On May 1, 2011 I participated in an event called the "Minnesota Ironman Bicycle Ride." This annual bicycle ride which began in 1967 had always been held on the last Sunday in April. However, for the first time in Ironman history the scheduled date for the ride needed to be changed becasue of Easter. For some reason Easter had never been on the last Sunday in April during the previous 44 years of the Ironman.
The organizers of the Ironman decided to move the ride into the month of May for the first time ever. An Ironman in May? It just didn't feel right to me. This was going to break a long standing April tradition for me and the Ironman. Having one of my streaks end of course made me very sad but I knew I couldn't let it stop me from riding in this year's event.
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| Let's ride!!! |
Note: I used the term "bicycle" in my opening paragraphs because I wanted to make it very clear that I'm not talking about riding a motorcycle. You would be surprised how many people assume that I'm talking about a motorcycle when I say the word "bike"....when did this change?..oh well... I'm going to buck the trend and use the term "bike" in the rest of my prattle.
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| Not this.... |
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| ....THIS..... |
When this event started back in 1967 it was billed as the "kick-off" to the biking season. The bike ride itself was named the "Ironman" because the organizers felt that a person would need to have "Ironman like" characteristics in order to do the following:
1. Ride a 100 mile course in a single day
2. Ride in bad weather conditions - early spring weather can be cold, windy, rainy and/or snowy.
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| Ironman....100 miles....bicycle....rain...wind....cold |
Over time the term "Ironman" has taken on a whole new meaning. When people hear the word "Ironman" they usually associate it with a triathlon, not my 100 mile bike ride. As you probably know an Ironman triathlon is a series of long-distance races that consist of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride and a marathon (26.2 miles) all raced in that order and without a break. I usually need to explain that "My Ironman" is strictly a bike ride, not a triathlon.
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| There is none of this in "My Ironman" |
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| ......or this..... |
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| ....just plenty of this... |
"My Ironman" is hosted by the city of Lakeville, MN and this year 3,500 riders arrived at Lakeville North High School early Sunday morning, May 1st.....and boy oh boy was it cold!! The school doors opened at 6:30 am and all of the riders proceeded to pick up their official wrist bands prior to heading out for the ride.....there is always a certain level of excitement in the air....people seem to be very happy to be there.....they are all jacked up to ride.
The questions I ask myself every year are as follows:.....who are all these people anyway?..... why do they ride?.....are all these people as sick as I am?.....didn't any of them notice how cold it was before they left home?
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| Thousands of bikers arrive....all at the same time.... traffic jam at 6:00am |
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| Check in time....do I have to go back outside? |
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| I can't believe how cold it is....is it May 1st or January 1st? |
So why was I there?....I had no choice, I had to ride in the Ironman this year. This was because one of my cherished "streaks" was on the line that day. I was about to ride in my 30th consecutive Ironman bike ride....yes....you read it correctly..30 straight!.
One of my major goals in life is to try and keep all my personal "streaks" alive (see Prattle # 10) so obviously this was a big day for me. My good buddy Steve Hinrichs who is also known as Stork and/or Squirrel (too hard to explain these nicknames) had ridden with me on all 29 of the previous rides so this was going to be a very historic day for both of us. (Stork will be the nickname I will use in this prattle...I just can't refer to him as Steve).
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| Stork is my "bike guy"....hauls, fixes and motives me to ride |
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| I don't need these guys....I've got Stork...he can fix anything... |
During this 29 year run we had been very fortunate that a family obligation, a work commitment, an illness or an injury had never kept us from riding in the Ironman. This streak is even more amazing when you look at some of the physical problems that both Stork and I have dealt with during these years.
Stork has had hip replacement surgery for both his hips, major back surgery and prostate cancer surgery. I have had nose surgery, knee surgery, foot surgery and prostate cancer surgery. Somehow all of these surgeries never interfered with our annual Ironman bike ride. (is there a link between biking and prostate cancer?....hmmm).
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| Even these guys couldn't keep us from riding in the Ironman |
Stork and I have had several of our friends join us on the ride over the years. Some of these friends rode in several Ironman rides while others were "one and done." For some unknown reason Stork and I made the commitment to keep this annual ritual alive (my OCD was quietly working on Stork and he never knew it).
