On Saturday, Ken Woodrow and I wandered out to Leesburg to enjoy 13 hours of MTB racing at the Leesburg Baker's Dozen.
We had signed up for the 2-man "Geezer" category (combined age over 80), but last week the promoter e-mailed that they had eliminated that category because of low turn out, so we were moved into the open 2-man against the likes of 2-time National Champion Cross Junior Jeff Bahnson and MABRA Elite Cross champ Wes Shempf (yes, they were a team). Expectations were changed.
First, it was a beautiful day. Second, Jean is the greatest teammate and supporter ever. Third, Ken is also the greatest, stepping up big when the sun went down.
I won't recount the whole thing, too long. But here are the highs and lows (which is still long). First, we sent me off first.
Here was my first mistake. Not thinking of 13 hours, I went out full gas trying to stay with the front group of big boys, with no warm up. As a result my first lap (~34 minutes) and second lap (~35 min) were at average heart rates like a cross race (180), so over threshold. So I was hurting only 1 hour into the 13 hour race. Dig a deep hole and dive right in.
So we then went into a mixture of 2 laps on 2 laps off. But the second laps were getting bad.
As an aside, part of the course took us through hallways of parallel pine trees; on one of my early laps, I turned into one of these "halls" when at the far end in flies a hawk/falcon flying straight at me about 8 feet off the ground. I was wondering if he saw me; did I need to yell; but before I had to do that, he swooped off course when we were about 20 yards apart.
On my 5th lap, I felt ok, turning a very solid, flowing, quick lap of like 36 minutes, but then the 6th lap was hard and slow as my quick pace on the lap before caught up. So when I came in I said we should switch to one lap on one off. We did that, and it seemed to work, as we started doing very consistent 37 minute laps.
Obviously, there was a lot of suffering happening, cramps were starting a little (again, Jean went above and beyond). My stomach was also starting to turn bad. I was feeling ok, so ate a cliff bar and 1/2 a pbj sandwich after my 4th lap around 1pm. I suspect that I actually ate and drank too much; I was bloated and not good.
Ken apparently was not having as bad a day.
as another side note, at this point, Meg and Adrienne had come out and were hanging out with us, which was nice because it created happy banter instead of my own private suffering. But this also meant they got to be witness to the unpleasantries of said stomach distress.
I got that first bout of racer's gut to pass a bit while ken was out for laps 7-8 during early-mid afternoon so we were able to turn the good quick 36-37 minute laps, but during my lap starting at 7pm it went really bad; my stomach bloated and cramped and while I could pedal along ok (not super fast but using some flow to keep it moving), every rock and log was like a punch in the gut. When I came in I told Ken I didn't think I would be able to go out again unless something dramatic happened.
The results were not being handled in the most prompt fashion, but we knew that we had moved from 10th into 9th, and it seemed with a reasonably significant gap. I thought that if Ken could do 2 laps it hopefully would lock up 9th.
Ken went out with lights. On the first lap in the dark he had a minor crash, but nothing major. When he got in he said he felt good to go for another lap, so out he went (I was kinda doubled up at this point, but Jean went around the compound somehow found someone with Tums, which she insisted I take. I thought I was probably way past them, but for future events a definite must have).
Ken was out for a little over 40 minutes and had crashed twice. It was a little after 9pm. We had done 12 hours and technically could have gone out for another lap, but I was done and so was Ken.
I haven't been able to find on-line results, and as of when we left I had contacted the results people because it appeared they were missing at least one of our laps (it could just have been the timing of their 9:10 print out and when Ken came in on his last lap). I felt bad that I couldn't go out for another lap. I let Ken down and it would be my fault if we lost our 9th placing from my failure to go out again.
Across the path, Jim McNeely had set up tent for his SOLO, SINGLE SPEED assault. Can you sane wow or geez you're insane. During the race wasn't much time for discussion, but Jim, as usual, put out a super effort. I wouldn't be suprised if I end up trying this solo some day (with gears), but lessons are to be learned first.
Again, Ken was a rock, and Jean is the most supportive, selfless friend and teammate anyone could hope for. I would do it again tomorrow (ok, maybe in a month or so).
So, mistakes, I made a few: starting too fast (even my 3rd & 4th laps I was pushing to keep up with guys on 3-man teams who were on their first lap of the day), eating too much; I've done the civil war century on a couple 4-5 gus and a cliff bar, so over a gallon of water and a whole bunch of food is probably unnecessary and more than my stomach can process; going on vacation a week before also probably not the best strategy, but that's life.
On a positive side, I definitely got into a smoother faster flow on the bike after several laps that allowed me to go fast with much less effort.
Next year maybe I'll get a tent and do the camping thing with Jake and Liam.
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