People ride bikes for different reasons, and sometimes for all of them. From the strictly utilitarian to the weekend joy rider, it’s what we love to do. For some of us, it’s the challenge we seek. How will we know what we’re capable of unless we try it? The following is an account by BicycLincoln board member Richard Wright, who saw an opportunity and gave it his all. Grab a beverage and settle in while you read about his challenge.
Someone asked me why I didn’t stop at the combined aid station/halfway point/cutoff point in Hayden, Colorado when I was riding the SBT GVL 125 Black course (in Steamboat Springs, Colorado) on August 18. My first gravel race.
My answer, I have no idea. In fact, I guess I was planning on keeping going until I heard a lot of people yelling for me to stop and turn around. I realized I had made it; they weren’t going to pull me from the race.
The word toast came to mind. Or, shot, blown, cooked, spent. . . , you get the idea.
Why in the hell did I sign up for this again?
The answer, I wanted to challenge myself after turning 60 to do something big. And, to me, this was big. It involved a video application, acceptance, trips to Memphis, Bentonville, Gunnison and finally Steamboat Springs. And lots and lots, and lots of riding. Little did I know just how much riding it meant.
I stumbled into “From The Ground Up” three years ago while surfing some of the channels on TV.
From The Ground Up (FTGU) “started as a project intended to inspire cyclists of all ability levels to step outside of their comfort zones. ” Now in its 4th season, Ryan and Alexey have come to realize how important the power of community is when taking on monumental challenges. We are all capable of so much more than we know, but our true potential is only unlocked with the encouragement, support, and comradery of others.. . Our overarching objective of this project is to help shorten the learning curve in cycling while helping guide riders who are new to the sport. With the help of our partners, each selected individual will receive all of the resources they need to take on this challenge. “
I was hooked.
When the call went out for applications for season 4, yes it was all filmed for their YouTube channel, From the Ground Up, I applied, sending in my video after filming it 4 times, in my car. I received an email from the founders, Ryan Petry and Alexey Vermeulen that they wanted to do a video interview. We met, I thought it went ok, but they said I was in the top 12.
A week later I got another email from Ryan saying they had a few more questions. So we “ZOOMed” and they asked me I thought I could do it. I said yes, and they surprised me with “You’re in!” I was floored. I had been selected with three others for Season 4 of FTGU.
Our first time together was in Memphis at Victory Bike Studio to meet everyone and get fitted for our bikes. For me and my team, Lou, Brandilee and Kristen, we were all a bit overwhelmed with it all. My bike is a Scot Gravel Addict 2, and I love it. It was a night and day difference with my “beast” I rode, before.
After Memphis, we all met up in Bentonville, Arkansas for our first “gravel Camp”. It was there were we learned a lot, like how to clip in, and not fall over (which we all did many, many times); how to ride on gravel (which none of us four had ever done before) and other parts of cycling skills (like turning correctly, braking, and climbing. I thought I knew something about riding a bike, I was wrong.
Then we all started riding, at our homes, either outside on gravel or on our indoor trainers. Ride, ride, ride. I was riding to Eagle, Elmwood, the Thursday gravel rides north of Lincoln, down to Cortland and Beatrice, you get the idea. 100-200 miles a week, with long rides on the weekends. The others rode around their homes in the Denver area and Denton, Texas.
Our last camp was in Gunnison, Colorado, where Kristen and I, both flat-landers (she’s the Mom of 6 from Denton, Texas) learned about elevation and real “hills.” To put it bluntly, it sucked. But, I learned a lot about climbing and also just how much more I needed to ride in order to get ready for Steamboat Springs, SBT GVL 125 (the Black course). While riding up one hill, Kristen and I would ride about 50-100 yards, then walk the same amount, just getting out breath. And clip in cycling shoes aren’t great for walking a lot. We finally stopped at about 9,700 feet not able to condinue on. It was exhausting.
