Planned on heading down to Stokesville a bit earlier then we did. Left DC around 3 or 4 got down there just in time to eat some pasta and relax for a bit. Shoot the shit with some Bike Line people, suck down more water. Headed into the tent for the night around 11pm. Thinking I'd have no problems sleeping as its my 4th Shenandoah 100. I wake up thinking its gotta be around 5:30 check the phone nope its 1:15am....damn. Get up take a piss and check out the starts for a bit pondering about whats going to go down the next day. Before I know it I hear Mumbles on the PA calling the wake up call, they were lacking this year no dirtbikes or fireworks...whats up with that?
Do my morning routine, oatmeal and coffee hit the shitter. Get dressed temp isn't bad didn't need the arm warmers or knee warmers. Chamois cream put the kit on...new bibs are money. Grab my nutrition that I would be carrying for the day, hammer gel, 2 honey stingers, 3 bottles, 2 with nuun in them. Give the girl a kiss get a good luck and head down to the starting line. I line up in the 10 hour slot hoping to avoid the mess at the power station single track. Gun goes off and off we go.
Road section goes by fairly fast and before I know it we are heading up hill, remember this being a lot tougher last year and we are up at the bottle neck before I know it, run into Shawn Tevendale and a guy that goes by Shuggs I met earlier in the year at the Michauex Mistake race. Get though the single track with no mishaps. Down the sweet singletrack and out onto Tilman Rd. Stop and swap out a bottle and get on my way.
Tilman Rd
Up next is the Lynn hike-a-bike I see a few people that are 9-10 hour finishers, thinking I am going out to hard. Ride, walk, ride and walk is the name of the game up Lynn. It goes by decently calves feel really tight, didn't do any hike-a-bike training this year. Suck down some Nuun at the top and pop a few E-caps. Off we go up some more before we drop down. Hope off for the rock garden, ouch fucking cramp. Hamstring locks up I have to bend over to get it to loosen up. Bunch of people pass me. Suck down some Nuun and soft pedal hoping they go away.
They don't I fight them all the way to CP2. Stop there and stretch a little eat some and get some ecaps from my drop bag. Up Hankey we go riding with Emily McDonald from the Spokes team ride and chat with her for a bit. She drops me when it gets steep, cramps are creeping back. I hop off the bike and walk a little, change it up for the legs. At this point my front derailleur is driving me nuts, it doesn't have enough drop set to not rub in little and big. Hit the final meadow on Hankey and the fun begins down down down we go, pass a few people and drop into CP3. Have one of the wonderful volunteers adjust my derailleur for me suck down a bottle and swap it for for a fresh one.
At this point I'm still feeling decent aside from cramping, I find a big guy to sit in behind on the road. He realizes I am there and pulls to the side, my turn. I crank it up a bit look back and he isn't there. Pull into the Braileys lot jump off the bike to stretch a little. Crew of people pass me, I'll regret that later. Start up the singletrack and I catch them..hear them saving this is unridable. I work my way though them up and over to CP4. Pass Pete Fraker who is walking with a flat he looked like a zombie he ended up dropping at 4.
Up the road to 5 I am feeling a lot better, pass a bunch of people thinking they will catch me when it gets steep. I just keep thinking SkyMass all the way to 5. I ended up riding with Larry Camp for a bit on his SS. I catch up to Scuba Steve who is usually a 10ish hour finisher here, says he isn't feeling good at all. We roll into 5 together. Chris King, no not THE Chris King, Steve and I roll out of 5.
ToShun again
We hit the long downhill with the waterbars into the meadows. As I am trying to hang with Steve I take the wrong side on one of the mudholes go to turn and bounce off the tree. Hit the ground start laughing, thankful I didn't cramp up. One, Two, Three meadows go by where is the fucking top. Finally we make it, they drop me on the downhill, damn roadie. Descending skills need some work. Roll into 6 no issues, hit the road for the last climb up Hankey. One and off the bike thinking walking is faster then my pedaling pace.
Via ToShun Campbell right before CP6
In my head at this point I am sure its going to be another 13 hour 100 for me. Some kid asks where is the top I say up the hill, he gives me a glare. Finally I hit the turn and it keeps going up, when does it stop. Up, Up and Up we go, finally hit the fireroad with a few more shortish ups. I see the waterbars dropping into the campground and start to get sloppy. Drop further down and see the tape, thank fucking whoever you believe in. I cross the line 11:56.57 damn another hour off. Girlfriend greets me and Chris Scott gives me a handshake. I am told I look like death I'd believe it. Get cleaned up and grab a burger.
What went wrong- Front derailleur misadjusted rubbing when in little big.
Cramping- can't get away from it. Hydrated and stretched all week.
Other then that I didn't have any mechanicals, rode with some friends I haven't seen in a while. Finished under 12 hours barley which I am happy with. Should of pushed harder on the last up hill. And spent less time at Aid station 5. Very happy with my Niner and the Ergon Gloves and Grips
I was happy with the 3 bottle setup think I killed 12 or 13 bottles the whole day. Nutrional was on didn't bonk or die inside slowly at all. Had some good tunes going most of the day. Thinking about doing the Paranormal 6 hour race solo in Cville again this year. Then its onto Cyclocross......maybe
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