The day has come that I was working for this summer with all
the Xterra races and qualifying in the Silver Rush 50. I stayed in a house with a few other guys,
Greg was racing and he and I had done Rollins pass the weekend prior as a last
training ride. Glenn and Chris were our
crew for the race. There were also a few
others to join in the fun from Greg’s training group. I had never ridden even one mile of the
course, but this year was recon anyway.
Greg and I got set, registered and took an easy ride the evening before. There was a lot to prepare for in a 9 hr 100
mile MTB ride, lots of food, drink, powerbar products, rain clothes, cold
weather clothes, plus mechanical items for the bikes. We all woke early and did
some final prep, then headed over to start.
I was in the 3rd corral for the start, a little back, bit not
that far at all. Glen and Chris were
headed to Twin Lakes the 2nd and 3rd aid station on the
course. The start was pretty cool, but I
knew we were going to get hot once it was started. The first 5 miles or so were downhill and got
very cold, but once we headed up hill we warmed up quick. I was planning to take it easy pretty much the
entire first 50 miles, which I did a little too well. Coming down powerline took my eyes of the
line for a split second and hit a large rock in the trail with the rear wheel
and pinched pretty hard. It did not feel
flat so I continued to ride. Once on the
road and dirt sections at around mile 25 I could feel the bike getting
squirrely on me, I rode up to Greg and told him I had a flat and I was going to
try and get to the 1st aid station.
I am not sure what I expected him to say or do, but he was like well
okay. At about mile 28 I knew I was not
going to make it and risked ruining the tire and not even finishing the
race. I stopped by the side of the road
and changed the tube quickly and took a piss.
I had lost a few groups to ride with going slow nursing this tire, I
should of just stopped earlier and fixed it.
I was way behind now. Coming into
the first aid station I did not have any spare tube, but stayed the plan, got
my food and drink and headed out to aid number two without a spare tube. Made it to the twin lakes aid station to
begin the climb up Columbine to 12,200 or so.
Glenn and Chris were there and lubed my chain while finishing up pumping
up my rear tire. I got my spare tube ate
a P&J sandwich and headed up. The climb
was long and brutal, cold up top and the leaders were blasting down at us as
well. I could not decent as I really
wanted too due to the groups of people coming up and the groups I was caught in
on the way down. I made a quick stop
again at twin lakes got food and drink.
By this time I was behind but I still felt really good, so it was go
time I had to neg split this race now.
It was a head wind most of the way back until back in the forest, and I
did not have many folks to ride with, so it was tough going. But once in the forest I started to notice
the carnage from many folks who did not eat or drink enough through the
race. Looking at the clock now I thought
I could still make my sub 9 hour goal. I
passed a ton of folks the last 20 miles of the race and pushed hard all through
the finish. While I did come up 5
minutes short at 9:05, I am pretty sure next year I could beat that by almost
an hour. The finish line of this race is
a very special place as I was beat and almost fell over after putting in a last
minute push. I was very proud oh myself
and Greg finishing right after. What a
great experience, I will be back.
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