A few months ago we had asked Kris's mom to watch the kids so we could go and race the Stottlemeyer 60 miler. It is 60 miles of amazing singletrack on the Olympic Penninsula in Washington. Kris had raced last year and swore that I would love it. I had been training for the Boston Marathon and well have been more of a weekend warrior on my bike. The week prior we raced in a local race Beacon and Legs and I managed a 2nd place in the Open Pro Women Catagory, which I was excited about considering the intensity of the race. Besides that I hadn't done much for speed work so I had decided to give the 60 miler a try. I guess I kind of figured if we were driving all that way I might as well get my money and times worth of single track. I knew that my training was sub par for such a long race, I was expecting to be out there for upwards of 6 hours and my longest ride this year was 2 1/2 and longest run was 3 1/2hours. In my heart I wanted to do well.... I think we all do. I knew the facts though and was hoping to have a good time and come in under the 6 hour mark.
There were 19 women in the open women catagory, and we were starting with the singlespeed and men 50+ catagory. It is a fire road slight downhill to start and then an almost 2 miles small climb out to the laps. I started off fairly good and had a good position going into the first lap, I wasn't really sure where I was among the women though. So I started my lap off and tried to settle in. It is amazing technical rooty, turny, fun singletrack. Right up my alley. I rode most of the first lap by myself, I was alright with this, I could just settle into my own pace. I had decided to ride the Ibis Mojo SLR, which was awsome. Such a smooth ride and light enough to feel fast climbing. By the end of the last lap a group had caught up to me with one other girl in it. It caught on the back of it since I didn't know the trails and followed for the rest of the lap. I was impressed with the other girl, she was riding smooth. turns out she had been training on the trails the prior few weekends, and knew them pretty well. That group got a little lead on me when I decided to get some nutrients on one of the small fire road connectors and they took off. I decided I had 3 more of these 13+ mile loops and I needed to settle in. So I just set a goal for myself of completeing the next lap within a few minutes of the first and then keeping that pace for the final 2 laps. The 30 milers had now started and we were passing a lot of them. They were the nicest racers ever, they would get over and let me by and then cheer for me after I passed them. It was awsome. I finished my second lap in 1hr 25, I was getting pretty tired by now, I was almost at the 3 hour mark. My arms were hurting and my legs were starting to feel tapped, I wasn't the smartest and probably should have stopped for more food, but I get into race mode and just eat whatever I have in my pockets (GU, Power gels, Clif blocks). About 10 minutes after I would take one I would feel better and my attitude would come around. About half way thru the 3rd lap I come up on the girl who had passed me prior. So I pass her and she hangs on my wheel, until we got to the feed station. She stopped for food and I never saw her again. I managed another 1hr 25 lap and was headed out for the last lap. I knew I was tired and there would be a 2 mile ride back to the finish after the lap was done. So I decided to set a goal of finishing by 5hrs 40mins. Well I wouldn't say I had an amazing last lap, but I stayed consistant and finished in 5hrs 35min. I had no idea where I had finished among the women racing, I was hoping I had done well. Kris had finish before me and was waiting for me to finish so we could start driving the 5 hours home. Once I got some fuel in me and changed we hit the road. I had decided to text my friend and ask her if she could check and see how I had done. She texted me back and told me I had won. I actually thought she was joking, but it was true. I had won. It was pretty exciting. Not only did I get to have fun and race 5 1/2 hours on amazing single track, I won doing it. I was a pretty happy girl! Kris managed a 7th place which was awsome.
A few months ago we had asked Kris's mom to watch the kids so we could go and race the Stottlemeyer 60 miler. It is 60 miles of amazing singletrack on the Olympic Penninsula in Washington. Kris had raced last year and swore that I would love it. I had been training for the Boston Marathon and well have been more of a weekend warrior on my bike. The week prior we raced in a local race Beacon and Legs and I managed a 2nd place in the Open Pro Women Catagory, which I was excited about considering the intensity of the race. Besides that I hadn't done much for speed work so I had decided to give the 60 miler a try. I guess I kind of figured if we were driving all that way I might as well get my money and times worth of single track. I knew that my training was sub par for such a long race, I was expecting to be out there for upwards of 6 hours and my longest ride this year was 2 1/2 and longest run was 3 1/2hours. In my heart I wanted to do well.... I think we all do. I knew the facts though and was hoping to have a good time and come in under the 6 hour mark.
There were 19 women in the open women catagory, and we were starting with the singlespeed and men 50+ catagory. It is a fire road slight downhill to start and then an almost 2 miles small climb out to the laps. I started off fairly good and had a good position going into the first lap, I wasn't really sure where I was among the women though. So I started my lap off and tried to settle in. It is amazing technical rooty, turny, fun singletrack. Right up my alley. I rode most of the first lap by myself, I was alright with this, I could just settle into my own pace. I had decided to ride the Ibis Mojo SLR, which was awsome. Such a smooth ride and light enough to feel fast climbing. By the end of the last lap a group had caught up to me with one other girl in it. It caught on the back of it since I didn't know the trails and followed for the rest of the lap. I was impressed with the other girl, she was riding smooth. turns out she had been training on the trails the prior few weekends, and knew them pretty well. That group got a little lead on me when I decided to get some nutrients on one of the small fire road connectors and they took off. I decided I had 3 more of these 13+ mile loops and I needed to settle in. So I just set a goal for myself of completeing the next lap within a few minutes of the first and then keeping that pace for the final 2 laps. The 30 milers had now started and we were passing a lot of them. They were the nicest racers ever, they would get over and let me by and then cheer for me after I passed them. It was awsome. I finished my second lap in 1hr 25, I was getting pretty tired by now, I was almost at the 3 hour mark. My arms were hurting and my legs were starting to feel tapped, I wasn't the smartest and probably should have stopped for more food, but I get into race mode and just eat whatever I have in my pockets (GU, Power gels, Clif blocks). About 10 minutes after I would take one I would feel better and my attitude would come around. About half way thru the 3rd lap I come up on the girl who had passed me prior. So I pass her and she hangs on my wheel, until we got to the feed station. She stopped for food and I never saw her again. I managed another 1hr 25 lap and was headed out for the last lap. I knew I was tired and there would be a 2 mile ride back to the finish after the lap was done. So I decided to set a goal of finishing by 5hrs 40mins. Well I wouldn't say I had an amazing last lap, but I stayed consistant and finished in 5hrs 35min. I had no idea where I had finished among the women racing, I was hoping I had done well. Kris had finish before me and was waiting for me to finish so we could start driving the 5 hours home. Once I got some fuel in me and changed we hit the road. I had decided to text my friend and ask her if she could check and see how I had done. She texted me back and told me I had won. I actually thought she was joking, but it was true. I had won. It was pretty exciting. Not only did I get to have fun and race 5 1/2 hours on amazing single track, I won doing it. I was a pretty happy girl! Kris managed a 7th place which was awsome.
