Sebring 2019
- Thread starter HC203
- Start date
Mathew Fy
GRU
“Kyle Larsen is the overall winner of the 100 Mile race at Bike Sebring 2019 with a time of 4:07:40. Wow. Go Kyle! #CruzbikeTribe”
https://www.facebook.com/59798777376/posts/10155886857297377?sfns=mo
https://www.facebook.com/59798777376/posts/10155886857297377?sfns=mo
Tigerpaw
Well-Known Member
I had a message earlier about a cruzbiker suffering a broken leg. Does anyone know who?
Not much of a story. I started well but then my little occipital neuralgia problem kicked in. Sort of like a migraine with intense desire to vomit making fueling totally impossible with undesirable performance. I stopped and iced my cervical spine and it helped for a bit. I think I rode 280 miles in around 15 hours or something. I was in the 24H no drafting got to the turnaround in good shape averaging only 161 watts and feeling really good. Larry and Kent P. came by me around mile 80. Both were moving nicely. I think the 101 mile long course took me 4:20 ish, not bad for a 60 year old under the conditions. There were a few velos doing the century. Larry came by me on the short loop late in the day and wished me a good race, which sounded like he was done. Kent Polk is a machine. He was flying around the racetrack and pedaling hard thru the 180 degree turn down by the Hotel. Into the turn was downwind and then into a stiff wind out of the corner. Kent P. was on track to join the 500 mile club and demolish is age category record. I am not sure Larry made it to the racetrack or if he did, I don't remember him passing me.
What never ceases to amaze me is the consistent by high output of Marko Baloh and the fact he never stops. He'll do 300 watts for hour upon hour upon hour.
The only part of the event that I did not like were the timing speed bumps that were like little curbs and you had to ride over them at various spots on the race course. Hitting them on a bent for me was like getting hit in the neck with a hammer but then again, my cervical spine is a mess. Otherwise, the temperatures were great with just a spritz of rain although it seemed a touch windy (15 mph??)
LarryOz
Cruzeum Curator & Sigma Wrangler
Hey all,
Now I am not seeing double again I can at least type - a little - now if I can only get the feeling back in my left fingers I can hit he correct keys and stop having to hit backspace so much.
.. Small excerpt of what I posted on my Strava details -= I will do a longer write-up later, when I can type better.
What a day! sustained winds at near 20 mph all day (got video I will process to show the flags ripping all day)- got even stronger later afternoon and kept up at night at least the part I rode in. Started raining too - and I called it quits at that point for a number of reasons (One big one: The "break to set up my bike for night and change clothes stretched from my "est" of 10 minutes to 50 - ridiculous!). I guess the rain and the wind not letting up was the final straw. My left had is still numb from gripping my handlebar so tightly to control the bike in the wind. I did pretty good for the first Century (at 4:17:31), and for the first 12 hours (263 in 12 hours, including 5 or stops totaling about 12 mins). Another big issue for me (besides the wind), was not having enough "real" time on the bike. My arms where not used to steering & balancing, and the added strain of having to control the bike in the high winds was horrible on my arms. They were like Jelly. My legs did not cramp though, so that was good. Thanks for all the support.
.....
I think the new Cruzbiker was "Rick Miller". I heard that he broke his femur. Ouch. I think Jeffrey was either there when it happened or close by - and gave up part of his 12 hours to help.
Now I am not seeing double again I can at least type - a little - now if I can only get the feeling back in my left fingers I can hit he correct keys and stop having to hit backspace so much.
.. Small excerpt of what I posted on my Strava details -= I will do a longer write-up later, when I can type better.
What a day! sustained winds at near 20 mph all day (got video I will process to show the flags ripping all day)- got even stronger later afternoon and kept up at night at least the part I rode in. Started raining too - and I called it quits at that point for a number of reasons (One big one: The "break to set up my bike for night and change clothes stretched from my "est" of 10 minutes to 50 - ridiculous!). I guess the rain and the wind not letting up was the final straw. My left had is still numb from gripping my handlebar so tightly to control the bike in the wind. I did pretty good for the first Century (at 4:17:31), and for the first 12 hours (263 in 12 hours, including 5 or stops totaling about 12 mins). Another big issue for me (besides the wind), was not having enough "real" time on the bike. My arms where not used to steering & balancing, and the added strain of having to control the bike in the high winds was horrible on my arms. They were like Jelly. My legs did not cramp though, so that was good. Thanks for all the support.
