UnPAved 120 Race Report

#chasethechaise

In its second year, UnPAved is a gravel race in central Pennsylvania.  It has 4 distances: 30, 54, 90, and the 120.  Dave Pryor ( SSCXWC13Philly) and Mike Kuhn (TSE, Iron Cross) are the mad alchemists behind this event. The 120, which I raced, is actually 117 miles with 10,000 feet of climbing.  This year, the race was held in conjuntion with Lewisburg's Fall Festival.

I headed up on Thursday and met up with Curt Shelman to help man the Chamois Butt'r tent.  On Friday, we rode a section of the race, including the first big climb.  I had a difficult time keeping up with Curt, but my legs always feel like crap the day after a long drive and today was all about blowing the crud out of the carburetor.

Saturday morning, I did the social ride put on by Walk It Bike It Lewisburg.  David Jolin was in the area and joined me in this two hour shakedown ride cruising the farmlands around the town.

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In the afternoon, I worked at the Chamois Butt'r tent.  I do believe we stole the show with our "Spin To Win" wheel.  Curt and I also educated not only cyclists but the general population about the products.  Talking to the locals about the exact nature of Chamois Butt'r was a riot.  The facial expressions were priceless.  Most just wanted candy and I wonder how many of them went home with the single serve packets of Chamois Butt'r with the intention of spreading it on their morning toast or squeezing it into their bullet proof coffee! Especially the coconut oil version. 😂😂😂

Big money, big money!

Race morning was COLD!  34 degrees!  I must have went through 10 different clothing variations, but finally settled on a wind breaker base layer, jersey, bibs, arm/knee warmers, vest, chemical warmers in shoes as well as layered between 2 sets of gloves, and ear warmers.  Fortunately, the race start was at the Miller Center, so I stayed inside right up til they called for us at the start. I was able to get in the third row.

We rolled out on a neutral 5 mile rail-trail start at first light ... 7:15am.  I love these slow starts, as it gives my body ample time to get warmed up.  The average speed was 15 mph and even though I was not directly in the wind, my fingers still froze.  In my opinion, this was the most dangerous portion of the course.  Visibility was low due to the fog, the trail was narrow, I had to be watchful for the ballards, and then contend with the jackasses ... err, jackrabbits, who were making a somewhat safe two-wide situation, into a three-wide free for all.  I erred on the side of caution and gave them their space.  I was NOT contending for a top 10 or even top 20 overall.

I was rolling alongside Gordon, who was his usual giddy self, talking up the Appalachian Journey taking place in April 2020.  I have signed up in this duo format gravel race with fellow team mate David Jolin. Once we turned onto the first paved road, the intensity rose, but not too high, as I was still able to hang with the front runners.  The next few miles I encountered some rollers and a little bit of gravel.  Once I entered Bald Eagle State Forest, the gravel got lumpy, and the pack broke up.  I rode alongside Mary for a while.  When I hit the first climb, I was feeling a lot better than when I had pre ridden this, and motored up the embedded rock road, finding the smoothest lines.  I slowly pulled away from Mary, but then was immediately passed by another woman, who might have weighed 80 pounds soaking wet.  She blew by so fast, I got caught up in her wake for a moment.  She either had the fitness of a 4.5 watt/kg racer, or there was going to be a fireworks show on one of the subsequent climbs, when she blew up.

Topping out on the climb, I had finally thawed out.  The subsequent descent had me in a permagrin, not only because it was so stinking smooth and fast, but I got cold again.  My eyes were watering due to the icy cold wind as I was blasting down the mountain, and I was having a hard time seeing ahead of me.  Fortunately, the 2 hairpin turns were preceded by caution signs, so I knew when to feather the brakes.  The next 20 miles was ALL downhill. I had plenty of nutrition/hydration so I blew past the first aid station at mile 27.  The road began to level out around mile 30 and a small group formed.  We worked together over the next 10 miles, making those pass by quickly. The scenery was amazing, what with all the farms and small townships we passed through.  After rolling through the town of Coburn, the next climb began, and our group splintered, as we each tackled this at our own speed.   The Bike Flights van passed me on this climb as they were taking the drop bags to aid 2/4. After 2 1/2 miles up, I enjoyed a sa-weet 5 mile descent into the second aid station (mile 50).

Baby butt smooth!

Upon arriving, the volunteers let us know that our drop bags had not arrived yet.  Wait!  What?  I could only laugh, wondering where the Bike Flights van had gotten off course.  No worries, as the aid station had plenty of GU products.  I refilled with GU Roctane and took two S'mores gels.  I also shed my vest. There was still a chill in the air, so I opted to keep my chemical warmers in place as well as my arm/leg warmers on.

Then I pushed on to "The Difference," a 30 mile loop that would circle back to this aid station at mile 80.  This was the hardest portion of the course, what with a 6 mile climb, with the last 2 miles being chunky, followed by a 5 mile chunky descent down Longwell Draft.  Chunky is defined as ledges of rock slabs with baby heads strewn about in the thousands. The climb up wasn't too bad as I was going slow enough to pick the "smoothest" line.  The descent was sketchy, but employing all my MTB skills, I managed to clean it in a respectable time, passing quite a number of racers, who were either fixing flats or trying to prevent them. That descent was so rough, I thought my eyeballs were going to rattle out of my head! Towards the end, my triceps and wrists were ready to be done and I threw caution to the wind ... flats be damned!  What a way to soften us up for the subsequent gut punches (3 remaining climbs) back to the aid station!  At the bottom of this descent was an aid station for broken bikes, manned by the Dutch Wheelman Bike shop.  I heard the mechanic stayed busy.

Chunky 2-Track

I actually enjoyed the remainder of the loop.  Amazingly my legs still felt good. The gravel roads were baby butt smooth, more hard packed dirt than gravel really.  I could stand and mash without the rear tire slipping.  The other cool part to these climbs was that just before you topped out, you had a brief reprieve with a short descent and then you finished the remainder of the climb (usually about 0.5 miles) with slightly rested legs.  It was on this section that I made contact with a fellow racer from Philly.  I yoyo'd with Doug through here, catching him on the climbs and he dropping me on the descents.

Rolling back into aid 2/4 (mile 80), I made a beeline for the restroom.  After a 60 second pee 😮! I refilled my bottles and grabbed two caffeinated GU's for the remaining 40 miles. I also shed my arm and ear warmers and removed my chemical warmers.

The next 6 miles was on a rail-trail.  For me, riding the flats is much harder than climbing, because I have to forcibly push myself to maintain intensity on the flats, whereas when I am climbing, I have no other choice.  I started catching a lot of the 90 mile riders here.

