Have been training but have had a little bit of trouble trying to get the right intensity going since doing TD and Barnburner. It seemed like I was loosing a bit of edge or something and not finishing both of those races was starting to gnaw on me. So I really wanted to do well at CCCC this year.
Lauren and Jennifer had volunteered to SAG for me this year, so the three of us loaded up and headed for Douglas on Friday. Got the packet stuff at the Fairgrounds and then off to the Gadsen to check in. We were hungry so walked up the street to a Mexican restaurant which was pretty good. The waiter was more intent on doing his homework, but the food was good. We finished up and went to the Fairgrounds for Dinner #2 a plate of spaghetti. Met Sarah and Sandy there and saw Carolyn who was also doing the 165 race that I was going to do the next morning.
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| Headed for Tombstone |
Up at 5, out of hotel at 5:30, lined up for a 6:30 start. Pretty warm, had a light jacket and handed it off to Jennifer and away we went. I don't think I pushed as hard as I did last year in the early part of the race ... last year the 92 mile people passed me a bit past Cochise College and this year they passed me after the Mule Mountain descent, so that part didn't seem to make a lot of sense. I was with the second group of fast 92 people, with Dan and some other guys, but could only hang with them for about a mile or so, then ever so slowly, found myself dropping off the back end and alone again.
Lauren and Jennifer kept fixing me up with fresh bottles of water and Carbo-Pro and snacks from our cooler and I kept going. Pretty soon we were in Benson at Ocotillo Road where they waited for me to get up I-10 towards the Dragoon exit before they left and then met me at that exit.
Kept rolling along and getting resupplied and kept going and pretty soon the race was over. We had a great day, not much wind at all... I could see the smoke from the Apache power plant going straight up as I closed on US 191 ( a really good sign ), and no wind in my face this year when I saw that sign that said 57 miles to Douglas.
I think we kept the stops short, kept the calories and hydration going in. Didn't eat a lot of solid food at all, mainly GU's, some chips and Cheetos, but a lot of juices, the Carbo-Pro, a few 5-hour's, some AZ iced teas and San Pelligrinos and that seemed to take care of things.
Finished with about 9:53 of elapsed time for 164 miles, about 1:15 faster than last year, so I was really happy with my time. And it was 9th place out of 23 entrants. Good to have a success under my belt.
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| World's Best SAG Crew ! |
Back to the hotel, a couple of Margaritas, and a late night party which woke me up, that was on the balcony outside of my room, but it was all ok. We had a good ride back to Tucson, except for my bicycle falling off the roof rack somehow ... we hear a big "thump", it wakes Jennifer up, I look in my left mirror and see my bike hanging off the driver's side of the car ... get to the side of the road and reattach it ... it seems to be ok, but what a scare ... not sure what happened with that !
Next event is Bike the Coast a Team in Training event in Oceanside, CA on Nov 1
