What a race!
Finally, Canada/Ontario gets it's first 100mi. mtb race - so happy!
The numbers were pretty low, but I can only imagine that this will pick up in the years to come, as it was a great one, and one I feel everyone who likes to ride their bike for hours on end should definitely put on the calendar.
I am feeling good today, back to work, after a day of foggy thoughts and slow moving legs - legs were OK after, just a little slower as is to be expected. I went for a casual spin in Albion on the SS yesterday just to be sure the bits were still working before this coming weekend's Epic 8 Hr. at Mansfield, and I seem to be alive...whew...
The race: Sooooo great! The course was beautiful - in great shape - lots of flowy singletrack, and some healthy climbs, with a good bit of hike-a-bike as well - everything you could want in 100mi. and more.
The weather was pretty perfect - shorts and a jersey - a little rain, but it went unnoticed really - in the afternoon, there were times when it was a bit hot with the sunshine, but I was soooooooo not going to complain about the sun after the weeks we had been having!
The gun went off, and the 80K and 160K riders all started together - still a pretty small crowd, but comfortable. The start was not a hammer fest, which I appreciated - guess we all knew we were in for the long haul. I had decided to ride my own race, as there were only 4 women entered, one particularly big gun from south of the border ;) , and I just wanted to see how I was doing this early in the season. That being said, and although I promised myself I wouldn't chase, my HR was at 100%, and no lower than 91%, for the first 20 mins. - eek!
I kept her in site for the first 80K, and was feeling pretty great. Somewhere around 100K, where my fork lost all juice and things became a little sketchy, I kinda hit a wall I could not get over. I pulled myself over it, then back under it, then over it, then under it again, and finally got pretty slow until the last 20K when I just wanted to get home!
I think I fueled OK, but in hind site - not enough. Total: about 12 scoops perpetuem ; 1 stinger chews; 1 stinger waffle; 5 gels; 3/4 pb and raw honey sandwich; 1 stinger choc. mint probar. Hmmmm - out for 10 hrs. 50 mins.....hmmm...OK, but not quite. Total cal = somewhere around 3000. Cals burned...bout 9000 or so - so 25-30% intake and I guess that's OK, but more cals may have made things go a little easier. At least I didn't get gut rot...but I did use Advil - something I reserve for only when absolutely necessary - it was necessary...oh well; it helped :)
Anyhoo - finished up 2nd woman overall - behind by 50 mins. - I feel good about this given how tough she is, and how long the race was. I was also 7th overall which kinda stokes me - not bad for an old girl ;) I feel good about this one, but there is a lot of training still to be done before Solstice, and then Leadville. We'll see how this Sat. shapes up at the 8 hr., and then I can refocus on what needs to be changed or mixed up for the next one! Woot Woot! It's gonna be a great summer!
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