We first reported Dan McGehee’s 100 mile record attempt on June 17th and had a brief follow up a week or so later. Now, we’ve got the full scoop from Dan himself.
Enjoy!
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The decision to attempt the 100-mile indoor TT this year started in March, the day before I found out about the Tour de Phoenix dedication. The UMCA Rules mandate that the initial paperwork be filed at least 3 weeks in advance, so the process of securing the track time, getting the permit and insurance, and knowing which officials and crew could be at the attempt needed to begin about 2 months ahead of the attempt.
Most people do not realize the logistics of setting up an attempt like this – it certainly can be a headache. Without the help of Marty Ryerson and Greg Hemmerlin, it would have been near impossible to get it all together on my own. From getting the right tubular tires and working on rollerblade handoffs at 26+ mph, to arranging the transportation for the support and crew, everyday was a new task. Then, of course, there are the endless consultations with my buddy Al Schott about bike modifications. Also, I can not speak highly enough of the quality of local bike shops that we have in the valley. Many of them were very helpful with getting me last minute items, in particular the guys at Bicycle Ranch, Paragon, and Focus.
Marty Ryerson lending a helping hand.
Not having a track in AZ makes it impossible to simulate the type of riding that a tight track like ADT requires. You can not just practice going around in a circle in a big parking lot! I took to fixed gear riding on rollers to help simulate the concentration needed to hold the poll line on the track and progressed to putting limits on the right side of the rollers to get used to hugging the left side of the track without falling off. The biggest adaptation though is trying to adapt to the change in speed and cadence fluctuations that occur on a 250 meter track with 48-degree banking on the curves. Due to my weight, I accelerate through the turn and then end up slowing by the end of the straight – 1288 times over 100miles. So, on a fixed gear bike, the choice is to hold a consistent cadence and allow the power output to vary or hold the power steady and allow the cadence to fluctuate. I decided that the latter would be more conducive for my riding ability.
Ken Halal was incredibly helpful in designing a spread sheet that would track my progress and provide quick feedback on my pace relative to my predetermined rate and the record pace. Knowing that the pace would not be exactly the same over the 100, we calculated where the splits needed to be for each 10 mile segment. This was a good tactic as I could look at the ride as ten time trials of ten miles each, at the same time considering it as 4 forty kilometer time trials. Benchmarks provide for goals that help mentally break the effort up.
The three officials (Marie Handrahan, Larry Burn, and Jaime Gale) are seasoned veterans of the endurance cycling world and a pleasure to work with as they have a solid understanding of what it takes to perform and complete these work. They were all business from start to finish. With the support crew of Marty, Greg, Al, Cindy Schott, Ken and is friend Suzie, Dr Gerard Hefferon (chiropractor), my daughter Hope, my niece Michelle, and Marty’s daughter Jamie, we had all the bases covered. The addition of Steve and Keli Medcroft to provide photography rounded us out and it felt like a solid team. Dr. Hefferon specializes in energy medicine and his knowledge and treatment strategies have been invaluable in my preparation. Adjustments the night before, and the morning of, the event – Allowing for a level of relaxation I have not experienced leading up to a long TT.
Today's motto?
The warm up went as planned and, at just after noon on June 20th, I started the record attempt. My early splits were smooth and promising as I came through the first 40K at 56:09 and settled into record pace to the 80K mark at 1:52:43. In retrospect, I should have come through the second 40K around 56:20, but hind-site is always 20/20! The third 40K was relatively smooth at 56:37, for a 2:49:20, but I had settled into a pace that was not gaining time on record pace. That would come back to haunt me in the last 10 miles, where I found out that fixed gear riding and being able to shift gears on the open road are completely different disciplines. Around the 80 mile mark was a low point in my psyche – At 85 miles, I began to notice a subtle drop in cadence – just 1 or 2 rpm at first – that became more pronounced as I hit 90 then 94 miles. On the road, I would have shifted to a bigger gear to accommodate the lower cadence and not lose speed, but on a fixed gear that obviously in not possible. Getting out of the saddle to stretch, and work the muscles a bit differently, is also not a useful option with constantly coming in and out of turns on the 250 oval (at 21 seconds a lap) can get really dicey. In addition, getting out of the saddle at that stage was an instance drop in cadence and the loss of speed could not be countered by shifting gears. This all led to micro losses of time per lap that was insidiously whittling away the buffer I had built up. My mind started to go a bit numb around the 95 mile mark and all the power I could muster just could seem to raise the pace. It is the feeling like you are going faster, almost a full-out sprint even, but the pace remained the same, and with just over 4 miles to the finish I was dead-even with the record pace – not at all where I had envisioned I would be, but I still thought I could hold pace and hope for a solid last 2K. Instead, I lost 8 seconds, finishing in 3:47:35. I expected the forth 40K to be slower, but a 56:53 was a bit too much off the mark, and even a brutal sprint in the final kilo could not rebound the time I needed.
Dan making it happen. Photo courtesy of Keli Medcroft (www.keliskolor.com)
Initially, I was very disappointed. But, within an hour after finishing, I realized that was as fast I could have possibly gone on that day. I can say for sure that I left everything on the track and I learned an immense amount about myself as a cyclist. The bar has been set high for the amateur that I am, but I will continue to set my sites high. Considering the nature of these kind of TT records, it is interesting that the record has stood for 15 years while the Hour record and the 24-hour record have been broken at least 5 times. This was an amazing experience and I am glad that I was able to share the experience with my friends and teammates. There is now way that a rider alone can attempt to break a record like this – it truly takes the support of a dedicated and cohesive team. I can not begin to thank all those who have help and inspired me in this “quest” to bring the record to the USA. Perhaps I will have another opportunity in the near future. If not, I will always know that I gave it my best shot and we had a great time chasing the record!!
Dan McGehee
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Stay tuned for an interview with RideClean’s Dan McGehee later this week!
