Minnesota Ironman® Bicycle Ride

Training Makes Perfect

2009-06-09T11:03:00.000-05:00

Thank you for a well organized Ironman. This was my 6th ride: 1981, 1982, 1983, (pause) 1999, 2000 (another pause) 2009 today!

As a 52-year-old, I know the value of training and asking for advice. I attended your Ironman pre-training class with Bob McEnaney on March 19th. It was a PERFECT class for me. In the past, all my clothing were cotton... so I asked Bob lots of questions about clothing. He had samples of each clothing layer and he explained each. Today, I loved those wool socks, booties, skull cap and rain-suit; and I survived! :) A big credit is due to the information from Bob, and lots of shopping.

Looking forward to next year,
Patrick
Farmington, MN

Letter From Recently Thawed Rider

2009-05-21T15:21:00.002-05:00

Hello from one recently thawed out rider,
I have ridden the 65 mile distance for the past three years and enjoyed 2007-2008. This year was different. There were lots of small peletons and it seemed like everyone flew from Lakeville to Jordan with the wind at our backs.

Of course we had all checked the weather and knew what we were in for and it happened for me after the climb out of Jordan and onto 11. Thunder crackled and down it came first in buckets and then the steady downpour. There should be a video of all the riders ringing out their socks at Lonsdale. Your fire pit pic was a good shot but you did not catch the steam coming off everyone's soaked jerseys.

I could not believe how many riders had no shoe covers and there were two guys in shorts! Did anyone not have frozen feet and hands? Everyone I talked to was frozen but most simply made no comment - they were made of sterner stuff. I now know that neoprene booties and waterproof gloves are no protection against 4 hours of riding in the wind and rain. As I told my wife, I want to say I rode the Ironman 10 years in a row (3 so far) but I would need to have serious memory loss to brave those conditions again. At least I finished. I thought the all to auto and semi traffic on the detoured Hwy 86 was a bit hairy and one soul in a pick up honked at me even though I was way right - turkey - did he see the conditions?

I was amazed to see the parking lot full knowing the weather that was in store for us. How many too the sag buses? They seemed full at Lonsdale. Congratulations on having such a loyal group of riders in such miserable conditions. Do we know get 10 years of warm sunny rides?

From the older contingent - Rick, age 64

A Letter From An Angry Driver

2009-05-21T15:18:00.000-05:00

Why do your bike riders have the right to impede traffic and NOT follow traffic laws?
I have to STOP at a stop sign, can you tell me WHY your bike riders DO not! YOUR rules need to be changed! Or is your organization above the law? - Vernon

Rider Comments #4 2009

2009-05-21T14:30:00.002-05:00

For my 1st Ironman, it was good to know it was one of the tougher ones over the years! Let’s just say the ride “broke me in” for any other spring riding. - Karl

- -

Here's my story.....
7AM to 3PM.....100 miles, dressed in the full kit for winter riding, shoe
heaters, cross bike, fenders, touring tires - think tank bike here....bike
and wet clothes added 30 pounds....I felt AND moved like a super tanker
that was being assaulted by wind pirates. Bastards. Passed a few, few
passed me. Think I saw more people getting sagged than finished. I hope
those people who we already shivering uncontrollably at first stop did the
smart thing and got sag back.

The human body has the ability to forget pain. I've logged several hundred
miles already since that nasty day in April. Are you ready to ride next
year...I am.

See you then. Charlie

- -

Thanks very much for the heroic efforts in keeping everyone safe again
this year. Having no control over the weather makes your job considerably
more difficult than just marking a coarse and providing rest stops. I have
ridden the Ironman many years and very few of them have been “good”
weather but none have been as bad as ’09. - Jerry, Winona

Another 2009 Ironman Rider Story

2009-05-21T14:08:00.001-05:00

Dear Ironman

I just went on your site now and did not realize that I accomplished that much. It was wet, cold and windy. But a blast! I rode my Bianchi Castro Valley, Orange! I was so excited for this years ride, my second. It turned out to be just as exciting as I had hoped.

I bike all winter long, and am not afraid of the cold. The wet is another story. I was getting nervous about riding in rain. Turns out there was not much to fear. Once I was saturated it was a question of keeping my glasses somewhat useful.

The route was nice. There were some good hills and the road was much smoother than last year. I tossed out my bike computer last winter and so had only my watch to guide me on time. I figured the organizers knew that we rode 100 Miles. It took me 45 minutes longer than my longest century to date. Must have been all that water on my cloths.

