Cohutta 100 Race Report

The Cohutta 100 race was this weekend.  I took the day off from work on Friday to drive down to TN/GA border, check in and then get some rest.  The race went off at 7am on Saturday and I finished late in the afternoon.  Then drove part way back to arrive back at home before Noon on Sunday.

The race course was a bit different this year.  The same basic beginning, but then we went further South to grab some single track on the Pinhotti #2 section.  Backtracked on the same course before diving off on another section of the Pinhotti trail.  Then followed roughly the same course back to the start, cutting off about 10 miles of single track but adding some other stuff to close it out.  I clocked it at 103 miles with 13600' climbing in 10:17 clock time (9:45 ride time).  It was definitely harder than last year's race and I loved it.  Last year's course was hard, but there was just too much stupid gravel in the middle and so I liked breaking it up a little.  I also liked the out-n-back format because I got to see the return pros coming at us.  And I knew kind of what to expect of the second half of the course.   I also liked that it was a harder.  Jeremiah Bishop said that no one will call this the "easy one" anymore; I agree.  It isn't the most technical at all, but it is a legit sufferfest.  

My plan was to start at the back, stay fairly conservative for the first two-thirds or so, and then see what I had left.  I lined up more than 75% of the way back, purposely trying to put myself among slower riders.  I would guess there were 300 or more riders (later I learned almost 400 started).  We set off at 7am on the dot with moderate but humid temps.

On the first section we climbed about 3 miles on a road and I stayed right with the folks around me.  We entered the first section of single track and it was wheel to wheel.  The pace was just about right, I had no inclinations to get around anyone and no one behind me seemed eager to pass either ... a nice start to the event.  After about 40 minutes or so, we cross the infamous rock river section, go across a bridge and then continue on the single track climb.  I went around 2 or 3 guys here and then had open trail in front of me for a long single track climb.  I moved out here for the first time actually applying a little power.  It felt good but I was wary of how much more toughness lay ahead. 

After a long time, maybe an hour or more, we dumped out on the first gravel road section.  It was flattish for a few miles before climbing gradually and then more steeply.  I was ready to be off the single track as the pace was slow (10 mph) and the effort hard (harder than I wanted).  This first gravel climb is 2000' and I remember it well from last year.  It is in my perfect zone -- a steepness of about 10% where I can climb quickly and efficiently but staying away from the steeper stuff that exposes my lack of power.  I made good time here picking off about 10 or more riders on the climb.  Once on top, there are a few small rollers (200' or so) and I went past lots of people.  I felt my effort was steady but harder, maybe even a little harder than I wanted. 

I also went through my camel back on this climb and rode 30 min without water.  No huge deal, but I was surprised how quickly I was drinking.   I knew from last year's cramp fest that I needed to drink more.  The temps were much higher in this race too, approaching the 70s by now and I was sweating a good bit.  So my plan was to drink often and I was.

I rolled in to check point 3 (mile 36) and ate half my foot-long sub and downed a coke.  I needed the food at this point and I needed water.   The next section was tough with about 5 medium climbs in the 500' range, and they were steep buggers too.  This is where I got hurt last year but I knew this year's stuff was just the prelude to harder pieces yet to come.   We then had a mega descent of about 5 miles.  The lead riders were coming back up this monster hill so it was fun to see them.  Jeremiah Bishop, then Cristian Tanguy, then some other guys.  I saw Gerry Plug and Garth Prosser too.  We finally rolled in to Check Point 4 (mile 51) where I topped off my water and went for the south loop.  I was surprised how many return riders were already there (this was check point 5 too).  I figured they were an hour ahead of us at that point.  I really thought I was closer to the "main pack" so it was a little disconcerting.  Still I kept my focus and headed out.

