Calvin's Challenge

      After last years success with my long distance ride to Shelbyville, Kentucky I started thinking about two long distance cycling clubs the UMCA and RUSA .

RUSA has a series of rides that get longer as they progress starting with a 200k and ending four rides later with a 600k. Completing the full series qualifies you for their longer 1200k rides.  Their philosophy is self sufficient, non-competitive rides, just finish the ride within the allocated time, there is no record of who came in first or last.

UMCA is all about competition, most of their races are based upon time instead of distance, such as 6, 12 and 24 hours in length. They also have time trials for set distances and they do the RAAM, race Across America. They allow support vehicles and in some races require them.

I'm somewhere in the middle, I like the RUSA idea of being self sufficient and the UMCA for being competitive. Since I wasn't sure which organization to join, I joined them both. I then watched the calendar for any upcoming events from either organization that I could try. There are two nearby RUSA orgs, one in Kentucky and one in Ohio. Both of them started their series too early for me, the temperatures still being in the 30s and 40s.

Calvins Challenge:
Then I heard about Calvin's Challenge, a 12 hour UMCA bike race based in Springfield Ohio. At first I was thinking there's no way I would drive a couple of hours to ride my bike in a 12 hour race. But as the date got closer I became more interested in trying it out. The race works by having two different sized loops, one 50.5 miles and the other at 7 miles. The race starts on the 50.5 loop, after 4:30 everyone is forced onto the smaller loop. The racers wear an RFID tag on their helmets that would automatically score your laps as you passed the check points. The race starts at 7:30AM and ends at 7:30PM whichever mile marker you past last on the 7 mile loop is added to your total distance.

The weather:
      The final decision for me came down to the predicted weather conditions, if it was going to be warm enough (60s at least) and dry, I'd give it a shot. The Saturday before the big day the weather was predicted with a high of 55 with ice pellets, It wasn't looking good. This has been one long extended winter.

      Then it happened! by Monday the weather guessmen were saying Springfield was going to have a high of 72 with no chance of rain and winds under 10mph. So I quickly paid my registration fees, to lock in that prediction, told my boss I was taking Friday off and waited for the big day. It turns out the guessmen were still a bit off, the actual temperatures ranged from the low 50s up to the mid 60s with lots and lots of WIND. I think the wind was steady at around 15mph all day long, only taking breaks to hammer us with 30mph gusts. The conditions were much cooler and windy then I would normally be comfortable with riding in.

Goal:
My goal was to get at least 200 miles so I could get the 'no medal medal' that was given to anyone that didn't place 1st, 2nd or 3rd and completed at least 200 miles. Last year I rode 186 miles in one trip in about 12 hours, but I was taking my time plus I had some big hills plus a flat tire. So surely I can make 200 miles in 12 hours on a much flatter course. But I was definitely not in shape yet this year. My longest ride was 53 miles at a slow 18mph average, plus I only have 400 miles in total for the year

Race day:
     On the big day, May 4th, I got up at 3:00AM, loaded the truck with the bike and gear, then drove a couple of hours to Shawnee High school in Springfield, Ohio. Man was it cold! The wind was already blowing hard even though the sun wasn't up yet. I put on both of my jackets along with my long biking pants and a biking dickey around my neck. What was I getting into? I don't ride in cold weather, I don't even like being outside in the cold, much less ride a bike in it! Yes, I'm a cold weather weenie!

      Once the sun came out it warmed up a bit and I dressed down to only one jacket. I picked up my registration packet including maps, directions and my Calvin's T-shirt. I lined up my cooler at the start line with all the other coolers. Mine only had water, Gatorade, power bars (peanut butter) and some pop-tarts. I seen and talked to some other recumbent cyclist at the starting area, there were 9 of us that signed up in the recumbent class.

The start:
      The race has a mass start for all the 12 hour racers, no matter which class you were in. So there were uptights, recumbents, trikes, HPV's and even a hand cycle, all starting together, I guess there were around 160 cyclist altogether. At 7:30AM sharp we were given the signal to start. The mass start went smoothly with no crashes that I could see, although we were pretty tight together and there was a quick turn to the right.

The first loop:
      It was cold and very windy, I pulled the dickey up over my mouth to keep my face warm, and my helmet down over my forehead. Speeds were not very fast, around 17 - 18 miles per hour. I was using a lot of energy to keep up that slow speed against the powerful wind. I was surprised by a trike that was able to keep up with me and even lead quite a bit in the flats. He was either in a lot better shape, or that wind wasn't pushing on his low profile ride. I would easily beat him on the downhills then he would catch me on the flats. This went on for the first 30 miles. Then the loop direction shifted the wind behind us. Ah nice tail winds! Now my speed increased to 22 - 25 mph in the flats. Easily leaving the trike and other uprights behind. At the 30 mile marker my average speed was under 17 mph, at this average, there was no way I was getting 200 miles in today.

Most of the remainder of the loop had tailwinds, making the loop a lot of fun. When I crossed the starting line my average speed was around 18mph and it only took me 2 hours and 45 minutes, so I could make 200 miles after all! Those last miles with the tailwinds made all the difference.  I took a quick 10 minute break.

