I decided to “step it up” and give 9 hour solo mountain bike racing a try this past Saturday. I’ve done numerous 6 hour solo races, and a team 12 hour race once. I plan on competing in at least one 100 mile race in the dirt this year, so I figured an early season 9 hour endurance race would give me a good feel for my ability to pull that off. For clarification: endurance races are timed, usually 6, 9, or 12 hours long where you do multiple laps on trails, usually between 7-10 miles per lap. 100 milers are usually one or two circuits combining trails and roads (usually dirt). Both take a toll on the body; endurance races are mentally tougher seeing the same terrain over and over (as well as the car beckoning!).
I had a very successful season opener this year in the 6 hour solo race at Tribble Mill park, and so was wondering if I would have similar form (and success) in the 9 hour race. With unseasonably warm temps and possible thunderstorms forecast it promised to be a tough day on the lumpy Conyers course. I began to question my decision to race the 9 hour when former pro and current way fast Masters racer Andy Johnston showed up on the line. To be honest, I thought “there is the winner”. The mass start at 10 am quickly stretched out as riders jockeyed to be toward the front going into the tight singletrack climb. I was in good position 8 or so riders back, and with Andy right there. I knew that some guys would go all out on the first lap to get the fastest lap prize (a pair of bib shorts), but as a 9 hour solo that seemed a foolish thing for me to try. I decided to pass Andy about ½ lap in, which I immediately questioned my judgment on when I saw my heart rate at about 90 max. But I felt good, so I kept up the tempo. A couple hours later, I still felt good, but decided with 7 or so hours to go that I had to ease up a little. Even at a slightly slower pace I began to lap riders, some very respectable 6 hour solo racers. As the laps began to pile up I got the course “dialed in”, which meant that I knew exactly where I could let it fly (no brakes) and how hard to push on every hill. The biggest challenges were to not go too hard and get around slower riders without incident. At about 5 ½ hours with the heat was at its maximum for the day, my buddies egging me on (“you need to GO, first place is only a minute ahead!”, not Andy Johnston), my stomach and legs starting to revolt, I started to crack mentally—3+ hours to go! I don’t know why it works, but it sometimes does—I shifted into a really big gear, stood a lot, and stomped around the course. It worked-- I got faster, and started feeling good (though not exactly fresh). On lap 10 I reeled in first place and started pulling away from Andy in third place. By lap 13 I started to smell victory. The trail was becoming much sparser—6 hour race well over and many 9 hour racers had quit. My last lap, 15, I knew I had it, if I didn’t mess up, so I rode more conservatively. Crossing the line in 8 hrs 43 minutes, I was spent and elated—I’d won and beaten Andy Johnston! As much as I wanted to collapse into a chair, I couldn’t. My body was so used to non-stop moving that, as I devoured “real” vs “race” food, I had to pace around. Weird.
I really am surprised at how well the two endurance races I’ve done this year have gone. I have super confidence on my Specialized Stumpjumper 29er, and I guess really good fitness. I was passed only once in the race, by a person on a two-man 6 hour team. I would have placed a close second in the solo 6 hour race had I stopped then. I will try to keep training the way I have been, and can only hope that my winning streak continues. Race results:http://www.chainbusterracing.com/results/2012GG9HrSolo.htm
