Off Road Assault On Mount Mitchel

The Off Road assault on Mount Mitchell.. pictures from Val at offtheroad.smugmug.com

To give a thorough race report, I kinda need to give a very brief history of my riding career with respect to Endurance Events.

During the past few years of teaching middle/high school, I could not seem to find time to ride my bike at all until the summer. Then I would get ultra excited, ride a ton and then one day I knew I had ridden enough to attempt the Off Road Assault on Mount Mitchell. In 2006, I finished in 9 hrs and 50 min. I had the best time ever riding all day with suffering people, I had the hematoma of a lifetime, among other wounds that endured the relentless pounding of heartbreak. And the following year, after getting my ass handed to me by my 9-time-road- masters-national-champ mom following the Tour De France across the alps, I came back and shaved 30 min off my old time. All I did was not really stop much, and actually “race” this ride, and I ended up with a welt that kicked me off the bike for a whole week or two.

Then I quit my teaching job. Then I found lots of mountain biking friends. Mostly ridiculously strong dudes, and a couple of ladies who, week after week, kicked my ass and I had no idea that I was getting as fit as I was. I finished the Double Dare, and PMBAR, and Mohican (100K) last fall and this year.

So… during the weeks leading up to the event, I rode Heartbreak and Kitsuma, time after time, and sessioned the switchbacks with coaches Robb and Matt, figuring out which ones I could climb, which ones I could but shouldn’t bother, and which ones I just really shouldn’t bother. I had visualized how I was going to take it every climb, every switchback. Most importantly and then repeated out loud to many, was that I was going to have a freekin’ Grand Time on Curtis Creek. Because—Why not? I mean really… we are all suffering. We Know It Will END. And how awesome would it be if you could just make Curtis creek great by projecting greatness upon it prior to the race.

So, back to my official “Race Report”: Saturday Night prep. I did NOT attend the Mustache Party.

Dear lord, please DO NOT LOOK AT THESE PICTURES if you are easily upset or offended by people who want to push the envelope. My best friends. Out there, looking amazing, after watching them prep for months for this contest, I ducked out to my dads in Black Mountain/Old Fort to rest and get all of my stuff together for the race. This was the first of many good decisions -- to stay in. I measured out all of my nutrition for the race, filled goodie bags for rest stops 1/5, 2 and 3. Not 4. Station packs included: One waterbottle with ice, and one waterbottle with 2 scoops Heed, 2 Scoops Perpetum (Hammer products), 1 tube, co2, 4 accell gels, 1 sport bean -- at 3 aid stations, plus a clean pair of shorts at the top of Curtis Creek.

I got to the race before 7. Plenty of time to drop my packs, chat with many, and warm up for a quick few. I had decided to warm up only because I knew the climb up 70 was crucial. Getting ahead of the pushers was key. Not to say that I wasn’t a pusher, but if I was to be stopped by a line, I would be near the front of this line. On the way up Old 70, I felt Great! and I pass people the whole way up. A few friends pass including Charles of Mock Orange bikes in Winston-Salem. on rigid? SS and looking strong. I pass Val Naylor, amazing endurance athlete whose previous ORAMM time was the one I had a goal to beat: 8 hrs. Sub 8 was my plan. 1 hr and 30 faster than before. That’s worthy. 1^st vet woman (30-39) was also my goal. I felt strong and fast and awesome up old 70. At the gate, race organizer, Todd Branhan was there, helping people get their bikes over the gate and he tells me I’m the first woman he’s seen, turns out one had passed, but whatevs, I knew many could have passed before he got there, but I knew I was clearly ahead of the game.

Kitsuma!

