Enchanted Circle Century Bike Tour & Expo - CycleCentury


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Red River, New Mexico
United States
Red River Chamber of Commerce
72F / 22C
Sunny
Total Time = 7h 09m
Overall Rank = /
Age Group =
Age Group Rank = 0/
Pre-race routine:

Drove to Red River the night before and stayed at motel with Wife and Daughter. Had 1,000 Cals of Met Endurance, CytoCarb, Soy Protein, Olive Oil, & a Banana at about 6:30am. Arm & Leg Warmers and wore fleece coat to near start- then gave coat to Wife.
Event warmup:

Hot Shower. Didn't head to start until about 10mins to 8am.
Bike
  • 7h 09m
  • 100 miles
  • 13.99 mile/hr
Comments:

Road was Chip-Sealed (again) between Red River and past Questa- that's GOT to stop! The Downhill out of Red River is too dicey with 800-bikers as it is, let alone with deep gravel along the edges.
Weather was Gorgeous after the downhill, so I dropped Arm & Leg Warmers at the Questa turn.
Kept HR at/below 150 in the rollers and bypassed the first aid station, stopping at Taos for bathroom break. I'd finished 1 bottle of 500cals Met Endurance with CytoCarb & Half a Banana and ditched the bottle, filling my water bottle with their drink (Orange 10-K I think), which I drank up Taos Canyon. Drank the other 500cal bottle on the out-and-back and through Moreno Valley past Eagle Nest & East Moreno Ranch and had last swigs at start of steepest part of Bobcat.
Also had Zone Bar, Power Bar, and about 2.5 servings Power Gel.
Kept HR at/below 150 still up Taos Canyon to Palo Flechado, got more 10-K and had a good descent to Angel Fire. For easier recovery and more of "just a workout" I could have cut off the 15miles out-and-back but I went for the full 100 figuring I'd regret it otherwise. Paid the price in terms of overall effort, but who knew there'd be a KILLER Headwind throughout the last 25miles of the Valley and over Bobcat Pass?
Really dislike the out-and-back portion and several others bikers commented the same. C'est la Vie if you want the 100mi accomplishment. Got 10-K at the Turn Around and was pretty toasted after fighting the winds and grade on the out-and-back. Kept HR in the mid 130's to 140's the rest of the way.
Was steady through the valley at about 16, stopping at Eagle Nest for straight Water, and at East Moreno for a bathroom break- THANKS for the Porta-Pottys East Moreno Ranch!!
Didn't stop up Bobcat, but lots of folks did. They'd recover quickly, but overall I beat them to the top. I needed one more gear to be more efficient on Bobcat. Felt gearing was fine for Palo Flechado, but Bobcat with a gusty Headwind was tough.
Handled downhills very well, especially for focusing on flatter riding this year for IMAZ in Nov. Got into a nice group from past the first Aid Station to outside Taos on the flats, 26MPH without too much effort. But mostly folks were traveling a too different speed to latch onto or to pull them.
HR was, almost exactly as training rides have been, at an Ave of 136, with a High of 158.
What would you do differently?:

I could have skipped the out-and-back and recovered easier- like more of a straight "workout" effort rather than a full-out "Event". And for that long an effort I need to try a 145 or 140 HR in the first half.
Went through 55mi in 3:30, and 80 in 5:30, but last 15 took 1.5 Hours up Bobcat in a Headwind!
Post race
Warm down:

Chilled with Wife and Daughter at the BBQ- split a Hamburger 3 ways, then back to the motel to Shower and Dinner at Sundance- a Highlight! Then bought a Discovery Channel "Life on Earth" Magazine and chilled with Ben & Jerry's in bed.

Event comments:

The full 100 with the Mtns was a bit more than I was ready for. Had several 4 hour rides, but this was a jump to 7 Hours and as such a bit too much. Need more 5-6 Hour Rides and One More Gear for this in the future- OR to cut the Out-And-Back and make it an under 6-Hour deal. As it was, went through 80 in 5:30.
BBQ was no big deal, but nice to get a Burger for free. And the event was only $35 for GREAT volunteers, clothing drop, Aid Stations, T-Shirt, EMT & Rescue support, and BBQ with Band!




Last updated: 2008-07-15 12:00 AM
Biking
07:09:00 | 100 miles | 13.99 mile/hr
Age Group: 0/
Overall: 0/
Performance: Good
HR was, almost exactly as training rides have been, at an Ave of 136, with a High of 158. Ave 136 High 158
Wind: Headwind with gusts
Course: Enchanted Circle Loop- Red River to Questa, to Taos, over Palo Flechado at 9100Ft to Angle Fire out and back, to Eagle Nest, and over Bobcat Pass at 9820 to Red River. Brutal Head Wind through Northern Moreno Valley and Up Bobcat Pass. At one point on the steepest Bobcat portion, just as a wind gust hit I looked and my Speedometer read 0.0!
Road: Smooth Dry Cadence:
Turns: Good Cornering: Good
Gear changes: Good Hills: Good
Race pace: Comfortable Drinks: Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
Physical exertion [1-5] 4
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Too hard
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Average
Race evaluation [1-5] 4