World Champion - 6 Hour Time Trial

 

It's been a long year. I did 5 double centuries and knew the Ultra 6/12/24 Hour Time Trial World Championships was coming in November. After completing my last double in October, I kept an eye on who was registering for the Championships. A lot of the top ultra racers and legends were showing up for the 24 hour time trial. I wasn't riding much but knew I couldn't lose much form in 3-4 weeks. I could do the 12 hour TT but didn't want to take any days off of work and didn't have a crew. I wanted to get the experience, so I decided at the last minute to register for the 6 hour TT the morning of the race.

The 6 hour time trial was starting at noon in Indio. I was able to sleep in my own bed and drive to Indio in the morning. I prepared 8 bottles the night before, 5 Accelerade and 3 water bottles. Luckily the week before, I rode 115 miles on 400 calories and didn't bonk until 90 miles in. I figured 1000 calories and I would cruise through 100+ miles. The problem with starting at noon in Indio was the temperature was close to 90 degrees and rising. 5 minutes before the start I was trying to find a plastic bag for my cell phone. By the time I set Strava and got my phone in the baggy, I missed the start by 10 seconds. I chased down the group and there was still a rider up the road.

It's always nice to have a racing plan, mine was to hopefully keep the leaders in sight and then give everything I had after 100 miles. It was warm so I used my regular helmet instead of an aero helmet. Back to the race, I was quickly closing in on the leader. It was a female and she was a triathlete. I had no experience in these things so I stayed back 30-50 feet. After the first lap (15.8 miles) she stopped in the sag stop and I continued because I still had 1 1/2 bottles left. I wasn't in 1st place for long because she soon passed me around the 20 mile mark. She slowly started pulling away and I decided it was too early to put that kind of effort with 100 miles left.

She was now a little dot up the road coming into the next sag stop (31.6 miles). This time I stopped and picked up two bottles. I didn't have any sag support and had to get my own bottles out of my car and figured she had support so I would lose even more time. At about the 35-40 mile mark she wasn't gaining on me anymore. That little black dot up the road was getting larger and larger. I was thinking maybe it wasn't even her because my speed hadn't increased and I was gaining too quickly on this person. The closer I got I could tell it was her, so I started slowing my speed down. I didn't want to take 1st place so early in the race. I kept on gaining even though I slowed my pace down. She obviously went out too hard and now has hit the wall. As I was passing her around the 45 mile mark, I told her "We have a big lead, just finish and we have 1st place." She told me she needs a coke to get back to normal. Just as we come into the next sag (47 miles) she passes me up to be 1st into sag.

I get my bottles and take off and notice I have a front wheel flat. My car isn't too far back so I do a U-turn and go back to my car to fix the flat. The stem on the tube I used wasn't long enough for my carbon wheels. I had to quickly search for an extender to pump up the wheel. As I'm fixing my flat I'm also watching other riders coming into the sag. I didn't recognize any of them as my competitors in the 6 hour TT. I finally take off and figure it's going to be a long time before I catch that girl. After having to ride back to my car and fix the flat, I figured I lost about 6-8 minutes. That's at least 2 miles.

If I can maintain my pace, hopefully I'll catch her in 2 laps. Lap one (63 miles) goes by and no sign of her. Lap 2 (79 miles) goes by and still no sign of her. At this point, I'm figuring I can do 2 more laps within the 6 hour time limit and hopefully I'll catch her. Due to the heat, I took my last two water bottles at the 79 mile sag. It's getting close to 5pm and I can see it's going to start cooling down because the sun is going to disappear behind the San Jacinto Mtns. Still no sign of her and I'm preparing to come in for my last lap (94 miles).

The plan was to come into sag and tell everybody that I'm all out of water and get at least one bottle. The plan worked and some ladies came and filled up my bottles. I changed my helmet and put on my aero helmet for the last lap. I will have to average 20 mph for my last lap to finish in the 6 hour time limit. I figure if I don't catch her on this last lap she must've dropped out. I cranked out an awesome last lap (110 miles) and finished a few minutes under the 6 hour mark.

