, Alex Strouhal, or Sandor Kormos because I knew that they would finish ahead of me, because they were recognizable to me, and because I knew I had no business being in front of them in my first 12 hour race.
At the starting line, I was next to Alex and he mentioned that the laps on the track were often fast. I am much faster when I am fresh so, I knew I would keep up with the pack at the start, but I also didn’t want to get involved with anyone in the dark. So, I shot off the starting line and decided that I may as well lead the race at some point and the beginning was probably my best chance. So, I followed the pace car out front for a good portion of the first lap. Then, I slowly let the group work their way past me until I settled in behind the riders I identified.
When we left the track the lead group was probably around 30 riders and we settled into a reasonable pace with the work at the front being traded across both recumbents and a few strong upright riders and even one very strong tandem couple. I never took a pull longer than a few seconds and when we got to the turn around point, I dropped my chip in the bin, turned the bike around and accelerated back the way we came. I found myself out front simply because I hadn’t dawdled at the turn around so, I stayed there for a bit until the group reformed and then I worked my way back to the middle of the pack.
The course is considered mostly flat by the average rider, but for me, it’s hilly. Where I normally ride, I have done many long rides with zero feet of elevation gain. Although it is possible to keep up with a light upright bike going uphill, for me, it’s not generally worth it because the bike is so much faster downhill that it’s better to be conservative going up. This means that I was intentionally moving back and forth with the rest of the group. The tandem in the group was doing the same thing and I was enjoying an enormous draft behind it much of the time. I was also taking several, in retrospect unnecessary, risks. For example, rather than slowing for a vehicle that got in the group’s way, I took the grass off the side of the road to minimize my work and then jumped back onto the road.
Mile 65 was where it happened. The tandem was falling back and working back into the pace line at the same time that I was beginning to surge forward. I didn’t brake and I started getting very nervous as our wheels became overlapped. I overreacted by quickly flicking my front wheel left and then right with the intention of breaking out of the group to the left for a bit. I went very slightly left but when I flicked the wheel back to the right it immediately broke traction, perhaps on the yellow no passing stripe or as the result of the tire being brand new, and now the pavement was approaching me at 21.7mph on my right side. I was wearing a tae kwon do pad as an arm warmer so, I let my right arm take the impact. As I slid along I was able to turn my head around to see how badly this was going to end up. Sandor was behind me. So, I guess I was already off-plan being ahead of him, but he swerved his Schlitter Encore right around my head. We did make contact and his water bottle flew out onto the road. Everyone else got through cleanly. I picked up my bike and put the chain back on. Threw a t-shirt and plastic bag that I had under my jersey for warmth off the side of the road and left my spare inner tube that was knocked loose at the scene there as well.
It took me exactly 60 seconds to put the chain back on, throw off to the side what I didn’t need, make the decision to chase the group down, clip in and start peddling like mad. I repeated the phrase in my head, “a wounded animal is a dangerous thing.” I had a 60 second gap to close. I cranked the Vendetta up to 35.1 mph, sent my heart rate up to 180 bpm and watched as the gap was reducing. A few minutes later Jesse Groves initiated a solo break away. This was the last thing I needed because the group sped up. I was persistent though and I kept the power high enough to close, but low enough that I wouldn’t blow up. It took me exactly five minutes to close the gap. Then, with my heart jumping out of my jersey I took inventory of my new situation.
My arm, hip, and ankle were bleeding. My jersey was no longer on my forearm and was tight around my bicep. My pants were torn. My derailleur was malfunctioning and I no longer had available my deeper gears. I had caught the group, but I had paid a price doing it. I moved up to Sandor after the group brought back Jesse’s break away, thanked him for avoiding me and handed him my water bottle since I had robbed him of his and I had extra.
I finished the first 100 miles in 4:16:52, 23.5 mph. I was there to watch Jesse and Jim Parker make it to the finish in their century race. I couldn’t believe I succeeded in closing down that one minute gap. I had an amazing pit crew of one back at the race track, my girlfriend, Bernadette. I grabbed a peanut butter sandwich and more water and kept going. The pace settled down a bit and I found myself with Alex and Sandor for the first eleven mile loop. Larry caught up just as we finished that loop and I was a little slower through the pits and got dropped by a few seconds. I, once again, added power and caught the group again, but this time, I knew I’d spent too much. I couldn’t stay with them at this level of intensity. So, I decided this was the point. This was the time to let them go and settle in to a pace I could maintain.
One of the laps through the pits, I stopped and splashed cold water on my face. I had changed into lighter gear on a previous stop, but I felt like I was a bit warmer than I should be and I decided to lay down while we restocked the bike with water and while I refueled with an orange. What am I doing on the ground!? I jumped back up and got on the bike. Well, stopping hurt me more than anything. I felt something I’d never encountered before: cramps. I backed the pace way down, but the cramps were getting worse. Soon, I had muscles cramping on both sides of my legs and arms simultaneously. There was no escape. I stopped and got off the bike at the bottom of a hill. This was not my best plan, but it was necessary. I stretched out as best I could and limped around the course for ten miles. When I returned my crew gave me the nutrition and hydration I needed and I scheduled a stop at the Cruzbike tent for my next lap.