The southern loop was a blast.  This Pinhotti #2 was an absolute dream.  Tight twisties, ups and downs, berms, smooth single track goodness.  I was ripping it.  I have never been known for my descending prowess, especially on technical single track.  But I got to say that NOT ONE SINGLE rider passed me on any downhill this year.  And I passed quite a bit, both on gravel and on single track.  I know the 29er full susp buys me some "talent", but I must also be getting better at the technical riding and maybe I weigh more too! :(    After ejecting from the singletrack bliss, we started the MONSTER climb back up.  Maybe 1/10 of the way up, we returned to Checkpoint 4/5 where I got my bracelet and ate/drank lots, including the second half of my sub and another coke.   I knew what hell lay ahead.

This is mile 63 and the start of the hardest part of the course.  The next five miles went straight up without respite.  Maybe averaging 15% with sections above 20%.  It was just a killer.  I knew it would be hard, but this was freakn hard.  And blistering hot.  And there were monster horse flies all over us.  My gps was showing silly speeds of 3mph or so which was depressing.  But I kept my heart rate in check at 160 or less -- I still had many hours to go and couldn't risk blowing up or bringing on the cramps.   I also just barely started feeling the pre-cramp twitches in my legs and would back down the pace a little.  Standing from time to time helped too.

We finally crested the climb only to face the five 500' medium climbs.  I recalled from looking at the map that we would dive off on to the next section of single track before returning to check point 3/6, but it seemed to come forever.  I kept thinking, "after this next climb, then the singletrack" only to find yet another gravel climb.  I also started having dark thoughts, mostly of the "I'm lost" variety.   But then a pink arrow would appear and reassure me.  I picked off a bunch of guys here.  I felt slow, but I was going past a stream of guys going much slower and no one was passing me.

We finally hit a section of Pinhotti singletrack -- I think it was the South Fork section.  It was more of a grassy jeep trail, but it was still a nice relief from the gravel climbs.  There was a surprise creek crossing at the bottom which soaked both feet but the cold water felt good.   Back at Aid Station 3/6 I ate more and drank lots.  We had mostly descending ahead, but my legs were very tired, on the verge of cramping, and I knew there were more gravel climbs mixed in.

After some absurd rolling teasers, we shot down a long descent and then hit a bunch of smaller gravel climbs.  I passed a lot of people and then found a small handful of guys who seemed to muster some energy and came back at me.  We would swap places for the next hour or so but no one could get much out of sight of the others.   Then once we hit the last check point (1 & 8) with only 13 miles to go, I put the hammer down and went by a bunch of guys.  We entered the last singletrack section of about 5 miles.  I remember last year that this was mostly down hill, except I forgot about all the short punchy climbs mixed in.  Steep little buggers hidden from view around a blind corner.  They were painful but they also helped me go by another slew of riders.  I finally dropped out on pavement and then put my head down for the last 2 miles in to the finish.  I wasn't letting anyone get by me!

I clocked in at 10:17 with 9:45 of ride time.  I needed all the stoppage time, or rather I needed to eat and drink that much.   I clocked 9:20 last year (8:50 ride time) but this course was more than an hour longer so I think I did better.  I didn't cramp this year too.   Both years, this and last, I felt strong at the end only holding back some so I didn't cramp out.  I finished 82 in the Men's Open.  Maybe about 100th overall.  That would place me in the top third to quarter.  There must have been a ton of attrition because only just over 200 finishers are reported in the results. 

I need to figure out these cramps so I can put more power down in the last quarter of the course.   I also need to develop more power so I can climb faster.  Maybe eat more on the bike so I can cut my stoppage time down too.  But mostly climb faster.

A good race for me!   Maybe a good start to the season!

Confirmation Day

A very good ride today.  We did the John Martin ride which totaled 66 miles and 4900' climbing.  The route started from the Newark Y (8 extra miles for me) and climbed the length of Blue Jay.  Then down 668 and hitting hill after hill enroute to Somerset.  The way back was slightly less hilly but we still had to negotiate 757 and Fairmont.

