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Arizona Brevet & Randonnee 300K - CycleOther


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Casa Grande, Arizona
United States
Arizona Brevet & Randonnee
Sunny
Total Time = 12h 52m
Overall Rank = /
Age Group =
Age Group Rank = 0/
Pre-race routine:

Woke up and drove to Casa Grande. Brian (Pilgrim) and I got our bikes ready w/all of our nutrition, air, lights. Brian was carrying a convenience store on his bike. I just loaded the pockets in my bike jersey (2 packs of Orange Cliff Bloks, 3 Peanut Butter Cliff bars, and 4 packs of GU2O) and had my hemp box filled with Powergel extra sodium gel.
Event warmup:

It was cold... there was not warmup... LOL
Bike
  • 11h 08m
  • 193.95 miles
  • 17.42 mile/hr
Comments:

I really enjoyed the Brevet. At the start you receive cue sheets that have directions and a card that you have to get signed at the check points along the way.

We started off and it was 36 degrees and cold. I kept my sweat jacket on over top of my long sleeve thermal shirt and bike jersey. It was like a bike caravan taking off that stuck completely together for about 7 or 8 miles or so (hard to tell because... well it was dark and I couldn't read the bike computer).

After that a lead group took off and Brian and I stayed with them. Well, I had to take a leak about 25 miles in and I stopped and let the pack go. It took about 8 miles for me to catch back up. There was a headwind on a gradual uphill so it was not easy to catch them. I caught up to one other guy that had fallen off and we worked together to get back in the pack.

We then made it to the first check point about 44 miles in. At the first check point the lead group split all up. Brian and I shed a little clothing and ate a bike. I had a banana and a blueberry cookie. Then Brian and I left and found that the next section of the course was long long gradual uphill with a strong headwind blowing at us.

About 75 miles into the ride I started getting a cramp in my left quad so I eased off and drank some GU2O and it went right away, but only to return about 8 miles farther down the road. Brian and I stopped and I ate a Power Gel and drank some more GU2O and the cramp was gone and would never return.

At 88 miles we made it to the 2nd check point. This was at a ladies home and the kitchen had a full spread for us. Many different kinds of cookies, sandwiches, wraps, and fruit. I ate 2 bananas, filled my bottles adding GU2O mix, ate 1/2 a ham and jalapeƱo cheese wrap, and ate 2 oatmeal cookies.

We left again and this time had 2 others with us. One was named Sandiway and we would ride basically the rest of the ride with him. We rode through Tucson and started climbing up to Gates pass in the Saguaro National Park area. Gates pass had a lot of climbing with a very steep section at the end. Isn't it nice to have a big climb after you have already ridden 100+ miles.

Brian and I had looked at the elevation chart which made it look like after the Gates pass climb it was all a gradual downhill from there. At the top of Gates pass we mentioned the gradual downhill to Sandiway and he told us there were a lot more hills left.

The hills were mostly rolling, but they were definitely not short rollers. On one of them I took off on the back side as I saw the next hill was really steep. I really did not want to climb it so I built my speed and it worked. I cruised right up it, even as steep as it was. A little later I checked my bike computer and saw my top speed was 49.3. No wonder I made it right up that hill! New speed record for me. Fun stuff.

We kept moving along towards the 3rd check point. Brian ate some cliff shot bloks that did not agree with his stomach. He had also just lead us through a long windy stretch. We slowed down a little bit and rode into the check point. He had a ginger ale there and was feeling better again.

After the 3rd check point we found that again the wind had changed directions on us and we had 30+ miles of more headwind ahead of us. About 15 miles into the segment I was leading and Brian's front wheel touched my back wheel. I though I had just gotten a flat but then when I stopped I looked back and Brian had gone down and Sandiway went right over his leg. Brian's leg cramped and as we gathered ourselves together another rider caught up and joined us. Brian had to adjust his handle bars as they had turned but then as a super trooper he was riding again and we were on our way.

At this point the guy that had joined us started riding next to Sandiway and caused for us to ride like a pack. With the nasty headwind it was made the draft almost worthless. It felt cramped and after we had just had a incident I didn't feel like riding in a tight group. The road got bumpy though with a smooth section in the middle and we lined up into a pace line. We stopped at a Dairy Queen and used the restroom and then a tandem and another ride caught up. We all rode in a pace line to the final check point.

