Live Racing Resuming – Sort of

The first MidAmerican Time Trial Series (MATTS) outdoor race of the season – ADB Season Finale: John Frasier Memorial 10 Mile, Maple Park, IL – back on Sunday, April 5, the fourth race of the season was also the first race cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I just received an email from the promoter that a substitute event called the “ABD TT Challenge” (15.79 km/9.81 mi) has been scheduled for Friday, June 25 and Saturday, June 26, in Kaneville, IL, a small village due west of Chicago.

Due to the restrictions on large gatherings still in effect, this event will utilize a Strava Segment Race as a replacement. Strava is a social network for runners and cyclists who record an activity using GPS data and share it with friends and followers. What this means is that we are still required to ride the segment, recording the ride with a GPS device, and then upload the result to Strava. The promoters will review all of the race results and declare winners and podium finishers in each age-group.

Social distancing should be observed in the parking lot and start area. The gap between competitor start times will be increased to 10 minutes, rather than the typical 30 seconds or one minute. There will be no officials/corner marshalls or clock on the course. You must start with one foot down. (The officials will be reviewing files to see if anyone is already cruising at 25 mph at the start.)

How this will all work out remains to be seen.