Mariposa Women's Stage Race - WM 55+
This race is the only all women's race on the calendar in the NCNCA. I've been told time and again how special it is, never mind that it is very grueling. It featured almost 10,000 feet of climbing in three days over four stages, and an aggregate mileage of almost 130. I would be way out of my element, too, not being a competitive climber. Nevertheless, I HAD to do it.
Day 1 Friday, Basso Bridge Time Trial
The time trial was held on a mostly flat course near the Turlock Road Race course. It was five miles out and back, ten miles total. 43 women were signed up for the stage race, three in my age group. Dusty, Lea and I were to go off last. Ex gave me some specific instructions for the warmup, as well as how to approach the race. I got lost on the way to the course, I drove right by the parking lot and didn't see it, so when I finally arrived I was a bit amped. However, I had enough time to settle down, prep the bike, sign in, and warmup. I did most of the warmup on the trainer, and when the air temperature started getting warm, I switched to the road. I timed my line up so my roll off would leave very little idle time. I hit it just about right. I knew most of the riders would be sub 30 minutes, something I had yet to accomplish. My best TT to date was around 35 minutes for 10 miles. I wanted to get close to that 30 minute mark.
I rolled off, settling in and keeping my power on target. I was feeling pretty good, nothing exceptional, but not in any sort of difficulty. That is until I hit the first short climb, which turned out to be steeper than I had anticipated (and I had looked at the profile). I noticed the riders coming the other way were flying so, yeah, this has to be steep. I came off the aerobars and went to the bullhorns, the only time I did that the whole way, and also went to the small ring. Once past that climb, the course continued to climb, but at 1 to 2%. However, there was a left quartering headwind, which made me happy that I chose my 48mm front wheel over my 80mm. Also, the bike, with it's new handlebars and 165mm crank, was feeling really good, and I felt like I was making power efficiently on it. I was also able to keep my cadence up, a really good thing! I staying in it pretty hard all the way to the turn around. I did a GOOD turn around, carrying speed until the last possible moment and then late braking and flipping the bike around the turn. Back down the course I had a tailwind, I was going slightly downhill, and I was hitting it hard. I reached the steep little climb section, which had an S-bend to the right in it, and I decided to stay on the aerobars through the turn (at around 35MPH). At the 1K to go sign, I was suffering but I dug deep and ramped it up. With 200 to go I dug for all I was worth and crossed the line. And almost puked!
The time I wanted - close to 30 minutes. The time I achieved - 29:27. My best EVER time trial! As it stood, we three 60+ ladies were less than 1:30 seconds apart. Dusty was first, Lea was second, I was third.
Day 2 Saturday, Groveland Hill Climb
Okay, I knew this would be hard. This climb was 6.9 miles with 2100 feet of elevation gain. The average gradient was 10%, with pitches right at 20%. The worst of it was the bottom 1/3, then it sort of "leveled out" with the grade being 6% to 8%, then at the top, the last 1K was 12%. I followed all of coaches instructions on recovery after the TT, but I did have to drive over an hour to get to the hotel after that race. I didn't sleep all that well, and then that morning I had my usual nervous stomach. When we all arrived at the parking area, it was 42 degrees, but warming quickly. The routine was to be a promenade from the parking area to the hillclimb, where we would descend the climb to the Toulomne Canyon, Wards Ferry Bridge (famous for it's graffiti), where the race would start. I was concerned I'd loose a warmup on the descent, but I didn't have an answer for that, so I did a normal ramped warmup on the trainer. When we all rolled off for the promenade, it was up hill to the descent. I did NOT feel at all good on that promenade, my HR was way too high considering the effort, and my legs didn't have much snap. I hoped I would settle down on the descent.
The descent was gnarly, steep with lots of hairpins. I was paying attention to the pavement, the turns, the pitches, etc. The group got to the Wards Ferry Bridge, and then we lined up for the start. We went off in waves, once again, with Dusty, Lea and me rolling off last. My plan was to try to stay close to the other two women, although I knew they were both very good climbers and it would be suicide if I tried to match their efforts. We started up the hill, and Dusty and Lea rolled away from me pretty quickly. I time trialed the climb, settling in to the pain cave and staying in it, snatching little bits of recovery on the few gradient changes that there were. The heat got to me several times (it had warmed to over 80 degrees on the climb), but I stayed in my zone. I was aware from time to time that there was a vehicle behind me, but I never once looked back. I was way out of my element, my body and legs were just screaming at me, but I never once thought of quitting. I was looking at the road, trying to take the path of least resistance, as well as trying to stay in the shade whenever I could. I was only carrying one water bottle, and I drank the whole thing on the climb. Someone asked me after the climb if I had noticed the beautiful wildflowers along the way. "There were flowers?" was my response.
