Pre-race Q&A with Rob

 Re-fueling during an overnight ride, May 5, 2012
(Photo credit: Kate Morlock)

Q: Now, what is it that you are doing this time?

Well, after all these years, I still have the Ultra Cycling bug and am very motivated to continue to train and race.  But with contributing factors such as past injuries (hand), the strain on the crew and myself, it might not be a smart idea to do another cross country race like Race Across America (RAAM).  The Race Across the West (RAW), starting June 13, 2012, is the perfect solution.  Here is why: it covers arguably the best, most scenic part of the country (Oceanside, CA to Durango, CO).  It is only 860 miles (compared to the 3,000 mile RAAM).  We start on a Wednesday and, based on my 2010 RAAM time splits, I should be in Durango late Friday night.  A very manageable time frame for both crew and racer.

Q: Is the training for RAW different from RAAM?

After consulting with my long time Ultra Cycling Coach John Hughes, we came up with a regimen that closely mirrors the training plan that I used for RAAM.  The only difference is the “long” rides leading up to the race are a bit shorter.  For example, for RAAM I did two 24 hour rides, with a few other 300 mile rides in mid-May.  This time I only needed to do one 18-20 hour ride, plus several 200 mile rides.  The staple 100, 150, 200 mile rides all through the winter leading up to the race were identical.  The tempo and intensity rides were also exactly the same.  It is still a lot of work, but I really notice it paying off in my training.

Q: How is training going? When did you start?

I started training back in October 2011 and it is going great.  During my night ride this past weekend, my wife Kate, who was following me in a support vehicle, commented that she has never seen me ride so strong.  She attributes this to the yoga classes that we take together and the fast tempo group rides that I take part in on Saturday mornings.  Kate and I were talking on the ride and we realized that I have been racing bicycles for 25 years now.  I feel like the miles in my “bank” have really paid big dividends this time around.  No injuries, aches and/or pains to report (“knock on wood”!).  Usually by now in the training cycle I would have some sort of overuse injuries and/or tendonitis to complain about.

Q: What distance is your longest training ride?

300 miles will be my longest training ride this time around preparing for RAW.  This takes approximately 16-18 hours of continuous effort.

Q: You’ve ridden the RAW course multiple times, most recently during your successful 2010 RAAM. Does knowing the route give you any kind of advantage?

Great question.  This is a double edged sword.  I am definitely a “home field advantage” kind of guy.  People marvel at how I can ride the same 3-5 training courses year after year.  I definitely like that “homey” feeling of knowing where I am and what to expect up ahead.  However, this can also work against you.  For example, if you know the course you may dread or fixate on a big climb that is coming up.  I have been thinking about Day 2 of the race for a long time now.  I know that portion of the course all too well.  After a relative fast and flat first night of the race, going from Brawley, CA to the CA/AZ border, you start climbing the dreaded and famous Yarnell Grade right outside of Congress, AZ.  This is a 9 mile ascent and it is only the beginning of the climbing for the day.  From there you go up to Prescott, Cottonwood, and finally Flagstaff, AZ.  You finally get some relief as you roll down towards UT and Monument Valley.  If I was a rookie, I would go into Day 2 like any other day so sometimes knowledge (of the course) can be a bit of a personal mind game.  It can also give you an advantage knowing when to make a push on a particular section and when you can ease up some.  I heard a rumor that the race organizers were contemplating changing up the course through AZ this year.  Initially I was excited because I wanted to be surprised regarding what was up ahead out there.  In the end they left things alone, at least for another year.

Q: How long did it take you to reach Durango in RAAM 2010? Do you plan to go faster for RAW?