Starting the ride was pleasant. Naturally I was over dressed. So I shed some of my gear and was enjoying a cool but dry ride. That is when the rain hit. Somewhere out of Jordan I believe. Just my kit and leg warmers until I stopped again. I was glad I had dry cloths in my back pack. Opps... they were soaked too. Next best thing was to put on my wet gear and get some body warmth.

I have to say I was a bit un social on the ride. No opportunity to chat more than to say how you doing? I was impressed the people who did the ride. They are a hardy bunch. Me, not a sniffle nor a sore anything. I think the cold was just what the doctor ordered.

I would like to thank the volunteers at the rest stops. They are the greatest people in the World. The little kids moping the wet floors that I am sure I contributed to. Only one complaint... any chance of having water proof TP next year? I drank coffee.. the other gator aid. It warmed me right up and with a smile and encouraging word from the EMT's I was off and riding again. I also was so proud of the people who rode in spite of the weather.

Thanks Ironman. Let's do this again next year. And to those who didn't ride... Buck up you have another chance to soak your shorts, it saves on Chamios cream.

Best

Tom

Rider Comments #3 2009

2009-05-21T13:25:00.001-05:00

First of all wow! What a ride! This was my Seventh 100 miler. You never know what to expect. Thank you for putting on such a well organized ride. I'm looking forward to next year already. - Paul

Ironman Song Rider Story

2009-05-21T13:20:00.000-05:00

I ride with a group of 15-20 guys, mostly in our 40s and 50s, on Saturday mornings and rides like the Ironman together. I and one of the others read this little poem at our carb-loading dinner the night before the ride. We thought you would find it amusing.

Of course we did the 100 miles. One of our riders made the comment on a previous Ironman in similar weather, "We paid for 100, we're riding 100."

If you remember the CB Radio Craze in the '70s, you will understand...

Convoy (adapted)

Was a miserable day a week before May
On a Bianchi feeling light
A fancy Trek Carbon with Dura Ace
And a one-speed mountain bike
We was heading for food on 68
About a mile out of Lakeville start
The rain and wind had just begun
And I’m thinking this isn’t too smart

…but we gotta little ol' convoy, as the clouds block out the light
Yeah we gotta little ol' convoy, ain't she a beautiful sight?
Come on an' join our convoy, ain't nothin' gonna git in our way
We're gonna roll this bikin' convoy, down Montgomery way
Convoy... Convoy...

By the time we got into Jordan-Town
We had twenty-five bikes in all
But there’s a long line at the food table
An' them bikers are wall to wall
Yeah them bikers 'as thick as bugs on a bumper
They even had a bike with one wheel
I sez callin' all bikers with two tires
I’m ready for a couple of beers!

Cause we gotta little ol' convoy, as the clouds block out the light
Yeah we gotta little ol' convoy, ain't she a beautiful sight?
Come on an' join our convoy, ain't nothin' gonna git in our way
We're gonna roll this bikin' convoy, down Montgomery way
Convoy... Convoy...
We skipped the turn at 21
Ain’t going through no New Prague
Lots of folks optin’ for the short 65 one
But that’s just not our way!
Well we rolled down Minnesota 59
The wind was at our tails
We took off all of our winter clothes
And turned them into sails
By the time we got into Belle Plaine Town
Eberly, late as usual, was just arriving at the start
Bob the shutterbug had taken his camera out
And Mark’s top tube was falling apart
The temp had dropped to 29
Tim in shorts was feeling fine
Well-dressed Wayne was enjoying it all
On a bike built in ‘79
John was as tough as ever
And Ben was looking gooood
Josh was working to keep up
And Rick just wanted food
Steppe was getting nervous
His wife wanted him home by one
And Greg, our Mr. Styleman
Looked great in his Ralph Lauren
Bikers we passed gave a whistle at Christy
Quite the looker
And Dan came chuffing up behind
Sounding like a pressure cooker

Cause we gotta little ol' convoy, as the clouds block out the light
Yeah we gotta little ol' convoy, ain't she a beautiful sight?
Come on an' join our convoy, ain't nothin' gonna git in our way
We're gonna roll this bikin' convoy, down Montgomery way
Convoy... Convoy...

