Ist Annual Tour of Anchorage Fat Bike Race

[carpathian]

Nervous pacing around the house this morning. Big race start here in 3 hours. 50k fat bike race across Anchorage, AK with about 175 riders. Gonna be some local heavy hitters bringing on the pain train.

The first 10-15k is hills, hills, hills up on the lower mountain side. Then the rest is flatish with occasional punchy climbs. We are starting on tail end of huge annual cross country ski race so 700 skiers will have already been on the course. What does that mean for us? I don't know. Could be fast as shit or burnt out sugar.

Temps in upper 20's, cloudy.

I plan on rolling on a higher tire pressure (20 ish) and going hard with a solid 'Zwift Start' and hammer on the hills to stay with who ever I can then see if any 'draft packs' form on the fast flat sections. Don't have a power meter so have to go by feel and time last pedal stroke for the finish line.

Anticipate 1:45/ 2hr finish. It will be interesting to see how all this Zwift biking pays off...

Thanks Chugach Jed for the bike loaner, I'll do ya proud! See ya at the finish.

[Chugachjed]

It’s lightly snowing currently and pretty warm. Conditions look to be ideal!!

[carpathian]

Well that was painful...

Start line: bunch of dudes in matching team spandex outfits, $5000 bikes.
Me: long johns with bike shorts layers under surf trucks, fleece top

Good snow conditions right off the start, squeaky fast cold snow. Rollercoaster hills sections. Team spandex pushed to the front and we all jockeyed around , going hard

Lead group of 15 pulled away about 10 minutes in... 15 minutes into race trail turns and has 20 minute climb that was not so pleasant but doable being so early in race.

At top of climb you could look across the whole city and see where finish line is, kind of depressing.

I figured I would lose some ground on the climb but planned on crushing some watts in the long flat sections to make ground, and that I did. For over an hour I labored solo in no mans land through endless birch forests dodging random skiers and over several road over pass'.

For the life of me i could not catch anyone. I never even saw anyone to catch. It was fast conditions and I knew those guys were all bunched up working together, going fast.

then a couple guys caught me around 30k and I could not stay on their wheels to save my life. I could tell I was gassing out 1.5 hours in. ruh-roh

I was alone again to 35k and a group of 5 caught me and somehow I stayed with them for 10-15 minutes. we came thorugh little food station and I was sooo hungry wanted to stop but didn't want to lose this group. I eyed the bananas as we went by. 3 minutes later a couple of steep hills put an end to that as i watched them pull away in to the distance. Maybe shoulda stopped for food? might have made things worse

So tired now, like i ran out of sugar to burn sort of feel. not pleasant. Popped a Gu didnt seem to help much.
The trail conditions were deteriorating. Getting little sloppy, tire washing out here and there. Rear end spinning out. So tired with like 45 min to go.

I ate shit at the bottom of a zippy little hill, front tired slipped out quick, augered head first into snow. Glasses done. Kind of rejuvenated spirits though, keeping it comical I guess

the last 5 miles were pretty much horrible. Trail zig zaging around through swampy low lands slowly climbing towards finish. 3km to finish sign. Trail washed out powder.

had to walk couple hundred yards up steep hill. Legs shaky, stupid bikes shoes in snow flailing around. Don't want to lose any more spots but would not put up a fight if someone came along. Survival now

Last 2km fast snow again thank god. steep up hill grind right to finish. 2:35... 25th the winner were at 2:02, fuck those guys are fast. I'm guessing they probably rode their bikes on snow a few miles more then my 3 mile test ride earlier this week. #excuses

I went straight for cookies and warm cider and more cookies, so good.
Jed was there in prompt Maggot fashion and zipped me back to my truck at the start. Thanks again Jed, what did you call it, type 3 fun?

[bennymac]

well done! Type 3 fun indeed.

[jamal]

Good work, I'm surprised a race on snow went that fast.

Is the one gel all you had? 2+ hours I'd probably try to eat some of a larabar and at least a whole pack of shot blocks, plus a few calories and electrolytes in a water bottle. It's really easy to get behind on water and calories on a 2+ hour race and screw yourself over. Did that to myself at a road race last year.

And then, yeah, most people can't hang at the front and it's important to stay within your abilities and not blow up right at the start. I remember being in the front group at a really long race and realizing I was breathing way too hard and to dial it back. Turned out to be a good choice. I would up going by a number of people and racing for a podium spot (although I didn't know it at the time- would have tried harder).

[Chugachjed]

Yea man type 3 fun. I'm glad my bike finished the race. It wouldn't have if I'd been piloting it. Did 12 miles tonight and that was about all I had.