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| Stork conquers a big hill...he taught me about riding...I taught him about "streaks" |
The Ironman organizers did add some shorter routes for those people who were not interested in riding the 100 mile course. The routes that are now available are 100 miles, 68 miles, 30 miles and 17 miles. After riding the 100 mile route for 20 straight years Stork and I decided that we didn't need to prove our toughness anymore. (proof that you can rationalize any decision you make).
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| 20 years was enough.....we will never see this sign again |
The next 5 years we rode the 68 mile route and we still felt pretty good about ourselves. Our thought process was that 68 miles was a challenging ride for most people and therefore we could make the claim that our consecutive Ironman streak was still alive. How many people between the ages of 47 and 52 can roll out of bed at 5:00 am on a Sunday morning in April and ride their bikes 68 miles?....not many people that we knew anyway....we still considered ourselves Ironmen!
As we made plans for our 26th Ironman ride our minds and our bodies told us that the 30 mile route would now be completely acceptable....funny how age and pain can change how your mind works (maybe all of those surgeries finally caught up to us).
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| This view during the 100 mile and 68 mile ride got old....(people blowing by us) |
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| Nobody blows by us on the 30 mile ride....this is a much different crowd.... |
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| ...very different.... |
The days leading up to this year's ride presented us a problem that we had never faced in our previous 29 Ironman rides. On the Wednesday night prior to the Ironman our troubles began when I went to play in my first softball game of the season. The weather that night was of course horrible.... like it had been all spring....temperature in the 30's with strong winds and some serious snow/sleet. (In the world of slow pitch softball if it's not lightening the game goes on no matter how lousy the weather might be that night).
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| This is ridiculous |
Let me set the scene....my knee was very sore that night....it had been bothering me for the last few months but it never kept me from running or playing ball ......it's the second game of a double header....it's around 10:00 pm...it is bitter cold and the snow is now coming down sideways due to the strong winds....
Early in the second game when I was running to first base I felt a very sharp pain in my knee....some of the worst pain I've ever felt in my knee...to put it simply I went "down in a heap" before I got to first base ....I was barely able to hobble back to the bench. I was needless to say done for the night.....limped home....went to bed....hoped for the best (remember hope is a good thing) .....suddenly the Ironman bike ride on Sunday was in serious jeopardy.
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| How embarrassing |
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| What the heck did I do? |
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| Maybe my buddy's brace will help....(who am I kidding?) |
When I woke up the next morning I realized that I was in trouble becasue I could barely walk. I did manage to convince a nurse that I needed an appointment that day to see the orthopedic surgeon who cleaned up my other knee a few years ago. The x-rays and MRI showed no tears which of course was good news......."BUT".....don't you just hate it when a doctor says that word?
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| Your knee is a mess! |
BUT....my knee was full of arthritis....bone on bone...(oh boy)......the pain was caused by all of the inflammation in the joint.....my knee cap had also moved out of place...this movement may have happened at the softball game.....gave me a cortisone shot to help get me through the day.....surgery is a last resort if the pain becomes unbearable.
The doctor said that my pain threshold will determine what I can and can't do.....this news of course meant the Ironman was now officially back on the board.....I was going to ride no matter how my knee felt....I couldn't let the streak end at 29.....I knew I could gut out 30 miles.
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| The patella is pinching down on the tibia....(for you human anatomy buffs) |
Of course I spent Friday and Saturday testing my knee to see if it would improve enough for me to ride my bike 30 miles on Sunday. My buddy Stork came to the rescue on Saturday with an idea that became my ace in the hole.
Stork had a prescription pain killing drug left over from one of his surgeries and he said I could use it. Hopefully it would relieve the pain in my knee for a few hours on Sunday (this stuff made Advil look like candy). The instructions on the bottle of pills said you shouldn't drive a car after taking this drug but it said nothing about riding a bike so I figured I was good to go.
