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Post by dgaddis1 on May 17, 2009 7:58:18 GMT -5
Yesterday was awesome, but the morning was stressful.
Friday night Kris and I put up signs on the roads, which took way longer than expected. Then, the next morning on my way to Lick Fork I realized I had forgot all the maps at home. CRAP!! So I turned around, and hauled it back to the apartment and then back to Lick Fork. Had just enough time to get people stationed to direct the riders through Lick Fork, change clothes, safety meeting, and GO!!
I was slow on the run, no point in redlining myself already. Turn into the trail and I hear a very familiar sounding freewheel behind me, then Bill says "See, I said I was going to be riding your wheel today!" Horn was just wet enough to be kinda slippery. Made it around with no problems, then on to Wine. I booked it to Wine, when I pulled into the SAG I was averaging 12.9mph. My goal was to finish in under 6 hours, so I knew I'd need to average somewhere above 10.5mph. I dropped off a water bottle at the SAG and then hit the trail.
Hooked up with MD on Wine at the ravine. Finished wine, stopped just outside to Turkey to down a gel, then off I went. Finished Turkey and my average speed was down to 11.7mph - still good to make my goal. Still felt really good. Stopped at SAG 2 just long enough to refill a bottle and my pack, eat half a banana, and took two cookies to eat on the way.
On the way into Modoc MD pointed out a huge raincloud dumping water on Modoc. We got rained on for just a minute before we got into the woods, but then it stopped. But the damage was done.
Modoc was a mess! Very muddy, very slippery. I was getting tired at this point, so I took my time and kept it rubber side down. I walked all of the ditch/stream crossings. Nearly fell on the Bridge of Death.
Pop out of Modoc, my watch says 4hrs and 45mins and my average speed is down to 10.7mph. It's gonna be close!! I yell my number at the SAG volunteers and never slow down.
A bit of adreneline started kicking in at this point, because I knew I had to be quick to make my goal. I rode the roads as hard as I could (got rained on hard for about 15mins), hauled it down the last bit of gravel, and turned into the last piece of singletrack with only 6mins to go. I didn't think I was going to make it, but kept pushing.
Pop out of the trail, head through the campground. Two minutes to go. Kept going as hard as I could. Round a corner and I can see the turnoff that takes you to the finish, look at my watch, 1 minute to go! I shift up a gear stand up and crank as hard as I can. I started cramping a little finally. Fly down the hill, skid to a stop, hit the stop button on my stopwatch - and I made it! 5hrs, 59mins, and 28seconds. ;D I was stoked, and I was completely wiped out. I certainly left it all on the course, I don't think I could have finished any faster at my current fitness level. My computer showed a moving time of 5hrs 47mins, 63.79miles, an average speed of 11.0mph, and a top speed of 29.8mph.
Congrads to everyone that finished, and especially everyone that placed - good job! Nate from AJBW took top honors of the day on his cross bike, winning his class and being the first to finish with a time of 4hrs and 30mins - that's fast!!
If we do this race again, I think we should have a class just for cross bikes.
Again, a HUGE thank you to everyone that made this ride possible! The post ride food was awesome, the one SAG I stopped at was great, and thanks for pulling my slack when I showed up late that morning.
Results will be up later today. After I go to waffle house.
Friday night Kris and I put up signs on the roads, which took way longer than expected. Then, the next morning on my way to Lick Fork I realized I had forgot all the maps at home. CRAP!! So I turned around, and hauled it back to the apartment and then back to Lick Fork. Had just enough time to get people stationed to direct the riders through Lick Fork, change clothes, safety meeting, and GO!!
I was slow on the run, no point in redlining myself already. Turn into the trail and I hear a very familiar sounding freewheel behind me, then Bill says "See, I said I was going to be riding your wheel today!" Horn was just wet enough to be kinda slippery. Made it around with no problems, then on to Wine. I booked it to Wine, when I pulled into the SAG I was averaging 12.9mph. My goal was to finish in under 6 hours, so I knew I'd need to average somewhere above 10.5mph. I dropped off a water bottle at the SAG and then hit the trail.
Hooked up with MD on Wine at the ravine. Finished wine, stopped just outside to Turkey to down a gel, then off I went. Finished Turkey and my average speed was down to 11.7mph - still good to make my goal. Still felt really good. Stopped at SAG 2 just long enough to refill a bottle and my pack, eat half a banana, and took two cookies to eat on the way.
On the way into Modoc MD pointed out a huge raincloud dumping water on Modoc. We got rained on for just a minute before we got into the woods, but then it stopped. But the damage was done.
Modoc was a mess! Very muddy, very slippery. I was getting tired at this point, so I took my time and kept it rubber side down. I walked all of the ditch/stream crossings. Nearly fell on the Bridge of Death.
Pop out of Modoc, my watch says 4hrs and 45mins and my average speed is down to 10.7mph. It's gonna be close!! I yell my number at the SAG volunteers and never slow down.
A bit of adreneline started kicking in at this point, because I knew I had to be quick to make my goal. I rode the roads as hard as I could (got rained on hard for about 15mins), hauled it down the last bit of gravel, and turned into the last piece of singletrack with only 6mins to go. I didn't think I was going to make it, but kept pushing.
Pop out of the trail, head through the campground. Two minutes to go. Kept going as hard as I could. Round a corner and I can see the turnoff that takes you to the finish, look at my watch, 1 minute to go! I shift up a gear stand up and crank as hard as I can. I started cramping a little finally. Fly down the hill, skid to a stop, hit the stop button on my stopwatch - and I made it! 5hrs, 59mins, and 28seconds. ;D I was stoked, and I was completely wiped out. I certainly left it all on the course, I don't think I could have finished any faster at my current fitness level. My computer showed a moving time of 5hrs 47mins, 63.79miles, an average speed of 11.0mph, and a top speed of 29.8mph.
Congrads to everyone that finished, and especially everyone that placed - good job! Nate from AJBW took top honors of the day on his cross bike, winning his class and being the first to finish with a time of 4hrs and 30mins - that's fast!!
If we do this race again, I think we should have a class just for cross bikes.
Again, a HUGE thank you to everyone that made this ride possible! The post ride food was awesome, the one SAG I stopped at was great, and thanks for pulling my slack when I showed up late that morning.
Results will be up later today. After I go to waffle house.
