My cycling orginally started as simply a way to get some exercise and loose some weight. I had been overweight for the majority of my life and in October of '98 I went to my doctor take a routine flight physical. During the physical my doctor did NOT ask me how much I weighed. Instead, he actually made me stand on a scale. I am 5' 10" and on that October day, I weighed in at 224 lbs. I had to face facts, I WAS FAT.
It was the "trigger" I needed and I figured that it was time to do something about it. BTW, I'm now about 162 lbs.
So I got my old Vitus (with the downtube shifters) down from the garage rafters, dusted it off, and started riding again. Not much at first. Maybe the Sunday ride, and then maybe once more during the week. At years end, I had shed a few pounds and was starting to see some positive results for my efforts. For my first riding goal, I decided that I would "tackle" Mt. Diablo (East San Francisco Bay Area) on January 1, 1999. So I showed up and rode. Not fast. My goal was 2/3 of the mountain. And if, by chance, I should make it to the top….why that would be just fine with me. I was fortunate to make some new friends that morning (Dick Allen (my 508 Crew Chief) and others). I started out riding with Dick, but it soon became apparent that I wasn't going to hang with him for too long. So I just set a pace that I could "live" with. I stopped at the ranger station and got some more water and some rest, and commiserated with other Delta Pedalers cyclists who had done the same. Dave Stoeffler warned me to "save something for the end". I was feeling pretty good still, so I set out for the summit. Slowly, in my lowest gear, but without giving up, I kept at it. After a while I came to the last "200 yards". WOW. I'd never ridden anything that steep in my life. Dave wasn't kidding. I thought to myself, "well, here goes nothin'." I was about half way up, grinding for all I was worth, when a car pulled up behind me. I was so unnerved by this that I clicked out of my pedals and stopped so that the car could pass me. So now I'm half way up the monster hill, thinking, "wonderful, just how in the &#%!&@$ am I going to get clicked back in and get going?" I considered going back to the parking lot and starting that last part over again. No way. I positioned the bike sort of sideways on the hill, gave a mighty shove, managed to click in immediately, and hammered my way to the top. I'd made it. I was totally psyched! I'd never done a ride that hard before. Dick was already there to congratulate me as were many others.
Well, I think it was that ride that "set the tone". I figured if I could do one hard ride, maybe I could do others. My next riding goal? I set my sights on completing my first century. It would be the Wine Country Century on May 1st, 1999. I started to increase my riding frequency (3 to 5 times per week) as well as increasing my riding mileage by about 10-20% per week and got myself up to 90-130 miles per week. The last BIG hurdle to overcome before that century was the mental hurdle. Could I go a hundred miles on my bicycle? These other Delta Pedalers cyclists that talked about centuries that they'd already done just impressed the heck out me. I decided I needed to get one or two "long rides" under my belt prior to this "century thing". So one day in late March '99, I set out by myself to do a 70 mile ride (my longest yet). I'd read that if you could "comfortably" complete a 70 mile ride then you were probably ready for a century. 4 hours and 46 minutes later (ride time), I had a 76.8 mile ride completed and was still feeling human. Next up, the 75 mile loop of the Top Hat Classic (4/24/99). Again, I felt pretty good afterward both physically and mentally.
The Wine Country Century on 5/1/99 turned out to be a marvelous experience. I started out by myself, but ran into Mike and Rynie Quan (members of the Delta Pedalers) and spent most of the day riding with them. Rynie even took my picture. During the ride, I started thinking about my next riding goal. I'd heard about this thing called "The Death Ride." I knew it was in the mountains and that it had lots of climbing. I started talking to Mike about the Death Ride during the Wine Country Century. Asking questions, probing for Death Ride info. At the last rest stop, I was convinced that I should at least try 2 or 3 of the 5 passes. I asked Mike what he thought of that plan. I sort of remember an answer something like, "sign up for all 5 passes, you're strong enough to do it." I was stunned! If Mike (who had done the Death Ride, and who also knew my riding capability), thought I could do it, then maybe, just maybe, I could. We finished the century and I felt great; very mentally refreshed. What a rewarding experience. I was grinnin' big time. I enjoyed some post ride food and camaraderie with my fellow Delta Pedalers and reflected on how my training had paid off. I would go home and sign up for the Death Ride. So Mike is the first guy I blame for my transition to double centuries. Thank you Mike.
