Vino Fondo 2011

I know what you’re thinking, didn’t she say in her blog last year that she would never do this race again. You’re right I did, but you know how it is, time passes and the pain fades. I hate to say this and it might almost kill me to do so, but Chuck was right, last year when he said every time she says she isn’t going to do a race again, she does it again. So here I am writing about the Vino Fondo once again.

In 2010, Chuck, Jeff, Krystal and I did the Mondo (longest distance) which was 132 miles. This year in order to talk me into going, Chuck had to agree to do the Midi (middle distance) which was 87 miles. We both have not been on the road bike much this year due to intense off-road training for Adventure racing. We have been logging all of our bike miles in the woods on our mountain bikes. So heck why wouldn’t we just jump into an 87 mile race which was made up of what I call Missouri mountains because the hills are so steep and long, that they have to rival some of the mountains in the US.

After driving through rain, wind, thunder and lightening, we arrived at the Mount Pleasant winery. I had this feeling of dread, thinking I’m in no shape to be attempting this and here I am in the worst weather conditions for road biking. Too late to turn back I was already here and would have to ride. We ran across the street from where we parked and picked up our race numbers and the free breakfast. Chuck ate some of his, I just drank the orange juice out of mine and took the apple with me for later. We hit the bathrooms then headed back to the van to get geared up and ready to go. The weather started to clear, it was still pretty windy, but the rain had stopped. We were both decked out in our Icebreaker gear, we even got a couple comments about it in the parking lot.






Next we pulled our bikes out and made sure the air pressure was right and everything was functioning properly.



We rolled up to the starting line and were standing right next to the St Louis University team.



We actually know one of the team members, he works at Boeing with us. We stood around for a few minutes debating on the best strategy to get off the starting line. There were so many people starting at the same time that we didn’t want to end up in one of those starting line crashes. You know when one guy either can’t get clipped in or just falls over and the domino affect happens, then half the field is laying on the ground and we haven’t even rolled out onto the road yet. We decided to just roll out real easy and not get too close to anyone in the mad rush to start the race. Plus we knew from last years race that the first 4 miles or so was on a road that was covered in pot holes and gravel, so we didn’t want to hammer through there.



The race started and the roll out went great, to our surprise the bad road had been completely resurfaced, it was smooth as a babies behind and fast as lighting. We were rolling at a good pace right off the bat and were just behind the St Louis Cycling Club guys. We know these guys because we are also STLCC members and I have been riding with some of these guys for a few years now. Just in front of the STLCC group was the SLU team, so if felt like a good place to stay. We stayed on the wheels of both these teams until we crossed Hwy 94 and hit the first really steep climb. It was about a quarter mile long and I can’t even tell you want the grade was, if I guessed I might say 11%. It was tough, Chuck beat me to the top, but I didn’t really lose any ground, I passed a few people and a few passed me, I was in my smallest ring standing up and still barely moving. I was so glad when I hit the top of the hill. This year the race followed a new route that added some hills, gave us a few more flats, but I think overall the course was a little tougher than last year.

We hit the first water stop and decided since we were only 20 miles into the race and still have plenty of fluids and were packed down with Honey Stinger that we didn’t need to stop. We went on still behind the STLCC guys, the SLU guys had started to pull away. We were keeping a good pace and hit a few more hills when all of the sudden we didn’t see the STLCC guys anymore. The road was still crowded and we figured somewhere in the hills they must have just pulled away and dropped us. We fell in with a couple other riders and made it to the next water stop. We quickly got water and were heading out when we saw the STLCC guys again. We thought since we had a short loop to ride and would come back by the stop that they had probably already finished the short loop, we just couldn’t figure out how they got that far in front of us.



We took off, made it around the hilly loop and back past the water stop heading for the largest of the hills that were looming in the later distances of the race. At about 45 miles we were in a group of 4 and hear a group gaining on us, they come flying by and I hear my friend Louie say, “come on Robin, lead us in” it was the STLCC group, apparently they hadn’t dropped us, we dropped them and they were just catching back up. Now I’m not going to lie to you, I was getting tired, we had been fighting the wind and the hills for 45 miles now and my legs really didn’t want to go anymore. So what did I do, yes I did, I’m not embarrassed I’m going to say it. I grabbed the wheels of that group and used them for the next 20 miles. They pulled both me and Chuck through at a great pace and it gave me time to recover. By the time we hit the water stop at 63 miles, I was feeling really good. We stopped for water and I ate a Honey Stinger Rocket Chocolate, I was like a new person after that. While at the water stop a girl walked up and said “Hey is that on Icebreaker jersey” I said yes and Chuck said they are Icebreaker shorts too, then we both said in unison “we love Icebreaker gear”. She was very impressed, apparently she loved Icebreaker gear too. We were heading to our bikes when we came across John, I like to call him the Jelly Belly guy. He saw Chuck eating a Honey Stinger Waffle and asked him what it was, as Chuck was talking to him, I snapped a picture. Funny thing is, as I looked at the pictures later that night I see this guy behind them, I’m not sure what he was thinking, but I don’t think it was good.



