[By Mark Lundey, from the July 1, 1995 Capital Times. Connie Barnes is a long-time participant in the Wednesday night bike rides. Look for forthcoming reports of her participation, with local rider Bob Holloway, in this year's Paris-Brest ultramarathon, in August 1995. -Ed.]
Twenty years ago, Connie Barnes was literally dying of ovarian cancer. She was given five years to live.
Less than two weeks ago, Barnes was a record-setting champion in marathon bicycling.
Barnes set an age-group record in winning the women's overall title in the National 24-Hour Challenge Ultra Marathon Bicycling Championships June 16-17 in Byron Center, Mich. She did it by riding 403 miles-- 102 better than the previous record. That figures out to about 16.8 miles per hour. Recall how hot and humid it was around here; it was just as bad that weekend in west central Michigan.
"It was exhausting," said Barnes, 47, of rural Verona. "It's pretty grueling."
On a day when most people were complaining about the heat-- and doing as little as possible in order to stay cool-- Barnes was on her bike from 8 a.m. Saturday to 8 a.m. the following morning.
Why? The answer to that lies in part to Barnes' cancer diagnosis in 1975. After she had survived the maximum five years doctors had given her, Barnes decided to celebrate by challenging herself to a physical activity.
"I went out and swam something like two miles," Barnes said. "I thought that was really something."
Every five years after that, she challenged herself to something different. "Sort of like my challenge and celebration" of life and of beating the odds, she said.
She didn't seriously take up cycling until about seven years ago. And at that, she doesn't seem at all possessed of the obsession of some elite athletes. She takes one long ride per week (about 75 miles). The rest are much shorter rides (around 30 miles or less), with one day reserved for running.
Barnes works part-time on a grant for the HEART Project at the University of Wisconsin. She and her husband John also devote much of their time to transforming their rural Verona farm to a nature preserve.
"I focus a lot more on quality of riding as opposed to quantity." said Barnes. "Frankly, I don't have that much time."
That equates to fewer mues (and hours) on the bike and more hill and inteval work. Compare Barnes' training regimen to that of one champion cyclist whom Barnes said rides 22,000 miles per year!
Even when properly trained, there's a degree of strategy involved in a 24-hour cycle marathon. You just don't go out there expecting to pedal for a full calendar day without some advance planning.
Over 400 cyclists from around the country started the race in Byron Center (near Grand Rapids). Barnes' goal was to stay with the front of the pack as long as possible, hoping to capitalize on the drafting effect and at the same time saving effort. It obviously worked.
"When the sun was rising, I'll bet there were only 100 riders out there," she said.
Barnes beat the second-place finisher (also age 47) by 42 miles- The third-place women's winner, age 53, completed 355 miles. Barnes just missed the all-time women's distance record of 415 miles in 24 hours.
During the ride, Barnes drew strength from mental discipline; the power of positive thinking, even the simple joy of watching the moon rise.
"I tried to turn the ride into a meditation," she said. "Anytime thoughts came up of how much I might be hurting, I put them aside."
There was one male rider who provided a boost every time she passed him during the six-mile repeated loop during the night. He was whistling a different tune every time Barnes passed him.
The only time off the bike came at required checkpoints during the ride and for bathroom stops. Otherwise, it was one long day in the saddle.
It sort of tied in with 20 years ago," Barnes said.
The ultimate celebration.
On the men's side: Tim Gattenby of Madison finished 427 miles to place third overall. Greg Peters of Madison completed 409 miles to win the men's 18-24 age division. Mike Thompson of Madison did 361 miles and placed second in the 25-29 age division.
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