Two weeks ago was one of my "big" races. The Carrabassett Backcountry Challenge. It is a 100k mountain bike race. I sort of use this as a warm up for my 24 hour race… treating it as a B race instead of an A race. The past 2 times I have done it I haven't done that well. Well I got 3rd in my class last year, but I didn't have that great a race.
I was hoping for better this… but my fitness felt down, and my weight is up… and it is a fairly hilly race. I was better prepped hydration wise, and had the new bike. I started quite slowly, and weirdly within 10 minutes I was alone. It was like the group split in 3.. a bunch of faster riders off the front.. and a group of slower riders behind me [each in groups] and me in the middle. It was nice for I got to race my own race.. but I also wasn't being pushed that much either. I did get caught [and passed] by someone I don't think I ever caught [yet I am really not sure] I had another that got ahead of me at a food stop, but I fairly quickly caught, and passed him, but he kind of lingered behind me for a bit… not real real close.. but still there. I kept wondering if … when.. he might pass me back. I am guessing he was pushing me a little.. and after a bit I thought to myself.. "I can't keep this pace" so I slowed a little.. and about that time my tail disappeared. Apparently the pace was a little fast for him also. I ended up slowing reeling in other riders one at a time. I must have reeled in close to 30 riders. I was in places where I could see the "rabbits" up ahead… and I felt good enough, and motivated enough to chase them down.
I did not finish as strongly as I did the previous year, but overall my race was better. I did not get sick, and stayed pretty consistent through the race, having no real strong ups and downs [physically or emotionally]. I took somewhere around 40 minutes off my time, and once again finished 3rd [in my class] My biggie was beating a 36 year old friend that I have been riding a lot with. He has been riding strong this year.. but it was his first mountain bike race of that distance. He hadn't said anything… but a bunch of our friends kept telling me how he was going to kick my a$$.
![Twisted Evil :twisted:](./images/smilies/econ_twistedevil.gif)
I expected he would also.. but it was nice to stay ahead of him one more year. [he is 36 and I will be 58 in 2 months]
Right after the race, and the next 2 days my knees felt pretty good.. the 3rd and 5day they hurt a bit…. but further out ok I guess. I still have good and bad days.. and in general they feel better riding than not.. so I ride.
Next up is my 24 hour race.
One week from today I will be doing that.
I am sort of dreading this race. Although a week before the 100k I was dreading that one, it wasn't until a couple of days before.. that I was better with that one. This 24 is VERY HILLY and my extra weight will really hurt there.. and of course this race will hurt in general. It will also be super competitive. So far there are only 6 registered in my age class as solo racers. 50 and up.. or 50 to death as we like to call it.. there are no other break downs in age.. older than 50.
The six people… all have experience at this race. One of them I don't know if he has done it solo before.. but he has at least raced there on a team. 4 of us have been on the podium before… but we have not all raced together the same year. [hmm interestingly I have raced against all of them] I got second 2 years ago, and a crash late in last years race left me in 3rd. I was hoping to be better prepared this year, but for many reasons I am not. I of course would like to get on the podium again.. but the main thing.. if I am beaten I would like to make them at least earn it.. to make it a great race.. to give them some competition. Having a great race and not winning… to me is better than an easy win. At this point I got to race with what I got. My only hope.. and plans.. if I have the will power to stick to it.. is to walk the nasty climbs. I "need" to stay on the course as much as I can over the 24 [+] hours.
The race is about a 9 mile loop.. that you repeat as many times as you can in 24 hours. There are 3 nasty hills..well there are many hills… 1300 feet of climbing per lap, but there are 3 that are the worst. If I start walking them early.. that might save some energy. On the big hills walking isn't that much slower, and it conserves energy… so we will see. See if I can stay awake.. and alert enough.. and motivated enough…. to just try and out last them. There are 3 of them that should be significantly stronger than I. As am example.. the one I would say is the "weakest" of the 3.. he did the 100k race with me.. beating me by 25 min. The next morning [many of us camped the night after the race] I am sitting having coffee.. early in the morning I see Bruce biking by.. "nice I think.. Bruce is out loosening himself up after the race." I had planned to do a ride later myself. A couple hours later he goes by again.
![Thinking :thinking:](./images/smilies/econ_thinking.gif)
Then a couple of hours later while out on a group ride.. we see him still riding.
Later Laurie met up with him and they stopped and talked.. He wanted to get another 100k in!!!!!!
![Thumbs Up :thumbsup:](./images/smilies/econ_thumbsup.gif)
THAT BASS TURD! He told Laurie that was his last chance to get another long ride in before our next race. I have a friend Bruce coming up from Va. that beat me 2 years ago. and Jim that beat me last year.. does a 300 mile around the clock road ride the weekend we do the 100k mountain bike race…
This other Jim is sort of an unknown to me… so who knows what he will bring.
The race of course takes a lot of fitness, and strength.. but it also has a huge mental and emotional aspect to it. We will see what I can pull together this year.
![Worship :worship:](./images/smilies/econ_worship.gif)