Chuck and I took off to finish the race, we thought that we could take it easy until the STLCC guys caught up and then jump on the train. The problem was they never caught up. On the really big hill on HWY T, which I think is the worst hill of the entire course, they didn’t catch up. We were headed to the most talked about hill of the entire race, Schleusberg hill, riders are timed on this hill for the king of the hill competition. It’s really a series of small steep hills followed by a mountainous hill at the end. We started hill with 4 other guys, all but one beat me to the top of the hill, but they were not far in front of me, so I was in a good place. Then one of the guys says that we have one more really bad hill before the end. I was thinking, “you’re out of your mind they advertise that this is the last and largest hill, we might have some rollers, but that’s it”. WELL, it wasn’t, I was the fool, there was a horrible steep long hill that I though might be the death of me, but I endured it, although I was barely moving, and I made it to the top. After that everything was gravy because I knew that all I had to do was make it another couple miles and the race would be over.

We crossed the finish line, feeling pretty darn good, I mean this year, I was able to get off my bike and actually walk. Last year I just crashed to the ground then climbed into a van that took me back to the parking lot. Our ride time was 5:48 and our total time with stops was 6:09. We loaded our bikes, changed clothes and had the big shark guy take our picture at the finish line.




We went over to the winery for the post race feast and had pasta, salad and killer brownies. I think if I would have been able to grab a plateful of those brownies without anyone seeing me, I would have just eaten the brownies.



We ate and then stopped to talk to the STLCC guys. I snapped a picture and mused about what we should call it. Of course they knew exactly what it should be called. “The Vino Fondlers” I think this picture will go into my race archives.



OK, go ahead ask me….. Yes I will do it again, but I really think I like doing the Midi distance much more than the Mondo. At least then I still feel human at the end. And one more point, this was the first time I had worn my Icebreaker gear for a really long race and I’m very happy to say that it was fantastic! No chafing, never too hot or too cold, and dry feeling all day. I was comfortable the entire race. Chuck agreed as well.

The Vino Fondo 2010

By: Robin Rongey

Have you ever thought about how ideas sound like such good ideas six months before the event happens. Well, this like every other event, sounded like it would be so much fun when I signed up. That’s right, I’m talking about the Vino Fondo and not the sissy mini, or midi, but the full blown mondo. You know what I’m talking about don’t you, 132 miles of pure misery. When I signed up, I was thinking 132 miles of pure joy, fresh air, nice weather, good company and a few hills, they can’t be that big, right.

Chuck tried to tell me how big the hills were, but I, who knows all, decided that he was overly worried that the hills just looked big, they weren’t really that bad, I mean it is Missouri not Colorado. I said don’t worry, all we have to do is keep a 16 mph average, which is my easy day pace and we will finish with a ride time of about 8hours. Of course our stops will be short because the hills can’t be that bad and we are riding a nice easy pace of 16 mph, so piece of cake. Chuck just gave me that blank stare like “are you kidding me, I saw the hills, I drove out there and rode the mini just to see, you have no idea what you are saying.” He was right I had no idea.

Chuck Edit #1:  I had to back-up and read that last sentance a second time.  Then a third time.  Haha, bet that hurt as much as the Hwy T hill.

I met Chuck, Jeff and Krystal at the start of the race, our plan was to ride it together, having each other to work with to make it easier. Oh, and I guess I should say this upfront, I suck at hills, whether it be biking or running.  I’m terrible.  I don’t have the leg strength needed to be a good hill climber, plus I have a lot of extra junk in my trunk, so I have a lot of extra weight to pull up those hills. I probably weigh more than both Chuck and Jeff and I could fit Krystal in one of my legs. So for me to say that riding with this group will make it easier is kind of hilarious since there is no way in H….L I will ever be able to even ride their wheel on just one of these hills. Maybe I should call these hills, mountains, because the closer I got to the end of the ride the more mountainous they appeared or at least through my tried, foggy eyes that is what they looked like. I can usually keep up on flats if I get in the draft, but since there may have been 6 miles total of flats in the entire 132 mile course, that didn’t help me much.

The racers lined up in lines of 10 according to numbers, since we all had different numbers, we just lined up and decided we would ride easy until everyone was on the train, then move out based on the course and wind. We were lucky the wind wasn’t bad.  It looked like the rain would hold off for most of the day, other than a few sprinkles and a wind gust or two, it was a beautiful day with the sun even shining some of the day. The race started and it didn’t take long to get into our group and get moving. We quickly found out that the entire course would be either up or down with no flats in between. We held a nice pace to the first rest stop at 38 miles, and I hadn’t fallen off too much yet, but I did see the writing on the wall. We had an 18.7 mph pace at 38 miles.  At the second stop, the 58 mile mark, I had completely fallen off, and the group had to wait for me at the top of a couple of the hills. Plus I dropped my chain twice on mountainous hills and had to fix it and start again going uphill. Nothing can break your spirit more then seeing your teammates at the top of the hill all recovered and smiling just waiting for you. Then when you get there you have to stuff down some food and go again, never quite getting enough recovery time, but not wanting to make everyone wait for you.