Then I hit the Cherry Run, another 3+ mile, 1000 foot climb.  But these Pennsylvania grades are so nice, I was in my happy place all day on the climbs.  I passed many a struggling rider and just gave them words of encouragement.  Bear Run was another hoot of a descent.  Straight, smooth, and fast, I averaged 27 mph on this 3 mile section.

On the final climb, at around mile 95, the Salsa Chaise was there.  Since I was a 120 contender, they put me ahead of a few others, so that I could get in and out quickly.  One of the Salsa guys thought that I was in 4th place.  Whoo wee!  That was a surprise, as I did not know where I was in the mix, but thinking that I might be in the top 5.  I threw a pose, and then quickly remounted.  Only 25 to go and all downhill, right?

Well ... there were some rollers before the final descent, and after laying on the chaise for a brief moment, my legs thought they were done.  I was struggling here, when Doug passed by me.  I dug deep to catch his wheel, thought I was gonna puke, but was finally able to recover a little being out of the wind.  We hit that next descent like screaming banshees!  Holy smokes, were were killing it!  Being in his draft allowed me to go even faster ... 35 mph at one point.  Huge kudos to the organizers for clearly placing caution signs before tight turns so that I could scrub some speed.

Back down into farm country, we hit the pavement to pedal some roller miles back to the Buffalo Valley Rail Trail.  Doug was my gravel angel, dragging my arse back to the finish.  My legs were cooked!  But I must say, I did my part in pulling a bit, so that he could stretch out his back.  I don't know how much help I was, as it was akin to Chewbacca trying to hide behind Princess Leia.  Those last 8 miles on the rail-trail were the hardest of the day.  Legs thrashed and with my gas tank on empty, that flat bit went ... on ... forever!  But finally, there she was, the finishing line banner.  Hot diggity damn!  I crossed under her with a time of 8:15:47; that's an average speed of 13.9 mph.  Holy cow, that was a fast race!

I managed to take 3rd!  Two youngsters had managed to have a gravel battle royale, as 1st and 2nd were just a few minutes apart.  I was happy with a no drama 3rd. Despite having no women around me since mile 10, I still managed to push myself all day. And I did not know who might have been just behind me.

About 10 minutes after I finished, when my body finally realized the game was over, I became a lump of hurt.  I had tunnel vision for a minute and had to sit down on my tailgate before I passed out.  The mind and body are a pretty amazing thing.  How I can push it to the brink and hold it there for however long I need to, only for it to fall completely apart, when I tell her she is done.  It took about an hour of chilling, along with some nutrition, before she came back around.

Finisher's Prize

The post race meal was a homemade "hot pocket" which looked pretty dang good.  Not being glulten-free, I opted for the turkey chili, which was equally good!  Oh, and there was an endless beer garden.

Glad this "advanced" woman can still hold her own in a gravel battle.

The organization was impeccable.  The venue was perfect, as in perfectly warm and inviting while hanging around for the start.  The schwag and finisher's products were spot on.  This is definitely a family friendly race, as there were plenty of things to do for the non-racers.  They even had daycare.  And with 4 distances, this is definitely a beginner friendly event.  I give it 5 stars!

Butt'r Makes It Better ... And Bigger

Chamois Butt'r decided to go big earlier this year with the release of their 32 ounce pump style container in both the Original and Her versions.  I got my hands on this several months ago.  At $59.99 retail, it is a steal, especially when compared to some of the other top brands of chamois cream.

The first time I used the pump with a bottle of Chamois Butt'r Her, however, I was disappointed.  It took forever to get the product out.  I mentioned this to Curt Shelman, the man behind product development, when I hung out with the Chamois Butt'r crew during the Dirty Kanza 200.  We had a rather lengthy discussion about this new pump while pre riding the day before the race. He told me that it was possible that I just got a "bad apple," and to try another pump.  He also mentioned that the Her product had the highest viscosity of the 3 formulas (Original and Eurostyle being the other two). He wasn't totally satisfied with the pump, but at the time, it was the only one he could find that would fit the 32 ounce style of bottle they were using.

When I got back home, I swapped out pumps and indeed I had gotten a defective one. But, it still took 3-4 pumps to get out enough quantity sufficient to slather my chamois.

Fast forward to just last week when Curt sent me a brand new pump. This one has a stronger spring mechanism and will pump twice the volume (8 ml as compared to 4). Hallelujah!  This new pump is on steroids.  After I primed it by loosening the top and jabbing it up and down in the thick butt'r, I screwed it back on and with one pump had plenty to slather.  I pumped one more time for good measure and my nethers were in heaven.

I give 5 stars for this new pump.  If you have yet to try the Chamois Butt'r line of products, I double dare ya!  They were the first to develop chamois cream and have been doing so for 18 years.  The Her product kept me chafe free during the DK200 and the Dirty 130.

Dirty Kanza 200 Race Report

The Race

In 2006, Jim Cummins and his late friend Joel Dyke wanted to torture ... err, challenge racers to a self supported gravel race of epic proportions.  They mapped out one big loop of 200 miles.  34 showed up that year ... and Dirty Kanza was born.  Since then, the race has evolved into 4 distances: 25, 50, 100, and the premier 200 miles.  And it has gone from 34 entrants to 2300+!  Although Jim and his volunteer army of 150 work tirelessly to ensure an amazing experience, YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN.  No race organization support is provided.  There are three checkpoints, each roughly 50 miles apart, in a town.  It is up to you to either have a support team to meet you at the CP's and provide the necessary assistance and refueling or sign up for the crew-for-hire services from the Never Let Go Fund. They provide support crew services to you and the proceeds go to support their mission of helping families battling childhood cancer.

Pre Race Festivities

The town of Emporia rolled out the red carpet for the racers.  There were tons of activities in the 3 days leading up to the race.  Group rides, a concert, an outdoor expo, Q & A sessions, and new this year was the #200women200miles initiative.  After a lackluster number of women participants in the past, this year, even though the race sold out in less than 2 minutes, 200 spots were held for women for the 200 mile distance.  Those spots sold out in 24 hours. Throughout the months leading up to the event, the organization helped women prepare by having clinics and training camps.  The day before the race, there was a round table event for the women held in the Granada theater and was also on FB live. Now this is how to empower women to race their bikes without feeling out of place or intimidated!

Also unique to this year, the premier of Blood Road was shown at the theater on Friday afternoon. This documentary was about Rebecca Rusch's quest to ride her bike along the Ho Chi Minh trail and find where her father went down in his A4 during a bombing mission in the Vietnam War.  I watched it and tears were shed.  I highly recommend this, not just because it involves cycling, but gives a different perspective of that war.

