It's done - over - I did it.
I had some divine help - I was worn down, cramping, fatigued, ready to give up. I prayed asking what to do and I received answers and encouragement near the end when I really needed the most.
I fought some tough mental battles and I had to face the fact that I might be able to finish and along with that I had to concede that it would be okay if I did not get through to the end.
As I went from miles 52 to 62 I faced those challenges and when I finally arrived at te final aid station (approx. mile 62) to rehydrate and take a moment to rest, I decided to ask a course marshal about the last section of the course - if it was like the part I had just come through, I would have ended it there because I didn't have the mental or physical energy to get through another section like the previous one.
I got more information on what was still before me and decided that after my short recuperation that I still had enough to be able to get through what still lay ahead. In the last eight miles there was a one-half mile section with about an 800 foot elevation gain with some technically challenging sections. In approaching the last climb I decided I would ride what I could ride and walk what was too much for my tired state and so it went. I got past the last section I had to walk, climbed back on my steed and began to peddle again.
I approached the top of the ridge with a thunderstorm brewing just off to the north with lightning flashing and thunder rumbling and about that time my mp3 player started playing the song How Can I Keep From Singing by Chris Tomlin. I started singing along and worshiping and just had a full heart so overwhelmed that I was about crying. I was encouraged and uplifted by God's wonderful Spirit. Then the next song was another Chris Tomlin tune How Great Is Our God and it was all downhill from there. I was invigorated and was off for the last couple miles which went by really fast. Before I knew it I was coming down the last hill with a turn to the finish.
I was done. The event I've been working toward all year was over... and I had finished.
I finished in somewhere in the bottom 50 people of the nearly 350 that started, but I finished and I was thankful for that accomplishment. My time to ride nearly 70 miles was about 9 hours and 18 minutes.
I'm waiting for the website to be updated with the official times, so I know what my official time was, but that isn't really too important. What is important to me are the things that God allowed me to experience and learn along the journey.
Mission accomplished.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Counting Down - Three Days to Go
How did it get to be the end of July so quickly. I'm looking at the calendar and there are only three days (less really given that it is ten o'clock at night) until the big event - the Laramie Enduro that I've been training for and gearing towards all year.
Three mornings from now I'll be up early for the 7:oo a.m. start with 70 miles to ride staring me in the face and then we'll be off down the trails and forest roads.
I'm confident I'll be able to finish and I've set myself a goal of completing in seven hours or less. Now we'll see how it turns out.
I have been resting since Saturday's race; not because that is what is best training-wise, but because I've been fighting a sinus infection and my energy levels have been very low and if I'm going to ride and finish on Saturday, I'm going to need to be better. I visited the doctor today and got a strong prescription of antibiotics that will hopefully get me over this mess and help me recover some energy. I'll need it.
A funny side note to visiting with my doctor today -- he's been very concerned for me that I might get seriously hurt while mountain biking. Indeed, I visited him a few months ago because I was afraid I might have torn ligaments in my left shoulder. He has been road riding for the past several years and has been encouraging me to take the "less dangerous" roadie route. I found out that he decided to start mountain biking - apparently very shortly after my last visit. I've been mildly amused about that since I found out.
So, off to bed now for some much needed rest. That's very important too.
--Three days and counting down.
Three mornings from now I'll be up early for the 7:oo a.m. start with 70 miles to ride staring me in the face and then we'll be off down the trails and forest roads.
I'm confident I'll be able to finish and I've set myself a goal of completing in seven hours or less. Now we'll see how it turns out.
I have been resting since Saturday's race; not because that is what is best training-wise, but because I've been fighting a sinus infection and my energy levels have been very low and if I'm going to ride and finish on Saturday, I'm going to need to be better. I visited the doctor today and got a strong prescription of antibiotics that will hopefully get me over this mess and help me recover some energy. I'll need it.
A funny side note to visiting with my doctor today -- he's been very concerned for me that I might get seriously hurt while mountain biking. Indeed, I visited him a few months ago because I was afraid I might have torn ligaments in my left shoulder. He has been road riding for the past several years and has been encouraging me to take the "less dangerous" roadie route. I found out that he decided to start mountain biking - apparently very shortly after my last visit. I've been mildly amused about that since I found out.
So, off to bed now for some much needed rest. That's very important too.
--Three days and counting down.
Results Are In
So Saturday I did the Winter Park Series Valley Point-to-Point race.
I rode the race once again on Saturday. I raced in the Beginner Men's 45-49 class. I didn't get to the podium, but I made great improvements from last year and had a great time. I took 15 minutes off my time from last year's race which is dramatic improvement so the winter spin classes were well worth it.