In 2010, I left the start of RAAM in Oceanside, CA at 12:00 pm local time (or 3:00 pm EST race time) on a Wednesday.   I arrived in Durango 2+ days later on Friday night (I believe that I checked into the Durango Time Station at 10:30pm race time).  I will hopefully be faster arriving in Durango this year knowing that I don’t have to ride the additional 2,100 miles to Annapolis, MD.  In RAAM 2010 I slept the 2^nd night for a total stop time of about 3 hours.  With this year’s RAW, I will take a power nap, but it should not take 3 hours.  Headwinds/tailwinds also play into the equation.  In RAAM 2010 we had a nice tailwind that first afternoon and I completed 437 miles the first 24 hours. This will be hard to match as conditions were pretty good that year (in the beginning at least).  Every year is new and different and each race offers a whole new host of challenges, but I am planning to get to Durango faster this year.  Durango is a great place so the carrot is to get there quickly so we can enjoy the town.

Q: Relative to RAAM, RAW is a pretty short race. But it’s still 860 miles over 2-3 days. What’s your thinking on sleep?

Funny, the other day I was looking at the time splits from last year’s RAW and they looked incredibly fast.  I actually contacted one of last year’s competitors for comment on his sleep schedule.  To me, it looked like the top guys did not sleep due to their fast time splits.  Apparently two attempts were made to stop and sleep but both were unsuccessful.  Several distractions can play into this sleep game: road noise, rider may be overtired and cannot fall asleep, fear of being passed by another racer while stopped, etc. It is hard to believe but a quick shower, massage, and power nap can be enough to get you going again.  In my opinion 860 miles is a bit too far to go without sleep, so at the very least I will try and stop for an hour or two.  Hopefully this will be enough to get me to the finish.

Q: What does the crew support look like? Same number of crew members and vehicles as RAAM?

Crew is locked in and ready to go.  I will take 8 total crew members and 2 minivans on this race compared to 13 crew, 2 minivans and a motorhome for RAAM.  Three crew on day shift, 3 on night shift, and 2 in the shuttle van.  Due to the time commitment, it can be difficult getting 12-13 people on board for RAAM. However, with RAW I actually had to turn people away this time.  This was not an easy task because my crew members have been so good and supportive for so many years that I wanted to take everyone along again.  With a shorter race you simply do not need that many people.  I told those who are not coming along this time will get “dibs” on the next one.  It is such a great comfort knowing that you have an experienced crew behind you.  The average person has no idea what goes into these races and having the right personnel in place is key.  RAAM legend Pete Penseyres once said “that your crew cannot win RAAM for you, but they sure could lose it for you.”  Very true!

Q: Did you recover fully from the nerve damage in your hand from RAAM 2010?

I would put my hand recovery at 98%.  I feel like that there is still a little weakness in my hand.  This could be the fact that it is my non-dominant hand and therefore, will never be as strong as my left hand.  However, between surgery, rehab, and constant hand strengthening exercises it feels great (and strong).  I was very determined to get my hand strength and feeling back after my last RAAM.  To this day, I perform daily strength and nerve glide exercises.  It was very scary because, following the race, I was unable to tie my shoes, button my shirt, or even squeeze a toothpaste tube.  Never mind racing again, I was worried that I was going to be slightly handicapped for the rest of my life.  This is why these shorter races are a better choice for me now.  I would be too nervous to risk my health by doing another RAAM.  My hand has responded very well during training and I do not anticipate any problems following this year’s RAW.

Q: How can people follow your training and race progress?
A: This blog, on our Facebook page and my web site.

Cleaning out the cobwebs...

Hello? Hel-oooo???

Just dusting off the blog and preparing for June. Some of you may already know that Rob is racing in the 2012 Race Across the West. This is the first third of the Race Across America course, from Oceanside, CA. to Durango, CO. That's 861 miles.

It starts on June 13.

We'll have some stuff here leading up to the race and during the race, we'll be blogging live from the road, right alongside Rob. Should be fun! Also join the Facebook page.

Stay tuned!

A Post-Race Conversation with Rob

 (Photo: Joe Murphy)

It took a little longer than planned, but here are some final thoughts from Rob about this year's RAAM experience.

