Goodluck on the race Soldog. Can’t wait for the full report
Give em hell and learn lots.
Hill Climb - Yes I now know just what a “Hill Climb” is. 5.3 miles of unrelenting pain… (The flat part is me tooling around the base area prior to the race.)
I finished it which was my main goal. I brought home no medals - in fact I placed 18th out of 18 in my age group. But I finished it and didn’t push the bike at all.
Doesn’t look like much on a topo map. The top is right around 11200 feet and yes the air is thin up there.
The start of one of the earlier flights of racers.
At the top.
The view from the top.
Some of the snow banks we rode between.
More of the story tomorrow. Gotta get ready to go to our dinner party/wine tasting now…
Soldog, good job, great photos, can’t wait to hear about the race. The home cook in me wants to know about the dinner and the wine as well!
I can’t believe you baited us like that. Couple pictures and a wait until tomorrow. Dude you’re cold!
[quote]soldog wrote:
Hill Climb - Yes I now know just what a “Hill Climb” is. 5.3 miles of unrelenting pain…
I finished it which was my main goal … and didn’t push the bike at all.[/quote]
Congratulations, Soldog. That is an impressive goal accomplished. Looking forward to hearing the details, the pictures already make a point about the elevation.
Great job. You went out and competed which is a big first step. Now you’ve lost your cherry, hopefully learned a few things, and you’ll know what to expect next time.
I must make note of the fact I never get no dinner/wine party after competing. Well, maybe a bologna sandwich and some MD20/20.
14 June 2008
EpicSingletrack.com Hill Climb Kickoff Official Results:
http://www.epicsingletrack.com/default.asp?page=/Results2008/Race1/M4EE.html
Race day started bright and early with a clear blue sky at a crisp 50 degree (f) temperature. I got up cooked myself some eggs & instant oatmeal, browsed the internet while eating, did my shoulder rehab exercises, packed some snacks and water, then hit the road before anyone else in the house stirred out of bed.
(This is not unusual in the summer time because this family is a bunch of night owls by nature. That is except for me, now that I am adapted to early rising for work.) I am stiff and sore this morning from the pseudo-lumber jack effort on Friday and still feeling somewhat drained despite eating 3800 calories on Friday. I weighed in at 181.6 lbs down from 182.4 Thursday morning.
The drive up to Winter Park was a pleasant 90 minute cruise out I-70 and then Rt 40 into the heart of the Rocky Mountains. No traffic to speak of and I kept the lead foot off the pedal since I was reasonably early.
Arrived at the parking area around 9:40 am, apparently one of the last to arrive (note to self: consider arriving earlier?). Unloaded the bike and cruised over to pick up my racer number (8014) and checked out the base area. Rode back to the car to get all my gear, sunscreen, water, snacks, helmet, gloves, and biking shoes and shed the sweats.
It is still a little nipplely but warming up nicely. While gearing up I conversed with the fellow in the car next to me as he warmed up. He had a nice little portable stand that the bike fit on and allowed him to pedal against resistance. He told me about a time trial race that happened two weeks ago in the Buffalo Creek area (where I ride a lot). This race was sponsored by Team Evergreen, a biking club based in the next town over from where I live.
I ride over to the start area after wishing my neighbor a good race. Warm up on a short hill adjacent to the start area while watching the bulk of the racers start off at 3 minute intervals.
Warm up is not promising, my quads are complaining and I’m huffing and puffing in next to no time. I’m also getting hungry after eating two Zone bars on the drive up. So I pull out another bar and eat it while talking to a member of Team Evergreen also watching the starts.
She tells me a little about the club and the group rides they do before the Sport Women’s group is up. Just a few more minutes and the Beginners groups are starting.
I’m not nervous or anxious at this point just patiently waiting for the joint start of the 40-44 and 45-49 age group. Hanging out listening to the chatter around me and joking a little with some of the guys.
