Brad Cilley's (Crew Member) Take on the Race

Originally Posted: 9/17/2006

Well now that I have had some sleep and can be somewhat coherent, but none-the less still unexpectedly emotional about what I witnessed over the course of the last year and culminating in 32 hours and 16 minutes, I wanted to pen a few parting words about Brett’s accomplishment at the Adirondack 540.

32 HOURS 16 MINUTES on the Bike with an average speed of 16.73mph in the Adirondacks!!!!!!!!!!!!

If anyone ever doubted that well designed and disciplined training is essential to performance on any plane (work or sport), Brett taught a lesson that crushes that doubt. It all started at the end of the Great Glenn 24 hour mtn bike race last year. Brett learned at that race that training and VERY importantly, NUTRITION, would have to be improved for any run at RAAM. The training began in earnest last fall, with weight training and time on the Bike. Training does not have to be a grind when you are in NH, have snow and characters like Dave Wentworth to accompany you on your rides on the snowmobile trails.

The impressive work began in February with the first road rides and carried on through until this past week. Brett’s epic rides through NH, ME, VT – still leave me shaking my head when I think about them. Often, Brett would be accompanied by friends who would ride 100 mile sections with him (and at least once by Mr. Wentworth for the entire ride).

Brett established his nutrition regimen over the course of all these rides and seems to have worked it out very nicely. He certainly can drink more Hammer, Ensure and eat more GU than anyone I know. Maybe it was the occasional Coke chaser that made it all work?

So, after contemplating all of this, here is my summary of Brett’s run up to yesterday:

Drive, Training, and Organization are key elements for success on or off the bike. Lance and now Brett have given us all lessons on these points.

Here’s one for you Hilary – Nutrition is incredibly important. Brett had spent months experimenting what would and what would not keep him going on the epic rides.

The love and support of a wife is required. I am convinced that there is no way Brett could have succeeded in reaching his goal without Lisa. I don’t mean to sound sexist here – just writing within the context of Brett and Lisa.

The support of friends. I am talking specifically of Brett’s cycling friends – you all know who you are. You are the people who come for the GSW rides, who come for the pizza, the people who come for the Un-official annual White Mountain Century, and those who have, over the years, spent time talking trash with Brett about taking the next town line. In many ways Brett has made us – after all, who else taught us to take every hill and would laughingly take us on Wed night rides which he aptly named “Pain and Despair”? I am also content to believe that in some small way we have also made him.

As you can tell, the emotion of yesterday hasn’t quite worn off, and maybe it never will – which is not necessarily a bad thing.

540 miles, 32 Hours 16 Minutes - Brett You The MAN!!

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