Southern Cross 2011 Race Report

First let me say that this is my first attempt at Blogging, and sorry if it sucks!

 

Well the race session is officially upon us here in the deep south. On February 26 over 200 crazy early session racers lined up to kick off there year with 52 miles of Georgian hill climbing fun!  Most were on Cross Bikes others on Mountain Bikes but all were ready to test there off session fitness gains.

I was especially eager to test my fitness as this is my first year following a true training plan with clear yearly goals. My goal for this race was to finish in less than 4 hours 30 minutes. This goal was set simply based on the distance of the race and the results from the 2010 race.  The week leading up to the race was not a recovery week or even a easy week. This race was both a C priority race for me and the first race of the year.  This meant that the weekly work outs of 5 minute pyramid intervals and longer gravel rides were not cut out or cut short. 

Thursday night was the first part of the week that was out of the ordinary.  Fine tooth cleaning of the Stumpy and packing.  Friday brought nearly 7 hours in the truck with four other eager mountain bikers.  Got into Dahlonega right around midnight local time.  That night I wound up not being able to get comfortable in the large plush bed in the motel room so I decided that sleeping on the floor was best.

7 o'clock came way too fast. Was up and had ~700 cal in me by 7:30.  Before I knew it about 200 races were starting to line up at the start line. Not knowing what to expect in the Cross part of the course I lined up toward the outside and about 3 rows deep.  Eddie O'Dea thanked all the sponsors then exited stage left.  We heard him shout "Ready" and with that everyone started to roll.

I started to get frustrated during the starting Cross part of the course because I knew that I could go faster than the Cluster F#ck of people in front of me would allow. Then came the first run up. I'm a Mountain Bike racer ok, not a cross bike racer or tri-athlete, a Mountain Bike racer. Running, especially in cycling shoes, is not something that is natural to me. That first run up lost me most of the spots I was able to pick up during the Cross course.

After the run up the course opened up on the road heading out of the Winery. It was on this road that I started to look for a group of riders about my speed to draft off of. I passed several groups of people going too slow for my liking and watched as a few groups blew by me faster than my mounting bike gearing would allow. After about 5 min of hammering down the road I hit the start of the first gravel climb of the day.  Once on the gravel I stopped looking for people to draft off of and started settling down into a climbing rhythm that I knew I could hold.

I knew that there were going to be some big climbs on the day and that the first really big one would end at about mile 13. Well this first short climb was over before I could find my rhythm.  A short downhill allowed me to pass a few people, then started the real fun for the day.  A long steep climb of about 8 miles stretched out in front of me. Once I got into my groove it was all over.  I stepped into the pain cave for an extended stay. The climbs I train on, living in Mississippi, are 5 min long at most. My biggest weakness in endurance racing (other than my lack of experience) is long hill climbs.  After climbing for about 20 min I started to look for the end of the climb. "It's just around this bend", nope. "Well then it's got to be the next bend", nope.  During all of this me and a single speeder started to play yo-yo. If the pitch increased he would pass me, if it would decrease I would pass him. At about 45 min into the climb the single speeder warned me, as he passed me for the last time, that it got even steeper towards the top. After a few more bends in the road I saw what he was talking about.  Over the next half mile there was not a single person still on their bike.  Dang, I guess I will use my granny gear after all.

Once the steep section was cleared we hit the first aid station, 1 hour 30 min in.  As I approached the aid station workers asked what race I was in. I replied 50 and they pointed me even further up the hill. This was the low point of the race for me, I was expecting the aid station to be at the top of both big climbs for the day. My feeling of defeat was only compounded when I realized that I was solidly in No Man's Land. No one in sight ahead of me, no one in sight behind me.  O well, put your head down and HTFU!

I'm not sure when I started to pass people: was it across the top of the mountain, or was it when I used most of my 100mm fork to my advantage on the descent?  Not too sure, but before I knew it the second big climb of the day was stretched out before me.  This one was allot less intimidating.  It was only 4 miles long and never got really steep. About half way up this climb I pass a guy on a Cross bike and was surprised as he swung across the road to draft me. After a few min I ask if he was getting much of a draft off of me (at 5'7" and 140lb I don't put off much of a draft, especially at 9mph).  We talked for a bit before the last steep section of the climb caused him to drop off.

Back at the aid station I handed off 2 bottles asking for water, laid down my bike for a nature break and when I turned around the aid station workers had put my bottles on my bike and had it standing waiting on me! Big thanks guys!  The next few miles brought nothing of interest. At mile 35 I saw a strong rider starting the next descent and decided that I wanted to pass them before the descent ended.  After chasing for a mile I saw one of there full water bottle become a fast moving projectile. As we started the next climb I pull up next to the rider just as she asks if anyone has a spare bottle. With 20 miles left and 3 full bottles I felt like I could afford to lose some weight and help a fellow racer out. It turns out that this rider was Andrea from the Brick House Racing blog. We talk for a few min before she picked up the pace and I fell in behind her to draft.  On the last climb of the day she dropped me and I was relegated back to No Man's Land.

On the last descent of the day I remember thinking that this road look familiar.  Well it should, I spent an hour of close study on it during Fools Gold. Don't remember how long it took to get off the mountain or how many people I passed.  All I knew for sure is that the gravel road section of the race was done.  With 10 miles to go I put my head down, pulled my arms in tight, and hammered away. As a course worker informed me that there was only 6 miles left the Cross bike guy from earlier swung pass me and told me to get on.  Thanks! I'll take any help I can get!

At mile 50 the Cross guy pulled over and asked if I had a multi-tool.  I did and handed it off to him. As I pulled into the Winery I was horrified at the last run up. That run up felt like trying to run up a mountain after 51 miles of riding in the mountains. Half way up my calves and quads cramp up! Not going to slowing down, not going to slowing down.

It was about this time that 5 people started the run up, this group included Andrea and the Cross guy. Time to push it!  Too bad it was too little too late.  All 5 people passed me and I cruised the remainder of the course and finished with a time of 3 hour 44 min!  That's over 45 min faster than my goal!
 

HR and Altitude Data: Southern Cross

The post race wine tasting and food was great. The ride back to Mississippi included stopping by Oak Mountain to put in a lap.  That ride was the first time I've given blood at Blood Rock. Then it was back to school on Monday. It's taken me a few days to get back into training but I feel like my legs are responding well and hope to crush it at Rouge Roubaix!