18 Hours of Fruita

An Update From Drew Geer on 18 Hours of Fruita:

24 hour racing is the ultra-enduarance norm but Fruita throws a twist in, starting the race at midnight & running for 18 hours. As is it early season for Colorado riders this pared down version is just perfect for some long miles. 

The race can be run as a team relay with 2,4 or even 8 riders. Team Kappius riders Toni & Drew Geer opted for the solo category.  The course is run at Highline State Park, a twisty 7 mile, all single track loop. The start/finish camping venue is a huge grass park - quite a change from the usual sand & cactus fields of Moab. There is less than 300 feet of climbing per lap, pretty much all that in 2 short steep hills.  It is "technical" in a way. It seemed similar to Betasso - Benjamin in Boulder only looser, or Voodoo Fire in Pueblo only "turnier".  It is pretty much all single track & you never ride in a straight line for more than 3 - 4 seconds. The riding is smooth & there are no rocks to hop or big drops. The ground is loose & dusty. It is easy to ride the course but very hard to ride it fast. In the early laps many riders went down rolling into the turns too hot. There is no way to relax & zone out. You have to stay attentive. Passing or begin passed is also difficult. The field was incredible polite with no yelling or bumping despite literally thousands of passes on narrow single track. 

This years race was run under a full moon  (one night before the "super moon"), crystal clear skies & warm night weather. As the sun came up the temperature climbed into the 80s along with the winds that seemed like they were also in the 80s. 

Toni had a plan to ride 2 night laps & then nap until the faster day laps. She wanted a 9 hour ride & did not need to be out all night to get that. Her night laps went perfectly & at 6 AM she was up, fresh & riding fast laps. Ultimately she completed 12 laps for an 84 mile ride. This placed her on the 2nd step of the podium behind the women's winner 'Team cuteness.com' with 17 laps. Toni enjoyed the course  throughout  the day & night. She has a lot more left in her legs & rode the perfect strategic race. 

I planned on trying to keep moving the whole race with no plans for speed or placing. During my pre-ride I lost my rear brake. Before the start I bled it & assumed it would be fine - wrong. On the start line at midnight & noticed I had NO rear brake. Not a little grab or a pump it up kind of brake. It was NO brake. Too late to do anything & no spare bike with me so I rolled out & I adjusted my riding style. I needed to slow early with the front brake going into turns & then commit with no additional brake. I usually like to roll faster into a turn & threshold brake at the last second but that was out. I went down 3 times in the night washing out in the turns though just minor crashes.  The first 6 or 8 laps were pure fun - cool night, full moon, riding an easy pace. I picked up a new bottle every 2 laps, ate some Justin's Nut Butter, potato chips & did one battery switch at 3 1/2 hours. I'm trying Alan Lim's new "Skratch" feed & like it. Other than that it was roll on all night - oh, a 6 AM try at bleeding my brake again. 5 minute bleed job may be my record bit it did not work.  At about 18 laps I hit a big lull. I'm riding with a power meter & as my legs gave out my power plummeted. I decided to take a stop to recover. I allowed myself 30 minutes off the bike & ate well & stretched. That did the trick & I was rolling again.  I ended up finishing 5th with 24 laps & 166 miles. The winner. "solo stomps" put down 28 laps - nice job! That is some serious constant hard riding. 

Rode the 2012 Specialized Epic 29er & it was beautiful (brake aside). The course was rough enough the shocks were getting worked & the brains functioned perfectly. I used the S Works FastTracks 2.0 both font & rear. I started out at 27 psi both but dropped to 24 psi in the AM as the course became loose & looser. 

Great weekend & fun riding. Not the thrill of Moab but it is a good event. The Epic is at Boulder Cyclesport with the guys taking care of my brake.