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Race Across America - NE
USA, June 10-22, 2007
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Day 7 - June 16
Team Strong Heart diary
By Tim Case
Team Strong Heart continues its quest in the 2007 Race Across America. We've spent the past day or so traveling through the flats of rural Kansas and the non-flats of western and central Missouri. As we sit right now, Team Strong Heart is continuing on in third place in the four person men's division, which really is pretty amazing considering that our team was created simply to finish the race as opposed to finishing the race well.
Team spirits are high as we're progressing across the nation. Every single one of us, racers and crew have been a part of an amazing struggle and the drama that RAAM represents to the cycling community as well as the community at-large. Riding through Missouri, we have come across so many well-wishers and ordinary people just interested in our story.
On the overnight shifts when the roads tend to run on forever and you only have your own mind and the chase vehicle headlights to keep you company, we've been befriended by Team Donate Life, whose team vehicle has been spotted cheering us on and snapping some amazing photos of our journey. We really appreciate their friendship and they are one of the many thus far who have made this experience all the more palatable.
Many thanks also go out to our friends and family back home, especially from the racer's hometown teammates on Loon State Cycling, GS CIAO/Wild Oats presented by Al's Barber Shop and Birchwood. These teammates helped lay the groundwork for our current success and for this we are thankful. Looking forward, Team Strong Heart continues the epic journey of RAAM and keeps the wheels turning with the race headed into Illinois, my home state. I'm looking forward to another evening alone with my thoughts, turning the pedals over one at a time, dreaming of the boardwalk in New Jersey.
Team Donate Life
By Jason Weckworth
Bob Carbanneau (44, Buckeye, Arizona) is really fast. His team, #402 - Burns & Trauma, caught us some place in Kansas about 5:00 AM. This is the same team that we beat up the mountain pass and thought we were over an hour ahead. Bob came flying by me on a mission. I am clearly not as strong as Bob. But Bob doesn't know my spirit.
I was close to my last rotation, four hours on, four hours rest, eight hours on, then the hotel for 12 hours. Today would be a great test of endurance in the midst of lactic acid build-up and incredible pain that all of us are experiencing. It would be a bigger test of my heart. The rest of the race can wait until tomorrow. Today is all about Bob. Bob will get tired. Bob needs his teammates, and we already beat them once. Let's get it on, Bob.
It started out with me and Chris, then Dave and Lorenzo, then me and Lorenzo, then me and Dave. The whole team. None of us wanted to let them pass us, but Bob just did. We all agreed 'lets take these guys today'. Just look at our time splits, we jumped to the challenge. When Bob transitioned to the next rider, we passed them. When Bob got back on, he passed us. Our crew started cheering and yelling, pounding our palms on the car doors in Lorenzo's patented cheer: "GO, GO, GO, GO, GO" You have to say it with just the right amount of Italian flair, and make your eyes really big and animated. He has taught us all this new technique.
It was getting hot and humid this morning as we came out of the flat lands into the gentle rollers in Kansas, and the headwinds were strong too. I hate the wind but today it made me stronger. I don't know how many times our teams passed each other, maybe 15 times. It was the hardest I've ever ridden my bike.
After my first four hour shift, I collapsed in the follow vehicle for my four hour rest. I slept almost the entire time. Virginia actually put a sleeping bag on the floor of our SUP and slept there while I stretched out in the entire back seat from leg cramps. But I knew that I was coming back, and I would give everything I had just one percent more with each transition. I thought about heat dehydration, so I drank as much as I could. I took in as much carbohydrate as my stomach could take, I just didn't want to bonk. When Colette woke me up for my final eight hours, we were still neck and neck with 402. It was time for me and Lorenzo.
If anybody's got heart, it's Lorenzo. He isn't our strongest rider, but he won't be intimidated. He just plain got to it. Bob was resting, and Lorenzo passed their other rider, it was unbelievable. He transitioned to me with a long stretch on the Interstate, and I gunned it, giving everything I had to keep a lead before Bob came back.
Back to Lorenzo for seven miles. Off the Interstate and we don't even see 402 anywhere. In fact, we start to see the transition vehicles for 412, so we know we are catching other teams as well. We transition one more time before the time station.
