As I was driving home from work today, a single word kept popping in my head.

Crusty.

I just feel crusty.

Tired and worn out from this weekend. Beat down from a bunch of trying days at the office. Sick of performing endless amounts of overdue maintence on what seems like all my bikes.

Plus I missed my recovery ride yesterday.

What I needed was a break.

After work I picked up the boys from school. We raced home and pulled out the Big Wheel and the Trek Mod along with a dozen small traffic cones.

Spent over an hour racing around and smashing through walls of stacked up plastic orange triangles.

So fun.

I quickly set a temp basal rate and changed to get out on the fixed gear.

Sans lycra bibs. Sans heart rate monitor. Sans gloves. Sans training plan. Sans CO2 cartridge and tube.

90 minutes of daylight, a ripped pair of baggie Nema shorts, and a borrowed iPod.





As I rounded the corner at the end of my block, I could feel the crust begin to crack.

When I hit the American Tabacco Trail 15 minutes later I jacked the music way up, came out of the saddle, and road with the hammer down for the next 60 minutes.





And it FELT GREAT!!

Just having fun tearing along.

Although the ride ended way too quickly, I felt like a completely new person when I pulled back in my driveway.

Breathing hard but refreshed. Reborn. Refueled. Greased and gassed.





And, not surprisingly, crust free.

Bikes are amazing.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Less then 24 hours after finishing up the race at Cohutta, I had arrived safely back home. Greg, George, and I even found our traditional "victory dance" establishment on the way:







Had some time to clear my head during the drive, since arriving back home, and spending time with my family.

The collective series of events that transpired at the race Saturday can no longer be altered. Some were in my control, others not. I road as hard as I could, for as long as I could. I made a strong honest attempt at that race, and am good with that.

It was an important race for me personally, and I would have liked to have completed it in better standing. However, it was just one bike race after all.

One of the things I have learned from both personal events and working with Chris Eatough this year is increased resiliency. Six months ago I would have struggled with my DNF for weeks.

It is truly already in the mirror. I will take the lessons learned, both good and bad, and get on my bike today knowing I did my best. The goals of Type1Rider haven't changed, nor has my confidence, my resolve, or my will to train and attempt the next scheduled event.

With continued hard work I will get other oppurtunities at races this season, and I will take them.

It's early Monday morning. Time to get rolling!!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Wow. What a mixed emotions type of a race.

The good: legs weren't great today, but better than I thought they would be considering the diagnosis earlier in the week and the slew of antibiotics I was on. Was on a solid 10.5-11 hour finishing pace (see the bad) so I was pretty ok with that. Need to work on long (1.5+hr plus) climb efforts to take it up a notch.

The Uberfantastic: My new and first time used race nutrition plan developed by Chris Newport was SPOT ON!! BG checks during the race (before the meter went SS Minnow) were 175, 185, 144, 133, and 141. It doesn't get any better and gives me a very close to optimum 150 avg.

A big huge sincere THANK YOU to Chris for helping to figure this out. I can't tell you the confidence this instills, and the fear it removes. You have redifined endurance moutain bike racing for me.

Also way up there on the meter is getting the chance to hang with Marcee, Rich, Rex, George, Greg, other 29er Crew members, and Harlan at the "Cheteau and Man Cave Copperhill". Always great to share a race weekend with wonderfully nice, and super fast folks. Thank you!!

The bad: having tornado warnings, downpours, heavy winds, and massive amounts of lightning can REALLY screw up your race. Although my BG meter was in a ziplock bag in my HydraPak, the compartment it was in fill with rain water. This eventually got into the bag, and made the meter non functional somewhere before the mile 50 checkpoint. Big problem.

Ad to that getting held up at the aid station for almost 60 minutes while the question of is the race being shortened/called due to weather (tornado warning cameo here), and you have me off the bike after a 9.6mph avg over 52 miles with 7200 feet of vertical while riding "literally" through a northeatester.

Annoyed? Yup. Anything I could do about it? Nope. More details to follow in the race report.


Congrats to George and Greg on a terrific 100 under trying circumstances. Good stuff!! Everyone in the house did great with class victories and top 10 finishes galore.


Back to it on Monday, as, even though I threatened to never race again at some (ok various) points in/after today's race, I just can't help myself. :).

Good night!! (morning? already?)

-- Post From My iPhone

2010 Cohutta 100 - Result ---

Daily Total: 39.55u Race Hours: 06:41

Time  BG  Carbs Units
----  --  ----- -----

22:24 78cz
21:08 107cz
20:07 56cz
18:45 93cz
15:37 218cz
14:44 320cz
13:42 Race Stop
13:41 172cz
11:38 131cz
10:29 179cz
08:51 165cz
07:00 Race Start
06:21 192cz
04:55 73cz
04:42 73cz

Disappointed is an large understatement for what unfolded at the Cohutta 100.  Sick.  Annoyed.  Sad.  Bummed.  Speechless.  I CANNOT get this monkey off of me.  A lot of stuff happened, some good, some not so good. 

