Cycling-MTB 5:16:00 [3] 51.8 mi (9.8 mph) +6776ft
ahr:164 max:190
whew.... tough day at the office. tried not to make any excuses about racing the 32lb 5010 with downhill tired before but sitting on the start line against dude some fast, light xc race rigs I began to get a bit worried.
the neutral rollout through town and thousands of people was rad but as soon as we hit the 5+ mile road/fire road climb the fun ended. I still try to go for it and race like I normally would.... and tried to go with lead group 1 mile up the climb... and just couldn't. I was maxing out my HR and effort and they were just rolling away from me and these are dudes that I have raced with before and had no problems staying with or dropping on the climbs.
that's pretty much how the rest of the climb went on. dudes just rolling past me and I was working my ass off. I kept trying to battle and thanks to the 5010 i was smashing the descents and bringing guys back but every time it would turn uphill I would max out and get dropped. demoralizing for sure but i did keep trying. that bike is just not made for climbing.. and being 10 lbs heavier than my bike it was crushing my dreams.
at mile 20 I totally cracked... 2 hours of all out effort at altitude buckled me and i was convinced i was going to pull the plug at the end of the first lap... but i knew maggie wouldn't let me drop... and she didn't. she got me to rally and i headed out for more suffering.
i tried to just cruise up the 5 mile climb but i was suffering and getting passed by more dudes. I finally got to the top of the climb and to the single track and I pulled to the side and took a rest. right then i decided to head back down the road and drop. a couple of dudes were sitting on the side of the trail cheering people on and I told them i was done and needed a beer.... and they told me they had beers. they gave me a budweiser and we sat there for 15' chatting and watching the race go by.
after 3/4s of the beer I decided i could finish.... so i finished the beer, thanked the dudes and got back to work. a couple of hours of suffering later i was at the finish.... totally smashed and totally stoked i finished.
the second lap was some of the hardest miles i've ever put in on the bike both physically and mentally... it will for sure pay off in the long run.