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Video Review of Allen
Across America.
Written by Vaughn Trevisanut.
Long ago when I was much younger and had the
yen for long training rides I would take off on challenges to ride to some
distant city or mountain retreat. Most of these rides were made in the
Spring season to put in base miles, no hurry just keep the tempo and see
how many miles I could accomplish before the sun dipped into the west.
Some were century plus rides to the local
mountains or cities with more serious training in mind.
I know we all have peculiar moments of
madness on the bike; mine was at some point in the midst of riding across
the Pear Blossom Hwy. in 115 degree heat on my way to the local ski resort
Wrightwood in August of 1961.
Maybe it was the heat or the thought of the
upcoming short brutal climb to the resort; but my mind turned to thinking
of riding across the states to the east coast. I don’t know why a guy can
be in so deep at some point you look at something worse or more
challenging to do? That day I was amusing myself with a ride across the
states ocean to ocean. How many miles a day, would I be stronger after?
Could I manage 200 miles a day until I saw the Atlantic?
Then there was no Race Across America; the
map that taunted me apparently had the same effect on others. In 1982 the
great American Bike Race was created the first of 22 annual races across
America. I found some consolation I wasn’t the only madman teased by the
asphalt ribbon. I will say I was never tempted to do it non stop.
Allen Larson is one of those riders who took
the maps taunt seriously in 2002 finishing third. In 2003 Allen came back
resolved to win. In his biography he had quite a different reaction as a
successful road racer, when he first heard of RAAM, “I remember seeing
an article on Race Across America and thinking "no way", "how incredible",
but couldn't even imagine that kind of endurance racing.”
Allen was successful racing until a car
accident changed his life he was off the bike for 9 years due to back
injuries. After 9 years the injuries hit a critical level and Allen
underwent two year of Chiropractic and massage therapy. When it was
suggested by his doctor to do weight training Allen started to improve,
“I began a faithful workout daily and found myself getting stronger and
stronger overall. My back seemed to hurt less and less as time went by.
Eventually there were even a few days that my back didn't hurt at all.”
“It was during this time that I began to
ride again. It felt good to get back in the saddle, natural. I began doing
short rides of about 25 miles and then found myself doing more and more…“
Allen’s return to racing was spectacular to
say the least, winning the ultra races Seattle to Spokane and the Race
Across Oregon which qualified his him for his first RAAM in 2002. He
finished third with his head strapped to a broom stick with duct tape when
the muscles in his neck and shoulder gave out. His response at the end of
his race, “Once I crossed the RAAM finish line in 2002, I truly believed
my curiosity was tamed and I’d done it. But within 24 hours as I heard the
crew talking about next year, I found myself thinking…”if I made some
changes and took all I learned from this race, who knows…” then the war
wounds would penetrate my brain waves and I’d quickly retreat to my OLN
statement “I’ll never do this race again.”
In time Allen came to decide to take the
challenge again, “I come to RAAM 2003 desiring to do my best, but very
aware that anything can happen. I would love to come in first place and
dream of it often. This kind of victory would be so sweet. It would say
thank you to all those who believed in me, helped me and prayed for me. It
would hopefully inspire others that anyone can overcome and press on
towards a goal.”
The video “Allen Across America 2003” is
about Allen’s successful bid to fulfill his dream of Victory at RAAM. It
is a well produced 90 minutes that follows Allen and his crew from the
start in San Diego to victory on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City. There is
only one rule, “Stay on the bike and ride.”
If you’ve wondered what it takes to do this
race, what the rider and his crew go through this is the video for you. It
isn’t just about the ride; it’s about the inside workings of a team
composed of the rider and the crew of ten and how they support the rider
day to day to make it possible for him to continue. This is not a scripted
edition this is the real deal of the challenges and problems that Allen
and the Crew must solve to win the toughest ultra endurance race in the
world.
The video is crafted around three segments
with commercials (some entertaining in their own right) of Allen’s
Sponsors. The first the departure from San Diego through the coastal
mountains, the106 degree deserts of California and Arizona to the mile
high plateaus of New Mexico. The Second eclipses the Great Plains and
rolling terrain of the great Mississippi and Ohio Valley. The final leg is
up the piedmont of the eastern coast to Allen’s victorious arrival on the
boardwalk of Atlantic City
Through out the video you are party to the
crew meetings to decide how to keep the Allen rolling. You may feel drawn
in at this point like you are one of the team, and plead for another half
hours rest. You also get a good look at diet of a RAAM competitor, the
bikes he uses, the duties of the mechanic and how he has to schedule his
maintenance in the middle of a 23 hour rolling caravan. The crews
challenge of finding a place to rest and what the team does to keep Allan
going when he can’t sleep for the first 45 hrs. It answers how they keep
him awake with only an average of 2 hours sleep a day, what they do when
Allen wants nothing but junk food and pizza on his next feed. What do you
do when your rider stops at a stop sign and falls asleep?
Allen the central figure has a understated
sense of humor and wit that only sharpens as the days and miles roll on.
His humor defuses the tension and exhaustion of himself and the crew; and
will give you a few belly laughs as well. As you would expect it isn’t
always smiles and laughs, there are moments of conflict and drama that
would fill a good six months of the typical daily soap opera. There are
moments of transformation from the deepest gloom to the almost mythical
regeneration for the rider and the crew when they discover that victory is
within their grasp.
Two thumbs up, worth the price and the lost
hours on your couch or to inspire you while you’re riding the rollers in
the basement this winter.
Video available at:
http://www.allenacrossamerica.com
Links:
The first RAAM
http://www.dailypeloton.com/displayarticle.asp?pk=5611
It is more
than inspirational to see Allen and his crew overcome many
obstacles to win RAAM. Especially noteworthy is Allen's crew's mutual
forgiveness of each other's human-ness during the race. Allen's crew is
funny and light-hearted, yet serious when it mattered, a model crew. Allen
is a picture of determination and perseverance.
I said it on the air, and I'm standing
by what I said: I've been covering sports for 20-years, I've seen 'em all
come and go, and Allen Larsen is the single toughest athlete I've ever
seen. What this man does on a bicycle
boggles the mind, breaks the heart, and lifts the spirit
For further information please contact
info@raceacrossamerica.org.
www.raceacrossamerica.org
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