TD'11 Race Discussion

[brunch]

I've been away from Internet Access for the past week and I'm just now catching up/digesting Justin's accident.

Of course I'm glad he'll be OK but it's really a crushing development. I'm fairly depressed about it.

Justin: I hope you're reading all these notes from your fans. You have the respect of your peers and a heart of gold! Thanks for inspiring so many of us, helping us sell piles of Cordillera books and showing the world that hard things are worth doing.

I'll post a few notes about Cordillera sales tomorrow for anyone interested. I'll also be donating on Justin's website. Until then there's always Teddy Roosevelt:

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat."

Thanks Justin, you dared greatly.

Eric

[muze]

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat."

Thanks Justin, you dared greatly.

Eric

Thanks for the quote, Eric. It captures the sentiment perfectly. Justin's inspiration makes me ask how we all can dare greatly, ourselves. Great showing, Justin!

[29singlespeed]

Justin: well said in last thoughts and with much appreciation and dignity for the experience. Wish you happy mending and keep smiling in your journey!

[Pollyhound]

Hello All,  I'm a friend of James' and have been tracking him via the call-ins since he lost his SPOTR.  Just wanted to know from you all who have already finished, is there anyone at the finish line (Race Director or TDMBR "staff")?  Or will anyone be there when James finishes?  (expecting that to be late Tues/early Wednesday).  Thanks!   Patricia Miller

As far as I know it will just be him and the border.....  Certaintly no 'officials' See rule 7 - http://tourdivide.org/the_rules
I do wish him the very best, please keep us informed of his progess.  His comments on his tracker page certainly highlight the effort he is putting in to this epic journey.  As for being 60 - he should be shouting it from the highest mountain!  What an inspiration!

[NJD]

I'll be 50 on August 8th ;-)   
sr

Re: TD'11 Race Discussion
« Reply #1959 on: July 10, 2011, 03:37:51 PM »
   
By the way, he probably wouldn't want me to tell everyone, but James is 60!  So I think he is probably the oldest rider.


You two ROCK!  Just goes to show age is ONLY a number :-)

[ridingman1]

Re: TD'11 Race Discussion
« Reply #1959 on: July 10, 2011, 03:37:51 PM »
   
By the way, he probably wouldn't want me to tell everyone, but James is 60!  So I think he is probably the oldest rider.

David Horton is 61 and is the oldest finisher of the 2011 TDR.


You two ROCK!  Just goes to show age is ONLY a number :-)

[groundedkiwi]

Oh my gosh!  Been away for a few days and just read of Justin's accident.  Bummer bummer bummer.  Justin, you have cycled the most amazing and inspirational race possible!  WE LOVE YOU!!! 
So sorry to hear of the accident, but this race isn't over for you, just delayed!  Please take care of yourself and heal quickly.  And please post here if there is ANYTHING that the readers of this forum can do for you! We want to help!
I just donated on your blog and please use this for your medical bills, transport, housing, whatever you need!  Keep up posted on your recovery, we are all pulling for you!
Hugs,
Groundedkiwi

[Christopher R. Bennett]

Does it ever!  I was hoping Justin could be patched up enough to cross the finish line after coming so far with so little to go.  Bummer!   

Unfortunately he can't 'officially' finish because of Rule #4:

4.  Advancing (forward) on the route by any means other than one's own pedal power is strictly prohibited. No drafting. Use of any type of air scoop or umbrella sail intended to harness wind power is also prohibited. TD is a solo challenge, however, racing in the company of other challengers is tolerated. Again, no drafting, and each rider must maintain separate gear. One complete survival kit per rider.

4a. In the event of a serious mechanical that renders one's bike unrideable, a rider may be assisted[3] by motor vehicle in moving backwards or directly off the route, but never forward on route. A rider may also receive assistance returning back to the location they left the GDMBR, however, the moment they rejoin the route, any forward assistance is prohibited, even if a rider has already ridden that stretch prior to leaving the route. The intent of this rule is to encourage riders to exhaust self-rescue options first, and ensure any rider who must hitchhike will still always ride the entire TD course (+ a few penalty miles). Again, any assistance moving forward on the route, in any circumstance, is forbidden.

Having been DQ'd myself when I had to visit the hospital due to an asthma attack my medication couldn't control (flagged a ride), I do think that this rule should be reviewed. There are not always hospitals or bike shops back/perpendicular to the route (eg. where this happened N. of Silver City you would somehow need to get to Santa Fe. 

I think that for medical emergencies when the rider with treatment can potentially return they should get to the nearest hospital and then return to the place where they had to leave the route.

[Christopher R. Bennett]

Or think about funds for Justin because I suspect he will be saddled with a substantial medical bill and probably no insurance. He did his amazing venture on a much tighter budget than most of the rest of us.