Q: You completed your third Race Across America a couple of months ago. How do you feel? Any long-term effects?
Overall I felt very good during and after this RAAM. I was very surprised how quickly I recovered, and within two weeks after the race I actually had some motivation to go out and ride a little. The one area that did suffer was both my hands, especially my right one. During the last 500 miles of the race I started to experience both a tingling and numbing sensation (in my hands). I knew that I was doing some serious damage, but I only had another 35 hours to ride, so I continued forward and hoped for the best.  When I returned home, I immediately went to the doctor, and within a few weeks, and after some therapy, I ended up having a carpal tunnel release surgery. The doctor feared permanent nerve damage.  The fingers on my right hand are still numb (but getting better), and I still have trouble with fine motor skills. The doctor is hopeful that I should have a full recovery in 6-8 months.

Q: When will you get back on a bike?
Again, the doctor is hopeful for a full recovery in 6-8 months if I avoid putting further pressure on my hands (from the bike).  I am going to follow his advice and stay off the bike, as I am totally committed to getting better.  This will be difficult because I love the bike and the training lifestyle.

Q: You improved to your best finish ever - 7th - yet this was your slowest crossing ever. In fact, it seems like everyone was a lot slower than predicted (Jure Robic missed his goal by 24 hours) and there were a lot of people who dropped out. Were this year's course and conditions particularly hard?
In general, the course did not feel any more difficult than any other year. RAAM is always hard.  It was 100 degrees in the desert the first day and the major climbs the second day up through Yarnell (AZ), Prescott, Cottonwood,  also presented an early challenge. The high climbs of the Rockies on day three were also tough.  This year Kansas was wet and cool, while I remember that in 2008 (and from reading reports of the 2009 race), Kansas was almost 100 degree everyday.  I'm not sure what is worse, cold/wet, or hot/humid.  I think Jure Robic did hit severe thunderstorms and pouring rain all through Colorado.  That is a challenging component of this race, you can be a few hours behind (or ahead) of other riders, and experience totally different weather patterns - some in your favor, sometimes not. Regarding the drop rate: every year, and history shows that 50 percent who start RAAM will drop out.  So I think the numbers were about the same for this year as well.

Q: If you could change anything about your execution of the race, what would it be?
Tough question.  After five attempts at this race I always look back and say: "Did I start too hard or too slow?"  I have to say that this year I felt exceptionally fit, and ready to go right from the beginning.  With that said, I went out hard and fast.  I think that I did 437 miles the first 24 hours, and 605 miles after the first 36 hours (this was also the time of my first sleep break).  

When I woke up near Tuba City, AZ, I found myself in 3rd place overall.  This was very exciting and motivating news, and I continued to ride hard.  My RAAM strategy was always to get as many miles in before your body starts to "decay" rapidly.  I continued with a good pace and some of the riders who I "beat" to eastern Colorado started to pass me.  One example, the Australian rider, Matthew Warner-Smith and I rode near each other well into Colorado, and when he passed me I never had the "gas" to catch him again.  Warner-Smith went on to place 3rd overall, and he seemed to ride conservative in the beginning, and I did not.  I remember back in 2000 I rode very slow the first 48 hours in an attempt to save something for later.  When later came (2000 miles into the race), I still felt like I was just didn't have the horsepower to make up time that I lost in the beginning.  That is the diabolical challenge of RAAM: It's very difficult to nail down the perfect formula for an effective time across the United States.

Q: You talked a little to the RAAM media team about the sleep deprivation-induced hallucinations this year. Were they worse, not as bad or about the same as past RAAMs?
Great subject matter.  My hallucinations on RAAM are legendary (at least in my own eyes and brain).  Dating back to my very first RAAM in 1996, as sleep deprivation set in, I started to see the vegetation and rock formations along the road take on human-like forms.  For example, some of the weeds, or vegetation that grows along the shoulder and onto the pavement takes on a form of a green, leafy, plant-like shoe, or as they were coined in 1996: "elf shoes".

These elf shoes are perfectly lined-up along the white line for miles, and miles. It is not uncommon for me to point them out to the crew as the race wears on.  Also, the trees along the sides of the road start to look like big, leafy people, slowly moving towards me on the bike.  The funny thing is that for all five of my RAAM's these images have basically remained the same.