I was a little late leaving the house and thus missed the group send off by 10 minutes.  I caught the B group on the first big climb on Blue Jay.  They were going to be slow so I went through them and continued on.  They said the A group was well ahead so I figured I'd be going solo for most of it.  I actually caught the A group (it was really the A- group as most of the fasties were with Gorrilla up north) at the top of Flint Ridge.  We rode together down to Somerset.  The group was initially keeping a good pace but the relentless hills were obviously wearing on the group.  So I bid them adieu at Somerset and rode home solo.  I really gassed it hard with a favorable tailwind from the south.

I know I went harder than my target effort for Cohutta.  But I rode 65 miles, 4 hours and lots of hills with a solid hard effort.   And I wasn't totally spent at the end.  I think I'll be good in two weeks.

Paris Roubaix Prep

Watched Paris-Roubaix on tv this Sunday.  I was supposed to go out for 2 or 3 laps of Mohican (50 to 75 miles) but then got inspired to ride roughshod over crummy roads.  So I went out on the cross bike instead to complete numerous "sectors" of gravel goodness. 

Special thanks to my wife who allowed me to disappear for 8 hours on Easter Sunday.  Its a big ask.  I did have a very nasty week with no workouts for several days and I spent all day Saturday doing important husband and daddy things.

I aimed my bike due NNE and went for the nastiest gravelly messes I could find.  The highlight of the trip was a down-then-up of Stone Quarry and also an ascent of Bats Nest.   Both of these non-roads have been abandoned back to the ATVs, rain washouts and wilderness.  Certainly SQ is doable on a mountain bike, but it is a chore to clean on a skinny cross bike -- too many washout opportunities on off-campus drainage ditches.  Bats Nest is entirely rideable.  

Sorry no pictures.  I ended up with 96 miles, 6:45 on the clock, and 6500' of climbing.  I'll note that NONE of my small town service stores were open (Easter Sunday?) and so I was short on water and food.  And there was a nasty 20 mph wind out of the west that made the going rather rough ... probably cost me an hour of ride time.   But I did the ride three weeks out from Cohutta and feel like I'm ready to go. 

Speed Ride

This weekend called for a bit of moderation.  I was supposed to go up to Michigan for Barry-Roubaix, but my legs were still so tired from last week's major outings.   I also desperately needed to tend to several house chores and I just couldn't abandon the family and leave all that here for them to take care of.  The final nail in the coffin was the crummy weather expected up north. 

I snuck in a quick 20 miler to loosen the legs on Friday morning.  Then an hour of hill repeats on the SS for Saturday.  Then I joined the John Martin ride midday on Sunday and got stuck with the fast group.  Fortunately some of them had been "graveled" by Gorrilla the day before -- something insane like 125 miles with 8600' climbing.   So they took it easy on me.

It was my first outing on the road bike since last fall.  Man is that thing light and fast.  It is amazing how easy it is to sit in a group at 25mph ... all when I've been working hard to maintain 12 mph on the mountain bike trails.  We did some substantial climbing in our 56 mile ride -- all the short, steep, power climb typs.  And I hammered the hills hard to keep tempo with the group.  Major leg pain! 

Again, I emerge from the weekend totally spent.  This kind of riding is good for me as I've been doing mostly LSD all winter.  I can ride long, but I am slow.  So getting some speed in my can't be a bad thing in this last month leading up to the start of the NEU series.  

Camp Cohutta, Part3

My Spring break ended with a three day weekend "training camp" to State College.  Eli and I departed Friday morning for a guys weekend.  We arrived in SC around 2pm just as the UPS truck pulled in the driveway with my new deraileur.  Thirty minutes later, the new shifter was in place and we were good to go.  My Dad, Eli and I suited up and went out to Coburn (yes, 45 min more in the car) to ride one of the train tunnels.  We got in a good (good for Eli) 9 miles on mostly flat rail trail.  But there were muddy sections and the tunnel was full of deep puddles and big rocks.   Eli wasn't up to navigating the rocks in the tunnel even though I was pretty sure he could make it through. 

Start of Old Shingletown Descent

On Saturday I ate a big breakfast and then was out the door shortly after 8am.  I took a full bladder of water, two full bottles, can of coke, ham sandwich, two tubes of cube chews, two granola bars and a big bag of swedish fish.  I would need all of it to make it through the day.  It was a foggy chilly start with temps around 45.  I wore a jacket to start and kept it through the first climb and descent before stashing it in the pack.