Got caught taking a selfie!

My lead up to race day

I was a bundle of nerves.  My competition was not the other women, but the course and Mother Nature.  My goals were 1) to finish, and 2) to "beat the sun."  I was jonesing for the Race to the Sun Patch, which, in order to receive, one must finish by 8:45 pm.  The start was at 6 am, so that gave me almost 15 hours. I knew I could do the distance, but was worried about the time. I checked my weather app no less than 100 times. I've heard horror stories about the course, especially if it rained.  Peanut butter mud that would gom up wheels and rip derailleurs off. And the weather forecast was not looking good ... initially. Heck, even as close as 48 hours prior, there was a 50% chance of storms.  And I had heard the winds could be steady at 15-20mph.

If you know me, I was very much prepared.  In my resupply bags, I had ample nutrition, a change of clothes and shoes, rain gear, extra lights, and a spare "everything" for my bike. On the bike, I carried all the necessary supplies and tools to fix any problem that I was mechanically capable of. Registration was fun!  From the local girl scout troop giving us free boxes of cookies to efficient lines to the overwhelming amount of schwag, I was in and out in less than 10 minutes.

Zeke and I stayed at the Emporia State University dorms.  The University was kind enough to house and feed us for $135/person for 3 nights.  We were only a 2 minute pedal from the start.  There was a microwave in the lobby so that I could brew my Christopher Bean coffee and reheat the meals I had prepared.  I would definitely stay there again.

Race day I woke up at 4am.  After fueling up on CBC Caramel Macchiato with honey, a banana, and a Honey Stinger waffle, I checked my bike over one more time and pedaled over to Commercial Street. The butterflies were swarming and with a few minutes to spare, I meandered over to the Porta-John where there was amazingly no line to make race weight.

To mentally get through the day (and possibly night), I broke the 200 up into 4 50 mile races.  It is much easier to focus on a 50, which I do all the time.  I just had to do 4 in a row!

Race #1: Emporia to Madison, 48 miles, 2400 feet gain (Free Speed!)

I positioned myself on the start line around the 10th row.  I knew I needed to stay up front to increase my chances of avoiding any crazy stupid situations that almost always arise as the race goes from a controlled start to letting loose the hounds of hell.  The first few miles were quite pleasant as 1150 racers made their way out of town under police escort.  With no yellow line rule in effect, I did not have to battle for position with elbows extended.  The pace was perfect, allowing the engine to slowly come to life. I felt there was no need for a pre race warm up. Once we hit gravel, the race began. It was fast! The dust was thick and tiny rocks were getting kicked up in my face. Not wanting to have to see the dentist upon my return home, I kept my mouth shut and teeth covered.

Knowing that I could most likely sustain this effort for 50 or even 100 miles, but definitely not 200, I fell back into the 3rd, or 4th group. There was a quote from Rebecca Rusch that stuck in my mind. She was once asked by a racer why she started so slow ... to which she responded, "Why do you finish so slow?" In my new contingent of racers, I was comfortably able to manage a pace that would last.

As I had heard stories of, soon racers began having flats.  In my best estimate, I would say 1 flat per mile.  That made me nervous.  And for the most part, it was like I had read about:  just after a descent, riding through a wet or dry creek bed where the sharp rocks were more exposed.  I took no chances and eased my way through these crossings, often times scrubbing some speed and watching those ahead to see which lines were best.  And saying one of my mantras: float like a butterfly.

Midway through, I caught up to Jill Martindale.  She was her usual bundle of joy.  I filled up on her bubbliness while we made our way to CP1 in Madison. I had set my GPS timer to go off every 15 minutes in order to remind myself to drink each time and eat something every other time. This worked wonderfully for me throughout the race.  The first segment flew by quickly as the peloton worked like a well oiled machine.  As we approached town, the pace quickened, racers eager to get to their crew, re supply, and begin the next 50.  There was a nice little kicker leading up to the checkpoint at the local high school that blew the peloton apart.

Once at the checkpoint, madness ensued.  Imagine trying to find your support crew among 700! They had broken up the area into 5 colors to try to make it a bit easier.  I was looking for yellow.  Luckily, I had full support from the Chamois Butt'r team and finding them was fairly easy. As I pulled into my area, I was immediately assisted by Mitzi, Steve's wife (CEO of Chamois Butt'r) and her son.  While I wiped down my chain and applied lube, they refilled my 2 bottles (I had ridden with 3, but only drank 2).  I was feeling great and had no issues.  As a final act, I also "re lubed" my taint with, but, of course, Chamois Butt'r!

Race #2 Madison to Eureka, 56 miles, 3200 feet gain (The Road to Nowhere)

Headed out, the pack had thinned and I found myself alone.  That was fine, as I was blessed to not have to fight against the typical Kansas headwinds.  At the most it was only 10mph. The temps were still cool and the legs were still in great shape.  I had managed to keep my heart rate in the high 140's in the first 50 miles, which for me is in the aerobic range.  I still had plenty of gas in the tank and my nutrition was spot on.  As I pedaled, I took the time to look around and gaze at the beauty of the Flint Hills and the boundless prairie.  With the abundance of rain, the grasses were green and wildflowers were everywhere!  The terrain became hillier and evidence of man's existence became less.




After awhile I came upon a rider with a Lauf kit utilizing a Lauf fork. We traded pulls and eventually got collected up in a small group. It turned out that he was the owner of the company. Needless to say, he was faster on the descents, but I always caught him on the climbs. Eventually the rubber band broke and he fell back.

There were just as many racers off their bikes on the edge of the road as in the first segment, but this time they were not changing flats, but taking nature breaks.  Fortunately for me, my urinary tract is able to "shut down" during a race of even this magnitude.  Otherwise, I might have caused a crash or two, as there were no trees to hide behind.

As I made my way to Eureka, the group's dynamics would change as some decided to surge ahead, new riders would join, and some would pop off the back.  I did my fair share of pulling, to which I believe most appreciated. Of course, I did not provide much draft, so at times, the second in line would come around and that was o.k. by me.  But there was one dude that I felt did not like the idea of being helped by a woman, because I tried twice to pull him, to which he responded by quickly whipping back around me and then trying to break away.  What ... ever!  I just laughed under my breath and went along my merry way.  After a couple hours, he was reeled back into the group, shuttled to the back, and then promptly popped off, never to be seen again. Karma!

Around mile 90, I was fortunate to become part of a large group that hammered the last 10 into Eureka.  I met another female Chamois Butt'r rider, Jamie, who was looking strong.  We chatted for a bit, but our conversation ended when the front half decided to ramp it up even more.  I let them go, as those speeds were too much for me.  Knowing from experience, I needed happy legs for the next leg, which is around the time that I usually hit my low spot in a race of this distance.  I still had a nice little group for the final 5 miles into the checkpoint.

