1st in the Overall (riding on the Single Speed)
Finishing Time: 10hr 17min (laps about: 3hr 12min, 3hr 25min, 3hr 40min)
This was the 1st annual Patapsco100 bike race! Presented by Adventures For the Cure in partnership with MORE and lots of help from Old Line Velo. As usual all the proceeds for this race go to the charities that we support! We expect this race to be a massive fundraiser for us in the future and this year it was our biggest fundraiser for the year (totals coming soon...)
Oh man what a fun race!! It was so hard but I was having fun the whole time. The course was never boring. It is by far the best course in the universe ;) Super challenging and 10hrs seemed to go by in no time at all.
I did a pre-ride of the course 2 weeks before and I did it pretty easily in zone 1 with about 3hr 10min rolling time. I missed a few sections but I figured that on race day I should be able to do 3 hour laps... Ed Dixon (course designer), and AFC team members The Goat and James Dull all said I was crazy and I would never be able to go that fast on this course... haha man were they right!! wow. I don't even think the best in the world could do this course in 9hrs.
I had originally registered for the single speed division but the week of the race I realized that I am super focused on racing against Kevin Carter, Rob Spreng and Chris Michaels and since they were all in the Open division I knew I had to switch categories. Lance Byrd and I were both on our Single Speed bikes and if he could win the SS division and I could somehow win the Open on my Single Speed it could be a double AFC win!! It was our dream scenario.
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| Greg Capelle, Jed Prentice, myself, Chri Michaels at the start |
The start was to go from the Pickall Registration / Finish area straight down a super steep (think Ilchester) road, on a neutral (non-race mode) rollout, make a 180 degree turn and then start the race going back up the hill!! Oh boy! After the climb I was behind Jesse Kelly going into the single track and he was behind my 3 rivals who were already pushing the pace and getting a gap.
I reminded myself again "let them go... you can't hold that pace and hopefully neither can they." I scooted around Jesse but I didn't attempt to latch onto the leaders. After a few more minutes I realized that my buddy Greg Capelle was right behind me. The leaders got out of sight and no one could be seen behind Greg. He and I rode together until the 1st major river crossing just before the 1st aid station at mile 17.5. I told him that the 3 guys ahead of us were super fast but that I was hoping that at least one of them would crack and we could pick up the pieces. It was super fun riding with Greg, it was the only time I had anyone to ride with the entire race... after mile 16 or so I was solo, but sometimes that is better. It is easier to keep a proper pace when riding by yourself and the course was just so fun I didn't mind at all.
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| Photo by Jerry Jackson |
Just after Greg and I separated I passed Kevin Carter at about mile 18. He had broken a chain and was on the side of the trail fixing it. I was super happy to move into 3rd.... on advantage of a SS is that you have a chance of fewer mechanicals!! SS! yay!
Towards the end of the 1st lap I started to doubt myself... bad thoughts were creeping into my head that I would never catch the leaders. I was only at mile 33 and we still had 6-7 hours of racing left but still...
At the 33mi aid station they told me I was very close to the 2nd place racer! This gave me a bit of a boost!
Just after the aid station at mile 35 Kevin Carter is BACK! Oh man! So upsetting. He flew by me like I was standing still. With still 6hrs of racing left (or more) I didn't even consider following him. Again I just hoped he could not possibly keep that pace on this course and I settled back into my own rhythm.
At about mile 40 I caught Chris Michaels!! Oh man! My strategy was working! He was a broken mess when I passed him. Trying to keep up with the superstars Rob and Kevin had taken a heavy toll on him.
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| Photo by NoFilm Photography |
For the remainder of the 2nd lap I was completely solo. I had to run almost all of the steep hills to keep my heart rate down. 32x18 gearing was the wrong tool for the job on this course. I should have gone with 32x19 or even x20!! I could have climbed a lot more of the hills on the bike. However running up the hills is almost as fast (and sometimes faster) and I can keep my heart rate and overall exertion lower by doing so.
Just before the end of the 2nd lap I see Bill Wheeler cheering me on from the side of the course on the road at Dogwood! He tells me that the leader is only 30seconds ahead! I am confused by this since there should be 2 riders ahead of me but regardless I get super pumped by this news and I start going a little faster than I should be.
I pass Rob on the climb up to the Finish of lap 2!! He looks pretty good/solid but I am climbing a lot faster. He tells me he has not seen Kevin... that must mean Kevin has DNF'd or I passed him at an aid station and didn't realize it.
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| Getting some much needed help from Adam and others at the end of lap 2 |
At the end of lap 2 Adam and Thom tell me that Kevin is out due to a crash and broken collar bone!!! UGGGG... worst news ever. Not only do I not get to race him but he is injured... so upsetting. I did not want to beat him like this. I would give anything to know if he could have kept his monster fast pace or if I could have caught him on lap 3... ug.
Now I am in 1st overall with only Rob to fend off. I don't think anyone else is near us. After exerting myself too much at the end of lap 2 (by accident) I paid for it at the start of lap 3. I started to overheat badly. The only thing that saved me was dousing cold water on my head at each water stop. Our volunteers are awesome! The Hub Bike Shop lubed my chain, people were helping me get food, refill my bottles, and pouring water on my head at all of our aid stations! This saved me!
I was rejuvenated and able to finish the 3rd lap relatively strong. The entire time I was super scared Rob would catch me.
1st place at this race was a big goal of mine for this year! To win this race was like a dream for me. To top it off Lance was the 1st place Single Speed! Double AFC wins. I can't believe it! My finishing time was 10hr 17min... wow... long day.
For updates on this race and announcements for 2014 Patapsco100 (which will happen) be sure to 'like' us on the Patapsco100 Facebook Page.
For updates on this race and announcements for 2014 Patapsco100 (which will happen) be sure to 'like' us on the Patapsco100 Facebook Page.
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| Men's Open Podium |
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| Lance 1st place Single Speed! With his sons Mason and Myles! |
Thanks to Adam Driscoll and Ed Dixon who were race directors with me for this event. Big thanks to all our sponsors.
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| The Hub finish line with Greg Rittler and Alain Philippe finishing the 66 Duo |
