Great Lakes - Lake Winnebago Race

Boy would I really like to do this ... but the day after the Dairyland Dare?


Oh man !

http://www.midwestsportsevents.com/PDFs/racethelake.pdf

I might do it this year. I know the guy who won it last year, and I know I can hang. But it is a little pricey.

I might do it this year. I know the guy who won it last year, and I know I can hang. But it is a little pricey.

Looks like there'd be a few stop lights on there. How do they deal with that? Police directing traffic? Make you wait? Roll right through it?

Either way, it's probably not the thing for me. There's only way to properly race 90 miles, and involves bleeding out the mouth.

This type of race is by far my best shot at winning anything ... long and relatively flat ... i.e. good for cruising ... (no sprints ... no hills) ... :)

Same weekend as Downers Grove :(

Same weekend as Downers Grove :(

THAT is a fun time!

I am planning on this event being my first race ever. My goal is not to finish last.

The first half will entail some intersections, but the second half should be way more open and conducive to "bleeding at the mouth". I'm sure someone who did it last year can break it down a little better...

All the intersections are controlled. And its a race the whole way. There's one hill in High Cliff state park, and there will be lots of sprinting, because the 10 guys who have a shot at winning are gonna drill it right from the start to get all the sketchy riders out of the way. It's also pretty exposed so there's gonna be lots of fun riding in the gutter.

What are the rules of this thing? Recumbents?? Tandems?? Rest stops?? $10k prize purse??

This sounds like madness. Is there an official rules list somewhere that explains how this madness can possibly work?

The madness deepens. There's a photo of a TT bike on the event page: http://www.midwestsportsevents.com/racethelake.html

What manner of insanity is this?!?

I live about 2 miles or so from the start of this race. I'm still planning on riding the DD the day before. If you more info on it let me know.

Anyone in for this?

It will be a learning experience for me. I can't even decide how many bottles to carry at this point.

I rode the course a few weeks ago and can give my recommendations if you want it. I'm doing 200k at the Dare the day before so no chance for me.

Sounds like another Firehouse 50 but with real money. Wear your helmet tightly! :)

I just realized that there's WCA racing in Neenah on Saturday. Quite the double!

I'm doing the Neenah / Downer's Grove double.

Downers.

The madness deepens. There's a photo of a TT bike on the event page: http://www.midwestsportsevents.com/racethelake.html

What manner of insanity is this?!?

Riders go off in waves. Group 1 is for riders who avg 22+ (you have to prove it to get in it). Group 2 is tandems, relay teams, and recumbents. Groups 3 and 4 are for those who avg 17-22. Groups 5 and 6 are for 16 or under. Last year I think the waves left 2 minutes apart.

Major intersections are controlled by police officers. The start is a controlled (1 mile?) roll-out.

Aren't all types of races, whether it be running, triathlons, or cycling, insanity?

CC- I'd definitely be interested in your thoughts. I'll be in either group 3 or 4, but I'm pretty much going at it alone, just hoping to find a group my speed to ride with.

Had an absolute blast in this event. Very well organized and supported. I learned a lot and will definitely be back next year.

Stories man! There is NO news on this as far as I can find.

Do tell!

Had an absolute blast in this event. Very well organized and supported. I learned a lot and will definitely be back next year.

What group were you in? Was it the right group for you? My avg speed could be 22+ for quite a distance but working with others. Not sure I'd maintain that avg for the whole race. My concern is starting in the wrong group and either being slowed at the start and having to bridge a big gap. OR....starting with the fast group and then being dropped and left to slug it out on my own.

I would like to hear your experience on this aspect of the race.

You asked for it, it's long but here goes (remember, my first "competitive" event):

Pre-Race: I was not sure how much water I would need and I did not want to stop at all, nor did I want to depend on getting some on-course besides the stated "bottle exchange" at the midpoint. I used my behind the seat bottle dual bottle holder to hold an extra disposable bottle and carried two 24 oz bottles in the regular cages. In hindsight, I did not need the extra cage, there were plenty of places/people handing out water bottles on the route.