So this is how it went for me, I would get to the top of the hill with nothing left in the tank, but would make the quickest stop I could so that my teammates didn’t have to wait any longer for me. Then I would back off on the way down the hill because I was afraid that as tired as I was, I would not have the reaction time needed if there were any quick moves in the group, so I gave myself plenty of room for error. This of course put me back behind even more because then I was off the back starting up the hill and since once again my hill climbing skills were not shining, I would fall off even more on my way up. As I said, by the second stop I was off the back, having a little pity party because I couldn’t keep up like I think I should have been able to, worrying about my chain dropping again, and wondering if I was going to be hit by an angry driver, since there were so many of them out that day. I told Jeff, Krystal and Chuck to go on, not to wait for me, I didn’t want to the worry about slowing them down. Like all teammates they didn’t want to leave me.  Chuck said that he didn’t think he could stay on at the current pace for the entire ride so he would drop back with me. I really think he could have done it, but do appreciate him hanging out with me. Chuck has this theory he uses, if he is in a race that he knows there is no way he will place, then why not just have fun and have someone to hang with. This is what he did on this tortuous day, just hung out with me, dragging my slow butt around the course. At the 58 mile rest stop, there was a Big Shark mechanic in case a rider needed assistance. I didn’t get his name at the time, but I know it now.  He was Steven Wilkes. Not only did he fix my chain, but he also drove by and offered us water 3 or 4 times during the last 60 miles of the ride, and a couple times we really needed it. He became our own little personal support vehicle, see what happens when you are last, you get extra support, mostly because the support people are so tired and want to go home, anything they can do to get you in faster, well they are all over it. I have to give it to Steven, he never once rushed us along or made us feel like the loser that I felt like during that ride. He and the other volunteers, including the guy and girl in the RPM car were great, I have never been on a better supported ride then this one.

On we went, we lost sight of Jeff and Krystal and figured they would finish a couple hours in front of us. We rode up and down the never ending hills. We rode up the hill on highway T and I think that was the mother of all hills, but I made it up, even when I saw people walking up it I kept riding even though I thought about walking, and I made it to the top. We caught on with a group of 5 guys mostly in yellow Ghisallo jerseys, we hopped on the back of that train for a few miles until I finally dropped, then a mile or so up Chuck dropped, I don’t think he dropped because he needed to, but because he was waiting for me. Again, I’m the one dragging everyone down. We soon lost sight of that group and were on our own again. This time we were only about 8 miles from the end. I was really starting to struggle, but there was some relief coming. First the RPM car stopped and gave us some water, then told us that there were a few miles of flat ahead and then one small hill to the finish. Yeah that guy, thought he was funny, one small hill, ha ha. We made it to the bottom of Schleusberg hill. Just as we started up, my right quad gets a grapefruit size charley horse in it, I’m about to scream, but I was way too tired and didn’t have the energy to do it, so I just let out a meek moan. I got off my bike, stretched and started to take a few steps, thinking I would just walk up, but then in true Robin fashion, I thought, I am not going to be the quitter that walked up this hill. I was thinking some really bad words too, but I didn’t say them, I just thought them. So I got back on my bike and rode up the hill and found Chuck at the top.  We rode in and crossed the finish line together. To our surprise the Ghisallo group was just in front of us, barely any faster then we were, that made me feel somewhat better. Our pace for the 132 miles was 15 mph, so much for my early prediction of a nice leisurely pace of 16 mph.

I was so tired when the volunteer said you can hop in the van for a ride back to the start line or ride 4 more miles of hills.  There was no debate, we were taking the trailnet van back. That girl driving that van could not have known that she may have just saved my life, I would have probably fallen over in the traffic lane on the next hill and been run over by a truck or worse one of those angry drivers we had been seeing throughout the day. Once back to our vans we changed clothes and headed over to see if there was any food left, and there was not. There was a little cold pasta salad and some rolls. Chuck ate the pasta salad and I ate a couple rolls then we went back to our vans pulled a couple diet cokes out of my cooler and settled in for a long drive home. A few miles out I see 3 guys riding in and think, wow we weren’t last. Chuck and I were the last two riders to make the cutoff time at the bottom of Schleusberg hill, but there were at least 3 other guys way behind us that were still coming in.

Post notes: I was so worried about Jeff and Krystal just riding away without a care in the world and wondering how they got so strong, while I seemed to be getting so weak, that I almost ruined a great ride. When I saw the results and saw that they only beat us in by 36 minutes over a course of 132 miles, I didn’t feel so bad. Now I’m not saying that I will do it again, but I am saying that just maybe, with time, the memories of the ride will not impact me as much as they did last week, yesterday or even tomorrow. Kind of like having a baby, you forget the pain after a while and say heck why not do it again.

Chuck Edit #2:  I got a hundred dollar bill betting she'll do it again next year.  Every race she swears off, gets added to her 'favorite, gotta do it list".