Roland. Good idea. Keep us posted on this if you can. One advantage: Gila Medical centre is very reasonably priced! 4 h in the ER, with time on a bronchial dilator and chest x-rays only cost me $450, with a 45% discount if I gave them my credit card. Sure beat Washington D.C. where I'd pay more than that to see my GP :-)

[mtbcast]

Nicolas Kennedy called in to say he finished yesterday.

You can get the audio here, via RSS,  or on iTunes!

[ridingman1]

Having been DQ'd myself when I had to visit the hospital due to an asthma attack my medication couldn't control (flagged a ride), I do think that this rule should be reviewed. There are not always hospitals or bike shops back/perpendicular to the route (eg. where this happened N. of Silver City you would somehow need to get to Santa Fe.  

I think that for medical emergencies when the rider with treatment can potentially return they should get to the nearest hospital and then return to the place where they had to leave the route.

I agree the rule should be revisited. What difference does the direction of travel off route make? The participant is already loosing time due to the situation. As long as the participant returns to the same spot (100 foot rule) and resumes progress under one's own power, they should not be DQ'd or relegated. I would like to know the spirit in which the "no forward progress" clause is intended. I think it is being misapplied.

[NJD]

David Horton is 61 and is the oldest finisher of the 2011 TDR.

David Horton ROCKS, too.  From Ultramarathoner to Ultracyclist!  Next up...UltraSwimmer??   

[NJD]

I think that for medical emergencies when the rider with treatment can potentially return they should get to the nearest hospital and then return to the place where they had to leave the route.

Makes sense to me.  I don't see anything different about this than if you had to leave the route due to mechanical failure as long as you return to where you left. 

[Dumpster Juice]

Why not have a record for a Masters Division, say 50 years and older...It would give us older guys something to race for and create a race within a race.

[Erick L]

I would like to know the spirit in which the "no forward progress" clause is intended. I think it is being misapplied.

In the Rule FAQs Admin, presumably Matthew Lee, states the following: "FWIW, the original intent of prohibiting forward (on-route) hitchhiking is A) to ensure a challenger rides the entire GDMBR (one cannot cheat, i.e. fudge a re-start when only hitchhiking backwards), B) to prevent the reconnaissance of the route ahead and C) to penalize a rider for getting in a car."

[BobM]

In the Rule FAQs Admin, presumably Matthew Lee, states the following: "FWIW, the original intent of prohibiting forward (on-route) hitchhiking is A) to ensure a challenger rides the entire GDMBR (one cannot cheat, i.e. fudge a re-start when only hitchhiking backwards), B) to prevent the reconnaissance of the route ahead and C) to penalize a rider for getting in a car."

I've always had a problem with this rule as applied to forward motion.  To review the points:

A)  Cheating is not limited to forward motion.
B)  Reconnaissance is not really applicable to the GDMBR with all the info out there.
C)  Penalty for getting in a car not limited to forward motion.

Seems like the rule should either be "No getting in a vehicle except for emergencies and return to the same point on the route once the situation is remedied." or "No getting in a car, period."  IMO, of course.

That being said, when you organize a race you get to make whatever rules you want.  I certainly wouldn't want to do all the work associated with organizing this race!

[fromBrushMtn]

hey folks...
had stephen for breakfast today...he's looking great...
he caught up with brett and sean who stayed last night and were still here this morning when stephen blew through...so they all left together a bit ago!
nice bunch...(:
brett and sean are not racing, so they will probably take a day in steamboat, but it sounded like stephen was going to push through after a stop at orange peel for some repairs...

missed seeing you cricket!!! i hope your knees get better soon!


i still have some photos from the tail end of the race...soon come...
(:
thanks again for all the fun!
kirsten

[Blackhound]

Saw Justin the other evening in Silver after Joel and I had finished and he seemed in remarkably good spirits - must have been the drugs!  Felt sorry for him getting so close but as he says there is always next year.  He should be at home in Denver by now.  And working....

Seems my partner (Pollyhound) has also been funding his adventure - I just got a good luck and a peck on the cheek before leaving;-)

Thanks to everyone who made the event excellent. 

[Done]

Seems like the rule should either be "No getting in a vehicle except for emergencies and return to the same point on the route once the situation is remedied." or "No getting in a car, period."  IMO, of course.

Agreed. Either of those options seem clean and fair. As it stands now, 4a looks good on paper--but has proven to be complicated and problematic in practice.

[CathyP]

Saw Justin the other evening in Silver after Joel and I had finished and he seemed in remarkably good spirits ....  

Kevin, thanks for letting us know!  Glad you had a chance to visit with him and give us a first-hand assessment.  I only "know" Justin through his blog, this forum, and the MTBcast, but like many of us who spent the better part of the last 5 weeks following various blue dots, I've become an admirer (and a contributor - like Pollyhound).  Here again is the link to donate in case anyone was looking for it...

http://gdmbr.justinsimoni.com/the-last-big-push.html