I started in the third wave (1st was elite, 2nd was tandems/recumbents). The first half was fine (tailwind). I was near the end of a 20 man line doing 24-25 on straight roads, a little slower through town with rougher roads and turns. As stated in an above post, no worries at any intersections on the whole course as far as cars. (Very few cars even on the non-closed roads). The line got broke up in town a bit, but formed up again outside Oshkosh. Halfway to Neenah I saw my friend on the side of the road, SAG already there, I turned around to check on him (he was OK, bike not OK). Caught another line through Neenah.

At the turn to the east at the top of the lake (Mile 40), the strong 15-18 mph south crosswind really broke the group up. I rode to High Cliff (halfway) basically alone, climbed the hill without too much trouble. Out of the park (now heading south, into the wind), I was basically alone also. I tried to hang on the wheel of a tri-guy, but he was going faster than I wanted to maintain, so I slowed and went alone. There were alot of us scattered along, just not close enough to form up. A line caught me at mile 55 or so, and I hung with them comfortably. There were about 8 of us, and I would have gladly taken my turn pulling, but no one was rotating. The group was constantly "in flux". Changing as we passed people, dropping/adding people all along the way. Truly a cool thing to witness...it's like the line is a living organism, always changing.

Around mile 70 we started hitting some of the rolling hills. The group really slowed down on the climbs. It got to the point where they were too slow for me to climb comfortably, plus I was always on the brakes on the descents, so I started climbing/descending at my own pace, and the line would usually catch me on the flat in between. This went on until about mile 80(?) when we had a little long descent with a crosswind (now heading back west).

On that descent, I made my last big effort to try and catch a small group I saw up ahead. I put in the hardest effort I have ever made on a bike to try and catch them. I held 30+ mph for about 2 minutes and pushed my body farther than I ever have, but I fell about 50 yards short of catching their wheel. In that brief attempt, I felt what many of you experienced racers feel all the time...digging deeper than I ever thought possible...suffering more than I could imagine...and I absolutely loved it.

The last 8 miles were brutal after that exertion, and it was all I could do to hang on. The pack I left did not catch me and I finished rather alone and exhausted, but completely satisfied that I had not held one bit back. I was not the guy who was able to cruise to my truck after finishing...I was the guy that was looking for the first open spot of grass so I could fall down and writhe in pain (which I did).

Out of approximately 1250 entrants, I was in the top 350 (19.3 avg).

If you can ride 90 miles, you can do this race. If you can't, you have 363 days to get ready, so get going!

results (http://http://itiming.com/searchable/index.php?results=racethelake09)

Edit: trouble with the link. search "race the lake" to see results.

There's a double http in that link. Try HERE (http://itiming.com/searchable/index.php?results=racethelake09).

Good race story.

I think these are last year's results as Tristan Schouten's blog collaborates what Pradun said about Ryan Baumann winning. Brian Matter also raced and he tells of someone on a recumbent motoring well up front, but couldn't climb.

Race the Lake 2009 Results

Displaying Results 1 to 100 of 683 next->

Bib # Overall
Place Division
Place Age Group
Place Name City, State Finish
Time Event
20 2 2 n/a Crater, Andy Milwaukee, WI 03:26:29.8 90 Mile Bike Race
100 4 4 n/a Pachoski, Tim New Berlin, WI 03:26:33.2 90 Mile Bike Race
21 6 6 n/a Crowe, Pete Appleton, WI 03:27:46.9 90 Mile Bike Race
23 8 8 n/a Cullen, Greg Sherwood, WI 03:27:47.4 90 Mile Bike Race
52 10 10 n/a Holsen, Daniel Manitowoc, WI 03:27:47.7 90 Mile Bike Race
119 11 11 1 Spaude, Kip Watertown, WI 03:27:48.2 90 Mile Bike Race
53 12 12 1 Holtan, Luke Milwaukee, WI 03:27:49.4 90 Mile Bike Race
10 13 13 1 Bobusch, Mike Greenville, WI 03:27:49.5 90 Mile Bike Race
57 14 14 2 Jacobson, Kyle West Bend, WI 03:27:49.8 90 Mile Bike Race
131 15 15 3 Teaters, Dan Green Bay, WI 03:27:51.2 90 Mile Bike Race
109 17 17 2 Rach, Brian Chilton, WI 03:27:54.0 90 Mile Bike Race
193 18 18 4 Schouten, Tristan Sheboygan, WI 03:27:56.2 90 Mile Bike Race

PS Baumann rode a 53:40 for the 40k state TT on a road bike, in the rain. Link (http://racewithryanbaumann.blogspot.com/).

