Vireo

Last Saturday I rode a 300 mile event. I actually registered for the Quad (400 miles) but couldn't complete it in the required time frame. The interesting thing is it's not a race but a TIMED EVENT. What that means is you must complete the 400 miles in 24 hours on open roads. To the armchair cyclist this sounds doable. Heck it's only 16.6 mph average right? The challenge is the gazzillion freakin' stop lights through the urban areas. The climbing isn't bad only about 12K and about 8k in the first 125 miles. I missed one turn which cost me an extra 5 miles. I missed a checkpoint and that cost me 8 miles. And I crashed at mile 105 at 33 mph on a descent and finished the remaining 200 miles of the event.

If you're interested the ride report is here. Or if you prefer we can discuss on this thread.

dunningrb

Amazing accomplishment. How long did you train for this event?

Vireo

Thank you dunninggrb.

I didn't train specifically for this event. I commute to work about 2-3x a week. Which gives me between 100-130 miles a day. Then I do at least one century a weekend sometimes Saturday and Sunday every other weekend. (mileage for the year).

I am just now going to ramp up mileage and climbing for my A race which is in October, the Furnace Creek 508.

dspaff088

yea congrats are in order for that one,

Ive been mapping out a 200 mile ride for sometime in the next coming weeks, but damn lol

scotch

that is one crap ton of riding. wow.

SteelCan

Was that 300 solo or in a draft?
Since it seems from the website you are already an accomplished RAAM "team" rider, are you automatically approved to ride it solo? (RAAM requires 425 in a 24hr non-draft solo race for individuals)
Anyway not sure what you are referring to when you say a 16.6mph avg might seem easy, but that seems friggen incredibly difficult to me.

Vireo

I think that's a compliment.

Vireo

Draft-- I started at 430am. I was hoping to hook up with pacelines but their pace was slower than I thought I needed to maintain to make the 24 hour cutoff. I rode solo until 5 miles from checkpoint #1 at mile 37. Then I rode with two for about 10 miles. Then I rode solo for a good long section. Finally rode with one other rider, William from 150ish to the finish. We climbed at our pace, his was faster. On the windy section North of Carpinteria to Gaviota (headwinds on the 101) I was alone-- HUGE ENERGY DRAIN.

RAAM- Successful finishers of RAAM Relay are qualified for RAAM Solo. The qualification lapses after three years. My RAAM was 2007.

16.6mph avg-- It will sound slow to racer types and flat landers who paceline above 25mph on group rides. But Ultracyclists and Randos know it is a respectable average when you ride solo and your total time includes stopping for:

1. fluids
2. food
3. mandatory checkpoints
4. nature breaks
5. navigating off cue sheet
6. getting lost
7. riding to conserve energy
8. obeying traffic laws
9. mechanicals
10. night riding which is at least 2-3 mph slower for visibility and caution
11. calorie deprivation
12. SLEEP DEPRIVATION-- my bane
13. your avg speed continues to slow down during the day and into the night.


My Total mileage was 312.2 and Total time was 20 hours 30 mins.

mattm

Awesome, Vireo! I know you've done harder rides but this is still impressive.

What was the crash like? That's cool you kept going after that.

300 mi in 24 is no small feat! I'd like to add that to my ultra resume some day. Btw did anyone actually do the 400?

big john

Did anyone finish the Quad? I heard a lot of riders changed their routes because of the wind. I did the wussy metric double and it was pretty fun.

Vireo

Thank you mattm.

Each ride has its own difficulty. This one was mentally stressful I was constantly doing calculations in my head about my average speed. There was a great weight lifted off my shoulders when I conceded that I was off the pace and couldn't make it (12 extra miles and the crash). The 400 miles in 24 hrs is quite an undertaking.

The crash was on a twisty descent. I hadn't been on that road since 2004 and didn't remember the descent. I talk about the crash in my report. A moment's inattention. Pics here just above the tear on the Skins is where my road rash is. The Skins material healed on the wound in the remaining 200 miles of the event. I had to get in the shower and use the water to peel off the Skins, which reopened the wound anyway.

I finished the 312 miles in 20:30 no way I could do the other 100 miles in 3:30. There were about 450 riders only 5 of us registered for the Quad. I believe only 1-2 made it.

Vireo

The one guy I think had a really good shot at it was Adam Bickett. Really strong rider. Still waiting on results to be posted.

coasting 

amazing. i love reading about superhero accomplishments.

but still crazy

RazorWind

That's amazing.

I can only dream of having that level of fitness from behind my desk. My hat goes off to you, sir.

dgasmd

Good job, despite not accomplishing the scheduled task. Not an easy task in either case.

umd

I was pretty trashed after the double. I couldn't imagine doing an extra 100 miles, especially considering you went within a mile of my house...

gnome

congratulations on the triple. I don't think I could even ride 100 miles at the moment.

merlinextraligh

I'm a racer type flat lander where our group rides are often above 25mph, and 16.6mph for 24 hours sounds friggin fast to me.

How many people actually finished the 400 miles?

davesax36

You are an animal (compliment). I can't even emagine riding 200 miles in my current condition. I'd probably make it through 100, but it would take me ALL day. Congratulations.

patentcad

I could only attempt to ride 400 miles in 24 hours on a dead flat course with little wind. And I don't think I'd be able to do it.

You have to be out of your friggin mind to ride more than 120 miles or so in one sitting anyway.

agarose2000

Wow. The distance is insane, and 16mph is rockin' for a hilly long course for 24 freaking hours. That's awesome.

You also must have the AZZZ of steel. I wouldn't be able to go to the bathroom for weeks after something like that, even with Assos bibs and chamois cream.

Vireo

Yeah but I bet your pace was faster than mine. Notice my intensity dropping throughout the event.

GP

Damn, G, you are hardcore.

big john

Damn, Frank, you just figure this out?

Vireo

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