I finally hit the line, and I was fried. That hill really zapped me, and it took me 65 minutes, 5 minutes longer than the next slowest woman. I was a good 15 minutes, or more, behind Lea and Dusty.
Greeley Hill Circuit Race
Two hours later I drove over to the next stage, a seven lap 6 mile circuit with 500 or so feet of climbing per lap. I followed recovery protocol closely - eating, rolling out, staying off of my feet. Even so, on the drive over, I was feeling pretty anemic, that over the top hillclimb had really taken it out of me. As had my
PR TT the day before. I wasn't feeling good about the circuit race, but I knew I needed to keep my head right and I needed to stay with the other two gals. I used the promenade as the warmup, and as in the other stages, we rolled off in waves. We old ladies were last once again. The start was neutral to the top of a descent, when we were let go. It was a great descent, all of the elevation gained on the rest of the course was lost on this 2 mile smooth, mostly straight descent. The profile said the climb back up was mostly gradual, so I was confident I could stay with Dusty and Lea. And I did, for the first half of the first lap, when we hit an exposed section that had a 10 MPH headwind. Three riders don't make a peloton, and I needed a draft, and there wasn't one. After fighting for a few minutes to stay attached, I realized I was burning way too many precious matches, so I drifted off the back. On the third lap, my legs started to get crampy, even though I was hydrating and drinking my Perpetuem. So, I had to back down even more if I was to finish - and I HAD to finish. Most of gals in the race know who I am (which surprises me), and would give me encouragement - personal encouragement from many, each time a group rolled by. That went a long way to keeping me going, because my attitude was going to dark places from time to time. The finish line was at the top of a pretty good roller, steep it was, and when I finally rolled across for my finish, I was too cooked to even make it back to the parking area - I had to get a ride! But, I did it.
Day 3 Sunday, Bootjack Road Race
It took more than an hour to drive over to Mariposa, where this stage was held. We were to start at 9 AM, so it meant a 4:30 wakeup and out the door by 6 to make it over there with time to spare. The four of us sharing the cabin we had rented for the weekend caravaned over, and made it in plenty of time. I did a short warmup, and then almost forgot to sign in. My plan was to finish. Finish! Three laps, 13 miles per lap. 5000 feet of climbing total. Finish! If I could stay with Lea and Dusty, fine, but finish! I bargained an hour per lap, so I planned my nutrition and decided how to meter my efforts, and that would be decided by how I felt. In the warmup I felt pretty good, although there was no doubt that I was down on power. We were at 3200 feet elevation, and that played a role, but it was mostly the two hard days on the saddle that counted the most. Finish!
Once again, we rolled off in waves, we three (awesome) old ladies last. This course featured a great descent, 5 miles or so long. Two years ago a rider was killed on this descent in this very race, so we were neutral the first time down to keep our speed in check so we'd learn the road. After the descent was a right turn and the fun would start - going up! 1300 feet or more per lap. I was staying with Lea and Dusty fairly well, but once I started to feel really tested, I let them go. I had no dig, no stomp, no push, no punch, and I had 35 miles more to go with many feet to climb. There was valor in finishing, not in blowing up and riding back in the broom wagon, so I once again let them go.
On the last lap I started having lower back pain as well as issues with a muscle at the top of my left leg. If I went OTS and did a low cadence resistance effort, it would ease up, so I did a lot of that on that lap. When I crossed that line 3 hours and 14 minutes after I started, I felt like I had won. I pounded the handle bars and punched the air and let out a whoop - I had done it! I finished a HARD climbing stage race.
Except for my TT, my performance was less than respectable, but I earned new respect for the ladies I race with, young and old - especially the old ladies; Lea (who won our age group) and Dusty. I know my place among these fine athletes, and it's not quite at their level, but close. I did something completely counter to my strengths and experience, and it was the toughest test I've done to date. And I finished.