I think I was as physically prepared as possible given the amount of hours I had put in on the bike, and the amount of nutritional testing I had done over the past months.

My legs weren't great, but about what I thought they would be considering the Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever diagnosis during the week and the slew of antibiotics I was on.  Cohutta always means something is going on right?  :) I was on a pretty solid 10.5-11 hour finishing pace so I was pretty ok with that overall.

It POURED from the 3 hour mark on.  I mean poured. Temp at race start was near 60, but by the time I hit Aid Station 3 (highest elevation approx 52 miles in) it had dropped near 15 degrees.  Was soaked through and through.  Shivering like mad for the last 40 minutes of that climb to that aid station.  Add the 50mph wind guts, and thunder and lightning we were riding through and it was kinda nuts.  Did I mention the Tornado Warning?  Yeah.

I reach checkpoint 3 and stop to refill bottles and try to get warm - they have a fire outside.  I was freezing and definitely suffering.  I pull out my BG meter and find that the pocket I had zipped it in in my HydraPak had filled with water.  Even though the meter was in a plastic bag, it had leaked.  The meter was not functional.  Problem.

I put the bike near the wrench support and ask them to re-lube the chain while I take a minute to go in the cabin and try to dry out the meter.  A couple of minutes to do this here is essential to finishing- need to be able to check to my BG to continue.

The mechanic informs me that he'll re-lube the chain, but it won't be necessary as they are calling the race due to the tornado warning. Eh? Aid Stations 3-6 are stopping everyone and packing it up.  Can't be right.

I ask the other station volunteers to confirm, and they say they were told that a tornado warning would cause a stopping of the event.  Trying to contact race director to see what is up.

I go inside to dry the meter on the wood stove and wow - 26 riders hanging out, drying off, snacking, and watching tv.  I get the meter disassembled, dried, re-assembled, and working 20 minutes later.

By then they had stopped another 18 riders saying it was being packed up.  44 of us sitting there.  Most packed in, and 1 or 2 of us waiting to know if aid stations 4-6 were going to be there so we could take off and get riding.

Tick, tick, tick... 45 minutes go by not knowing when we are going to get the word to motor.  Meanwhile my BG is going way up as I sit there with a lowered basal rate reserved for actually riding.  348.

At 6 hours and 40 minutes we get word that trucks are on the way to pick us and our bikes up.  I immediately bolus for the crazy high BG and help it with a temp basal of 150% of normal.

I get back to the race site 4 hours later.  Too many of us to take in one trip, so it takes 3.  At 1 plus hour each.   You know what I found out.  Race is still going on and finishers still coming in.

I freak out.  Meltdown. Scream out loud into the pouring rain and wind gusts...  Annoyed? Yup.  Anything I could do about it? Nope.  The folks were only trying make sense of a very hectic and dynamic situation to protect us and do what was right.

Long story I know... but it was a complicated.  So I am trying to focus on the positive.

1) I am SURE I could have finished in < 11 hrs given the conditions and how I was feeling.  Would have been a really tough sufferfest, but definitely doable.

2)  My new and first time used race nutrition plan developed by Chris Newport was SPOT ON!!  I mean ON!! BG checks during the race (before the meter went south) were 175, 185, 144, 133, and 141. It doesn't get
any better.

So that is where I will leave it... take the positives, modify the training plan to get more climbing in, and go and race another day.  The 24 Hours of Burn is right around the corner.

Worst night sleep before a race ever? Close. Thunderstorms over night made it a little more difficult to settle in.

Up at 04:35, and BG is 63. Turned basal rate down to a 40% reduction, and had my now traditional pre-ride breakfast of pasta. No bolus yet. Going to check on it again when we start heading to the race site at 05:30.

Installed backup infusion set.

Decieded to use Mud X front, looks like I may need it. :)




-- Post From My iPhone

Long day gettting out here to the Cohutta 100, but it was not a bad trip. It's kinda late and we are rolling out of the house by 05:25, but I am struggling to get to sleep. No cell or WiFi service here in the mountains of TN, so I feel a little bit cut off.


BGs have been really good today. Running between 84-161. Not bad all things considering - antibiotics, traveling, eating on the road, etc.

Greg, George, and I made it to the race site around 15:15. I had lowered my basal rate to a 60% reduction at 14:45, as we were going to do a short 90 minute pre-ride soon after arrival.

