Tahoe Sierra 100

[shiloh]

So I decided to do it again, 100 miles from Soda Springs to Auburn.  Sizing up the competition on the start line, I thought, looks like I should be able to make the top ten. Then Tinker Juarez rolled up and I thought, well I'll be happy with a top 20 finish. Thankfully, Tinker didn't attract a large crew of pro endurance racers.  It actually seemed as though there were fewer pros this year.  Oh well if you can't run with the big dogs, you better stay on the porch, right?  There was no point on the course, after the start, that I felt like I was racing with Tinker, or, for that matter, that I even saw him. 

I had an advantage over last year by simply knowing the course, which gave me a better idea of how to pace myself. The most difficult terrain doesn't come until after mile 60ish and it's really easy to blow yourself out sprinting for position into single track up some fire road climb.  Last year I tried to keep up with the pack but ended up granny gearing up 2% grade paved roads.  And sense there were an additional 20 miles added to the course to make it a true 100 mile race, I knew I had to set my own pace and not let the other racers egg me on into a zone I could not sustain. 

So I got passed quite a few times in the first 20 miles. It hurt my pride a bit, but there were many more harder miles to go. 

I rolled up to the first aid station on Red Star Ridge, excited about the first section of single track. The ridge is loose, dusty baby head terrain, but the view is amazing and once you get in the flow of it radness happens. 

Then there was a little pavement descent, some loose fire road climbing, then another aid station where I was warned of cows on the trail ahead.  I don't know what it is about cows, but they scare the crap out of me.  About 2 miles down the road I started thinking I got lucky and the cows had turned off the main road somewhere. Then suddenly, there they were. I slowed my pace and gave a hoot so that I wouldn't spook them. Most just walked along doing their thing, but one set its eyes on me and lowered its head. Aw crap, I thought, what should I do? but just as quick as I came up on them I had passed them without incident. 

A course marshall pointing the way down the next descent told me I was in 11th place. Swee.  I thought I was 18th or 25th ish. At the next aid station I caught 2 other racers.  This was about the 50 mile mark and I decided to start fueling with caffeine. Another long sweet single track descent then a hike out of the canyon.  Being freshly hopped-up on caffeine made that hike much more pleasant.  There is always someone cursing the race organizer on those hike-a-bike sections. I heard many cries of, why why would he make us do this.

The next 30 miles are kind of a blur in my head, then I hit Forest Hill.  I had ridden about 70 miles at that point and still had another 35 or so to go. and it was all going to be unknown trail. 

The best way to describe the next 30 miles is:  Jesus Christ I need to plan a few trips to Auburn to ride those trails again.  

I don't know what place I finished in yet but I think it is somewhere between 6th and 11th. For me a  race like this is all about showing myself that I can finish strong.

[Carl Sanders]

Nice work Dude.

'Radness happens'  -- ought to be a bumper sticker.

 

[Paul Montgomery]

I'm with Carl... 'Radness Happens'... too good.