I signed up for Unbound Gravel XL (i.e. 350 version) in 2019 for the 2020 race. Well, we all know what happened in 2020. The race was canceled eventually and I deferred to 2021 and then deferred again to 2022. Somewhere in there we registered for 2021, but then got the option to defer which I took. But, when I did register I did so for the 200 mile race. When I registered again for 2022 I didn’t realize I was doing so for the 200 mile race. Confused yet? So for 8 months or so I was training for 350. I go to check the roster to see who else is racing and note that my name is not there. I inquire and was informed I signed up for the 200. I request to be changed and was denied “because it’s too late.” I reach out to some industry friends to see if Lifetime can be persuaded, but “tracking is already set up, so no.” All of this was disappointing as it’s really not more than a database change and would have taken less time than it did to write this long paragraph.
The 200 it is. It took a few days to get my head off the old challenge and on to the new. I really just wanted to push myself hard and I’ll just have to go with more intensity than distance this time. First world problems.
The start is crazy. 2500+ racers with at least another 1000 spectators/staff/volunteers/police/ect in downtown Emporia (normal population 25k-ish). I’m having all the old prerace vibes of nervousness, adrenaline building, & eagerness. I work on my deep breathing. 2 min before the start they announce there is a train coming through (we cross those tracks about 1/3rd of a mile in) so we’ll wait until passes. More deep breathing. Finally at 6:06 it’s GO time.
The first 10 miles is fast. I try to focus on my form: hip, spine, elbows, light on my feet. I glace at the GPS and see 18 mph and 78.5 % of FTP. I’m also getting passed by hundreds of riders. I remind myself that I trained for the long haul and not a drag race. Keep it steady and you’ll be fine. I found one other rider with the same mentality and we, without a verbal agreement, worked together for another 7-8 miles. I lost him when the climbing started.
At 8 am the drizzle started. It was overcast with a 40 something percent chance of rain and/or thunderstorms. The latter never came where I was thankfully. The drizzle was welcome at first as it kept the dust down. But it also gave me a chill and I didn’t layer enough to keep warm. I always ride better when I’m warm to hot.
The miles ticked off and the landscape gave way from farms to what the great plains must have looked like hundreds of years ago minus the bison and elk herds. Lush green grass for as long as you could see, which at times was for miles. The green was only broken by ribbons of gravel roads. The natural soil here is very rocky, so are the roads. My Rodeo Labs Flannimal outfitted with Redshift Sports suspension stem and seat post were great for smoothing out everything. We headed mostly south through the first 85 miles which was into the wind. It wasn’t bad most of the time, but it was there slowly grinding us all down.
The smart and/or strong got into pacelines to draft and hide from the wind. I was smart but due to the chill of rain and wind I was not feeling strong. This left me to fight the wind on my own. I kept saying to myself “there’s no one to draft on the EDT (.” Keep it steady and you’ll be fine. I finally made it to the first SAG at 77 miles and even managed to jump in a group for the last 2 miles.
The SAGs are organized chaos. There’s support for hire & there’s colored zones for individual support. I had the later organized through friends from Birmingham. Gina was great. I had never met her, but she knew her role and did it well. I was a bit slow in the SAG as I had to refill bottle vs just grab new ones (due to planning for the 350 which is self-supported). I loaded up with Torq Nutrition, reapplied my Chamois Butt’r Ultra, and coated my legs and lower back with CBD Stat. A quick nature break and I was off. Maybe 7 minute total.
I felt better as I left with some extra calories in me and I was able to get match pace with another ride to share a draft with. These alliances are short lived at Unbound though. I was climbing ok, but carrying a good pace on the flats was more of an effort than I seemed to be able to muster. This was when the doubts crept in. I was ticking over 100 miles now. I’m 7 hours in. I should be feeling good. I usually feel great about 6 hours in, but I was feeling mostly flat. Not good, but not horrible either. Keep it steady and you’ll be fine.
I was wearing my Chamois Butt’r kit and during this section 4 riders ask me if I had any to share. Luckily for them I did have some packets. I was using the new Ultra formula which for me lasts 4-6 hours, so the packets were just in case I needed to top up. I made a few peoples day with the spares.
I made the 115 mile water stop as the sun was coming out. I took a little extra time to rinse the bike and myself as the evidence of heavier rains were showing on the roads, my bike and my legs. I loaded an extra water bottle since this was the longest leg between resupplies and with the sun coming out it seemed a good idea to have a little extra. I used the new Torq Cola drink which helped a ton as it’s got a good bit of caffeine. I also reapplied the CBD Stat Muscle Roll-on. I reloaded with Champis Butt’r Ultra more out of habit then necessity, but better safe than sorry. Lastly I peeled on the long sleeve. It was warming up.
The sun was full on now, I was headed mostly north with a tail wind, and finally me legs started to come around. This took me out of my mental funk quickly. Keep it steady and you’ll be fine was no longer the mantra. I was getting after it. The next 10 miles I was passing others and feeling really good. I looked at the elevation profile and saw a good bit of climbing coming and I was excited about that. The route made a left turn into a rare tree lined road with a slight decent. I saw mud and bodies for as far up the road as I could see.