They looked at my derailleur. The adjustment screws would no longer accept a wrench since they were caked with asphalt, but it didn’t really matter because the entire derailleur hanger was bent and twisted beyond repair. Robert Holler replaced it while I sat in a chair and straightened out my handle bars before I clipped in and was off again. Huge difference, both in being able to shift into the gears I wanted, in my lifted spirits, and in having the cramps in my legs finally gone for good. I cannot thank the Cruzbike folks enough for their support. I rejoined Alex, Sandor, Larry, and several others and I was, though twenty some miles behind, once again able to stay in their pace line. At this point, one of the Schlitter rides broke free. I wasn’t up for chasing him and I dropped to the back. Sandor and Alex took up the chase. I asked Larry if he wanted help to chase them down, but it would have taken everything I had left if it would have been even possible and when I rotated back to the front, I inadvertently dropped Larry anyway.
I was able to maintain a good pace and then they took us back onto the race track where we’d started. I realized I was only going 19 mph that first lap back and decided to pick it up to 21 mph. I eventually found a time trial bike matching my pace and took advantage by drafting. He picked it up to 22 mph. Prior to my last lap I was kicking myself for not giving any thought to how long a lap would take me since only the last lap in time is counted. I was doing a lot of math in my head before I crossed for my last lap and as I did, two guys in front of me stopped and said, “Nope, there isn’t enough time for another.” I was looking at the clock as I came around and it said approximately 11:50:37. In my head, I was guessing a lap would take ten minutes. Turns out this is accurate for speed just under 22 mph, but I only had nine left. The person I was drafting also decided there was not enough time so, I was on my own and I knew the time I needed to beat. I threw my water into the pits in a desperate attempt to gain any speed advantage I could, and put what I had left into my legs. I managed to finish that last lap solo at 24.2 mph - just seconds to spare!
What a rush. It was not the race I had planned. I made a lot of mistakes, but I did a lot right. Closing the gap after crashing is something I will always remember. The last lap on the track is a reminder for me of my capability and a testament to what the Vendetta can do. There were people that went faster than me, but I won FIRST PLACE in my age division, and despite the challenges, I had an absolute blast out there.
https://www.strava.com/activities/863225291
My strategy was to hang with the A group as long as possible until I was dropped. I decided in advance that I would not pass Larry Oslund, Alex Strouhal, or Sandor Kormos because I knew that they would finish ahead of me, because they were recognizable to me, and because I knew I had no business being in front of them in my first 12 hour race.
At the starting line, I was next to Alex and he mentioned that the laps on the track were often fast. I am much faster when I am fresh so, I knew I would keep up with the pack at the start, but I also didn’t want to get involved with anyone in the dark. So, I shot off the starting line and decided that I may as well lead the race at some point and the beginning was probably my best chance. So, I followed the pace car out front for a good portion of the first lap. Then, I slowly let the group work their way past me until I settled in behind the riders I identified.
When we left the track the lead group was probably around 30 riders and we settled into a reasonable pace with the work at the front being traded across both recumbents and a few strong upright riders and even one very strong tandem couple. I never took a pull longer than a few seconds and when we got to the turn around point, I dropped my chip in the bin, turned the bike around and accelerated back the way we came. I found myself out front simply because I hadn’t dawdled at the turn around so, I stayed there for a bit until the group reformed and then I worked my way back to the middle of the pack.
The course is considered mostly flat by the average rider, but for me, it’s hilly. Where I normally ride, I have done many long rides with zero feet of elevation gain. Although it is possible to keep up with a light upright bike going uphill, for me, it’s not generally worth it because the bike is so much faster downhill that it’s better to be conservative going up. This means that I was intentionally moving back and forth with the rest of the group. The tandem in the group was doing the same thing and I was enjoying an enormous draft behind it much of the time. I was also taking several, in retrospect unnecessary, risks. For example, rather than slowing for a vehicle that got in the group’s way, I took the grass off the side of the road to minimize my work and then jumped back onto the road.
Mile 65 was where it happened. The tandem was falling back and working back into the pace line at the same time that I was beginning to surge forward. I didn’t brake and I started getting very nervous as our wheels became overlapped. I overreacted by quickly flicking my front wheel left and then right with the intention of breaking out of the group to the left for a bit. I went very slightly left but when I flicked the wheel back to the right it immediately broke traction, perhaps on the yellow no passing stripe or as the result of the tire being brand new, and now the pavement was approaching me at 21.7mph on my right side. I was wearing a tae kwon do pad as an arm warmer so, I let my right arm take the impact. As I slid along I was able to turn my head around to see how badly this was going to end up. Sandor was behind me. So, I guess I was already off-plan being ahead of him, but he swerved his Schlitter Encore right around my head. We did make contact and his water bottle flew out onto the road. Everyone else got through cleanly. I picked up my bike and put the chain back on. Threw a t-shirt and plastic bag that I had under my jersey for warmth off the side of the road and left my spare inner tube that was knocked loose at the scene there as well.
