Elkhorn Classic Stage Race - Part 2

I went down town a couple of hours early so I could watch some of the earlier racing and soak up the atmosphere.  It was still raining lightly and as I crossed the road in my sneakers I noticed how greasy the road was so if things didn't dry out it was obvious that there would be carnage!

I took a quick walk around the course, a 1km L-shape taking in part of Main Street where a lot of people were out watching, cheering and shaking cow bells, music was playing and an announcer was giving updates on the action to come.  I watched the mens cat 4/5 race which started in the wet.  The first rider went down on the very first corner but fortunately for the others he was on an inside line and everyone else got around him.  While the ground stayed wet the bunch was really stretched out with no one wanting to take too big of a risk and riders started to get lapped and pulled early.  About half way through the roads dried up and racing really began.  A break away of 2 held for a few laps before one drifted back to the peleton leaving just one rider out in front for a good 10-15 minutes, winning lots of primes and taking out thestage by about 10 seconds.

During the next race I got ready and did a bit of a spin around some streets to warm up a little bit.  It wasn't the most adequate warm up but I felt the girls who had been sitting on their trainers for an hour were probably taking it a bit far at the other end!

After a couple of laps of the course between races I lined up near the back of the pack.  Conditions were dry and sunny again but they did mention clouds closing in, and the race would be stopped immediately if there was thunder.  The pace went on straight awaybut the first thing I noticed was that I cornered really well.  Some of the corners were a bit bumpy and the mtb 'floating' skill was a huge benefit, as was my preference to pedal out of the corners really early while others were still coasting.  I quickly moved my way up to the front half of the bunch over the first few laps.  After about 10 minutes I heard a couple of bikes crunch together but no one went down - it looked like a derallieur had been taken out though.  Shortly after that the rain came and the road was soon wet and slippery again.  Quite a few girls had been pulled already, and things spread out in the wet.  We only got through about 2 wet laps before 'carnage corner' struck and about 10 girls went down in a noisy heap.  I saw the first 2 go down and quickly but briefly checked my speed to slow a little bit.  Most of the girls in front of my grabbed 2 big handfuls of brake and locked up before hitting the ground.  I think more went down behind me but I was racing to stay on with those who were still up and racing.

Unfortunately when we came back around to the start/finish they stopped us and the race was over.  16 minutes.  I had been feeling really good, my legs were strong and responding out of all the corners and I was pleased with how I had handled an event that justover a year ago the very thought of terrified me!  I think short track gave me some confidence for crits, and now I've experienced on I'm keen to do more!

Day 3 - The Dooley Mountain Road Race - 100 miles:

I woke up feeling pretty good - legs still not like lead like they normally are by day 3 of a tour, even with the big stage on day 1 and the intensity of day 2.  Women were off at 8am.  A huge storm had blown through during the night with more wind, rain, thunder and lightening, but the day was clear and calm.

The profile of the stage was 1 small 'warm up' hill (small by local standards), 3 good climbs 2-3 miles each through the 'blue mountains' region, and a final 8 mile climb with the finish at the summit.  All up, nearly 6500ft of climbing (compared to Taupo - same distance, waaaaay more climbing).

We started with about 20/25 miles of gentle climbing, really gentle.  The pace was nice, roads were pretty smooth and a big group of us rolled through for most of the first hour or so (even stopping for a pee break again, this time at only 12.5 miles).  The peebreak was timely though as we were about to be neutralised for one of the mens bunches to come past us.

I started the first climb about in the front third of the bunch and crested just off the back of the main bunch so getting back on was quick and easy, and relatively painless.  The second climb was about 4 times as long though, and by half way I was dropping off theback, with plenty of others as things got really stretched out.  A group of 6 of us tried to bridge back after the descent and we had the bunch in out sights as we were approaching the 3rd climb of the day but it wasn't enough.  Heading up that climb we agreed to sit in up the climbs andwork together for the rest.  These girls were great, even working together on the long (really, awesomely long) descents leap-frogging out from behind one another to gain maximum speed as we descended.  Man that was fun!!!  A couple of the descents were soooo long I would have been grinning from ear to ear if I hadn't been concentrating so hard...

The first feed station came much later than expected at around 45 miles.  Not want to get caught out like on Friday I took a bottle and pocketed it.  It wasn't anywhere near as hot but with an extra 30 miles by 3 bottles weren't going to last the distance.

By the time we moved out from the feed zone we had about 12 girls in the bunch and did a lot of pacelining, including on some of the climbs.  Around 50 miles in I started to notice some discomfort in my lower back and between my shoulder blades so tried to stretch out when I could.  I was also getting PF in my left foot - I'd had it on Friday as well - and it was starting to get hard to really power down with my left leg but it was critical I stayed with the bunch if I was going to survive the stage.

The 4th climb was more broken up than the others and through beautiful countryside and everyone was in pretty good spirits.  At mile 55 one of the girls decided to sing us a crazy little song that cracked us all up and then for the next little while everyone startedtelling jokes!  We were on a gentle uphill stretch and it was kinda nice to know we were still having fun.

By mile 60 my various pains were getting worse so I was settling in to tough it out.

The final 20 miles before the big climb were supposed to be flat but they were undulating and pretty taxing with a light breeze.  The second feed zone, expected around 70-80 miles was closer to 90 and pretty much everyone took at least another bottle for the climb coming up.  Those last 10-15 miles before the climb were the toughest for me, knowing I had to stay with the bunch until the climb and having to do my share of the work to stay with them.  I was in major pain and not in a good way - I was wincing with the stabbing pain in my upper back, and would have happily cut my foot off if I could!

Finally, we reached the bottom of the climb.  It wasn't steep, just long, and with a lot of miles already in the legs.  I could have done it better without the pain in my foot but I was almost unable to apply any force to the pedal - standing up wasn't an option, so I was reduced to almost soft-pedalling the whole climb.  I took on more water from a support vehicle that came past as I crawled up the hill.  At least it was really scenic... the guys coming past were really supportive, as were the ones I was passing.

When I finally made the summit I was relieved and happy, tired and hungry, and in a bit of a daze.  I had another half bottle of water, got some food and then got myself a free beer which was the done thing - there had been writing on the road all the way up the climb about ice cold beer at the finish.  It was a nice way to end the tour.  I chatted to a few people and stuck around for prize giving before jumping in with a few guys for the wicked 7 mile descent back down the other side of the mountain!  Sooooo much fun!!!  We were all tucked up and just nailed it.  Definitely a great reward after such an epic stage.

At the bottom it was a further 10 miles back in to town so I stopped at the corner and joined a couple with their thumbs out trying to get a lift back.  Almost immediately a couple of guys stopped and squeezed us in - nice :o)

So, Elkhorn done!  Just under 300kms in 3 days, about 10hrs 15 mins of riding, about 10,000 feet of climbing (and descending - woo hoo!) and now I am HANGING out for some dirt time :o)

Last night Jane had her parents and some friends over and we had Elk-burgers and home made ice cream (with Bailey's topping) for dinner.  Yum!  Just what a hungry athlete needed, along with a few glasses of pinot.  Not quite sure how I stayed awake but it was very enjoyable and a great end to my stay here in Baker City.

Right now I'm about to pack up and hit the road again (going places that I've never been... you know the words!) and I'm heading north for Canada!  I haven't decided yet whether to split the trip in to 2 days or not.  It's not as long as the trip from SF to here, but I'm a bit tired and not really in a huge hurry.

I'm not sure when I'll be online again but I'll be making every effort.  Loving the comments and emails of support so keep them coming :o)