I position my self in the middle off the pack for the start and remind myself to not get caught up in the initial fast start. Well the start was still fast until we hit the first steep part just a few hundred feet down the road. My quads start burning and I start huffing and puffing, my heart rate spikes into the 160’s and I know I need to slow the pace. Down shifting along with everyone else, my chain jumps off the gears and locks up the bike. Damnit, I jump off the bike while the rest of the group passes by.
Pulling the chain out is a moment’s work and I feel the benefit of the brief rest as I start up again. I catch up to the group and settle in at a slower pace. We hit another steeper section and once again my chain jumps in spite of my being careful to not over shift. Another short break while I fix the jammed chain. Now I thinking that maybe I should just stay in first gear so that this doesn’t happen again.
Less than a mile of course has passed at this point and all ready some of the next group, over 50 and 18 and under, are passing me. I finally remember to start pulling on the up stroke. That is why I have these biking shoes that latch into the pedals.
My heart rate is now running 150 to 160 and I’m wondering if I can keep this up for another 4 miles. Now my hams and glutes are sharing the burn as the hill keeps going up. A brief level section and I risk up shifting momentarily, shouldn’t have done that as the chain, predictably, jumps again.
Now some of the beginner women are catching up to me. My goal is to keep moving because that is what I’m here to do. Feet, legs and butt are almost completely numb now from being in the saddle and putting forth near max effort.
Along about 2.5 miles into the race, I stop the bike briefly to drink a bit from my hydro-pack and comment back and forth with the women passing me that, yes, this is what we do for fun! The racers who have finished are returning down the mountain and mostly offering encouragement to those of us still struggling up the hill.
The course is now a combination of dusty road surrounded by snow banks on either side, an interesting combination on the 14th of June. I settle into the grind in first gear moving along at 3 to 4 miles per hour, still keeping my heart race in the 150’s and gasping for air. It now occurs to me that I’m still recovering from all those years of smoking, even though I wasn’t a heavy smoker, I did smoke for the better part of 30 years (I quit cold turkey the end of January, 2007).
The remainder of the race is more of the same. Except that twice is successfully up-shift and down-shift on the flatter parts of the mountain. I find that I need to baby it by down-shifting before the steep part when less stress is on the chain.
My thoughts throughout the second half of the race are of the last 20 years of slothful existence and how that now I’m more alive and aware than any point during those two decades. These races will continue in spite of the unspoken disapproval and disdain.
One more break on the steepest 500 yards at the very top, I’ve gotten dizzy and my vision started to grey out. I will not push the bike. I will complete this course. Back in the saddle, groaning up the last section, coughing crap out of the bottom of my lungs, I wobble in to the finish shoot and almost run over the finish line attendant while he attempts to scan the bar code on my number plate to officially record my time.
Time for some sips of water while the nausea subsides and my vision returns to normal, I think I’m hungry again but don’t want to eat just keep drinking little bits. Turn the bike computer off to get the summary of the ride, somewhere around an hour and seventeen minutes, average heart rate of 153 for the entire ride.
Take a few pictures from the top and on the way back down. My legs have stopped shaking and burning for now, still coughing up crap and probably will be for a few days. The wind is brisk up here and I’m getting chilled. It’s all downhill and cold in contrast to the ride up.
I’ve consumed and sweated out the better part of 2 liters of water in the last hour. By the time I get to the bottom twenty minutes later, my hands are white and numb, my legs are shaking again from standing on the pedals (the only way to survive the bumps at 20 mph) and I can barely keep the brakes on enough to make the switchbacks.
At the base area, all the racers are enjoying snacks and refreshments provided as part of the entry fee. Damn, they are also giving out free beer (2 per racer).
I stick around long enough to drink my beers and talk to some of the Team Evergreen racers. Might join, might not, I don’t know if it would be worth the $150 annual dues. I eat a banana and another Zone bar, drink some more water to recover from those beers.