Well we laid a strip for old Le Sueur
The rest stop was in our sight
Provaznik, he was getting tired
From polishing his new Merlin bike all night
Al Gustafson was just warming up
On his 37th Ironman don’t cha know?
And we all felt blessed that Mr. Schoo
Had simply decided to show

We left Le Sueur for Montgomery
And onto quaint Lonsdale
The route had changed from the year before
And the riders were getting pale
From Lonsdale we headed up
Into a fierce north wind
Chris, eh, from Winnipeg
Was starting to lose his grin
And as the rain turned into hail
This ride Jeff Martin didn’t miss
And we all have Steve Gleason to thank
For keeping up our contact list.

Cause we gotta little ol' convoy, as the clouds block out the light
Yeah we gotta little ol' convoy, ain't she a beautiful sight?
Come on an' join our convoy, ain't nothin' gonna git in our way
We're gonna roll this bikin' convoy, down Montgomery way
Convoy... Convoy...

Unhappy (Former?) Rider Comment

2009-05-21T13:18:00.002-05:00

Weather conditions were horrible and I thought it should have been canceled,
but I guess you don't because you don't want to refund anybodies money. I
think this is poor running of an organization, but I may be the only one who feels
this way. Would I recommend this to fellow riders NO, and I ride about 500 to 1000
miles each year, and I don't think I'll sign up for this again.

- Lynn

We Rode The 100 Mile Ironman 2009

2009-05-21T12:00:00.002-05:00

WE RODE THE 100 MILE IRONMAN 2009

by Ed Hassler

"...the toughest Ironman in many years."
"...one of the coldest, wettest, windiest, ugliest Ironman rides in a long time."
—Rob Welsh, Randonneur extraordinaire

Five of us—Kathy Mulier, Sadaf Syeda, Quang Truong, Loren Schomaker and myself—completed the full 100 mile Ironman 2009 and can vouch for Rob's assessment of the weather. Paul Frenz rode with us to the first rest stop but had planned all along to to do the 65 miler instead.

Unfazed by the ominous forecast, we arrive in Lakeville at 6:00 AM eager to get an early start and are delighted to see how many others share the same enthusiasm. By 7:20 we're duly photographed and on our way in the cold misty gloom but somewhere before the first rest stop at Jordan the rain comes as predicted. My gloves and shoes are soaked and my hands and feet are getting numb. Quang generously gives Sadaf his raincoat and will tough it out for the entire ride in a mere wind jacket.

After leaving Jordan the ache in my extremities subsides and is replaced by a cold but bearable sogginess that I imagine is what one experiences bobbing in the North Sea in a wet suit. At the halfway point, shivering in the gym-sized foyer of the Le Sueur high school, we hear someone announce that the bus has arrived to ferry riders back to Lakeville and three-fourths of the crowd rises and leaves. Three-fourths! We give each other warm grins and high fives, secure in the knowledge that it can't get much worse. When we get back on the road we discover that it does indeed get worse because now we're headed east directly into the wind with the driving rain stinging our faces like sleet. Loren drops back to ride with Sadaf, who is relatively new to biking, and Kathy, Quang and I press onward. We wonder if Sadaf is going be able to go the distance and I try to reassure them that she is young and fit and determined.

Our average speed with the wind at our backs is a little over 16 MPH but beyond Le Sueur it has now slowed to a dismal 9 MPH in the headwind. And our rain-soaked clothes have probably added ten pounds to our weight—my waterlogged gloves are so heavy it's difficult to wave to the police parked at the crossroads. Quang is the only "A" rider among us and flies effortlessly up the hills, only to have to wait for us to catch up. I learn later that he's racing up the hills trying to stay warm. Quang is an encyclopedia of biking history and technical information and laughs graciously when I tell him that before I joined TCBC two years ago I didn't know who Greg Lemond was or that presta valves existed.

We manage to get the Montgomery rest stop, 70 miles, half an hour before it closes, scarf down some snacks, get back on the road, and then at 3:50 PM wearily pull into the last stop at Lonsdale, 80 miles, with only ten minutes to spare. One of the volunteers informs us of the high attrition rate and reminds us that we need to get off the road by 6:00 PM otherwise the last sag wagon will stop and collect us. Back on the road I can see Loren's eyes bulging in horror at the prospect of coming so far and giving so much only to have the sweet victory of a century ride—this 68-year-young man's first—snatched away by a technicality. I tell him I'm packing my trusty multi-tool and that they'll never take us alive.

