HARLINGEN — Edward Robinson saw the countryside of France in August, by bicycle and in 88 hours.

Robinson, 43, an attorney in Harlingen and a San Benito resident is a randonneur — a long-distance cyclist — who completed the 1,200-kilometer race from Paris to Brest and back to Paris.

The race began at the southwestern side of Paris and covers 600 kilometers to the port city of Brest on the Atlantic Ocean and returns along the same route.

It was the first time Robinson participated in the cycling event, which is held every four years.

Since the race is focused on long-distance endurance, Robinson said cyclists don’t compete against each other for the best time.

“You’re working against the clock to make the distance within a time limit,” Robinson said. “The camaraderie among the cyclists is great.”

In addition to the overall 90-hour time limit, cyclists must pass through controles, or checkpoints, by certain times.

Robinson said he received a total of two hours of sleep during the race, because the weather conditions were troublesome.

“It was difficult because it was cold and raining, so completing the race felt like quite an accomplishment,” Robinson said.

Robinson became interested in long-distance cycling in 1995 and had to qualify through three different long-distance races, or brevets, before making it to the Paris-Brest-Paris.

“It was a life experience,” Robinson said. “If you are ever going to go for the kilometer this is the one to do.”While cycling, Robinson said he experienced personal highs and lows, but tried to remain positive through it all.

At one point, Robinson said he was close to having an accident because he almost fell asleep while cycling.

Robinson decided to stop when he found a restaurant in a nearby village and asked the owner if he could rest inside.

“A moment later he appeared with a mat and a rolled up blanket and set it up inside the restaurant,” Robinson said. “We made plans that he would wake me up in 20 minutes and sure enough, he did.”

After giving the owner a card with his contact information and a pin from the Dallas Randonneurs USA, the owner showed his gratitude by giving Robinson a great “bear hug.”

“The event is not just about the riding, but the people you encounter on the road,” Robinson said, “particularly the villages where people come out and show support.”

Now that Robinson has returned to the Rio Grande Valley, he is prepared to raise awareness about the sport of long-distance cycling and Randonneurs USA to residents here.

The National Club of the RANDONNEURS USA recently named Robinson the Regional Brevet Administrator for South Texas.

The organization oversees and coordinates the randonnees of regional brevets.

“If anyone is interested, I encourage them to contact me,” Robinson said.

Robinson said he is authorized to hold two events, 200 and 500 kilometer rides, within the next year.

While reaching out to residents, Robinson said he hopes people will turn up and appreciate the sport of cycling, especially since the Rio Grande Valley, particularly Brownsville, has landscapes that encourage cyclists, Robinson said.

“I love the sport of cycling, and there’s definitely a sense of accomplishment when you roll up to a finish line after completing 235 miles,” Robinson said.

GET INVOLVED

Edward Robinson invites local athletes to try long-distance cycling. Robinson was recently named the Regional Brevet Administrator for South Texas by RANDONNEURS USA, the organization that oversees and coordinates randonnees of regional brevets, or qualifying races.

For more information about the sport, contact Robinson at rgvandon@gmail.com, or visit the national club’s Web site at www.rusa.org.