That Time I rode 100 miles @ 42.6 mph!
On Monday, October 5, 2020 I attempted to set a new World Record for Fastest 100 Miles By Bicycle (while drafting) at the Michigan International Speedway. My Dad drove the the lead vehicle (a minivan) and I road my bike behind him. We hit the 100 mile mark at 2:20:46 for an average speed of 42.6 mph!
Wow! That was a ton of fun! Honestly it was as much of a mental challenge as it was a physical one. It was critical that I remained focused at all times so that I stayed in the "sweet spot" close enough to the minivan to reap the benefits of the draft, but far enough back that I didn't hit the back bumper in a moment of lapsed focus. I'm typing this the day after the event and my neck and back are more sore than my legs from being in a constant tucked position for over 100 miles.
One of the unique aspects of doing this on a NASCAR race track was the banked surface. I road near the bottom of the track where it was more flat, but it was still angled a bit. And obviously there was a lot of turning. The only truly straight section was the back stretch which felt like a dream! It was a chance to relax every lap before doubling down on focus, position and effort for the turns.
I was wearing a bluetooth ear-piece so that I could talk to my Dad in the lead vehicle which was super helpful. Going around a track while staring at the back of a vehicle is a ton of fun for the first couple laps. Doing it for over 2 hours is somewhat hypnotic. It was good to be able to chat a bit to keep my mind engaged.
So…what’s the record? I’m applying for a Guinness World Record for “Fastest 100 Miles By Bicycle While Drafting.” To my knowledge this hasn’t been done or certified by anyone previously. The current record for Fastest 100 Miles By Bicycle (without drafting) is 3:11:11 (31.4 mph avg) which is cookin! I finished in 2:20:46 (42.6 mph avg) but drafting behind a vehicle is a huge advantage which is why I’m applying to create a new category.
So… why did you do it? Last May I was hit by an SUV while cycling. It was a near-death experience that has changed my life. After post-crash surgery, I recovered while riding indoors to rebuild fitness, but I was hesitant to get back on the road. Honestly, I was scared. Cars and bikes clash too often. We’re supposed to share the roads, but several issues including poor infrastructure, driver education, distracted driving and road rage (because that cyclist forced me to slow down for 5 seconds) regularly place cyclists in danger. Fast moving bikes belong on the road. Heck, we can go over 42 mph for 100 miles! Going over 10 mph isn’t safe on a shared sidewalk or bike path with walkers, dogs, families and driveways. Cars and bikes can and should coexist! They shouldn’t be enemies, they should be friends! Frustrated and scared for my life, I thought, wouldn’t it be cool if a car and bike teamed up for a change and did something spectacular?
This event was my attempt to “bury the hatchet” with the SUV that hit me. To replace fear with fun in the continued pursuit of an awesome life.
This was a ton of fun and an experience I'll remember forever! As always, I’m tremendously grateful for all the people who helped make it happen. My Dad, for being an awesome lead car driver; Michael Dillon, for capturing some awesome footage that I can’t wait to share with y’all; Karl Hoesch, for being my driver for some practice laps; my wife Necia, for always encouraging me to pursue my crazy ideas; the good people at the Michigan International Speedway for “sharing the road” with me; Michigan Bicycle Law for the sweet cycling kit and for helping me navigate all the details of post-crash life so I could focus on recovery; and for the awesome team at Velo City Cycles for always taking good care of me and helping me with last minute gear and service needs for my various adventures.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I’m filled with gratitude.
So… what’s next? After 3 world records in 8 weeks it’s time for a breather! I’m planning on returning to the studio with my wife to record some more music this month and releasing a few more music videos this fall for our band Lady & Gentleman. I’m also going to pivot my training to prepare for a stab at the Everesting World Record this winter (running the cumulative elevation of Mt Everest - 29,029ft). And I’m already talking with my EP!C RIDE teammates about another World Ultra Cycling record attempt or 2 next summer. In the meantime, I’ve got some wine design projects to get to, some health coach clients to check in with, and I’m the teacher for our kids Epic Learning Adventure homeschool co-op on Wednesdays, so I better wrap this up! Until next time!
Cheers!
Jon
JonOrnee.com
EpicRide2020.com
EpicSwim2020.com
LadyAndGentlemanMusic.com
FAQS:
Is the ride on STRAVA? Of course! I actually rode 103 miles to be super, duper sure that I was in the clear. Didn’t want to upload the file and discover it was actually 99.97 miles.🤣 I chopped the extra 3 miles off the gpx file for a clean 100.0 file here: https://www.strava.com/activities/4158924546
How/what did you drink? Reaching down several times for a water bottle at 43 mph is a little sketchy, so I used a 35oz Profile Design aero bottle mounted between my aerobars. I never got into the “aero position”, that’s a little sketchy at that speed and proximity to the vehicle, I used the bars solely to hold the water bottle so I could drink my SiS electrolyte drink threw a straw without having to let go of the handlebars.
How/what did you eat? I drank a homemade smoothie shortly before starting which was packed with whole food goodness and nutrient dense calories. During the ride itself I ate 1.25 Clif Bars which I broke into 5 quarters and stored in a little pouch which was zip-tied between my aero bars right behind my water bottle.
What did you think about? Mostly body position and the distance between my front wheel and the minivan’s bumper. But lots of other things too. I thought about many things in life that I’m grateful for - my family, life itself, the beautiful day, my body, my health, the wonderful people in my life. Hunkering down in a tucked position takes its toll on your body. My feet and hands were going numb and my neck was getting tight and tired so I was constantly strategizing micro movements and shifts to stay loose and focused. The straight backstretch gave me a chance to change position a bit and relax to get blood flow back to my extremities.
Sounds super sketchy! It does sound sketchy, but I’ve ridden bikes at high speeds for many years and I felt very comfortable. The minivan was on cruise control for the most part so, although we were traveling at a high speed, there weren’t many other variables (other than slightly banked turns and cross wind). It’s actually much sketchier riding at 20mph on the open road or in a group ride with other riders wigglin all over the place at varying speeds.
What did you talk about? For the first 20 miles my Dad and I were talking strategy and checking in with each other. The plan was actually to go 42 on the straightaways and 40 on the turns, but after a few laps I asked him to hold it steady at 42 which felt comfortable (errr 42.8🤣). But once we settled into a groove we mostly just joked around a bit - talked about his kitchen remodeling project; wondered out loud if the dozens of vultures that kept circling us were hoping for a crash; talked about how freaked out my mom is going to be when she’s the actual footage of the ride; and how bad I had to pee. I mentioned that a lot. I definitely over-hydrated the 24 hours before the ride to make sure I didn’t need more fluids onboard.😜 There was a lot of wind noise so we couldn’t hear each other super well - just shared a few comments occasionally to break up the monotony.