12 Hours of Temecula

Last week the preparation going into the race was solid. The training and legs felt great and I was totally hydrated going into Friday night. Saturday I woke up to eat my normal 3 ensures plus whatever I can pack in and I started to load up the car. I got to the venue and started to set up the pit areas and it wasn't long before Allison and Justin showed up. We were all sharing a pit area together for the day.

Eric, Allison and myself prerace...(big thanks to Justin and Allison for the pics in this post)

The morning was calm and I felt good...I was chatting with people and was very relaxed. That...from my triathlon days...was a good sign that it was going to be a good race. I filled the bottles and laid everything out in their appropriate areas. It wasn't long before my girlfriend showed up and I was suited and ready to go. After the final check of everything, Allison and I headed over to line up for the start.

At the start line I was running into people like crazy. Most were from other endurance races that I had pitted next to...others were friends just about to head off into the same world of pain and suffering. I stood next to Allison waiting for the countdown and noticed that I was sweating already. The heat was cranking up at 9am....crap!

The parade lap went as expected...lah dee dah...stay calm!! And as we headed up the damn climb the mood continued....just settle in, it's going to be a long day. At the end of the lap I rode behind a guy in a B+L jersey and noticed he had a similar number. I asked him if he knew my buddy James, he replied yes and said his name was Jenz. I was stoked to realize that I was right behind the guy that one the expert solo mens class the last two races. I brought lap one in around 1:03...whoa, fast! with the parade lap.

Allison and I cranking by

I felt good and motored on. Up the little climb out of the pits my chain skipped off the cassette between the spokes. Crap! I figured somehow the limit screw somehow came out of adjustment so a little ways down the fireroad I stopped to check it. After making what seemed like the correct adjustment I remembered that the + side was for the bigger gears (the ones with less teeth...go figure). Once I started up the damn climb it skipped off again...I figured I needed to handle this now before a mechanical ends my day. After two minutes I was back on the bike....Allison, Neil and several others offered assistance as they rode past....I was ok, long day remember! I battled with the barrel adjuster on the shifter for the first half of the climb and finally got it dialed in....it wouldn't be a factor for the rest of the day.

Near the end of lap 2 I managed to reel everyone back in. I was still in my zone and my pacing was ok. I cranked it up a smidge but not enough to become a factor. Lap 3 I was off and moving...I was slamming nearly 2 bottles per lap (1 gatorade, 1 water) and my body felt great. I was cranking along and caught back up to Jenz at the Tunnel singletrack and made my pass. I pushed moderately on the descent to see if he would try to hold on....he was gone!

Lap 4 I was off to my normal routine...gel, drink, pace, pace, drink. Once I reached the ambulance climb up to Tunnel I noticed something funny. I wasn't sweating anymore....sh!T My pace slowed to a grind and Allison had bridged the gap at Vics. We rode it in together with the intention of stopping for a break. I couldn't even look at Gatorade anymore and the temps were starting to cook...literally!! Justin pampered us well when we came into the pits. Cold towels, ice packs, man we had it made. I made the decision to go with two bottles of water for lap 5 and he lubed up my chain for me.

After 5 minutes or so I went back out while Allison went off to change her kit. I started up the damn climb and the pace was still gone. I was fighting for every climb and I still wasn't sweating. My body was cooking and I was becoming more and more dehydrated. Half way through the lap I had nearly finished both bottles and I still felt like I was in the freakin sahara desert...cotton mouth, dying!! I pulled the lap in as Allison slowly faded off into the distance...I was crashing and burning! Once back in the pits I decided I would have to stop. I was extremely jealous of how Allison was somehow staying hydrated and pealed off for another lap as I was contemplating pulling the plug. Good for her I thought...and I noticed there was still 5 and a half hours of racing left.

Thanks to Shudder for this sick race pic...

I sat in the pits with a stomach full of knots. My body wasn't letting go of any water and I was still pounding it. After 45 minutes my stomach drained and I the nasty feeling left me. I decided to go for one more. I got looks of disbelief from the people in the pits as I stood up and clipped the helmet back on. Screw it....I can do one more!

I got out on the climb and noticed the sweat beading up on my arms. I still felt like crap! Once I made it to the Marlin singletrack the light switch kicked back on...my legs came back and I was descending like a madman. Gatorade tasted good again...and I forced myself to eat even though my stomach was still on edge. I came back into the pits and decided to go right back out before my body decided otherwise. Lap 7....my second fastest lap, wha!! I wanted it back!

I figured that I was only going to be able to get 8 laps in with the time left in the race. When I came back in...my uncle George seemed pretty surprised that I was somehow pulling 3 laps out of my @ss after a complete meltdown. I was surprised too! I forced myself out of the pits and up damn climb. I was counting down the summits now, dam, aid station, ambulance, vics, marine corp. Half way through the lap the hydration caught up to me again. I stopped sweating and couldn't eat or drink a thing. I was done!

I was looking around to check for yellow number plates so as not to get snipped at the end....but I was in survival mode now. I pulled it in, Allison, Justin, my uncle George and my Dad were there to greet me. Allison was rightly ecstatic from her performance....she crushed the sport class, along with the entire pro womens field! I on the other hand felt like total crap! I tried to sit and drink, but all I could think about was moving toward the finish....home...bed!

I started packing up the car and contemplated vomiting for the next half an hour. I grabbed a beer from the free kegs and couldn't even get down a couple of sips. My body was pissed! After I got the car packed I walked over to check the results....3rd, wha!! My three lap rally pulled me back on the podium. It was bittersweet though because now I had to wait around to collect my hardware.

First place didn't show....cracking a smile was very difficult here!

All three riders in the Expert solo mens class completed 8 laps. I don't think more then 30 minutes separated us. I was a little bummed because it wasn't my legs that held me back on Saturday...it was the engine. I have determined that my nutrition schedule is only good up to 85 degrees. Once it passes that point, something else is required entirely...and that I am not sure of. I am stoked with my rally and the fact that I didn't quit. I pushed myself beyond the limits as I thought I would....it's too bad it was in a survival setting. One of these days, when the planets align I will have a solid top to bottom race. This year I am being forced to learn...which is good in a way, but it is tough.

Man this sport is hard!!