Furnace Creek 508
The Twentieth Race But Still Many Firsts
By Chris Kostman
The 20th edition of Furnace Creek 508, held October 21-23, 1995, was the latest in a long line of west coast RAAM qualifiers that have set many records and seen many stunning achievements in sports history and lore. And so it was that the latest incarnation of America's longest running, open to the public, ultra-marathon cycling race continues to set the standard for races, racers, and race promoters alike. Take into consideration the following FIRSTs achieved at this highly competitive and intriguing race:
- This was the FIRST time that Michael Bull Dog Secrest has been seen at an ultra-marathon event since his retirement in 1990. The original winner of the FIRST 508 (back in 1983 when it was known as the John Marino Open) and current transcontinental record holder flew out from his home in Scottsdale, AZ, as a guest of the organizer (that's me). He spoke at the banquet, then set the pace for the FIRST 20 miles of the race (nobody could keep up once the yellow flag went down at mile six). Eveyone in attendance was thrilled to meet the trailblazer in person. It was an honor to dedicate the race to him, the FIRST time this honor has been bestowed on anyone.
- This was the FIRST 508 that two time RAAM winner Pete Penseyres has participated in officially since that same FIRST race where Secrest won. Pete was back this time to participate, as a member of Bicycling Magazine's "dream team" with Ed Pavelka, Fred Matheny, and Skip Hamilton. The Peacock team would place fourth overall and set the FIRST 50+ team record for the course, a time of 23:07:58.
- John Hawk Marino, organizer of the FIRST RAAM and the FIRST 508 was on hand at the banquet, along with Michael Shermer, who, like Marino, was a competitor in the FIRST RAAM. Their families attended, too, a first for the Shermers and the first for the Marinos since 1985.
- This was the FIRST major sporting event in the world (ultra ocean swimming and target shooting notwithstanding) to be won overall by a woman, Seana Hoopoe Hogan. Seana beat the FIRST man, David Koala Kees, by one full hour, setting a new course record in the process.
- This was the FIRST UMCA event in which the UMCA Director, Nick Gnu Gerlich, not only was a major factor in the overall standings, but also received the FIRST and only time penalty of this race in the process. If you can't trust the Director, who can you trust??? (Just kidding.)
- This was the FIRST 508 wherein the (mens) leaders changed standings significantly in the last stretch. Hitting the last climb with 38 miles to go, Gerlich took the lead from Peter Penguin Pop, then lost it to a late-charging David Kees while he was serving out his 15 minute time penalty just 5.76 miles from the finish. In the end, Gerlich lost by 20 minutes, so the math suggests that Kees would have caught him, anyway. Still, it might have been the FIRST sprint finish...
- This was the FIRST 508 where racers duked it out all the way to the finish, and not just the potential winners as just mentioned. There was less than a 12 minute spread between 5th and 8th place at the finish. Reed Flamingo Finfrock was the unfortunate loser in this battle, dropping three places in the last few miles. An emergency bathroom stop and two flat tyres cost him, but he still managed to take FIRST in the Clydesdale Division for riders over 180 pounds (Finfrock weighed in at 210 at the start, and he's no fatty!)
- Tasmanian Devil Tandem pair Rick Hyena Heiss and Mike Mosley of Bakersfield, CA, became the FIRST men's tandem to finish the course, setting a course record of 31:14:05. Mosley plans to become the FIRST RAAMer to qualify on a tandem before doing RAAM solo.
- Gary Kudu Kliewer became the FIRST 508 finisher to train for the race almost exclusively with running (his longest bike ride in preparation was 102 miles, his longest ride ever). His post-race comment: "What a hoot! That was bizarre and fabulous!" He also had ultra running legends Marshal and Willette Ulrich on his crew. Marshal plans to become the FIRST to complete the Death Valley Cup by finishing both Badwater 146 and Furnace Creek 508 in 1996.
- This 508 will be the FIRST to receive feature coverage in Bicycling Magazine in ten years. Watch the February 1996 issue for the six page article, with a teaser on the cover saying "race through Death Valley and live to brag about it!"
- Team Bat and Team Pony were the FIRST women's teams to attempt the course, setting open (age 1 to 49) and master's (age 50 to 100) records of 27:31:10 and 41:59:48 respectively in the process. Bat included Lynette Ross, member of the Team RAAM mixed team record-setting Team Ideo/Fat City/Ringier, as well as top USCF/NORBA racer Beverly Anderson-Abbs, and Marlee Sondgeroth and Theresa Whalen, both of whom are two time Kern Wheelmen Team RAAM crew members. Pony included the world famous "Twin Team" of Angelika Castaneda and Barbara Warren, veterans of every ultra race of every kind the world round, except for RAAM. They will race Team RAAM in 96 with their 508 teammates Mary Ann Buxton and Cherie Gruenfeld, also both top Ironman triathletes.
- Team Porpoise became the FIRST mixed team (two men, two women) to complete the course, setting a new record of 29:54:40.
- With all this talk of new records, it's worth noting that this was the FIRST 508 to have screaming tailwinds for a significant portion of the course, essentially from mile 325 to mile 482. This, along with the close race among the men and Seana, made for unbelievable splits, the likes of which have never been seen during any of the ten previous races on this course.
- This 508 was the FIRST bicycle race in the world (and one through Death Valley, no less) in which FIRST place solo riders received snowshoes, supplied by Atlas Snowshoe Company of San Francisco, CA. Unlikely rewards for an unlikely race! Also, the FIRST teams (men's, women's, and mixed) received Hi-Tec hiking boots for their efforts.
