Originally Posted by
Ttoc6
Probably my biggest day on bike to date. I got a very last minute entry to the Gran Fondo that accompanies the stage of the Tour of Utah from a friend. (I did it last year, but hadn't planned ot this year because f paying 150$ to ride on open roads).
Anyways, 107miles, 10k feet of climbing. 383 TSS. I reallllly suffered going up Little Cottonwood canyon. Heat + I put in a good effort on Guardsmans. And my team was greatly annoying me. We were supposed to ride it together, but it ended up being like 3 of us pulling the other 35 and then waiting FOREVER at aid stations. I was using this as a dry run for LoToJa nutrition, so I was not taking anything and it gets real old standing around watching people eat sub sandwhiches when we should be riding our bikes. I eventually just told the group I'd meet them half way up the last climb so we could roll through together (Big sponsorship thing). Just wish I would have done that in the beginning and got to ride with people that are actually my speed and who I normally ride with.
After I finished riding lcc and clocked in my time (much worse than last year on account of a much harder course and having to ride basically the entire thing solo), I grabbed a small bite of recovery and then did laps shuttling teammates up the last 2k. That got the extra 6 miles and about 1000 feet to kick me over.
Food, beer, watching a pretty exciting finish, hanging out in kit for way too long.. The whole schebang. Then I met Rich Hincapie and Bobby Julich (very in passing) as one of my friends and teammates is working a potential business venture with them. A good day. Now off to eat all the calories.
EDIT: I forgot to mention... I've never seen as many pinarellos in one place as i did at this ride.
Kudos on a huge ride.
Back when I did those things, I made a plan to ride an organized century with some friends, our stated intent was to work together, post a good time and finish together, unlike the previous year. About five miles in, I came off the front trying to rotate to the back. The group slowed down and l was stuck riding in the traffic lane. After several attempts, I saw the writing on the wall: the idea was for me to tow them around most of the day, after which I’m sure I’d get dropped on the last long 8ish mile climb because I’d be tired and they’d be fresh- ie similar to how it went the year prior. So I just started riding my own solo pace for the distance, dropped the group and figured I’d assimilate into some other group. Never happened, I skipped the first SAG stop, got ahead of the organized ride entirely and rode 80 miles solo. Lol the only group I caught it turned out to be a local club ride heading down the PCH, not until I was in the middle of their pace line did I realize they were unassociated with the organized ride. Got a pretty fast 20 miles in along the Pacific Ocean though. This was back when I was doing endurance racing, so I was in a different mindset than my friends were. Lol my friend who brought a triathlete friend had a similar experience, she very rarely could get him to take a pull, mostly she just towed him around all day and rode 80 miles out in the wind.