Originally Posted by
bmcphx
I assume you are a 4 then... Have you talked to many people about Gila who have been there? A number of my teammates raced it as 3 and 4 and all share one common belief, that it's absolutely grueling. I'd love to race it some day when I'm fully healed and allowed to race, so maybe next year.
Absolutely grueling sounds fine with me, and thats exactly what I've heard from talking to a few of the guys on my team that are 1/2 guys. On the plus side I've been averaging about 15 hours a week and come from a solid running background before so the grueling aspect shouldn't be so ridiculous I can't finish. Riding with others is the bigger challenge. We are fortunate enough to have excellent group rides Sat/Sun that are more or less race simulation rides with some very strong riders; when they aren't in Europe you've got guys like Danny Pate, Chad Haga, Katie Compton, etc. showing up on a regular basis.
If I find after a few of those I'm still way to nervous in a group I will elect not to race.