I did learn that I love descending. And I think I’m pretty good at it. I found myself ripping (I’ve learned the lingo too, lol) down some single tracks, pm gravel at 30-40 mph on the bike. I never felt more free and in control when I was riding down those hills. Just me and my bike, picking my line, steering through the rocks or whatever and loving it! Outside Steamboat, a few of us rode in, descending from Rabbit Ears Peak into town, I hit 46 mph and what a rush that was!
Between Gunnison and Steamboat, I rode, rode, rode. I wore out 2 sets of 47s tires and a crankset. My rides got “easier” and the heat training helped. To get ready I signed up for the Solstice Gravel Grinder in June, where I died, basically. I was not ready for the heat and humidity. I learned even more then, hydration, importance of pickle juice and bananas (I have come to hate bananas), and more hydration. It would come in handy.
After some more weeks of training on our own, it was time for SBT, Steamboat. We pre-rode some of the course a few days out from the race. And to call it a “race” is wrong in my case. I wasn’t racing anyone (unlike Alexey, our pro, who came in 3rd in the Pro Elite category). I was racing time.
On the pre-rides, I realized that I was ready. The “chunky” gravel wasn’t chunky. It was like riding North 1st out of Lincoln. At the start line, butterflies in my stomach, I was ready. My first goal, to get to the 37-mile cut off by 10:30 am or be forced to take the shortcut and knock off 17 miles and 1,400 feet of climb. But if doing that, I wouldn’t get official time for the 125. I made that goal with 30 minutes to go.
My second goal was to make it to Hayden, Colorado, the half-way point/aid station and cut off point before 1:30. If I didn’t get there in time, my race would be over.
I made it.
with 30 seconds to spare.
When I rode into Hayden, I was not there, mentally. My legs had started cramping, my back was spasming and my shoulder was killing me ( I had fallen Friday and again at about mile 50 in the rocks, both times on the same shoulder). And, to make it worse, I mis figured my hydration and ran out of water about 10 miles from Hayden.
I rode right through the aid station until I heard someone yelling fo rme to turn around. I was out of it.
After basically falling off my bike and just sitting there, drinking water and having it poured over me, I got back in the saddle and continued on, as last rider on course. But I was ok, I thought. So, it takes me all day, I was riding.
But, then 7 miles later, my body had other thoughts. The legs started up again, the back was spasming again, and the shoulder wouldn’t stop. At mile 72, after arguing in my head for a while, I stopped.
A car pulled up with one of our cameramen in it, Ian, a great guy and friend. He is also a triathlete. After while of me standing there, contemplating what to do. He asked, “what do you think?”
I looked at him, I did feel tears coming but fought them back and just said. “I’m done.”
Damn! I wasn’t going to finish it. I had let myself, my team, my coaches and friends down. I felt like crap. I didn’t want to ride in a car, I wanted to finish on my bike. But I had to listen to my body too. Physically, I was shot. Mentally, not sure. But it was over. Damn!
Ian asked me if I wanted to go back to the house in town. Immediately I said no. Brandilee and Kristen were still on course and they needed someone to help crew for them. I was done, but I wanted to help my team out. So, I spent the rest of the day, driving ahead to the aid stations, and waiting for them to get them water, Coke, food, whatever they needed.
Yes, I was disappointed that I didn’t finish. But after talking with Ian, Alexey, Ryan and my team, I felt better. I had just ridden 72 miles over a hard course, at elevation, doing something I had never done until 6 months earlier. I still feel good about what I did accomplish, at my age.
I hope I lived up to my application video, just because you have a big number behind your name (for me it was 60 and I was the oldest rider in 4 seasons of the show) you can still do big things. I went out, trained hard, and left it all there. I couldn’t be happier or prouder.
I’ve learned to love cycling more. I’m riding more and more gravel, having signed up and ridden, the Solstice, Nebraska State Games, Gravel Worlds, The Homestead Tour and look forward to more in the future (Mid-South, Lazy Horse, Pony Express and more).
Oh, and I lost 40 pounds doing it too (and added benefit) so I feel even better.
For more, check out From The Ground Up on Instagram, YouTube and at fromthegroundup.bike. Season 4 will begin airing later in September.
Ride on!