Laramie Range Enduro, 11 July, 1999
Every race should be like this -- well, almost like this. Wake up an hour-and-a-half before race time. Eat your fill of bagels and honey. Top it off with a little OJ, and have part of a power bar to top off the tank. Then to get the engine really primed, pour in a double latte. Hop on your bike and roll down the street about 6 blocks to the start line. Push your way near the front and have the gun go off. God, I love racing in my hometown!
There is something about not having to travel to a race, and knowing the trails well. Other than the fact that I had two (2!) flats during this race, I had a great ride. I busted out of town with the lead group on the pavement (narrowly avoiding the wreck at 15th street) and hit the dirt in about 30th position. I was a little out of my league to be that far up, but what the hey, it was safer than being at the back of the pack. Hence, a number of people went by me heading up the first climb, but I did a pretty good job of staying in the mix. I rode the first climb at a pace just this side of vomiting, and then recovered well enough on the ensuing pavement and dirt road to handle the first section of single track well. After the first off-the-bike scramble through the rocks, I motored at a good pace through the double tracks of Vedauwoo -- at least until some the downhill sections. I had people go by me on some of the washed out, slippery (with gravel) downhills like I was standing still. None-the-less, I rolled into the second feed zone feeling good. I grabbed a fresh bottle of water and cytomax and headed for the Headquarters Trail climb. I made the summit in good shape and felt good until going down through Happy Jack. I rode my brakes so much I think I caused my flat by overheating the rim and increasing the pressure in my tire too much -- when I hopped off the bike and removed the wheel the rim was almost too hot to handle. I got bitten-up by mosquitoes something fierce, and then botched my CO2 inflator. I went at it with a pump and blew the tire off the rim! So I started all over and finally got it right. I think about a hundred people went by...
Well, I was now far enough back in the field that I was able to start passing people again on the climbs -- that's always good for one's ego. Up until this time, exiting the Happy Jack single track, I had not eaten anything -- I slurped down my first Cliff Shot. At the third aid station I took on only water and Cytomax. I quickly did my second Cliff Shot -- caffeine! I was ready to storm the big hike-a-bike hill, but found I now had a rear flat! I sat down and did the tire-change-thing, finished the hike and moved onto Pilot Hill. Starting the short climb up Pilot Hill is where I really started to feel comfortable (after 50 miles!?) and I must have passed 20 people in that last section. I stormed down Cactus Canyon -- probably the fastest I've ever ridden it (but still probably slower than you, the reader, would ride it). I picked-off three more people on the 1/2-mile of double track to the finish.
At 5 hr 37 min I was only 7 minutes over my goal, even with two flats. Based on my bike computers riding time (5hr 12min) I figure I lost about 20 minutes to the flats. I also believe that the flats sapped some of my rhythm and I could have crossed the line near 5hr 15min. But that's the way it goes... Now, if I could even descend with the skill/speed of the average sport racer, I bet I could have gotten this ride down to near 5 hours flat. I guess that's a goal for next year. But I'll have to be lucky to be as on with my form as I was this year.
Some Random Race Notes:RESULTS!
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