Lessons learned:
- You can't quit ever, its too easy
- Don't have a nice comfortable car waiting for you at stop 4
- Stop thinking (well, I don't think I learned this one)
Long story...
Start to Check point 1
This was a fairly easy trek of 11 or so miles. I was going at a pretty steady but slow pace to make sure that I didn't start too fast. Lots of flat tires and mechanicals. Must of been 3 broken chains in the first five miles. Got to checkpoint one at 7:52am. Right on plan. Stopped for a minute to get some water and then off I went.
Check point 1 to Check point 2
The next checkpoint was at 31 miles so I knew I just had to take it easy. A good portion of the beginning was road even though about 1/2 was uphill before we went to the singletrack up Lynn. Ouch, not having pre-rode the course I didn't realize how steep it was. Walked alot of it and towards the top I got a really bad cramp in both hamstrings. GREAT! All I need this early (17 miles) into the race. Started popping endurolytes like candy and taking it real easy and managed to make them disappear. The wolf down hill was pretty fun although not worth the climb up Lynn. The rest of the way was road to #2. At 2 I refilled my sustained energy bottle got some water and took off again. It was 10:30am and I was 30 minutes ahead of schedule.
Check point 2 to Check point 3
This was the Hanky climb that I was not looking forward to. Luckily the climb that we rode before was not that difficult and I did rather well, what I didn't expect is how much was left to the top once we took the right. Walked a good bit of it and started noticing my knee was hurting pretty good. Popped some advil at the top to see if it would go away. The downhill after Hanky was a blast especially towards the bottom. The top was pretty beat up from the number of bikes and didn't have much room for error. Drifted in to 3 at around 1:30pm, still 30 minutes ahead of schedule.
Check point 3 to Check point 4
The road to the beginning of the Mountain House trail really pointed out how tired I was. I was having trouble putting any real power down on the road. I was also feeling the knee pretty good now even with the Advil. The Mountain House trail was a good 2 mile hike a bike. Besides a few places I walked most of it. The downhill into 4 was pretty sweet though. Pulled into 4 at 2:30pm, 30 minutes ahead of schedule.
The end...
Well I was going to quit at 4, but I managed to get ready and headed out to 5. Got about a mile on the road when I realized I just don't have the legs to make it to 5 and even if I did, I don't think I could drag my ass back. Not wanting to have another biker stuck at the most remote stop I decided to pack it in. I'm still good with that decision, but I wonder what would of happened if I went on. There were plenty of people that tired it after me looking much worse than I did, some made it to 5, I didn't see any make it to the end, but I have to suspect a few did.
Anyway, I got a good base for whatever I decide to do next year. To put it in context this was the longest I have ever been on a bike and the longest mountain bike ride I have ever done.
Route I did:
1 comment:
Congrats on your effort, Jim. And thanks for the recap. I'm sorry I didn't find you at the campsite on Saturday - tho' I think I may have seen you out driving part of the course. I was in the silver BMW parked in front of the MORE banner.
Decided to turn my DFL into a DNF about halfway through. I was in good humour about that decision at the time, but got progressively more and more bitter about it as the day passed. No one to blame but myself, of course.
Next year, for sure :)
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