http://www.cascadecreampuff.com/
As we pulled into the Westfir School to check in for the race, one of my first thoughts was that everyone else seemed to know what this was all about while I didn't really have a clue what I was in for. Camps looked professionally set up; toned,fit mountain bikers rested on cots in the shade. It was the hottest day of the year so far at 100 degrees with near record heat predicted for the race. Luckily, we were staying with Scott's friend Eugene and got to avoid camping in the thunderstorm and taking cold showers in the gym. We did have to sit through an hour and a half long pre-race meeting in the sweltering gym, though. We learned about the course and received the standard “you could die” warnings. We met the hundreds of volunteers who do everything from cook our meals and manage aid stations to clear trees and debris from the trails and rebuild sections that were washed out from the record winter. The final course was in doubt until two days before the race since snow still remains at higher elevations. I won a nice sweatshirt in the drawing before we lined up for the pasta feed. One of the volunteers keeping track of people going through the food line didn't show up, so Eugene took over the task. After Scott and I finished eating, I took over for Eugene so he could eat as well—a little impromptu volunteer work to keep things rolling.
Lots of work to be done before the race still! We stopped at the grocery store for ice to put in my coolers to be dropped at the aid stations and some last-minute snacks. Back at Eugene's house, Scott took care of my bike (securing my number onto the handlebars, checking air pressure in tires and shocks, etc.) while I got my riding clothes ready, prepared food, and sorted the things I wanted into the cooler for the appropriate aid station. This would be Eugene's fourth Cream Puff; one of his roommates was camping on the course and the other would be heading out to Aid Station #4 early in the morning. It seemed like all of Oakridge was involved in this little mountain bike century ride! Finally in bed at 10:30, listening to the thunder crack as I imagined flash flooding on the trails and the hot sun steaming up the forest.
With a 3:45 alarm, we were at the start line at the covered bridge in Westfir at 5 a.m. for the mandatory check-in. At 5:30, the start horn sounded and the lead vehicle rolled out. We were off! I started near the rear of the 200-rider field with most of the 21 other women. It would be a long day—no reason to be in a hurry so soon!
The first three miles were flat pavement, a welcome warm-up before the 8-mile gravel road climb to Aid Station #2. The course was a figure 8 with Aid 2 in the middle; we would pass it four times. After the first climb, we would make two trips around the upper loop of the 8, then one and a half times around the lower loop to finish back at the covered bridge. I rode most of the first road climb,with two guys named Neil and Scott that I recognized from the Test of Endurance 50 two weeks ago. We chatted easily, staying in small gears to keep our legs fresh as long as possible. They stopped at the aid station, however, and I kept rolling. We had only been riding for 1.5 hours and I had plenty .of water and food to make it to the next stop.
Right after Aid 2, the fun really began! The road flattened and we turned left onto singletrack where we would climb, traverse and descend for over two hours . This was really fun riding except for some really tight switchbacks that I had to walk and the trip up Winberry Divide that seemed steep and relentless. I rode bits of it, but everyone else seemed to be walking and I followed suit. It wasn't much faster to ride the steep grade and it seemed prudent to save the legs. Then a fun descent to Aid Station #3 at mile 25. This was a mandatory stop to obtain a sticker proving you got here. Someone offered to take my bike while another volunteer grabbed my camelback to refill the water reservoir. What service! I expected to have to do all the work myself! The volunteers encouraged everyone to hydrate up for the grueling climb ahead. A couple miles up the road I realized this was the part I brought my iPod for and made a brief stop to put my headphones on. As Cake's tempo pepped me up, I cruised past rider after rider on the moderately steep winding grade. I was prepared for a couple hours of climbing and was pleasantly surprised to come around a turn and see Aid Station #4 after only an hour and a half! I had a cooler here with an extra water reservoir, some leftover pizza and a carton of chocolate milk. I switched out the bladder, drank the milk and ate some oranges and bananas from the aid station. A water hose siphened water out of an icy creek for a makeshift shower, so I cooled off before I rode out to the BeeGees' “Stayin' Alive.” It was encouraging to hear that it was only seven miles to Aid 2—the end of the first loop and almost halfway through the race. The grade was also less steep so I was able to keep a good pace and arrived at Aid 2 in only 45 minutes.
