Epic Day for Pysher, Pineda, Somers and Spencer at Dirty Kanza

Rick Pysher took 3rd place overall in the 100 mile version dubbed the Half Pint with a time of 7:11:59, within seconds of local legend Bob Schloegel and Mark Schloegel.  Brett Spencer was close behind in 14th place.

Meanwhile, Pineda and company savored the full 200 mile gravel experience. According to Edd, it was a good day. The temperature was a perfect high of 74 with a pesky wind. The first 50 miles went by in less than 3 hours with a tail wind. Edd was riding with Phil Quann from MAPL but lost him at mile 83 (he dropped out at the 100 mile checkpoint due to injury). The last 120 miles Edd rode solo. Stage 3 he knew would be the hardest stage with or without Phil. It was a head or cross wind most of the stage. Mile 120 was memorable as Edd seriously thought "55 more miles of head and/or cross wind…can I make it?"  That lasted for about 10 miles before Edd set himself straight again. "Beginning about mile 140 I obsessed about fruit for the next 10 miles. At the third checkpoint, I got strawberries (thank you Philips Family) and my secret weapon (a Coke). Stage 4 started out the same as most of the third stage with head and cross wind. I kept looking forward to mile 175 when I would turn away from the wind for the last time. Mile 175 was a good milestone since I knew at that point that I would make it. I beat last years’ time by 2 hours and 3 minutes,  placed 132nd overall (out of 638 starters and 331 finishers for the 200 mile race) and  finished 49th in my AG in a time of 16:06:43.  The only flat (pinch on the front) I had was at the start of my finishing sprint  a few hundred yards from the finish (finished that sprint like it never happened)."  Mike Somers eyeballed the finish line throughout and ended up with a stellar 28th place in his age group.