The Summary

The 2005 Bike Sebring 12-hour Race was held on February 19, 2005 near Sebring, Florida.  FCP was represented by nine members that made quite an impression at the race by setting several new 12-hour records for men and women.  Bob Sill, Jay Alberts, Pat Tuley, and I set the overall 12-hour record with 255.25 miles having overtaken an early lead by the 2004 24-hour champion, Chris Hopkinson, who finished with 249.50 miles.  Joe Saliceti finished solidly in sixth place with his 243.75 miles.  In twelfth place, Chuck Howard logged 226.50 miles including his brilliant effort in the day's featured breakaway and the chase down of Hopkinson.

Kati Vines set a new women's 12-hour record by matching Chuck's 226.50 miles.  She shattered the old women's mark by 22 miles.

Although he missed a turn on the first short loop, Kevin Mitchell was credited with 203.5 miles, good for 16th place.  Kevin rode an additional 24.2 miles for which he did not receive credit.

Mike Tindol logged 146 miles, while assisting Kati to the new women's record, and playing a decisive role in our team's overall strategy.  Quite an accomplishment considering that he ran a marathon only two weeks prior to this grueling event!

Sebring 12-hour Age Group Award Winners

Kati Vines - F30, 1st Place

Jay Alberts - M30, 1st Place

Pat Tuley - M40, 1st Place

Bob Sill - M50, 1st Place

Joe Saliceti - M40, 2nd Place

Chuck Howard - M40, 3rd Place

In addition to Bike Sebring records, new FCP records for 100 miles, 200 miles, FCP Women's Longest Ride were set.

Bob Sill, Jay Alberts, and Pat Tuley:

100 miles – 4:14:53, 23.540 mph, FCP Record

200 miles – 9:04:27, 22.041 mph, FCP Record

Kati Vines:

226.50 miles - FCP Record

The team received seven awards for age group placings and overall winners.  Those seven awards belong to all nine teammates who represented FCP, and they belong to our families, friends, and crew who greatly supported us during our training and while we raced.  We appreciate everyone for their sacrifices that allowed us to achieve our race objectives.

Special recognition goes to Kat Tindol and her parents, Roger and Mary Clark, who allowed us use of their lake home in January for the team's practice double century.  Additionally, they gave support with their attendance at the Sebring 12-hour Race.

The Race

The 2005 Bike Sebring Race was held on Saturday, February 19, 2005.  This race was actually two races: the 12-hour Race and the RAAM 24-hour Race.  Our team entered the 12-hour Race.  The 12-hour Race began at 6:30AM with three laps around the Sebring Racetrack, then a "long loop" of 89 miles, followed by "short loops" of 11.5 miles, which would be repeated until 12 hours expired.  If time permitted, the racers could get credit for one-half "short loop" (5.75 miles) as long as they could reach the checkpoint before the end of the 12-hour period.  Time chips were used to track our progress and position.  The sensors were stationed at the end of a short loop next to the support area.   In the middle of the support area, cones were situated in the roadway to mark the turnaround to begin the next loop.

Cathy Frazier, Janelle Alberts, Gloria Sill, Kat Tindol, Roger and Mary Clark operated our support.  Janelle kept our lap times and she tracked our competition.  Our support was fantastic... the best among all others at the race!

For this race, our team had several prioritized objectives.  Our Number 1 objective was to win the race.  Our Number 2 objective was to set the Sebring 12-hour record.  Other objectives were: set as many age group records as possible, set the Women's 12-hour record, and place as many team members as possible.

Here is the team roster with their respective Age Group designation.

*Note: Jay was the 2004 Bike Sebring 12-hour Champion and Record Holder (237.50 miles).

At 6:15AM, everybody lined up at the starting-line for final instructions from the race officials.  Notably missing was Chris Hopkinson, the 2004 edition's 24-hour winner.  The race was scheduled to get underway at 6:30AM.  About two minutes before the start, Hopkinson appeared at the line.  He was decked-out in orange from head-to-toe including his helmet, jacket, shorts, shoes, an orange bike with orange tires on "Kiss My Ass" aero-wheels, and orange hair.  After he made a glance toward Jay, and they both exchanged "hey" to one another, Hopkinson barked out smugly, "I'm racing the 12-hour Race this year."  Apparently, he wasn't impressed with Jay's 2004 record. 

From this point forward, I'll refer to "Mr. Hopkinson" as "Orange Guy".

The first eleven miles were raced on the Sebring Racetrack, mostly in the dark... sunrise was at 6:50AM.  Although it was chilly, 50 degrees, the excitement and fast pace kept the racers warm.  Of course, our team really enjoyed the temperature compared to our cold morning starts in Atlanta. 

While we zoomed around the track, it was difficult to monitor our competition.  I felt that our team was leading the main pack, but I soon learned that "Orange Guy" had bolted ahead and was far out front on the 89-mile "long loop".