- Team PacifiCare Armadillo riders Steve Horne and Will Klein became the FIRST three time team 508 finishers. Becoming three time solo 508 finishers were Reed Flamingo Finfrock and Rick Anteater Adolph, the second and third riders to earn that distinction.
Furnace Creek 508 Race Results, October 21-23, 1995
Women:
1. Seana "Hoopoe" Hogan, San Jose, CA, 36 28:46:34*
2. Marie "Hornet" Handrahan, 43, Mesa, AZ 45:28:08
3. Sheherezade "Albatross" Adams, Oakland, CA, 22 DNF
*Denotes New Course Record!!!
Men:
1. David "Koala" Kees, San Jose, CA, 40 29:47:30*
2. Nick "Gnu" Gerlich, Canyon, TX, 36 30:07:40
3. Peter "Penguin" Pop, Malibu, CA, 46 30:24:45, RQ
4. Andrew "Blowfish" Bohannon, Sunnyvale, CA, 23 31:50:30, RQ
5. Adrian "Hog" Harris, Tinton Falls, NJ, 35 33:10:32
6. Trent "Lobster" Lockert, Edmonton, Alb, Canada, 29 33:15:40
7. Dana "Brittle Star" Bradshaw, Tahoe City, CA, 32 33:21:20, RQ
8. Reed "Flamingo" Finfrock, Lindsay, CA, 49 33:22:15
9. Larry "Vicuna" Von Kuster, Bellevue, OH, 46 33:57:41, RQ
10.Rick "Anteater" Adolf, Sunnyvale, CA, 36 34:01:35, RQ
11.Michael "Whale" Wilson, Saratoga, CA, 50 (1st 50+) 34:18:07, RQ
12.Bill "Antelope" Albers, Yucca Valley, CA, 28 35:15:11
13.Willy "Zebra" Zuber, Pfaffikon, Swit, 55 (2nd 50+) 39:15:40
14.Charlie "Waterbuck" Wilson, Santee, CA, 35 39:30:15
15.Kevin "Wolverine" Walsh, Lancaster, CA, 38 39:44:44
16.Charlie "Lizard" Liskey, Somis, CA, 39 40:00:48
17.Paul "Flying Squirrel" Fabish, San Diego, CA, 36 40:31:03
18.Bill "Puma" Peschka, Chandler, AZ, 46 42:02:13
19.William "Bull" Brown, Tucson, AZ, 36 43:25:15
20.Scott "Turtle" Townley, Fullerton, CA, 33 44:30:02
21.Gary "Kudu" Kliewer, Fort Morgan, CO, 41 47:16:57
22.Don "Nightingale" Norwood, Los Gatos, CA, 38 47:52:47
"RQ" = New RAAM Qualifier
Did Not Finish:
Paul "Elephant" Evans, Montebello, VA, 43 DNF
Rick "Amoeba" Anderson, Woodside, CA, 42 DNF
Kurt "Roadrunner" Rieder, Oberwichtrach, Switzerl, 33 DNF
Hugh "Mad Dog" Murphy, Hacienda Heights, CA, 47 DNF
Jeff "Brown Bear" Bell, San Francisco, CA, 36 DNF
Charlie "Mandrill" Miller, San Francisco, CA, 34 DNF
Ron "Sparrow" Shepston, Fountain Valley, CA, 48 DNF
Richard "Nuthatch" Nelson, Loma Linda, CA, 48 DNF
Erik "Newt" Nordenson, Concord, MA, 55 DNF
James "Woodpecker" Watrous, Riverside, CA, 56 DNF
Tom "Dinosaur" Davies, Paradise, CA, 51 DNF
Scott "Sawfish" Scheff, Tucson, AZ, 21 DNF
*Denotes New Course Record!!!
Men's Tandem:
1. Tasmanian Devil Tandem:
Rick Heiss, 38, and Mike Mosley, 41, Bakersfield, CA 31:14:05*
(Mosley qualified for RAAM)
*Denotes New Course Record!!!
Four Women Relay Teams:
1. TS Technical "Bat," AZ and CA 27:31:10*
(Marlee Sondgeroth, Theresa Whalen, Lynette Ross, Beverley Anderson-Abbs)
2. Twin Team "Pony," CA 41:59:48*
(1st 50+ team: Barbara Warren, Angelika Castaneda, Mary Ann Buxton, Cherie Gruenfeld)
*Denotes New Course Record!!!
Four Rider Mixed Relay Teams: (two men, two women)
1. "Porpoise," CA 29:54:40*
(Thomas Fennel, Rosemary Stone, Robert Stone, Teresa Scarborough)
*Denotes New Course Record!!!
Four Man Relay Teams:
1. Action Sports "Buffalo," Bakersfield, CA 21:47:12*
(Kerry Ryan, Dave Wiggins, Tim LaFromboise, Pat Tafoya)
2. Charles Polo "Weasel," Southern Cal 22:17:20
(John Williams, Mike Morrill, Dave McComos, David Isaacs)
3. PacifiCare "Armadillo," San Antonio, TX 22:32:05
(Michael Olstad, Will Klein, Steve Horne, Stuart Green)
4. Bicycling Magazine "Peacock," CA, PA, and CO 23:07:58*
(1st 50+ team: Ed Pavelka, Fred Matheny, Pete Penseyres, Skip Hamilton)
5. SCOR/Whittier Flyers "Whippet," Southern Cal 27:51:00
(Bob McRae, Larry Mahrenholtz, Jerry Wildermuth, Nick Bement)
6. "Jellyfish," Southern Cal DNF
(Brian Stark, Jim Gerpheide, Stan King, Jeff Sale)
*Denotes New Course Record!!!