What group were you in? Was it the right group for you? My avg speed could be 22+ for quite a distance but working with others. Not sure I'd maintain that avg for the whole race. My concern is starting in the wrong group and either being slowed at the start and having to bridge a big gap. OR....starting with the fast group and then being dropped and left to slug it out on my own.

I would like to hear your experience on this aspect of the race.

In response specifically to your concerns (as mine were similar going into it):

First off, make sure you sign up in advance to make sure you get into the correct wave for you.

Mainly though, there are just so many people in this race that you will never have to spend too much time alone. I think the wind really broke the lines up more than they might normally. The groups (except maybe the first wave?) won't stay together. The guy I was following in line at mile 1 was the same guy I was with at mile 75, but I never saw him from mile 20 to 74.

Obviously, the further in the front you are, the more folks are behind you to hook up with if you do get separated.

You may have been chasing my group of about 6-8 in those last few miles... Were you chasing a fixed gear? I finished at 4:33, so maybe 5-10 minutes ahead of you.

Other than some unexperienced pack riders almost taking me out of the race, I'll second Thump's praise of the event. It was put together pretty well.

PS Baumann rode a 53:40 for the 40k state TT on a road bike, in the rain. Link (http://racewithryanbaumann.blogspot.com/).


Winner of that TT, Matt Busche (IS Corp) is now riding with Kelly Benefits in the Tour of Utah! (last minute sub? Not listed in start list)

33rd today: :)


Official Results
Position Bib Name Team Time Gap
1. 41 MANCEBO PEREZ Francisco RRC 3.25'00"
2. 45 SEVILLA Oscar RRC 3.25'00"
3. 91 VEILLEUX David KBB 3.25'25" 25"
4. 42 PENA Victor Hugo RRC 3.25'25" ...
5. 201 CLINGER David COS 3.25'25" ...
6. 17 HOWES Alex GSF 3.25'25" ...
7. 124 HAGMAN Alexander CIR 3.25'25" ...
8. 25 LILL Darren TT1 3.25'25" ...
9. 85 SELANDER Bjorn TTL 3.25'25" ...
10. 21 ALDAPE Moises TT1 3.25'25" ...
11. 112 CAMUT Jim LRO 3.25'25" ...
12. 142 STEWART Scott TWM 3.25'25" ...
13. 76 ZAJICEK Philip VAU 3.25'25" ...
14. 134 COLLIER Corey TRG 3.25'25" ...
15. 101 WREN Tyler COL 3.25'25" ...
16. 2 BOOKWALTER Brent BMC 3.25'25" ...
17. 227 TIETZEL Scott KFC 3.25'25" ...
18. 16 CARLSEN Kirk GSF 3.25'25" ...
19. 55 MCCARTY Patrick OCM 3.25'25" ...
20. 136 HORN Peter TRG 3.25'25" ...
21. 104 COLBY Anthony COL 3.25'25" ...
22. 1 LOUDER Jeff BMC 3.25'25" ...
23. 34 JACQUES-MAYNES Ben BPC 3.25'25" ...
24. 83 BEWLEY Sam TTL 3.25'25" ...
25. 56 LANDIS Floyd OCM 3.25'25" ...
26. 102 VAILLANCOURT Daniel COL 3.25'25" ...
27. 93 BOWMAN Dan KBB 3.25'25" ...
28. 123 GRAY Ian CIR 3.25'25" ...
29. 48 CHADWICK Glen RRC 3.25'25" ...
30. 11 STETINA Peter GSF 3.25'25" ...
31. 87 KYER Julian TTL 3.25'25" ...
32. 58 WHITE Bradley OCM 3.25'25" ...
33. 98 BUSCHE Matthew KBB 3.25'25" ...

http://www.kbsprocycling.com/2009/Busche+Goes+Green%3B+New+Addition+to+KBS+Roster.php

You may have been chasing my group of about 6-8 in those last few miles... Were you chasing a fixed gear? I finished at 4:33, so maybe 5-10 minutes ahead of you.

Other than some unexperienced pack riders almost taking me out of the race, I'll second Thump's praise of the event. It was put together pretty well.

I think I was just a tad further back. Thanks for rubbing in the fixed gear though :) Great ride!