This guy and his helmet came must have been right in front of me
at the start. I go around him on the right after the crash.
Someone took a picture of me at the finish.
I purchased this image from Jamie Clifton.
Showing posts with label mohican 100. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mohican 100. Show all posts
Monday, June 10, 2013
Saturday, June 1, 2013
2013 Mohican 100 K Race Report
Yes, I signed up for the Mohican 100k race again this year. Last year's event was the first for me and I wanted to give it a go again this year. My short summary of last year is: "cramp-filled suffering but I made it and want to do it again". Would this year be any different?
Last night I put together my gear. The plan was to eat more frequently than last year and keep the hydration going. I made a schedule to plan what I would consume between each aid station and packed accordingly. The bike was prepped and gear ready to go.
I woke up at 5:50, five minutes before my alarm was set to go off, and was out the door at 6:08 with bike on the roof and gear in the trunk. Unlike last year I didn't see any other vehicles toting bikes and heading south on SR3. Arriving at Mohican Adventures I parked across the road from the finish line and went to pickup my race packet. It was about 6:35 as I geared up for the race. Last year I was feeling rushed about this time thinking I was going to be late to the start line. No worries this year, I knew it was less than 10 minutes of pedaling away and there was no need to be there too early.
Tim Bonifant and I rode to the start on the bike path. I lined up about two-thirds of the way back and only had to anxiously stand around for about five minutes. Breakfast happened on the way to the start, a banana and Espresso Love GU with half a bottle of water.
The race started and we rolled south through downtown Loudonville. Suddenly I heard some commotion and saw the mob of riders splitting left or right. I caught a glimpse of two riders down, one laying motionless with a messed up arm/shoulder and the other getting himself up. Ouch. That's not the start these guys were expecting.
We climbed the big hill out of town. This year I wore my heart rate monitor and paid close attention to it throughout the race. On the hill out of town I kept my HR around 170 and advanced some spots in doing so. A left turn onto a dirt road and we then entered some woods. The mud greeted us shortly. Though it's been very dry this spring and early summer, there was some consistent rain in the past 24 hours and the private property "trails" through the woods were pretty sloppy.
I knew it was about 5 miles of riding before we would enter the state park trails, and I remembered a couple little hills that would be walkers in the early crowded conditions. On the setup for one such hill I attempted a downshift on my 1x10 setup and felt something go very wrong. I looked down to see an outer plate sticking straight out to the left atop my single chain ring. Uh-oh.
I flipped my bike over alongside the drive we were on. Out came the handy dandy multi-tool that, thankfully, has a chain tool on it. I've never had to fix a chain on the trail but certainly knew the procedure from my basement mechanic work. In a handful of minutes I had a link removed and the chain back together. But then I realized my chain guide was also jacked up.
It appeared the chain guide actually caught the outer plate of the chain, bent it away from the chain, and deformed itself in the process. Since installing the higher tension SRAM Type 2 rear derailleur I have not been sure the chain guide is even needed anymore. With this thought in mind, I bent the chain guide so as not to interfere with the chain and fiddled to tighten it's clamp in this position.
Ten to fifteen minutes later I'm back on the bike. A few tentative shifts later and I decided the problem was fixed and really didn't think about it the rest of the race. I was impressed by how many people asked "are you okay?" or "do you need anything?" as they rode by while I was fixing things. I kept this in mind and did the same for anybody I would pass broken down or wore out later in the race, and there were plenty of both.
This year we entered the state park trail in a different way, but like last year it was nice to be on familiar ground. For the next 15 miles of trail I was mostly passing people. I kept to my eating and drinking plan, especially with the humid and sweaty weather. The roots were slippery with the rain from last night and moisture still in the air.
On the downhill to the covered bridge I had an issue on a gentle corner and a rut and ended up on the ground. It was a pretty soft crash, unlike the one I would have later.
Mount Doom was good. I passed a handful or riders and kept my HR in check. As I had planned, I jumped off to walk a couple of the steeper uphill switch backs. Each time I stretched the fronts and backs of my legs before jumping back on. I hoped this would aid in cramp prevention and I believe it helped.
