Originally Posted by
BikeArkansas
Excellent question. The two riders I ride with much of the year started the HHH with me last year, and due to a mistake and time we started about where you started this year. The exact scenario you described happened to us. This year we started about half way up the Scorchers, which is the group that expects to ride the 100 miles in around 5 hours or a little over. One of my partners finished in 5:11 and the other at 5:14. I cramped at the 80 mile mark and finished way back. Anyway, by being in the group that normally finishes around 5 hours it was much easier to get past the rest stops. I mean a real difference. Therefore, the two real slow areas were for crashes, and even then we stayed about 15 MPH. So, move up and find fewer problems.
That's a really good point, and one I've thought about. Even if I only ride the 100k again next year, I'm at least going to start out at the front of the "Hopefuls". This was my first year to ride there, but I quickly realized after looking at (and passing) some of those people that a lot of them don't realize their own limitations.....