I rode on as long as I could. Maybe a quarter mile, but I passed a lot of riders scraping mud, cursing, and/or carrying their bikes. Eventually the traffic and the buildup of the sticky mud was too much, and I joined them in the scraping and walking. I’ve been in this situation before. It might last a mile, it might last 10. You never know. Relentless forward progression is the only focus. I can control that. Let go of everything else. The mud stuck to my shoes and made them so heavy, so I marched on.
This muddy section lasted a mile or so and ended with a creek filled with riders trying to get their bike rideable again. Mud/paint sticks were clutch here. I rinsed a bit and moved on as quickly as possible. Time to get after it again. My only goal at this point was to finish before the sunset. It was an arbitrary goal, but motivation is everything.
Soon after the mud, the climbing started again. I linked up with yet another partner and we traded pulls for several miles until the climbs kicked up a bit steeper and he lost contact. Knowing I was on my own now I checked my form: hips, spine, elbows; ripped through the rest of the climbing. The decent on the other side was welcome but short lived. I mostly pass others from here to the 160 mile SAG in Madison, but gave up a bit of time stopping to lube my chain a few times. I figured 30 second to relube was worth saving the chain life (they are hard to come by these days) and effort saved to over come the fiction.
At the Madison SAG Gina was quick with the water and I was out faster than the previous stops. I took just enough water & calories too cover about 3 hrs. I 2 hr 45 min to make the sunset goal. I had 2 liters of fluids, 2 gels, 1 with caffeine. I left anything not total necessary. My average speed had dropped to 14 mph after the mud. I needed to get about 16 mph to make the finish my goal. Get after it.
The elevation profile looks pretty flat through here but that is greatly deceiving. Endless rollers is more like it. I was feeling really good about making the cut off with some time to spare. I made a right saw mud and bodies again. “NOOOOOOOOoooooooo!” I immediately decided to ride as far as I could. Unlike the previous section this was muddy rollers, not flat. I dropped a few gears (I’m loving the ease of AXS electronic shifting) and spun up the first bit and over the top. I aimed for the wettest looking mud hoping it would be less sticky. “On your left.” “On the right, I’m rolling!” Everyone else was walking, trying scrap mud, or shouldering their bike, but I wanted to keep moving at all costs. This was a calculated risk. I could crash, I could rip a derailleur off, I could make it through with out walking at all. The latter happened. There was a creek crossing that hit at full speed and at angle to get the most splash time to clear as much mud as possible. It worked pretty well.
I spent the next 35 miles checking my form, doing the sunset math, and pushing my pace as far as a dare without blowing myself up. I popped the Torq Latte gel and within 5 minutes I felt the boost caffeine gives (or the pain it blocks). The rollers felt endless. More math. It’s going to be close. Get after it!
8 miles out I started fade and backed off slightly for a mile. I was debating on do I work with someone and save a bit of energy or keep drilling it and keep the pace up as best I can. As I crested the next roller a local was in the middle of the road with offerings: “Coke or Beer?” Coke please. Ah, caffeine. I chugged about half the can before the carbonation was threating to come back up. I kept it down. Hands in the drops and get after it. 5 miles out I turn into the wind. There’s riders just ahead, but with the wind I can’t close the gap without blowing up. Now it’s keep it steady and get after at the same time.
5 miles out and I find a new partner. We trade pulls through the flats. The big rollers are behind us. I’m noting the colors of the sunset. It’s going to be close. I should also note the families that had been out through the last 10 miles with signs, cow bells, cooler, hand ups, and most importantly encouragement. I’ve been to a lot of races over the last 20+ years, but this one gets all the spirit awards. Before, after, and during this area goes over the top for the racers.
2 miles to go and the two riders I’m with leave me like I was threat to their 600th placing. I had nothing for the last 100 year kicker into Emporia. There was some friendly faces at the top with offers of Fireball, but I declined. I’m still not sure I can make my goal. I check my form and get the legs turning over. It’s flat to the finish. The cut off for sunset is 8:50pm. I’m entering the Emporia State campus and it’s 8:42. I cross over 12th street into the downtown strip and the crowd is thick and cheering. I zip up my jersey like a pro and soak it up.
I lifted my arms to get some more out of the crowd and they obliged. I wanted to cross the finish with my arms raised, but I thought better of it with the timing mat speed bump and I was just spent. The caffeine and adrenaline were leaving my body quickly. I pulled to a stop. It was over. 8:48pm. 200 miles. 14 hrs 40 mins for 601th place overall.
My long time friend and Chamois Butt’r creator, Steve, was waiting at the end of the finish shoot asking me what I needed. I couldn’t say just yet. Water? Finishing right after me was Greg from Birmingham. I borrowed his phone since mine was dead (later I found 142 pocket videos I took during the race that ate my battery, 142!) to check on Audrey. We guessed she was 45ish minutes out, but my mathing was questionable at this point.
I handed the phone back and headed for a curb. I got light headed and cold real quick. For the next hour I chugged water, ate pizza, wrapped up in a wool blanket that Steve found and waited on Audrey. Her goal was 16 hours. Once I felt I could stand again we hung out by the finish chute. Minutes ticked by. I listened as they announced names and home town of finishers, but the crowd was so loud at times I couldn’t make it out. Then at 15 hrs, 59 min, and 45 seconds “Audrey Tangy!” We hugged. Now it was all over. Mission accomplished.
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