Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
PRESTON, Idaho — Over 1,500 cyclists will pedal their way through east Idaho in a 203 mile race, spanning three states this weekend.
The 41st annual LoToJa Classic will take place on Sept. 9, starting in Logan, Utah, and ending in Jackson, Wyoming. As first time racers bike through Utah, to Idaho then to Wyoming, they'll learn they have strength they didn't know they had.
"To ride that entire race and come across the finish line right underneath the Grand Teton, it's a life changer," event spokesman David Bern said. "Especially for folks who don't think that they can make it and they do make it."
One person whose life has been changed by racing in the LoToJa Classic is Ace Call, a man from Pocatello who has now competed for a whole decade. Call has finished seven shorter relay events at LoToJa and three full events.
Call races alongside 10 members of his family, so, "it's a great family reunion for us," he said. It all started with his uncle-in-law who has participated for 38 years. Over time, more of his family joined him.
Call said the way he trained on his bike changed once he took up racing in LotoJa.
"I went from being a pretty casual rider to being somebody who takes it very serious," Call said. Before, he would ride a couple of times a month. Now, he rides every day at 5 a.m.
Knowing he's finished the LoToJa multiple times in his life gives him more confidence to deal with the rest of his life.
"It's helped me in times where I've been up against a struggle at work or in my personal life," Call said. "I can do hard things and I know that I've done that before. I've completed something that's insane."
When bikers like Call come riding into Idaho, they'll be taking two separate routes before joining together.
The event is separated into a race and a ride, the race for licensed riders and the cyclosportive ride for unlicensed riders. Cyclists will depart Logan between 5:30 a.m. and 7:22 a.m. Racers and riders will stay on two separate routes initially in order to avoid congestion on the roads.
Most of the cyclists will be passing through Idaho between 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., according to Justin Smith, spokesman for the Idaho Transportation Department.
The racers will enter Idaho traveling up U.S. Highway 91 while the riders enter on South State Street, both bound for Preston where their routes will join together.
According to Corey Krantz, District 5 Traffic and Materials engineering manager, the only road that will be closed is U.S. Highway 36 in the eastbound direction. Traffic control will regulate the road in various places to allow the racers and riders through.
Call said his first year he competed in a relay, he was, "really nervous." He was able to finish his two legs of the race, but he didn't think there was any way he could do a full race. Then the second year, he took up three legs.
Over the years, he trained harder and built up his confidence until around his fifth year, he was competing in the full.
He still didn't think that it was possible, but as he started the race and moved forward, that changed.
"I realized that it absolutely was possible," Call said