Q: Talk about the crew. It seems like they were really on the ball this year.
Yes the crew was awesome.  I have been very fortunate to have great support teams for all my ultra races, but this year's crew was very special.  There was a bond right from the start out in Oceanside, CA.   From the bike it appeared that everyone became very close and friendly with one another.  As a result everyone worked well with one another and there was always a good feel when they dealt all the issues that the race can present.  There was a great blend of veterans and rookies on the team, and the age range was 18 to 60 years old.  Everyone seemed to compliment and respect each other, and we had a million laughs.

Q: You seemed like you really enjoyed the race most of the way. Other than the last day, when all racers are just exhausted, was there any other point in the race that you just hated?
Not really, I felt very motivated and engaged for most of the race.  I really tried to just ride my race and not complain too much.  It is difficult to whine and cry about the race after I've voluntarily spent the last 15+ years training and preparing to race in RAAM.  No one is holding a gun to my head to do this race, and the motivating factors have come from within, so I did not want to put the crew on the spot and complain too much.  RAAM is such an awesome event in anyone's life and I truly had a ride of a lifetime.  I really felt like the crew enjoyed most of the race as well.

Q: How much of a motivator was the memory of your mom and raising money for the Lance Armstrong Foundation?
This was a huge.  Countless, countless times during the race I called on the many great memories that I had with my mother over the years.  I am getting choked up now just thinking about her.  When times were tough out there, I would think of her, and how she suffered during her last few months as she lost her fight to cancer.  My physical issues were minor (and temporary) compared to what she had to deal with.  During the race the crew would inform me how folks back home were donating money to such a great cause (the LAF), and his always put a smile on my face.  Also, as many of you know, the night before we left for California to start the race, one of my co-workers, Officer. Don Hassiak was hit and killed while riding his bike to work.  This really affected me, and I often thought about Donnie and his family during the race.

Q: Some long-time high school friends came out to see you on the course in Colorado and Maryland. Was that a motivator?
It was awesome and very thoughtful that people took the time out their busy lives to come out on the course and visit me.  My high school girlfriend drove three hours (each way) to meet me in Trinidad, CO.  I remember riding (into Trinidad) at 8:00 AM on a rainy Sunday morning and Julie and her husband were standing there waiting for me.  I stopped, brushed my teeth, and changed my shoe covers.  I felt bad because the visit only lasted 10 minutes or so, and I wanted to talk a little longer.  Another time in Maryland, and on the last night of the race, Robin Gonzales and her husband came out to see me as well. I was tired, it had just rained, and it was a real boost to see some familiar faces.  At this same time, my wife Kate, and her sister, Michelle, and the official Team Morlock/RAAM blogger, Bill Baker arrived. What a treat this was to see my wife after a nine-day absence.  We could barely hold back the tears of excitement when we embraced in the parking lot of a grocery store time station in Hancock, MD. They leap-frogged me from Maryland to the finish, and even though I complained a lot, they supported me to the end. 

Q: The planning, the training, the logistics and the race itself seem just overwhelming. Was this your last RAAM? Will you continue to race in other ultra-distance races?
Wow, isn't that the truth!  All those things (training, logistics, the race, etc.) are so so time consuming.  Historically, I have always have been very hands-on in all of the race logistics.  I am very involved in all the preparations, including the van, RV, flight reservations, crew selections, sponsor liaison, bike and van set-up, and on and on.  I have been criticized for being too involved, but I have learned over the years that  I really enjoy every facet of the race, and this includes all the events that occur in the background before and after the event.

Of course, I really love the training.  Every since Bill Baker introduced me to my first real "racing" bike almost 25 years ago, I have been hooked.  No other hobby or activity even comes close to the passion that I have for cycling, and especially ultra-marathon cycling.

I am the type of person that needs a "project" in my life.  If it is not RAAM, then it is working around our house, manicuring each and every blade of grass.