Since Aid 2 was by far the biggest in terms of supplies and support (including Scott and the cooler I dropped here), I planned a bit of a break at this point. Someone took my bike to lube the chain, I used a portapotty and applied more chamois cream (if you don't know about chamois cream, suffice it to say that it's the only thing that makes it possible to sit on a bike saddle for 15 hours!) and Scott brought me various food and drinks which I either consumed ravenously or rejected by making a face.
Rested and resupplied (more water, more Heed and Perpetuem), I set out for lap two. It was nice to know what was coming for the next 30 miles (as long as I didn't think too hard about the Winberry Divide hike) and the trail seemed easier the second time around. Another mandatory stop at Aid 3 for a second sticker. I tried to get moving quickly, however, shoveling in some fruit and downing my Red Bull while my camelback was topped off. More Heed and Perpetuem. With the iPod back on, I was feeling surprisingly strong for the second 18-mile uphill grind, again passing quite a few riders. I got a thumbs up from another guy wearing an iPod—we later chatted about how much it helped. Still, my body was starting to feel the effort. One moment, my hand was numb, my back ached and my butt was on fire; a moment later I felt invincible; then back to hurting again. This time I only stopped at Aid 4 long enough to trade my empty Perpetuem bottle for a full one of Cytomax. Since eating is hard for me when I'm hot and tired, the liquid calories and electrolytes were critical; it's important to take things in continuously and not wait until you feel like you need it.
I finished the loop in 4.5 hours, the same amount of time it took me the first time around. I felt good about this, was still feeling strong and decided not to rest at Aid 2 this time. With only 28 more miles to ride, it seeemed certain that I would finish! A quick lube and resupply (more Heed and Perpetuem for Energizer-Bunny-like endurance) and I set out for eight miles of trail I hadn't seen yet, but almost all of it downhill to the covered bridge. The hard part would be leaving the finish line to do another loop! Three women passed me on the downhill—bummer, but I can probably catch them on the climb. My hands were aching from so much time on the handlebars and working the brakes.
When I finally arrived at Aid Station #1 by the finish line, a race official was telling the other women that we should consider our chances of making it to the top of the climb by the 7:30 p.m. cutoff time. We were told that if we were a few minutes past the cutoff time but looked strong we would be allowed to continue. I thought my chances were good and so did they. We weren't quitting now! After a quick bathroom break and with a full camelback, I rode out in pursuit of the other women who had already taken off. A mile later I wondered why my bike felt funny and realized I had a flat. My first thought was that I was done and should just hike the mile back to the finish. But I had come this far and wasn't giving up easily! My left hand could barely function after 13 hours of holding vibrating handlebars and operating brakes for long periods of time and it took me nearly 20 minutes to change my tube. I also drank another Red Bull and got out the iPod.
I rolled through the remaining two miles of singletrack and turned up the road for the final climb. This was the steepest climb of the day, but while the bulk of the field did it in the blazing hot sun, I had cool evening shade. A course marshall on a motorcycle came looking for me, wondering if I was in fact persevering. I was the last to leave Aid Station #1 since the cutoff time was nearing. He hinted that perhaps I should turn back then said that my boyfriend had told him I was pretty stubborn. My position was that if I didn't finish this race it would be because they wouldn't let me continue and not because I voluntarily quit. I finally made it to the top at 7:55—25 minutes past the cutoff.
Uncertain of my fate, I traded my sunglasses for regular glasses and Scott ziptied my headlamp to my helmet. McKenzie, the course sweeper (the guy who rides down last to make sure no dead bodies remain on the trail), had agreed to wait for me despite encroaching darkness. Scott joined us also. I still wasn't sure I would be an official finisher, but felt jubilant that I would complete the course! I did make one brief stop to take in the vista from an open ridge, but we made it down just before dark. Just over 15.5 hours after we started, I was awarded my finisher hat—the one that said “DLBF” on the back (dead last but finished). The results aren't up yet, so I don't know how many finishers there were, but I know there were quite a few behind me who did not have the opportunity to complete course.
Two days later, I'm still a bit in awe that I actually finished. I'm slowly regaining full use of my left hand and the rest of me doesn't feel too bad!
Scott reluctantly went with me to fulfill his yearly race obligations. He did get to visit his friend Eugene and go for a mountain bike ride on the legendary trails of Oakridge, so there were some bonuses in it for him. He joined the volunteer crew at Aid Station #2 for most of the day and actually had a great time. He even said he would do it again. Maybe next year?
