Sun, Beer, elevation, and 60 miles of mountain biking

Mountain biking update #1:  Bavarian Bike and Brews 2012. 

One of the 4 stream crossings in the race

This was my 3rd year at the Bavarian Bike and Brews.  For some reason I keep going back, even though the course is sorta torture!  My first year at this course I raced in the Sport (Cat2) category.  I rode for 2 laps and finished with a time of 1 hour and 42 minutes (and something seconds) average lap of 51 minutes.  I was pretty proud of myself, I climbed to glory (1st place), but I won by a lot of minutes.  So the next year I decided to race in the open category.  I finished with a time of 2 hours and 23 minutes (and something seconds; average lap of 47:30 seconds) with a 3rd place finish by 15 seconds.  I let the girl who placed 2nd pass me about 3/4 of the way up the climb on the last lap, I was SO tired and hot I couldn't push any more than I already was.  Now for this year:

This year I finished with a time of 2 hours, 13 minutes and 58 seconds, practically improving by 10 minutes over last years time (average lap time of 44:30).  This year I finished in 2nd place.  Natasha (who won last year too) won this year...once again, she climbed herself to glory, and boy is she strong.  Even though I finished in 2nd place, in my books I won.  I improved my time by nearly 10 minutes, I climbed faster and I decended better.  Every year I can see my improvement and it's SO awesome to feel so accomplished. 

Mountain Biking Update #2:
Next up was the Echo Valley 60 miler.  My first Epic Series race, and LONGEST mountain bike race and ride to date (aside from the 5 laps at the 24 hour).  After being on race high the week post the 24 hour race, I signed up for this 60 mile race.  I'm not really sure what I was thinking, I just wanted to do an epically hard race, and it was pretty tough.  First off I need to tell you how the race promoter judged me and didn't think I was capable of 60 miles. 
If you are reading my blog, you probably know me.  I'm pretty un-assuming, I don't flaunt myself, I just really enjoy riding and racing my bike.  And, to top it off, it's exciting when you see yourself getting faster.

Friday afternoon Chris and I packed the car and headed to Chelan for the race.  We camped out in a big field at the race venue (the most plush camping I must say) <--- but that's because I bought an air mattress and slept in the back of the car.  Saturday morning I woke up to pee around 7 am.  I walked to the bathroom half asleep, but decided since thats where number pick up was, I should get my number while I was over there (the walk was far).  Okay, number pick up was not in the bathroom, but somewhere close by. 

When I stood in front of the sign that said "60" the two men behind the table said to me:
"The 30 miler is over here"
I look at them confused
Judgemental men: "oh, um, uh, are you doing the 30 or 60?"
Courtenay: "oh, for some reason I signed up for the 60 mile race"
Judgemental men: "oh, okay, you just uh...you look so...uh, sleepy.  What's your name"
Courtenay: "Courtenay McFadden"
Then I grabbed my baggie and walked away.  Of course I looked sleepy...I just camped out in your big grass field, and I literally just rolled out of the trunk of the car.  I was confused...I think the men judged me right off the bat, thinking how I could not possibly finish a 60 mile race.  Maybe it was my hot pink Victoria Secret sweatpants?  Who knows...but I showed them!

Riding your road bike for 60 miles is kind of a long way.  Riding your mountain bike for 60 miles is even longer.  I didn't really know how to pace myself for the race, I just knew that I wanted to finish in 5 hours.  The laps where confusing, I don't know where they started and where they ended, and I packed a lot of food and a lot of water.  Thank the weather queens that it wasn't a scorching hot day, we know that Chelan has the potential to be HOT!  I knew that if I wanted to finish in 5 hours I needed to have a 12mph average.  So in order to maintain my pace I made sure that at the start of every (what I thought was a) lap, I made sure I was above a 12mph average.  It worked out pretty well for me.  After the first lap I found myself leading the race.  From there, I think my gap continued to grow.  I was having a blast; passing people, singing, flying down hill, talking to people, just generally having a grand ol' time.  I did pass a lot of grumpy old men who don't know how to hold a pace.  They know how to go slow, sprint, then go slower.  Move way my elders, there's a young doe in town...erg, coming up.  On a positive note, I always try to pass the men with a big smile and a cheer.  Maybe that's what makes them grumpy, a young girl passing them, smiling and saying "good job" even though in reality they are probably hating life and really suffering.  I finished the race with a time of 4 hours, 59 minutes and something seconds.  I finished UNDER my goal!  HECK YEA! 

Some stats: my garmin told me the race was 61 miles.  My garmin also told me there was a total of 7353 feet of elevation gain (ouch)!

For the first lap, I had the privlage to ride with Erika Krumpleman (sp?), an eastsider who totally rocks at mountain biking.  She soloed the 24 hour race and WON!  I can only hope to be as fast as she is when I'm in my 40's.  I am seriously amazed at these women I race against.  A lot of the women I race against are in their 40's.  They are fast, skilled, fit, and challenge me (and kick my booooty)!  For any women out there who thinks she can't get into mountain biking because she's "too old".  Bite your tongue and go for it, you will be amazed at the women out there.  It's inspirational, I thank you all for motivating me every day to ride and race hard!  Seriously, it's a life long commitment to fitness and a healthy life.  Ya'll ROCK!

Next shout out goes to my friend Logan who seriously dominated the course with a finishing time around 4 hours and 12 minutes.  Seriously?  For real.  My fearless team (Voler/Bicycle Centres)leader Russell came in shortly there after (like 10 seconds or something redic). 

Check out some race photos:
http://stevesandersphotography.com/p1028610453/ed6fd7e2#h2356733 (this is is really special)

http://stevesandersphotography.com/p1028610453/ed6fd7e2#h3be8b576

http://stevesandersphotography.com/p1028610453/ed6fd7e2#h2d96fe9f

I am not a photogenic one on the bike.