Tahoe Sierra 100

Car loaded....on the road.

First thing is first....and I will probably get flamed from some of the loyal blog readers...but, Carolina Panthers is now my second favorite team!! (this week)

Now, now...I know the Broncos are heading toward a mediocre season...9-7 at best.....but all i've got right now is hoping the Chargers lose...wishful thinking I guess! Thanks for a great AM radio broadcast on the way home...made for an enjoyable trip...and I am sure some of the fellow commuters were wondering what all of the head bobbing and fist pumping was about!!

Now...on to the race.

French Meadows Reservoir

Friday I took off from Sacramento after lunch with my Mom and headed toward the race venue. I knew it was going to be in the middle of nowhere...I had no idea. I was concerned because I hadn't talked to Charressa before entering the "dead-zone". After I gassed up in Auburn and passed through Foresthill the cell bars dropped off the screen. I was heading into the depths of a canyon and was hoping for one last phone call before entering the abyss of detachment.

I kept a watchful eye on the cell phone and managed to find one quarter mile section along the 50 mile voyage to make a call. After the good lucks, and good bye's I was off to set up camp and find my adventure.

I arrived at the venue at the tail end of a 6 car convoy. I drove in the lower camping lot which had about 10 cars already there decided to pioneer the second camp which no one had laid claim to. I was the first one in and selected my living area for the night. After settling in I walked down to the start/finish area where everyone was huddled around a large map. The aid stations were marked and the route was highlighted. I managed to pick up some valuable info from the race director as he seemed to be addressing another group of pros about the course.

Start - Finish Area

After getting set up at camp, I dialed in the bike and took a 3o minute spin up the road. I got some strange glances in the Wiens kit (now downgraded to 3rd string...it's on its way out) while riding around the venue. After the ride I grubbed down on some pasta salad and yogurt while never letting go of the Gatorade (I pound the stuff pre-race day). Afterwards I managed to meet nearly half of the camp and further increased my course knowledge. I knew by my attitude that it was going to be a good race....when I am social before races....great sign!

I packed it up in the tent about 8:30 to watch one of the Collective films Allison let me borrow...great pure mountain biking motivation. I passed out around 10 and slept great.

Home Sweet Home!

545 I began to muster and pound calories. The camp came to life at a roaring speed that morning. Silence at 6, race meeting 630, go time 7. Before I knew it the race was on...and it was cold!!


Luke at Start ot Sierra Tahoe 100 Mile Mountain Bike Race from Terri Gilliland on Vimeo.

I braved it with just the normal kit....I knew a climb start about 6 miles in and I would warm up there. Many were overdressed and would regret it. I started right next to Dez Wilder (first in 12 Temeucula #2) and held back conversation.....I watched for a bit while he moved back and forth shaking out different limbs and such. He was getting comfortable...I wanted to learn. I stayed with him for a while and after he seemed to settle in he was off on his single speed.

After the initial 6 miles, the climb didn't let down and we started to warm up quickly. The dust was awful though...it was like riding in fog for the first 30 miles....terrible!! I could tell my lungs were getting pissed but I continued forth. The first climb I settled in and as we reached the first descents we were faced with completely blind situations of dust and sunlight....whoa! The course was all fireroad but had a bunch of that moon dust, so you still found yourself searching for the line...up and down! Soccer ball sized rocks where all over the descents to keep you on your toes and it was fast....my kind of stuff. I remember thinking....I will never ride a hardtail again as I rode past people with complete ease on the descents....sitting in the saddle as they fought to maintain control...recovery!

The second time up the initial climb to finish the first loop I cranked up the pace. Overall I kept the pace pretty conservative, but I was pushing probably high zone 2 with occasional zone 3 efforts now. I was passing people one by one....picking one off and then working slowly towards the next. I trusted my ability to keep my nutrition solid....my plan....wing it!! Crazy I know, but I don't have the cash to run all of my own nutrition right now and I figured, let's just listen to the body.....and that's exactly what I did.

I powered forth passing and working the aid stations....Cytomax, HEED, licorice, Hammer Gel...a lot of new products for me. I had a rough idea of what I needed to take in and trusted my knowledge. After passing the 50 mile mark, the field went out the window and I found myself alone. For the rest of the race I would see about 5 other athletes in total.

Most of the time I was worried that I was going the wrong way....only to come accross another white arrow with its accompanied relief. I began to enjoy myself at this stage.....being alone in the race is an indicator of doing well...so I have learned. I knew the "Never-ender" was coming up and I pressed on, taking in the scenery and the fact that I was able to push....hard!

Good ol' Garmin...just never quite perfect with the numbers!

The "Never-ender" was the name I gave to the section of the race between mile 65 and 90 which was a solid climb from 3900 to 7000 over the 25 miles. Of course there were some quick recoveries to undo your work...but only long enough to regret...no benefit! At the bottom of the climb the heat was starting to crank up, and a mild head ache sank in. I was concerned about my sodium intake with some of the watered down drink mixed I had been given. I found some endurolytes at an unmanned aid station and grabbed a handful to begin popping them every hour throughout the rest of the race. I also decided to break from my 24 oz./hour hydration schedule and crank it up to 32/hour...I was getting dehydrated.

On and on the climb didn't let up....still worried at every unmarked offshoot that I wasn't going the right way and then we hit the pavement. A 3 mile section up to the mile 79 aid station.....and there was Mom (loyal number one fan and self acclaimed coach). I guess she had picked up the job as working the drop bags....I was stoked to see her! I still looked and felt good which I am sure brought her some relief. She saw the worst in the athletes at that aid station...the toughest point in the course. The guy there offered me a shot of Coca-Cola, I took it and proceeded to walk over to the table and take about 5 more.

I was off before I had a chance to accept any sort of comfort....off to END the "never-ender"! Finally at mile 90 I summited the beast to make the 10 mile descent to the finish....it was on!! I put everything I had into the last few miles to cap it off. On the descent I was surprised that my back and triceps were still holding up as compared to Vision Quest. It was here that I realized I could go further...the legs were fine.

After making one final sweet pass on the descent I crossed....big ring, out of the saddle coming down the last road. Hand off of the bars I cruised it in as the poperazzi (mom) got some more shots. 9:27 in total. The first thing I did was get off the bike and turned around...I looked back up the road and thought, "could I do this again right now?". I think the answer was yes! As my Mom and several other told me...I made it look easy, I felt great...and believe me it hurt...I must have trained well.

The number 1 Fan!!

Chris Eatough and Jeremiah Bishop won hand in hand with 7:02. Josh Tostado in 8:23. 12 hours of Temecula winner Dez Wilder finished 2nd in the singlespeed class with a 7:49. I nailed my goal of making the top 25 in the Open Mens cat to with 9:27 finishing 22nd....stoked!!

Full Results HERE.

I saw Eatough wrapping up his day after I finished. Bishop and Tinker (who I don't think raced) was milling around the campgrounds on Friday...super cool to see those guys. Josh Tostado and I shared a table while filling out drop bags....I couldn't think of anything constructive to say, so I just minded my own....and let them mind theirs.

All clean!

Great race....great distance! This stuff isn't for the faint of heart....I have worked my @ss off to get to this point and many people (super fit people) that I met up there ended up marking a DNF. This distance is rough...bottom line! If you don't think you can ride your road bike on the flats for at least 150 miles....don't even think about trying something like this...it will KICK YOUR ASS!!

Now...time to double it! 2 weeks!