.....
I think the new Cruzbiker was "Rick Miller". I heard that he broke his femur. Ouch. I think Jeffrey was either there when it happened or close by - and gave up part of his 12 hours to help.
super slim
Zen MBB Master
Larry, I am glad your legs did not cramp this time, but your arms, and for me my stomach muscles felt the strain of actual road miles!
Would a solid wooden A frame, near ceiling height, above the rear wheel, to support it, and allow rear end movement, assist in being closer to actual road riding?
Would a solid wooden platform to support the indoor trainer, that sits on a central 1" dia wooden/hard plastic dowel, also assist in requiring balance input help?
Four adjustable length compression springs in the four corners of the wooden platform could be used to vary balance assistance required!
benphyr
Guru-me-not
@super slim
Sounds like an automatic washing machine to me!
You can wash your laundry while you sweat in it.
Barefoot Biker
Active Member
Sebring 2019 Century - First Place Overall - Ride Report
This year the century had 26 participants. I went through the registration and noticed a velomobile had entered. I was hoping all of the velomobiles would enter the 12 or 24 hour race instead, but decided it was somehow fitting that I would likely be racing for second place overall instead of first, and, you never know. One hundred miles is a long way. This is how any upright rider feels when they see a Vendetta anyway. It’s a different category. I also noticed that Alex Strouhal had entered. He and Sandor were the riders that won the 12 hour in 2017, among many other races, and given enough distance, he’s stronger than me. In a shorter sprint, I can still get it, but I considered him the next strongest competitor. Jim Parker was also entered and was a little more fit this year than last. He and I seem to have a similar power profile where we would both favor a sprint.
My secret weapon this year was my friend and riding partner, “Ghost Rider”. He signed up for the 24 hour drafting race, but I asked him if he would look after me in the race (all of the rides start out on the same 100 mile course). He doesn’t normally follow any strategy I suggest and reverts to going full gas, usually off the front in a solo break away from the gun, but he is one of the most selfless people I know and I knew he’d be there for me.
At 630a the countdown reached zero and we were off in the dark. I pulled up along side the officials car until it sped up as we entered the track. A couple of turns into the track and Alex went by me at 28 mph. Both of the last two years the entire lead peloton held a fast pace on the track, but this year, I let Alex go and no one chased him. After a while, I came off the front and slotted back into the pace line and watched as Alex continued to pull away all alone on his M5. When we left the track and started our journey to Frostproof, Alex had a gap of one minute twenty five seconds.
“What’s the plan Kyle?”, Jim asked as we sat on at the back. I said “My plan is to stay right here!” Our pace was around 22.5 mph and was dictated by the peloton. It was a cross wind and so I was frequently echeloned all of the way to the left side of the lane. The peloton was not working as smoothly this year so, the speed was not what we needed. I knew Alex could hold more than 23 mph by himself for the entire distance. So, we were continuing to lose ground. Still, I followed my plan and did nothing.
At mile 17, Jim went to the front. He didn’t say why but I assumed he had the same concern as me about our speed to that point. I got on his wheel and I saw Ghost Rider in my mirror come from being off of the back all the way around the peloton, and Jim, and I. My hope was that the group would stay with us as we accelerated so that I could at some point go back and enjoy drafting, but our acceleration was too much for them and they were unable to follow. Ghost, Jim, and I didn’t say anything. We knew we were now committed to the chase. At this point, Alex had stretched his lead to two minutes. The three of us exchanged pulls with Jim and I pulling equally, but with Ghost pulling about half of the time, hard, and into the wind. This went on for nine miles until Alex was back in our sight.
We closed into a distance of ten seconds behind Alex before we were able to see well enough that it was him. There was some concern that there was another recumbent off the front because there was one we couldn’t remember passing, but it was him and he was alone. The yellow velomobile that had entered the race was behind us and although there was a velomobile ahead of Alex, it was in the 12 hour race, not the century. I told Ghost to stop chasing and slow down when we got close. He said, “I don’t know if I can do that!” The three of us continued our rotation, but at lower power with Ghost continuing to do the bulk of the work. Alex dangled between ten and fifteen seconds in front of us into the wind.
