Recap of Hampshire 100

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Results/Recap (MTB Race News)
Results/Recap (Cycling News)

Watch more video of Hampshire 100 NUE Series Race #9 on thom.cyclingdirt.org

I learned a valuable lesson today.  Never go into the red zone (zone 5 heart rate / effort level) in a 100 mi mountain bike race unless you only have 10 or 20 miles left and u know u will make it to the finish!

So... this race starts out with 15-20 of almost completely flat riding.  Spinny Spin!  All the SS are together except for AJ.  No one knows where he is (after the race he told me he just felt horrible in the beginning and but was able to turn it on at the end).  Ferrari, Pflug, Harding, and a few others that I didn't know where in the group.  After a few rollers it is down to Ferrari, Pflug, Harding and myself.

We hit a massive hill that would have been rideable except it was super sandy/loose.  Harding and I run while Pflug (king of the SS!!  Super human!) inspires us all by riding it!!  He rides it as fast as Harding and I run it so we reach the top together.  Down the hill.  Then the POWER LINES climb!  Epic.  Everyone dismounts.  Harding and I run, Pflug walks, we gap him.  I gap Harding by just 20seconds or so.

With a 20sec gap Harding and I hit the 1st aid station, he takes a siesta (haha) and I go past it.  I get a minute or so on him.  In about 10minutes he is back up with me... he is not messing around!!

2nd aid station.  Harding and I hit it together.  He takes a siesta and I keep going.  I get a sizeable gap.  I catch my hero Troy Barry (Open men started 1 minute in front of us).  Troy is a diesel engine.  Same effort all day long.  Picks people off and always finishes near/in top 10 of Open category.  I knew that sticking with him would mean a good day.  He tells me he is in 15th or so in the Open.  I tell him that I am in 1st SS but that Ron will be here soo... haha...  a few minutes later and Ron is back just as I knew he would be.

I tell Ron that all we have to do is stick with Troy and no other SS'ers will ever catch us.  But somehow instead of doing that Ron and I hit the hills HARD and Troy ends up yoyoing off of us.  We drop him on the hills (cause he is doing smart pacing) and he catches back up on the flats.

The efforts are starting to take a toll on me by mile 50, but Ron is still strong.

At mile 62 we are back at the start finish aid station to go back out for the 2nd (shorter) lap.  I try to wait for Troy and Ron because I know there is 10-15miles of flat coming up and I don't want to spin that by myself... but they take forever... so I have to go alone.

They catch me about 15-20minutes later.  I spent a lot of energy spinning by myself.

At mile 70 we hit the first hill after the mile 62 aid station.  I can't get into Zone 3 Heart Rate!!  What is happening?  I am cracking.  I am having an out of body experience!!  Ron looks back, and Ron knows I am beat.  He goes up the hill like a rocket.  Troy looks back.. I can read his mind "Pat is done".  Troy goes after Ron.  I am all alone.

I decide I just have to finish this race.  30miles.  I can do it.  No problem.  Just finish.

Riders pass me but I am just waiting for Gerry to get me.  At about mile 85 Gerry passes me.  I tell him he is crushing it and he is... he flys past me.  He has no chance to catch Ron (who is also flying) but u never know, maybe Ron will crack too (he didn't).

At mile 98?  98.5? Someone catches me from behind.  I turn around and say "You better not be a SS racer!"  He mumbles something that I can't understand.  He asks me to move so he can get around, I happily ablige him because I am barely pedaling and I have no energy at all.  He flys past me... it is AJ!  Back from the dead!  Congrats to him on his 3rd place.

Mile 99.5... I have to... um 'go #2'!  I have to soooooo bad that I am shivering.  I can hear the finish line.  I know that just past the finish there is a port-a-potty.. I can't make it!!  What!!  Def can't make it!  I run into the woods and take care of it before something horrible happens.  Luckily no one else passes me.  While I am in the woods I can hear the cheers from the finish line (that is how close I was).  I finish, I go to the port-a-john, I rest, I eat, I drive home with my buddy Roger Masse (who finished 2nd in the 50+ category!  What a stud) .

(left to right: me, Gerry Pflug, Ron Harding, A.J. Linnell)

I finished 4th in the SS category.  SO much fun!  Even though I was destroyed.  I can't wait for the next race!

Next up is the Shenandoah Mountain 100 in 2 weeks.  I need to remember to ride at my pace if I want to do well!  100mile racing is all about pacing and nutrition, messing up on either of those is a recipe for disaster!