The Front Range 50 arrived only 6 days after the 18 Hours of Fruita. It is very difficult for your body to recover from one really big race and be ready to go for the next one in such a short time. These race efforts are so hard that it breaks your body down to the point that it takes days of careful 'active recovery' on the bike, proper eating and plenty of rest to get over the last effort and to be ready for the next heavy hard training day or race.
This last week was quite difficult for me with a lot going on in my work & personal life as well as a trip out to Ohio for a one day training class. I didn't make the time to be on the bike so I wasn't able to do a 'recovery' ride on Sunday... the day after the 18 Hrs of Fruita.
It seems counter intuitive but the recovery ride is an important element to quickly getting back on your training regime. It essentially helps flush out all sorts of waste products that are still trapped in the muscles and speeds the repair of broken down muscle tissue etc. Additionally this very low intensity ride helps work out sore and stiff muscles, for me it is done at a heart rate of less than 125 beats per minute and is usually 1 - 1.5 hrs in length.
Another extreemly helpful recovery treatment is a massage, again trying to work out soreness & knots from the over use.
Anyhow, none of these things happened for me last week and to make matters worse my flight was delayed coming out of Cleveland by 1.5 hours and then the shuttle bus was 30 minutes late so I didn't get home until after 11 PM. I had fixed my bike before leaving on the trip but had never ridden it to verify that the repairs were OK (mistake). None of my stuff was packed or ready to go and to make matters worse I over slept...
Anyhow, the day was an absolutely classic Colorado spring day. Bright blue skys, sunny and a few scattered clouds by race time it would be about 45F. I was able to get my premixed bottles up to the start finish 'neutral feed zone' and to recruit a spectator to help me get my bottles on each lap. Not having a crew is quite difficult especially in these short races where seconds mean the difference between one finishing place and the next.
This race is interesting because it attracts all kinds of riders, there are professional, expert, sport & beginner riders all lumped together in the mass start we are further broken down by 10 year age groups. Additionally, there are 2 races being run on the same course so traffic is an issue for faster riders trying to pass the slower or riders.
My strategy going into this race was to go out hard and fast, get to my target heart rate where my body would just barely clear the lactic acid from the muscles and to hold this maximum effort for 4 hours. I believe that I will be able to turn 45 minute laps so I should finish the 5 laps in about 3 hrs 45 minutes.
The start on this race is a bit crazy, the riders are bunched together on our bikes and when the gun goes off we all scramble to get moving then immediately climb a short hill on a dirt road toward the start finish line. The faster riders are staged in the front of the throng and the rest of us are left to fight our way through slower traffic.
The pit area is always interesting... my recruited 'crew' is there with my water bottle and fuel flask, I have to drop the spent flask and bottle and get the fresh ones on board... sounds trivial but is quite difficult. An experienced crew member will get water and fuel to the rider so that they never have to stop the bike... in this instance, I have to stop briefly but I am forever greatful to the lady who helped me... I don't remember your name but I sure appreciate your help!!
I count the laps and push hard trying not to over exert myself and 'blow up' but still get every bit of performance from my body. I make the final lap and am pushing really, really hard. My legs and lungs are screaming, I try to catch a riders which I do but there are always more to catch. I pay partiular attention to the calf markings on each rider which identifies what class and age group they are in... anyone with a FR50 40-49 gets my full attention.
I don't ever recall feeling as truly spent and wasted after a race as I did during after this one. My legs are aching acutely, throbbing. I feel good about my effort and I know that I left nothing on the course, I had exerted myself to the limits of my ability.
I finally cross the finish line at 3 hrs 37 minutes and 28 seconds. A full 30 minutes behind the winning time for my age group. I'm very pleased with my performance, last year I finished the race in 3 hrs and 51 minutes so obviously my early season fitness is much better this year as I am way faster. Also, the new Carbon Yeti is helping my times due to being about 4 # lighter than the 575 that I raced last year.
My offical finishing position is 21 out of 67 riders in my age group. A friend reminds me that I'm racing against pro and expert riders I am neither of these and that we are all lumped together into one age group. It's all about perspective...
My friend Kim (Chad's wife) made it to the race with their 2 kids, I'm really glad to see them all, thanks for coming guys!! Chad had a great race improving his time over last year as well.
Sorry for the absence of photos... no one was there to take any for me.
Results: http://www.warriorscycling.com/home/results.php
Until next time... remember Life is short, choose your friends well and never cross the finish line with anything left in the 'tank'... Enjoy the Ride!
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