The race started at Noon in lieu of the scheduled 9:am start time due to the foul weather conditions. The 12 hour race was cut down to 8 hours and the race course was also shortened from about 9 miles to just over 5 miles because the race directors deemed much of the course too hazardous and or water logged to race on. My computer was non functional again at this event. I asked the race director how long each lap was and the reply was "it will be the same each lap". Data from friends of mine racing that day also gave reports between 6.5 miles to 5.2 miles. All the technical downhill and uphill section were closed. The course was still fun with 85% of it being single track. As the day wore on the mud pits got deeper and wider, water crossings and slick roots required more mindfulness to navigate through.

A cold front blew through at 4am and delayed start time was to accommodate the 2nd front expected that morning so we would not be out there riding in a thunder storm. Race start was in a slight drizzle with 50* air temps. I had a hard time deciding if I needed a windbreaker but decided to start w/o one and leave it in my camelbak just in case the weather got cooler. It was a good thing I did. Jersey, Arm warmers, bike shorts, tights, and two pairs of thin synthetic socks were perfect. The Lemans start was its usual fair, I hung towards the rear of the mad dash with most of the other soloists knowing this would be a long, cold, and muddy day. There were several large puddles to leap over and dodge exiting the bike pick up and launch zone. The exposed trails in the pasture leading to the single track were very slippery and I had to focus keeping the bike upright in corners. It was funny to think the place I was most likely to crash were in the flat areas with turns. The Rocket Rons, and crossmarks that usually roll quickly and provide ample traction in most conditions were sketchy at best in these sections. These tires are not the best choice in slimy mud conditions. The 1st lap of went by quickly I paused for a few minutes to adjust my I-pod and ear bud that had fallen out and got tangled in my pack straps. At these endurance events, soloists are allowed to use an MP3 player or similar device as long as you only use 1 ear bud. You need to be able to hear your fellow racers approaching and communicating. Many of the signature trail features that make Bluff Creek Ranch - Bluff Creek Ranch were bypassed. Absent was the fast downhill - Gas Pass, the steep carpet reinforced Pay Dirt trail, Mule trace, palisades and the back 40.

My plan entering the race was to pit every 20 miles to use the rest room and refuel. Doing so would also help me break the race down into smaller more manageable segments allowing me to reassess if my plan was working or not. My goal was to do at least 100k in the 8 hours.

1st block of ~20 miles (4 laps) went by quickly. Pit stop went fine too. Total time in pit was 15 min. I took my time refilling the camelback, eating, and sat for a few minutes messing with my Ipod so I would advance to the next playlist instead of repeating. The next chuck of the race went by a bit slower. The bike had taken on lots of mud, cow poop, and pine needles. I was having drive train issues for several miles forcing me to find a stick to clear the drive train and areas near the rear tire so I could spin freely. Also, with all the goop stuck in the bottom bracket area and front chain ring causing epic chain suck issues. This forced me to pit early at lap 7 instead of 8 as planned. In the pits I washed of my bike as best as I could, ate, filled the camel back and off I went. This pit stop took roughly the same amount of time as the 1st one because I had to wait in line for the bike wash. My plan changed at this point to pit every 3 laps instead of 4 due to the amount of mud and crud accumulating on the bike and the need to hose it off. The 3rd chunk of laps went as did the 2nd, cold and muddy. My feet were beginning to get really cold and my hands were beginning to become really sore and slightly blister underneath my thin gloves. At this point I was wishing I packed body glide to use in my gloves. I was event tempted to borrow my buddies bag balm or butt butter but he was not present when I was in the pit area and just did w/o. At this point my plan to pit agian was changed, I had done only two laps out of the planned 3 but due to the reasons just mentioned I rolled into the pit area early. Pit stop 3 was slow, same drill as previous stop; Time in pit ~15 min. I did not get bike as clean as I would have liked. I simply knocked off as much mud and debris from the drive train as I could. Pine needles, chewed up grass, and who knows what else was glued to the bike. Evening was approaching at this point so I put on my wind breaker because I was feeling a bit chilled but took it off again about a mile into the single track. The fresh socks helped so my pace was a bit more brisk than the couple previous laps. This lasted for about a lap as more mud collected on the bike and fatigue started to set in. I managed 2 laps and then came in for another pit stop to pee and spray down the bike's drive train. This final pit was on par with the rest. Leaving the scan in area I had time to do one more lap. I rolled in and my final total ride time was 8:10:49 for a total 12 laps equaling about 65 miles.

Spend less time in pit area. Ride single speed when trail conditions go to crap.

none


Lack of experience in solo endurance events - Pacing. Trail conditions.


I learned a ton at this event and had a blast. I am looking forward to next year's race and will hopefully get to implement the lessons learned. I accomplished my goal riding at a comfortable pace. Nutrition and hydration plans worked well on this day.

Photos of the race and all divisions can be found at:
http://www.bobcat13photo.com/TerraFirmaRacingEvents/The-Dirty-Dozen...