I have to preface this race report with the fact that this was my second mtn bike race ever. My first one was back in January at Boulder Park. It was on a single speed 29er in a 4hr endurance format. I think I did around 45-50 miles there and won my division. The average temp was in the teens. This race was in mid August on a geared bike. The average temp was 100 degrees, with a high of 102-104 and a low of around 94 at 11:20pm when the race ended for me.

I'm going to do this report in laps since the race was 8 laps of 13 miles.

Lap 1:

As with most mtn bike races this one had a ridiculous start. We had to set our bikes up about 20 yards from the start. When the gun went off we were to run over to our bikes, take off the front wheel, run back to the starting line, back to our bikes, put the wheel back on and start the race. (This is supposed to help space everyone out)

I got this done and quickly headed for the single track ahead! I quickly noticed that it was a lot dustier than I had imagined. I didn't think about all the people before hand that were going to be stirring up dust.

Fortunately within about 10-15 minutes I was all alone and just crusing along at comfortable jacob pace. As I said before this was only my second mtn bike race ever, not to mention being my longest ride of the year. Longest ride before this was my mtn bike race back in January. (45-50 miles) I noticed the bike was feeling awesome! Was great to have Jay check it out for me. The temps weren't feeling too bad and I just got in the zone. I rode at a comfortable pace that wasn't anywhere near threshold. If I felt I was over exerting I REALLY backed off.

The first lap went by pretty quick and I was REALLY suprised at how good I was feeling. I was carrying three bottles, one gatorade endurance, one water, and another with just a touch of GE. (Gatorade Endurance) I did a good job of getting all the GE down, but didn't drink all my h20 bottle.

I finished the first lap in 1:18:07. This was exactly ten minutes behind the leader and put me in 5th place. I pulled up to the line and checked in, then rolled over to my gear set up. I said hey to Jay and let him know how great the bike felt. I refilled my bottles, took a package of Shot bloks down real quick, and headed back out. Pretty sure I was out after about 5 mins.

I was taking a gel at the halfway point of every lap, then taking a pack of Shot bloks everytime I got back to the finish line, not to mention drinking the GE.

Lap 2:

Lap 2 was also pretty uneventful. I stayed right on the pace I had the lap before and was still feeling pretty good. The heat wasn't getting to me yet and I was still having fun.

I focused on being sure to drink all my fluids (60oz total) and did a pretty good job.

I pulled back up to the starting line right on time. This lap was 1:25, and that included my time in my gear area on the last lap. I knew that as long as I stayed under 1:30:00 for each lap I could finish the race in under 12hrs which was the advertised cut off. I said hey to Jay and his wife again. Refilled the bottles and grabbed some more shot bloks. I also found my Texas Tech cycling cap a friend gave to me this summer and soaked it in ice water. Put that thing on and let it cool me down. Felt awesome. Back to the single track!

I finished lap 2 in 3rd place.

Lap 3:

At this point I was still in awe that I was feeling so good and still way under the cut off pace! I was still riding at a super easy relaxed pace. I just wanted to be as comfortable as possible, but knew that my laps were probably going to slow down when it got dark.

About halfway through this lap is when I started feeling the first signs of fatigue. I was sure to drink all my gatorade and water which I feel helped a bit. Oddly, the heat wasn't bothering me too bad. It was on this lap that the race photog caught a pretty good photo of me.



I knew about the last 20mins of this lap that I wasn't feeling too good, but at the same time I'd felt much worse in races before.

When I pulled into the start line this time I told Jay I wasn't feeling too good, and he chatted with me to keep my mind off the pain :) I downed some more shot bloks and headed back out.

I finished this lap in 1:25 again with the break on the lap before. I was now in 2nd place.

Lap 4:

This lap was rough. I was finally getting worn down and the heat was BRUTAL this lap. I had gotten in the habit of wetting down the cap each lap and also sticking my hands in ice water. (which was amazing!)

The race course was really thinning out by this time. I had no idea but over half the people doing the full 100 had dropped out by this point. I had no idea what place I was in.