Coming in to aid station 1 was very entertaining. Several hundred yards up the trail before the station there was a fully suited up Gumby, a Homer Simpson, and some other character up in a tree. They cheered us along and Gumby smacked my butt as I rolled by standing on the pedals.
A contender for highlight of the race was the party at Aid 1. The aid station staffers were great at refilling bottles, fetching food, and tending to the riders. But to make it even better a guy with full drum set was setup under a canopy rocking out. Looking around, everyone's heads were bobbing to the beats and the energy was thick. My two bottles were empty, no hydration pack this year, so I refilled, ate a watermelon slice, and got back to business. The drums faded away as I rode off into the woods.
Speaking of volunteers, the race director said there were twice as many volunteers out on the course this year compared to last. It was noticeable, there were people at every significant crossing and the aid stations were full of helping hands.
On the switchback leading downhill to the fern forest section I made a mistake. Apparently there was a root crossing the corner and I completely lost the front wheel on it. I guess I never even saw it, as I was looking through the corner and didn't even try to lift over it or shift my weight to the outside. The slipping front wheel threw my handlebars sideways in an instant and I hit the deck Superman style. Meanwhile the rider behind me nearly ran over my bike but somehow ditched it and stopped behind me. I got up, shook it off, apologized for having my bike and me blocking the trail in front of the guy... and got back on the bike.
For the next several miles I kept a steady pace and passed more than a few riders. I stopped once to get one of my homemade energy bars out of my jersey packet and took the opportunity to stretch my legs. Still no cramps, thankfully.
The hike-a-bike exiting the state park loop was intense. The ground was muddy and slippery and it was no less steep than last year. I think my max HR of the day was pushing my bike up that hill, ouch. From the top of the hill down to the road crossing at SR97 was sloppy. The horse trails were soupy in many places and the water bars made for some pucker on the way down. The sloppiest trails of the day came after SR97 on the bike hiking hills after the stream crossing. I was sinking in ankle deep mud with each foot step.
I was surprised when I popped out onto the road, it seemed like there was more offroad leading up to the road last year. It was interesting throughout the race to evaluate my memory of the course from a year ago. It didn't take long to reach Aid 2.
At the second aid station I was met by a volunteer with my drop bag. I pulled out another homemade energy bar, a couple GUs, and a bag of drink mix. After filling my bottles I ate a piece of watermelon and drank half a Coke. I remember having a Coke at this aid station last year.
Leaving the aid station I passed a couple riders in the woods and then got to work on the road. Like last year I felt like I was making good time on the road. I tapped out a good pace on the road climbs and enjoyed the occasional fast downhill. Big Hill Road didn't feel to big this year and I was into the woods at the Wilderness Course.
Back on singletrack I felt a little slow. Just like last year it seemed like the trail was coming at me really fast; my brain was just trying to keep up. I managed to ride pretty clean and soon popped out at the Tree Frog place. Across a stream and back through the woods, but a surprise was next.
Last year Aid 3 was at the bottom of downhill, not so much the case this year. It was a grinding gravel road climb to Aid 3. I passed a couple riders who were off the bike and hoofing it. As I came around a corner I saw some familiar faces up ahead!
I yelled out "there's my kids!" Daniel, Ellen, and KT were cheering me on from the side of the road. They were excited to see me and I was elated to see them. They had been cheering on the riders and awaiting my arrival. Not to be out done by the drummer at Aid 1, Daniel was honking his harmonica to stir up some excitement.
It was a quick visit as I refilled bottles and posed for some pictures. Daniel pointed out that my bike was dirty. He was right, I was carrying along some mud. They cheered me on as I saddled up and rode out.
The trail to get over to Wally Rd was new to the race this year. It had some fun sections and before long I was pedaling down Wally Rd. thinking about the big climb to come on Valley Stream Rd. It was a tough climb and I jumped off to walk up the left hand corner. I was soon back on the bike and finishing the climb before enjoying some downhill sections.
I rode steady on the roads and picked up some more mud in the off road sections. Next stop was Aid 5 at the entrance to the state park campground. Half a bottle was all I needed to make it to the finish, so it was a very short stop.