After changing and putting my bike away, I made my way to the finish line to find out what place I came in. 1st place! The day went according to plan. 5 bottles of Accelerade, 4 bottles of water, 2 hammer gels, 1 gu gel and 1/2 peanut butter and jelly sandwich, 1 flat tire. 110 miles, 5:45 riding time, 1000 calories consumed and 4000 calories burned. Once the results finally were posted online, I checked to see what happened to that girl. She dropped out after 79 miles and finished in 3rd place among the females. http://24hrworlds.com/24/index.php?N_webcat_id=408

Solvang Double Century 2001 and 2012

I've never done the Solvang Century, but I did do the Solvang Double Century back in 2001. I was just a young kid back then. An up and coming bike racer trying to balance USCF bike racing and these crazy endurance rides. It was a last minute decision. I drove from Huntington Beach at 3am to make the start just in time in Solvang. Yes, drive 180 miles, bike 200 miles and then drive 180 miles home. I remember showing up at the last minute and giving Hugh Murphy 80 dollars. He said ok and that was it. No route slip, no number and no wrist band. That's how things were done back in the old days. I guess I was in pretty good shape because I remember being in the lead pack and leaving lunch with about 8 other people. After each taking turns on the front we came to this long straight road that looked like it was a 1-2% grade for several miles. Since I didn't have a route slip this would be a good spot to pull and not worry about any turns. This was around the 130 mile mark and I felt pretty good. After giving a good pull on the front for 10-15 minutes, I looked back and only 1 rider was still on my wheel. It was the only female able to hang in the lead pack all day and I could tell she was sponsored by Hammer Gel. So I eased up and told her I didn't have a route slip and didn't know the next turn. This was no problem for her, she had a route slip and trains on these roads all the time. After talking some more, I learn that she is Cassie Lowe, the 2000 Womens RAAM Champion. For those of you who have never heard of RAAM (Race Across America) it is a bike race from the west coast to the east coast (3000 miles). The race is won on sure will and sleep deprevation in about 8-9 days. We arrive at the next rest stop (150 miles) and nobody is there, that's how it was back in the old days. She said there was a gas station nearby where we could get something to eat and drink. I didn't have a route slip and she was my golden ticket to the finish. The closer we got to the finish the faster we kept riding knowing we were going to go under 10 hours for 200 miles. We arrive at the Hotel finish and noboby is there, so we get a pad of paper from the desk and write our names down with our time. Total time from start to finish was 9 hours and 50 minutes. Riding time was probably 9 hours 20 minutes. (Cassie also went on to win RAAM again in 2001)

The 2012 Solvang Double Century started off the same way. I didn't feel like driving up there on Friday, so I woke up early Saturday and drove 180 miles in the morning. Took off with all the top dogs at 7:30am and stayed with them till we hit the first major climb at mile 25. I'm not even close to the shape I used to be in but I still like to give it a good try. Then I rode with a few other riders who were also dropped to the first rest stop at mile 41. There was a bunch of people at the rest stop but the fast guys had already left. As I'm filling my water bottles I notice a good size group of guys leaving and think they would be perfect to ride with. After chasing this group of 10 guys for 15 minutes I finally catch them and can now get a rest. The rest doesn't last long because they slow down to regroup with some other riders in their club. Now, I'm on my own passing all these other riders who left early before my 7:30 late start. Most of the turns are at lights or T-intersections and of course I miss the one that isn't. I knew a turn should've been coming up so I just kept going and going up this climb and then decided to go back when I couldn't see any turn up ahead. I finally get back on course and have to pass up the same riders again till the next stop at mile 86. I'm hoping to find some good riders to ride with because it's not fun riding these things by yourself. Knowing that all these riders I passed are too slow I take off solo. I make the 100 mile mark in 5 hours so I'm right on time. The lunch stop is next at mile 113 so maybe I'll hook up with some decent riders there. I saw a couple groups leave but I wasn't done with my sandwich and bottles,  so I'm off solo again. I'm really enjoying the ride as I'm riding through Shell Beach and Pismo Beach and then I hit the headwind from HELL at mile 130. For the next 10 miles was a headwind till the next stop at mile 141. I'm really drained after riding the last 100 miles solo and the headwind to boot. I see a familiar looking jersey at this rest stop and tell him "That's my tri-clubs jersey". It turns out his name is Rene Rodarte and he has done several Ironman races and Ultra trail runs. We leave the stop together and then for the first time all day some dude finally passes me. He is wearing a Vineman jersey, so I take off and hunt him down and wait for him to slow down. He doesn't slow down, this Vineman guy is trying to drop me on a little rise and then the descent after. I can tell he doesn't want me on his wheel and doesn't want to work together so I let him go. 10 minutes later Rene comes by behind a tandem and a few other riders. I finally get what I've been looking for and latch on to the back of this group. There's still 20 miles to go into the Headwind from Hell. Riding solo I was going 9-11mph but with this group it was more constant till we reached the next check point at mile 168. I don't have any lights on my bike so I can't stay too long at this rest stop. I've lost Rene and the tandem somewhere. I have a cup of chili and a nutrition shake and I'm off. Solo again but done with the headwind from Hell. Around 180 miles I find a group of guys who are all lit up with lights and finish safely with them. I end up with 202 miles for the day, only 5 miles over the official route. 5 hours for the first 100 miles and 7.5 hours for the second 100. My fitness has sure changed in 11 years but the long 180 mile drive home hasn't. I stopped for a 2 hour nap in Calabasas on the way home.