My local pharmacist, Stork, produced the goods during our drive down to Lakeville on the day of the ride. Once I downed the pill it didn't take long for my knee to feel much better....it was working as designed. I can see why people could get hooked on this stuff...fortunately Stork cut me off after one tablet. (don't worry.... we went out for eggs and pancakes after the ride, not Bloody Mary's and beer..... no chance of any "toxic mix").
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| Stork says I can only have 1 piece of his "magic candy" |
In order to describe what it's like to ride in an Ironman bike ride I will provide a timeline of this year's ride...
1. 5:30 am - Stork picks me up...I can't wake up
2. 5:45 am - Stork gives me one of his pain pills...I hope it works
3. 6:15 am - Arrive at Lakeville high school..I'm so cold
4. 6:35 am - Check in at the high school...My knee feels better
5. 6:50 am - We are off..32 degrees, 27 mile per hour wind..OMG!
6. 6:55 am - Ride directly into a raw stiff wind for 11 miles...HELP!
7. 8:20 am - Arrive at the first rest stop...my hands don't work
8. 8:35 am - Start the next leg...cold makes cowards of us all
9. 9:15 am - Arrive at second rest stop...my feet are blocks of ice
10. 9:30 am - Start the second leg...someone took my legs
11. 10:20 am - Cross the finish line...that makes 30!!!...Celebrate!
12. 10:25 am - Check in...pick up our t-shirts...bask in the glory
13. 10:45 am - Change clothes...I still can't feel my hands or feet
14. 11:00 am - Head to IHOP..or anywhere inside...Celebrate!
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| Stork and Palmer get # 30 |
The real story of the day was the weather...it was absolutely miserable...horrendous....as bad as any Ironman that I can remember (and we have had some very bad ones over the years)....temperature was in the 30's....cloudy...25 to 30 mile per hour winds......and yes we had snow flurries..... the calendar did say it was May 1st didn't it?....how can that be?.....what the heck is going on with the weather this year??? (the previous Sunday of course had been beautiful)
I will let my photo gallery tell the rest of the story....
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| The forecast was bad....the weather that day was actually worse |
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| How far is it to the first rest stop? |
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| I know my bikers....these guys have 100 miles written all over them |
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| Just guessing....I don't think she's riding the100 |
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| The Ironman is also a family affair....17 miles is my guess |
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| I think I finally found a guy older than me |
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| It's not just an IronMAN....it's also an IronWOMAN |
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| I was colder once.....but that was on a field trip to the North Pole |
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| How can the wind be in our face all of the time? |
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| Rest Stop #1....I can't feel my hands |
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| Thank goodness we could go inside at the rest stops |
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| It's an all you can eat candy store at the rest stops |
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| Do you think they ordered enough bananas? |
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| How many candy bars can I stuff in my pockets without making a scene? |
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| My legs don't work....my belly is full of candy....I think I'm going to cry |
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| My knee doesn't hurt at all....of course I'm too cold to feel anything |
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| Is it possible?.....do I see the finish line? |
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| Finally!....we cross the finish line....it's now official.....that's 30 in row!!! |
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| Let's get inside and warm up....the heck with the bikes |
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| Hey everybody.....we just rode in our 30th Ironman in a row! |
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| These companies should hire Stork and me as their pitch men |
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| AHHH...time for a massage....Stork gets the guy.... |
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| ....and of course I get the girl....... |
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| 45 yrs - one small step for the Ironman....30 yrs - one giant leap for Stork and me |
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| Next goal?....35 years in a row |
BONUS FEATURE
I told Jon Ridge, the person in charge of the Ironman each year, about our 30 year streak and he was quite impressed. Jon asked me if he could use our story to get some media coverage on the Ironman this year. After giving him permission to do so, Stork and I were contacted by a reporter from the Lakeville paper prior to the event. We were interviewed separately over the phone and I have attached the article that this reporter wrote and published in the Lakeville paper during the week leading up to the Ironman. After reading the article you will see why I absolutely had to ride this year no matter how much my knee hurt. The section of the article titled "Who does this" is where the article starts to tell about our 30 year run.
