2012 shenandoah 100

Me and my friends agreed as long as it wasn't raining at the start it wouldn't be to bad so we at least got that. This was my first 100miler with only a couple XC races and one XXC under my belt. Based on my pre riding I thought 11hrs could be possible but all I really wanted to do was finish. I lined up with the 10hr group thinking I would probably be much slower then that but wanting to get to the single track before it became a hike a bike. The first few miles went well passing a few on the fire road leading to the single track. Unfortunately by the time I hit the single track the crowed was already there and any small rock meant everyone was walking(grumble grumble). Had an uneventful ride down to the fireroad and fell in with a group on up to Lynn.

I stuck with my Lynn plan riding the bottom half and walking the top to save energy. Didn't take long to get to the top and fly downhill. I felt bad for the guy with the broken arm(or maybe leg?) that had apparently passed out. I heard from some friends that swept that it took a long time to get him off the mountain. Quick water fill at AS2 and I was off.

At this point it started to rain a little but nothing bad just enough to cool you off. I was thinking it wouldn't be bad if the weather stayed that way. First half of Hankey wasn't bad but after the turn to the camp it started to get a little muddier. I felt good and did the whole climb except one of the steepest pitches. I was worried about the rocky rooty section at the top with it being wet but I rode it without a issue and on down to AS3 only feeling like I was losing a little time for the wet trails as it started to rain harder.

Blew thru AS3 without even stopping and hit the road. Unfortunately I was alone for most of the road ride but managed to catch up with one person and work a little with them. Started going up Braleys when the brunt of the storm hit making the climb even harder. By the time I got to the downhill the trail had become a river and I was having trouble seeing where I was going. I was taking it super slow and felt like I was going even slower then when I was riding up hill. I made it down to the bottom and told one rider that a good time was out the window and all I was trying to do was survive at this point.

AS4 I had my drop bag and my wonderful wife waiting and took the time to eat a little more and had my chain lubed. The rain started to let up and I hit the road over to the death climb feeling good and excited. By the time I got to the turn to head up the death climb the sun was out and the temperature started to rise a little. Was cruising up the death climb and passing people until the turn and the pitch kicked up. Then the death climb started to live up to its name and was making me feel like death but I kept moving thinking I just needed to get to AS5.

AS5 stopped and got some pizza and chips and waited in line to get my chain lubed. I felt like I wasted time on the chain lube after plowing into the 4ft deep mud puddle a few minutes later. At this point my legs were feeling tired and the trails were nothing but mud so there was a fair amount of walking. Finally I hit the single track of chestnut ridge. Then I realized that my brakes barely worked making for one heck of any exciting downhill run with one stop to let the brakes cool a little and give my hands a rest.

Stopped off at AS6 and got my chain lubed and topped off water at around 9hr 45min mark. One of the first times I had really stopped to look at the time. I realized that I could probably make the campground in an hour coming in under 11hrs well before what I thought I would do especially with the weather. This gave me some energy and I was off making good time to hankey and up to the turn. I had forgotten that once you got to the turn you weren't done climbing. I didn't have the drive to pedal up anymore so I tired to get off the bike and walk a little. That's when the leg cramps hit my right leg like a train. All day I had slight cramps in my legs but had just worked thru them but this time my leg wouldn't move at all. Pissed thinking that I had blown coming in under 11hr I sat down on the trail and dug thru my pack for my emergency mustard packet and drank some water. I had never tired the mustard trick but it seemed to work after probably less than a minute I was able to at least walk at little and get back to pedaling. I started trying to pedal hard again but refused to look down at my garmin to see what my time was. The fireroad to the final descent to the campground seemed to go on forever but finally I saw it and knew it was all downhill from there. I kicked it into the big gear and flew down into the campground still not knowing what my time was.

Sprinting across the line I saw my final time 10hr 41min. I couldn't have been happier with my first 100miler.

I did learn some lesson and will be back next year hoping for better weather so I can set an even better time.
Lesson:
-I only drank about 3 bottles worth of water and about 1 can of coke for the entire race. Next time I need to be sure to drink more as I think this could have been my cramping problem.
-I carried to much stuff and didn't need anything in my only drop bag at AS4. I carried a rain jacket all day knowing that I would never put it on with the temperature. I also picked up my lights at AS4 even though I didn't need them because at the time the rain was so bad. Next time I think I won't drop anything some infini mix,shot blocks with food from the aid stations is plenty.