The Adirondack 540 RAAM Qualifier gives aspiring and experienced endurance cyclists a spectacular place to test their limits. A rider can choose 1, 2, 3 or 4 laps of the 136-mile course through the Adirondack Mountains. The loop has constantly undulating terrain and offers spectacular views of the Adirondack and Green Mountains.

Smooth roads with generous shoulders are the norm except for 10 miles of bad road that rival Paris-Roubaix. With 7,500 feet of climbing each lap and a high probability of rain the event challenges anyone who attempts it. The course has several 2-4 mile climbs followed by downhills of equal length. A support crew, while recommended, is not mandatory. John Ceceri directs the race and meticulously covers all the details. Ceceri is assisted by his wife Kathy, who rode les Truffes Voyagè, 136.1 Miles over two days, and by the enthusiastic Roger Byrom.

Riders waiting for the start of the Adirondack RAAM qualifier. John Blaszczak photo

Eight starters on Friday morning were attempting the four-lap 540-mile race and three had previously qualified for RAAM. Everyone was glad to hear the forecast called for moderate temperatures that would bottom in the low 50s. The rain held off until the end of the first lap then starting in earnest. John Fuoco finished the first lap only a few minutes behind Ladislav (Larry) Optis. Optis won the National 24 Hour Challenge in 2004 and was second this year. Fuoco said: "He's 26 and rides like a race horse."

They were followed by Jason Jaksetic, Bruce "Almighty" Carroll, and Russ Loomis, with Jim Scheller and Rob Lucas not too far behind. On the 10% grades before the Paris-Roubaix section Carroll injured his IT band and each time across the rough 10 miles was very painful. Jim Melville, who finished the 540 last year, had wheel problems at the end of lap one.

Riders enjoyed beautiful scenery at the Adirondack RAAM qualifier. John Blaszczak photo

The next two laps were the most trying for riders and crew, as the rain did not let up. Optis maintained a course record pace for close to 20 hours, but the rain was relentless. At the end of lap two Optis had a slight margin over Fuoco. Both had crews of one: Optis was supported by his father and Fuoco by his wife. Fuoco's wife needed rest so he had to decide whether to go on self-supported, or take a short break. Optis even offered to have Fuoco ride with him and his Dad. Although drafting is illegal as per RAAM rules, riding side by side at night for safety reasons is permitted in this race. Fuoco was happy to find that Lisa Floryshak-Windham, a volunteer who had ridden the Saratoga 12/24, was willing to drive support for him on the next lap.

Jason Jaksetic was in third place followed closely by Carroll who continued on lap three with his two-person crew. Loomis had Mary Pralinsky as his one-person crew and she was able to stay awake the entire race. Rob Lucas gave his wife a rest for lap three and left the crewing to her uncle.

The rain kept the waterfalls flowing at the Adirondack RAAM qualifier. John Blaszczak photo

Lap three offered even more rain as the riders continued through the night. In the dry daytime riders rode the descents as fast as they dared, reaching speeds up to 60 mph. The same descents became cold and slow in the driving night rain. Even with a follow vehicle visibility was far less than ideal and caution on the wet road was the best strategy. Thousands of dead frogs littered the road shoulder leaving riders to ponder the question "Why did the frog cross the road?"

Optis battled sleep deprivation complete with hallucinations and double vision. Fuoco's freehub failed 35 miles into the lap so his crew drove back to the start to retrieve his spare rear wheel, losing two hours. While distracted by the driving rain and dead frogs during the night Lucas missed the turn in Elizabethtown and ended up pedaling six extra miles. Loomis and Lucas both struggled with digestive troubles that required altering their fueling plans. Scheller kept moving forward with his crew of one.

Optis finished the lap still in the lead. While he was changing clothes and bicycles before lap four his father fell asleep in the hotel lobby, so Optis rode the first few hours of the last lap self-supported.

The race organizers run the ADK 540 as a benefit for the Adirondack state park. John Ceceri, race director, and Diane Fish, of the Adirondack Council. John Blaszczak photo

Carroll: "The third time over the very rough 10 miles just about did me in and I was thinking about calling it quits after three loops. At the end of the third loop I found out that I was ahead of the guy in second and had almost caught the guy in first. The sun was shining, it wasn't raining anymore, my knee was swollen, weak and very sore but I obviously couldn't quit yet."