Entering the Eureka High School, I heard my crew yelling at me before I saw them.  This time, none other than Mr. Chamois Butt'r himself, Steve Matthews, was there.  He and Zeke took over my Niner RLT RDO and busied themselves getting my chain all cleaned and lubed up as I had my 3 bottles refilled by Mitzi.  Once again, I applied more Chamois Butt'r.

Race #3 Eureka to Madison, 58 miles, 3200 feet gain (Chamois Butt'r Pain Train)

With another quick transition, I was back on the bike and back to grinding.  I've been told that this is the hardest, so I mentally prepared myself to enjoy the pain that was about to ensue.

As I pedaled up the road, I saw two Chamois Butt'r riders.  I pushed hard for a few minutes and made it up to them:  Elliot and Jad.  Little did I know at the time, but these guys would make the last half of my race a memorable one.  Others joined over the next few miles and pretty soon we had a decent pack. Talking with them, I learned that this leg was the longest and most demanding.  It was also going to be in the hottest part of the day.  I was glad that I had added a fourth bottle at the last check point.

Jad was a powerhouse and perfectly built for these endless miles of mild grade rollers.  He looked like a defensive end.  He could motor on the flats for miles, bomb the descents and drop everyone, and was surprisingly strong on the climbs.  And he did a fine job of blocking the wind! Elliot was tall and lanky and rode a consistent pace like I.  For the most part, I stayed with them on this leg.  There were a couple times when I ended up by myself; once when the guys had to take a nature break and once when I just broke free on a climb.  I enjoyed the "alone" time, as the winds were not too bad and it gave me some time to think about the ride, the beauty of Kansas, and just how blessed I was to be happy, healthy, and able to conquer a feat of this magnitude.

Not like the "hills" of Tennessee, but still hurt the same, especially around mile 120.

The alone time would end when I would be swallowed up by the group, being led by the Jad The Destroyer. 2-4 pm was the hottest, but I could see rain off in the distance, which helped with cloud cover, and kept it cooler than what was predicted for the day: mid to upper 70's as opposed to the mid 80's.  The humidity was also low as I noticed that I was not sopping in sweat.  However, there was one 1 mile section near some houses where ground up asphalt had been laid down for dust control. This black gravel radiated the heat and it was sweltering!  And deep!  My tires sunk and instantly I had to turn up the wattage.  That was an SOB, for sure!

Along the way, I caught up to Tiffany.  She was motoring along on her Specialized Epic with skinnies.  I was most impressed with her position for not only her bike choice but what little preparation she was able to do, you know, because of ... life.  I then caught up to Desiree, the one who I battled for the Single Speed Marathon National Championship. She called me out, as she was single speeding and I was "cheating."  I laughed, but gravel and single speeding are like oil and vinegar, for me, at least.

Along this leg, the course had been re routed due to an impassable river.  Members of the local jeep club were along this section, to ensure we stayed on course.  Even given this, I was still a bit unnerved as my GPS would scream at me every few minutes that I was "off course."  After 8 hours of racing, your mind can begin to play tricks on you and staying focused can be difficult.  The self doubting left me, however, once I got back on the original course.

About this same time, I developed a case of sour stomach.  This is when your GI tract begins to rebel at processing and your food just sits there and nothing happens.  And which is why I carry along a plain bottle of water.  When I get a case of this, diluting it out with water is the trick for getting back on track. I also have to slow the pace little as well, which can be frustrating.  But, I know, this must be done, in order not to completely shut down.  After 90 minutes, I was feeling much better.




But then my feet began to develop hot spots.  My left big toe and the outside of my left foot felt like they were on fire, a searing pain.  I actually looked down at my foot expecting smoke.  It lasted for 20 minutes and then ... just ... left.  I dunno!

I began to notice fatigue setting in at mile 150.  The legs began to get a little achy, and a fog began to develop in my mind.  I felt myself looking less at the landscape and more at the ground in front of me, or if I was lucky enough to find another racer, at their rear wheel.  I became less talkative and just more concentrated at turning the pedals over.  Checking my nutrition and my fluids, I had more on the bike than in the body.  So I focused on eating/drinking a little more, hoping to shake off this feeling of emptiness.

Those 12 miles to the third checkpoint seemed to last forever.  Finally, my tires hit pavement. Rolling into downtown Madison (CP 3 was at a different location than CP1), I began to look for the yellow flag.  Two riders just ahead of me stopped dead in front of me.  I had to lock up the brakes to avoid a collision.  What were they thinking?!?  I suppose they were in the same fatigue induced stupor that I was.

I rode onwards and at the end of the town still did not see my support vehicle.  Slightly panicked, I saw some Chamois Butt'r people and asked where Zeke was.  I was told to backtrack a couple hundred yards to yellow (they had been mistakenly put in orange). Turning around and pedaling back, I saw Zeke jumping up and down and waving his arms. My spirits instantly lifted when I saw my "gravel trail angel"!

While I grabbed more food and refilled just 3 bottles for the final segment, Zeke worked on the chain again, cleaning and applying more lube.  My bike was in great shape, but with the few muddy creek crossings and all the dust, I wanted to make sure that my drive train was as quiet and efficient as possible.  Once again, a healthy dose of Chamois Butt'r applied to the appropriate region!

Race #4 Madison to Emporia, 45 miles, 2100 feet gain (Shut Up Legs!)

"Only 45 to go, you got this!" I told myself.  And I noticed that for the most part, it would be a tailwind all the way.  I managed to hook back up with Jad and another racer that I had seen off and on the entire race. His name was Paul and he was riding a Why gravel bike.  I asked him if he was the owner as a good friend of mine, Kim, also rode a Why bike and absolutely loves it.

As racers slowly came together, our group grew.  We were all tired, but were smelling the barn.  The roads became a little flatter and smoother and the pace picked up.  This is where I entered the pain cave.  It was either work hard and go fast with the group or work hard and go slow alone.

It stayed this way for the first half.  But then, some faster riders latched on and our group doubled in size.  The speeds picked up even more.  I ended up in the very back, the place not to be.  For whenever there was a minor change of speed up front, by the time it got back to me, it became a huge power surge for me to not get gapped.  I fought this battle for 5 miles before I popped.  I was alone, but at least the tailwind was still present.  I was still in a relative happy place because I knew I would accomplish my race day goals. My case of the "hot feet" flared up off and on during this final segment. The pain was almost unbearable, but I began to have other pains that distracted me from the awful foot pain.  My left wrist and left shoulder helped me to take my mind off my miserable feet.

