Wausau24 2014

Pre race light figuring outing

     I have been planning on racing Wausua 24 since early this year, but somehow it showed up before I was fully ready.  I had been doing a lot of riding, but the fun kind, not the training kind.  In fact I remember realizing that it was coming up soon and decided to go do a long ride on the road.  Thus starting and concluding my endurance training.

Wausau in the morning

     Christina and I drove up Saturday morning, and for some reason I was awfully grumpy for a guy that was about to spend the entire weekend riding his bike.  That's just how I get sometimes I guess, I don't like rushing to a race, and next year we will be showing up the day before instead.  

     Once we got up toward the venue my mood instantly changed.  I felt good, it was foggy, and cool.  I could smell the pines, and feel the excitement. Something fun was about to happen.

Why is everyone in such a hurry?

     The start was pretty crazy, I don't know the total number of riders, but trust me, it was a lot.  I sprinted hard in the lemans start and ended up with a great start.  Top 10ish, which when it comes to racing single track in the woods getting out front of the slow guys and bottlenecks early is always a bonus.

     I pushed hard through my first lap, then backed off a little anticipating a long ride.  All was going well till about 4 hours in when the heat was getting to me and I got a flat.  The flat happened to be in an area of no shade and I got hot.  I drank two bottles while changing the flat then, refilled at the checkpoint and drank another two before getting back to the pits.

     I put in a couple more good laps, but something was coming undone.  Around dinner time I was ready to quit, Chris Schotz was also having a hard time and said "if you go back out, I'll go back out." I changed my clothes and was getting ready to go back out, but Chris seemed to be hoping for a partner to drop out with.  We both went back out.

     About half way through that lap Chris stopped and said he was feeling "bonky."  I laughed thinking "bonky" was awhile ago, we are trashed.  He told me to go on without him, he would finish the lap, but not without stopping for some brats with the spectators.  

     I did a couple more laps and stopped in the pits to get some food.  Christina was sleeping by this time as it was 2 am ish.  I grabbed a sandwich and sat down, then fell asleep.  I didn't want to sleep but it really wasn't up to me anymore.  The uncomfortable chair was too comfortable. I ended up sleeping for 4 hours.

     I woke up and rode two more laps to finish out the race.  I was the last finisher in the single speed class.  Considering how long I slept, I didn't finish too poorly.  I got 6th in single speed solo, and 15th solo overall.

I spent the entire weekend riding the northwoods of Wisconsin, and it was absolutely awesome.  I forgot how bad it hurts to ride that long, but when I look back the night laps were really the most fun.  I will be doing more rides under the headlights.

-David