Dar's GEARS Report

[mtbdarby]

I did my 6 hour solo mtb race yesterday at Kettle Moraine for the 12 hours of GEARS race...

The night before my biking buddy decided to go with me and do the mens 6 hour solo so I was very happy for company since it's 3+ hour drive down there. It was hot (Nanci, how do you do it?). It was in the 60's thrusday and Saturday was upper 80's with 100% humidity. Welcome to summer in Wisconsin.

The race started with a short Lemans style start at 1:00 pm. It was a dusty dirt trail for the first part - lots of rolling hills and loose rock descents. The first 2.5 miles were like this, sometimes heading into the woods on pine needle covered trails. That was nice - I think it dropped 10 degrees in there! Then the single track hit. Nice and fast, not very technical but with one STEEP hill coming out of a descent with a sharp right turn. I never did ride to the top of that hill, had to walk it every time. From there it was out into open field on a mowed path. Very bumpy. Actually, most of the trail was very bumpy and that would come into play at the end of the race.

I did the first lap in 30 minutes flat. Not bad for me, slow for the field on a 4.5 mile track. I decided to stop after every lap since it was my first race and I wasn't sure about my nutrition, electrolytes and the heat. Solo riders are allowed to exit the course at any spot as long as they reenter at the same spot. We left all of our stuff at the car so I learned that we need to move it closer to the trail so you don't have too far to travel to get to it. Gotta save every last bit of energy you know. I also discovered I preferred hammer gel and sustained energy to eating the sport jelly beans. Good to know.

I ran my race. Nice and steady, pushed it when I could but wasn't ashamed to walk up the hills I needed to. Everyone was supportive and encouraging which I love about the WEMS series here. I held up good in the heat. It became overcast about half way through but the heat held up. We got some sprinkles as a storm moved in but it waited until the end of the race to let go.

My favorite part of the race was while I was riding in the field portion and I heard someone behind me. I asked "right or left" for which side he was gonna pass me on. He sounded like he was smiling as he said "I don't know, they both look good!". I told him that was the best compliment I had all day and he started laughing as he passed me. God bless him!

As always, my first lap is mental. As in, what the heck was I thinking? I have 5 more hours of this? I PAID to do this to myself?? Once I got past that I did fine and settled into a routine. About 3 hours into it my lower back started hurting from all the jarring. My hands were starting to feel it. So I stopped to stretch and laid down for a bit and waiting 10 minutes for the 3 hour racers to start and get out of the way. I finished my last lap with 50 minutes to go - enough for one more lap. I knew I was 2 laps down from the rider in front of me so I stopped. My back was very sore, my hands felt like hamburger and my wrists were killing me. One hand was starting to go numb. But I had accomplished what I set out to do:

I was shooting for 6 laps. I did 7.
I finished - 5th.
I passed someone - 2 people actually.
I made my average speed of 8 mph.
I didn't bonk and I held up in the heat.
I didn't fall off my bike.
Have a new PR of 33 miles on one mtb ride
Did I mention I finished?!

I thought I would be wicked sore today but it's not so bad. My tris, forearms, hands and glutes are sore but not my legs. So I guess I wasn't in as bad a shape as I thought. I really need to see the chiro for my back and neck - I just need a good realignment.

I now understand why people ride full suspension bikes. My hardtail was a little hard on this older body. And my handlebar grips have to go - way too many knobbies on it that tear your hands up. I need to start lifting again then my arms can take it. I need to work on the hills! And I need to learn to relax and have fun out there.

Overall it was a very satisfying race. I accomplished my goals but I'm not sure if it's something I would do on a consistant basis. I rode 4 hours and 4 minutes of a 6 hour race so I need to shorten my stops and be on the bike more. Of course, that was a new PR as well - I've never ridden road or mtb for over 3 hours prior to this. For 24 hours of nine mile I want to have fun so I'll see if I can get a team together. Just in case I can't, guess I'll keep working on it just in case I end up doing a 12 hour solo ....

I met a nice couple there and she took some digital pictures and said she'd email them. I'll post them when I get them. And my biking buddy took 3rd in his division and won a medal!

Thanks for reading and for all your support!

[kelownagirl]

Wow, I am so impressed with all of you who compete! You give me hope and something to strive for. Congratulations!!