Laugh at the unofficial results that place me 18th out of 18. Meet my parking lot neighbor and share a laugh about my finish. He asks if I staying around for the post race raffle, evidently they give away a bunch of stuff every race, maybe next time. The rest of the day is still going to be busy.
Oh, the official results on the web put me at 18th out of 19, (snort, snicker).
I’ve been there, but it is great to claw back.
[quote]j_willy3 wrote:
Soldog, good job, great photos, can’t wait to hear about the race. The home cook in me wants to know about the dinner and the wine as well![/quote]
And now for the post-race write up…
We’ve had a group of 5-6 couples doing a rotating dinner party wine tasting night for 12 years now. Last night the hosts held the tasting at a small family cabin in Pine Grove, Colorado. This cabin has no power or running water so the dinner fare was simpler than usual.
We started off with Fume and Riesling open tasting warmup wines. The fume was so-so and Reisling better than most. Neither was worthy of noting for future purchase.
The second round started the main part of the tasting where we pour the wine “blind” (wrapped up) so that we aren’t influenced by pervious knowledge of the winery’s. This round was Chardonnay served with a spinach/raspberry salad. Enjoyed 2 of the 3 wines but again nothing was really special.
Second round was mixed red varietals. A malbec, tempranillo and carmanera all very tasty and reasonablely priced. But I neglected to write down my favorite, I’ll have to get that name from the host. By the way, after my daytime exertions I’m flying fairly high by now. This round was served with a variety of breads and cheeses.
Last round was three pinots including a $45 bottle from DeLoach. Interestingly enough it lost to a cheaper $17 3-vin (hard to decipher the notes now). Grilled Salmon and asparagus completed the main course.
Got back home around midnight and immediately passed out for 8 hours. Got up with only a minor headache and a very tired body. I’m taking it easy for the rest of today.
Yesterday’s nutrition summary including my estimate of the evening’s consumption and post race eating before the party:
Fat - 38.8% (189 grams)
Protein - 22.6% (247 grams)
Carbohydrates - 25.4% (278 grams)
Alcohol - 13.2% (82 grams)
Other - 0.0%
Daily Sodium Intake - 3,769 mg
Daily Sugar Intake - 97 grams
Daily Cholesterol Intake - 1,292 mg
Daily Saturated Fat Intake - 66 grams
Daily Fiber Intake - 22 grams
Calories = 4,415
That’s an awesome first race story. Makes for an interesting campfire tail. Two thumbs up for sticking to the finish. It’s easy to think how you’ll do until you’re climbing a 17% grade with burning quads wondering wtf am I doing.
Greatest feeling in the world is when you finally cross the finish line and realize why you do it. Great job Soldog, when’s the next one Bro I can hardly wait.
[quote]streamline wrote:
when’s the next one Bro I can hardly wait.[/quote]
Thanks to everyone for the support! The next race is Sunday, June 29th:
http://www.epicsingletrack.com/default.asp?
page=racedes/race2des.html
This one is longer 15.7 miles and a total of 2670 feet climbing but not all at once like yesterday. I’ll be doing this one as long as work doesn’t take me out of state which is very possible.
Still going to be a while until the lungs get use to laboring at that elevation. You’re going to benefit ten fold at lower elevations but it will take extra effort. Having those races sure does help one to stay focused.
Those clubs work but if you can do it alone why not, unless you’re a social junkie. Anyways keep up the great training and have fun!!
So I lied about taking it easy today - I went out and dug up stumps with my son for a couple of hours this afternoon.
Intake is back on track today
Calories = 2,562
Fat - 57.1% (161 grams)
Protein - 30.4% (194 grams)
Carbohydrates - 12.5% (79 grams)
Alcohol - 0.0%
Other - 0.0%
Daily Sodium Intake - 3,211 mg
Daily Sugar Intake - 47 grams
Daily Cholesterol Intake - 1,061 mg
Daily Saturated Fat Intake - 57 grams
Daily Fiber Intake - 11 grams