At mile 47, Ghost Rider said he was going to peel off. Jim and I were on our own still ten seconds behind Alex. I asked Jim what he wanted to do and we decided to stay behind him. However, after just one more mile I was concerned that Alex might be able to pull away from us and I really wanted to catch him before the tailwind reduced our advantage so, we pulled him back up a hill and the three of us were now together.
At the turn around I flew by the timing mat without noticing it and Jim started his u-turn right in front of me. Alex watched, possibly laughing, I’m not sure, as I hit Jim broadside - Sorry! Neither one of us fell. Jim and Alex started slowly riding away as I sat there with one foot clipped in, my head turned toward the edge of the road. I was watching my mother run toward me with two water bottles in her hands. I was thinking - her run here could be the difference and I sure hope they don’t try to drop me here, but thank you so much for ice cold water! I took one of the bottles, and laid down a firm but conservative 500 watts to catch up. I’m very appreciative that my folks were there to support me!
Our three man rotation was dysfunctional from the start because I wasn’t helping. Alex came off the front, Jim pulled through and I got off of Jim’s wheel and onto Alex. Alex let Jim go and said you can sprint at the end, but you have to pull! I said, Jim can win! He pulled Jim back and I followed. Alex is an incredibly talented rider and I knew he would work to break us. I told Jim he could out sprint Alex, but he would not ride away from him so I kept encouraging him to slow down. I was also hoping Ghost would get back on with us since he was only fifteen seconds behind at the turn around, but Alex had other plans and turned up the heat. His pulls were very ‘punchy’ and the speed picked up every time he came to the front. Jims pulls were moderate, holding a pace similar to Alex, and mine were weak and short. I was expending sometimes less energy on the front than I used to hold onto Alex in the draft.
Eventually, Jim bit off more than he could chew with a pull that was a combination of too long and too strong. Alex saw an opportunity when we came through a corner and hit the gas. I considered dropping back to pull Jim back up to us, but I knew it was too risky so, I stayed put. Alex already knew I wasn’t contributing so, he got it down from three to two, but I wasn’t going anywhere. We did rotate, but my pulls were still very weak as we went through the crosswind on Arbuckle Road. Alex and I talked about the wind and after all of his effort, I could tell he was ready to be done. What he didn’t know was that at mile 90, I started cramping. I put on a brave face and pretended I was totally fine (opposite of my pretending I was hurting the entire time before that!). Fortunately, he didn’t attack me. I ate a gel, drank more, threw my empty bottle into the ditch, and changed my protocol to pushing only 100 watts when I was on the front. Our speed would drop down to 23 mph. Eventually he would come around and I would accelerate back onto his wheel at 27 mph. It worked. The cramps disappeared. Phew!
The speed did not pick up in the last seven miles like it did last year so, I came into the sprint feeling good. Alex seemed to have resigned, but you never know how your legs are going to react after 100 miles. I cranked it up to 800 watts in the last couple hundred meters and went by him. We finished seven seconds apart with Jim coming in next eight minutes later, solo for third. I finished in four hours, seven minutes, and forty seconds. Average speed: 24.3 mph. average power 162 watts, weighted average 180 watts (about 6% more effort than last years race). I’d say I’m probably not making many friends with my tactics, but it was much the opposite getting to reconnect with and make new friends at Sebring among so many talented athletes. If you’re thinking about trying one of the races …. do it!!
This year the century had 26 participants. I went through the registration and noticed a velomobile had entered. I was hoping all of the velomobiles would enter the 12 or 24 hour race instead, but decided it was somehow fitting that I would likely be racing for second place overall instead of first, and, you never know. One hundred miles is a long way. This is how any upright rider feels when they see a Vendetta anyway. It’s a different category. I also noticed that Alex Strouhal had entered. He and Sandor were the riders that won the 12 hour in 2017, among many other races, and given enough distance, he’s stronger than me. In a shorter sprint, I can still get it, but I considered him the next strongest competitor. Jim Parker was also entered and was a little more fit this year than last. He and I seem to have a similar power profile where we would both favor a sprint.
My secret weapon this year was my friend and riding partner, “Ghost Rider”. He signed up for the 24 hour drafting race, but I asked him if he would look after me in the race (all of the rides start out on the same 100 mile course). He doesn’t normally follow any strategy I suggest and reverts to going full gas, usually off the front in a solo break away from the gun, but he is one of the most selfless people I know and I knew he’d be there for me.
