Race Report Traverse Ride Report

Guess I'll start.

It was tough tough day out there. Heat, swarms of bees and bugs, sandy climbs.

Big congrats to everyone for just showing up and trying to do this race on blistering hot day.

My 5 second recap. I tried to ride a really disciplined race staying around 80-85% of my HR max all day. Packed a huge pack with pleny of fluids and icey water to douse myself to keep me cool between the aid stations. This really helped. Things started to unravel a bit on the way to Trabuco b/c it was midday and I wasn't feeding myself enough by then and the heat was getting to me. Happy to finish. But Trabuco Creek Rd was hell. Pure hell. Hot, tired, there's was a dry nasty headwind, road was beating the crap out of me.

Thanks to the Warriors and all the volunteers out there. With the nasty conditions, sure was a big job keeping everyone safe and taken care of. Thanks too to OMR, Wrecker, KeepsWhatHappens, and Vickie and Andrew from Switchback for all the kind words and encouragement. Much appreciated.

Hard fought day, but good times nonetheless.

Carl

 

Go with the Pho!

 

I just want to thank the Warrior's Society and all the volunteers for doing such a great job today.

Conditions were brutal and all the volunteers did a great job taking care of the riders with food and water.

Special thanks to KeepsWhatHappens and the crew at WHT. I was pretty much done when I got there and they quickly hit me with ice water and a banana that got me through to the finish.

 

Here's my recap. Hot - muy caliente hot. It was definitely tougher than I had imagined.

Near the top of Motorway, I started getting cramps. I ended up walking a lot of the hills - and even walking was tough, with hamstring, quad and calf cramps.

I was also plagued by weird mechanicals. I had my rear tire (Stan's Arch 29er w/ Bontrager Dry X) blow off right past Beek's. I had my front tire (same rim/tire) blow off on the leg to Trabuco. Luckily, I was just climbing both times.

Despite all that, I did make both cut offs - and I did finish, although I wanted to quit so many times. I ended up tripping the timer around 8h 30m. I don't think I'll be getting on a bike for a few days now.

 

congrats Carl on finishing! actually congrats to all the participants for doing this it's grueling to do this but add heat just makes life miserable.

Add another notch to the battle ax guys and gals it was well deserved!

 

DubJ, I saw the first Stans Explosion and it was impressive. I think you need to give special thanks to the guy with heat stroke you bummed a tube from. :beer:

Don't worry, DubJ, claims he was already getting medical attention at the time.:lol:

Way to stick out. Hot, plus mechanicals makes for a long day. Can't wait for 12hrs Temecula next month eh?

Crazy race. Aid Station #1 at 4 corners looked like field triage center.

 

Anyone know how many finishers there were?

I get the feeling a lot of people bailed at Four Corners.

 

It's going to be bad. Between the DNS and the DNFs I was hearing 30-50%. Jeez, it was huge success just making it to Holy Jim today.

 

That sucks! Tubeless specific tires not playing well? Call NoTubes tomorrow and get their take on it also. I've never used a tubeless specific tire and have never had a blow off. *fingers crossed

 

My hat is off to all of you who did this ride/race. With the incredibly hot weather it must have been hell. A number of us did a 3+ hour ride in Irvine, and the heat was really bad... I kept thinking about those of you doing the Traverse. Good job to any of you who even attempted it! :clap:

 

Also guys, Madre and I and another friend got out there about a half hour before the race. I think we were about 1.5miles from Beeks when Tinker approached said, "Good morning" like he was not even breathing...then passed us in his big ring in the middle of his cassette. He must have been going 10+ mph up Blackstar. Jason First was not too far behind and was also hammering.

 

I noticed a huge change just after the saddle. I think I passed 7-8 people between the saddle and the big switchback(and I wasn't tearing up the course). I only saw four other riders past Holy Jim.

My sister & brother-in-law were at the finish and said only about 30 people had come through by 2 pm when I got there. But, when we got back over to Blackstar to pick up my truck, almost all the cars were gone.

 

We had 180 signed up.

41 did not show up to start.

At the later point of the race there were 35 DNF's.

1 person taken to hospital with heat stroke.

I person started at 5am without permission....was DQ'd

1 Person poached the ride with a number plate from last year........he was caught mid way and was turned back.

Tinker finished with a 3:54

Jason First was second at 4:09

Mario Correa was third at 4:19


Manny Prado did a 3:43 last year to win.

 

Today was was pretty brutal. My goal time was 5:30 but I believe the elements beyond my control led me to finish in 6:05 minutes.

I had two flats and a weezy stomach. The only thing I was able to get down was HEED and a little Perpetuem. No gels or food of any sort!! The heat does that to my stomach!!

As for the flats my first was was right after beeks, a rock put a little hole in my TUBELESS tire and stans spray everywhere!!

Me being stupid, I tried to refill the tire with my only CO2. Didn't seal! So I used my only tube, and a hand pump from #28, thanks a ton if your an STR member and see this!

My other flat I just burbed my rear tire going down Trabucco. I finished the race with probably 20psi in there. These are the only flats I have had on my Yeti.

I did manage to ride the whole course and walk nothing!

 

What about Tinker? Did he show?

 

See 2 posts above :-k :drunk:

 

Well that answers my question. Geesh!

I guess I was typing when you posted. Did he pay to race? I remember he wanted to do the VQ a couple of years ago and wanted the entry fee waved. Hope that didn't happen this time.

 

Yes, he did not get a free ride into the event. He took a spot from his buddy that was unable to race. He was supposed to pay his buddy the entry fee.....whether he does or not, is between them 2, no the WS. His spot was paid for.

 

Leading up to today I did everything that has worked well for me doing Vision Quest and Ultra Quest and...well, I got my butt kicked. The heat took it's toll on everyone I talked to. Strong riders who DNFed, cramped and just struggled in one way or another. One friend, who has been racing road, cyclocross and mountain bikes for 20 years said it was one of his hardest races ever.

I was well hydrated, kept my pace below VQ pace and I started to struggle early. I rarely cramp and I started cramping before Motorway! I struggled the rest of the day.

Finish time was 6:10, 45 minutes slower than last year and a whole lot more suffering!

Saw this interesting set-up before the start. (STR member?) Not sure if he wore a Camelbak too.


Gene and I shared in some suffering after Motorway


The "Pain Divide" and the climb before the aid station at Four Corners.

 

worst (hardest) race ever. not sure what happened but my legs just had nothing in them, and the h.r. was redlining with little effort. made it to maple springs/4 corners and opted to ride down with others doing the same. was hoping to beat my time of 6hrs from last year, but not in the cards today!

get to do a lot of racing and you realized this stuff just happens. i was well hydrated, never cramped and no mechanicals. some times we just have off days.

i went to the finish to watch team mates finish. those riders finishing looked damaged. congrats to everyone who stuck it out - this race was much harder than the vq, in my opinion.