So, let me just say this: I love RAAM!  I have been having a love affair with this race ever since the mid-80's when I first saw it on ABC's Wide World of Sports.  After watching it year to year, I remember telling my mom that one day I want to race in RAAM.  Of course, she said "Oh Rob, I think you should." If I am not racing, I have been known to drive to the finish line to get my fix.  But, with all that said, this was my last RAAM.  The nerve compression that I sustained to my hand this time really has scared me as to the types of serious injuries that sitting on a bike for 10 days can inflict on one's body.  I will, however, continue to race in ultra-distance races.  In fact, and depending how my hand responds, I have plans to race in the 850 miler RAW (Race Across the West).  The RAW starts with RAAM in California and ends in Durango, CO.  I am very excited about this one, 850 miles is a good distance (for me) to "race", and still experience all the joys of ultra-distance cycling. I will also continue to race in other 12/24 hour, and 500 mile events.  I still feel strong and very motivated to race. 

Q: As a three-time RAAM finisher, do you have any advice to an aspiring solo RAAM  rider out there?
I have plenty advice that I would love to share. Occasionally I do get emails from young aspiring RAAM hopefuls out there seeking tips, which I love by the way!  Anyone out there reading this, and you have any questions about RAAM and/or ultra cycling, please email me at raam542[at]live.com.  I would be more than happy to help anyone out.  In the meantime, here is some quick advice: train smart and build a good mileage base, get properly fitted on your bicycle, choose your saddles, shoes, and pedals carefully, dial in your nutrition (find a product like Spiz  and use it during training and racing), and most of all commit yourself to the sport.  There are no shortcuts in ultra-cycling, and it is not for everyone.  There is nothing like it in life. 

One more important thing, save your money (and/or get some good sponsors), because RAAM is expensive!  Enjoy the journey!

Interview with Rob in the Danbury News-Times

A nice post-race conversation with Rob in today's paper.

We're still planning to post our own Q&A with Rob here, as promised. I'm just waiting for Rob to wake up from his three-week long nap.

Finish Photos

 

Team Morlock

Podium Interview

Smoochin' Kate

Just before he threw his bike into the sea

The Danbury PD Contingent

RAAM Tan Man

Finish Video

A Post Race Post

I am writing this post on June 14, 2010 at 10:30 PM. Rob is riding through Kansas and looking strong.

I have no idea how, when or if Rob will make it to the finish line. I hope he does, and I think he will, but if he doesn't, so what.

He has already accomplished so much in the preparation and execution of this race. The miles he's ridden in a handful of days are more than most people will ride in a lifetime.

He has raised more than a thousand dollars for a good cause.

He managed to convince 12 smart and busy people with lives and careers and families to drop everything and sit in a van for more than a week and follow him across the country, getting little sleep and eating bad food.

He must be a pretty decent fellow.

This was an important RAAM for Rob and he has acquitted himself well. I'll stack up Rob's character, courage and convictions to do well and do good against most professional athletes in the world today.

Regardless of when you are reading this - June 15, 16, 17 - or soon after Rob crossed the finish line in Annapolis, I'll say again (as I did after the 2008 race) how proud I am to tell - no brag - to anyone who will listen:

"Let me tell you about my best friend and what he did one week in June 2010. It was quite something."

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***June 20, 2010 - 9:30 PM UPDATE***

Of course, since I drafted (but did not publish) that post nearly a week ago, Rob did what he does and finished 7th today - moving up the leader board by one position over his RAAM finishes in '96 and '00.

It was awe-inspiring watching him cross the finish line this afternoon. He bitched about how bad he felt for the last 100 miles (and I am sure he did, in fact, feel awful), but he looked fantastic the whole day.

(And that $1,000+ figure for money raised for the Lance Armstrong Foundation is now $2,815. Who knows - we may yet push it over $3,000!)

This evening, a few of us brought Wendy's take-out back to the room and Rob feasted with abandon - a post-race tradition for him.