And then we see it. A white van with flashing amber lights appears in our rearview mirrors and we think this may be the end of the line, that we've been overtaken by the clock. But the vehicle passes us cautiously and the driver yells out the window that there's one last sag wagon. I picture a maniacal Jack Nicholson as the grim reaper of cycling driving an old pickup and slowly gaining on us. A sense of duty comes over me and I and drop back to take my turn with Sadaf while Kathy, Quang and Loren step up the pace. Soon they are out of sight. I am now the lone rear guard and swear a solemn vow that no one, no clock—nothing—is going to deprive us of the satisfaction of finishing this epic struggle.

I have underestimated Sadaf. Until the previous week when we completed the 75 mile brevet training, her longest ride ever was 50 miles. Somewhere along this grueling test of will called the Ironman, this woman reached down and quietly tapped into a vein of steely determination to continue pedaling one crank at a time. Her resolve reminded me of my son many years ago, determined to ride a bike at the age of five. Off came the training wheels at ten in the morning and by seven that warm summer evening, with ankles and knees and elbows and knuckles dirty and skinned and bleeding but his tear-stained face dry, he conquered more than that big empty parking lot. As he looped silently in large endless victory circles, the sun, then low in the sky, beamed warmly on the boy on the bicycle who, as if through his own triumphant achievement, had that day cast an unusually long shadow.

If Sadaf is giving me inspiration, Kathy is the only person I know who can laugh while climbing Ohio Avenue in St. Paul. Listening to Kathy giggle is like mainlining pure energy. I am hopelessly addicted.

Fortunately the rain has stopped and Sadaf and I forge ahead, one wary eye on my mirror and my multi-tool safely within reach in its holster. On a hilly stretch of asphalt south of Lakeville we pass a couple walking their dog when we hear what sounds like a gunshot. "They've taken down another biker," jokes the man with a grin. They ask us how far we're riding, we tell them a hundred miles, they cheer, the dog barks. Energized, we press onward and I sound off the miles as they roll over on my odometer. Ninety... ninety one... ninety two... Finally we glimpse the stadium lights of Lakeville High School in the distance and I think I see a look of relief on Sadaf's face. We ascend the final hill of Ipava Avenue, turn right, and coast down to the finish line at 6:10 PM, ten hours and fifty minutes after we started. Kathy, Quang and Loren whoop and holler and we are ecstatic. I feel like we conquered Everest in winter.

I'm a "C" rider in spirit, a "B" rider in body, and have ridden as many miles as some "A" riders, but I never could never have accomplished this feat without these amazing people. I could never have done it alone. This experience reinforces why I love the social TCBC rides and proves without a doubt that the strength of the group is far greater than the sum of its parts. Most of all, it reminds me of the truly important things in life—friends.

**********

We don't stop biking because we grow old...
We grow old because we stop biking.

Rider Story: My First 100

2009-05-21T11:59:00.000-05:00

I often have pondered a bit of advice I once heard: "Preparation makes up for a lack of talent." Preparation made the difference for me in completing my first century ride.

As a child, I did not do very much bicycling. My love of this sport started at age 35, after a very grave discussion with my doctor after my yearly check-up. I was very overweight, had high blood pressure, cholesterol, all the symptoms of being a classic couch/computer chair potato. I remember the sense of accomplishment I had the following spring after completing 3.5 miles by doing 5 laps of a circuit that included climbing an uphill on a highway overpass that had about 25 feet of elevation gain, using a bike from Wal-Mart that had been modified with a longer seat post to accommodate the length of my legs. I was even happier that by the fall I could climb the same hill without downshifting below the middle chain ring.

Five years later I celebrated my 40th birthday by summiting Mt St Helens in Washington state, which is still the highest of the three mountain summits I have hiked to. Shortly after that accomplishment I decided that in celebration of every future birthday I would set a goal or designate a milestone in my life. For my 41st birthday I chose completing a century ride.

Ideally I wanted to do the century in an organized event. My first real practice for this was completing the metric century in last year's Ironman, my first entry in your event. Unfortunately, my first attempt at a full century last August was not well researched. I chose the TCBC's Weekend on Wheels in Winona, MN, which is Deep In the Mississippi Valley. Too many long hills, and my Trek 7.5 DX hybrid just wasn't the best bike for the job. I then decided to put all my focus into the 2009 Ironman.