So now I'm motivated to be ready for the DeathRide. I continue to ride lots, increasing my mileage at that steady 10-20% per week. I put in another century on 5/22/99; the Sunrise Century in Lodi. I'm now riding 150-200 miles per week. Knowing that the DeathRide is 129 miles, I decide I need to do a ride at least that long, more for mental prep than anything. I do the Manteca Century on 6/13/99 and after riding the 100 mile loop, I go back out and ride the small family loop for a total that day of 132 miles.
After this, I decide that I will probably need a triple chainring to help me get through all of the climbing on the DeathRide. So I go see Brian at Brentwood Cyclery and he gets one ordered for me and we get it installed. Two weeks later (6/26/99), I ride the 200 km (126 miles) distance in the Tour de Garlique.
On Saturday, July 3, 1999 (1 week prior to "D" day) Mike Quan, Tom Stallings, and I show up at the base of Mt. Diablo and proceed to climb from the base to the summit a total of 3 times. Heck, six months earlier I was completely thrilled just to get up the thing once. But, I'm told that if I can do Diablo 3 times, then I'm probably ready for the DeathRide. 5 hours 37 minutes of ride time and 68.8 miles later, we've done Diablo 3 times. For the first time, I'm now starting to believe that I just might be able to finish this DeathRide.
Friday, July 9, 1999: I head up to Markleeville. Arrive Turtle Rock Park. It's only noon and cyclists are just starting to arrive, but I'm already amazed at the level of activity. This DeathRide thing looks like a big deal. I stand in line, pick up my number and "goody" bag and then drive back to Placerville to stay with friends.
Saturday, July 10, 1999: Blastoff! I get up at 2:30 a.m. - can't sleep anymore anyway….to revved up. Drive to Markleeville. Arrive 4:00 a.m. Ride starts at 5:30. I figure, I'll doze for 30 minutes in my car and then start getting ready. Close my eyes and all of a sudden it's 5:00 a.m. and I'm not even close to being ready. Jump out of my car, start throwing shoes on, vest, gloves, putting wheels on bike, mad at myself for oversleeping and now having to rush, totally disorganized, upset stomach…damn! Jump on bike and pedal away at 5:31 a.m. Hundreds, maybe already thousands of bicycles on the road. Very impressive sight! Run into Mike, Tom, and Brett on first climb going up Monitor Pass. Ride with them to the top and first rest stop, collect my 1 pass sticker. Cool! 1 down, 4 to go. Hey, this is fun. The volunteers are great, there are lots of folks just standing around cheering the cyclists on. Neat!
Descend the back side of Monitor Pass. Already there are cyclists starting the 2nd climb, must be really strong riders. Get to the bottom, get my 2 pass sticker. Rest stop. Start 2nd climb up the back side of Monitor. This is where the famous "water bottle tag team" operates. I don't know what else to call them. As you are climbing up, a guy will take your water bottle and refill it. Then he sprints ahead to hand it to you as you ride past. There's about 20-25 of these guys doing this. I found myself wishing I had more time to watch this spectacle. Finish the Monitor climb. 2 down, 3 to go.
Back down the front side of Monitor Pass. Left turn at the bottom. Start heading toward Ebbetts Pass. This is arguably the most scenic part of the ride. I pass the east fork of the Carson river and the Silver Creek campground. As I'm climbing Ebbetts, I see these 2 guys sitting in their lawn chairs with a cooler, just watching cyclists. I come back past them several hours later (after completing pass numbers 3 and 4), and they are still sitting in exactly the same spot doing exactly the same thing. Pretty cheap entertainment!