So I trudged along on my alone for quite some time.  Then I began to see a couple riders on the horizon.  As I continued to pedal, they got closer.  I recognized them as part of the group that I had popped off of.  Apparently their rubber bands had snapped as well. Soon we formed a trio:  Paul, a NBA-tall dude (so tall he made his cross bike looked like a 26'r), and I.  We worked together over the next 5 miles and then were joined by 2 more riders who had come upon us.   They upped the pace a little and my legs were all like,"Go away, we don't want to play with you."  But soldier on I did.

Closing in on the final few miles, we began scooping up solo riders. One was a woman whom I remember passing after the second checkpoint.  When she saw me, her eyes widened and she got squirrely. Paul noticed this and motioned for me to hop on his tail.  He pulled me back up to her and then pulled off to the side.  I guess he wanted to see some racin'!  I laughed and told him that I didn't want to race anymore, just finish.  But ... I hopped on her wheel anyway.  I didn't think she was in my class as she looked really young.  What the hey!  I decided to play with her, though.  Don't judge me. After 204 miles and 13 + hours, I figured I earned a game of cat and mouse.  No matter what, I was going to let her win.  I just wanted to show her that she could muster up some power in the final few minutes.  And perhaps help her to realize that the tank is never truly empty (something I learned at Marathon Nationals).  So I chased her until we hit the hill up to the university.  Once she opened the gap, I sat down and let her go.

Rolling down Commercial Street to the finish, thousands of people were present!  The cheers were overwhelming.  I hi-fived so many kids my right hand stung!  Crossing the finish line, the announcer called my name out.  Jim, the race director, shook my hand and gave me my Race The Sun patch and finisher's glass.  I later heard that he personally greeted every ... single ... finisher.  Another memorable moment was when Rebecca Rusch gave me a great big hug!  She had raced the 100, finished 2nd overall, got cleaned up, and then proceeded to be a part of the big celebration by welcoming the 200's back. What an inspiring athlete and person!  Steve Mathews was there as well to congratulate his tribe.

Once I dismounted, I guess my body realized that it was done working, and began to shut down.  I hobbled over to the side walk and then sat down in pure exhaustion.

That is the face of "I love racing my bike for 206 miles."

I want to give a big shout out to Jad, Elliot, and Paul for giving me shelter from the wind for a good portion of the day.  It definitely made this experience that much more enjoyable.  I cannot fathom trying to go at this beast alone. And to the Chamois Butt'r team for taking me under their wing and making me feel #sopro.

It was not until an hour later I learned that I had finished 3rd in my age group (40-49) and 10th overall.  Which got me thinking.  What could I manage with a little more specific training?  Future food for thought.

What an adventure!  I had always thought of Kansas as flat farmland with nothing more than rows upon rows of corn and wheat.  But the beauty of the Flint Hills was breathtaking. I did not even mind seeing gravel road upon gravel road rolling to the distant horizon.  And the countryside was so clean!  No dirty diapers, discarded mattresses or refrigerators.  I did see an old tire or two, though.

Icing on the cake!

Interesting Facts

# of chasing dogs: 0
% of women finishing the 200:  80.4 (record)
% of men finishing the 200:  84.3 (record)
# of women in all distances:  410 (record)
# of riders beating the sun:  399 (record)

The Gravel

As best as I can remember, I would say that there were 5 types of road surfaces.

1.  Asphalt.  5 % of the course
2. Hard packed gravel.  45% of the course. Smooth and close to "asphalt fast".
3. Loose and semi-deep gravel.  30% of the course.  One lane wide with 2 distinct tracks to ride in. As long as you stayed in the track, all was good.  Stray off the track and you could get squirrely.
4. Rocky base B road. 10% of the course.  Large slabs of rock in areas.  Lots of sharp flint.  The most technically demanding.
5. Black dirt base B road. 10% of the course. Hard packed ruts from tractor traffic.  And if it rains, turns to hellish mud.

Sponsor Spotlight -- Chamois Butt'r

I have been blessed to have a working relationship with this company for 6 years.  Aside from my LBS, this is my longest standing sponsorship.  It is one that is a bit more difficult to promote since you actually don't see the product in photos or in person as opposed to my other sponsors, i.e. bike, wheels, pedals, cogs, etc.

But they are just as essential in aiding in my performance.  What connects you to the bike has got to be comfortable, so as to be forgettable.  Meaning, I don't want to think about my taint AT ALL while training and racing.  Because if I am, then my focus is being taken away from the engine.

There are plenty of options when looking for a good chamois cream.  And most probably do a decent job.  It is important to try out several and find out which one works best for you.  I would give Chamois Butt'r a chance.  They have several options:  Chamois Butt'r (the original), Chamois Butt'r Eurostyle, and Chamois Butt'r Her.  The price is good:  $15-20 for an 8 ounce tub.  I always carry samples with me, so just ask!

Steve Matthews, founder and developer, is so cool and down to earth.  He goes out of his way to make time for the little grassroots ambassadors, like me. He knows that we can play a vital role in getting the word out on his product.  For me, personally, I connect more with the small players and what products they use/support, as opposed to what the big name pros go with.

I am honored to be a part of the team, no matter how small my role might be.

Chamois Butt'r's Little Brother and Sister

Everyone knows about world's best chamois cream, but Paceline Products and the Chamois Butt'r line also have a couple other good products as well.  After a solid year of putting them through the works, I can now lavish them with some words of praise.

The Sports Wash is a great addition to the post ride/race clean up protocol.  No water around?  Needing to remove the embrocation?  No worries, just spray liberally to skin and wipe off with a rag or paper towel. With Sports Wash, you have no excuse climbing aboard the podium a dirty mess. It works extremely well at removing embrocation, COMPLETELY, so that you don't have that intense burning sensation on your legs, ALL ... THE ... WAY ... HOME.

Sports Wash contains green tea extract, aloe vera gel, and peppermint. It has a nice fragrance and is non irritating on intact skin.  I would caution its use if you have any road rash or open wounds.

Sports Kit Wash is the go-to cleaner for your high end cycling kits or swimsuits.  It is recommended for handwashing your items, but I have also used it in my washing machine on the delicate cycle.  It does a nice job of removing any Chamois Butt'r residue.  I have also used it as a pre wash, soaking my dirty kits in it, when I didn't have the opportunity of washing them immediately post ride/race.  It won't get heavy mud (think red clay) stains out.  For that, I recommend Progold Degreaser + Wash!  Where I have really noticed its effectiveness is with my swimsuit.  Frequent washing with it has increased the life of my suit; no more "saggy bottom" after a season's use.

