Training Log Archive: Nikolay

Event: COC Wednesday Evening #3 - Big Finn Hill Park
 

Teneriffe Mt to Mt Si Loop with Vasily
Left knee complaining on the downhills

Event: Seattle To Portland (STP) Ride
 

STP 2016

The morning of the race was uneventful. 3:30 AM waking up, getting a ride from half asleep Duska to UW and the start area, dropping my bag with stuff for the finish with the correct truck going directly to Portland careful not to mess up as most people are doing STP in 2 days. And I was at the start line with 10 minutes to spare.


At 4:45 the announcer counted down and off we went. About 1 500 people do STP in one day out of the over 10 000 starters. I was close to the front so there wasn't much swerving around needed and was able to ride fast. Soon I was riding in the dark with almost no bikes infront, and a group of about 10 right behind. At some point the bike we were following slowed down and I realized I don't remember that part of the road from last year. Guys behind me also shouted "are we going the right way?". Crap. I turned around and did not see a flood of lights indicating we are on the right path with the rest of the 1500riders following. Just 4-5 guys from Apex Racing team and several other poor souls. We stopped discussion followed, we realized the error and headed back to rejoin the correct road.

The Apex guys looked fast and I considered staying with them, but then I decided I'll go by myself. Our detour was about 5-6 mins, so once I rejoined the correct route, I was in the thick of it all. I started riding hard, way too hard, kicking my but for getting off course and soon I caught up to a fast guy that was also passing people and was in a hurry :) We teamed up for the next hour, me still working much harder than I should.

At mile 20 the Apex guys caught up to us and had a train of 20+ guys with them. We hopped on and I focused on relaxing and bringing my HR down. We were still going 24 - 25 mph but I had to work once every 20ish mins and stay protected from the wind the rest of the time. It was good times. For the next 50 miles it was the best time I had at this year's STP. I pulled when it was my turn, ate something every half hour, and sipped water knowing there would be no stopping till Centralia - halfway point or about 4.5 hours in. Life was good. Weather was great cloudy and cool, a bit of headwind but not that bad.
During the next 2 hours the 30 people group slowly withered down to about 15, people dropping from the back. At mile 70 one of the Apex guys had a flat, so their team of 4-5 stopped and the rest of us continued pushing on. An hour later from the remaining group of 10-ish only a blue shirt guy, a red shirt guy and I were still going hard.
Here is the STP lead at mile 90 :) http://offsiteimages-01.marathonfoto.com/MFT2016-0...

Then all of a sudden the two guys ran out of water, and bonked hard in just 10 - 15 mins. slowing down considerably. Its interesting how fast things change in our bodies. I worked most of the last 10 miles to Centralia and we made it there around 9:30 AM or in 4:50 hours from the start. I rested about 15 mins mostly spent to fill up water bottles, graze some fruits and sandwich, and take gel and bars wrappings trash from my jersey. By the time I was ready, the blue and red jersey guys have already left. So I was riding for a bit by myself. Soon I caught up to couple triathletes that have probably started earlier and we stayed together until the red and blue jersey guys caught up to us at mile 120 (they must have stopped somewhere after Centralia again) They had collected some of the dropped out folks from before Centralia, and we were again a strong group of about 10-ish. Weather was still great, with 10+ guys I had time to rest between pulls and all was fine. During the next hour our group withered down to us three folks again red jersey, blue jersey and I and all of a sudden it was starting to feel like hard work. We stayed about half hour just the three of us, when finally the Apex team guys and a train of 10 caught up to us. The three of us welcomed them and got down to work.

I had all of 10 minutes riding with this group when the guy in front of me nearly avoided a pothole, that I with no warning hit head on. The front got a pinch flat right away, I waved the group bye bye and that was it staying with the lead group this year :( I changed the flat pumped my tire and got back up to only find that my rear was really soft. It got a pinch flat as well, but a slow leak, so while I was changing the front it got time to deflate. I used some Bulgarian language appropriate for the occasion and stopped again and change my rear tire. In about 20 mins I had both tires changed and was ready to go. This was mile 150 and had 55 more to go. It was slower going by myself and there was not much morale left, but I was moving :) Half hour later the two triathlete guys I passed soon after Centralia caught up to me and were definitely stronger than me at this point. I was happy to hang on with them. We rode on the rolling hills after the Lewis and Clark bridge at a reasonable 20 - 21mph and that was ok with me. But wait we have more excitement. One of the tri guys had a flat, and since they were riding together, they both stopped, and I waived them off that I'll find an espresso stop, get some coffee and refill my water, and they would probably catch up to me later. A mile later I got a double espresso and 2 litters of water, chilled for 5- 10 minutes and went on. With 15 miles to go the two tri guys caught up to me and we finished together in Portland at about 3:30 ish.

The group that I was with was the leading group for this year, and they finished about 35 minutes ahead of me, with 20 of those I was not moving while changing my tires.

So, all and all a good day, much more eventful and interesting than last year. I had to work much more, be alone and unprotected from the wind much longer, and definitely went out too fast at the beginning.

At the finish at 3:30 it was calm and empty as there were more finish volunteers and various booths employees than riders :)

C • Nice!!! 3