I am a National Champion!
Saturday, May 18 2019 was the World Ultra Cycling 12 hour Time Trial National Championship. This event is a race against time where the racer who rode the furthest distance in 12 hours would be crowned the National Champion and awarded the stars and stripes jersey. The course was modified from the 2018 version with the addition of an extended long course (33 miles) and included the same short course (~7 miles). The race required 3 laps of the long course and as many short loops as one could complete in the allotted time. With this modification, it was exciting to know that whomever won the event would also set a new course record.
I knew this would be a challenging race, aside from the terrain, and I would need to bring my "A" game to compete against the stacked field. In preparation for this race, I worked on my nutrition plan with Skratch Labs to ensure that my body could tolerate the food several hours into the race and become familiar with the flavors and tastes. One of the biggest challenges for me is eating enough to sustain my efforts. In an effort to make me smile during the hardest parts of the race, and remind me to eat, I placed a fun sticker on my bike to serve as a constant reminder.
The race began at 8AM. The weather was calm but forecasted to heat up throughout the day. I knew that nutrition would be key and that pacing would be very important. We started at a slower than preferable pace but escalated quickly to form a select group. Each lap saw the group diminish until there were only four by lap 3. I found myself off the front during lap 3 and enjoyed the time to myself where I could ride freely, eat and relax. By 12pm, we had completed the 3 long loops and looking forward to 8 hours of short loop racing.
Damon, the former national champion attacked in the feed zone and quickly got a gap. Recalling my experience from 2018, I followed and found myself with a gap between 1st and 3rd. I was able to catch Damon but found that his pace was very strong. Prior to the race, I studied the course and set a pacing plan that would allow for a solid race- Damon's pace surpassed my goal. Instead of following, I decided to relax and settle into my own pace. Within three short laps, I had caught and passed Damon putting me in the current leader position. Although in the lead, I had no marker on 2nd and 3rd- I didnt know if they were closing in on my land. All I could do was focus on my pace, maintain nutrition and focus. With 3 hours remaining, I saw Ken and Jesse (2 and 3 on the road) leave the feed zone, gave it a little extra power, and caught them. I had lapped the field and secured my victory- as long as I did not experience any mechanicals or nutritional issues. I decided to not push myself and to ride conservatively. I appreciated the opportunity to see the fight for 2nd place as the last two laps were fast with Ken and Jesse putting in digs to stretch the gap.
In 12 hours:
Completed ~270 miles
Average Speed ~22.5mph
Consumed 18 bottles of Skratch Labs Drink mix
& 10 various Skratch Labs energy bars & 2 packets of Skratch energy chomps
Special shout-out to Bike Doctor for supporting me, the bike fit was fast and comfortable and the bike and gear performed flawlessly. Skratch Labs for fueling me during the 12 hours- my favorite bars helped change the tastes and flavors preventing flavor and food fatigue. Wend wax for keeping my drivetrain efficient and saving me energy. It was a team effort!