To me it was a bit of a do-or-die. My 42nd birthday is coming up in mid-June, and if I failed there would be little time left to try again, and almost no chance with my work schedule to ride in an organized event. I felt my heart sink during the last 10 days before the ride, as I watch the weather forecast change from light winds and temperatures of mid 40s to mid 60s to mid 30s and mid 40s with strong winds, rain, and the possibility of strong thunderstorms with hail.

I had to at least try, after all, I had commuted to and from work (9.3 miles round trip) most of the days through the winter, including a particularly brutal -18F with -32F wind chills. But I also knew there was a big difference between surviving 30 minutes or so of brutal cold inside the city limits of Marshall, MN, and 10 or more hours of wind and rain. I upgraded my existing rain gear, and added a rack to the back of my new road bike to carry the extra gear, something I had been avoiding.

The first 25 miles was some of the best riding I have ever had, due in part to the strong tail wind. I knew, of course, that I would later be paying for that joy with pain and sweat. The second 25, up to Le Sueur, was not bad thanks to my new rain gear. I was actually very surprised to see the length of the line to sign up for the shuttle bus (I actually stood a few minutes in that line thinking it was the line to the food). The next 20 miles was one of the most miserable experiences of my life. Not being able to be able to get to much more than half my usual crank cadence in the smallest gear was physically and emotionally draining. About halfway between the rest stops I had made the decision that I could not finish the ride. I would have called for a sag wagon right there, but I knew that they were already overloaded and I figured that as long as I could keep moving forward, I could make it to the Montgomery rest stop.

Once I was there, after getting a bit of rest and after hearing that it would be at the second bus trip before there would be a seat to ride back, I decided that I probably did have 10 more miles of endurance left in me. This would at least be somewhat gratifying, since my longest ride so far had been 75 miles, and with Lonsdale being at about 80 miles I would at least have accomplished a longer ride (when I first saw the route map, I thought it was odd to have the two stops so close together, but I am so grateful you planned it that way). About 9 miles later (mercifully a bit easier pedaling than the previous 20), I checked the time, and began visualizing the rest of the ride in my head. I had realized that there was only a few miles of headwind left since the route turned mainly north after that, and that I had a chance to make it to the finish ahead of the last sag wagon. I made the decision - I had not come to ride on a bus to the finish line, I was there to ride a bicycle to complete a milestone in my life. I stopped at Lonsdale long enough to have a bowl of pasta and fill my Gatorade bottle, and was off again.

I finished at 5:40 pm, ahead of the sweep of the last sag wagon. If I had enough energy left, I would have hooted and hollered in victory. As it was, I was so drained that the excitement of completing the ride did not even hit me until after I woke up from my post-ride nap a few hours later.

Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to have such a memorable experience. Once again I have been reminded of how many seemingly impossible things in life can be accomplished by having the will to continue the struggle, even when it seems that success is out of reach. The range of my emotions during the day - the joy of speeding along at the first, the acceptance of the rain, the despair of believing that I would fail, the determination to make it to just one last rest stop, the exhausted numbness that tempered the completion of my goal, and the excitement and fulfillment that I still feel almost a week later at not only accomplishing my goal, but doing so over such obstacles. Knowing that I did so when so many other riders gave up makes the accomplishment so much sweeter. I cannot imagine a ride that will be more memorable than the Century of Ironman 2009.

See you next year!

Scott

Rider Comments #2: 2009

2009-05-21T11:48:00.003-05:00

I preferred the 100 mi route this year.
Well organized event and the good attitudes of the volunteers made the torturous weather bearable. Thanks. - Craig

- -

This was my first MN Ironman, and definitely not my last. One request for next year, hot chocolate! Those of us who aren't coffee drinkers were suffering big time as we tried to warm-up. Hot Chocolate!!! Thanks. Erik

- -

Thanks very much for the heroic efforts in keeping everyone safe again
this year. Having no control over the weather makes your job considerably
more difficult than just marking a coarse and providing rest stops. I have
ridden the Ironman many years and very few of them have been “good”
weather but none have been as bad as ’09. - Jerry, Winona, MN