At the last check point, Brian was tired of riding in the pace line and told me to go ahead with them and that he would see me at the finish. Well, one guy left and then another, so I then went and decided to time trial the last 14 miles. I was pretty proud of myself as I was able to keep my speed between 21 and 25 mph over the last 14 miles.
Post race
Warm down:

Grabbed my bag

What limited your ability to perform faster:

not applicable as this was a timed ride but not a race.

Event comments:

After we finishing I fisted Brian and he said congratulations "you are now a randonneur!" Sweet!

Big accomplishment to ride 193.95 miles after my longest previous ride was last weekend's 73 mile ride.

I feel really good and even though it was pretty easy to do, I am glad Brian talked me into doing this ride.

I will definitely do more Brevets.




Last updated: 2007-01-08 12:00 AM
Biking
11:08:00 | 193.95 miles | 17.42 mile/hr
Age Group: 0/
Overall: 0/
Performance: Good
Wind: Headwind
Course: Casa Grande to Coolidge to Oro Valley to Tucson, Over gates pass to Marana to Pichacho to Coolidge to Casa Grande
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] 5
Physical exertion [1-5] 5
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers?
Plenty of drinks?
Post race activities:
Race evaluation [1-5] 4

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2007-02-04 9:49 PM

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Mesa
Subject: Arizona Brevet & Randonnee 300K


2007-02-05 8:02 AM
in reply to: #679080

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Master
2411
2000100100100100
Goodyear, AZ
Subject: RE: Arizona Brevet & Randonnee 300K
All I can say is WOW! What an awesome race report. And how cool that you got to ride with a BT buddy.
2007-02-05 9:12 AM
in reply to: #679080

Extreme Veteran
306
100100100
AZ
Subject: RE: Arizona Brevet & Randonnee 300K

Incredible ride!  You guys are awesome. 

2007-02-05 10:06 AM
in reply to: #679080

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Veteran
272
1001002525
Albuquerque, NM
Subject: RE: Arizona Brevet & Randonnee 300K
You and Pilgrim are animals. Head winds most of the day would have killed me. Congrats on becoming a randonneur.
2007-02-05 1:53 PM
in reply to: #679080

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Elite
2553
20005002525
Tucson, AZ
Subject: RE: Arizona Brevet & Randonnee 300K

Holy crap! That's awesome! I can't believe you did that after your longest ride was 73 miles. Amazing!

That must do a ton for the confidence for IMAZ. 112 will feel like a warm-up!

You are one crazy chile man.

2007-02-05 2:01 PM
in reply to: #679080

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Expert
660
5001002525
Central New York
Subject: RE: Arizona Brevet & Randonnee 300K
That's an awesome ride. HUGE miles at an extraordinary clip. Wow.

This business about you "fisting" Brian at the finish is a bit troubling, however. You'd think he was sore already from all the miles in the saddle. Or maybe it means something different in AZ?

Er, congratulations!?!


2007-02-05 3:49 PM
in reply to: #679080

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Expert
709
500100100
Subject: RE: Arizona Brevet & Randonnee 300K
Wow, great job out there. What may I asked prompted you to do this ride before tackling a century? I'm not sure I would have been so confident to make that kind of a jump! Great work!
2007-02-05 7:43 PM
in reply to: #679080

Albuquerque, NM
Subject: RE: Arizona Brevet & Randonnee 300K
U da MAN!  Congratulations and IMAZ is going to be a breeze for you!  Pilgrim's just an animal.  He does a century ride every weekend. 
2007-02-05 7:57 PM
in reply to: #679080

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Pro
3906
20001000500100100100100
St Charles, IL
Subject: RE: Arizona Brevet & Randonnee 300K

Awesome ride.    Definitely a solid setup / confidence builder for IMAZ, knowing you've gone waaaaaay past 112.

Congrats. 

2007-02-06 10:11 AM
in reply to: #679080

Pro
3715
20001000500100100
AZ
Subject: RE: Arizona Brevet & Randonnee 300K
Great job Andy!! 
2007-02-06 4:03 PM
in reply to: #679080

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Member
22

Phoenix, AZ
Subject: RE: Arizona Brevet & Randonnee 300K
Nice ride!  11 hours on a bike (at any pace) is amazing.  Gotta be the shoes.


2007-02-07 3:59 PM
in reply to: #679080

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Veteran
230
10010025
Phoenix, AZ
Subject: RE: Arizona Brevet & Randonnee 300K
I am impressed!  Great job!
2007-02-07 4:16 PM
in reply to: #679080

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Master
1920
1000500100100100100
Ann Arbor, MI
Subject: RE: Arizona Brevet & Randonnee 300K
You rock.
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