The second Loop:
The second loop started without any problems with the exception of the wind seeming to be more powerful. I now knew what to expect and prepared for the hills and the next 30 miles of wind. I knew I only had to suffer through this for 30 miles then it would be party on when the loop direction changes towards the North. On this loop I was passed by a Quest velomobile I waved and he rang his bell as he flew by me. He was doing the 100 mile time trial, the earliest they started was at 8:45AM which means I had at least an hour and 15 minute lead on him. I'll have to talk my wife into allowing me to spend the money on one of those!
      Some uprights passed me before the 30 mile marker, they were getting a comfortable lead on me. Then the loop direction changed and I was suddenly going 22 - 25 mph again. I easily passed the uprights, I would have expected the tailwind to help them more since they are higher up in the air currents.
 
    At the end of this loop I was a little behind at around 6 hours and a some minutes, I should have been under 6 hours including break time. I lost all of the advantage I had gained in the first loop, and I haven't even stopped for a break yet. It was starting to warm up so I took off my jacket and changed into a dry shirt. Walking slowly back and forth between my truck and the start line a few times. I was also starting to feel like perhaps I should quit after getting the third loop in, that would put me at a respectable 151.5 miles for the race. I ended up taking a 30 minute break, way too long. On the upside,  I think this was the fastest century I have completed yet on the Musashi.

The third loop:
   Around 6 more hours to go, only 101 miles down. This loop was my slowest yet. Obviously the wind must be increasing speed after every loop that I complete, why else would I be getting slower each loop? The hills were somehow getting steeper also. I prepared for the wind and hills on this loop by setting my front gear to the slower one and left it there for the next 30 miles. I was starting to think I was the only recumbent left, and starting to think that hey, maybe I'm ahead of all the other recumbents, after all there are only 9 total that registered I didn't see that many at the start line, perhaps some paid then didn't show up. I was starting to think that maybe I was the lead recumbent (I think I was getting a little delirious at this point).

      About this time a Bacchetta CA2 passes me going at a very good clip. My first thoughts were I would easily catch him since the loop direction was about to change in my favor. My speed started to hit the 22-24 mph mark as the winds started pushing me faster. Something was wrong, I couldn't catch up with him. Then it hit me,  d'oh he had the same advantage that I had, and he just past me going at a very good rate of speed when the wind was in front of us. Well, then perhaps I would get 2nd over all in the recumbent class. Then it really dawned on me what had happened, he didn't start behind me in the pack and just finally caught up with me, he started at the lead of the pack, which meant he just lapped me completely, he had already completed 150 miles and was working on his 4th 50 mile loop. He was 50 plus miles ahead of me! I wonder how many other recumbents were ahead of me. My delirious dreams were shattered as I faced reality. I wasn't going to place or hit my 200 mile goal.

The 7 mile loops:
      After 4:30PM they closed the 50 mile loop and had everyone use the 7 mile loop for their final laps. I was hoping to get at least 3x 7 mile laps. It would be a little short of my goal of 200 miles. I filled up with water and set out on my first 7 mile lap. The first mile was the same as the 50 mile loop. The first two and a half miles were into the wind, the rest was pretty much tailwind, or some crosswind. Very nice compared to the 50 mile loop. I was starting to feel energized again.

      There were some Dayton Ohio news crew vans setting up in a couple of driveways. I was wondering what might be happening. Around the third loop I realized that we were the story. They started filming us as we flew by. I might be on the evening news! I didn't pay attention to the station that was recording us, I wanted to check their website to see if they had any streaming video of the race. If anyone finds some let me know.

Finish line:
      I'm easily going to get 5x 7 mile loops, a bit better then I had hoped, but still less then my 200 mile goal. I can't explain it but I had a sudden strong emotional rush, it quickly went away, but for a moment I thought I was going to start crying.  I think it was caused since the race was about over and I suddenly realized that I would actually complete the full 12 hours. Once I completed the 5 loops there were only a few minutes left, they'll add any extra ridden miles onto your total. Passing the 1 mile marker, I was told I had 5 minutes left! When I hit the 2 mile marker I only had 2 minutes left, so I was done. The race finally came to completion!

      I was contemplating riding enough miles to complete 200 miles just to say I went that far. but decided against it, I turned around and rode the 3 miles back to the starting point. I talked to a couple of other riders, the Bacchetta CA2 got around 251 miles, and he thought another recumbent rider had more miles then him. I dought that since I didn't see any other recumbent lap me, although, they could have passed me while I was off the bike though.

      My final total: 3x50.5 + 5x7 + 2=188.5 miles. Not bad for my first 12 hour race. Only 11.5 miles short of my goal. I feel I could have easily hit 200 miles if it wasn't for the wind. I spent almost a whole hour off the bike, that time would definitely have to improve next time.
 
Awards:
      During the award ceremony, I was surprised that they called me down in first place for recumbents in my age group! I quickly saw why I was first, there was no competition! So I was the only one standing on the podium during the picture taking. So I got a medal after all! Which was surprising since the recumbent record of 270 miles was done just last year in my age group. Reminds me of back when I was in 4-H club I and entered my Entomology (bugs) project to the fair. I had won the Grand prize ribbon, but I also won the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place ribbons. They had all the ribbons stuck to my project since no one else entered one at our county fair.

Great race:
      I want to give kudos to the race organizers, they did a fabulous job, the roads were marked at every mile marker with the distance written on the road. They had the Sheriffs out in force and helping with the race. There were plenty of water and food at the starter and at the 25 mile marker. Thanks to all the volunteers that made this a great race.

Next?
      The National 24 hour race is next month and only a 5 hour drive away in Michigan. I should be in better shape by then. I would think 350 miles would be a good goal for that race. I already put in for time off at work, all I can do now is watch the weather and then decide what to do.

    


Here are some great pictures of me that were taken by Shari Heinrich:

Click here for the ride details:

Here is the ride summary from Stava: