Ohio RAAM Challenge Update 1

Hello virtual crew!

Throughout the race we will be posting in-depth updates on this blog to try and give a true glimpse into Andy's races. As always, Andy is so appreciative of all the love and support he receives from each of you. It amazes us every time how many people are touched by his efforts.

Andy crossed Time Stop 2 at 7 hours 12 minutes and at the time of this post is at mile 106. As we have been reporting on Facebook, the weather started out dry but has switched to a steady drizzle and is expected to continue for a while. Once the rain started, we got Andy into his rain gear but its amazing how fast the dampness can suck energy from him. We quickly had to increase some of his energy food to keep his strength consistent.

Even with the rain and wind, Andy has been able to keep his speed the first 100 miles nice and steady. You will see some dips on the chart but those were just quick pauses on the bike. If you are following on live tracker, you will notice another dip on the speed chart at TS2 because we had to change him into another set of rain clothes.

The course so far has been hilly, something in between serious climbs and rolling hills, but we all know Andy doesn't mind good climbing. He is in good spirits but is very cold. The temps are in the mid to low 40s, with winds around 11 mph and gusts above 20 mph. According to weather.com, it feels like 39 degrees, but I think Andy might disagree with that estimate.

Typically, during the daylight hours the crew car does what is called "leap frog" with the rider. Basically, the car moves ahead of Andy by a mile or so, pulls off the road and waits for him to pass, then waits until he is out of view and moves a mile ahead of him again. This method helps prevent traffic build up behind the rider and gives the crew time to get out of the car and stretch for a minute or two. However, due to limited visibility the crew decided to "direct follow," which as you can see from the video means the crew car drives behind Andy the whole time. The job of the crew is to ALWAYS keep the rider safe and direct follow is the safest strategy for the rider.

  

One thing many of you might not know, but this weekend is Andy and Jenn's wedding anniversary. These two really are an example of how working together makes for a lovely married life. The support they provide each other during all of life's adventures is inspiring!

Another update will be coming in a few hours. Feel free to leave Andy comments on here or on Facebook, the crew always reads them to him as he is riding.

To see live tracking, find rider 410 on here: http://ohio.raamchallenge.com/rs/index.php?N_webcat_id=465

Shop to support Andy and become a virtual crew member: https://squareup.com/market/andywelch-dot-net

#NothingToItButToDoIt, #SpeakUp, #LiveRed, #LightenUp, #BeMore

Ride Along

Two things in life are certain. Tomorrow is not a guarantee and Father Time's watch never stops ticking. The older I get, the more I relish in the build up which leads to the bigger events in life. The highs and the lows. The laughter and sometime tears. The unbreakable camaraderie. It during these parts of the journey which make things so memorable.

Recently, I began reading the book What Spins the Wheel by Len Forkas. The book was given to me a good friend after he heard Len speak about his 2013 RAAM experience. I had the privilege of racing alongside Len a few years back at the Adirondack 540. In the book, Len says "Racing in RAAM served as a clear example of how a belief in yourself, coupled with the support of others who believe in you, can lead you to succeed against extreme odds." Now that I fully recovered and back on the bike, memories of how all of you helped propel the crew and I to the finish of No Country for Old Men last year are constantly running through my head like a Vine video.

These memories are what continue to drive me forward toward our next grand adventure. Longer than a Vine, I put together a short video of some footage which was shot prior to leaving for the race during some of my training rides so you could see the same images I see.

Hey Mr Bicycle Rider!

Growing up my brother, sister and I were taught by our parents to trust in people. We were taught a person's word means more than anything. Even when all clues want you to believe they shouldn't be trusted, we should give them a chance to prove the clues wrong. Given a chance people more often than not will rise and surprise.

Over the years while leading group rides, I have heard many comments about how calm I am while riding amongst traffic. I've heard it is because I spend so much time on the bike. I've heard it is because I ride to work many days. I've even heard it is because I secretly wish to die by getting hit by a speeding vehicle. None of those are true. The truth is I am able to remain calm because I love the game of Frogger (one of the greatest games ever) and because I was taught to trust.

I trust in the best of people. I trust that the driver of the vehicle no matter how close they may pass, doesn't want to hit me anymore than I want to be hit by them. I trust very few people in this world wants to actually bring harm to me because I am riding a bicycle. Lastly, I trust in the great plan. The plan which I often don't understand, but has been laid out for me to follow.

We all hear the awful stories when tragedy strikes but we hardly ever hear the stories of when someone in a vehicle does it right. When was the last social media post you read where someone was excited that a car moved an entire lane over to make a pass? Sadly those posts aren't made. That is until today. I am here writing because despite MY mistake while on the bike, I am still here to write.

Last Thursday you may have seen the picture I posted on Facebook. If not here it is for your viewing pleasure.

It was the result of me trying to do "bmx tricks on a speed machine" despite Thin Mint's recommendations that I not. That maneuver sent the bike into a slide resembling a bike entering a turn in a Supermoto race.

Entering a turn in a Supermoto race

As you can imagine, I ended up on the ground but not until the bike was almost completely stopped. Thankfully, my cleats and skin are best of friends. The type of friends who take beatings so the other does not have to. Instinctively, my left cleat sacrificed itself to be ground into a plastic pulp so my skin didn't have to. The frightening part of the whole thing wasn't the actual slide. It was the fact it took place in the middle of Midlothian Turnpike. Thankfully, the gentleman who was driving a red late model Jeep Cherokee, had not crowded me after making the turn onto Midlothian and was able to come to a stop with a lot of room to spare.

He stopped long enough to make sure I was OK. I assured him I was perfectly fine and the bike had taken all the damage. After clearing the road, I made a call to get a ride to work and sent the "I'm OK" text message to everyone who receives the Garmin Livetrack link each time I go out for a ride. About 10 minutes later as I was taking my picture to be submitted for the cover of the never been published Endorphin Fitness "12 Men of Christmas" calendar, the gentleman reappeared. He had come back by to check on me again. He said that he wouldn't have been able to think of anything else that day if he didn't make sure I was taken care of. I thanked him but this time for being so caring and thoughtful.

Fast forward one week and now it is Friday. For whatever reason, the incident was replaying in my head as I traversed the same route into work. I thought about how lucky I was to have had that gentleman behind me and not someone who was distracted. While sitting at a stop light on Boulevard, I heard "Hey Mr Bicycle Rider!" I turned around wondering what was about to be said to me when I saw the familiar red Cherokee with the driver hanging out the driver side window so he could get my attention. He was curious if I had gotten my bike fixed and let me know he was glad I was back on the road.

As I made my turn off Boulevard and toward work, I said a prayer acknowledging my gratefulness for the existence of "Red Cherokees" and for affirming my beliefs in how I want to continue to trust in both man and the plan.

Day 2 Recap

The first night was a huge success with a few rest breaks and morale was great. We took a long rest break before heading into the Fort Davis mountains and let the sun come up and warm everything (and everyone). Andy had a lot of tough climbs in the mountains and it took quite a toll on him mentally to not see anyone for miles and miles and miles (and miles and miles). But, he ate really well and took very few breaks off the bike and finally reached the end of the 90 mile time station.

After that we were able to hit several more time stations in quick fashion and Andy's morale just kept getting better and better. We saw so much wildlife today: elk, deer, a HUGE tarantula, wild boars, snakes, and horses. The most entertaining encounter was the face-off of Andy with a loose cow. They had a nice staring competition for a minute or so. 

When the night crew took over Andy was moving strong and had a very upbeat mood. He is excited and really motivated to reach the halfway point tonight.