Picked up our registration packet and dropped of our three 1 gallon aid station bags. There are six aid stations along the race route, approx 1 every 15 miles. You get three bags, and can choose which aid stations you would like them placed at. If it fits in a bag, you can have it. :) After studing the course and profile, I picked stations 2, 4, and 5.

George and I headed out on the bikes around 16:00, and road the start of the race and a little bit of the first stretch of singletrack before returning. The 3 mile 6% road climb that starts the event wasn't terrible, an we cruised the first 2 miles or so of singletrack. Hardpack, fast, and flowing.

Of course the rain coming in tonight and continuing into the morning will change that. :)

Found Marcee and followed her to the cabin all of us are staying at. Lots of cool people here. Fun to hang out with them for a while tonight.





I headed into town to find some cell service to call the boys. I saw SO many things today that they would be amazed at!! It made me really miss them. I took some photos so hopefully they will get a kick out of them.





I am apprehensive about tomorrow's race. It's a big mental challenge for me given what happened here in 2008, but physically I know I am ready. With a little luck, I can achieve my sub 10 hour and avg. BG of 140 goals. We'll see....

It takes a lot of sacrifice by my family to have me come here and compete, and a lot of people have put in a lot of time getting me prepared. I appreciate your time and efforts so much, and hopefully tomorrow will be a personal achievement to be shared.

Taking my basal rate to a 10% reduction until the alarm goes off in 6 hours. A little concerned about the possibility of running low given the day and the anxiousness about tomorrow.

100 miles with near 13k of vertical. What's the problem??? LOL!! Nite!!


-- Post From My iPhone

Near Murphy:

Running WAY behind in my packing for the race, so this post will be MUCH shorter than I had planned.

I did get all my riding gear, nutrition, food, and clothes done. Getting the drop bags done is a huge load off. :)

A few folks asked about the race profile so here ya go:





It's been a long road since the incident at the Cohutta 100 in 2008. I have ridden a boatload of miles since then, but more importantly have learned a TON about better managing my blood glucose. It will all get put to the test on Saturday.

Can't wait!!!


-- Post From My iPhone

Ride Hours: 03:41

Insulin Delivery Summary:
Daily Total: 43.37 units
Meal: 11.80u
Corr: 7.80u
Basal: 23.77u

Daily Carb Intake Bolused For: 177g

Last long(er) training ride before next week's race. Didn't feel overly fantastic today, but I managed to get through the ride ok.

I mounted and tried the new Bontrager 29-3 Team Issue TLR tire on the back of the Superfly. (Still waiting for the other one to arrive to mount on the front, so I borrowed someone's Rig front wheel). Thought these new shoes would work great at Cohutta given the course. Very fast rolling and light, with just enough traction.

During one part of the ride I noticed this odd note sort of taped to a big rock in the trail system:

Such a true statement.

I was able to get home just in time to grab a quick shower and head out to a family birthday party. Thai - one of my FAVS!! Just a fantastic day on the bike and with the boys.

I am totally blessed... :)

Ride Hours: 01:37

Insulin Delivery Summary:
Daily Total: 40.23 units
Meal: 19.60u
Corr: 3.65u
Basal: 16.98u

Daily Carb Intake Bolused For: 323g

Had the day off today to take care of some stuff and run some errands.  I was able to head over to Umstead State Park to meet Chris for a hill repeat training ride.

A pretty decent day 1.5hrs in the saddle of the single speed. We ripped thru 1700 vertical feet in about 60 mins, so it was pretty cool.

A great UBER fantastic brain storming session followed the ride. I left felling amped about Type1Rider and the possibilities for the future.

Time is ticking away for race preparation for Cohutta next weekend. Looking forward to going and seeing and riding with friends. Until then....

Ride Hours: 02:22

Insulin Delivery Summary:
Daily Total: 45.77 units
Meal: 22.04u
Corr: 1.60u
Basal: 22.13u

Daily Carb Intake Bolused For: 344g

A fantastic training ride with Chris Newport of Endurance NEWTrition.  Very tough doing the XC race sim, but we nailed the nutrition and BG were near perfect.  Plus... going fast is great fun.  Only bike that in "up" right now is my Superfly Single Speed... so I will training exclusively on that for a few days. (Matt Briske from Trek Raleigh is smiling and/or laughing right now).

The coolest thing was what occurred BEFORE the ride.

After I passed RDU airport on the way to Lake Crabtree County Park I noticed a white rental car following pretty close to me.  It pulled up beside me, and then back behind me.  I exited I-40 and the car followed me. A little strange and wiggy.  Once I got into the park, they parked their car and came over.

It was a group of 5 nurses and CDEs from the University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine who has just landed, and were on the way to Raleigh. The happened upon me and saw my Type1Rider licence plate. They were very nice, had some very kind things to say, and mentioned that they followed my blog.

