Sport Solo 20th out of 30
7 laps in 8:29’08″ (moving time 7:30’18″)

This was my first solo endurance race: I raced last year at the Coolest 24 with a corporate team but racing solo in an endurance event is a totally different story.

This is the 4th edition of this great event organized by the good folks at Bike Monkey. Carlos and his gang pulled another great race, with cool course and great vibe.

Arrived to Boggs the day before. Patrick had saved me a nice camping spot.

Woke up at 6AM to have a decent breakfast and allow enough time to digest it before the 8:30 start. The temperature was not as cold as I expected. Had warm oatmeal, juice and half breakfast burrito and then proceeded to get ready.

The course was in great shape, excellent traction, no mud and mostly under tree cover. Lots of pine needles made some sections pretty slippery: two longer climbs and lots of flowy singletrack, for a total of 8.7miles and 1550 feet of total elevation.

The goal for the day was to complete at least 7 laps, but regardeless of that, to keep riding for the whole day.

Started with the 3rd wave of solo riders, the pace was pretty sustained: I’m amazed how fast people go on the first lap of an endurance race. I guess is just a habit and I had to tell myself to slow down several times on that first lap.

I had planned to go without stopping for the first 3 laps, then take a break and then take laps in block of two with longer breaks in between. I decided instead to take a 10min break after lap 2. then took 20min or so after lap 3 and then 10min per lap after that.

Nutrition was also a big question mark, I was using perpetum for the first time and it seems like it worked very well.

Lap 1: 56’45″
Lap 2: 57’40″ No break
Lap 3: 1:04’30″ – 2’30″ break – 1 perpetuum bottle, 1 Banana
Lap 4: 1:15’57″  15′ break – PBJ, 1 Perpetum bottle, 1 StarBucks Double espresso
Lap 5: 1:34’00″ 26′ break – PBJ, 1 Perpetum Bottle, 1 Apple
Lap 6: 1:20’16″ 11′ break – 1 Perpetum bottle
Lap 7: 1:20’00″ 7′ break – 1 Perpetum bottle, 1 SBUX Double espresso

The hardest part was during lap 5, when I really started thinking I couldn’t pedal anymore and 2 more laps didn’t look doable to me. I gave serious thoughts about quitting at that point: it was the pain and the idea of 2 more laps that made me nauseous.

Lap 6 and 7 where unexpectedly painless: it’s amazing how our body adapts and keeps going. I was more pain when I stopped at the end of each lap. That was also the top of leg pain and general body pain. I’m not sure what exactly happened after that but in lap 6 and 7 I was just pedaling at a steady pace and legs didn’t feel as bad.

Luckily food worked ok, no mechanicals and just a couple of scary moments on the trail. I did get my first elbow from a pro rider, passing me on the narrow rock garden climb, he was definitely on a rush chased by 3 more superfast guys. Other than that everybody was super nice when passing.

Saw Bobby McMullen on lap 4 and that gave me goose bumps for the rest of the lap, and great motivation. I think he completed two full laps: I could clearly hear his guide yelling directions to him. Amazing stuff.

Ath the end of the reace there was food and beer awaiting us. Pasta and Fat Tire Ale never tasted so good.