| (Long Distance) Ramblings |
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I like to ride my bicycle - for long distances. I have earned the California Triple Crown and finished the Furnace Creek 508. My goals include qualifying for RAAM and ...(read the blog to find out). "The bicycle has a soul. If you are able to love it as it deserves, it will give you emotions you will never forget." "Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of a bike ride."
"The important decisions in my life I make while out riding my bike."
"Pain is temporary, quitting lasts forever.” Lance Armstrong
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Friday, October 27, 2006
Keizer men conquer toughest 48 hours in sports at Furnace CreekPublished: October 27, 2006 By CHRIS COHOON Of the Keizertimes McNary graduate Kenneth Philbrick and Keizer cyclist John Henry Maurice achieved the unthinkable on Oct. 8. Out of 61 entrants in California's Furnace Creek 508 bicycle race, they were two of just 39 to finish the non-stop 508-mile course. The Furnace Creek 508 is unlike any other bicycle race. It's a nonstop event that attracts people from all over the world, and some even call it the toughest 48 hours in sports. "It's just a massive endeavor," said the 28-year-old Philbrick, an accomplished cyclist who was a rookie in this race. "Just getting to the end is a big deal." The race began in Santa Clarita, traveled through the Mojave Desert to Death Valley, and on to Twenty-nine Palms. It featured a variety of terrain. "Every mile is a new mile," said Philbrick, who finished in seventh place, riding the course in 32:30:13. "Luckily it wasn't too hot. I think it was only in the 80s in Death Valley, which made hydration a non-issue." Maurice finished in 28th place, at 41:23:02. He made his debut in the race at age 51. "My goal was to finish, and my secondary goal was to place well," Maurice said. "I finished well, so I'm happy." Riders were supported by follow crews – generally two to three people following behind in a car. "It would be next to impossible to do the race without support," said Philbrick. "The support crew tracks hydration. They pretty much give you water whenever you finish a bottle." Training for the event is almost as grueling as participating in it. Maurice was on a year-long training plan, while Philbrick began training in June after school was out at Oregon State University. "I began preparing seven months in advance," said Maurice. "I was given a training plan and a nutrition plan by my coach, and we communicated once a week." Participating in other races was essential to the preparation for the Furnace Creek 508. Both Maurice and Philrbrick rode in this year's Race Across Oregon. With the race now more than two weeks behind them, recovery remains an issue. "I haven't recovered 100 percent yet," said Maurice, who nonetheless was on his way out to ride his bike.
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