Last night the Point group went to watch the Race Across the Sky in Appleton. After watching the trailers and remembering the pain of this race, we were all excited to head to the "big" city for a night out! Amazing how perception works, never thought of Appleton as a big city till you move to a city even smaller. Anyway the group included Scott Cole, Mark Cole, Michelle, and I. I thought the documentary was pretty good but it did nothing to show the pain that actually goes into racing a 100 mile bike race. I say racing cause if you are going to finish and just make this your calorie burn for the day, I think almost anyone can finish with a little preperation and guidance. The problem comes in when you want to race an event like this. I am by no way an expert, but these races were summed up very well by Ken that it is all about digging deep. The 100 milers that I have done have always started like we are in a 2 hr XC race and usually you are suffering bad! Then once everyone is tired from that it is game off for about 5 minutes why you look around and see who made the break. Then from this time on it is who can suffer the worst!
Back to the Leadville, I have never suffered more in a race then at this one! The lack of oxygen over the course of the day just completely drains all your systems and leaves you with nothing. My experience here, let me just say after a day that included sitting down on the side of the trail with my bike pondering why I even ride a bike and finishing on a flat, I ended up finishing the day in 8 hr and 53 min. I was then rushed into the medical tent at the end to be put on Oxygen cause I completely colapsed. The sad part is that I would do it again. There is a great sense of accomplishment at the end of an event like this and I think this is the lure that keeps bringing people back and the growth of these style of events in the US.
Then to top it off the awards are unique! Now please make it stop raining!!!!!!!!!!
Cross this weekend? Maybe?
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