After completing Ebbetts for the second time, it's time for lunch. The lunch stop is great. Lots of riders, lots of camaraderie. As I pull into the lunch stop, George Pinney (Ish "Macska" Makk's 508 Crew Chief) is just getting ready to leave. I have a very brief chat with him, telling him that this is my first DeathRide. He wishes me luck, and off he goes. Another strong rider who's ahead of me. I eat some food, drink some water, and back on the bike for the 5th and final pass.
Now I'm at what I consider the most mentally challenging part of the DeathRide. Before you even get to the Carson Pass climb you must first ride through the long hot valley, back through Markleeville, (where there are hundreds of spectators lining the streets clapping and cheering for us riders…I'm overwhelmed) past the start/finish line. At least I can drop some gear off at my car.
Although it's not the steepest climb (that honor belongs to Ebbetts) I think that Carson Pass is the toughest because, it's hot, and my legs are tired. I've already ridden 93 miles and I still have 36 miles and one more climb to go. I set an "easy" pace for myself. I just want to finish now. I've made the cutoff time at Picketts Junction easily, so barring some kind of mechanical difficulty, I figure that I've got this thing licked. Up to the summit of Carson Pass and into the last rest stop…hallelujah!! I make darn sure that I get my 5 pass sticker and then I find Mike, Tom, and Brett and enjoy some well deserved ice cream. It's time to finish this thing.
Fast decent down Carson, sometimes reaching 50 m.p.h. Can't do this on the other descents…too technical, to many curves, but Carson is straight and long. All the way down to mile 125 where the cruelest joke of the day awaits. After 100+ miles, and almost 16,000 feet of climbing it's actually an uphill ride to the finish at Turtle Rock Park. It's only about 4 miles but it just seems mean.
I pull into the Turtle Rock Park campground with one huge smile pasted on my grimy face. Rynie is there and takes my picture. Thanks Rynie.
I've done it. I've done the 1999 DeathRide! What a feeling. I've never done anything this physically demanding in my life. I am beyond "stoked"! I collect my 5 pass finisher pin and sign the 5 pass finisher poster that gets displayed in the office of the Markleeville chamber of commerce.
I attribute my success to the two "T's": Training and my trusty Triple chainring (a 30/40/50). I now routinely ride with the triple. My knees seem to thank me for it later.
Two weeks later, Saturday, 7/24/99. I'm out for a ride and happen to run into George Pinney again at the mid level ranger station on Mt. Diablo. We chat briefly about the DeathRide and I tell my success story with a large grin. George looks at me deadpan and says, "Well, you know, if you can do the DeathRide, you can do a double." Once again, I'm floored. I'd never even considered doing a double century. The few cyclists I knew that had completed doubles were some kind of non-humanoid alien life form that I could never hope to emulate. But the seed had been planted.
So George is the second guy I blame for my transition to double centuries. Thanks George.
So I get on my home computer and I start to look for info on double centuries. My wife thinks (and still does) I have gone off the deep end (or in this case, over the handlebars, landing on my head). I "discover" this website:
It has a complete listing of all of the double centuries in California that make up the "Triple Crown Series". It also has training tips and other such useful information. The '99 double season had already ended. The "double season" used to run the same as a traditional school year, basically, September to July (Now it is calendar year). The 2000 season got started in September of '99 with the Heartbreak Double in Palmdale and finished up with the Eastern Sierra Double in Bishop.. I decide to sign up and train for Heartbreak. It's listing?: Difficulty Rating: Extremely High. This doesn't put me off. I figure, if I start out with a hard one, then the rest will seem easier. Yeah, right!. They're all hard. Some are harder than others.
By now I'm putting in 200-250 miles per week on the bike. I never ride more than 6 days in a row. Quite often, I will take 2 or 3 days off the bike after a hard week. My work schedule takes me out of town 1/2 of every month. When I'm in the hotel, I cross train and also ride the stationary bike. I also ride some more centuries just to stay motivated.