About this time I began to realize I was not going to beat my time from last year by very much if at all. I felt like I was faring much better this year, not suffering through cramps, but I guess I was not much faster as a result. Some quick calculations in my head and I decided coming in under 8 hours was going to be a challenge. I got to work.
Similar to last year, I passed quite a few riders in the final 4 to 5 miles of singletrack. I was jumping on the pedals every chance I had to keep the speed up. I made it to the offshoot into the Mohican Adventures campground and realized I was just minutes away from 8 hours. On a gravel road in the campground I passed another rider who was riding slumped over, staring at his front wheel while pedaling. I was glad to have some gas left and mashed the pedals on the short section of road leading to the campground and finish line.
The family joined me for a delicious post-ride BBQ chicken meal and we watched other riders finish. A nice, cold Dortmunder Gold from the Great Lakes beer trailer tasted great and felt well-deserved after a long day on the bike.
So was it a successful race? I'd say so. On a whole, I felt much better throughout the race this year with no severe cramping like last year. My food and hydration plan seemed to work. I was able to enjoy the race instead of just survive it. Thankfully my aching left knee was a non-issue during the race. It actually felt better during and after than it did before. Strange.
Yes, I would like to go faster. I think the next step is to figure out a better pacing plan. And, get in more long rides leading up to the event. In April I was feeling pretty prime but May was not the same. I was denied on two attempts for double laps in the month prior to the race.
No doubt, it was a fun day out on the bike with about 500 other riders!
Putting together my aid station drop bags.
Last night I put together my gear. The plan was to eat more frequently than last year and keep the hydration going. I made a schedule to plan what I would consume between each aid station and packed accordingly. The bike was prepped and gear ready to go.
I woke up at 5:50, five minutes before my alarm was set to go off, and was out the door at 6:08 with bike on the roof and gear in the trunk. Unlike last year I didn't see any other vehicles toting bikes and heading south on SR3. Arriving at Mohican Adventures I parked across the road from the finish line and went to pickup my race packet. It was about 6:35 as I geared up for the race. Last year I was feeling rushed about this time thinking I was going to be late to the start line. No worries this year, I knew it was less than 10 minutes of pedaling away and there was no need to be there too early.
Tim Bonifant and I rode to the start on the bike path. I lined up about two-thirds of the way back and only had to anxiously stand around for about five minutes. Breakfast happened on the way to the start, a banana and Espresso Love GU with half a bottle of water.
The race started and we rolled south through downtown Loudonville. Suddenly I heard some commotion and saw the mob of riders splitting left or right. I caught a glimpse of two riders down, one laying motionless with a messed up arm/shoulder and the other getting himself up. Ouch. That's not the start these guys were expecting.
Crash caught on video: youtube link.
We climbed the big hill out of town. This year I wore my heart rate monitor and paid close attention to it throughout the race. On the hill out of town I kept my HR around 170 and advanced some spots in doing so. A left turn onto a dirt road and we then entered some woods. The mud greeted us shortly. Though it's been very dry this spring and early summer, there was some consistent rain in the past 24 hours and the private property "trails" through the woods were pretty sloppy.
I knew it was about 5 miles of riding before we would enter the state park trails, and I remembered a couple little hills that would be walkers in the early crowded conditions. On the setup for one such hill I attempted a downshift on my 1x10 setup and felt something go very wrong. I looked down to see an outer plate sticking straight out to the left atop my single chain ring. Uh-oh.
The damaged link. Not a pretty sight.
I flipped my bike over alongside the drive we were on. Out came the handy dandy multi-tool that, thankfully, has a chain tool on it. I've never had to fix a chain on the trail but certainly knew the procedure from my basement mechanic work. In a handful of minutes I had a link removed and the chain back together. But then I realized my chain guide was also jacked up.
It appeared the chain guide actually caught the outer plate of the chain, bent it away from the chain, and deformed itself in the process. Since installing the higher tension SRAM Type 2 rear derailleur I have not been sure the chain guide is even needed anymore. With this thought in mind, I bent the chain guide so as not to interfere with the chain and fiddled to tighten it's clamp in this position.
