2012 Wilderness101 Race Report

This weekend was the Wilderness 101 race in State College, PA.  We awoke to 100% humidity and foggy conditions.  Fortunately the cloud cover kept the temps in the 70s most of the day, so it wasn't blazing hot, but the humidity meant lots of drinking all day.  We had a few sprinkles near the start and then got caught in a hard rain in the last hour. 

Last year I DNF'd after going out too hard in the first third.  So I was looking to meter my efforts out a little better this year and to still break the 10:07 time I posted two years ago. 

The first section of the race went very well.  I kept the heart rate in the 140s and 150s for the most part and got myself through the four climbs and to the Wipple aid station at mile 40 without much trouble.  One of my brilliant moves this year was to strap the Gas Tank bag to my bike and fill it with food.  I grabbed my sandwich after coming down Little Shingleton Rd and using the long flat stretch to eat a big meal before rolling in to the feed zone.  I was able to keep this same nutrition strategy all race -- using climbs and flatter parts to eat from the bag and not spend as much time in the aid stations.  I spent a total of 20 mins in aid stations this year compared to over 40 mins two years ago.

My dad drove around this year to meet me at Whipple and at the mile 70 station (off 322).  This kept him off the course and it was nice to be able to meet up with him at key points.

I rolled in to Whipple right at 3 hours as predicted and was out after about 10 mins, taking a can of coke with me in the tank bag.   The two big climbs loomed ahead.  I was able to keep a good tempo using mostly lower gears to spin rather than grinding bigger gears.   This helped keep the legs fresher.  The descent off Croyle went well, I got held up by traffic about half way down.

At Aid 3 I grabbed more food and downed a Gator Aid and was out within 5 mins.   Next up was the big rocky single track sections of Sassypig and Pigpile and Beautiful and No Name.   The rocks were hard but I managed to pass through a half dozen people in there.  This all the while fighting off cramps.  I then went to my pretzels quickly and I think the salt and carbs helped keep off the cramps.  Between Whipple (mile 40) and Aid 4 (mile 70) I must have past 50 or more riders.

I ripped through Aid 4 quickly, downing a gatorade, filling my camel back and refilling the pretzels.  The long climb up Stillhouse was a bear and I could feel the fatigue in my legs.  The going was kind of rough too which made the climb that much more difficult.  I only picked up about 3 people on the climb.  The next section on Sand Mtn felt long and arduous.  The road kept going up.  Then there was a ripping descent on a very rough road -- panther run.  I kept hitting large rocks and having my bike be deflected a foot or more left and right.  I must have really pounded the bike through that section, fully testing the suspension and wheel integrity.   Then more fire road climbing with rumbling thunder overhead.

I breezed through Aid 5 quickly, only topping off the pack.  It seemed like 9 hours was still a possibility.   I really hammered the last 11 miles.  3 miles of bike trail, a medium big climb, and then 5 miles of rail trail.   My legs were fried but I kept the pressure on.  During the last big climb the rain came down pretty hard and we got plenty muddied in the last rail trail section.  I finished in 9:03, just missing the 9 hour cut.

All in all, this race was a big success.  I was aiming for sub 10 hours and beat that time by nearly an hour.  I had cramps early but managed to subdue them and continue with the race.  I put on a hard but even pace, especially over the last 60% and didn't blow up nor did I hold anything back.   The only way to get faster is to do intervals and strength training ... gotta climb faster if I want to go faster.

Summer Riding

Once again, I've been slow in blogging so there is lots to catch up on.

Lake House:  I did my usual early summer ride up to Sandusky to my parents' lake house.  I choose the Karate Monkey single speed this year.  Yup, 119 miles of mostly road on a single speed 29er mtn bike.  It wasn't as painful as it could have been, but it was plenty hard.  There was a solid headwind out of the north the whole way so I couldn't go fast anyway; good day to choose a slower, more conservative ride.  

Laura's Pugsley:  Laura gave me permission to bid on eBay on a Surley Pugsley.  We won and now she has her early bday present, a 16" white Pugs.  I gotta be honest here and say that her bike is cooler looking than my Salsa Mukluk.  Maybe a pound heavier, but cooler looking and that white is sharp.   She is loving it which is all I could ask for to nudge her gradually towards mountain biking. 

Dad, Jen, Laura and I explore the North Coast Inland Railtrail outside of Norwalk, OH.

Laura Lookin Fat

Job: I am now officially unemployed.  My stint as Dean ended on July 1 and I don't start as professor until Sept 1.   Still, there is lots to do up at the office, but it is certainly along way away from the busy dean thing.   June-O was, as usual, all encompassing for four weeks.  Lots of days that were 16-18 hours long and the rest were 12 hours.  It is just a bugger and it comes at exactly the time of the year when you feel most like you need a break.   I handed in my key and now it is all Mark.  Funny, it is taking me some time to actually learn to decompress and relax; it wasn't as fast coming as I thought.

Storm: We had that same straight line bugger storm that brought 80 mph winds and knocked tons of trees down.  We lost power on Friday and didn't get it back until a week later, almost to the minute.  It was incredibly hot that whole time with temps in the upper 90s and 100s and a sufferfest without AC.  Fortunately Laura's parents got power back on Monday so we camped in their finished basement.  It made riding hard when there is no power and it is so bloody hot.

Cute Couple?

Coming Off Detweiler

Nice View Over Bear Meadows

State College:  We went to State College for Arts Fest week and took the fat bikes.  A great trip.  I got Laura out for a 20 mile ride on dirt roads and jeep trails.  She did great.  I got 5 hours in the next day.  I found the Tussey Ridge trail and it lived up to its billing.  It was 4 or 5 miles of pure rock garden.  I was doing ok until my wide bars caught a tree and I splatted my shin on a rock.   Then I seemed to be out of rhythm and have too many pedal strikes.   A full boinger would be better than the fat bike which is heavy and bouncy.

In the "small world" category, I had to neat encounters at the end of my ride.  As I was coming down Bear Meadows Rd, a car with a couple of bikes on top give me a nice toot.  Wasn't sure if it was because I was just a mtn biker or because I was on a fat bike.   They turned around and chased me down ... turns out it was the Athens Bicycle jersey.  They were from Athens OH here for an OU mtn bike reunion of sorts.  I also ran in to David Shipp in Freeze Thaw.  He was in town from Virginia and vaguely remembered teaching my cycling class.  

Back in Ohio, I also snuck in a trail ride with John G and a group out at Mohican.  We did a lap in 2:25 and I could have easily gone much faster.   The SF100 was working great with the shocks rebuilt.  I had good legs and managed to pull away from John on the big covered bridge climb.  Still he was on his Mukluk so it wasn't a fair fight, but I did have good legs. 

Wilderness 101 is just two weeks away.  I'm not sure I'm in the fitness place I planned to be.  I think I'm fine for the time/distance but could use these next few days to do some more speed work so my heart doesn't jump out of my chest every time the grade bumps up over 5%.   Then Hampshire 100 is 3 weeks after that, then SM100 two weeks later ... that is already two full weeks in to the school year!  When your summer doesn't start will July 1, it seems to go by fast.  I got in a good speedy cross ride today with some big climbs and then a whole bunch of testy hills.  Again, good legs.