Hashers And Mashers - Part 3 - Open (Page 13)

My GranFondo is this Sunday but it isn't considered to be a race although, lots of people do race it.  It is supposed to be a fun ride with 2500 or so new friends and pleasant leisurely stops at the AID stations for brief rest breaks.  There is even a stop at Le Vieux Pin Winery for a gourmet lunch including things like smoked salmon (not a full lunch just typical snacks plus the gourmet treats).

I'm thinking I don't want to stop too long anywhere because I want to get as far as I can before the heat hits.  We'll see 40+C/104F in the open sun.

Fantastic dreams! I never remember very much of mine...I wake up with the memory but it fades quickly. Generally I just remember the feeling, usually confusion with a rising hint of panic.

George, take care of yourself in the heat. I usually find it's easier to cope with on the bike (easier than a run, that is) simply because you've got the air movement. Plenty of water/sports drink, sunscreen (reapply when sweating a lot), sunglasses, lip balm containing sunscreen also. A good brim on your helmet and sometimes a little cape from the back of it to shade your neck. Pale coloured clothes. Oh! most important thing: ice cold beer at the end. You can visualise it during the ride, too, frothing nicely in its glass with little drops of condensation running down the side...Ahhh....

Anna - I had forgotten about lip balm so thanks for that bit of advice.  I have it in my hand right now (I type with two fingers).  I'm planning to drink two bottles of water (40oz including Perpetuem in one of the bottles) at each AID station plus I'll eat some honey stinger waffles and chews.  Our registration includes an ice cold beer at the finish line and you can bet it will be a strong motivator while I'm out in the heat.  Plus, the fellow I'm riding with doesn't drink so I'll get his beer as well.  I'll be afraid to drink more than two after a 7hour ride. 

Nicole - I've seen race reports for GranFondo's in the US so there may be one near you.  I know of 6#/year here in our province so there has to be a lot of them around.

Mike - I hadn't planned on taking my camera but I'll consider it.  There is quite a bit of scenery to take pics of.  I had tried to load some pics on BT before and followed your advice but I couldn't get the pics to open.

I spent the day at the Package Pick-up greeting people and getting them their packages.  It was a lot of fun talking to people and getting excited about the ride.  A lot of people were changing to the MedioFondo (92km) so they'll be finished before the real heat hits.  Many others were anxious about how hot it will be.  I'm not looking forward to the heat but I'm sure I can make it to the 120km mark and if I can get to the 140km mark then I'm certain I'll be able to finish (the last 16km/10mi is almost all downhill and goes fast).  I just wish I was a lot faster.  But at the same time I'm pretty certain the heat will slow me down.

Thanks Carlo, I am looking forward to the ride and not expecting to set any personal records in the heat.  I agree with you that chatting with people along the way is part of the fun.  I think tomorrow will be more about fun and survival than speed.

Today I got my bike and Perpetuem ready and pretty much just have to get up early and go.  Spent the day with the fellow I'm riding with tomorrow and we went and watched the "PicoloFondo" a series of races for the kids of the riders registered for the GranFondo.  It was absolutely amazing and amusing to watch.  The first three races were the youngest kids and they were really into the race.  Just watching them race by was priceless.

The last two races were for the older kids and they were really into the competition.  There were a lot of kids riding nicer bikes than mine and some of them were amazingly fast.  If you ever get a chance to watch a "Kids of Steel" race or "PicoloFondo" definitely check it out.

I finished the ride.  It was a lot slower than I had hoped.  My riding time was approx. 7hrs but total time with stops was about 8:12.  My first 4 hrs were great and fairly fast but in the heat my pace slowed dramatically and my stops at the last 4 AID stations got progressively longer.

My bike computer got as high as 44.44C/112F and it was just baking hot.  Like riding in a blast furnace.  Lots of people were dropping out and every little bit of shade had riders hiding for awhile from the sun.  It was so hot I had to walk up two hills that I've been able to ride easily in the past.  At the fifth AID Stn I met a fellow that had finished Challenge Black Forest a month ago - A full distance race so pretty fit and he was finished and dropping out due to the heat.

My friend Greg was hyperthermic when he finished the race (ahead of me).  Fortunately his girlfriend is a nurse and she covered him in ice cold towels.  By the time I finished he was much better.

By the time I finished I was glad to get off the bike and I managed to dismount without difficulty (I was worried about that) and I felt pretty good.  I got my socks and shoes off PDQ and sat down while my wife and friends brought me popsicles (the BEST!!) and tried to get me to eat chips, bananas and water but I didn't want anything but the popsicles and my BEER!  I never did get my burger - I just didn't want to eat anything.  After the beer we walked over to the lake and went in to try and cool off.  It felt really good to go right under.

I am majorly wiped out and don't have any stats yet so I'll write a race report tomorrow or soon.  I'm taking tomorrow off.  I do have one stat.  I wore my Garmin just to keep track of my climbing and it was 1664m/5459feet.  Maximum grade was 20% - not sure which hill that was.

Wow George, sounds like super intense heat! I'm so impressed you did it. Over 100 deg F and I don't even want to go outside!!

Great report, George, sounds like a real effort, and I bet those beers went down very fast! 

Its kind of late but I finally finished and posted my Race Report and I'll try and put a link to it.  It is kind of long and I didn't re-read it so it may not be as coherent as I'd hope so don't feel obligated to read it unless you want to.

Granfondo Axel Merckx

I hope the link works.

Great race report, George, it sounds like an epic day's training! I really had no idea Canada could produce those sort of temperatures. I had to look up google maps, it makes more sense now I see you're a fair way from the coast. I have a 100km ride next weekend (that'll be my longest ever) but the temps here probably won't exceed 23C.

Cool armadillo pic! Gary, man, you gotta toughen up and stop straining stuff.

This morning I did my short, hilly bike ride. I ran into a woman who was riding from Virginia to Oregon! She had a sweet set-up. Nice set o'bags on her back wheel, covered by solar panels. She was not prepared for the crazy hills in this 6 mile stretch. I did not envy her with 50 extra lbs on her bike!

if she is trying to get to oregon and can't handle hills in virginia, she is kind of screwed, isn't she??

Gary, good to hear it's an ACL strain, not a tear. Look after it though! Progression would be bad...

That sounds like a very sensible headspace to be in. It's another day of training, albeit one that's more intense, with more people, and with someone else timing you. Perfect!

I've been having those triathlon dreams lately....two in a week now, obviously my subconcious is trying to tell me something. A few nights ago it was a swim in an old factory followed but a run up flights and flights of stairs carrying my 4 year old daughter (what's she doing here?), last night it was a never ending bike leg where I got completely lost and my bike was getting harder and harder to pedal, the gears were stuck...I realised my chain had fallen off and was jamming. Then I woke up, thank goodness. 

I think I have to train harder so I'm more exhausted at night and don't dream.