Ten to fifteen minutes later I'm back on the bike. A few tentative shifts later and I decided the problem was fixed and really didn't think about it the rest of the race. I was impressed by how many people asked "are you okay?" or "do you need anything?" as they rode by while I was fixing things. I kept this in mind and did the same for anybody I would pass broken down or wore out later in the race, and there were plenty of both.
This year we entered the state park trail in a different way, but like last year it was nice to be on familiar ground. For the next 15 miles of trail I was mostly passing people. I kept to my eating and drinking plan, especially with the humid and sweaty weather. The roots were slippery with the rain from last night and moisture still in the air.
On the downhill to the covered bridge I had an issue on a gentle corner and a rut and ended up on the ground. It was a pretty soft crash, unlike the one I would have later.
Mount Doom was good. I passed a handful or riders and kept my HR in check. As I had planned, I jumped off to walk a couple of the steeper uphill switch backs. Each time I stretched the fronts and backs of my legs before jumping back on. I hoped this would aid in cramp prevention and I believe it helped.
Coming in to aid station 1 was very entertaining. Several hundred yards up the trail before the station there was a fully suited up Gumby, a Homer Simpson, and some other character up in a tree. They cheered us along and Gumby smacked my butt as I rolled by standing on the pedals.
A contender for highlight of the race was the party at Aid 1. The aid station staffers were great at refilling bottles, fetching food, and tending to the riders. But to make it even better a guy with full drum set was setup under a canopy rocking out. Looking around, everyone's heads were bobbing to the beats and the energy was thick. My two bottles were empty, no hydration pack this year, so I refilled, ate a watermelon slice, and got back to business. The drums faded away as I rode off into the woods.
Speaking of volunteers, the race director said there were twice as many volunteers out on the course this year compared to last. It was noticeable, there were people at every significant crossing and the aid stations were full of helping hands.
Dropping down to a bridge.
Photo by Butch Phillips.
On the switchback leading downhill to the fern forest section I made a mistake. Apparently there was a root crossing the corner and I completely lost the front wheel on it. I guess I never even saw it, as I was looking through the corner and didn't even try to lift over it or shift my weight to the outside. The slipping front wheel threw my handlebars sideways in an instant and I hit the deck Superman style. Meanwhile the rider behind me nearly ran over my bike but somehow ditched it and stopped behind me. I got up, shook it off, apologized for having my bike and me blocking the trail in front of the guy... and got back on the bike.
For the next several miles I kept a steady pace and passed more than a few riders. I stopped once to get one of my homemade energy bars out of my jersey packet and took the opportunity to stretch my legs. Still no cramps, thankfully.
The hike-a-bike exiting the state park loop was intense. The ground was muddy and slippery and it was no less steep than last year. I think my max HR of the day was pushing my bike up that hill, ouch. From the top of the hill down to the road crossing at SR97 was sloppy. The horse trails were soupy in many places and the water bars made for some pucker on the way down. The sloppiest trails of the day came after SR97 on the bike hiking hills after the stream crossing. I was sinking in ankle deep mud with each foot step.
I was surprised when I popped out onto the road, it seemed like there was more offroad leading up to the road last year. It was interesting throughout the race to evaluate my memory of the course from a year ago. It didn't take long to reach Aid 2.
At the second aid station I was met by a volunteer with my drop bag. I pulled out another homemade energy bar, a couple GUs, and a bag of drink mix. After filling my bottles I ate a piece of watermelon and drank half a Coke. I remember having a Coke at this aid station last year.
Leaving the aid station I passed a couple riders in the woods and then got to work on the road. Like last year I felt like I was making good time on the road. I tapped out a good pace on the road climbs and enjoyed the occasional fast downhill. Big Hill Road didn't feel to big this year and I was into the woods at the Wilderness Course.
Back on singletrack I felt a little slow. Just like last year it seemed like the trail was coming at me really fast; my brain was just trying to keep up. I managed to ride pretty clean and soon popped out at the Tree Frog place. Across a stream and back through the woods, but a surprise was next.
Last year Aid 3 was at the bottom of downhill, not so much the case this year. It was a grinding gravel road climb to Aid 3. I passed a couple riders who were off the bike and hoofing it. As I came around a corner I saw some familiar faces up ahead!