- -

All I can say is wow ! This was my first Ironman ride and it was the most challenging ride I've ever experienced. I rode the 65 mile route. Cold temps, wind chill, wind, lightning, and oh - did I mention the 45 miles in the rain. The rest stops were great, good food and plenty of it ! I thought the ride was well organized. It will be an experience I'll never forget. Will I ride next year ? You'll need to order more sunshine. LOL ! - Mike

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Was the hot pasta at the second rest stop planned? It sure hit the spot. Did the local VFW (or some such group - I forgot - I think that part of my brain froze) do this on their own? The reason for my questions is that I'd like to send them a thank-you note. It was one of those seemingly simple, but monumentally important, actions that should be recognized. If you have contact information, I'd sure appreciate it. - Gary

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This was the first century ride of my life. Loved it...wouldn't have changed a thing, except to have used more "glide". Thanks for all of the great work. Awesome event! Scott

- -

I did attend my first Ironman and attempt at a century ride and was incredibly impressed with the organization and speed by which you were able to process that many people. Aid stations were great, and even with added workload to the Sags, it all went well. Thank you and please thank your team for all its efforts. - Terry

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I last rode the Ironman (the 100) in 1974 at age 20. Thirty-five years later I rode the 2009 Ironman(65 this time). I carried may 1974 patch with me(quite soggy at the end). Between the bone-chilling cold, the feet that felt like frosty stumps, my fingers so frozen that I could not work my shifters and hills steeper than any I trained on, I thought the ride was great...absolutely great. The funniest moment for me was the rider who passed me and said "It's an Ironman NOW"...the lightening was flashing, the wind blowing and I think sleet was pounding my face. Just a great event. My only regret is missing so many rides over the years. In all seriousness, it was fun in that strange twisted way. I'm thinking about next year already...watching the MIBR clock....feet dry. - Mark

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It Couldn't Have Been Any Worse... Or Any Better!

2009-05-21T11:42:00.002-05:00

Submitted Rider Story From 2009 Ironman

We started with a group of 6 at about 7:15.

We rode like crazy to Jordan with that tailwind.

I noticed a soggy rear tire about 4 miles from the High School, but managed to nurse myself to the Hoigards service stand and they got it fixed.

Meanwhile in the Jordan HS lunchroom, we ate, drank coffee, and spent about 45 min rationalizing that the lightning would probably strike other riders before us.

An annoucement for busses back to Lakeville was eventually made and a few people cleared out.

Half of our group decided to finish the 65; my brother (Brian Johnson), me (Jason Johnson) and my friend Mark Nelson from Brainerd set out to complete the 100.

We got soaked to the core by the time we were half way to LeSuer, but the tailwind made things seem bearable.

We found out later that a local "Farm Show" was the soucre of un-ending diesel truck and RV's traffic roaring past us on one long N/S stretches.

When we got to LeSeur; there were about 50 people in the school.

After eating and getting a coffee, a whistle blew and a guy said a sign-up sheet would need to filled if you wanted to get a bus ride back to Lakeville.

All but us and about 8 other people got up and left.

A security girl came up and asked me if I was going to be there long, because if I was she would take my clothes an put them in the Home Ec. room dryer!

We stayed for an hour, our clothes eventually became warm but still moist.

Just as we left LeSeur and realized why it had been so easy to get there (big east wind), Brian, my brother got a puncture in his front tire.

We returned to the school to fix it under some shelter and then began the 20 mile trek to Montgomery.

The wind was terrible, our speed ranged from 9 to 12 mph, we had to really work together on that stretch.

Earlier, due to the amount of time we used resting, we had thoughts of skipping the rest stop in Montgomery, but by the time we got there we needed a reprieve from the wind.

There were a few riders in the small school, but the volunteers were basically packing thing up, we stretched and huddled around the dryer vents in the mens room.

As we left the building I was starting to feel really cold and tired, but after we started pedaling things became better.

As we approached Lonsdale, my mother, who had been waiting in Lonsdale for us to show up, intercepted us on the road and took a few pictures as we descended a big hill.

Shortly thereafter we turned North (out of the wind) and I felt reborn, the rain had somewhat stopped and our speeds climbed; 20+ as we came into town.

After a short stop at the Legion Hall and a bit of warm food, we hit out for the last leg.

It felt good to know that only 20 miles remained and I knew relatively how the route would be since it had been part of the previous year's 62 mi route.

I was challenging with all the hills but the rain had stopped and I was happy the leg was mixed with north running stretches out of the wind.

As we approached Lakeville we ran into some other riders which was a rare site since LeSeur.

