Marble Falls graduate uses toughness, faith to grind through 2,000-mile bike ride

DANIEL CLIFTON • PICAYUNE EDITOR

PITTSFIELD, VT — When Spartan Race co-founder and CEO Joe DeSena challenged Isaiah Vidal of Marble Falls to bicycle from Austin to Vermont to compete in the race’s world championships Sept. 21, the 2011 Marble Falls High School graduate shook DeSena’s hand and accepted.

Never mind that Vidal didn’t own a bike capable of pedaling from Marble Falls to Austin, let alone to Vermont, or that until the day he embarked on his 2,000-plus mile journey the farthest he had ever cycled in one day was, maybe, 25 miles. Yet, neither of those or the countless other obstacles kept Vidal from taking on the challenge.

“When Joe said, ‘Why don’t you bicycle to it?,’ I think I first said, ‘You’re crazy,'” Vidal said. “There were a lot of reasons not to take it. I didn’t have the money. I didn’t have a bike. But Joe, he said he’d help sponsor me. And, I thought then, ‘Why not?'”

On Aug. 29, Vidal saddled up in Austin, pointed his Fuji (another sponsor) bike east on Texas 71 and began pedaling.

And pedaling. And pedaling.

“The first day was definitely the toughest,” Vidal said. “It was the toughest mentally, because I had never done anything like this before. You’re looking at 2,000 miles. That’s a lot of reasons not to go.”

But he went. At the end of the first day, he found himself in Katy, about 135 miles from where he started. Though many physical challenges lay ahead, putting that first day behind him as he went to sleep that night was among the toughest hurdles of the journey.

Vidal took up obstacle-course racing several years ago. These are races that incorporate distances of three miles to 15 miles (even longer) where competitors run and face numerous obstacles along the way. Over the years, Vidal tackled some of the toughest competitions, including the Spartan Beast and the Death Races. His abilities and dedication caught the eyes of DeSena.

“We believe that we inspire people with the Spartan Races. We know these change people’s lives,” he said. “But people also inspire us. Isaiah is one of those who has such an inspiring story. He’s just incredible.”

DeSena threw the challenge out to Vidal during the Spartan Beast in Monterrey, Calif., on Aug. 10.

“I love to challenge people,” DeSena said. “Isaiah was the perfect person to make this challenge to. He’s just that kind of person. He won’t quit.”

While Vidal might not have quit, he battled and pounded through the miles, some rougher than others. Vidal headed east for the Louisiana border and on across the Cajun state. At first, he rode on main highways similar to Texas 71. But after a few close calls with big trucks and other traffic hazards, he shifted to smaller byways.

“Imagine (RR) 1431,” he said. “Think about that three-quarters of the way. No shoulders, just enough room for me and any car coming by.”

Once in Alabama, he turned north where he would face the Appalachian Mountains. Nothing prepared him or his legs for climbing mountain after mountain.

“Those were brutal,” Vidal said. “Hills after hills, climbing and climbing. Sometimes I would just scream at myself. But I just pushed through and would grind through them. People wonder how somebody could sit on a bike for 12 hours, but you get lost in everything around you.

“All you do is focus on the road in front of you and never look behind you,” he said.

Along the way, Vidal enjoyed the grace and compassion of others. He didn’t have a crew supporting him. Instead, he depended on the kindness of strangers when his bike broke or he was caught in weather with no place for cover. Or he just needed a place to rest.

“So many people helped me and took care of me along the way,” he said.

Though Vidal pedaled mile after mile, he never felt alone. He knew friends, family and even strangers held him in their prayers. And that’s one of the reasons behind the incredible journey.

“My main goal was to prove the power of prayer,” Vidal said. “If you think about it, there is no way I should have made it, even out of Texas. I had never rode a bike for this distance. I didn’t have much money. But I had people praying for me. That’s how I made it. When I needed something, God answered. My faith was strong when I started, but this trip strengthened it even more.”

Sometimes God provided something as simple as a tractor where Vidal could seek shelter under during an Alabama rainstorm. Other times, it was a person offering to get him bicycle inner tubes after a series of flats.

“Those people praying for me helped me through those tough days,” he said.

Sixteen days after leaving Austin, Vidal pedaled into Pittsfield, Vt., on Sept. 14.

“There’s no way to explain how it felt getting here,” he said from a cabin in Pittsfield. However, his adventure isn’t over. On Sept. 21, he’ll compete in the Spartan Race World Championships. He’s aiming for a top 10 finish but really wants to make the podium. NBC Sports is covering the race and will air it Oct. 19.

Vidal isn’t sure how the 2,000-mile bike ride will effect his race. One thing for certain is if he can bike 2,000 miles through stifling heat, pounding rain and grinding mountains, Vidal has already faced the most daunting obstacles of his trip.

“For me, a lot of (the race) is mental,” he said. “I’ll rest up this week and then go.”

As for his return to Texas, Vidal plans on foregoing a return bicycle ride.

“Yeah, I’ll ship it home and take a plane,” he said with a laugh.

daniel@thepicayune.com