SC 400, Day 3

The last day of the SC was the best from both a physical point of view and finishing up in just under 3 days.  I toured most of the day, riding easy and relaxed.  Took a nap or two and never overextended myself till the end.  I stopped at the Hideout motorcycle bar near Lake Henshaw and ordered two huge hamburgers, one to eat and one wrapped to go.  The bar itself (a weekend only type place) was just about ready to shut down the kitchen so my timing was good.  Later some strategic munching on the huge to-go burger became part of why I was able to ride on into the night and make my self-imposed cutoff time.

I stopped at the fire station in Warner Springs and chatted with a couple of crew who were enjoying the evening air.  They offered me some ice and a cold coke.  While there Michael Grosso rolled up and joined me.  He was the first rider I had seen all day and we agreed to ride together for a bit.  Kinda funny because he and I finished together in 2014.  I went ahead with a plan to stop and join back up at the end of the pavement.  While waiting for Michael I saw two sets of lights coming up, Daniel Jesse had rode up the climb with Michael (here is a nice article from the local paper with a pic of Michael and Daniel, as well as the overall winner Neil Beltchenko).

As soon as we started Daniel quickly shot off the front, this surprised me a bit as I was expecting some casual “chit chat and ride’ but instead it felt like the three of us were racing.  I don’t know what Michael and Daniel were thinking but it felt like 'race on' to me so I just went with it.  It was dark, nice and cool and I had been sort of soft pealing all day so it just felt good to go with a slightly higher pace. First I stopped and changed out the batteries in my light so I would be able to see, both to pick out good climbing lines and later to see enough to descend at a good solid clip.

At this point, about 9:00pm there was only about 40-45 miles left but several good climbs.  Anyway long story short Michael was tired from some huge hours and soon dropped back.  Daniel was stopped and making some gear adjustments near the top of the first climb and said ride on, so I did.  Just hammered on to the best of my capability expecting Daniel to fly by any mile but only saw his lights behind me a few times.  Ate that hamburger bit by bit at the top of the next few climbs and felt powered up till near the very end. Finished up at Hub Cyclery at 4:39am and signed out on the finish list that was left out on the porch (12^th place I believe).  Hit my van for about 6 hrs of sleep woke up feeling good and drove back towards Colorado the rest of the day………

Lessons from the SC 400:

·         While still a rather weak rider compared to those around me, relatively speaking, I ride much stronger at 154 vs 167 lbs.  My TDR weight target is 148lbs, and I should get there as I am bumping up and down around 150 right now.

·         For the TDR I have decided to go back to a frame bag vs. large water bottles.  I do not want to carry a backpack yet want to be able to drink from balder tube vs nasty dirty bottles.  Also I drink more consistently if I don’t have to reach down and detach/re-attach a bottle

·         Don’t bonk, and if I do probably better to stop and recover vs push on at a crawl.  Although on night 1 of the SC it was the right thing to do, pushing on, to get to only real re-supply before they closed for the night.

·         Be more willing to skip a recovery hotel if I feel better later in the cool evening.  IE: don’t get overly “set” on the idea of a hotel room.  I tend to focus on securing the room vs reading my body.

 

old man, photo bombed by the hog in a Harley bar..

Stagecoach 400, 2015, Day 2

About 13,000 feet of climbing on day 2

 

Agua Caliente Store, mile112: It was a little surreal sitting on a recliner at 1:00am, watching late incoming rider's lights coming up the road, while other riders, now rested and packed were leaving.  And yet others were sleeping on concrete benches, lawn chairs and in light bivy bags. The activity had me up and slowly eating and drinking.  I could tell my body was now willing to accept some food and liquid without the accompanying nausea I had been battling for the last few hours.  Time to make a move, even a feeble one.

In 2014 I had a difficult time getting up the Oriflamme climb at around mile 125 (about mile 15 in the above profile).  That year the sun caught me at the base of the climb and within 2 hours I was toast.  So I knew getting to the top of this climb in a timely manner was in essence my entire race.  Make it to the top with enough energy to ride vs crawl thru the ensuing single track was the requirement to reach the ferry crossing and a shot at a sub 3 day finish.  By 2:30am I was cleaned up, packed up, had a bite or two of some hot backpacking pasta mix (3 bites was all I could eat, thanks Paul) and off I rode.  The cool night air felt good and as I climbed the pave it got almost cold.  I could tell my body was on a knifes edge, too much effort and I would fall back into nausea, just the right amount and I was gold.  When I reached the actual climb I simply began walking, even some of the rideable sections.  There was a stronger rider ahead and I could tell from his slowly fading light that briskly walking was ‘almost’ as fast as riding but much much easier.  I walked for one hour and when the grade leveled was able to ride out the remaining climb.  Once I hit the single track and Sunshine hwy I was weak but riding everything.  I took a short nap in the morning sun and got up just as Paul was riding up to me.  Here is the bike that Paul was on http://www.kokopellibikes.com/#!warthog/ctnq a sano Ti 29+.

