Count down to the 12 hour.

[Wahine]

Well, it started out with a stomach ache and trouble with nutrition. The first 60 miles of the course is at least 80% climbing and I was much slower than I had hoped. I was OK with that, I had all day to pull through as long as I could get my stomach to straighten out. At about 5 hours I finally got a long enough descent to back off substantially and get some food into me, my stomach started to feel better and I hit the next climb with some oomph, still not fast, but better.

Then I had fun for about 1 hour.

Then came the heat and there was carnage all over the race course. Someone with a temp gauge on their cyclocomputer said the heat got up to 97 deg at about 3 PM. Cyclists were stopped at random spots all over the course just because they were too hot to keep going.

I got seriously overheated. Relying on SAGs and self supporting did not help. By the end of my big loop of 112 miles, I was struggling to go 10 mph on a flat road with a slight tailwind. I hurt everywhere, had a terrible headache, flashing lights in my field of vision. When I got into the checkpoint and tried to talk to one of the volunteers, I wasn't articulating well and I knew I couldn't go on until I had cooled off substantially and got my electrolytes and hydration squared away.

While I was trying to do this, my BF came in off the 24 hour course with a DNF. He ended up vomiting and very overheated as well.

That's when I decided I was done. The cost seemed too high to go back out. People were throwing up everywhere, many racers had DNFed, one went to the hospital and had an IV of 3 litres of fluid. He still wasn't quite squared away.

So I got an official finish and I seem to be recovering in a timely fashion. I'm still a little whacked out but my legs are better. No significant signs of anything serious.

Not sure I will solo this race again. I certainly would not do it without support if there is any chance of heat.

Susan O. did great at the 24 hours. She rode very smart and had a PR. Yay Susan O. !!!!

[OakLeaf]

Man, that heat sounds brutal. Great job Wahine!

[colby]

Between your and Susan's accounts of the race, it sounds BRUTAL. Good on you for even finishing what you did!!

[NbyNW]

Wow. I'm picturing a cycling version of the "Barf-o-rama" scene in Stand By Me.

[Tri Girl]

Congrats, Wahine. I know it's not what you'd hoped for, but you did GREAT considering the weather and the very tough terrain. I'm very impressed at how far you made it. You're right- it's not worth it. There'll always be another day.
Why is it so hot out there right now anyway? Shouldn't you guys be cooling off at this point? Then again, I've heard it's been unusually warm this year.

[Wahine]

Wow. I'm picturing a cycling version of the "Barf-o-rama" scene in Stand By Me.

You're not far off.

Tri Girl - eastern OR is unpredictable this time of year. It's desert and as such can be really hot and dry, silly cold at night and sometimes stormy during the day. We weren't expecting close to 100 deg, it's usually more like 50's in the AM and getting up to mid 80's in the PM.