So, there you go.  Two more awesome "Made in the USA" products by Paceline Products!

Chamois Butt'r Her Review

After 25+ hours saddle time in Idaho which included the Marathon XC Nationals in Sun Valley followed by 10+ hours in Pennsylvania prepping for and racing the XC Nationals in Bear Creek,  I have a real appreciation for the "Her" line of Chamois Butt'r.

Chamois cream of champions!

I first mentioned this product here.  Now that I have had many hours of ride time I am ready to step on my soap box.

Idaho was hot, dry, and dusty.  Pennsylvania was hot and humid.  Ride times in Idaho were 3-5 hours; I slathered on a generous two finger helping and did not need to re-apply.  Ride times in Pennsylvania were 1-3 hours.

My saddle contact points remained happy throughout ... no chafing, no sores.  Some say that this product is too thin and gets "sweated" away quickly.  Although the product may seem to have disappeared after an hour's saddle time, it continues to work albeit on a "microscopic" level.  The tea tree oil, aloe vera, and lavender oil all inhibit bacterial and fungal growth.  So even after my ride when I spent extra time in my chamois enjoying a soak in the cold mountain waters or consuming my recovery drink and chatting about the ride or the race course with my friends, Chamois Butt'r Her was keeping me protected.

Sure, there are "thicker" products on the market.  But they contain waxes, parafins, and heavy doses of lanolin, which are all difficult to wash out of your chamois.  I know from personal experience just how quickly it can destroy a chamois.

There are products out there that are comparable to Chamois Butt'r Her with regards to the ingredients, but they also come at a much higher cost.

My only complaint is that it is not offered in a tub.  Trying to get the last ounce or so from the tube is about as hard as herding cats.  But if you want an all natural product produced here in the good 'ol US of A, you really need to try this product.  It comes in an 8 ounce tube for $15 and in convenient 0.75 ml reapplication packets.

Thank you Paceline Products and Chamois Butt'r Her for being part of a magical formula that helped me to attain a 2nd place at Marathon Nationals and a 1st place at XC Nationals, both SS style!

Her' Chamois Butt'r

Last week I received the newest in the line of Chamois Butt'r products, a formula designed just for women.

It is different than Chamois Butt'r in that it contains aloe vera, green tea leaf extract, tea tree oil, shea butter, and lavender oil.  It is also pH balanced for women.  I have used it on 4 training rides of about 2 hours each.  Riding conditons have been dry with temps in the mid-80's.  I must say that it is as good as the Eurostyle that I also use.

The one thing that I REALLY like about this product, which doesn't have anything to do with its performance, is its fragrance.  It brings back fond memories of my daughter at an early age.  Her Chamois Butt'r smells just like Johnson's Baby Lotion.  By the way, the fragrance is all natural.

I am looking forward to challenging the product's durability in a little over a week when I head to Idaho for 10 days of epic riding, finishing with the Marathon Nationals in Ketchum.  If it is anything like its counterparts,  my nether regions will be happy, happy, happy!

Hit me up for some, if you see me out on the trail!

Eurostyle Embrocation Review

From the makers of Chamois Butt'r

I had the pleasure of using this for the first time this winter and early spring.  This product comes in two levels of heating:  warm (suggested for 70 degrees and below) and hot (suggested for 50 degrees and below).  It comes in an 8 ounce tub and has a creamy, non-greasy formula.  I chose the HOT as my legs/knees can handle temperatures above 50 degrees in their naked form.  And I hate to wear anything more than just shorts when on the road bike.  Tights and leg warmers are like "straight jackets" for my lower extremities.  I feel all bound up and cannot move freely nor generate the power comfortably.

As these embrocations are in tubs similar to Chamois Butt'r Eurostyle, measures have been taken to ensure that one does not get these products mixed up ... which could be painfully disastrous!  The labels and lids are red, and the embrocation itself is orange in color.

Makes legs happy!

Makes tush happy!

I recommend applying it at least 30 minutes before you are ready to ride.  You don't need much; a two-finger dollop will do.  One tub lasted me almost two months.

Warm legs and knees makes it so much easier to get into the groove with my training.  By the time I headed out the door, I was feeling a tingly warmness.  This "barrier" made the temps feel at least 20 degrees warmer.    And to me, that can be the difference between a "dead leg" session and a "sparkly leg" ride.

Immediately upon finishing a ride, I take diligence in removing the embrocation.  There is nothing like stepping back inside a warm house and having your legs "on fire" to get you moving to a source of soap and cool water.  Warning:  don't step into a hot shower without removal first!  

If you don't have soap and water readily available, I recommend this.

16 ounces of bliss ... well, at least until a  real shower if found.

This is great for removing the embrocation as well as just cleaning the dirt, sweat, and grime off you.  All of these products are Made in the USA, too!  You can find out more info at Paceline Products.

As much as I hate the cold and wet of winter, I can take some comfort in knowing that this embrocation will make it a little more bearable.  Can't say that I am looking forward anytime soon to using this product again.  I am kind of enjoying the jersey and shorts weather and not having to think about what to wear.

Patiently waiting for next winter.

Not CYOA but Chamois Butter CMA

CMA = "Covered My Arse"

After 5000 miles and 550 hours in the saddle this season is finally finished.  Mountain bike racing rates right up there with NASCAR as far as the length of the season.  It all began with the January Snake Creek Gap TT and ended with the Chainbuster Finale at Oak Mountain last weekend.

Through it all, Chamois Butt'r has had my back, err ... butt.  Only 1 saddle sore and 1 case of chamois chafe. The saddle sore was during the Pisgah 111, an 8 hour race  and the chafing was at the Chainbuster Jack Rabbit, a 6 hour race.  I am not sure why the saddle sore, but the reason for the "chamois brand" was my fault.  I failed to apply and reapply adequately. My shorts had gotten muddy during the first 2 hours of the race.  When the course finally dried out, so did the mud in my shorts.  As a result, it was like wearing sand paper.

Although I have used both types of Butt'r, I prefer the Eurostyle over the regular.  It contains menthol and witch hazel.  The menthol has anti bacterial properties as well as a cooling effect I like.  The witch hazel is an astringent and contains antioxidants.  I believe these added ingredients are what is important in warding off saddle sores.

It is non greasy and easily washes out of my shorts.  As a result, my shorts last several seasons.  One added benefit I did not realize initially is that it keeps my white saddles shiny clean!

Chamois Butt'r is made in the USA.

Over the course of the year I went through 12 tubs of Butt'r.  The tubs are now being used to house medicinal wipes and bike parts.