I've been spotted.
Grinding into Aid 3.
I yelled out "there's my kids!" Daniel, Ellen, and KT were cheering me on from the side of the road. They were excited to see me and I was elated to see them. They had been cheering on the riders and awaiting my arrival. Not to be out done by the drummer at Aid 1, Daniel was honking his harmonica to stir up some excitement.
My fan club.
It was a quick visit as I refilled bottles and posed for some pictures. Daniel pointed out that my bike was dirty. He was right, I was carrying along some mud. They cheered me on as I saddled up and rode out.
The trail to get over to Wally Rd was new to the race this year. It had some fun sections and before long I was pedaling down Wally Rd. thinking about the big climb to come on Valley Stream Rd. It was a tough climb and I jumped off to walk up the left hand corner. I was soon back on the bike and finishing the climb before enjoying some downhill sections.
I rode steady on the roads and picked up some more mud in the off road sections. Next stop was Aid 5 at the entrance to the state park campground. Half a bottle was all I needed to make it to the finish, so it was a very short stop.
About this time I began to realize I was not going to beat my time from last year by very much if at all. I felt like I was faring much better this year, not suffering through cramps, but I guess I was not much faster as a result. Some quick calculations in my head and I decided coming in under 8 hours was going to be a challenge. I got to work.
Similar to last year, I passed quite a few riders in the final 4 to 5 miles of singletrack. I was jumping on the pedals every chance I had to keep the speed up. I made it to the offshoot into the Mohican Adventures campground and realized I was just minutes away from 8 hours. On a gravel road in the campground I passed another rider who was riding slumped over, staring at his front wheel while pedaling. I was glad to have some gas left and mashed the pedals on the short section of road leading to the campground and finish line.
With 50 seconds to spare, I crossed
the line 7:59:10 after starting.
the line 7:59:10 after starting.
The family joined me for a delicious post-ride BBQ chicken meal and we watched other riders finish. A nice, cold Dortmunder Gold from the Great Lakes beer trailer tasted great and felt well-deserved after a long day on the bike.
Daniel enjoyed picking the dried mud off my legs.
My finisher's glass and t-shirt.
So was it a successful race? I'd say so. On a whole, I felt much better throughout the race this year with no severe cramping like last year. My food and hydration plan seemed to work. I was able to enjoy the race instead of just survive it. Thankfully my aching left knee was a non-issue during the race. It actually felt better during and after than it did before. Strange.
Yes, I would like to go faster. I think the next step is to figure out a better pacing plan. And, get in more long rides leading up to the event. In April I was feeling pretty prime but May was not the same. I was denied on two attempts for double laps in the month prior to the race.
No doubt, it was a fun day out on the bike with about 500 other riders!
See, it was muddy!
Friday, June 8, 2012
For Grandma
After declining health in recent years my grandmother passed away. While sad to lose a loved one, I am thankful for her faith and the trust she placed in Jesus for her eternal salvation. Grandma has shed her failing body and mind for the majesty of heaven!
This morning Ryan and I set out for a lap at Mohican, in remembrance of my Grandma. It was a beautiful day of sunshine and warm temperature. I had swapped the Maxxis Ardent tire from the Karate Monkey to the front of the Paragon, looking for a different feel than what I've been getting from the tubeless ready Bontrager tire. My theory continues that the tubeless ready tire has heavier and stiffer sidewalls than a typical tire. Being that I still run tubes, I think this causes a lack of feel in the tire from heavier sidewalls reinforced by tubes.
While packing for the ride I debated whether to bring the camera or not. In an instant I envisioned a picture of Ryan going around an uphill, right hand switchback on Mount Doom, so I brought the camera. There are two places on the climb with the uphill corner matching my vision. We stopped at the first and I snapped a couple pictures. At the second such corner I stepped off the trail looking for an angle and realized someone else had trampled the area. I looked down to check my footing and found a cell phone on the ground. I flipped open the cell phone and it powered on, and into my jersey pocket it went.
After the rock garden near mile 20 we stopped at the boulders for a prayer in honor and memory of Grandma. It was a nice place to pause and think of her.
