Scary. That’s how it started, as my boyfriend and sole support crew was unable to get time off work to be my support crew for a long race. As this is my first year racing, and only my 3rd endurance race, I wasn’t sure if I could do it all on my own. I had the knowledge that Spring Clegg was self-supported on her 2nd 24 hour race in Moab last year, and got 3rd place. I know that many of the top names in endurance racing have had to self-support themselves through races. But could I?

My consolation was that the race was during daylight. There was no need to work with lights, find charging stations, or deal with the excess cold of nighttime. What’s 12 hours anyway, after completing a 24 hour race? That ain’t nuthin’, right?

I drove down on Thursday, leaving at 4:50am. With only 2 stops for gas, I ate munchies in the car and arrived in plenty of time to scope out a good camp spot and go for a ride. In fact, I was the second camp group to arrive. Guessing by the flags and talking to some riders on scene, I was able to learn where the main tent will eventually be set up and the direction of the race on the course, two essentials for deciding placement for my pit.

The odd thing was that this course had pit spots available both before and after the timing tent. I hadn’t experienced that before, as Moab had solos set up after checking in, and Old Pueblo had solos set up before the check in. So which is better – set up a pit before or after the timing tent?

By the end of the race I knew the answer. When a race allows you to stop before the time is up, such as Moab and Dawn to Dusk, then you want a pit after the timing tent. That way you can log your time then head over to the pit and do what you need to do, decide if you want to do another lap or not, etc. If, like Old Pueblo, you need to know whether you want to do another lap or not as you get a DNF if you do not complete a lap after going through the timers, then you want your pit before the timing tent.

Other factors to consider is whether or not you are descending or climbing. Sucks to lose all your free momentum on a downhill just to stop at your pit. Though an uphill start can be difficult if you hit one coming right out of your pit.

So I set mine up wrong, as I set up right before the timing tent, which also including some downhill momentum which I lost on each pit stop. Ah.. live and learn.

I also discovered that my Jeep bike rack is very easy for a quick lube, but the way the course was, I had to flip the bike around to get it on the rack and off to ride. As one fellow racer divined some wisdom to me on the morning of the race, that everything you do should be a flow of ease and grace with as little energy as possible. So small things like flipping the bike to get it onto the rack was wasting precious energy.

Thursday’s practice ride was too good. I felt good, and though I attempted to go more at tempo than race speed, I charged up those short but extremely steep hills one right after another. I completed the lap in 1:35, a very respectable non-race-speed time which should mean I could complete 8 laps – and THAT should mean a podium spot. I felt good.

Then I woke up on Friday, and my legs were sore. Dog gone it!  Those climbs were nothing like the climbs on a road bike which 95% of my training has been. These were STEEP climbs and my legs were paying for it, even with my Skins Recoveries on.  So Friday’s lap I went slow, hiked every steep climb, and determined my worst-case scenario lap time, which was 1:55.  That equated to an easy 6 laps. So I figured I could easily get 7 laps, and on a good day, complete 8.

With a start time of 7am, I woke by 4:20am and started dressing. It was below freezing, so I stayed in my sleeping bag while my race clothes warmed up. I don’t like cold, so I opted to wear my sport-puffy down jacket for the first lap. While getting my table read, I wore my long puffy down jacket on top of my race outfit, including my sport-puffy jacket. That’s a lot of down. I felt good.

It was below freezing, and I was pouring water into my camelbaks and water bottles. I also had to add my sport drink mixes, and during this process I noticed through the camp LED light that my knuckles were white. OMG – frost bite!!!  Oh crap!  My heart sank – it is not worth getting frost bite – I haven’t even begun the race!  Luckily, upon inspection and a quick wipe of my knuckles, the white came off, and I realized it was the protein drink powder mix. Phew!  I put some gloves on.

I haven’t used gels much, not sure why. But after listening to Jeff Kerkove, I opted to fill my running mini-water bottles with water and gel. I put two together.

For the race, I had 3 camelbaks: one with Infinit endurance mix, one with Accelerade, and one with Camelbak electrolytes.  I filled one water bottle with Endurox that I drank only when in the pit. I had another water bottle ready to go with Infinit mix. In the cooler was some Builder Bars, hemp seeds, strawberries, Go Fast, 7 hour energy drink. I also had a couple of bagels on hand.  Breakfast was bananas, bagel with avocado and peanut butter. I could hardly eat so early, so cold, and a little nervous.

Headed out to the start line, and used two hand warmers in my pockets to keep warm. I was one of only a few wearing a puffy jacket!  Well, I don’t really have any fat to keep me warm.

