Having
started last year’s race, my first ever ultra-type endurance event, super-hot
and hard, not so surprisingly I soon bonked with 2+ hours of racing to go
falling from near the front to what felt like DFL but was surprisingly only 36th,
though truly powerless to anyone who came upon me. Through sheer will and
stubbornness did I finish that race alone. I survived, and that was enough. My
preparation this year however, focused around nutrition and race pacing were
much improved and made for the long haul. 2 camelbaks, bottles of Skratch,
pockets full of Breeze Bars and some EFS liquid shot flasks for an extra
calorie kick.
Dave
Weins and team really have the event dialed, from course maps, to trail
markings, aid stations and race bag drop offs, bringing your lap 2 essentials
to the pit area and volunteers awaiting your return through the pit area make
what can be a hectic transition, a relief. A major feat for a race that spans
32 miles.
From
the literal gun, my plan was to move to the front and hang just off the back
letting the real crazies and strong men go out hard, knowing many would pop
along the way. Through the first long double track climb before we popped into
Josho’s singletrack bliss, I was comfortably riding in the top 8 riders, a bit
surprised and a bit relieved to feel that fast while keeping the power and hear
rate well below threshold. While the front group of 4 riders, with eventual
race winner Kalan Biesel, charged hard up Skyline and Bambi’s, and eventually
out of sight by the time we climbed out of Skull Valley, I had settled into a
solid group of 5, riding great tempo, hard but sustainable. We traded leads
over the next few hours, no one ever getting too much room, nor dropping too
far off the pace. It made for some really great and inspired racing, something
I was grateful for in such a long race, where your exposed to the elements and
can easily get lost in your own slow pedaling painful world.
Heading
into Skull Valley for take two, endurance king Josh Tostado, provided some
spectators and those walking down an insanely tech section a good show but no
look riding it all with ease. Though I’m discounting him for being in baggies.
I caught his wheel on the climb back out of Skull but, unfortunately for him,
he broke his chain, fortunately in sight of the party/ aid station at the top
(he later only finished a few minutes back, an impressive feat). For my
efforts, I happily grabbed two pieces of bacon at the top, relished their
crunch, fat and saltiness through the next few super fun descents and tried to
hold it together through the finish, realizing I was poised for a top 10.
But
while I’d done everything possible to drink and eat well through the day, it
remained a challenge and I knew I was under my desired caloric intake,
something that will make itself pretty well known on a 4000 kj day with a hot
sun, no shade and hard racing. In particular, the environment that make the
trails in Gunnison so unique also make it really hard to stay on top of
nutrition. Your either flying down fast, super fun descents, flowing and
carving through sage, or you’re getting worked by technical terrain, either
making it very hard to eat and drink. Sure enough, the cramps they came a
calling. I’d sucked my water dry, and was lucky to quickly come upon an aid
station with mini coke’s, pre-opened on hand. Nectar of the gods that sweet
caramel substance it was, as within seconds life came back and I charged hard
to regain to spots that I had to give up. Back on the train I reached the final
climb with some trepidation, sharp and rocky with bumps that ate any chance of
rhythm, punchy grades and exposure through the top mark everything a rider
doesn’t want for the last 2 miles of a 60+ mile affair. Yet they are make or
break, and in my case, ultimately race defining. Racing though quickly turned
to surviving, as we made our way through, any move that required a heavy dose
of power was met with a full on cramp of the quads. Fortunately, I was
alternating, and was even able to pedal one legged through one section. A gap
formed and I was unhitched through the last piece of trail before the final
descent down collar bone alley. At the last tiny hairpin climb I had to
literally jump off the bike and keep running, feeling the breath of a chasing
rider behind me. Holding him off I rolled in with relief, and real
satisfaction, finishing 11th in 5 hrs 36 minutes.
Looking at the race file, this season with great data from the Stages power meter, I’m
even more happy with the performance. With a trend line across heart rate and
power, you can really see how fairly consistent my effort was through the day –
something I was really focused on maintaining. Not having gone into the red
zone early, enabled me to dose out the efforts required, consistently and
reliably, again of particular importance given the type of terrain at the
Growler, short but repeated climbs and tech sections. Though some drag occurred and while I suffered at
the end, in general I spent the race in a really great mental and physical
state, which is like you know, really awesome, because this is all for fun and
the love of sport, right?!
Best
of all I headed up to Crested Butte, my special happy place, post-race for a
dip in the creek, a Mike Mexicali burrito from Teocali, celebration beers with
friends later that night at the Secret Stash, and another epic the following
morning, ascending 12,958 foot Purple Mountain for 3,000 feet of exceptional
spring skiing.
#CANTSTOPWONTSTOP
