Julie Gazmararian rides 401.9 miles, wins Bike Sebring 24 Hour Race, and qualifies for the Race Across America!

Sebring Report by Sorella-fella Drew Marlar

We drove just about as south as we could but didn't get much of a break
in the cold conditions we've all been riding in this February.  We left
Decatur at the crack of dawn but still felt rushed to get everything
together and in bed at a decent hour in Sebring.  It was 30 degrees at
the starting line and we were hoping for a quick warm up with light
winds.  We rode through a few orange groves that were covered in ice
before we got to the turn around point and headed back towards the
track.  Jamie was on the course for us with our supplies and the Sorella
Team made an impressive site as they flew down the course in perfect
formation.  It did warm up a bit as we got to the first transition area
but that came at a price of 20-25 mph winds out the north.  We didn't
notice how strong it was until we got on the 11 mile loop and battled it
straight on for the next 6 hours.

We transitioned onto the track around 6PM and our support crew got
organized in the pit area for a long night.  They jumped into action and
attended to our every need (except for our continued requests for a new
pair of legs).  Julie, Neil and I all stopped at the same time once and
Paul was juggling sandwiches, hot tea and batteries to get us back on
the bike in record time.

Julie maintained an incredible pace on the track as Paul kept track of
her progress.  The winds let up around 11PM which made a couple sections
of the track a little easier.  I looked up at the sky around 3AM and
light clouds started to roll in and the winds started back up again.
There was only a 20% chance of rain so we were not that worried.  It was
pretty tough to stay warm on the track so we minimized our stops in the
pit area and Paul fed us soup and hot tea.  At 5AM it started to rain
and we got pretty soaked.  We scrambled around for rain jackets and Rob
helped keep me on the track with a few encouraging words.

Julie passed me on the middle of the track at 5:45AM and she said she
had 4 more laps (3.7 miles each) to make her RAAM qualifier.  It was
going to be a close call but she looked determined.  She was holding a
tight aero position and her pace was strong.  The rain slowed down to a
sprinkle.  We kept on riding but the track was slippery and the wind was
getting stronger.  I rolled in after my last lap at 6:20AM and checked
with Paul.  He said that Julie had picked up her pace and she was going
to make her qualifying time with about 5 minutes to spare.  Julie came
in at 6:25AM with a huge smile.  Paul and the kids ran up and hugged
her.  We all cheered and cried tears of joy.  It was a beautiful finish
to a tough night.

Rob shuttled us back to the hotel for a quick shower and warm clothes
and then back to the track for the awards ceremony.  The crowd roared as
Julie accepted her earned medal and her place in ultra cycling history.
We hobbled around and congratulated each other on a tough ride.

Congratulations Julie!  You are an inspiration to us all.

Additional Notes by Aimee Murphy:

In addition to Julie's outstanding performance, eight other Sorellas competed at Sebring, each setting personal records.

24-Hour competitors

• Mallie Dein rode 178.2 miles. Previously, her longest ride to date was 100 miles. Mallie is also new to road biking. Amazing!
• Leslie Shapiro logged 257.7 miles, riding side-by-side with her boyfriend Ken. They both set personal records and kept smiling the entire time.

12-Hour competitors

• Linda Demma, Julia Bryant, and Aimee Murphy worked together as a team for 12 hours and learned how to "dig deep" (thanks Johnny) to exceeded their goal of 200 miles, for a total of 203.5.
• Alison Knight and Lori Balistreri raced very strong, finishing with 173.5 miles. This was Lori's first 12 hour event and their final mileage was a personal best for both of them.
• Kathy Masters handily exceeded her original goal of 150 miles, by riding solidly for 161.5 miles. She's already plotting out her return next year.

Additional shout-outs to Sorella Fellas:

• Rob "Bear" Murphy for his steady wheel and his leg-saving pulls during the first 100 miles. The Sorella Train could not have finished the century as fast as we did without you. Thanks also for your tireless support and encouragement. You are the reason I met my goal.
• Mike Masters for a great wheel to follow and for sheltering us from the wind during the most gusty, nasty sections of the ride. Mike went out on a few extra 12-mile laps and took some difficult pulls to ensure the 200-mile gals met their mark.
• Johnny Garner for constant encouragement, contagious energy, and a strong wheel that helped us meet our goal. It was a pleasure to have you with us all day. Amazing for a guy who hadn't been on his road bike since late summer. Dig deep!!
• Mick Poncsak from Ohio, our newest Sorella Fella. Mick joined our pace line early in the day and stayed with us until the bitter end. His 27mph pulls along Kenilworth Blvd were legendary - he was everyone's favorite wheel on the 12-mile loop.
• Paul Foster, Issac and Alex (last but not least!) for helping Julie soar to new heights. We're so proud of your entire family!!!