About halfway through the lap I took my usual gel and noticed that regardless of how I felt my legs were feeling awesome. There wasn't an ounce of fatigue in the legs. They were doing there job and doing it well.

Again I finished this lap in 1:28:12 with my break on the lap before. I finished this lap in 1st. (Had no idea) When I pulled in I told Jay again how crappy I was feeling. Something I knew was going to help was the REDBULL i had in my ice chest :) My game plan was to start drinking redbull when it started getting mentally tough. Knowing that redbull was waiting for me really made it a bit easier each lap thereafter.

I pulled out for my 5th lap in a total time of 5:51:44. Still about 9 mins below cut off pace :)

Lap 5:

Lap 5 felt awesome. The Redbull was unbelievably re-juvenating and really did the job. When I got back on the trail within 15 mins I was feeling so fresh. I worked hard on this lap to make up for the time I spent in the "pit area" last lap drinking the redbull and bitching to Jay.

The heat actually felt like it was fading a bit! I couldn't believe it. I knew that it would probably start cooling off around 7pm-8pm, but didn't expect to feel it around 6.

This lap flew by. For the first time I actually thought I may actually finish this distance. On the last lap I was starting to make bargains with myself. I kept telling myself I could quit after 6. Not anymore. :)

I finished the lap in 1:33:01 even with the 10min pit stop last lap. I was now back in 2nd place.

I pulled in and told Jay how great I was feeling! He was getting ready to leave because another guy was taking over. I told him thanks for everything and met the "new guy". He was Nate and just as awesome as Jay.

I left the "pits" for my 6th lap 7:22:15 after starting this crazy adventure.

Lap 6:

Lap 6 started great. I'd had another redbull in the pits and was ready to rock and roll! It was finally cooling off and I knew after this lap I only had 26 miles to go. Unfortunately the lap was not to be what I wanted.

About 30mins in I mentally started fading again and was heading back for the dark side of endurance racing. Regardless of how bad I felt I was fairly sure I was going to finish the distance.

I passed the MADD shelter on the far end of the course and went throught he "bamboo forest". I came to the farthest away section of the course and started the ride back towards the start.

I could tell the light was fading and was happy that I'd put my helmet light on in the pits last time. (A guy was letting people demo lights. His company is called "Trail LED" and this lights are EPIC. no... seriously, EPIC.) I knew i wouldn't need it till the next lap, but was still happy I had it.

I started up this small hill and noticed that my bike was feeling a bit "soft".

I look back and my rear tire was loosing air. "a;gsdfgkjshdgruga;g", I thought to myself.

for .00341 seconds I thought that maybe I could ride it in, but when I crested the hill I realized it wasn't going to make it. Fine I thought, I'll change it here.

I pulled off the trail 8:15:13 after starting the race. i hit my split button on the watch so I could time the flat change. I quickly pull the rear wheel off and empty my pockets on my jersey (since I'm such a roadie and refuse to use saddle bags). I pull the tire off and check out the tube. I found the puncture and immediately checked out the inside of the tire to find the culprit. Within seconds I found the thorn. Picked that bad boy out and pulled out my new tube. I wanted to inflate it just a bit before I put it in the tire so I pull out my adapter and co2 can.

Well. I put the co2 can on the adapter and stick the schrader valve in the adapter. I slowly start releasing the air from the can and it's not going in the tube. "arkjghrighserioghsdf;gkl", I think.

I try again. Same thing. I try again. Same thing. I try again. Same thing.

I start thinking worse case scenario and assume that my race is over. Here I am 65+ miles into a mtn bike race and I'm not gonna be able to finish because my adapter is for a freaking "Presta" valve and not a "Schrader".

I quickly empty the co2 can and know that it's over. All I can do now is wait for someone to come by and pray that they have an adapter that will work and are willing to let me use a co2 can.

15 minutes pass till someone comes by.

Yes. 15 MINUTES.