Unbelievably, Kristen comes flying up past me in the transition vehicle. Bob just got off the Interstate, and he's flying to catch you. GO! My legs hurt so bad, I still had six hours left to ride. Okay Bob, you may be faster, but I'll race you to the time station, I thought to myself. Then I see a signal light, its green and still 200 yards ahead. Ric Morales in the transition vehicle with Kristen stays in the intersection as long as possible to keep it green for me. Everyone is in this race, and everyone is yelling.
The light turns red, and here comes Bob. We have 30 seconds for me to ask how in the world they caught us after an hour lead, and he says that we crushed them in the mountains (Dave and Chris are both great climbers). Light turns green, and I start sprinting. Bob probably thinks I'm crazy. 'Hey buddy, remember we're going all the way to Atlantic City?' No, right now the only thing in my mind is the time station one mile ahead. But another light turned red just one block before the time station, and we crossed at exactly the same time.
Now this race within the race really heats up. Lorenzo is almost ready for his rest, and I have four more hours. Bob disappeared, must be on his rest rotation. We start up a climb, and their new rider passes me. That's it. Now I'm pissed. I haven't worked all morning to beat Bob, then get passed by his teammate.
I charge up the hill after him, more determined than ever. This is my favorite moment of the race! Just before the top, I transition to Lorenzo, and he takes off like a bat out of hell - right past their rider! This guy just motivated me like never before. Unbelievable, Lorenzo. You earned this rest! When Lorenzo transitioned back to me, I flew. Gave it everything I had. I focused every ounce of concentration into my quads, and I raced like it was the only race in the world. I saw the yellow bracelet I am wearing on my wrist for Felix, and I said 'this one's for you, buddy'. After riding 24 mph into the wind, we haven't seen 402 since.
An hour later, we caught 412. They didn't like it, so they took off and dropped us. Mark is their fast rider, and we had a blast waving to their riders and crew as we started our second race of the day! It's on again! Dave came back into the rotation, and we chased them down. They told us to enjoy the lead while we had it. We told them we'll see you in Atlantic City.
After another two hours, it was 5:30 PM, and my rotation was over. We have caught and passed two teams today. Our team was incredible - everyone. I am beyond exhausted. My legs ache to the bone, but I was able to push to a new level that I have never seen before.
I am not the fastest rider on this race by any means, but I have the spirit of RAAM. It's the mental challenge, the physical challenge, the limits of our abilities, plus that extra one percent more. I belong in RAAM, and so does my team, and so does my crew. Today was the most incredible experience I have ever had in an athletic endeavor. What a great feeling!
Tomorrow is a new race day. My teammates are racing through the night while they let me rest (and Im blogging!).
I wonder if I'll see Bob tomorrow.
Atlantic City, here we come.
Results