At 630a the countdown reached zero and we were off in the dark. I pulled up along side the officials car until it sped up as we entered the track. A couple of turns into the track and Alex went by me at 28 mph. Both of the last two years the entire lead peloton held a fast pace on the track, but this year, I let Alex go and no one chased him. After a while, I came off the front and slotted back into the pace line and watched as Alex continued to pull away all alone on his M5. When we left the track and started our journey to Frostproof, Alex had a gap of one minute twenty five seconds.
“What’s the plan Kyle?”, Jim asked as we sat on at the back. I said “My plan is to stay right here!” Our pace was around 22.5 mph and was dictated by the peloton. It was a cross wind and so I was frequently echeloned all of the way to the left side of the lane. The peloton was not working as smoothly this year so, the speed was not what we needed. I knew Alex could hold more than 23 mph by himself for the entire distance. So, we were continuing to lose ground. Still, I followed my plan and did nothing.
At mile 17, Jim went to the front. He didn’t say why but I assumed he had the same concern as me about our speed to that point. I got on his wheel and I saw Ghost Rider in my mirror come from being off of the back all the way around the peloton, and Jim, and I. My hope was that the group would stay with us as we accelerated so that I could at some point go back and enjoy drafting, but our acceleration was too much for them and they were unable to follow. Ghost, Jim, and I didn’t say anything. We knew we were now committed to the chase. At this point, Alex had stretched his lead to two minutes. The three of us exchanged pulls with Jim and I pulling equally, but with Ghost pulling about half of the time, hard, and into the wind. This went on for nine miles until Alex was back in our sight.
We closed into a distance of ten seconds behind Alex before we were able to see well enough that it was him. There was some concern that there was another recumbent off the front because there was one we couldn’t remember passing, but it was him and he was alone. The yellow velomobile that had entered the race was behind us and although there was a velomobile ahead of Alex, it was in the 12 hour race, not the century. I told Ghost to stop chasing and slow down when we got close. He said, “I don’t know if I can do that!” The three of us continued our rotation, but at lower power with Ghost continuing to do the bulk of the work. Alex dangled between ten and fifteen seconds in front of us into the wind.
At mile 47, Ghost Rider said he was going to peel off. Jim and I were on our own still ten seconds behind Alex. I asked Jim what he wanted to do and we decided to stay behind him. However, after just one more mile I was concerned that Alex might be able to pull away from us and I really wanted to catch him before the tailwind reduced our advantage so, we pulled him back up a hill and the three of us were now together.
At the turn around I flew by the timing mat without noticing it and Jim started his u-turn right in front of me. Alex watched, possibly laughing, I’m not sure, as I hit Jim broadside - Sorry! Neither one of us fell. Jim and Alex started slowly riding away as I sat there with one foot clipped in, my head turned toward the edge of the road. I was watching my mother run toward me with two water bottles in her hands. I was thinking - her run here could be the difference and I sure hope they don’t try to drop me here, but thank you so much for ice cold water! I took one of the bottles, and laid down a firm but conservative 500 watts to catch up. I’m very appreciative that my folks were there to support me!
Our three man rotation was dysfunctional from the start because I wasn’t helping. Alex came off the front, Jim pulled through and I got off of Jim’s wheel and onto Alex. Alex let Jim go and said you can sprint at the end, but you have to pull! I said, Jim can win! He pulled Jim back and I followed. Alex is an incredibly talented rider and I knew he would work to break us. I told Jim he could out sprint Alex, but he would not ride away from him so I kept encouraging him to slow down. I was also hoping Ghost would get back on with us since he was only fifteen seconds behind at the turn around, but Alex had other plans and turned up the heat. His pulls were very ‘punchy’ and the speed picked up every time he came to the front. Jims pulls were moderate, holding a pace similar to Alex, and mine were weak and short. I was expending sometimes less energy on the front than I used to hold onto Alex in the draft.
Eventually, Jim bit off more than he could chew with a pull that was a combination of too long and too strong. Alex saw an opportunity when we came through a corner and hit the gas. I considered dropping back to pull Jim back up to us, but I knew it was too risky so, I stayed put. Alex already knew I wasn’t contributing so, he got it down from three to two, but I wasn’t going anywhere. We did rotate, but my pulls were still very weak as we went through the crosswind on Arbuckle Road. Alex and I talked about the wind and after all of his effort, I could tell he was ready to be done. What he didn’t know was that at mile 90, I started cramping. I put on a brave face and pretended I was totally fine (opposite of my pretending I was hurting the entire time before that!). Fortunately, he didn’t attack me. I ate a gel, drank more, threw my empty bottle into the ditch, and changed my protocol to pushing only 100 watts when I was on the front. Our speed would drop down to 23 mph. Eventually he would come around and I would accelerate back onto his wheel at 27 mph. It worked. The cramps disappeared. Phew!