My plan for the day was to ride strong all day and not cramp up or blow my legs for the end.  That meant being judicious in applying my climbing power for much of the day to not burn out too soon.  I hoped to log 8 hours of saddle time, get close to 10k feet of climbing, and to practice riding lots of rock gardens.

I started out through Boalsburg and began the fire tower climb of 1000 ft on Laurel Rd to join the W101 course at roughly mile 30; it is a nice climb because most of it is 5% to 7% and you can keep a good rhythm.  Then I jumped off on to Old Shingletown Rd which is a bumpy descent dropping 1000'.  Funny thing, there were about a dozen Asian hikers way out in the middle of this path?!  Then it is a gentle cruise down to Wipple's Dam to start climb 2.

The drop in for Croyle Run descent.

The climb up Greenlee Rd is a long one, some 1300 feet vertical.  The first half is a forgiving 7-8% but then it rises up to 12-15% for the second part.  It seems to go up forever.  Just at the summit you enter the Croyle Run drop.  You feel much like a ping pong ball bouncing back and forth across the rocks.  Mostly you point your front wheel down the center and pray for the best.  I made it down without incident.  It looks like someone had gone through there to prune back the bushes -- thank you!

Dropping down in to Alan Seeger I met four young women hikers.  It is nice there were other people out enjoying the day.  Alan Seeger truly is magical, like being in a different world.  Old growth forests line both sides of the road and you feel like an Ewok is going to pop out behind the next tree.  The aroma only adds to the magic, the air always seems cooler and fresher in here.  But the respite is brief, because a 25% wall faces you immediately out of Alan Seeger.

The climb on Seeger Rd is a true brute.  The road gains 1200ft but most all of it is 12% to 16% without much relief.  The first quarter mile features grades between 17% to 25%, so it kicks you in the legs right from the get go.  Today I was able to set a good tempo, staying seated most all of the way and grinding up at a halfway decent clip. Yet still being able to keep my heart rate and effort level in check.  I stopped for a lunch break up near the top at the turnoff for the fire tower. 

Then the real insanity starts with several trails that are mostly all rock with a few dirt gardens sprinkled in.  Pigpile, then Sassapig, then Sassafrass, then Beautiful Trail, and the insane drop off of Noname Trail.  In the race last year I went out too hard.  I suffered badly on the climb up Greenlee and was completely blown by the time I limped to the top of Seeger Rd.  I had nothing left and when I encountered the never ending rocks, I had zero strength. I walked almost all of it.    

"Rock Chute" going down Sassafras

But not today!  I settled in a comfortable pace and was able to navigate almost all the challenges.  Tons of rocks, rock bridges, rock see saw, rock ramps, rock gardens on top of boulders, big rocks, little rocks, rock this, rock that.  Even a rock chute down a steep sketchy descent with a loose, off camber switchback right in the middle.  I nailed it all only dabbing a handful of times.  I was having such fun I forgot to stop to take pictures.  It was really nice to know I can make those big climbs and still have the legs to make it through the rocks.  Still, I was ready to be off them by the time I finished Noname. 

Top of Stillhouse Hollow Climb

I crossed 322 at the underpass and then climbed the big, steep jeep trail that is Stillhouse Hollow, the last true monster climb on the course.  I rejoined the early part of the course (mile 10?) and followed it back through Crowfield to Penn Roosevelt.  Then the climb on Thickhead Mountain and down Detweiler. One more climb over the top to Bear Meadows and then a nice romp on Longberger before heading home.

In all, I was out on the bike with a ride time of over 8 hours, 80 miles, 9500' climbing.  It was truly a smashing success.  I feel very ready for the 100 milers coming up this season.  Now just add to the fitness and not get injured.   

