Wilderness 101: Whisky Tango Foxtrot!

Ah the feeling of my first DNF! How it really sucks!

Wilderness 101 was not very kind on race day. I had done a ton of training leading into this race in the hope that my performance would be better than Cohutta back in April. But you just never know what will happen on race day...NEVER!

The venue for this race is pretty epic. The landscape is awesome to look at and damn demanding to ride. Coming from Raleigh, (where the idea of actually riding up mountains is not going to happen), when I hit the climbs my legs rebel big time. This doesn't mean that I can't climb, it just means that my climbs are a slow grind instead of a Lance style speedfeast!

The race started off great from Coburn park in PA with about 300+ riders toeing the line on a cool and comfortable Saturday morning. We had a lead out pace that went through some small town roads that led us onto a fire road and the first climb of the day. It felt like I was blowing up and I was starting to go backwards in the pack which was alarming. It took me a good 40 mins until my legs really came around and I started to feel good to go! At the top of the climb was a bombing downhill on fire road where I made up for the time I lost on the climb.

The descent was fast and on gravel which made for some hairy turns. Some riders misjudged in front of me and off into the wood they went. Tony, who was a little bit behind me, said he had seen those two guys walking back up the fire road so they must have had some big troubles.

After the descent were a few more climbs before the 1st aide station. Then we turned into the woods on some single track that was slightly technical because of the rocky terrain. I was still feeling good at this point and continued to hold my pace. We did some more back and forth with the fire road and single track and then had a screaming single track decent on a crazy rock cluttered overgrown path. If you thought you could relax on the down hills at this event you were WRONG!

Not only were the single track descents fast, but the rocks where everywhere. From big bobbles to slippery scree...and most of it hidden in the underbrush and overgrowth! Some serious shit here folks...!! This would have been a great place to stock up on water bottles since I must have seen at least a dozen...and one with the cage and all!!! Hummm!

But out of the woods and onto another fire road that led into aide station 2. I was totally on a great pace at 13+ MPH. I stopped for about 6 mins to refill water and the nutrition in my drop bag. So quick stop and we rolled out heading to aide station 3. I was with a group of about 4 riders and leaving out I asked the guy I was with what his GPS was reading and he had us at 35.8 miles...so we were moving and had what I though was 24 miles to go to the next stop!

It wasn't long before we hit 6 mile climb. This was a non stop fire road climb with some switch backs that reminded my of an Alps stage in the tour. I was going steady when all of a sudden the walls came tumbling down.

My HR climbed into the 160's...NOT good!

My power dropped to a granny with her walker...NOT good!

My gut shut down and started sloshing what was in there already...NOT good!

My stomach started to cramp up..NOT good again!!

So WTF? Everything was going awesome...the planets seemed to be all in line and standing at attention and shit....WTF?

I stopped and took a little breather and watched with angry eyes as rider after rider rolled past...even the FAT GUYS! WTF!!

So now it was a game of survival. I was in the smallest gear I had...grinding slower and slower hoping the climb would end. Finally, FINALLY, the climb ended and we turned into the woods again on some single track for the descent.

I thought I would now have some recovery time and maybe get myself back into it but I was sadly mistaken. This downhill was even worse than the earlier ones. I mean white-knucking and out of the saddle for the whole deal. I don't think my HR dropped more than 10 beats. More big rocks...more scree..logs...people...I mean shit throw in a bear why don't you an call it a day!! I would have welcomed being slapped off my ride by smokey....I was already smoked anyway!

At this point I already threw in the towel. I just needed to get to aide station 3 so I can make it official. I was out of water....bonked big time...and my gut was still sloshing its contents with every move...so I was truly DONE!! Stick a fork in me bro...WELL DONE ANYONE?

By the time I limped into the aide station I was in bad shape...not sweating any longer I knew I was one step away from a bus ride to the ER so I called it and sat with a cold towel on my head and began my water sipping regiment to get my hydration back in check. It took me 7.5 hrs of sipping fluids and taking in some food before I was able to piss...I was DEHYDRATED folks...with a capital DUH!!!

Lessons learned:

1. Never trust the stated distance between aide stations...it's like the weatherman, sometimes he's right and sometimes he's not...most of the time he's not!!

2. When someone DNFs because they are too tired for the next downhill section it's a tough course...so be prepared for that and practice those downhills!!

3. Always, ALWAYS, bring your iodine tablets to a hundie...just in case...I crossed a lot of little steams that would have been right on time!

4. Find out in advance if there will be an EMT unit on site...if not, Uh, know where you are so you can call for extraction!

5. DNFing is one of the worst feelings I have ever had...now I'm pissed...now I want to kick Wilderness' ass...TWICE!

Next year I have to go back and do this race. Not only to redeem myself by finishing this one, but because it really was a great race venue...so check it out!!