We rode together thru the Noble Canyon and Indian Trail single track sections and I was very impressed with his 29+.  If you want a true 'all-around' do everything adventure/bikepacking bike I suspect you could not do better than one of these warthogs!!

Shortly before the Oakzanita RV park store/mile 157 we were joined by a third rider.  The three of us got some tasty homemade burritos, cold drinks and talked about the upcoming trail.  There was some talk about riding together but as the weakest of the three I tried to explain that I was not willing to commit to riding together.  Sitting there in the shade of the store I could not eat all of my food and knew I would only be able to continue if I focused 100% on my own pace.  They were ready to leave before I was so I was solo again.  I made a quick stop in Descanso, mile161, and got a huge foot long squeeze pop.

 

mine was cherry red-----and twice as big!!

 

There were three other riders just leaving and they all sort of made fun of my humongous squeeze pop but I knew it was exactly what I needed to continue. I could only eat about ½ of the darn thing but it got me to Alpine, mile 175.  Again I stopped for just a few minutes and got something cold.  Later, in San Diego on Bonita Rd, at around mile 205, I stopped at a 7-11 and got some ice cream and fresh ice in my bladder.  You see the pattern?  Something cold at every convenient spot combined with a smooth easy pace and by the time 5:30pm came I was at the 7-11 and knew I would make the ferry with 1-2 hours to spare.

 

I reached the ferry area, mile 226 at 8:06pm, got a single whopper at Burger King and ate it on the 8:30 ferry.  Man that whopper was good, it was the first thing I could eat and actually want more.  The stomach was 100% back in action and I knew I would finish my recovery that night.

At this point I made a tactical mistake and while not major one it probably cost me 2-4 hours overall.  I had made up my mind to get a hotel (not easy to do in SD on spring break).  The plan was to hit a convenience market and then a hotel room, stocked up with lots of cold surgery drinks and tasty food to complete my recovery.  It did work but in retrospect I could have simply kept riding at my modest pace while stopping at convenient locations for more food and continued for another 2-4 hours. The night was cool, the bike path easy riding with lots of re-supply.  In short I should have made more miles while the riding was so cool.  Had I done so I could have knocked out some hard climbs in the cooler early morning sun of day 3 vs doing them in the hot afternoon sun as actually happened.  Oh well, in hind sight every rider can look back and see areas they could have saved time. Myself, I am still searching for that ‘perfect’ multi-day race.  That’s part of the attraction for me…………

Day 3 up next, and is there any way I can knock out 20,000 feet of climbing, 150 miles and do so as to finish in sub 3 days????

 

Stagecoach 400, 2015, Day 1

Profile, day 1, ha it looks so easy on paper

Day one of this year’s Stagecoach was quite a roller-coaster.  Some good and some really really bad.

The route started with a rather long paved climb.  Normally I am one of the huffer-puffers, firmly entrenched in the back of the pack.  So that’s where I deliberately placed myself at the start of the climb.  But as the climb progressed I slowly let myself open up and found the cadence and pace that felt right for my current fitness level.  And somewhat to my surprise I was soon near the top third of the pack.  So this was good, very good.  I knew I would be a bit stronger than my normal but the difference I could visibly see vs my fellow racers was quite encouraging.  

Soon we were bombing down some fire road and single track.  With the still cool morning air and residual starting day excitement it was a blast and hard not to overcook it.

A few hours later we hit the first desert sand and I stopped to slip off the knee and arm warmers and slip on the white leg and arm coolers.  The heat was coming on and those coolers would now stay on till the very final night hours, near the end about 3 days later.  But that's jumping ahead.....

Around 6 hours into it comes a fast re-supply stop at Borrego Springs, then we cruised for some miles on baking hot pavement over some big rollers.  I was feeling so good I  stupidly toasted myself a bit on these rollers, play racing with a couple of faster riders.

Then we were hitting the real desert sand.  At this time, by rough tire track count, I was banging around somewhere near the top 15 or 20 and really didn’t know how to back off, it felt so strange to be that far up in the pack 75 miles in.  Never ever legitimately been there but for the one time in the 2010 TDR. 

