6 Hours of Power

Well, the 6 Hours of Power went off yesterday down in Ellicottville. Course conditions were perfect, weather conditions were perfect. My fitness though currently is far from perfect. Having just come off a huge block of family obligations, pretty much had very little training in the bag over the past month.

All Smiles prior to the Race Start.

Once the race was underway, things shook out a bit differently than I would have liked. I felt ok on the 1st lap, but my hr was jacked higher than I would have liked it to be at the effort I was at normally. I had to scale it back a little bit on the climbs in order to keep myself from doing to much. I was sweating hard on the 1st lap, but wasn't feeling anything in the legs. The fact I threw my chain into the spokes a few times on the lap didn't help the mojo either. I slammed my bottle and took some endurolytes and sport legs at the finish of the lap. I started to cramp on the 2nd lap and made sure to take extra water at the aid stations. By the time the 3rd lap rolled around, I was still hanging on ok, but was now stopping at the aid stations to down about 5 cups of water and refill my bottles.

A Silly Crash on Lap 3 left me bloody and bruised >

By the time Lap 4 rolled around I was starting to feel a little better, but still nonetheless had to stop at the aid stations and down as much water as I could stomach. The heat had my stomach doing flips, so I really wasn't eating much of anything each lap so no I was starting to bonk, and bonk I did on my fifth lap. I had caught and passed a solo rider who I was battling with for most of the race and put in a little attack in the singletrack. I put some good time into him, but that pretty much zapped everything out of my legs. I ended up just rolling in the rest of the lap at a walking pace. I was barely turning over the pedals at this point. I ended up with 5 laps completed and for the 1st time at 6HOP I finished off the podium.

No worries though as I have a good 2 weeks to prep myself up and train pretty hard for the Suicide Six! I also can't wait till then cause Lindsey will be here!!!!

Currently playing in iTunes: To the Sky by Maps