It took me exactly 60 seconds to put the chain back on, throw off to the side what I didn’t need, make the decision to chase the group down, clip in and start peddling like mad. I repeated the phrase in my head, “a wounded animal is a dangerous thing.” I had a 60 second gap to close. I cranked the Vendetta up to 35.1 mph, sent my heart rate up to 180 bpm and watched as the gap was reducing. A few minutes later Jesse Groves initiated a solo break away. This was the last thing I needed because the group sped up. I was persistent though and I kept the power high enough to close, but low enough that I wouldn’t blow up. It took me exactly five minutes to close the gap. Then, with my heart jumping out of my jersey I took inventory of my new situation.
My arm, hip, and ankle were bleeding. My jersey was no longer on my forearm and was tight around my bicep. My pants were torn. My derailleur was malfunctioning and I no longer had available my deeper gears. I had caught the group, but I had paid a price doing it. I moved up to Sandor after the group brought back Jesse’s break away, thanked him for avoiding me and handed him my water bottle since I had robbed him of his and I had extra.
I finished the first 100 miles in 4:16:52, 23.5 mph. I was there to watch Jesse and Jim Parker make it to the finish in their century race. I couldn’t believe I succeeded in closing down that one minute gap. I had an amazing pit crew of one back at the race track, my girlfriend, Bernadette. I grabbed a peanut butter sandwich and more water and kept going. The pace settled down a bit and I found myself with Alex and Sandor for the first eleven mile loop. Larry caught up just as we finished that loop and I was a little slower through the pits and got dropped by a few seconds. I, once again, added power and caught the group again, but this time, I knew I’d spent too much. I couldn’t stay with them at this level of intensity. So, I decided this was the point. This was the time to let them go and settle in to a pace I could maintain.
One of the laps through the pits, I stopped and splashed cold water on my face. I had changed into lighter gear on a previous stop, but I felt like I was a bit warmer than I should be and I decided to lay down while we restocked the bike with water and while I refueled with an orange. What am I doing on the ground!? I jumped back up and got on the bike. Well, stopping hurt me more than anything. I felt something I’d never encountered before: cramps. I backed the pace way down, but the cramps were getting worse. Soon, I had muscles cramping on both sides of my legs and arms simultaneously. There was no escape. I stopped and got off the bike at the bottom of a hill. This was not my best plan, but it was necessary. I stretched out as best I could and limped around the course for ten miles. When I returned my crew gave me the nutrition and hydration I needed and I scheduled a stop at the Cruzbike tent for my next lap.
They looked at my derailleur. The adjustment screws would no longer accept a wrench since they were caked with asphalt, but it didn’t really matter because the entire derailleur hanger was bent and twisted beyond repair. Robert Holler replaced it while I sat in a chair and straightened out my handle bars before I clipped in and was off again. Huge difference, both in being able to shift into the gears I wanted, in my lifted spirits, and in having the cramps in my legs finally gone for good. I cannot thank the Cruzbike folks enough for their support. I rejoined Alex, Sandor, Larry, and several others and I was, though twenty some miles behind, once again able to stay in their pace line. At this point, one of the Schlitter rides broke free. I wasn’t up for chasing him and I dropped to the back. Sandor and Alex took up the chase. I asked Larry if he wanted help to chase them down, but it would have taken everything I had left if it would have been even possible and when I rotated back to the front, I inadvertently dropped Larry anyway.
I was able to maintain a good pace and then they took us back onto the race track where we’d started. I realized I was only going 19 mph that first lap back and decided to pick it up to 21 mph. I eventually found a time trial bike matching my pace and took advantage by drafting. He picked it up to 22 mph. Prior to my last lap I was kicking myself for not giving any thought to how long a lap would take me since only the last lap in time is counted. I was doing a lot of math in my head before I crossed for my last lap and as I did, two guys in front of me stopped and said, “Nope, there isn’t enough time for another.” I was looking at the clock as I came around and it said approximately 11:50:37. In my head, I was guessing a lap would take ten minutes. Turns out this is accurate for speed just under 22 mph, but I only had nine left. The person I was drafting also decided there was not enough time so, I was on my own and I knew the time I needed to beat. I threw my water into the pits in a desperate attempt to gain any speed advantage I could, and put what I had left into my legs. I managed to finish that last lap solo at 24.2 mph - just seconds to spare!
What a rush. It was not the race I had planned. I made a lot of mistakes, but I did a lot right. Closing the gap after crashing is something I will always remember. The last lap on the track is a reminder for me of my capability and a testament to what the Vendetta can do. There were people that went faster than me, but I won FIRST PLACE in my age division, and despite the challenges, I had an absolute blast out there.
https://www.strava.com/activities/863225291
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I'd put that at least 17th on my list of 10 enhancements for a ladies' model. 