I
finish my first double in 13 hours and 45 minutes (total time including
rest stops). I'm quite pleased to have it done. So now I'm
thinking, what next? I go back to: http://www.caltriplecrown.com/
and discover that there were a total of 14 of these things on the 2000
schedule. I figure, heck, why not try to do them all. Seems
like a worth cycling goal.
As
a matter of fact, any cycling goals are worthy ones. I think that
the key for me was/is to have a goal. It helps to keep me motivated
and focused on my riding.
The
thing I tell others, who ask me about doing doubles, is this: if
you've done centuries, then I can tell you that the major difference between
finishing a century and finishing a double century is not physical, it's
mostly mental. For me, finishing a double is about staying comfortable
on the bike. If you can go out for longer rides (80-100 miles) and
your "touch points" (i.e. hands, butt, and feet) stay comfortable, then
you can probably complete a double. Comfort on the bike is everything
after mile 100. Does this imply that I'm not sore during and after
the ride? NO. I get the same aches and pains that everyone
else does. Sore butt, achy neck, numb fingers, numb toes, all of
the "traditional" cycling aches. But I now "ride through" them and
I do lots of stretching, both on the bike and at rest stops to give myself
some relief from those "hot spots".
Well,
I didn't finish ALL 14. I completed 13 double centuries. I
finally had to miss one (T.O.T.F. in early June '00) due to a sore knee.
A very classic overuse injury.
Some
of the other things that I've incorporated into my riding/training are:
1.
I've read just about everything I can get my hands on about endurance cycling
and athletics.
2.
I've asked other experienced riders and athletes everything I can think
of. I have gained lots of insight in this manner. I've been
fortunate to run into some very knowledgeable people.
3.
I've incorporated some upper body weight training. A stronger torso
adds to comfort on the bike.
4.
I go see Nonni Makk for a wonderful therapeutic massage a couple times
per month.
5.
Most of my reading now revolves around nutrition. I've come to discover
that you truly are what you eat. My food choices on the bike have
evolved during the doubles that I've completed. I now completely
avoided anything that has refined simple sugars in it. During a double
I mostly live on a drink mix product called Sustained
Energy. I also use Hammer
Gel and take quite a few supplements.
Both the Sustained Energy and the Hammer Gel are made up of complex carbohydrates.
A much better fuel source for me. A much better fuel source PERIOD!
I still find century rides to be quite rewarding. Next year, I'll be doing less doubles and more centuries. But, I freely admit that the reason I do these doubles is that I find them "doubly" rewarding. It has been a tremendous sense of accomplishment. You've read that I did my first century only a year ago. You're closer to a double than you think!
One last thing. No matter how much faster/stronger I get, I still find riders that are faster/stronger than me and riders who are not quite as fast as me. I rode the Devil Mountain Double (one tough ride) in 15 hrs. 8 min. My 508 training partner, Ish Makk, rode it in 13+18, almost 2 full hours faster than me. I've seen the results and my time put me in the top 20….yet I was 2 hours slower than Ish's 3rd place. So I still have plenty of room for improvement. My next cycling goal? When I grow up, I want to be Ish!
So it was that 2000 season of Double Centuries that I began to think about the Furnace Creek 508. I would see riders at these doubles wearing their 508 jerseys and I would think, "How did these guys ever go 508 miles on a bicycle?" And, "What a cool jersey, I have GOT to get me one of those." Every time I came across a rider wearing a 508 jersey, I would ask as many questions as I possibly could. Pretty soon, the event started to seem "do-able". And the rest, as they say...
Hey, if I can do it, YOU CAN!
Training & Events and other Links:
I now belong to the Diablo Cylists. They have great training rides every weekend.
I get most of my event info from the Western States Ride Calendar.
The official California Triple Crown website of Double Centuries and Schedule.
My ride fuel of choice: E-Caps / Hammer Nutrition