At the beginning of our heat of the race, all the beginners from ages 40 - 49 were started at the same time. The first mile is a climb up the service road. There were guys that jumped out on that first section with everything they had, but I held back a bit to pace myself up this section. It paid off because guys started slowing down and grabbing higher gears while I kept on the middle chain ring and worked the upper gears on the back cog, all the while picking off a competitor here and another there until hitting the single track at Four Point and onto Upper Cherokee down to Lower Cherokee, picking off a couple more along the way.
Lower Cherokee is a steep, fast, rocky ride and a quick glance at my bike computer showed me I was running around 30 mph. My dual suspension Rocky Mountain ETSX-70 carried me down smoothly and swiftly (and it was worth the investment).
After Lower Cherokee comes a climbing section on a trail called Ice Hill. Last year it was hard for me, this year I was able to set a pace and stay with it, again passing other racers as they struggled like I did last year over the steeper and rootier sections. I lost pace on some of the racers ahead of me on the next section, but was able to catch back up on a forest road down to the next climb. The next climb is up a jeep road called D4. I now kept up the pace with the four racers ahead of me and went on to a cool descent on WTB, which after last year I call Watch The Bumps, which dumps out onto another forest road which is a wicked fast downhill ride with ruts and erosion prevention bumps. Again having the ETSX was awesome as I flew down the road at 30-34 mph. I caught another couple racers as that section ended and dumped back into some single track and had to bide time waiting and looking for places to pass, got by and kept peddling.
With about 5 miles to go, I was still feeling pretty good so I cranked on. I was remembering about that point that last year in the same spot I was wondering what I had gotten myself into and why I was even out there. This year was way better. I paced myself along the gradual 3.5 mile climb up Flume, was grabbing gears as I hit the top and hit it hard down Creekside until I caught up to a woman from the sport class and a rider from one of the younger beginner classes that started earlier and had to wait for passing lanes. At the double track near the end, I grabbed all the gears I had left and sprinted for the finish.
What a great feeling to finish strong and improve dramatically over my previous year's time.
Half a week later I'm still pumped!
I rode the race once again on Saturday. I raced in the Beginner Men's 45-49 class. I didn't get to the podium, but I made great improvements from last year and had a great time. I took 15 minutes off my time from last year's race which is dramatic improvement so the winter spin classes were well worth it.
At the beginning of our heat of the race, all the beginners from ages 40 - 49 were started at the same time. The first mile is a climb up the service road. There were guys that jumped out on that first section with everything they had, but I held back a bit to pace myself up this section. It paid off because guys started slowing down and grabbing higher gears while I kept on the middle chain ring and worked the upper gears on the back cog, all the while picking off a competitor here and another there until hitting the single track at Four Point and onto Upper Cherokee down to Lower Cherokee, picking off a couple more along the way.
Lower Cherokee is a steep, fast, rocky ride and a quick glance at my bike computer showed me I was running around 30 mph. My dual suspension Rocky Mountain ETSX-70 carried me down smoothly and swiftly (and it was worth the investment).
After Lower Cherokee comes a climbing section on a trail called Ice Hill. Last year it was hard for me, this year I was able to set a pace and stay with it, again passing other racers as they struggled like I did last year over the steeper and rootier sections. I lost pace on some of the racers ahead of me on the next section, but was able to catch back up on a forest road down to the next climb. The next climb is up a jeep road called D4. I now kept up the pace with the four racers ahead of me and went on to a cool descent on WTB, which after last year I call Watch The Bumps, which dumps out onto another forest road which is a wicked fast downhill ride with ruts and erosion prevention bumps. Again having the ETSX was awesome as I flew down the road at 30-34 mph. I caught another couple racers as that section ended and dumped back into some single track and had to bide time waiting and looking for places to pass, got by and kept peddling.
With about 5 miles to go, I was still feeling pretty good so I cranked on. I was remembering about that point that last year in the same spot I was wondering what I had gotten myself into and why I was even out there. This year was way better. I paced myself along the gradual 3.5 mile climb up Flume, was grabbing gears as I hit the top and hit it hard down Creekside until I caught up to a woman from the sport class and a rider from one of the younger beginner classes that started earlier and had to wait for passing lanes. At the double track near the end, I grabbed all the gears I had left and sprinted for the finish.
What a great feeling to finish strong and improve dramatically over my previous year's time.
Half a week later I'm still pumped!
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Pre Laramie Prep
This weekend I am racing one of the Winter Park races. It is the Valley Point-to-Point, one of the same ones that I raced last year, and I've really wanted to do this race again this year to be able to gauge improvement from last year. I'm using this as a "warm up" for next week, even though only a little less than a third the distance of the enduro.
I've felt good this week after the 63 miles I road on Saturday and I rode strong on my 7 mile lunch time ride today.