2012 Camino Real Double Century

I had really high hopes when I signed up for Camino Real in October. I figured, it couldn't be any worse than last years ride. Last year my whole motivation was to finish before dark in the worst storm of the year and luckily, I accomplished that with a first place.
http://racedaytiming.com/results.php?event=35
This year was a different story. Usually, I like to train for these rides by riding 4-5 days and 200-300 miles a week for a couple months. This year, I rode my bike once a week for 5 months, then rode 5 100 mile rides in the last month and a half. I knew I was going into this ride unprepared. How am I going to ride 1 day a week, 50-100 miles a week for a 200 mile ride? The only things I had on my side was experience and not being human. I was really counting on the not being human part to pull me through. So here's the story...
The plan, wake up at 4:30am, eat, walk the dog, load the car and get to the start by 6am. The dog took a little longer to walk, since she's not used to walking at 5am. I'm behind schedule but I should still make it in time. As I'm driving there, I remember I forgot my number and ride directions on the kitchen table. After turning around and getting my stuff, I arrive right when everybody is leaving. By the time I get ready to check in to leave, the leaders are 5 minutes up the road and the stragglers are a couple minutes up the road. All hope is not lost, so I time trial for 9 miles at 25 miles an hour and catch the lead pack just as we start climbing Jamboree Rd. I quickly notice I've wasted a ton of energy and everybody else is fresh as can be. The next climb is San Joaquin Hills Rd. and this is when I notice who's going to be strong and who's not. Unfortunately, I'm on the not strong side because when I reach the top I'm 15 seconds behind 8 riders. After chasing again for several miles a tandem comes by with a bunch of riders and we eventually catch the lead pack in Laguna Beach. After 22 miles, I finally get to recover till we reach our first checkpoint at mile 55. We have a pack of 15 or so riders as we reach the checkpoint. I see a giant pack leaving and I have to  gobble down a 1/3 of a PBJ sandwich. I'm in time trial mode again, 10 seconds behind this pack but I just can't seem to pull them back as they keep taking turns on the front. After a 12 mile time trial I get caught by the tandem and Burrito Bob in Oceanside. I'm done wasting energy, I still have 130 more miles to go, I'm going to kick back and take turns with Burrito. 5-10 miles later we see the lead pack on the side of the road fixing a flat. I tell Burrito, lets kick back and let them catch up so we don't have to waste anymore energy. They catch up 15 minutes later and we all ride to the lunch stop at mile 88. This time I'm keeping an eye on things, a few riders take off and I decide to leave with 3 other guys. After mile 95 we catch 3-4 riders and now have a group of 8. The guys are talking about some guy who is up the road and how good he is. These guys are obviously good because they're wearing Furnace Creek jersey's and Hoodoo jerseys. Furnace Creek is a legendary 508 mile race and Hoodoo is a brand new 500 mile race in Utah. As we are doing another climb at mile 98, I notice that I just don't have the power to keep up. My lower back is really hurting and I think it's from those hard time trials I had to do earlier in the day. My speed has severely dropped and there's no way I can take this pain for another 6 hours. Burrito catches me at mile 110 and I tell him I'm going to drop out. He tells me to get behind him and navigate. Burrito pulled all the way to the next water stop at mile 121. I tried to drop out and Burrito told me we are a team and we're going to stick together. I guess I have to because the SAG vehicle probably won't arrive for another 5 hours. Once again, Burrito did most of the pulling to checkpoint #3 at mile 136. I would've called my wife to pick me up, but she was in Wisconsin. I brought up the fact that I wanted to drop out, but noboby seemed to listen to me. One good thing about the checkpoint was that we hooked up with another rider. Burrito and this guy pulled me to the next checkpoint at mile 169. I'm not going to drop out with 30 miles to go. I did start feeling better towards the end of the ride and was able to contribute in the end. Two huge lessons learned, always train for a 200 mile bike ride and I guess I am human after all.
http://racedaytiming.com/r_results.php?event=49
10th place, 11 hours and 43 minutes total time.
10 hours 55 minutes riding time.