It took us 7hrs 15min of pedaling and a combined 3.5 hours of breaks to finish.

We were probably some of the last people to roll in, and the sag wagon passed us many times on the last leg.

My truck wouldn't start after we had loaded the bikes up, my starter went out; finally it went and we raced home so my brother could get his suitcase and get to the airport to fly out to Spokane WA.

We all were completely wet for about 2/3rd's of the ride, but the breaks helped and we were determined to do it since my brother flew in from Washington to ride.

What a test, it really couldn't have been any worse!....or better

- Jason

Rider Comments #1 2009

2009-05-21T11:31:00.004-05:00

Just thought I would let you know that I really liked the 65 mile route this year. A lot better than last years. Better road surfaces, better scenery. As last year, great road support and great rest stops. Last year was my first. This year my time was over 1-1/2 hrs shorter than last year so I must have done something right. I didn’t really mind the rain but the wind was a bear. It was relentless. Like one gal said. At one point she had to peddle while going downhill. When she stopped to coast she almost stopped. Thanks for a GREAT RIDE. Hope to see you again next year. - Dwyane; Apple Valley MN

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Even thought it was cold, I still had a blast yesterday. - Dan, Anoka, MN

- -

Just wanted to say thanks to all of the organizers and volunteers on yesterday's ride. The weather was pretty lousy, but as usual your volunteers were friendly, helpful and informative and the rest stops were just what was needed to get through the day. We'll be back next year, thanks again! Great job!!!!!!!!! - Dan

- -

Yes, i know the weather was horrible; But I have to complain about the new route (62 mile). It is into a much more densely populated area and there were several instances - from Jordan to New Prague in particular - that had quite a bit of traffic, and that's on roads without shoulders or with very narrow shoulders. Throw in gusting winds and rain - which is the worst case weather that you have to plan for - and i felt it was much riskier that the old route. Additionally, when it rains, at least half of the riders are in dark clothing because they do not have cycling specific raingear. So there was high traffic in low visibility with riders in dark clothing. I don't think it was a good choice. - Michael

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I used to be a regular on the ride back in the first part of the 90’s in Buffalo. I always appreciated the “let’s see what ya got” first ride of the year. For 5 years straight I did the 100. My last year, 1995, I was so out of shape and had so many nagging injuries, I decided no more.

But, as I approached my 52nd birthday, I decided with my weight down and injuries healed, it was time to test myself on the Ironman again. My wife, I think, didn’t believe I’d do it, but oh was she wrong. I trained the best I could in this cruddy Spring weather and showed up Sunday and set out at 7:15 with the intent of riding all 100.

It seemed I flew to the Jordan stop where I made a decision to go 65, not because of a lack of faith in myself, but in Mother Nature, (with a little prodding from the other riders at my table).

The 2nd leg to Lonsdale was a whole new adventure. Rain pelting my face, water logged shoes, lightning crashing down. I thought, what a great welcome back to the Ironman. All I could remember was those warm, pleasant rides in the 90’s!
Thankfully, the good folks at the Lonsdale American Legion had hot coffee and hot pasta. What a respite from the cold. I shook off what excess water I could, called my wife to meet me at LHS and hit the road again. I arrived at the finish at 11:40.
Thanks to everyone I met and to everyone who helped along the way. It was good to be back and I hope to be back next year! - Paul

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It was an amazing ride! Me and my 4 other ride 'mates' had a wonderful time, even though it was COLD! We thoroughly enjoyed the rain, felt like we were kids again. We will (at least Leo and I) definitely show up for Ironman 2010; who knows, we might even try the 60+ route! - Lin (& Leo) Loh

2009 Photo Gallery

2009-05-13T13:48:00.003-05:00

Photos from the 2009 MIBR can be found on our Flickr site here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mnironmanbikeride/sets/72157617520772002/

The Wisdom Of The Ride

2009-05-13T12:37:00.000-05:00

We have had a lot of comments and reports from riders over the years about the Minnesota Ironman Bike Ride. For most, it is the best organized single day bike ride they will participate in all year long. That's why we've been around since 1967.

This blog is meant to be a space where we can highlight rider comments - both good and bad. We have requested and received permission to post everything here by the authors. Feel free to comment and to add your own if you have experience with the Minnesota Ironman.

Best,

MIBR Committee

http://www.ironmanbikeride.org