This guy saved my race. He stopped and gave me his adapter and TWO cartridges. He told me just to leave 'em at the starting line when I got back. I noticed he was in the 2 man relay race. He asked me if I was in the solo race and I said yes.

He said, "Hell, I'd give you my bike if you needed it". :)

18:58 after getting the flat I was off again. Off again with avengance. I was calculating the time in my head wrong to make the cutoff so I thought I was gonna miss it no matter what. The race director had said that if you weren't in by 10pm you couldn't start your last lap and be an official finisher. For some reason I thought he'd say 10 hours. (not 10pm)

Anyways, I haul serious ass back to the start line. I'm going full out.

I get back to the starting line at 9:08:49 after starting. It was now 7:10pm. And I was in 2nd place still.

I tell Nate what happen and the guy that saved my race shows up and needs his stuff back. I thank him and give him the adapter and an extra can. Nate and I chat while I down my 3rd redbull of the day. For some reason I wanted to save as much time as possible so I head out pretty quick without getting more food. (did remember to fill up my bottles though)

Lap 7:

Lap 7 started and it was getting pretty dark. It wasn't dark enough for light yettt, but was getting there. After about 20 mins I needed my light so I turn it on and enjoy my first time mtn biking in the dark. It was at this point I realized that I forgot my food, not to mention I forgot to ask Nate if he had a valve adapter for a Schrader valve.

I knew that after about 35 mins we came back by the start area. When I got there I headed over the mechanic tent and asked Nate if he had an adapter JUST IN CASE I got another flat. He spent 5-10mins trying to find one and didn't see one anywhere.

Well. I guess I was gonna have to try my luck.

i grabbed my shot blocks and gel and hit the dark, dark single track of the Northshore. At this point I was about 80 miles in and having a blast. I knew that if I didn't flat I had the finish in the bag.

I saw a little possum family plus a raccoon. I didn't see another soul on this lap. I kept assuming everyone else had finished. Little did I know what really was happening.

Towards the end of the lap I was getting tired but the fact that I now knew I was going to be in by 9:45pm I was so happy. At the same time I knew I wasn't going to make the original cut off of 12hrs.

I pulled into the start in 1:39 for that lap. So the dark had slowed me down, but I was still moving!



I roll over to my "pit" area and Nate walks up and says, "Dude, I think you're in first". When I pulled in the RD asked me if I was heading back out and I was like, "uhh... YEA"

After Nate told me that, I asked the RD if any solo riders had finished. He walks over to me and says, "No dude... you're the only one still going, the rest have dropped out. There's one guy that's done 7 laps and came in just before you, but I don't think he's going back out".



This was like throwing gasoline on an already burning fire.

I filled up my bottles and got back on the single track.

This time, in 1st place. And I knew it.

Lap 8:

I spent the majority of this lap praying that I wasn't going to get a flat. I kept watching the odometer, cause I wanted to see if pass 100 miles. Of course I missed it. The race was 103 miles total, so I knew when I got to 100 miles I still had about 3 miles to go.

I kept thinking, "OK, 5 miles to go... I can finish 5 miles on a flat".

Then I'd think, "OK, 4 miles to go... I can finish 4 miles on two flats"...

Unbelievably I didn't flat again.

I watched the 12hr "original" cut off roll by on the watch, but could have cared less. I knew I was going to be the only finisher if that other guy didn't try to head out and catch me.

Turns out he didn't.

I rolled back up to the finish line 12:19:51 after starting at 11:20pm.



That was the most unbelievable feeling. The Monday before this event I had trouble surviving 30 miles on this trail. This just shows what can happen when you go in expecting nothing.

I was quickly greeted by the race director who informed me that I was the only finisher of the solo 100 mile division.





nothing.

Oh yea... Not flat so I could meet the original cut off.

Drank my Muscle Milk and my 5th Redbull of the day.


I'll never forget that race.

This race was awesome. The hardware was incredible and the flask (filled with scotch/bourbon) was an awesome touch.

Finishing 100 miles on a mountain bike is definitely a life accomplishment. Now I can't wait to do it again :)