Despite losing two hours Fuoco was closing on Optis and Carroll by the beginning of lap four. Fuoco passed Carroll and at the last checkpoint in Wilmington with less than 75 miles to go Optis and Fuoco were together. The race was so close the race director Ceceri was defined the exact finish line for a sprint finish. Despite a flat with 60 miles to go Larry Optis surged ahead to finish in first place in 37 hours 26 minutes. John Fuoco finished second less than an hour behind. Both Larry Optis and John Fuoco qualified for solo RAAM.

Bruce Carroll held on to third overall while setting a new over-50 course record (40:24), despite his sore knee. Although he broke the old record by 3:36 "I'm far happier about having finished." He added: "I learned a lot on this race but the main thing was that the most important part of your race gear is your crew. This was the best crew I have had yet and I finished because they figured out how to get me there and never gave up."

Larry Optis John Blaszczak photo

Rob Lucas rode what the steadiest, most consistent pace and finished fourth overall and third in his age group. This was Lucas fourth RAAM qualifier in four years and at each he has qualified for RAAM. "I think doing RAAM is all about being able to deal with whatever is thrown at you so I've kept doing qualifiers. My plan is to do RAAM solo next year."

Russ Loomis finished strong and took over an hour off his previous best time finishing fifth and second over 50. Jim Scheller rounded out the field finishing just after dawn on Sunday morning.

Jason Jaksetic, who finished the Lake Placid Ironman this year, had a great debut in his first ultracycling event but had to abandon after 497 miles.

This was the first year at the 540 that had finishers in all categories. Each rider enters a specific event (4, 3, 2, or 1 laps) and if the rider drops before the end of his event, the rider is listed as "honorable mention", not as an official finisher in a shorter event.

Josh Gibbins from Waterloo , ON , Canada raced through the one-lap (136.1 mile) Bronze Blast in 7:15, 18.77 mph. Vytas Janusauskas, from Nepean , ON , who won the four-lap race last year was second, only 34 minutes behind Gibbins. Ten riders finished the Bronze Blast.

John Blaszczak, Virginia Beach , VA set a three-lap course record of 37:15. Mark Hnatov from Port Jefferson, NY rode the two-lap Silver Sojourn and set a two-lap record of 23:20.

This is a well run, challenging race that should be on the list of must do events for any ultramarathon cyclist.

More information: Adirondack 540 website.

John Blaszczak's photos

Results

RAAM 540 Qualifier	Miles	Time
Ladislav Optis, Toronto, ON		37:26, RAAM Qual
John Fuoco, Lewistown, PA		38:16, RAAM Qual
Rob Lucas, Colorado Spring, CO		42:14
James Scheller, Orlando, FL		51:12
Honorable Mention
Jason Jaksetic, Stanhope, NJ	497.0
Men Over 50
Bruce Carroll, Moscow, ID		40:24, Record
Russ Loomis, Williamsburg, MA		43:22
Honorable Mention
Jim Melville, Stuyvesant, NY	272.0
Golden Gallop ï 408.3 Miles - Men
John Blaszczak, Virginia Beach, VA		37:15, Record
Silver Sojourn ï 272.2 Miles - Men
Mark Hnatov, Port Jefferson, NY		23:20, Record
Honorable Mention
Rick Gowen, Bolton, CT	136.1
Bronze Blast ï 136.1 Miles - Men
Josh Gibbins, Waterloo, ON		7:15, Record
Vytas Janusauskas, Nepean, ON		7:49
David Blue, Pittstown, NJ		8:00
John McCann, Schuylerville, NY		8:25
Michael Flartey, Mine Hill, NJ		8:45
Kurt Higgins, Gansevoort, NY		9:05
Dick Murphy, Glens Falls, NY		9:14
Mike Kazmierczak, Ballston Spa, NY		9:24
Ross McCabe, Albany, NY		9:50
David Ball, Bowling Green, KY		11:40
les Truffes Voyagè ï 136.1 Miles Over 2 Days - Women
Kathy Ceceri, Saratoga Springs, NY		15:06