If past is prelude, tonight will be a rough night, as his metabolism is still operating as if he were on the bike burning 12,000 calories per day. He will want to sleep, but will wake up every hour or two with crazy hunger pains as his body continues to crave energy.

Keep checking back on this blog every now and then for the next week or two. We'll post more videos, photos and a final post race Q&A with Rob so you can hear out of his own mouth how he felt about the race.

Thanks for reading and following Rob on his journey and helping him across the finish line.

The Aftermath

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The Medal

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The Gang

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He's in!

Done.
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OK NOW on his way

15 minutes.
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Waiting for escort

Another 20 Minutes. But Rob has officially finished in 10 days 23 hours 20 minutes
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About 10 minutes

Standing by...
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We're jumping ahead to the finish.

We'll be able to smell him when he reaches TS 54.
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Nice tailwind...

...pushing Rob in.
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"Never Again..."

...say Rob. This time there were six witnesses, including two law enforcement officers.
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ALMOST HOME!

About 20 miles
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*REPORT FROM THE ROAD: 6-20-2010 9:00 AM EDT*

Just hung up the phone with "Deputy Crew Chief" Luis Ramos and he says Rob is riding like a man who is motivated to finish a 3,005 bike race. Everyone is in good spirits as they move toward Mt. Airy, MD.

Luis says that Rob appears ready to do whatever it takes to ride straight in without a break today, so they made up a "special breakfast cocktail" of Coca-Cola, No-Doz, chocolate-covered espresso beans, Red Bull, Mountain Dew, automatic transmission fluid and kitty litter. Hey - whatever works.

A word about day crew: Remember a couple of days ago when I had all those nice things to say about night crew? Well, it was total crap to keep them motivated. The REAL heroes are DAY CREW - Mike Perron, Bob Conrad and Luis, who have to put up with traffic and heat. Just ask night crew. They'll be the first to admit that every night on shift is like a walk on a Caribbean beach and that day crew is where the action is.

So day crew, day crew they're our men. If they can't do it, nobody can!

(Happy Mike?)

I'm about to head out onto the course with Kate and Michelle and I'll post some quick updates via the BlackBerry.

*REPORT FROM THE ROAD: 6-20-2010 3:00 AM EDT*

Just to elaborate a little more on the previous post: Another friend from high school, Robin Gonzales and her husband Dave, joined me as we drove out to see Rob as he was riding into Hancock, MD. We caught up with him just as he was near the top of the last and worst of four massive climbs in the section of RAAM that race organizers say is the toughest of the entire race.

I simply could not believe how good he looked and how fast he was riding up that hill. It was truly something to see. Dave, who is quite a cyclist in his own right, echoed my sense of awe at how Rob was doing.

At the time station in Hancock, we met up with Rob's wife Kate and her sister Michelle, and visited with Rob for about five minutes before he took a break.

According to night crew driver Mike Desilet, Rob has been dodging weather bullets for the entire race. It happened again tonight. Almost as soon as he went into the motor home, the skies opened up. By the time he was ready to ride again, it was 10 degrees cooler and there was not a cloud in sight. (I think it's his mom running the show up there...)

We had a small fire drill (which Rob will not know about until he reads this): the battery on the pace van was dead. We could not get the van re-started, despite a jump start from my car. Motor home driver Javier Lowe checked the water level in the battery and it was bone-dry. We couldn't find any distilled water at 11:30 at night and AAA was not able to get us a new battery, so we just dumped some Poland Spring into the battery, jumped it again from my car and Rob was back in business.

RAAM is a thousand little fires like that, and this crew is so calm, cool and collected, it's almost eerie. That, or they are just so dog-tired, nothing can get their blood pressure up.

This is night crew's last shift. In a few hours, they will transition and day crew of Mike Perron, Bob Conrad and Luis Ramos will take Rob into Annapolis.

I hope to capture video and post it later Sunday evening. No promises as I am using a borrowed video camera (forgot mine, thanks AGAIN, Dave and Robin.)

Today will be a great day!