The one thing that I haven't achieved this year was dropping my weight down where I had hoped. Rather, I've gained about 6 pounds back since spin training classes ended in April. :( I was really hoping to get under 180 by racing season... didn't happen... oh well! I guess I will just have to go with where I'm at and give it my best shot.
That's all for now.
Next post... Winter Park race results.
I've felt good this week after the 63 miles I road on Saturday and I rode strong on my 7 mile lunch time ride today.
The one thing that I haven't achieved this year was dropping my weight down where I had hoped. Rather, I've gained about 6 pounds back since spin training classes ended in April. :( I was really hoping to get under 180 by racing season... didn't happen... oh well! I guess I will just have to go with where I'm at and give it my best shot.
That's all for now.
Next post... Winter Park race results.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Getting Closer...
The Laramie Enduro is now only two weeks away.
I signed up in February, I think, to do this race. I've been a bit worried because I haven't really done much in the way of getting longer rides and longer riding times in... until today.
I've gotten in two good rides this week. Thursday at lunch I got my first ride in over a week because my son and his girlfriend were visiting. I put my riding on hold during the week they were here so I could spend time with them.
Thursday's ride was a brisk 20 miles on the Front Range trail, which is double track width and all covered with road base so it is hard packed and rides fast.
Today I went for a long and serious training ride - 63 miles in 6 hours and 7 minutes total time. I learned a couple things about what I need to have with me for a ride of that length - Ibuprofen for one - but all in all it went well. I was a little tired toward the end, but still had plenty left in me to be able to crank out a few more miles if I had needed to. The ibuprofen will be for my left hip flexor and my lower back right above my left hip. After about 30 miles of riding my hip starts to ache, so I rode most of the ride with an aching hip.
I also learned a little about what I will be needing for fuel, so I can build on that.
Anyhow, after today's ride - though tiring - I'm feeling much better about at least being able to ride the Laramie Enduro and be able to finish it in decent time... I'm hoping to come in around 7 hours, so we'll see.
So the countdown begins.
I signed up in February, I think, to do this race. I've been a bit worried because I haven't really done much in the way of getting longer rides and longer riding times in... until today.
I've gotten in two good rides this week. Thursday at lunch I got my first ride in over a week because my son and his girlfriend were visiting. I put my riding on hold during the week they were here so I could spend time with them.
Thursday's ride was a brisk 20 miles on the Front Range trail, which is double track width and all covered with road base so it is hard packed and rides fast.
Today I went for a long and serious training ride - 63 miles in 6 hours and 7 minutes total time. I learned a couple things about what I need to have with me for a ride of that length - Ibuprofen for one - but all in all it went well. I was a little tired toward the end, but still had plenty left in me to be able to crank out a few more miles if I had needed to. The ibuprofen will be for my left hip flexor and my lower back right above my left hip. After about 30 miles of riding my hip starts to ache, so I rode most of the ride with an aching hip.
I also learned a little about what I will be needing for fuel, so I can build on that.
Anyhow, after today's ride - though tiring - I'm feeling much better about at least being able to ride the Laramie Enduro and be able to finish it in decent time... I'm hoping to come in around 7 hours, so we'll see.
So the countdown begins.
Saturday, July 5, 2008
A Bit of Time Off
It's been a little bit since I posted. It's been a couple days since I've ridden now too.
My son has been in town visiting since Wednesday, so I've been spending the time with him and his girlfriend. I'm really hoping to get a ride in this afternoon/evening when they go out for their 5 month anniversary date. ;)
My last couple weeks of riding have been mostly Ute Valley Park at lunch time with some scattered evening rides in Palmer Park. I have not been getting in the distances I would have liked for preparing for Laramie, but I have been really concentrating on enjoying my riding time more than training because I had gotten so intense about training that I had ceased to enjoy my riding. -- I've been learning there is just not point in going on in it if I'm not enjoying the ride.
So whatever it looks like and however it comes out at Laramie and whatever other rides/races I do this summer, I'm just looking at it for the fun of the sport.
Next target: Two weeks 'til the "Valley Point to Point" at Winter Park.
My son has been in town visiting since Wednesday, so I've been spending the time with him and his girlfriend. I'm really hoping to get a ride in this afternoon/evening when they go out for their 5 month anniversary date. ;)
My last couple weeks of riding have been mostly Ute Valley Park at lunch time with some scattered evening rides in Palmer Park. I have not been getting in the distances I would have liked for preparing for Laramie, but I have been really concentrating on enjoying my riding time more than training because I had gotten so intense about training that I had ceased to enjoy my riding. -- I've been learning there is just not point in going on in it if I'm not enjoying the ride.
So whatever it looks like and however it comes out at Laramie and whatever other rides/races I do this summer, I'm just looking at it for the fun of the sport.
Next target: Two weeks 'til the "Valley Point to Point" at Winter Park.
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