Yeah! I was up there! I knew exactly what I was going to do on every part of this climb. I knew where I was going to hike and where I was going to bike. As soon as I got to the very start, the people in front of me popped off, as well as I and I ran to the top of the entry to Kitsuma. Which was fine with me, because, although I have been able to hit that switch back after a few tries, I NEVER seem to get it on the first try and it’s so steep it really knocks the wind out of you, so I figured if I didn’t bother trying, I would save up and be fine on the next 5 or so turns. After running to the top of it I hopped back on and made the next five… this is where these great Pictures come in. 2^nd woman, I think I heard at this point and this made me a bit nauseous in a totally overwhelmed nervous kind of way. Thank god I got the care for this out of my head, shortly after. And right about the time I couldn’t ride my bike up Kitsuma any more, my buddy Jut Rut finally catches me, yelling at me for walking as he is being pulled up by the only woman who beat me in this race Karen Masson. I was floored by her, mostly because we killed the decent together and I watched her nail the two left hand switchbacks that I can’t make. the first time I was behind her, the second time I pulled over in order to witness greatness roll by. It was awesome. Thanks to Karen for giving me mad props on my descending abilities. Yes I have them although a switchback here or there f*k me up sometime.

The Pavement. Karen and I chat. I find out that in previous years she completed this race in 6:45 ish. WHAT! no way! I wasn’t supposed to be riding with her. Considering how I felt, I knew I was not only going to be ok, but I was doing much much better than expected, so I might as well have fun and just ride things out like Karen suggested: “just keep a good pace and you’ll be fine!” Good pace, yeah that sounds easy. My rear wheel started this knocking sound that occurred most of the day, but was kind of sporadic which lessened the apparent severity. The next day I repaired 3 completely loose spokes and all is well.

1^ST rest stop. Me with out pack, stop and wave good by to Karen’s back as this is the last time I see her. She didn’t stop. As with all of the rest stops to follow, things here worked out amazingly. One to two to three people helped me out, grabbing and filling bottles, finding my gear bag for me… probably around a min stop or so and back on! The climb to Star Gap wasn’t half as bad as I expected it to be for me, as I had just pushed my bike up it a few days before while out doing trail work with Todd n’ Crew. Jut catches me again here, since I had passed him while he was off in the woods relieving himself. Anyway, Jut and I regroup at Star Gap and nail the decent on our way to the grassy climb/decent. This part of the route was soooo not fun a few weeks ago when Jut and I rode Curtis/Heartbreak. The road just keeps going.. in the race however it was awesome.. a great place to take in food and water and keep the pace up. In and out at rest stop 2, same story.. volunteers jump to my cause as people are reminding me all day that I’m the third lady. I’m so glad no one can tell me how close 4^th is, because that would get to me more than looking forward.

Curtis Creek. Time to put in to affect my big plan for the race: to have fun and pass people all the way up Curtis Creek. Part of this plan also involved the great fresh water spring part way up the road. My plan was to stop at the spring and chill for a second. Meanwhile every dude that passed says half out of breath “you good?” Cheeringly I said, “I’m great, This is Cold Fresh Water!” I’m totally confused at why no one wants to stop, but that’s cool. After a few min of washing and drinking. I hopped back on my bike and passed every single person that had passed me at the spring, plus Mike Kennedy inundated with cramps, who I caught just before stopping at the spring.

Climbing the creek. Not as chatty as a ride as I would have liked it to be. As the strung out field drudgingly made their way up the hill that never ever ever ends, I kept wanting to tell walkers/strugglers near the top that they were near the top, but I didn’t want to lie and a few times it was a good thing I didn’t say anything, because then it would just keep going. A car would pass and I’d wait for it.. and then yep, there it is right above my head on the next switchback which I really hoped wasn’t there. It seems like as many times as I have climbed this, which is probably close to 5, 3 in races, it's really hard to remember where you are on the climb. And then, it flattens out and you know the absolute worst is all behind you. In and out of the saddle all the way up, I don’t think I was ever passed.

Top of Curtis Creek. Biowheels station. I think I definitely had three hands on deck here, including Karo who had been driving around taking pictures all day, like this one of me at the top. I hop off and while bottles are being filled, I swap out my shorts behind a car and am soooo happy about this genius move. The first year I did this, last year I didn’t and really regretted it when I couldn’t sit on the bike for a full couple of weeks with a welt that should have been lanced. Back on the bike, heading out of the rest stop.. I see some familiar faces I don’t expect to see.. Eric Krause, co-owner of Biowheels, who at this point was definitly hurting as I should not have been that close to him in this race. I hear, some one call out “hey princess” and turn to see Dougie Fresh (a enduro de ocho contender). Yeah! Doug! Good to see him out there. But clearly no time for me to chat, I am heading down for a few minutes of recovery.