A little further into the loop we stopped to admire the steep hike-a-bike from the Mohican 100, it's a good one. Ryan took a picture of me from the side re-enacting the slog. I was thankful not to be hoofing it up this hill today.
On the drive home I pulled out the cell phone and powered it on again. Low battery, not surprising. I browsed the contacts and attempted to call Dad. "This phone is not registered..." A little snooping in the sent/received texts turned up an address of the owner who must have dropped her phone while.. hiking? Mountain biking? Trail running? So, I will put the phone in the mail and maybe Tiffany will get back with me about how she lost her phone, I'm curious.
It's been back to back to back to back weekends of effort. Double lap at Mohican, roofing project, Mohican 100, and a lap today. I think I'm ready for some R&R... or maybe some short road rides.
This morning Ryan and I set out for a lap at Mohican, in remembrance of my Grandma. It was a beautiful day of sunshine and warm temperature. I had swapped the Maxxis Ardent tire from the Karate Monkey to the front of the Paragon, looking for a different feel than what I've been getting from the tubeless ready Bontrager tire. My theory continues that the tubeless ready tire has heavier and stiffer sidewalls than a typical tire. Being that I still run tubes, I think this causes a lack of feel in the tire from heavier sidewalls reinforced by tubes.
Going up.
While packing for the ride I debated whether to bring the camera or not. In an instant I envisioned a picture of Ryan going around an uphill, right hand switchback on Mount Doom, so I brought the camera. There are two places on the climb with the uphill corner matching my vision. We stopped at the first and I snapped a couple pictures. At the second such corner I stepped off the trail looking for an angle and realized someone else had trampled the area. I looked down to check my footing and found a cell phone on the ground. I flipped open the cell phone and it powered on, and into my jersey pocket it went.
After the rock garden near mile 20 we stopped at the boulders for a prayer in honor and memory of Grandma. It was a nice place to pause and think of her.
New hike-a-bike technique I'm working on.
A little further into the loop we stopped to admire the steep hike-a-bike from the Mohican 100, it's a good one. Ryan took a picture of me from the side re-enacting the slog. I was thankful not to be hoofing it up this hill today.
Going up? Not today, but I did a week ago.
On the drive home I pulled out the cell phone and powered it on again. Low battery, not surprising. I browsed the contacts and attempted to call Dad. "This phone is not registered..." A little snooping in the sent/received texts turned up an address of the owner who must have dropped her phone while.. hiking? Mountain biking? Trail running? So, I will put the phone in the mail and maybe Tiffany will get back with me about how she lost her phone, I'm curious.
It's been back to back to back to back weekends of effort. Double lap at Mohican, roofing project, Mohican 100, and a lap today. I think I'm ready for some R&R... or maybe some short road rides.
Monday, June 4, 2012
Saturday, June 2, 2012
First Mohican 100k
Thursday night I registered for my first Mohican 100k and the preparations began. I gave the Paragon a thorough cleaning and checked it over pretty well. Then I worked on filling some drop bags, though I had little concept of what they should contain. A phone call to Ryan gave me some good ideas and I zipped the bags up.
Friday night I loaded the car with gear and bike, ready for an early morning roll out. I was out the driveway about 6:05. Heading south on SR3 I was in a caravan of bike-toting vehicles.
I parked at Mohican across the road from the finish line and geared up for the day. After picking up my race packet and handing over my drop bags, I joined a mass of riders pedaling the bike path to the starting line. As I joined the mass of colorful apparel straddling bikes I heard someone say there were 691 riders registered this year, a new record.
Friday night I loaded the car with gear and bike, ready for an early morning roll out. I was out the driveway about 6:05. Heading south on SR3 I was in a caravan of bike-toting vehicles.
There must be a mountain bike race up ahead.
I parked at Mohican across the road from the finish line and geared up for the day. After picking up my race packet and handing over my drop bags, I joined a mass of riders pedaling the bike path to the starting line. As I joined the mass of colorful apparel straddling bikes I heard someone say there were 691 riders registered this year, a new record.
Convenient parking, the finish line is just
behind the tree in the center of the picture.
