Local family provides Fort Scott hospitality

Martin Hudecek-Ashwill, Fort Scott Time Station Captain, and his son, Adam Ashwill, listen to Race Across America Competitor Aske Soby as he took a break at the RAAM time station at 21 N. Caldwell during the 2016 race last June. The Hudecek-Ashwill home is one of 54 time stations along the race route, which runs from Oceanside, Calif., to Annapolis, Md. Riders are expected to begin passing through Fort Scott Sunday evening and are expected to continue coming through throughout the week.

Tribune file photo

Once again, world-class marathon bicyclists will be passing through Fort Scott as the compete in the annual Race Across America (RAAM), which begins Tuesday in Oceanside. Calif. The race concludes in Annapolis, Md.

Fort Scott is one of 54 time stations on the route. The Hudecek-Ashwill family began manning the local time station, No. 30, in 2015, from their house at 21 N. Caldwell, showing riders, their teams and race officials some Fort Scott hospitality. Food, refreshments and other equipment is provided by local sponsors.

Typically, it takes between eight and 10 days for solo riders to complete the race and six to eight days for the best teams to finish. Competitors must obey all traffic laws but may be given time credits for undue delays such as dealing with an injury. Riders can also be assessed penalties, which must be served at one of two stations.

In preparation for the arrival of competitors — leaders are expected to begin arriving in Fort Scott on June 17, with the bulk expected to pass through between the 19th through the 21st — the Hudecek-Ashwills have prepared a press release.

“In June, over 250 cyclists will race through Fort Scott as part of the ‘world’s toughest bicycle race,’ an extraordinary athletic challenge testing racers to the utmost limits of their physical endurance, mental resilience and commitment to a cause. This is the 36th Anniversary of the Race Across America.

“Competitors in the 2017 Race Across America will hop on a bicycle and pedal, either solo or in a team effort, across the length of the American continent, over 3000 miles from Pacific to Atlantic, stopping to sleep only when necessary.

“Along the way, they will pass 55 Time Stations, spaced approximately 50 miles apart, where their crew must call Race HQ to report the rider’s or team’s arrival time and any other important news. Time Station 30 is at1,778.8 (miles with) 1,290.5 miles left.

“The Time Station in Fort Scott will be staffed with enthusiastic volunteers and provide a festival-like atmosphere for spectators of all ages and the traveling group of racers and crews as they pass through the community. The manned Time Station is … an Open House to all racers and crew. Race officials are invited to take their sleep at the Time Station (house) instead of spending money at a hotel or sleeping in their cars (which is the majority case). Last year we opened our house for the event and the racers and crew loved it. It is apparently the first time that the Race Across America actually had a house opened up to them.”

RAAM is different from most of the heavily-publicized races, such as the Tour de France. Most tours have stages with different types of races each day. RAAM is a single cross-country endurance race. Although riders can stop and rest, the clock does not, so they must plan accordingly. Solo riders must compete the coast-to-coast course in 12 days. Teams must compete the course in 9 days — they depart Oceanside on June 17. The best soloists typically arrive at the finish line in nine days, the best teams in six. They endure greatly varying conditions including desert, mountains, storms and extreme temperatures.

Riders from 23 nations will be competing this year, according to the Hudecek-Ashwills.

In their press release, the family stated, “The current solo record is held by Christoph Strasser from Austria, seven days, 15 hours and 56 minutes, which was set in 2014. The current team record was Team Allied Forces, an 8-man team) from the United Kingdom in five days, 3 hours, 45 minutes, in 2013.”

On the Web:

Live tracking of the competitors: trackleaders.com

RAAM website: www.raceacrossamerica.org

RAAM on Facebook: search for “RAAMraces”

RAAM on Twitter: @RAAMRaces

Time Station 30 on Facebook: search for “raamtimestation30”

Many competitors have their own Facebook pages as well.

Some information for this article was gathered from the RAAM website.

Race information

Starting line: Oceanside Pier, Oceanside, Calif.

Solo racers depart Tuesday, June 13.

Relay teams depart Saturday, June 17.

Finish line: City Dock, Annapolis, Md.

Route: 3,089 miles, with 170,000 feet of climbing.

Crosses 12 states, passes through 88 counties and 350 communities.

Format: Solo, 2-, 4- and 8-person relay teams.