Training Log Archive: kgeisenIn the 1 days ending Oct 21, 2017:
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Saturday Oct 21, 2017 #
Event: BT Epic
8 AM
Mountain biking race (BT Epic) 6:28:26 [5] 49.4 mi (7.6 mph) +4797ft
ahr:156 max:171 rhr:51 shoes: Superfly SS
Time is moving time; elapsed time was 6:49My third BT Epic and my third different bike for it. Started the day super nervous, but like usual that all went away as soon as we started.
I've been down to Bass twice this summer on my SS and have never made that first gravel climb, so I was worried about how it would go and didn't want to have to walk it in front of a bunch of people. Turns out it's a way different experience at the start of a race instead of 30 miles into a ride, which meant that while I felt awesome I was caught behind lots and lots of geared people spinning slowly up the hill. The trend continued on the singletrack, which was super congested for the first 10 miles.
Very different experience for me to be riding so close to so many people. It reinforced what I already know about my weakness in descending. A huge gap would open on every downhill, but almost immediately I'd be right there on the climbs, slow-motion pedaling and trying not to topple over. I need to get better on downhills so I can get in front of people and stay there, instead of knowing that I'm just going to slow down anyone behind me.
Felt awesome most of the way to Berryman, though I had to walk a chunk of one climb and that trend continued later on. My legs definitely wore down. I ended up beating my last year's time by about 25 minutes, which is shocking considering the amount of time I spent walking.
Still, I felt relatively strong and very focused, no doubt that I'd finish and really no regret on my choice of bike. Definitely a good day on the trail for me. I tried hard to be efficient at stops, and I was, but I still had 21 minutes of non-moving time this year as opposed to 19 minutes last year. I imagine the difference was my stop this year at Whiskey Ridge, but I'm OK with that. I think the majority of that stopped time was getting off/on the bike to walk or short stops to take electrolytes or such that just add up.
I've been down to Bass twice this summer on my SS and have never made that first gravel climb, so I was worried about how it would go and didn't want to have to walk it in front of a bunch of people. Turns out it's a way different experience at the start of a race instead of 30 miles into a ride, which meant that while I felt awesome I was caught behind lots and lots of geared people spinning slowly up the hill. The trend continued on the singletrack, which was super congested for the first 10 miles.
Very different experience for me to be riding so close to so many people. It reinforced what I already know about my weakness in descending. A huge gap would open on every downhill, but almost immediately I'd be right there on the climbs, slow-motion pedaling and trying not to topple over. I need to get better on downhills so I can get in front of people and stay there, instead of knowing that I'm just going to slow down anyone behind me.
Felt awesome most of the way to Berryman, though I had to walk a chunk of one climb and that trend continued later on. My legs definitely wore down. I ended up beating my last year's time by about 25 minutes, which is shocking considering the amount of time I spent walking.
Still, I felt relatively strong and very focused, no doubt that I'd finish and really no regret on my choice of bike. Definitely a good day on the trail for me. I tried hard to be efficient at stops, and I was, but I still had 21 minutes of non-moving time this year as opposed to 19 minutes last year. I imagine the difference was my stop this year at Whiskey Ridge, but I'm OK with that. I think the majority of that stopped time was getting off/on the bike to walk or short stops to take electrolytes or such that just add up.
C • Wow 3