Our journey to conquer the Worlds toughest 50 mile race started on Sunday July, 11TH. The drive started off with beer flavored popcorn and candy covered sunflower seeds. About Goodland Zack looked back and noticed that Jenkins was with us in spirit when the double rainbow appeared in the rear view mirror. Thanks Bob for the support! With only two stops we arrived at Idaho Springs in 9 hours where we got a hotel room and drove directly to Tommy Knockers and “Knocked” down some carbohydrate refreshments.
On Monday we drove to Leadville and immediately rode Columbine. This is part of the LV 100 trail and it is a 10 mile climb of over 4000 feet to 12900 which subsequently acclimatized us quickly as we found ourselves gasping for air as we hiked-A-bike the last mile to about 13000 feet.
Tuesday we rode the first part of the course which included a 13 mile fairly technical climb at 5-6% grade. We did a total of about 20 miles pre-riding the trails. We met a guy with a broken seat post which we helped him fix. We attributed our overall good Karma to things like this.
Wednesday we rode 30 miles of the race course which included the saddle where we saw two wolves and a +++beaver+++! (NO pictures) The saddle is the most grueling part and is well above the tree line for 5 miles with an off camber technical descent.
Thursday was an off day. We volunteered and got to trail mark with World Cup Art and Ken the race director. (Pictures provided at race finish) We marked the back side of Bald Mountain and the saddle where we looked for the wolves and beaver and saw none. (we were very sad) After a hard day of hiking, we again carbed up at the High Altitude Thirst Aid station! (Picture provided)
Friday We went into Leadville to get our race packets.
Saturday was slated for record highs in the low 80’s for the race. The rain forecast was bogus (Thank Mother Nature for small favors)! We were standing at the start with the other racers and two guys Omaha noticed out TRW jerseys and said they read our blog! TRW in DA house, we are famous. This is the point where Zack and I agreed to ride together through thick and thin to finish this race for the GLORY of TRW!
Race starts: The 50 miler is started by running up this hill about 200 yards. By the time you get to the top your lips are purple and it feels like you are breathing from a straw underwater. As the race starts from the top the mass people scramble and the dust is crazy. Immediately you start the 9 mile semi technical climb about a mile of hike –a-bike to about 100 yards from the tree line. This is where I jumped in front of SS Zack and wasn’t sure he was gonna be able to keep up! THEN…my derailleur decided it wasn’t going to shift into the small gear in back rather it would shift the chain off the cassette. I pulled to the side and considered BIG Don tears until Zack rolled up and helped me fix the issue. I then totally embraced the notion of riding with him for the rest of the race. At the top of the hill you ride about 4 miles down to the first aid station (2hrs). This is where I had another derailleur failure. I looked back to see if my buddy (dedicated team rider) Zack was going to stop and he flew by me shouting that he would see me at the Aid Station. I guess Zack saw his chance to leave me and he did! I got it fixed and rolled down the hill after him. At the station we re-visited our plan to ride as a team and off we went! After the first station you drop into about a mile of clear pine needle strewn single track (awesome). The next step is an off-road climb for 5 miles to the gold mines. (Grueling granny gear or stand on your bike single speed) The next is the rock garden / saddle climb which is about 4 miles of above the tree line (no oxygen present)…After you get over the “saddle” you drop a mile straight down off camber rocky down hill then back up hill for a couple to the 25 mile check point. Once we hit that, I had to pry the banana, peanut butter, orange, apple eating, coke drinking Zack from the Lazy Boy chair and point him forward on the bike with the threat of our SILVER bracelets. As we got to the hike-a-bike section of the saddle I was trying to talk with people to keep our minds off the horrid straight up walk. We spoke with a guy from Tulsa that has in laws from Jefferson City. He said he had been in Red Wheel and bought a chain from Nick two weeks ago. He said his brother in law had grown up with Nick and knew him well. TRW will be a household name like Nike soon! As we hit the saddle we rode the trail backwards as a team until we hit the last aid station where Zack again ate oranges, bananas, peanut butter and jelly, cucumbers and might have taken a nap if I wasn’t preaching to him about the SILVER bracelets. I told my teammate Zack we needed to go and bolted down the hill where I started the last 4 mile clime to the 9 mile down hill. As I was climbing the hill visions of SILER bracelets and more granny gears were dancing in my head. After the 38 minute climb I looked back to see Zack and there was no Zack….What did I do? Well I thought about what Zack might do and I bolted down the hill shouting, “see you at the finish”. I saw him about ¼ mile back way up on the hill as he flipped me off. (Special note: I didn’t flip him off when he left me). When I finished, I had visions of Zack and his dislocated should changing a flat without my help or worse yet, having fallen in the trail and was busted up bleeding but then I noticed they had free Coors and I forgot about all of that nonsense. I was happy to see my buddy roll in and still give me the TRW fist bump! I think we both agree that we will be back next year to post sub six hour finishes.
Sunday: The drive back was uneventful, until we realized that Noelle and Corey had drawn penises in the dust on my truck. Yes we did have people drive by laughing as I ignored them and assumed they saw Zack picking his nose or something…Great work Noelle and Corey, your payback will be legendary!
Note: The word EPIC is used only in the title and only with the prior approval of Barry and Stoney
Note: The reference of wolves and beaver are just fictional references to animal species used to protect the innocent.
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