SoNoMas 2012 'Hurting Time'

[Carl Sanders]

Well into Zone 5 on the first set of dirt grinders off the pavement, I knew that this would be another desperate, hypoxic day of suffering chasing the local talent around Lake Sonoma.

Sure enough, not even eight miles into the course, while hanging tight with a strong group of Experts and Pros, a rider in front of me goes down on a deeply rutted drop, forcing me to take a bad line trying to get around him.  My front wheel washes out and down I go, tearing up flesh on my right leg. Riders getting away, more blowing past. Bad luck. Pulling the wreckage off the trail, assessing the bodily and bike damage and banging the seat back into place, I jump back into the game with some nasty knots binding up my quads.

Despite the dribbling blood, throbbing pain and shaken confidence, I still managed to keep it together around the next 25+ miles; one by one, getting overtaken by riders in a better place than I; up, down and around the mostly singletrack course; scrubbing speed over the countless little un-bridged creek crossings.  I saw a guy break his frame last year trying to launch over one.   Mostly alone around the backside of the lake, my momentum and motivation waned.

Not my best day on a bike. 

Thankfully it was not brutally hot and I stayed well fueled and hydrated.

Lots of fast guys on the course this year. Even with the crash, I came in two minutes faster than my first place Expert finish last year, which only put me in 9th place this year.

Time: 3:24

Ave. HR: 168

Terrible Two up next!

 

 

[Ryan Gibson]

Wow, nice long effort! Sustaining 168 for 3.5 hours is pretty amazing. Fam is still in town next weekend, and my cramped legs are still recovering, so going to miss Skyline. You going?

[Carl Sanders]

Skipping Skyline -- couple more long training rides in order before TT next weekend.