Most of all, a huge shout out to Steve Matthews, owner of Paceline Products.  He always had the time to talk to me.  Talk about looking out for the little gal!

I still have individual packets available.  If you see me out on the trail, just ask and I will be happy to share!

SERC #4 Winder: Carly's Race Report

Carly and I arrived early on Saturday.  We pre-rode Carly's course, a 1/2 mile single track loop, which was pretty intimidating.  We got off our bikes on a long rooty section and together decided the best line through it.  After practicing it a few times, Carly had the line down pat.  After that was a 100 yard loose and somewhat rooty climb followed by a fairly steep descent with one "hole" to go down and back up out of.  The first time it came upon Carly so quick that she did not have time to get scared.  This deep ditch was about 4 feet deep and 10 feet wide.  Momentum was definitely your friend; if you hit the brakes you would not make it to the top and would most likely fall back down to the bottom.  The lap finished with a steep climb back up to the Start/Finish.

After her pre-ride, we registered and got our schwag bag.  Carly loves this part.  She pulled out a Jet Blackberry Gu and devoured it.  Next she pulled out this:

And then she asked me, "What does this taste like, Momma?"  I about fell backwards I was laughing so hard!  Once I told her what it was for, she got this disgusting "I can't believe I was about to eat that!" look on her face.

Once Grandmom Sandy and Grand-Doug arrived,  I went off on my pre-ride while Carly took the grandparents on a hike of her course.  My Mom later told me that she had asked Carly if she wanted to race with a bottle of water or sports drink.  Carly's response (with the most serious face, according to Mom),  "No, Grandmom, that adds WEIGHT."

Sunday morning, Carly's race went off bright and early at 8:30 am. The day before she had showed us our positions out on the course:  Grandmom at the root garden, Grand-Doug at "the hole," and I at the road crossing.

"Go to your position, Mom, you are getting on my nerves."

Carly's race was 2 laps.  Once the gun went off and she was out of sight, I went to my position.  Whereas on the pre-ride she was "on the brakes" on the descent, today she was flying today!

Intensity!

 

 

On the second lap she had lost a position.  She later told me that the girl (in the picture above) had passed her on the climb, causing her to bobble.  But she said she ran the bike up to the next level spot and hopped right back on.

Finishing!

 

 

When asked what the favorite part of the race for her, she replied with a big smile, "The downhill!"  Awesome.  At the previous two races the answer to the question had been, "the finish."

Other than the competitor-induced bobble, she executed a great race.  Doug said that she made "the hole" look easy.  He helped a lot of kids up and outta there by grabbing on to their handlebars as they just barely crested the summit.

All the kids are winners.

Now, if I can only figure out how to make L4 and VO2 max intervals fun for her!

Berryman Epic Race Report

Schwag bag was also the drop bag.

Once again this year, I was able to escape Mother Nature's wrath.  The forecast was 70% chance of thunderstorms Friday night and on into race day.  I woke up to cloudy skies and a temperature of 60 degrees ... yes!

I managed to line up within the first few rows (250 racers in all) and patiently waited for someone to yell, "Go!"  Instead, I was momentarily stunned by a blast from a cannon, which I swear to God was right next to me, although I never saw it.  I will remember that next year.

The start was FAST and hectic.  I rubbed wheels with more than one racer.  How I managed to stay upright I don't know; perhaps it is my "cat-like" skills.  There were 3 gradual miles climbing on loose gravel before the single track so I settled into a slightly higher effort than I wanted, but knew that I could recover from.  Catharine passed me pretty quickly, but I managed to stay within sight of her and slowly reeled her back in.  As we entered the single track, I was a few racers behind her. 

Settling into "stealth" mode I took it easy and watched my competition for any signs of weakness.  I really knew nothing about her, other than she raced road and cross.  The first section of single track was wide, smooth, and rolling ... big ring territory! 

After about 10 minutes, I realized that although I was not as powerful as her, I had the upper hand in the technical stuff.  I made a pass when she bobbled on a sketchy climb, dug deep to open a gap, and settled into a 5 hour race pace after about 15 minutes.

All smiles on the pre--ride.

The race takes place on the Ozark and Berryman Trails.  These alternate between ridge tops and creek bottoms.  The topography is gently rolling; the longest climb was probably 0.2 miles and at a relatively easy grade.  This, combined with dry conditions, made for a superfast course.  I spent a lot of time in the big ring.  What made it technical in areas was the loose rocky soil, horse damage, and erosion on some of the climbs/descents.

On one of the side cut sections in the first 11 miles, my front tire washed out and down I went.  After a quick assessment of bike (o.k.) and body (few scrapes/bruises), I remounted and raced on.  After a few more miles of finding my rhythm in the loose terrain, I became one with the trail.

I rode most of the horsed-up switchbacks down to Brazil Creek and the first checkpoint.  11 miles in :58:47; on pace with the pain cave no where in sight.  I grabbed my first zip-tie and motored on.

The next 10 miles flew by on this sh!ts and giggles trail!  I love the Berryman; no hour long granny gear climbs followed by foreverish descents.  Just a constant up and down and carving through the "S-curves."  Momentum and brake feathering are your friends.  I rolled into the Berryman campground at the second checkpoint in 1:57.  Mia told me that I was 17 minutes off the leaders and roughly in the top 25.  I grabbed my second zip-tie, went over to where my drop bag was and grabbed another bottle and once again was off.

This next section of trail was perhaps the most difficult.  I encountered a 30 yard sand trap (which I ran through), a couple steep loose climbs, and a lot of  "horsed-up" sections of trail.  It was here that I slowly began reeling in guy after guy after guy.  Some jumped onto my wheel after I made the pass, to which I then asked if they wanted back on by.  They responded that they were just trying to hang on and within a few minutes, I heard them no more.

After popping out onto a jeep trail, grabbing my 3rd zip-tie, I then hauled a$$ back on 5 miles of fire road.  I felt great on the roads and was able to enter the pain cave with a smile on my face.  I made the 1.3 mile paved climb back up to the Berryman campground with ease and grabbed my final zip-tie.  I glanced down at my watch and it read 3:27:14!  Oh yeah, a sub-5 hour was on the horizon.  I had 16 miles to go, with 6.5 of that being a slightly rolling to mostly descending fire road back to the finish.  I refilled my Camelbak and was off on the final 10 miles of single track.

The single track from the Berryman campground where I pre-rode the day before.

 

 

The first couple miles was technical with ledgey drops and lots of roots.  I had ridden this the day before so I was able to fly through it today.

Nowhere where I live can you ride a one trail for 36.5 miles.  Gotta come back and go explorin'.