It was now probably 100 deg or more and I soon ran out of chilled water and mini disaster struck.  What I quickly learned is when the heat gets to you, regardless of one’s current fitness level you start crawling.  This is bad really really BAD. Just so damm fast, in the blink of an eye almost, I was now stopping, puking, riding for few minutes and repeating.  Watching smarter riders, one after another, pass on by.

At 8:30pm and around mile 112 I finally rolled into the store / SC 400 pit stop at Agua Caliente park. 

I would like to personal thank all the fellow racers who offered aid, support and encouragement to me at Agua Caliente by name.  Unfortunately I was so out by this time I don’t remember anyone’s name, just vague faces and offers of support and encouragement.  After lying around for a few hours and rather embarrassingly moaning in distress most of the time with a little sleep tossed in the expected finally happened.  My nausea had gone away and my thirst and appetite had somewhat returned.  Sitting there on a padded recliner I had a bag of ice, assorted food items, including two oranges and a banana.  And slowly, ever so slowly, as the body took in nourishment my mind wrapped itself around a rather vague plan about how to continue.

Stay tuned for day 2

Pre Stagecoach Photo Log

Come the actual race next week I hope to be running well enough that I am not inclined to stop & take many pictures. 

 

So here are some from today’s casual ride along some of the route. 

 

 

1st up I had to investigate critical re-supply options along the route....

In no particular order--From Navel Midway display, along the bay, up and over to Point Loma and out to La Jolla, Torrey Pines & back………

 Once the route reaches Torrey Pines we leave the ocean and head back inland where it will get climby and hot...

 

 Sunday beach volley ball game....

 

 one of many Navel enlisted dolphin's, excited for meal time

 Captain leading his loyal crew to shore

 

 lots of well worn sailing ships that are being lived in, makes me wonder if they ever sail away and back to far shores or just hotel on the water in one spot.......I know what I would do.....

 

 Sculpture display and cute little photo bomb

 

 ferry dock on the Coronado side of the bay

 

 lots of grown men flying big kites, yup I be in California...

 told my wife if I was forced I could live in this neck of the woods.........

 

little hidden re-supply shop next to the bay--hope its open when I roll by--for a small fee I will disclose it's location...

2015 Stagecoach 400

poster for Stagecoach 400

Next Friday I will start the 2015 Stagecoach. I was able to ride it in 2014 and really enjoyed this unique event.   

Having done the CTR, AZT, AZT750 and TDR I can honestly say the Stagecoach ranks right up there with the ‘classic’ multi-day events.   Yet due to the desert, mountain, urban, and ocean aspect of the SC, it’s just different, in a fun way.   

This year Brendan Collier, mad genius behind the SC route/event has added a ferry crossing (Coronado to San Diego)  Its 225 miles from the start up in Idyllwild down to the ferry and the ferry only runs certain hours.  Part of the race strategy will be to arrive during operating hours.  To soon or too late and you lose time. 

$4.25 gets you a 1 way ticket across the bay...

 

By my calculations I should be able to make the ferry by Saturday evening, but only if I have a smooth race.

I have been in S Calif for work and am in San Diego this weekend -- so have been riding bits and pieces of the route including the ferry.

Today, after putting in a semi hard ride and camping out last night on the actual route I have mixed feelings about my chances for a solid race. The legs are good, even great but I can tell, just like 2014, the desert heat and sudden shock of ‘long saddle hours’ will be a tough jolt to the ol system. 

 

My hope for 2015 is to fall into a good pace right from the start and hold it thru the discomfort of the inevitable saddle/skin irritation and body fatigue all the way to the finish.  Time wise I hope to finish early in the morning on Monday vs my 2014 Monday evening finish time. 

doesn't show up,  but from here I could see the ocean and downtown San Diego

 

I better as I need to drive back to Colorado and immediately catch a flight to Canada……………

 

Track/follow the event here on Trackleaders.com

 

Magic Legs

hee hee, eat your heart out flatlanders

 

 

I just completed three training rides.  Each one quite different, the first involved a steady 10 mile climb with a bit of post holing through some slush. 

just like the TDR route in MT

 The second involved about 4 hours of high desert double track.  