As day broke, the skies gleamed blue lit by the sunshine.  Under this blue canopy, the blue team, our team, led the pack onto the 89-mile loop.  About this time, I noticed that the wind really picked up.  The wind blew at 14 mph.  On the long loop, the wind was often our friend, but it was quite bothersome during the late stages of the race while we repeated the short loops.

Over the first few miles, it was a rarity if anyone other than a FCP rider was among the first nine leading the pack.  Early in the race, Chuck rode up along my side and asked, "Did you know that a guy dressed in orange is far ahead?  He's the same guy that won the 24-hour race last year, but he's riding the 12 this year."  I had no clue that "Orange Guy" was off the front.  At that moment I realized that the control of the race had been taken away from us.  In 2004, "Orange Guy" (Chris Hopkinson) dropped the field from the start and the field never saw him again, neither by the 24-hour racers nor the 12-hour racers.  He was using the same tactic this year and he put our Number 1 objective in jeopardy.

Consequently, I knew that we had to keep up the pressure at the front; otherwise, our top objective would be history.  We could not depend on others, it was up to our team to lead the charge.   If a strong person was sucking our wheels without lending a hand, that person was either a high-stakes gambler or stupid because it was necessary to put all our energies together to pull back "Orange Guy".  

The FCP team pulled hard for the first 25 miles without help from others.  Pat came to me and said, "We should make these other guys pull!"  I responded, "No. We can't afford to slow down.  It is our responsibility to chase." 

At times, our pursuit of "Orange Guy" seemed in vain.  Seven of our nine members were rotating on the front and pulling a pack of 25 or 30.  Soon we encountered some small hills.  The pack thinned, but we still carried baggage.  We were putting the others in difficultly, but it was costly - Kati was struggling to hold on.

After 40 miles, Mike Tindol came up and told me that Kati was getting dropped along with a few others.  Mike decided to fall back to assist her while allowing us to widen our gap on the field and to make progress chasing the leader.  By then I knew that Kati was far enough along, strong enough, and tough enough to get the women's record.  Goodbye to Mike - see you on the short loops.  Until then, we had a case of "orange fever" to cure.

At the 50-mile mark, there was a turnaround with a check-in.  We still had 10 or 15 tag-alongs as we neared this point.  They were more of an annoyance than a nuisance.  I kept a watch-out for "Orange Guy" on the opposite side of the road, making his return to Sebring.  Soon, I saw him, and I noted the mileage on my cycle-computer.  I tracked the distance to the turnaround - it was 0.88 miles meaning that "Orange Guy" led our A-group by 1.76 miles, or approximately 4-1/2 minutes.  Before I could tell Jay, who was leading our chase, we made our turn and we shouted out our race numbers to the waiting officials.  As soon as we shouted our numbers, Jay attacked!  He attacked HARD!  I thanked my lucky stars that I was directly behind Jay because he blasted away!  I knew serious damage resulted, but I was uncertain of our own casualties.  Bob was directly behind me.  I hoped that Pat and Joe were behind Bob.  I glanced in my rearview mirror, but I only saw Bob.  "Is Pat back there?" I asked.  "Yes."  "Joe?"  "No. And not Kevin."  "Chuck is still with us."  Our chase group was down to five.  We lost a couple, but at least all those other wheel-suckers were dropped.

It was a shame that Joe did not make the break - he is an A-team member.  I was grateful that Chuck made it.  We really needed the power of five.  We missed Joe, but Chuck rose to the occasion and gave us some powerful pulls.

I knew we were flying, but I was not sure if we could reel in "Orange Guy" before 100 miles. "Orange Guy" was too dangerous to allow him to stay ahead of us all the way to the short loops.  If he could beat us to the short loops, he would gain a tremendous morale boost.  Of course, catching him might have the opposite effect.  But catching him would not be enough.  We could not afford to allow him to recover in our pace-line.  He was too strong.  If he sat in our pace-line for a few short loops, he might be able to drop us late in the race.   So if we could catch him, we would need to drop him as quickly as possible.

We continued our hot pursuit.  Every pull was tremendous by each of our chasers.  For the most part, the miles few by, but there was one five mile section where we turned east back into the wind.  This was on Old Bombing Range Road (63 - 68 miles).   It was blowing in our faces at a sturdy 14 mph.  Pat was pulling.  Our speed dropped from over 26 to 21 mph.  The wind was merciless, but Pat was determined.  He battled until we finally turned south on C. Hill Road.  The wind became more favorable, it seemed to be coming more from the north than the east by this point in the race.

Around the 85-mile mark on Arbuckle Creek Road, the group spotted "Orange Guy" ahead.  Those flat and long Florida roads are not good for hiding.   With orange in sight, the chasers' pace quickened.  It became too much for Chuck and he ultimately cracked, but not before donating his immense contribution to our effort. 