As we pulled into the Westfir School to check in for the race, one of my first thoughts was that everyone else seemed to know what this was all about while I didn't really have a clue what I was in for. Camps looked professionally set up; toned,fit mountain bikers rested on cots in the shade. It was the hottest day of the year so far at 100 degrees with near record heat predicted for the race. Luckily, we were staying with Scott's friend Eugene and got to avoid camping in the thunderstorm and taking cold showers in the gym. We did have to sit through an hour and a half long pre-race meeting in the sweltering gym, though. We learned about the course and received the standard “you could die” warnings. We met the hundreds of volunteers who do everything from cook our meals and manage aid stations to clear trees and debris from the trails and rebuild sections that were washed out from the record winter. The final course was in doubt until two days before the race since snow still remains at higher elevations. I won a nice sweatshirt in the drawing before we lined up for the pasta feed. One of the volunteers keeping track of people going through the food line didn't show up, so Eugene took over the task. After Scott and I finished eating, I took over for Eugene so he could eat as well—a little impromptu volunteer work to keep things rolling.
Lots of work to be done before the race still! We stopped at the grocery store for ice to put in my coolers to be dropped at the aid stations and some last-minute snacks. Back at Eugene's house, Scott took care of my bike (securing my number onto the handlebars, checking air pressure in tires and shocks, etc.) while I got my riding clothes ready, prepared food, and sorted the things I wanted into the cooler for the appropriate aid station. This would be Eugene's fourth Cream Puff; one of his roommates was camping on the course and the other would be heading out to Aid Station #4 early in the morning. It seemed like all of Oakridge was involved in this little mountain bike century ride! Finally in bed at 10:30, listening to the thunder crack as I imagined flash flooding on the trails and the hot sun steaming up the forest.
With a 3:45 alarm, we were at the start line at the covered bridge in Westfir at 5 a.m. for the mandatory check-in. At 5:30, the start horn sounded and the lead vehicle rolled out. We were off! I started near the rear of the 200-rider field with most of the 21 other women. It would be a long day—no reason to be in a hurry so soon!
The first three miles were flat pavement, a welcome warm-up before the 8-mile gravel road climb to Aid Station #2. The course was a figure 8 with Aid 2 in the middle; we would pass it four times. After the first climb, we would make two trips around the upper loop of the 8, then one and a half times around the lower loop to finish back at the covered bridge. I rode most of the first road climb,with two guys named Neil and Scott that I recognized from the Test of Endurance 50 two weeks ago. We chatted easily, staying in small gears to keep our legs fresh as long as possible. They stopped at the aid station, however, and I kept rolling. We had only been riding for 1.5 hours and I had plenty .of water and food to make it to the next stop.
Right after Aid 2, the fun really began! The road flattened and we turned left onto singletrack where we would climb, traverse and descend for over two hours . This was really fun riding except for some really tight switchbacks that I had to walk and the trip up Winberry Divide that seemed steep and relentless. I rode bits of it, but everyone else seemed to be walking and I followed suit. It wasn't much faster to ride the steep grade and it seemed prudent to save the legs. Then a fun descent to Aid Station #3 at mile 25. This was a mandatory stop to obtain a sticker proving you got here. Someone offered to take my bike while another volunteer grabbed my camelback to refill the water reservoir. What service! I expected to have to do all the work myself! The volunteers encouraged everyone to hydrate up for the grueling climb ahead. A couple miles up the road I realized this was the part I brought my iPod for and made a brief stop to put my headphones on. As Cake's tempo pepped me up, I cruised past rider after rider on the moderately steep winding grade. I was prepared for a couple hours of climbing and was pleasantly surprised to come around a turn and see Aid Station #4 after only an hour and a half! I had a cooler here with an extra water reservoir, some leftover pizza and a carton of chocolate milk. I switched out the bladder, drank the milk and ate some oranges and bananas from the aid station. A water hose siphened water out of an icy creek for a makeshift shower, so I cooled off before I rode out to the BeeGees' “Stayin' Alive.” It was encouraging to hear that it was only seven miles to Aid 2—the end of the first loop and almost halfway through the race. The grade was also less steep so I was able to keep a good pace and arrived at Aid 2 in only 45 minutes.
Since Aid 2 was by far the biggest in terms of supplies and support (including Scott and the cooler I dropped here), I planned a bit of a break at this point. Someone took my bike to lube the chain, I used a portapotty and applied more chamois cream (if you don't know about chamois cream, suffice it to say that it's the only thing that makes it possible to sit on a bike saddle for 15 hours!) and Scott brought me various food and drinks which I either consumed ravenously or rejected by making a face.