I had just made it through the rough section and was rolling along a creek bed (mile 41) when I heard the dreaded Psssssss! and saw Stan's spewing out my rear tire.  Noooooooo!  As calmly as I could, I changed my tire.  Checking for thorns and sidewall cuts, I found none, put the tube in and attached my CO2.  And nothing.  Grumble, grumble!  I then attached my hand pump and made the 300 strokes to get it up to an appropriate PSI.  I pinched the hell out of my palm with the pump!  (Later that evening after the race, I found out why my CO2 did not work -- a broken valve stem was jammed up into the head -- WTF?!?)

Several guys had passed me, but not Catharine.  Whew!  It took a couple miles to get my mojo back and get back up to speed.  But I did and soon began passing those that had passed me. Then at mile 46 my rear tire exploded!! Not again!  The Gods must have been angry.  I stopped and saw this:

From the tread almost to the bead!  The "white" is an empty hammer gel packet.

I had managed to lose my patch during the last tire change.  Fortunately a racer named Rock stopped and gave me one of his patches.  It barely covered the gaping hole.  This time I pumped 250 times as both the patch and tube began to bulge out.  Crap!  I got back on and rode like an exhausted beginner, fearing another flat and not having any more tubes.  At about mile 48, I found an empty Hammer gel packet.  Thank God for litterbugs!  I deflated my tube, popped the bead, and inserted the Hammer get packet.  For the third time I pumped 250 strokes!  Unfortunately for my upper body and mental soundness, I did not seat the patch perfectly and it poked through the hole.  I let the air out again, repositioned, and pumped 250 more times!  Can you believe not one swear word was uttered?

At some point during this fiasco, Catharine had passed me in stealth mode.  I kind of figured this was going to happen as now I was 45 minutes into screwing around with my rear tire.  Rock came by me once again and this time gave me his only tube; I had refused before as I did not want him without.  He did not give me the opportunity to refuse this time, saying as he rode by and dropping the tube at my feet, "I am tired of you passing me."  What a man!

Fearful that my tire would not hold up under a lot of pressure or speed, I limped on into the finish, taking nearly 30 minutes to cover the last road section.  The last thing I wanted to happen at this point was me taking a digger at 30 mph on the descent if my tire completely disintegrated or having to run the last 5 miles to the finish.  The last time I had a DNF was in 2003 at a SERC XC race where I double-flatted and I was NOT going to here.

Still smiling and taking $100 home for 2nd.

I rolled in at 5:33:04, 15 minutes behind Catharine, but still good enough for 2nd.  It was frustrating, but if I am going to lose, I would rather it be a bike mechanical as opposed to a body mechanical.  Knowing that I was on par to a sub 5 hour is empowering to me, my efforts in training, and my coach's ability.

This race was awesome.  Kudos to Scott and Ryan for a fun well-marked course, great venue, food, band, and raffle.  I am already planning on the 2011 edition!

A big thanks to Steve Mathews at Paceline Products for the support in getting to Missouri.  Perhaps if I had used the Chamois Butt'r on my tire as well as my behind, the outcome would have been different.

The Little Guy (or Gal)

I am very happy that my record of 286 days with out a saddle sore will have the chance to grow since Chamois Butt'r is going to continue to sponsor me in 2011.  It might actually be more than 286, but I only officially started keeping a tally on January 1, 2010.

I am only a team of one, but whenever I have called Paceline Products to request product or to give an update on my season, Steve Mathews has ALWAYS taken precious time out of his busy day to chat with me for a bit.  That is way too cool!  It tells you a lot about a business when the president will talk to the little guy rather than passing him/her down the line or sending them to a general voice mail.  I feel very honored to play a role, no matter how small, in his business.

So if you see me out riding or racing and want to try a product that I believe in 100%, let me know and I can hook you up with some samples.  Even if I wasn't sponsored, I would still be using Chamois Butt'r Eurostyle ... it does my butt good!

Pisgah Stage Race: Stage 1

The view from the finish line.

 
The first stage was short.  Called the Blue Moon Hill Climb, it was 12 miles and 2000 vertical feet on a mix of pavement, gravel, double track, and single track.  The finish was in a high end mountain development.  To get to the start, I got to "warm up" with a 7 mile, sketchy a$$ descent down a gravel road that has not seen rain in a month.  Like riding on marbles.  Some poor soul blew the tire off his bike within the first mile; how he managed to stay upright, I do not know.

At least my bike had her race face on.

True to Todd Branham's races, the start was Leman's style.  I was the first to mount my bike and hit the short section of relatively flat to slightly downhill pavement.  Within minutes Amanda blew by me, almost causing me to go into a tailspin.  I recovered and was able to latch on to her wheel.  Soon enough Sue was up with us as well.

As soon as we turned onto gravel, the road pitched up and I popped off.  What's up, legs?  We are not going that fast.  But my legs suddenly turned into cinder blocks.  I was able to keep my competition in sight, but I knew that today was going to be just about surviving.  Coach told me that today was not going to be pretty, but that we would use it as my "leg opener."

When I started on the trail, I was bouncing all over the rocks.  I don't know if it was my suspension or me not being "at one" with the trail, but I felt like I was on a pogo stick.  People started passing me right and left and I lost sight of Sue when I had to get off and push up a few sections ... which I should not have had to do. I was expecting the trail in the Dupont State Forest to be smoother, but this trail was like riding up a dry creek bed.  Still, it WAS rideable.

I popped back out onto some more gravel grinding and seemed to find my flow a bit better.  The gravel climb back up to Blue Moon was steep and loose.  Turning back into the development, I was treated to more single track, albeit hiking trail.  Lots of steps and bridges and the last 1/2 mile up to the finish was just heinously steep.  How I managed to ride it all with crappy legs was a miracle, but I did.

I crossed the finish line in 1:11:39.  I was in third!  But of course, there were only 3 of us.  Oh, well, I was only a flat tire behind Amanda and Sue so I still had hope that I could reel them in!

Zeke raced his new SS!

I managed to give away quite a lot of Chamois Butt'r product.  One racer made the embarrassing mistake of stopping by to pick up some product in the middle of me changing back into civies!  He later introduced himself as P. Tom (as in Peeping Tom).  After he regained his composure, which wasn't until Stage 5, we had a good laugh.

Turkey and avacado on sourdough with pasta, chips and homemade cookie.

Post race food was from Poppies,  a local grocery in Brevard, that also serves delicious sandwiches, wraps, and pizzas.  The post-stage vibe was very good as racers hung around to partake in the vista, food, and beverage.  Kudos to Todd and Co. for stepping it up.  I was looking forward to Stage 2.