Climbing back out was definitely not as bad as Curtis Creek. There was lots of chatting with the guys around me, including Doug, who finally catches me close to the top of this climb. Eric Krause passed me closer to the middle of this climb. One mile to the top, a couple of cute older ladies inform us and we keep trudging to the top.

Another quick stop.. thanks again to all the volunteers! Yeah! almost to Heartbreak!

Chill road climb, hike a bike, not so bad. Get to the top and let go. Screaming down Heartbreak a few guys have to hop out of my way, and then the rest have flat tires. (no flats, no flats, no flats please!) At some point, I am actually looking forward to / wishing for uphill on this decent as my body is a bit worked from being pounded all the way down. I don’t know if it was the hardtail aspect or the 80mm fork. I think it was the fork. Maybe my tire pressure? I really need to go tubeless soon. Anywho… down down down.. so excited because I still feel great. I think to myself, “man, I think this race is going to end way sooner than I really want it to.” I’m used to this race being at least 9 hrs long….

Fifth station. In and out. On to Mill Creek climb! I was really excited about this climb too. Again, I knew my excitement is what gave me a big edge. But this climb I had very recent (last wed.) practice killing it up this climb. So that’s what I did.. passed people all the way up, C Ya Eric! sorry to hear that your blood is boiling! Oh man! yes! When I saw the top of that climb, I stood up and killed it and a train of guys hopped on and drafted me to Kitsuma.. come on guys, really? Still in 3rd , I meet the 1^st or 2^nd place woman’s husband -- Rick Pena, of Jacksonville, FL. I learn she was second to Trish last year and he tells me how awesome a climber I have been today, thanks! He takes off up Kitsuma, and I climb it just like I did in the beginning, probably hitting more switchbacks this time around. Then I find Rick and Anne Craig Pena, with a flat tire and sweet hubby Rick was there helpin’ out. Good luck with that ya’ll! Oh snap! I’m suddenly in second place. I think to myself, "damn I hope she catches me, because she deserves second" (which she was eventually awarded anyway) but then I remind myself that flats are just a part of it, I still might get a flat and if not, I’m just as lucky as she was unlucky. It happens. The second top of Kitsuma was defiantly the hardest part of the race. Every last bit of strength is gone and pushing through is all you can do.. ugh. Done. Screaming downhill I get to the down trees where one must dismount. Biowheels jersey in front of me, who is this: Ian Baldwin! yeah! another great riding buddy! Ian is totally shocked to see me. I inform him here “I’m in second place, get the F*k out of my way!” He is very happy to, and as he disappears behind me I hear a few awesome shout outs from him! Yeah… cruzin! Pavement.. What a great finish. The Pavement was a nice time to just savor the best ORAMM I could have ever wished for. Ah! yeah…

7:10:54 I finish and am so happy! I soon figure out that because I registered Vet woman (30-39), because I had no freekin’ clue how well I was going to ride, I was not going to be awarded second place overall.. but no matter, Anne definitely earned it and I am pretty happy with one of the most ridiculous trophies you’ve ever seen. In an effort to reduce, reuse, recycle, Todd made these trophies out of old karate trophies. Sam Koerber’s trophy was as tall as him! Mine comes to my hip, and can currently be viewed in the window at Youngblood’s Bike Shop, where I am spending my days recovering from Sundays ride.
Thanks to Matt Dinsmore, Chris Otahal, Justin Mitchell, Bruce Steinforth, Robb Kranz, Shanna Powell, Ian Baldwin, Matt Johnson, and all the other people who I have been riding with this summer.

Next up: Ian and I are going to ride the Night Train! and hopefully kick ass and have tons of fun doing it. Then the Shenandoah 100.