Whats up!!! We’re in France presently, and so I informed Janae I might write a weblog publish for whereas we’re gone about my expertise with my race a number of weekends in the past:
True Grit is a mountain bike race primarily based in Santa Clara, Utah. A number of various kinds of races are occurring, akin to a relay, a 100-mile mountain bike race, a 50-mile mountain bike race, and a gravel bike race. In case you are as much as it, you are able to do a couple of! I made a decision to race this specific race as a result of it was one thing that might problem me and it will give me a aim to coach for over the winter. Additionally, I’m certain I’m going by means of a mid-life disaster, and I needed to have the ability to spend cash on extra bike stuff and have a motive to be much more obsessed about bikes.
Simply so that you all know, the distances on this race are relative. The 50-miler ended up being 44 miles, with round 6,000 toes of climbing. They justified the shorter distance due to the technical options and driving all through the race.
Pre-race jitters bought the very best of me the evening earlier than. I used to be nervous. I’ve by no means executed a mountain bike race, and I had a number of buddies who have been going to do it as nicely. I made a decision that I used to be going to do primarily liquid vitamin. I’ve a buddy who’s a pharmacist who despatched me a recipe for vitamin that might give me 75g of carbohydrates that additionally included sodium citrate for salt alternative, and I added a number of issues that I like in my drop bag: snickers, bitter licorice, a few guys, and a few coca-cola. Drop luggage have been round mile 13.7/19.6 and mile 36.5/41.
Doesn’t everybody do a race with their spouse’s ex-husband? Brooke beloved having everybody collectively.
I’m not a morning particular person, so the truth that this race began at 9:30 AM was the ABSOLUTE finest! They began this race in waves. The very first wave was the 100-miler racers. A few half hour later, the professional discipline began the 50-miler, and shortly after that have been the age groupers, which included me. The primary mile and a half was on the street and gravel roads, permitting the crowds to skinny out a bit earlier than we bought to the paths.
The primary 10 miles have been unimaginable! I’ve by no means heard racers discuss and joke round as a lot as we have been all driving. I knew it was going to be a really lengthy day, I used to be anticipating round 5-6 hours on the bike so I used to be cautiously optimistic. One factor that I did that was fairly reckless was that I didn’t have any instruments simply in case of a mechanical drawback or flat tire. I noticed SO many individuals who had flats and issues with their bikes; I simply had actually good luck. Subsequent time, I will likely be extra ready.
At this level, I used to be 13.7 miles in. This course is fairly technical, which means it’s not simply easy trails. The paths had loads of chunk rocks, boulders, and loads of areas to crash. I noticed not less than 20 crashes, and at one level, I discovered a small puddle of blood. There have been a handful of areas the place I bought off my bike and walked up or down. At this level of the race, I used to be at a Zen path. Zen was one of the crucial technical elements of the rid; it’s 5.8 miles lengthy and about 978 toes climb. This route took me over an hour to finish; I noticed most crashes on this a part of the race. Once I was about to complete this portion of the race, I noticed a rider who had fallen, and after I stopped to see if he wanted any assist, I couldn’t unclip my footwear quick sufficient and tipped over and hit my dropper publish (my seat publish that goes up and down with a press of a button). After that crash, my dropper publish didn’t work until I pulled actually exhausting up on it; it was not the top of the world, however it was a bit annoying.
The bike race was on a closed course, so alternatives to see the children and Janae have been slim, however after I did, it meant the world!! I used to be about 20 miles into the race, and with essentially the most technical elements of the path over, I used to be prepared to start out pedaling and get right into a groove. Billy and I made a decision that we have been going to experience a lot of the course collectively till somebody wasn’t capable of sustain. We had been collectively the entire time at this level.
I had solely ridden elements of the course, so at 20 miles in, my legs have been feeling it. Nutritionally, I felt like every little thing was working fairly nicely, and I used to be forcing myself to drink a bottle an hour, which had 80g of carbs in it.
Issues began to get a bit attention-grabbing round 28 miles into the race. There was a headwind, and the subsequent 10 miles have been very up-and-down. At this level, there was fairly a little bit of distance between riders. Billy had informed me to go forward, so I used to be on my own at this level fairly a bit. I felt fairly good; my legs have been getting heavy, however I used to be in good spirits. Round mile 31, I needed to step over a barrier, and my left leg absolutely locked up and began cramping – MAN, that didn’t really feel good. I bought off the bike, stretched, and compelled numerous liquid in, and I knew I needed to make it to the subsequent support station.
I bought to mile 37, and the help station and the help station had pickle juice. I used to be so stoked!! I downed about two photographs of pickle juice, had some non-bubbly Coca-Cola, downed a Snickers bar, and stretched some extra. Billy arrived at that time and I may inform we have been each hurting fairly good. We had climbed over 5,000 toes, and we have been virtually 40 miles in! I waited for him to get settled, and we began off once more. The following a part of the race was path referred to as Barrell Roll, it had some technical climbing in it, however it wasn’t close to as dangerous as Zen. I used to be hurting, so I used to be pedaling, and I believed Billy was behind me till I regarded again and I used to be alone once more. I stored pushing as a result of I knew if I finished, it will be REALLY exhausting to get began once more.
A humorous half that occurred on the final feed station was {that a} 100-miler lapped Billy and me. We simply checked out one another and laughed. He was SO quick, and I couldn’t consider how briskly he was driving.
Janae and these kiddos are all stars!! They have been out earlier than the race and outdoors all day, cheering for 8 hours!! I keep in mind how excited I used to be to see them on the end!
The final mile of the race was on the pavement, which felt so good!! Over six hours on a mountain bike was very exhausting, my shoulders and higher physique have been so drained. I didn’t count on that in any respect; I simply thought my legs have been those that have been going to harm. Power coaching, right here we come for subsequent 12 months!
I felt so completed ending this race. It took me for much longer than I believed it will, however I used to be stoked to have the ability to end and push myself. I loved it, and there are such a lot of issues that I might do in a different way for subsequent 12 months!!
I used to be welcomed into a complete different world of racing, and I’m stoked to leap into this head first and maintain going!
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Which race ought to I join subsequent?
Which space ought to we come out and go to for me to bike?
Most troublesome race you may have ever executed?
Mid-life disaster? You too?