Solvang Spring Double 2016 ' Season Forecast'

[Carl Sanders]

From which direction will the winds blow? On the days leading up to the Solvang Spring Double century, I focused intensely on the weather reports for the central coast. If the coastal breeze came from the northwest as it often does this time of year, then our return southward leg of the race would be a rocket sled ride back to the start. If the winds changed direction and blew from the southwest, our return leg could be a grueling 100 mile crawl into a coastal gale. I had the same sort of questions about my own directions in cycling during this upcoming season. Would I fly or crawl through the races ahed?

For any number of reasons, I got off to a slow start with my training this year. Those base miles, critical to ultra endurance cycling, were not as deep as they have been in the past. Some physical maladies, associated with the general wear and tear on a human body nearing mid-century, had slowed me down a spell.

No matter what the excuses, I still showed up for the 7AM start within a seriously strong field of accomplished endurance cyclists. Joel Southern, Mark Christopherson, Jamshed Jehangir, Brook Henderson, Richard Anderson, Matt Scott and Justin Too were all very familiar faces to me as we readied to roll out of Buellton and into the grey fog also so common on the central California coast.

For my first foray into the double century cycling this season, Solvang was a good place to test the fitness level on a course that I was quite familiar with. Into a brutal gale force head wind blowing out of the south in 2013, I disintegrated during the second 100 miles with the howling wind in my face, finishing in a disappointing time of 10:38. With the more typical on-shore northwest winds blowing in our favor in 2014, I cruised to a 9:38 finish, putting my solidly on the ledger board in third place.

Given my diminished fitness expectations this year, I hoped for at least a sub-10 hour finish. I rolled out with the 'fast guys' and hung with them on the flats, took my turn pulling out front, but quickly fell off the back on each small bump and roller. I just wasn't able to generate the power on these relatively small climbs. Consequently, I expended way too much energy trying to latch back onto to the train at base of each decent. At least on the flats, I could hold my own. Best of all, when the fog began to burn off mid-morning during the northward leg of the race, the wind was building from the northwest! This meant that we would have an exhilarating tailwind for the race home!

We blew past the first aid station at mile 36, then the next one at mile 81. Both stops would have cost us precious time, running around amidst all the other riders who had started earlier while waiting in line for food and water. Thankfully, I carried a third water bottle and extra bars in my jersey. 

Heading south out of San Luis Obisbo, with the breeze on our backs, I got dropped again on a minor climb near the 100 mile mark. Crushed, I watched Mark, Joel, Nodair, Justin, Brook and Jamshed walk away from me over the crest as I gasped for air and fizzled off the back trying to hang. 

I caught these lead guys again at the crowded (even more early riders who may have left upwards to two hours ahead of us) mile 108 aid station as they were readying to leave. I gulped down a cookie, topped my bottles and tried once more to jump on their south bound train. No use. Into Pismo Beach, I slipped off the back for the last time and was now flying solo, windblown along HWY 1 back toward Buellton. Under an overcast sky, with mostly flat miles and empty roads, I settled into a grove I could sustain. Satisfied with my fuel and water reserves, I rolled past the aid station at mile 136. My jersey was stuffed with food and temperatures were mild, so my water demand was less than usual.

At the final aid station at mile 164, I was caught by Brook, Matt and Richard, that also had separated from the lead guys early on. After we fueled up and guzzled our sodas, we agree to a 'gentlemanly' ride back into the finish. The four of us quickly formed a new pace line and began making quick time on the final wind-blown southward leg toward Buellton. Brook noted we were on a sub-10 hr pace. Our collective speed then dramatically increased up and over the last few painful rollers and then down into the wonderfully verdant oak-studded Foxen Canon to the finish.

Brook, Richard, Matt and I rolled across the finish a 9:34. Justin and a new yound guy, Nodair Razi, rolled in at 9:14 and 9:33 respectively. Mark, Jamshed and Joel seem to have set a new course record at 9:00!

Seems the season forecast for endurance racing looks promising!