Big Frog 65

I took the day off of work on Friday and kept Jubal home from school.  Rhonda went to her class.  Keeping her out of school is like keeping me off of my bike...no one benefits.  We got loaded up and headed towards Ducktown TN, home of the Ocoee Whitewater Center.  We decided to try camping out this year instead of hoteling. It turned out to be a great decision.  I was able to get up, get dressed and ride right to the start of the race, with out having to roust the family too early.

I ended up checking my watch every 30 minutes after midnight, because I was paranoid that I was going to oversleep.  When I saw 5:00am on the watch, I got up and got some hot water going for some Kinetic Koffee.  I prepped the Aeropress, and drank some water.  I fiddled around getting everything ready to go.  This year, I am fueling with Honey Stinger and nuun,  both of which have been very helpful in my training rides. I drank my shake for breakfast, drank Koffee, and changed.  Time was really dragging by, and I realized that I could have stayed in my sleeping bag another 30 minutes.   I guess I am so used to having to drive to the start.

Finally 6:45 am rolled around and I rode to the start.  The 100 milers went off at 7am, and we waited a long 15 minutes to get going.  It was nice to finally be rolling, and I jumped up with the leaders at the start, only to let them go.  I was going to go my pace no matter what.  It had rained off and on during the night, and today there was supposed to be a huge storm front rolling in.  Right now though, it was overcast, hot and humid.  I monitored my pace and RPE, and cruised through the single track, eating and drinking.  I let several faster groups pass on the single track and didn't even feel inclined to chase them.

The single track is fun and flowing, and it dawned on me how much single track I did not ride on through the winter.  I just kept spinning along.  We hit the first water station and I filled up.  It was time for the gravel road grind and I was ready.  I took the left turn and started grinding up the first hill.  On the gravel I can turn my mind off and focus on the task at hand.  On this trip I didn't let my mind wander, but stayed in tune with my body.  I wanted to finish.

The overcast skies continued to build, and there was an occasional blast of cool air.  I knew that the thunderstorms would roll in, but didn't know when.  On to aid station 2, where I started feeling bad last year.  I felt good this year.  I stopped to fill my bottles but not my camelbak.  A guy named Bill introduced himself.  He is from Chicago and volunteers for World Bicycle Relief..     I was going to fill the camelbak at the next stop, which I estimated to be another 10 miles out.   10 miles later, I ran out of water.  I mistakenly thought that there was a rest stop, where there was not.  oops.  I had some nuun mix left though so I was fine.  I did lower my effort a little so I didn't run out of that.

Every hour that went by, I made not that I was still sweating.  Even 4h  into the race, I was still sweating.  That is good.  I have found a heartrace/pace that my body likes, and I'll need to build on that. 

Back around the "Big Frog" loop to aid station 3, which was also aid station 2,  I made a quick stop and got on the bike again.  I was pleased that my aid station stops were not lasting very long at all.  I was taking the time to refill, and that was valuable time, but way better than not finishing.

The next 10-15 miles got really interesting.  At first there was lighting and thunder on the other side of the ridge.  Here in the mountains, it is hard to tell when or where the storm is going.  It could be headed right for you, then you go around a bend and the storm has moved on, or is stalled.  It is hard to tell.  Today however, I rode another 20 minutes, went around a bend and lightning hit, within 1 mile.  Then another bolt, closer. Then the skies let loose and dumped.  I thought about the "torrential downpour" in 24 Solo.  I was hoping Pos would bring me a shell or something....

I plodded on.  The rain drenching me.  I knew at this point that the tables had turned.  I no longer needed to worry about overheating, but now I had to think about hypothermia.  I stopped to put on my windbreaker vest and shortly after, stopped to pull on my arm warmers.  Even though they would be soaked, I would be a little warmer.  I took off on the downhill to the last aid station.  The gravel road that had been dry and dusty was now soft and mushy.  The mud splattering my face didn't help much.  I was cold and shivering and hungry.

Rhonda and Jubal were at the aid station.  So were Carrie L and Zeke.  We had some sort of a conversation, about Jubal looking exactly like me, only he needed some red fuzz on his chin, about Pisgah Stage Race, Trans Rockies, suffering etc.  I think that it was more of a one sided conversation where they said something and I looked at them, until I remembered that I needed something. I would go back to what I was doing, and they would say something else. I  would again look at them, not knowing what to say, or even how to say it.  I was tired.

 I ate a bit of a pb&j and rolled onto the last 12 miles of the route.  This last 12 miles is not easy, and it is not all down  hill.  This last 12 miles will put you in the hurt locker, make you cry for your mommy, and chew you up and spit you out.  I didn't want to do it.  I was hoping in a big way that they would call the race and send us home the short way.  It never happened.

The trails were now rivers.  There was nothing left that was dry.  The rain was off and on, but it didn't matter anymore.  I was almost warm on the climbs, but chilled right away on the downhills. I just shivered thinking about it.  I ground away in an easy gear, tired and quietly excited that I was not feeling bad.  I didn't feel what a normal person would call good,  but I didn't feel bad.

Winding around on the single track, I tried not to think about how far I had left to go.  It helped some, just to enjoy the wetness, and the fresh smells of the forest.  But when I finally got out of the woods, I was elated.   I tried to pick up the pace on the last mile of pavement, but it didn't happen.  I was wet, cold and there was a headwind.  Through the parking lot, across the bridge, greeted by my support team.  I crossed the line in 7hrs 10 minutes.

I was pleased!!  I pumped my fist and raised my hands to the sky. Although the top riders had finished long ago, this was a victory for me.  I had finished, and that is what I was going for.  It was a good day!!!

Now at home, a couple of days later, I look forward to building on what I have learned.  I am taking a transition week to relax and then starting a new training cycle.  I'm very excited about the future and learning and hopefully getting a little faster each time!!!

Have a great day.