Now we were closing fast.  With one last monster pull by Bob, we caught him!  It took us nearly 90 miles, but we got him!  "Orange Guy" drifted to the back of our line and Bob continued to pull for a few more moments.  Finally Bob pulled off and Pat came through and he increased our speed.  After Pat's pull, Jay went to the front even faster.  During this time, I kept an eye on "Orange Guy".  I knew that we needed to get rid of him before he recovered and regained his strength.  I decided to take a short, but hard pull with my turn at the front.  "Orange Guy's" turn would be next after me.  I wanted "Orange Guy" on the front ASAP.  After my pull, "Orange Guy" came through and he maintained our rhythm.  He pulled for a couple of minutes and then drifted to the rear.  I watched him with my rearview mirror as he latched on the end.  Then I saw him sit up and massage his left leg.  "GO!" I shouted to Bob. "GO NOW!" I shouted again.  Jay screamed, "GO NOW!"  Pat yelled to Bob, "Move over!"  Pat slammed the hammer down!  In an instance we had 20 meters on "Orange Guy".  Jay came through and kept the hammer down during his turn and I did likewise. The gap grew quickly.  "Orange Guy" was dropped!  We pushed the pace all the way to the 100-mile mark.  Even so, our advantage was only 1:57.  Yet, as it turned out, that was the winning move.

We finished the first hundred under 4 hours, 15 fifteen minutes.  We were haggard!  But there was no time to waste, Pat, Bob, Jay, and I started the first of our 14 short loops.  On the way out, we saw Chuck finishing his first hundred.  As we passed in the opposite direction, Chuck shouted in praise, "Nice job!"  He gained a great deal of satisfaction knowing that we had caught and dropped our nemesis. 

Our next few short loops were painful.  We suffered due the effects of our hard chase and the relentless wind.  However, our suffering was a consequence of progress; whereas, Kevin Mitchell's first short loop was a nightmare.  He missed the road markings and wandered off-course.  He rode around the lake and Sebring for nearly two hours.  When he finally made his way back to the support area, he had covered 35.7 miles, but received credit for only 11.5.

Kevin, Joe, Mike, and Kati joined us during our middle laps.  It was great!  Our teamwork was most evident on those loops.  It allowed everyone to regroup while maintaining our speed.  At times, various other groups and single racers attempted to hold on, but few stayed on for long.  

The day dragged on.  Kati had iced the women's record!  On her tenth loop, her legs cramped and she was unable to maintain our group's pace.  Kati sat up and rode the last 20 miles on her own.  Mike retired.  Joe and Kevin continued with Pat, Bob, Jay, and me.  Kevin said he could not pull anymore, but that was fine, his contributions exceeded our expectations.  Kevin retired at the end of our 12th loop.  Finally, we had just over an hour to complete two loops.  The group was tired.  Janelle tried to rally us to push hard for those two loops.  After gulping a Dr. Pepper, I felt revitalized.  On lap 13, I blasted away.   I pulled the first five miles.  Joe dropped.  Bob still seemed strong.  Pat's feet were cramping.  Jay seemed fatigued.  

We had about 31 minutes left on the clock when I led the start of loop 14, our final loop.  Our loop times were usually about 32 minutes, so odds were that we would not be able to complete the whole loop.  Yet we had plenty of time for a half-loop credit.  Joe started a few minutes behind us.  He needed to complete a half-loop in under 18 minutes for the 5.75-mile credit.  Joe was confident because a tailwind accompanied most of the first 5 miles.  Pat, Bob, Jay, and I easily made the half-loop check-in.  The only question was: Could we get back to the start/finish line before 6:30PM?  We worked very, very hard, but when we approached the clock, I could see 6:31:20.  It was over.  Thank goodness!

We gathered and congratulated ourselves and our support crew.  During our celebration, Joe appeared with an official race car escort.  It was getting dark very quickly!

The race was over!  Jay, Bob, Pat, and I received credit for 255.25 miles, a new Sebring 12-hour record.  Joe had 243.75 miles.  Chuck and Kati got 226.50.  Kati's total was a new women's 12-hour record.  Kevin totaled 203.5, although he cycled 24 more.  Mike ended with 146. 

What a Team!

Cathy said our team was the "class" of the race.  Our competitors called us the "Blue Train" referring to our blurred blue FCP jerseys flying by them.  What a TEAM!  If we had not trained together, helped each other, and sacrificed during the race, it is unlikely that we would have beaten "Orange Guy" or captured so many awards.  Everyone involved with the training, preparation, and support SHARE in this VICTORY.  Everybody is THE WINNER because we are a TEAM.  It's not "all about me".  It's "ALL ABOUT US."