Men's Solo 1 Jure Robic 2449.8 6.19.38 (14.97mph) 2 Wolfgang Fasching 2295.5 6.17.33 (14.21mph) 3 Gerhard Gulewicz 2295.5 6.18.20 (14.14mph) 4 Daniel Wyss 2295.5 6.19.40 (14.03mph) 5 Richard Vollebregt 2142.7 6.19.41 (13.09mph) 6 Attila Kaldy 2092.5 6.18.06 (12.91mph) 7 Jeff Oatley 1927.5 6.13.36 (12.23mph) 8 Peter Oyler 1927.5 6.19.52 (11.76mph) 9 Claudio Clarindo de (Oliviera) 1852.6 6.21.18 (11.21mph) 10 Julio Paterlini 1793.9 6.18.29 (11.04mph) 11 Brett Walker 1793.9 6.19.39 (10.96mph) 12 Alfiero Tassinari 1740.3 6.17.58 (10.74mph) 13 Patrick Autissier 1740.3 6.18.06 (10.74mph) 14 Larry Optis 1740.3 6.19.15 (10.66mph) 15 Jean Marc Velez 1740.3 6.19.22 (10.65mph) 16 John Jurczynski 1740.3 6.20.54 (10.55mph) 17 John Spurgeon 1678.3 6.13.44 (10.64mph) 18 David Jones 1678.3 6.15.38 (10.51mph) 19 Jim Rees 1678.3 6.17.46 (10.37mph) 20 Tom Seabourne 1619.3 6.19.35 (9.90mph) 21 Lou Lamoureux - DNF Time cut 1295.3 6.08.13 (8.51mph) 22 Fabio Biasiolo - DNF Crew Problems 1101.9 3.05.20 (14.25mph) 23 Philip Baker - DNF Exhaustion 1101.9 5.01.24 (9.08mph) 24 Walter Blaettler - DNF Accident 815.3 3.04.05 (10.72mph) Women's Solo 1 Kerry White 1619.3 6.19.33 (9.90mph) 2 Lauren Fithian - DNF Time cut 1222.7 5.11.22 (9.31mph) 3 Caroline van den Bulk - DNF Time cut 1222.7 5.12.22 (9.24mph) 4 Patty RIddle - DNF Time cut 1037.1 6.10.46 (6.70mph) 5 Hana Ebertova - DNF Exhaustion 565.1 2.11.15 (9.54mph) Men's Solo - Enduro 1 Alessandro Colo 1740.3 6.20.03 (10.61mph) Two Person Male 1 Team IWC Schaffhausen 2142.7 4.15.20 (19.25mph) 2 Team R.A.C.E. / BMO Fountain of Hope 1740.3 4.14.04 (15.81mph) 3 Virag / Stoklas Team 1740.3 4.14.37 (15.73mph) 4 Team Donate Life - TexOz (50+) 1557.2 4.14.45 (14.06mph) 5 S.K.R.A.A.M 1557.2 4.15.57 (13.91mph) 6 Team Beat Cancer 1496.8 4.13.44 (13.64mph) 7 BodyXchange - DNF - Medical 1037.1 2.05.39 (19.33mph) 8 Team Murphy - DNF Medical 389.9 1.05.38 (13.16mph) Two Person Female 1 Team Phoenix 1678.3 4.13.46 (15.29mph) Two Person Mixed 1 Team Donate Life - Beauty & the Beast 1496.8 4.12.15 (13.83mph) 2 Team Kitten 1345.6 4.12.55 (12.35mph) Two Person Recumbent 1 Team Velokraft 2042.5 4.15.39 (18.29mph) 2 Bacchetta B Team 1996.5 4.14.39 (18.04mph) Four Person Male 1 Beaver Creek - Catlin Team 2449.8 4.13.58 (22.28mph) 2 Team Psycho 2449.8 4.14.44 (22.12mph) 3 Team Strong Heart 2142.7 4.15.27 (19.23mph) 4 Team VMG Cycling 2142.7 4.16.05 (19.12mph) 5 Team Gs - Logistik Austria 2092.5 4.15.41 (18.74mph) 6 Team Endeavor 2042.5 4.16.03 (18.23mph) 7 Team Sixty Going Hard 1996.5 4.14.25 (18.08mph) 8 Hoosiers 1996.5 4.14.52 (18.01mph) 9 Team N.U.B.S. 1996.5 4.15.47 (17.86mph) 10 Team Donate Life - Race 4 Life 1927.5 4.15.03 (17.36mph) 11 Team Burns & Trauma 1852.6 4.11.52 (17.17mph) 12 Shannon's Soldiers 1852.6 4.12.44 (17.04mph) 13 Team Blazing Saddles 1740.3 4.14.23 (15.77mph) 14 Vencendo Desafios Team Brazil 1740.3 4.14.46 (15.71mph) 15 Team 2 Cure Huntingtons Disease 1740.3 4.15.53 (15.55mph) 16 Ari's Angels Team 1619.3 4.15.06 (14.58mph) Four Person Female 1 Kalyra Women's Race Team 1927.5 4.14.05 (17.51mph) Four Person Mixed 1 Team JDRF 1927.5 4.16.09 (17.19mph) Corporate Challenge 1 Team Type I - monitored by: Freestyle 2545.7 4.15.25 (22.85mph) 2 Team Donate Life - Grace Valley 2295.5 4.14.27 (20.78mph) 3 Team ViaSat 2237.6 4.14.35 (20.23mph) 4 Cheniere's Making Cancer History Team 2237.6 4.14.53 (20.18mph) 5 North Coast Cycling Team 2237.6 4.16.10 (19.95mph) 6 Team Donate Life - Primo 2142.7 4.15.24 (19.23mph) 7 Team Santa Barbara Bank & Trust 1927.5 4.14.19 (17.47mph) 8 Team Donate Life - Heels on Wheels 1852.6 4.15.08 (16.67mph) 24 Hour Corporate Challenge 1 Team Clif Bar 488.9 0.23.29 (20.82mph) 2 American Specialty Health Riders 488.9 1.01.16 (19.35mph) 3 Swami's TeamSam.com 488.9 1.01.41 (19.04mph) 4 Denver Paramedic Cycling Team 488.9 1.04.03 (17.43mph)