I never did hear a gun shot or announcement to start the race, but I clipped in when everyone else did and starting rolling when the wheels in front of me moved forward. We were off. The road out of town is a good hill but in short order we were to the top and turning left. After a little bit more road it funneled down to enter the woods. At this point we came to a dead stop and stood there for 60 seconds waiting for the log jam of riders to clear.
From leaving the road to reaching the singletrack of the state park was on private property, most of it, I believe, belonging to Mohican Adventures campground (race headquarters). The rain from the previous day made for some particularly muddy sections. There were a couple hike-a-bikes, partially due to steep muddiness and partially due to the clog of riders. I was glad to reach the familiar territory of the state park trail.
The next 8 to 10 miles were going well for me. At one point I shouted back to the a rider behind me asking if he wanted to pass. He said, "no, this is great following your lines!" I informed him it was my local course and I only live 20 minutes up the road. He replied, "perfect, I'm from Colorado and have never ridden here before!"
Near the road crossing in the Discovery Forest I couldn't understand why I was flooding in sweat. It was rolling down my face despite the 51 degree temperature at the start. I was still wearing arm warmers but didn't feel too hot. Strange.
After a little crash on the switchbacks leading downhill to the covered bridge, I stopped at the bridge to suck down an Espresso Love Gu. I had felt some unexpected twinges in my quads leading up to the downhill section. I also downed a couple Endurolytes.
I figured sooner or later in the race I would experience muscle cramps in my legs. Well, I was really disappointed to be experiencing them already at the beginning of Mount Doom. I started doing the math in my head and came to the conclusion I was only 1/3 of the way into the race with two cramped legs. Okay... how am I going to survive this?
Aid station 1, at the second MTB trailhed, I ate a bananna, PB&J quarter, more endurolyets, and refilled my Camelbak with Heed. I decided to back down and really pace myself through the fern forest in hopes of recovering. Somewhere in this section I also realized that my bike handling skills had gone to mush. Why am I not able to corner? I stopped and let several blasts of air out of my front tire, which I had filled to 24 psi this morning, and suddenly gained some confidence on the damp terrain.
Up until the giant hike-a-bike I was getting passed rather frequently. I wanted to ride the pace of my passers but decided to control my efforts knowing there were plenty of miles ahead. Then we reached the hike-a-bike. Ryan had previously pointed it out to me, but looking at it compared to pushing a bike up it are two different things. It was a slog, an intense slog. Prior to the race I had thought hike-a-bike sections would be a relief to the legs after riding. This one was not and cramps were threatening as I joined the line of riders pushing bikes up a hill in the woods.
From our position of higher ground we rode horse trails, mostly downhill and mostly muddy, to the crossing of SR97. There were some interesting water bars to navigate. On the other side of the road we reached another hike-a-bike. This one was not as steep but full of large rocks. At some point in here I believe we left the state park / state forest property. Suddenly we came out of the woods and a race volunteer was pointing us down a road while announcing, "about 5 miles to the next aid station, all road!"
I cannot distinctly remember the road section at this point. I'm sure there were some hills, as there were hills on all road sections. Somewhere along here I realized my Hydrapak was empty. I had been sipping often and had taken more Endurolytes throughout the off road section. Despite maintaining an okay pace on the road and not feeling the pending cramps anymore, I still didn't feel so great. Thankfully the aid station 2 appeared up ahead.
The aid station volunteers are great. They have spotters up the road who radio your race number to the aid station. When you pull up to the aid station your drop bag is brought to you. Station volunteers are checking with every rider to see what they need, offering to refill bottles or hydration packs, or fetch some food. We were well cared for.
I spent longer than expected at this aid station trying to bring myself back. I ate several pieces of watermelon, a banana, a Hammer Gel, Endurolytes, beef jerky, and drank half an ice cold Coke. I stretched my legs and back for a couple minutes and then got back to it. The finish was not getting any closer. Before leaving the aid station I received text messages indicating KT and the kids as well as Ryan and the family would be at aid station 3. Nice!