[Trekhawk]

Congratulations and great ride report.

Look forward to reading the next one.

[Adventure Girl]

Great report! Sounds like a great time! Kudos to you!

I'm considering doing an 8-hour solo. It is a 12 mile course. My "normal" times are right around 1 hour. On Saturday I rode 4 laps in a row. My times ranged from 66 to72 minutes. Not too much of a drop off.

Here's what I learned (in case I decide to do the race):
1. I must eat. It is hard to choke down food, but it's critical.
2. Filling a camelbak bladder after riding 36 miles is hard.
3. Have multiples of EVERYTHING! (Gloves, helmet, shoes, socks...)
4. Conditions change in the time it takes to ride 48 miles! It got windy!

I took about 5 minutes or less between laps to change anything that needed changing, choke down a little food and fill my camelbak. If I had been racing, I would have to have someone help me with this. I wouldn't "rest" between laps. If I needed to take a minute or two breaks, it would be better to take them when I needed them (like just before a big climb), rather than at the start/finish.

One thing I would dread is the Lemans run start. How did you train for this? (Or maybe you're a runner). I am NOT a runner. And running in cycling shoes can't be very fun!

[mtbdarby]

I'm not a runner! This Lemans start was a joke - it was more like a 50 yard dash. For the longer races its usually a 1/4 to 1/2 mile run which is harder with the camelback. What I did with that was bring extra bladders so I wouldn't have to fill them. Fill them 3/4 full the night before and stick them in the freezer. You can top them off before the race.

I will have to start running soon to do the longer Lemans start at the end of July. I did fine with out solid food (except one sport bean package). Now I know what I need to do or not do between laps and to have your cooler set up near the course so you don't have to hike to get to your vehicle. I know a lot of 12 and 24 hour rides that do this on their own.

Here's a couple of pix.

[Adventure Girl]

I'm not a runner! This Lemans start was a joke - it was more like a 50 yard dash. For the longer races its usually a 1/4 to 1/2 mile run which is harder with the camelback.

My run will be about a quarter mile with a pretty tough (tough for me!) climb. I better work on that run! It would be hard for me in running shoes. Cycing shoes with cleats, a camelbak and helmet will be REALLY hard.

There were a few runners who wore running shoes and changed into cycling shoes before they grabbed their bikes. That doesn't seem like it would be worth it...

Is the picture before or after? You look pretty fresh!

[mtbdarby]

Obviously before! My after picture would have me flat on my back on the ground. I was spent by then...Good luck on your race!

[Adventure Girl]

Obviously before! My after picture would have me flat on my back on the ground. I was spent by then...Good luck on your race!

I did a 5-man coed team last year (24-hour race). I had my picture taken before and after each lap. All the "before" pics are like this: . There is no "smilie" to show what the "after" pics looked like.

I haven't even decided to do the solo race yet. I'm still in the decision making stage.

[SJCzar]

WOW, great job. It's such a fabulous feeling to achieve a new goal, especially so tough of one.

I can't imagine doing all that on Saturday since the weather was almost unbearable ... especially since we hadn't had anything like it yet this year to feel even a little prepared. I suppose you're scouting around for the next one to enter to see if it would be any easier the second time around.

[Lise]

Very cool to read about this. I've never done that kind of biking. What's the running at the beginning about? Are you running with your bike? Why? L.

[mtbdarby]

Lise, you're running TO your bike. This is to thin the surge of riders out as they hit the narrow trails to prevent accidents and jam-ups. The longer the run the more you spread people out. Not easy running in biking shoes with a camelback on! Come to think of it, it's not easy running at all

[Lise]

Come to think of it, it's not easy running at all

Tell me about it!

That makes sense. The camelbak would be hard...slosh, slosh, slosh... Once you're on your bike, though, you're good. It sounds like a pretty cool race. It's funny, I always think I wouldn't want to mtb/trail bike because I don't want to get hurt, BUT, riding the mean streets of Chicago is no cake walk! The surface can be rough. They're resurfacing a lot of streets, so today I had to jump the Bianchi up about 3-4" of pavement differential. The cars, the trucks, the people, and, as beta found the other day, the dirty diapers in the bike lane I've yet to encounter that one.

Sounds like that kind of trail ride is quite an endurance fest, and that appeals to me. Keep posting! Thanks! L.