On the 11th of June, at 1 p.m. pacific standard time in the Oceanside, California, our athlete, Gerald Bauer, began the race. The weather was cloudy, but it played into the hands of athletes – it is very hard to ride under a blazing sun. In order not to put obstacles to each other, athletes started racing with 1 minute intervals. Each athlete was accompanied by a pace car.
Several hundred kilometers of the race run through deserts of California and Arizona. Athletes try to race this section of the route at night, when the air is not too hot. Because of this the first stop for sleep and recovery will take place only in 35-36 hours after the start. By this time athletes are estimated to be in Flagstaff, Arizona.
During the first section of the race pace cars are not allowed to accompany athletes – we passed the route by parallel road. By evening we received news from the main group: a little accident occurred on the road - Gerald Bauer was slightly injured by a passing car. Fortunately, he received a bruise only and was ready to continue racing. Now he rides inside the top ten. This year the weather is against athletes. Usually the wind in desert blows from the ocean, and in this case it will be favorable for athletes, but today the wind is contrary. It does not bring coolness and impedes the movement, blowing off the moisture and increasing the risk of dehydration.
Now we are somewhere between Salome, California and Congress, Arizona. We overtake some athletes, then overtake Gerald, and after several kilometers we stop to wait him. It is 7 a.m. but the temperature in the desert is over +30 degrees. In several minutes Gerald reaches us. He receives a cup of special drink, containing necessary salts, vitamin, glucose, and continue racing without stopping.
It is not allowed to follow the athlete, and we decided to supervise Gerald in the following way: overtake, wait, talk to him for a few seconds, and repeat these actions over and over again. The first long stop takes place only at 2 a.m. eastern standard time on the 13th of June. Only during this stop we will carry out the first MULTISPECTRUM-HYPOXI training from the race start.