RAAM Solo

It isn’t fun, the last part of RAAM or mostly any part of RAAM. It is something different, something much more, but you pay a price for it. Jure Robic looks like a prizefighter who stands in the corner against the ropes, unable to do more than offer the lengths of his arms in defense. He wants to go on; he doesn’t know how to quit. His eyes are barely open and you wonder how much he can see. He does not talk to us. He does not smile or acknowledge us. He is in deep and I feel for this great champion.

We talked yesterday and assessed his chances of a 5th victory and I told him frankly that he needed to dig deeper than he ever has before. I know he is trying. I know he wants it. I know that the race is breaking him, hurting him and tearing him apart. Don’t get me wrong, he will bounce back. He will find strength and if it plays out the way it looks, I know that Jure Robic will shake the hand of Dani Wyss and give him sincere and deeply profound congratulations.

Winning is part of being a champion. But, it is only one aspect. A true champion displays grace under fire, pride, dignity, respect for himself and that of his competitors. How Robic handles the rest of the race may very well impact his already legendary career as an ultra-cyclist.
This great champion remains humble yet confident, continually trying to improve.

Bravo Jure, champion effort.

Dani Wyss, as the apparent heir to the title of RAAM Solo Champion is also in deep but he has a different fish to fry. He must outlast the champion of endurance and he needs sleep like Kansas crops need rain. His hour advantage due to penalties must be spent wisely and the only way I can see doing that is powernaps, 15 minutes here and 15 minutes later. The problem is that he too is exhausted; if he runs himself too ragged he could blow up and surrender this amazing effort. Robic will not give up, nor will Wyss and maybe Robic’s only advantage is that we know him more and understand the depth of his strengths. Dani Wyss is a powerful, well-rounded and fiercely competitive man. So his crew chief must monitor the process and make concise judgments. Wyss needs to be handled now for he is not in the right frame of mind to make these tough, race-deciding decisions.

With over 200 miles to go, either man or both could break. While it is great to watch, it is also nerve wracking. Not to mention a little heart wrenching and scary. Two men so deeply driven that their hearts are ready to burst through their chests. This is important. This is life. These are the ways of RAAM.