Crested Butte Alpine Odyssey

A few Justin's riders headed up to Crested Butte July 31st, 2011 to test out a new race - the Crested Butte Alpine Odyssey. This is part of the new Leadville 100 qualifier series & run by the same folks who have acquired Leadville, Lifetime Fitness. Toni & I were looking for a new adventure & this 100k seemed the perfect choice. I was already in Leadville & Toni was not interested in Leadville this year so the "qualifying" aspect was not important. This was just a perfect 100k race.

Thomas Dooley called me from Boulder as I was in the registration line looking to go on a long ride. Hearing I was in the Butte he immediately jumped in his car & drove the 5 hours to enter the race as well - THAT is short notice.

Sunday AM we rolled out in a field of 300 for a 15 minute neutral start. Some roadie name Lance Armstrong also showed up & was joined by Rebecca Rusch, 2 time Leadville winner. The start was actually neutral as opposed to the Leadville start & we were able to get warmed up on this 40 degree mountain morning.

As the neutral lead pulled off on the Slate River road the pace "hotted up". As you can imagine having Lance in the pack changes the group dynamics. No one wanted to get left & a pack of 50 riders hung together for the first 45 minutes of the gradual climb. Lance, Rebecca & a handful of riders were chatting it up but myself & most the rest were redlined. As we hit the Slate River switchbacks & the grade kicked up to 20% the group shattered. Dooley headed up the road & I headed out the back. Cresting the 20k climb you had to keep from being distracted by the gorgeous views. This is Crested Butte & you are climbing around Mt. Baldy to the top of Schofield Pass just under 11,000 ft. We were riding well maintained jeep roads & the surface was easy, it was just the gradient that put you under. The descent down Schofield through Gothic was pure fun - really, really fast descending with a snowfield & a couple creek crossing thrown in.  At the back of Crested Butte Mountain we hit a single track up the back & down the front of the mountain. This 10k was pristine mountain riding - a smooth narrow track with flowers higher than your bars.

Down through the village which was barricaded off like the TDF & out a different climb - up Washington Gulch back to Schofield again. The Washington climb is more gradual at the start but has on mile of a wicked kick at the end. More Gothic descent & the CB single track to the finish.

Lifetime did this race right! Great courses, feed, support, instant live results. Everything was perfect. Anyone complaining they did not get into Leadville should hit a qualifier. It is THE way to get into Leadville. This course is perfect for a Leadville warmup. The climbs are a bit harder than Leadville but the riding is not technically hard. The 100k distance is perfect 2 week before a 100 milers.

Thomas finished 23rd (9th 40+), Toni 2nd (50+ women) & I was 38th (2nd 50+). I'll be heading on to Leadville while Thomas & Toni have no interest in that this year.

Fantastic race - consider it for next year - Leadville or no.

drew

Toni at the finish of the Crested Butte Alpine Odyssey 100k

It is not too often that you make the same page of results as Lance Armstrong - look on down for Justin's riders Thomas Dooley in 23rd & Drew Geer in 38th. OK, just ignore that time back thing.