I took two bikes to State College, the Superfly 100 and my new El Mariachi.  I ended up riding the El Mariachi exclusively, so the SF just went along for the ride.  I really really love the Salsa bike. It just seems to fit so well.  I like the 2x10 gearing, the wide bar, and the looks.   It has this kind of underdog thing going for it too -- it isn't an exclusive race wagon, just a blue collar get r done kind of bike.  But it works.  I'm half contemplating riding it for the Cohutta race.  I know the SF is about 2lbs lighter, it has full susp which will make for a more forgiving day, but I'm just in love with the Salsa bike at the moment.  Maybe it will help me go slower at the start!?   

Special kudos to the good crew at Freeze Thaw.  My shifting was still not dialed in and I arrived all smelly and dirty after my ride.  They fixed up my bent deraileur hanger right on the spot even though they were obviously very busy.   

Camp Cohutta, Part 2

Today was my second major ride of the week.  It was a brilliant 78 degrees today, more like June than March.  Bright sun meant I needed sunscreen and lots of water, I was summer sweating. 

I took the day off from work, got the kids on the bus, and drove down to Lake Hope State Park.  I got started just after 10am and set off with already warm conditions.  I brought both the El Mariachi and the Superfly 100 today, but picked the El Mariachi and rode that all day long.  No regrets, it is a great bike and a super comfortable position.  The gearing is just perfect -- use the small ring for trail riding and steep climbing, the larger ring for fire road descents and gentle ups.  The front fork is decent, but doesn't have the magic feel of my more expensive Fox.  The bike feels firm, but not lightening carbon fast.  Still I spent a good chunk of the day in the saddle and wasn't needing to get off.

I rode lots of trails, more than I thought I would.  Sidewinder twice, Copperhead twice, Wild Cat, etc.  And some good fire roads too.   The trails were wet in a few spots which meant lots of mud, but mostly dry and fast.  The stats are 50 miles, 5000' climbing and 5 hours -- the five trifecta!   It was less than I thought, but it was still a good day.  The best part is that I felt strong all the way through.  Even in the end I felt like I had another few hours in me if necessary.  This is a very good sign for mid-March.  

The only downer of the day was a mechanical in the last few miles.  I was finishing up on the last bit of single track and picked up a sizeable stick in my rear deraileur.  I am pretty sure it is bent and the shifting is not working properly.  I ordered a new one and had it shipped 2-day express to State College -- hopefully it arrives on Friday and I am good to go again for Saturday.  I always have the Superfly as my B bike!  :)





 

Camp Cohutta, Part 1

This week is training camp, Camp Cohutta.  It is my spring break and I'll take two days off from work.  My goal is to get three hard rides in and two or three smaller rides. 

Last night I got out for about 10 miles with 1500' climbing ... hill repeats on the Karate Monkey SS in town.  Today was one of the bigger rides.  I rode south of Brushy Fork and Flint Ridge to hit Mullbury, Bear Mountain and a bunch of other barely-roads.  I logged 54 miles, 3:36, with 4k ft vertical.  It was a little short of a "big ride", but it was an honest effort.   Wednesday is my very big ride, so I can save a little leg for that. 

It was a gorgeous day with sunshine and temps around 65.  I wore shorts and a short sleeve jersey for the first time.  There was a stiff wind of 15mph out of the southwest which made the return trip hard, but otherwise perfect.  

As I am logging these longer rides, a few things come to mind.  Foremost, I feel my legs fatiguing much too quickly.  Forty miles in, and I can feel them going.  I can still climb, but my speed drops considerably.  I just need more miles and more saddle time to prep for Cohutta's distance.   This year the Cohutta course is changed with more single track and now 14k feet climbing.  I am targeting 10 hours time, so I need my longer rides to be 6 - 9 hours.  I'm just not there yet. 

I also need stronger climbing legs.  My speed is just too low.  I feel like I am crawling instead of tempo-ing up a hill.  More strength and more stamina.   I've noticed my speed dropping over the past two weeks, since the Southern Cross race.  So maybe it is just fatigue from training, but I don't think I'm logging that many miles to make the speeds slower.  Maybe my older body just needs more recovery leading in to a race.