Race Across America - NE

USA, June 10-22, 2007

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Day 11 - June 20

Team Strong Heart diary

Team Strong Heart has closed out the 2007 Race Across America in third place in the four man team division. The racer journal has been absent for the past day and a half of the race due to the fact that we were out on the course working crazy shifts and launching repeated attacks over difficult climbing terrain east of Ohio. There was a point where the fourth place finishers, VMG Cycling, were breathing down our collective necks and threatening our third place podium finish. I personally have never worked as hard on my bicycle as I did through the last 36 hours of this year's RAAM and I know that my teammates were definitely in the same state of body and mind.

I'll spare the tactical details, but essentially the last couple of days for Team Strong Heart was one of adjustment to fatigue and emphasizing shorter, harder pulls on the bike, rather than longer more drawn-out sessions. We attacked and recovered, attacked and recovered, which was basically the same strategy that we used to get over Wolf Creek Pass and some other challenging areas of the race. This strategy paid off with a fast pace and a team that remained intact as we approached the boardwalk in Atlantic City. Team Strong Heart used the threat coming from VMG Cycling as a motivator to stay aggressive right up to the very end of the race.

Looking back at the past six days of racing, Team Strong Heart had an endless litany of highs and lows, on and off the bike. Rolling onto the shore of the Atlantic Ocean was one of the key moments of my 30 year life so far, a defining feature for me as a cyclist and as a human being. For Team Strong Heart and for many of the individuals and teams participating in the Race Across America, this event is a gift of sorts, an event that questions and taxes every cell in your body.

Our team showed up in California with no real expectations of success, rather just a willingness to push forward and finish in New Jersey. When a high placing in the overall standings became a reality, Team Strong Heart answered the call and lifted itself over and above everyone's expectations. The Race Across America organization should be commended for keeping the greatest and toughest bicycle race moving forward into the future.

Team Strong Heart is comprised of average cyclists who chose to participate in an above average bicycle race and the results were stunning. Bernie, Greg, Neil and I are those guys at the local bike shop who always have a tip for a great ride and a friendly word when coming across another cyclist out on the road. For six days in June, Team Strong Heart carried itself with class and character and has now established itself in the cycling community. There's more to come from Team Strong Heart and we know that at least one rider will be returning to RAAM next year...

Tim Case

Results

Men's Solo
 
1 Jure Robic                             3042.8  8.19.33 (14.38mph)
2 Wolfgang Fasching                      3042.8  8.23.20 (14.13mph)
3 Gerhard Gulewicz                       3042.8  9.01.04 (14.02mph)
4 Daniel Wyss                            3042.8  9.04.29 (13.80mph)
5 Attila Kaldy                           2977.9  9.23.45 (12.42mph)
6 Richard Vollebregt                     2977.9  10.01.19 (12.34mph)
7 Jeff Oatley                            2824.9  10.02.46 (11.64mph)
8 Peter Oyler                            2732.2  10.00.28 (11.36mph)
9 Claudio Clarindo de (Oliviera)         2640.9  10.00.23 (10.99mph)
10 Brett Walker                          2640.9  10.01.43 (10.93mph)
11 Jean Marc Velez                       2640.9  10.02.03 (10.91mph)
12 Julio Paterlini                       2594.4  9.23.29 (10.83mph)
13 Alfiero Tassinari                     2594.4  10.00.33 (10.79mph)
14 John Jurczynski                       2545.7  9.23.07 (10.65mph)
15 David Jones                           2545.7  9.23.46 (10.62mph)
16 Larry Optis                           2545.7  10.01.41 (10.53mph)
17 John Spurgeon                         2545.7  10.02.26 (10.50mph)
18 Patrick Autissier                     2545.7  10.02.43 (10.49mph)
19 Jim Rees                              2505.0  9.22.26 (10.51mph)
20 Tom Seabourne - DNF Time Cut          1740.3  7.06.52 (9.95mph)
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 - DNF Missed Time Cutoff   2142.7  8.22.05 (10.01mph)
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                        2594.4  9.22.57 (10.86mph)
 
Two Person Male
 
1 Team IWC Schaffhausen                  3042.8  6.19.30 (18.61mph)
2 Team R.A.C.E. / BMO Fountain of Hope   2932.7  7.21.59 (15.44mph)
3 Virag / Stoklas Team                   2864.2  7.19.25 (15.28mph)
4 S.K.R.A.A.M                            2776.1  7.19.20 (14.82mph)
5 Team Donate Life - TexOz (50+)         2640.9  7.21.47 (13.92mph)
6 Team Beat Cancer                       2505.0  7.21.20 (13.23mph)
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                           2732.2  7.19.45 (14.55mph)
 
Two Person Mixed
 
1 Team Kitten - DNF - Time Cut           2192.3  7.07.35 (12.49mph)
2 Beauty and the Beast - DNF Accident    1740.3  5.07.52 (13.61mph)
 
Two Person Recumbent
 
1 Bacchetta B Team Foundation            3042.8  7.00.26 (18.07mph)
2 Team Velokraft                         3042.8  7.11.56 (16.91mph)
 
Four Person Male
 
1 Beaver Creek - Catlin Team             3042.8  5.18.22 (21.99mph)
2 Team Psycho                            3042.8  5.21.48 (21.46mph)
3 Team Strong Heart                      3042.8  6.15.13 (19.11mph)
4 Team VMG Cycling                       3042.8  6.18.13 (18.76mph)
5 Team Gs - Logistik Austria             3042.8  6.19.56 (18.56mph)
6 Team Endeavor                          3042.8  7.01.23 (17.96mph)
7 Hoosiers                               3042.8  7.02.15 (17.87mph)
8 Team N.U.B.S.                          3042.8  7.02.27 (17.85mph)
9 Team Sixty Going Hard                  3042.8  7.03.11 (17.78mph)
10 Team Donate Life - Race 4 Life        3042.8  7.07.47 (17.31mph)
11 Team Burns & Trauma                   3042.8  7.10.14 (17.07mph)
12 Shannon's Soldiers                    3042.8  7.15.59 (16.54mph)
13 Vencendo Desafios Team Brazil         2932.7  7.20.15 (15.58mph)
14 Team Blazing Saddles                  2864.2  7.20.45 (15.17mph)
15 Team 2 Cure Huntingtons Disease       2864.2  7.21.09 (15.14mph)
16 Ari's Angels Team                     2776.1  7.19.15 (14.83mph)
 
Four Person Female
 
1 Kalyra Women's Race Team               3042.8  7.06.34 (17.43mph)
 
Four Person Mixed
 
1 Team JDRF                              3042.8  7.10.52 (17.01mph)
 
Eight Person
 
1 Team Type I - monitored by: Freestyle  3042.8  5.15.43 (22.42mph)
2 Team Donate Life - Grace Valley        3042.8  6.02.56 (20.71mph)
3 Cheniere's Making Cancer History Team  3042.8  6.06.11 (20.26mph)
4 Team ViaSat                            3042.8  6.06.25 (20.23mph)
5 North Coast Cycling Team               3042.8  6.09.20 (19.84mph)
6 Team Donate Life - Primo               3042.8  6.15.10 (19.12mph)
7 Team Santa Barbara Bank & Trust        3042.8  7.07.40 (17.32mph)
8 Team Donate Life - Heels on Wheels     3042.8  7.15.35 (16.57mph)
 
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)