The speed did not pick up in the last seven miles like it did last year so, I came into the sprint feeling good. Alex seemed to have resigned, but you never know how your legs are going to react after 100 miles. I cranked it up to 800 watts in the last couple hundred meters and went by him. We finished seven seconds apart with Jim coming in next eight minutes later, solo for third. I finished in four hours, seven minutes, and forty seconds. Average speed: 24.3 mph. average power 162 watts, weighted average 180 watts (about 6% more effort than last years race). I’d say I’m probably not making many friends with my tactics, but it was much the opposite getting to reconnect with and make new friends at Sebring among so many talented athletes. If you’re thinking about trying one of the races …. do it!!
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benphyr
Guru-me-not
Just don't tangle tactics with Kyle! He'll take all your strengths and use them against you. Lucky for me, if I ever make it down there I won't be competing with Kyle anyway, just trying to finish the century before the 12 hour participants are done...
Thanks for the ride report Kyle. Kudos to everyone!
Congrats to everyone who was there and raced - even just doing it is a great accomplishment for sure! Thanks for the recaps.
Jeffrey Ritter
Well-Known Member
Hi everyone, submitting a day or two late.
The rider was Rick Moore; Jane and I saw him twice at the hospital. Surgery went well--clean break of the femur and two titanium bars installed. Heading home today to NC and is told he might be on a stationary bike in about 4 weeks.
Larry is correct (see above) that I spent about 20 minutes with Rick and, having gone down myself avoiding Rick, probably lost some mojo for awhile.
Bottom line for me is real improvement on my Silvio (yes, unlike everyone else, I am racing on a Silvio 3.0). Here is the short summary I posted on a FB recumbent group:
The rider was Rick Moore; Jane and I saw him twice at the hospital. Surgery went well--clean break of the femur and two titanium bars installed. Heading home today to NC and is told he might be on a stationary bike in about 4 weeks.
Larry is correct (see above) that I spent about 20 minutes with Rick and, having gone down myself avoiding Rick, probably lost some mojo for awhile.
Bottom line for me is real improvement on my Silvio (yes, unlike everyone else, I am racing on a Silvio 3.0). Here is the short summary I posted on a FB recumbent group:
- Endurance race #3 (Mid-Atlantic 2017, 2018 and Sebring-DNF at Calvins 2018 due to mechanical)
- Equipment: Cruzbike Silvio 3.0, Boyd 60 mm wheels. SRAM eTap.
- 1st recumbent age 65-69 @ 179.97 miles
- 2nd overall age 65-69 (the amazing John Guth was 1st-I'll take that!)
- 25th out of 40 overall in 12 hour (winner at 269!)
- New PR for 12 hours-check.
- Reduced pit time (just < 30 mins, excluding minutes at a crash site where I sent down behind a guy for whom I had to call ambulance and assist)
- Improve overall power avg-check. (Looks to be about a 15-20% gain since August 2018-I'll update once my coach evaluates the data more closely) and I was averaging 120+ for the first 45 miles before the crash as we drafted behind 3 guys that dominated 12 hour 35-39 and won with 236 miles!)
- Increase drafting and 'racing' skills-check. It was great fun to actually be drafting, doing climbs and accelerations past other riders, closing gaps--and always fun to pass the "youngsters" who are bonking later in the race.
- Proper food and fluids--check. No bonking and proper use of 'ice socks' to keep core body temp down in afternoon. My wife, Jane Kuhar, is an absolute pro in the pits!
- Gained experience in strong winds-check and double check(12-15 mph all day, even before dawn, gusting to 25-30 mph)
- Earned my new aero wheel waiting at my LBS for pick up-check!!
Barefoot Biker
Active Member
Great ride Jeffrey and great to see you out there. I hope Mike heals quickly. You made the right call with the 60mm wheels in the wind!
I have a lot of experience crashing too. A few times on the bike but mostly on the water:
. ;-)
I have a lot of experience crashing too. A few times on the bike but mostly on the water:
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