Rested and resupplied (more water, more Heed and Perpetuem), I set out for lap two. It was nice to know what was coming for the next 30 miles (as long as I didn't think too hard about the Winberry Divide hike) and the trail seemed easier the second time around. Another mandatory stop at Aid 3 for a second sticker. I tried to get moving quickly, however, shoveling in some fruit and downing my Red Bull while my camelback was topped off. More Heed and Perpetuem. With the iPod back on, I was feeling surprisingly strong for the second 18-mile uphill grind, again passing quite a few riders. I got a thumbs up from another guy wearing an iPod—we later chatted about how much it helped. Still, my body was starting to feel the effort. One moment, my hand was numb, my back ached and my butt was on fire; a moment later I felt invincible; then back to hurting again. This time I only stopped at Aid 4 long enough to trade my empty Perpetuem bottle for a full one of Cytomax. Since eating is hard for me when I'm hot and tired, the liquid calories and electrolytes were critical; it's important to take things in continuously and not wait until you feel like you need it.
I finished the loop in 4.5 hours, the same amount of time it took me the first time around. I felt good about this, was still feeling strong and decided not to rest at Aid 2 this time. With only 28 more miles to ride, it seeemed certain that I would finish! A quick lube and resupply (more Heed and Perpetuem for Energizer-Bunny-like endurance) and I set out for eight miles of trail I hadn't seen yet, but almost all of it downhill to the covered bridge. The hard part would be leaving the finish line to do another loop! Three women passed me on the downhill—bummer, but I can probably catch them on the climb. My hands were aching from so much time on the handlebars and working the brakes.
When I finally arrived at Aid Station #1 by the finish line, a race official was telling the other women that we should consider our chances of making it to the top of the climb by the 7:30 p.m. cutoff time. We were told that if we were a few minutes past the cutoff time but looked strong we would be allowed to continue. I thought my chances were good and so did they. We weren't quitting now! After a quick bathroom break and with a full camelback, I rode out in pursuit of the other women who had already taken off. A mile later I wondered why my bike felt funny and realized I had a flat. My first thought was that I was done and should just hike the mile back to the finish. But I had come this far and wasn't giving up easily! My left hand could barely function after 13 hours of holding vibrating handlebars and operating brakes for long periods of time and it took me nearly 20 minutes to change my tube. I also drank another Red Bull and got out the iPod.
I rolled through the remaining two miles of singletrack and turned up the road for the final climb. This was the steepest climb of the day, but while the bulk of the field did it in the blazing hot sun, I had cool evening shade. A course marshall on a motorcycle came looking for me, wondering if I was in fact persevering. I was the last to leave Aid Station #1 since the cutoff time was nearing. He hinted that perhaps I should turn back then said that my boyfriend had told him I was pretty stubborn. My position was that if I didn't finish this race it would be because they wouldn't let me continue and not because I voluntarily quit. I finally made it to the top at 7:55—25 minutes past the cutoff.
Uncertain of my fate, I traded my sunglasses for regular glasses and Scott ziptied my headlamp to my helmet. McKenzie, the course sweeper (the guy who rides down last to make sure no dead bodies remain on the trail), had agreed to wait for me despite encroaching darkness. Scott joined us also. I still wasn't sure I would be an official finisher, but felt jubilant that I would complete the course! I did make one brief stop to take in the vista from an open ridge, but we made it down just before dark. Just over 15.5 hours after we started, I was awarded my finisher hat—the one that said “DLBF” on the back (dead last but finished). The results aren't up yet, so I don't know how many finishers there were, but I know there were quite a few behind me who did not have the opportunity to complete course.
Two days later, I'm still a bit in awe that I actually finished. I'm slowly regaining full use of my left hand and the rest of me doesn't feel too bad!
Scott reluctantly went with me to fulfill his yearly race obligations. He did get to visit his friend Eugene and go for a mountain bike ride on the legendary trails of Oakridge, so there were some bonuses in it for him. He joined the volunteer crew at Aid Station #2 for most of the day and actually had a great time. He even said he would do it again. Maybe next year?
3 comments:
Woohoo you have a blog now!!! Congrats on the finish!
Z
More detail damnit!
And can you explain your boyfriend's wussyness in not joining you? A man with long hair could have..
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