I inched my way to only 3 rows behind the front line, and jumped up and down to keep my heart rate up a little since I’ve noticed in the short races that I have a hard time getting to zone 4 in the first 5 minutes. I talked to a girl I found next to me, though I was mentally rehearsing my race that I couldn’t tell you much about that conversation, except mentioning that I only peed 4 times this morning instead of my usual 100 before a race. Apparently caffeine is a diaretic, so I didn’t drink any Go Fast yet just the 7 hour energy.

The timer guy gave us a 2 minute and 1 minute warning. I was getting ready waiting for the 10 second countdown, and then the gun went off – oh, ok, no 10 seconds in this race!

The start was redirected along an awesome fast slightly uphill road for about 5 miles before hitting the actual course. It worked perfectly to stream out the racers, as sped before many yet had to maintain a low heart rate zone 4 pace which many others easily passed. I met Catherine Bywaters, and we chatted for a bit. She was awesome! We stuck together or close by the entire race until the end.

The whole course is awesome single track, and there were surprisingly easy ways for people to pass throughout the course.

Although I had planned on only pitting every other lap, this plan quickly went to the wayside. After the first lap I had to get rid of my puffy jacket and long-fingered gloves, so necessitated a pit. After the second lap, my chain needed lube, so hence another pit. Then I forgot to bring enough food, so I had to stop for another pit. Then I wanted my pits, as lap 5 was a bonker. Half way through and I’m tired, sore, feeling it, and wondering what the heck I’m doing out there! Who thought this was a good idea? That was quite the suffering lap. I took a longer pit after lap 5, sitting in my chair. I finally got back out again, realizing that I was only going to get 7 laps in. In lap 6 Catherine Bywaters was right there with me, yo-yo’ing a bit, and finally passed me in the last 10 minutes or so and disappeared. Hmmm… not good. I know there were several very athletic women signed up this year for the race, and I had a feeling I was fighting for 3rd place.  Third and fourth are very different to me, as you either get on the podium, get recognized for 3rd and not usually for 4th. I want that podium. My goal this year is to go pro by the end of the year, to be picked up by a team and be…. well… amazing =)  I need podiums on my resume, especially since this is my first year racing. I wanted it so bad.

So I had to skip my pit after lap 6 and headed straight into lap 7. Catherine had been riding extremely strong, and seemed to get motivated to go faster when she was around me. I hoped I passed her while she was in her pit, and hoped she wouldn’t see me on this lap. I didn’t see her anywhere, and as I promised my body that this would be the last lap, I put everything I had into it. I cranked it into zone 4 heart rate for as long and as often as I could, praising my body for making it happen. I said good bye to each section of trail, that was the last time I’d have to ride that!  I started a countdown near the end, “only 45 minutes left – after riding almost 10 hours, 45 is nothing – DIG IT!”

I worked hard to pull ahead, to keep Catherine from catching up to me, all in the hopes for being the first person to cross the finish line who only completes 7 laps. The timing was about right that I doubt any of the others would be able to complete another lap to beat me, so long as I am first.  And I was.

I crossed the finish line, ecstatic to be done. Then raced over to the results tent to see where I stood. I couldn’t tell when it was last printed, but if I beat Catherine Bywaters, that would put me in 3rd. First and second place were already on their 8th lap, so there was nothing I could do to beat them. My only hope was that Catherine was behind me. Since I didn’t know where her pit was, I waited. I waited anxiously at the finish line. I watched another solo female come through, and went up to meet her to find out who she was. She was the amazingly fast Linden who just completed her 8th lap – only minutes after my 7th!  Kudos, girl.

About 6 minutes after my finish, in comes Catherine Bywaters. I jumped up for joy and excitement and giggles and yippees!  Then caught my senses and checked to see if she was going on for another lap. She was riding strong today, and maybe she would whip the last one out and beat me – it would have to be 1:25 lap, faster than her other laps. Nope – she was hanging out. Phew! Yes! I got a podium!

I went over and congratulated Catherine, as she had said she hadn’t ridden much since the 24 hours of Old Pueblo. She did phenomenal for not practicing! Here I have been riding every day, racing in short time trials and mtb races to improve my performance, and I only barely beat her. Good job girl. She was cool too. We may even ride duo some day.

And I could safely head back to my pit. I was happy to be done early as well, as it gave me time to clean up my pit and relax before the awards ceremony. Talk about a long day!  And then they almost made us sit through a karaoke competition for a bike before the awards!  That would not have gone down well with the exhausted soloists.

And I stood up there on podium #3 ecstatic, in true fashion with Sorel boots, Skins recovery tights, skirt, reflective bits on my fleece pink top, and a cowboy hat. oooh yeah baby! That’s what I’m talkin’ about!

Thanks to Sandra and Ken, Stacy and Stu for helping me in my pit.

Apr 14th by sugar