Redemption

Today, at 4:30am Pacific Time, I will be given the green flag for the longest non-stop cross-country race in the world – the Baja 1000. This is my third attempt solo, which is called the Ironman class. My race plan for the 806-mile desert course on the Baja peninsula in Mexico is to finish in 32.5 hours (approximately 1:30pm PST tomorrow). There is a 36-hour time limit.

In 2015, my son and I were a two-man team. (See the YouTube movie “Into the Dust.”) In 2016, we decided to enter the Ironman class (ok well my son Tanner did, and I didn’t want to be left behind!) Tanner became the 13th rider to ever finish this race in this class, finishing 822 miles in 27.5 hours. In a bit of a freak incident, I sustained a neck injury at mile 200, but rode with it to mile 600 in 26 hours and could not go on.

I do not quit. I must finish this race. So last year we were back, lining up for the Ironman start. The problem is it was 1134 miles that year! Tanner was leading the class for 205 miles, but 19 hours in at mile 607 he could not go on. I made a mistake by missing a gas pit and ran out of gas at mile 634 in the middle of nowhere! Dang! I got gas 7 hours later and continued to mile 831, where I could not go on after 37.5 hours.

This year I decided to race all four races in the SCORE desert racing series. I am one of only two riders in the Ironman class to have finished all three races so far, and I am in second place in the points. Racing the other three races (320, 542, 136 miles respectively) has given me even more valuable experience.

One more. The big one. The reason I have come. I have finished the race in my mind already. Now to do it today and tomorrow. As you read this, I am on course. It’s rocks and sand and whoops (look it up) and cactus and silt. The course traverses from the Pacific Ocean to the Sea of Cortez; from dry lake beds to sand washes to silt beds to mountains and even on the beach. 

It sure is beautiful, and hostile and unforgiving. It’s 100 degrees in the day and 40 degrees at night.

I am ready. I have trained all year. I have prepared and planned and have a great support team. I will become the oldest finisher of the Baja 1000 Ironman in history – and that’s just how it’s going to happen! (public declaration – can’t back out now!) 

Live tracking at scoreinternational.com. My race number is 714x. (Tanner decided not to race this year.) X after a number means motorcycle. A number beginning with 7 means Ironman Class (Solo, no teammates. Other teams have multiple riders and they switch off after their turns).  

I will report on the race when I get back from Mexico!