Ironman Bike Ride
In its 45th year, the Minnesota Ironman Bicycle Ride attracts people from all over the nation to its 100-mile, country-side tour.
by Andy Rogers
Lakeville Sports
The cycling season in Minnesota will kick off in Lakeville for the 45th time on Sunday. Thousands of bikers from 18 states will spend their Sunday on the Minnesota Ironman Bicycle Ride beginning at 6:30 a.m. at Lakeville North High School. The main attraction is the 100-mile route that travels through much of south-central Minnesota.
The Ironman’s first tour was in 1967 with 17 cyclists and it has since grown to accommodate much more after moving to Lakeville 12 years ago. They’ve also added routes of 14, 30 and 68 miles to go with the 100.
“We wanted to encourage more youth and introduce more people to the cycling,” Ironman executive director Jon Ridge said. “We’re just here to facilitate a nice bike ride.”
The 100-mile ride goes through four counties – Dakota, Rice, Scott and Le Sueur – with visits to Jordan, Montgomery and Lonsdale. There are several rest stops along the way. “It’s mostly farm country with rolling hills,” Ridge said. “There’s a few steep climbs by the river valley, but it’s nothing serious.” While there are several other scheduled bike tours in Minnesota this summer, the Ironman is generally considered the season opener.
The weather can waver from snow to 70 degrees and many riders are just getting into shape for the season, hence the name Ironman. New this year is the Gran Fondo, which is Italian for massed timed bike ride. While not a race, riders in the 68- and 100-mile courses are given a time chip, and they will be given a time when they finish. “It’s just an opportunity to see where you’re at this early in the season,” Ridge said.
Who does this?
The 100-mile riders are often the serious cyclists who plan on doing several more tours this summer. The average age, according to Ridge, is around 45 with several bikers in their 70s. The cyclists generally aren’t out to prove anything beyond showing themselves they can bike 100 miles.
“It’s a motivation to get yourself in shape so you can do it,” said Maple Grove’s Paul Peterson, who will be riding in the Ironman for the 30th time. “It’s really all about the fellowship and camaraderie with Steve and some of our other friends who have joined us on the ride over the years. It’s much more fun to go on a long ride when you are part of large group of riders. It's a very festive atmosphere.”
Peterson has toured with Steve Hinrichs from Rogers for the past 30 years. “It became a thing to see how many we can do in a row,” Peterson said. For Hinrichs, biking long distances is what makes his life exciting.
In the early 1980s Hinrichs biked 7,000 miles from Minnesota through Canada to California in 90 days. When he turned 40 in 1994 he did a cross country trip from San Francisco to Virginia. “I met a guy in 1981 who was 60 doing a cross-country ride,” Hinrichs said. “He was so vibrant and excited about life. I said when I turn 40 and 60 I want to do something big.”
The two have since moved down to the 30-mile ride mostly because the weather can take the enjoyment out of a 100-mile ride quickly.“Plus we’re getting older so I guess we don’t need to prove anything anymore,” Peterson said. “It’s still fun to do.”
Too far?
For first-time riders, 100 miles may seem daunting. It takes about seven to eight hours. “So much of it is mental,” Hinrichs said. “Once you discover (you) can do 100 miles you know you can do it. Then it’s just a matter of getting back on the bike.” While people come from all over, the No. 2 community in terms of participation is Lakeville, second only to Minneapolis. “We draw from every corner of the state from Ely to Worthington,” Ridge said.
What does it mean for Lakeville?
For those worried that 1,000 bikers might disrupt their morning commute, only a few residential roads will be closed for about five minutes on Sunday morning. Riders will begin anytime from 6:30 to 9:30 a.m., so it’s not all at once. For those hoping to cheer the bikers on, the best places to watch are the rest stops at Prior Lake High School, Orchard Lake Elementary, or the starting and finishing point, Lakeville North. For those interested in biking this weekend, the Ironman has openings. “We could have hundreds of people sign up that day depending on the weather,” Ridge said. “We always plan for extra food.” The cost is $50 for adults and $15 for those 17 and under. Registration for the Gran Fondo is closed.
Andy Rogers is at andy.rogers@ecm-inc.com.