On the rolling and sometimes steep roads between aid 2 and 3 I was feeling much better. I was starting to pedal a harder, faster gear. Finally. For several miles I was passing riders. We turned onto the climb behind the Wilderness Course and started up the big gravel hill. I felt okay going up the hill but never dared to stand and attack it. I just stayed seated and rode steady.
At the top of the hill we turned onto the singletrack of the Wilderness Course. I knew there would be a lot of down hill sections from here. It was going okay at first but before long I realized my brain was not processing the trail fast enough. Combine this feeling with my fatigued arms and I frequently checked my speed to ensure I stayed in once piece.
We passed through the Tree Frog Canopy parking and I knew we were closing in out aid station 3. I looked forward to seeing the family and friends. A couple stream crossings, a short hike-a-bike, singletrack, and a lap around an ag field delivered us to aid station 3. Daniel and KT were waving for me and Ryan and family were nearby.
It was great mid-race break to share stories with Ryan, he could certainly relate having done the race several times before, and visit with the kids. Daniel, Mr. nothing-gets-past-me, said "Hey! Why is there a sign on your bike!?" After some food and chit-chat I saddled up. Rylen gave me an awesome double munchy wave to say goodbye. Before leaving the station I raised my saddle about half an inch. In retrospect, this was a good move to change up the way my legs were working.
Back at home, Daniel likes the race plate.
Riding up Wally Road I was thinking about the big climb on Valley Stream Road, just ahead, but even more so I was thinking about the final 5 miles of singletrack. Based on my lackluster ride through the woods at the Wilderness course I was actually dreading the final stretch of singletrack. But, one thing at a time.
Pedaling into the Valley Stream Road climb I saw a couple riders ahead. They were walking and I was getting closer as I continued riding. As I just about reached the closer rider the road kicked up and I realized I was going the same speed pedaling as he was walking. Off the bike again, I walked until it flattened out a little and then jumped back on.
Somewhere on the road section en route to SR3 I heard someone yelling from behind. I turned my head to see Mr. Suppan come by. He was doing the 100 mile race, on a single speed, and we were riding side by side 8 to 10 miles from the finish: that's strong. The road flattened and I tried to lend a wheel. A few moments later the road turned up and Jason drove into his pedals to singlespeed up the hill. Meanwhile I downshifted to spin and once again wondered how the final single track would go.
Shortly after Jason went up the road a rider appeared on my left. A woman's voice said "hey, good job! Keep it up!" The black numbers on her race numbers told me she was also a 100 mile rider. I would later learn it was pro rider Amanda Carey, the eventual winner of the women's race. Pretty cool, I appreciated her encouragement.
Aid station 5, at the entrance to the state park, was full of supportive volunteers. They handed me a peeled banana, gave me a Hammer Gel, and announced "five miles to go!"
Starting up the final mile of state park loop I was feeling sloppy with the bike again. I pulled aside and let some more air out of my front tire and let some out of the bike too. Maybe it was mental, but it suddenly felt like a different bike. I proceeded to feel pretty good in the woods and was cornering much better. Before I knew it was time to turn off the state park loop and enter into Mohican Adventures. I knew the finish line was close!
We popped across the campground road and turned onto a little township road. I saw the parking lot and my car in the front row. Finish line in sight! I was pretty excited, if not slightly overwhelmed, to cross the line. I heard my race number and time of 8:05 announced over the PA system. A race worker handed me my Mohican 100 beer mug. The PA announcer came on again to say my name. Cool.
The finish line!
After a shower, some BBQ chicken, celebratory beer in my celebratory beer mug, and hanging out with the Soupcan racing and OCC guys, I headed home thinking "wow, I did it."
I think I earned it.
First and foremost I'd say this race was a huge learning experience. Having never done a mountain bike race before and having never ridden a mountain bike more than 50 miles, the Mohican 100k felt like an accomplishment. I was pretty disappointed to be cramp crippled so early in the race and have to moderate my pace for so long. But at the same time, I'm thankful to have fought through it and kept the pedals turnin' to the finish. I'm also thankful for no mechanical issues, though I do regret not dropping pressure in my tires sooner. The encouragement and camaraderie out on the course and after race was pretty cool too.
First time 100k finisher.
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