Every once in a while something like this reminds me that a simple bike can make a impact with something as important as raising diabetes awareness and supporting others with the disease.  Made me feel pretty good, I must admit.

I have the day off tomorrow to take care of somethings and try to get a little rest.  Another good amount of time in the saddle as we prepare for Cohutta in 10 days.

Ride Hours: 01:48

Insulin Delivery Summary:
Daily Total: 41.00 units
Meal: 13.55u
Corr: 4.43u
Basal: 23.02u

Daily Carb Intake Bolused For: 236g

Took the Fixie CX bike onto the American Tobacco Trail for some short tempo work following yesterday's 6.5hr race simulation.  A little tried from the ride yesterday, but I think it was more due to the fact I needed to put in a couple of miles of running w/ the bike after I double flatted near the end of the day. Hey, it was a race sim right? 

Got a jump on the ride and the day by heading out around 10:00am.

After getting warmed up, I felt TONS better.  The higher end bursts felt pretty decent, and the trail was mostly empty and quiet.  Along with the absolute silence of the fixed gear, it was actually pretty magical.  Nothing but sun breaking through leaves, and the sound of my wheels rolling on the gravel. 

Afterward there was just time to grab a quick shower and head to Chapel Hill with J to listen to a concert.  As usual it was EXCELLENT.  So many outstanding voices!

The little man and I even made up to Franklin Street to snack on some home made Gelato at Sugarland.  This place it SO good.

All in all a great Sunday!

Big and busy week coming up.  Have some race details to begin to iron out and put into place.  Work is surely going to be busy, and I HAVE to make some time to do some maintenance on the rides.  :)

Less then two weeks now until the Cohutta 100.  More on that later...

Came across some long lost digital photos of some races going as far back as 2005.  FUN to look at and think about how much ground has been covered over the past years...

My First MTB race in NC.  Soup Bowl, Feb. 2005. Good times, before the birth of Type1Rider.

Literally 2 minutes before my first 24 Hour Solo.  Conyers, GA 2005.  

Finishing my first 24 Hour Solo in Conyers, GA after 23+ hours of riding.... Love the pink bike.

2005 White Lake Half Ironman as a Co-Ed Relay.  We did pretty well considering I was actually on a rental bike since my road bike wasn't in yet.

 

Warming up for the 2006 White Lake Half Ironman - yes again as a relay.  Two super fast good friends, Tracy and Jessica, enabled us to grab 3rd.  No.. I didn't ride the fixie... although I was the weakest link in our team chain this year.  :)

"The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide that you are not going to stay where you are."
John Pierpont Morgan

Ride Hours: 04:38

Insulin Delivery Summary:
Daily Total: 37.08 units
Meal: 12.70u
Corr: 2.40u
Basal: 21.98u

Daily Carb Intake Bolused For: 224g

Headed down to Uwharrie National Forest VERY early with Chris and George to pre-ride the Xterra bike course.  Although it is about a 2 hour drive, it was great to ride some trails we don't get on that often.  I haven't been there since winning the Relay division back in 2007.

We left me house at 07:45 and stopped by Starbucks to get some caffeine flowing.  

A few wrong turns were made, but I did remember to lower my basal rate to a 70% reduction while in transit at 09:15.

Using our collective navigation skills, we were able to FINALLY arrive at the Badin Lake race site around 10:20.  We had the race trail map, and rolled out looking for the entry spot at 10:45 or so.

It was a lot of start and stop for most of the ride today... between getting lost following the useless map, and TONS of horse traffic, it was hard to get a constant rhythm in.  Easy to keep HR in range, as the stops were fairly short though.

Trail was pretty spectacular, and, without the horses, would be one of the best places to ride in NC easy.  Lots of technical sections, flowing fire roads, big(ger) climbs, river crossings, etc.  Fun stuff for sure...

(Thanks to George for the pics!!)

I was able to stay on a pretty typical hydration and nutrition schedule.  Downed 20oz of Nuun infused water per hour, and tried to get in 40g of carbs as well.  Hard to get the food down though, as the trail was rough and there aren't a lot of places to reach back and grab something.

All in all a great day with some wonderful friends I am extremely grateful for.

Got back to the car around 16:30, and headed for home.  I immediatly put the temp rate at a 50% increase (150% of normal) to counter the post low temp basal/long ride BG "whip".

HR Avg: 150
HR Max: 188
Calories: 4356
Vert. Feet: 3890

We arrived home a bit after 18:00, and I my family was waiting outside to head over to a friend's house for a little pre-Easter celebration.  I cleaned up quick, and we were on our way in about 7 minutes.

A great time for sure!  My oldest "played" some Bocce ball on the local pro course (actually a super nice setup at the house we were at).  :)

Once home and getting ready for bed, I set my basal to a normal over nite post ride rate of 75%.