 

lower wall is single plank of wood, had to have been a huge tree, I would love to buy this cabin and restore it

 

And the third about 25 miles of lower elevation desert single track with some real sand here and there.  At some time in the past I have done all three rides, but it’s been over a year or more for each. 

not as hot as Stagecoach 400 will be but a good intro to some sun and mild heat

Re-doing each ride with a significant lighter body weight has taught me two things.  Frist lesson is a lighter body weight doesn’t increase one’s VO2 max.  I can’t really scoot up the short little climbs any faster without going anaerobic.  In other words my personal red line is about the same.  But the second lesson learned from these three rides is they are so much easier overall when you weigh some 20+ odd pounds less over the same terrain.  Easier to recover, easier to grind away just below threshold, easier to drink, easier to re-fuel on solid foods, easier to ride up that tricky section without needing to walk, knowing you will quickly recover from the maxed effort and also easier to get carried away till the old VO2 limit reminds you there is a limit after all.

 

Stagecoach 400 coming up, aero bars are off, suspension fork back on, I am very curious if I will have a solid ‘race’ or if like last yr I have to back off and tour…………….should be a good time either way……..

2015 ride is a FULL HOUSE
March 27, 2015
Start Time TBA, Idyllwild CA400ish miles
Absolutely, positively, (delightfully?) NO support.Ends in Idyllwild, CA @ The Hub CyclerySPOT satellite tracker use is mandatory.
GPS navigation assistance is strongly recommended.
Time Limit for the Stagecoach 400 is 5 days.

 

For TDR Rookies (ya I know--worth what you paid for it....)

try to always train fully loaded

 

Some ‘veteran’ gear selection and training observations directed towards TDR rookies and 1^st time multi-day racers:

 

#1 what is your intent?  IE: why are toeing the line in Banff? 

A) to finish in AW’s with your absolute best time, ie: you intend to race.

or

B) mostly to 'just finish' and enjoy the experience, ie: you intend to tour, maybe fast, maybe fast & hard, but still your main intent is to tour rather than race.

The following perspectives really only apply if you answered with an A.

Gear choices for a Multi-Day race:

All gear choices should be evaluated by this criteria: To the best of your knowledge, when deciding between gear choice A and choice B, which one will help you arrive in AW’s the soonest. 

It’s really that simple, yet also incredibly complex.

Example A) Navigation—to my knowledge the fastest nav method when used by an experience user is a bar mount GPS unit that is always on.  All other methods, especially maps and cycle computers are always slower.  IE: no matter how fast you go with maps you could have gone faster with the GPS method 

Example B) Lighting, charging and batteries—to the best of my knowledge a tested/proven dyno hub system is equal to or faster than all other methods.  The main reason dyno systems are becoming main stay on the TDR is their fully self-contained capability to ALWAYS let you continue at a relatively fast pace in the dark.  No other system can fully match this capability.  IE: no matter how fast you go with other systems you could have gone faster with the dyno hub method

So if you intend to pull out all the stops and ‘race’ just apply this same rational to all your other gear choices.  You will by definition arrive at Banff with a light, race ready rig. 

Training for the TDR:

Training for the TDR is not just physical conditioning, it’s a given that if you plan to ‘race’ you will arrive at Banff fully fit.  Fully fit can be loosely defined as able to ride your fully loaded TDR bike for 12-18 hours, just below, to well below anaerobic threshold—and then rinse and repeat for about 15-25 days.  In other words you basically need a solid base and if you don't have most of it by now work hard to get there.

fully loaded back in Jan.....

Marshal’s simplistic Rookies TDR Training Plan:

Starting today-by the end of March have all your gear choices behind you.  As much as possible always train on your fully loaded bike.  Eat so as to hit your body weight target, ride so as to hit your mileage/time targets

Thru April--Practice setting up and breaking down camp.  Practice fast convenience store pit stops.  Practice GPS navigation with whatever system you have chosen.  Pull several 100+ mile rides, no slug fests but easy pace overall, overnight if conditions/work allow.  Always be testing and refining your gear choices during this period. .

Thru May pull off at least one, if not several, full blown ‘multi’-day efforts.  These multi-day efforts are where you build confidence in your fitness level and gear choices.  Now is when you put to the test the whole package, fitness, gear, multi-day craftsmanship, navigation, mental self-control etc etc.  These multi-day practice efforts need not be done at maximum physical exertion but should be stiff enough too lightly to moderately fatigue you both mentally and physically.  During these May efforts continue to test/refine your gear but by now you should be down to deciding which pair of socks to use—ie: the thick ones or the thin ones.

End of May—rebuild your drive train, new tires etc etc.  Test your rebuild with +100 miles or so.  Taper if you feel the need but a true taper/peak routine is rather meaningless for the TDR.

 

Best of luck!  Especially to those who come to race