High Cascades 100, Bend, OR July 21st 2012 (Eric Zuber)

Lessons I learned from the 2011 HC100 included drinking WAY more, eating before I needed to and pushing through the mental anguish the trail may lead you through. Mentally the 108miles last year vs the expected 102miles really destroyed my mental state. In order to have a more enjoyable race this year I decided to forgo anything that tracked my progress. I would keep mentally alert, and keep the cranks a’ turnin’ and finish when I finish.

I primarily succeeded this year with implementing the lessons learned from last year, starting with the excellent support from Angela! Talk about a pusher… Water, water, water….the hole week before…Good meals (Chicken, steak, pork & fish) every night, and I laid off the fermented goodness we all crave just to be sure. I was recycling water like a champ. I’m sure we stopped 4 times on our way to Bend to water the grass. I mention all of this because we all know how important it is to go into a race hydrated but we all seem to slack off in this area more than we should! (the last ¼ of the race I was more dehydrated than I would have liked even with a keener focus on staying hydrated). The temperatures in Bend were just about ideal. Morning temperatures were somewhere in the 50s; chilly if you were standing around, but you could ride with only arm warmers, or without anything if you could handle the chill. The hottest it got was probably ~85F.

The start was very slow compared to last year due to the pace car leading us all the way to the dirt road trun-off. This was probably not the best outcome as we were all bunched up on a dusty two-track. Several riders did crash and took out others due to the congestion. The added congestion also lead to more dust intake and painted bodies (sweat, dust = some of us looking like KISS rockstars). 

Tim Philips, Mark Schafer and I were in the top 1/4th of the group (pros in site) on the road, I even chatted Oppenheimer up a bit. Soon after hitting the dirt, Oppy and I went back and forth and then I let the lead 10 go. A few riders passed me up as I tried to settle in and the pack started to spread out as we entered onto the Larson single track. Things started getting more technical and there were small back-ups on Funner that I was able to make moves and pass back about 3 riders before aid 1 at 18miles.

Coming into Aid 1, support called out “water or Heed” but no Perpetuem?! Luckily Angela was there to see that they indeed had Perpetuem - you just had to mix yourself (no problem) – thanks Angela! I had consumed 2 bottles in 18miles (hydration plan in check), refueled and got back into the race as I heard an energetic whoop/holler that almost got me concerned I had cut someone off as I entered; but I quickly became excited as it was Mark barreling up behind me as we left Aid 1. Now I had some company for the ~5mile road section! I figured we’d sure work together, make great time and then I’d be dropped like a wet rag. I think Mark bypassed Aid 1 and was using the road section to recover/fuel, thus saving the stoppage time I used before continuing on – again, I was on my own and was able to make up about 4 positions. 

There was another ‘water aid’ at mile 29, but turns out they had Perpetuem and Heed – would have been nice to know (carried an empty bottle with Perpetuem to mix with water provided to stick to my hydration plan). Here I planned on carrying 3 bottles, but the confusion of having more than I expected lead me to leaving with only two bottles (I had not expected Angela to be there, but she was, and I had not told her of my plan for 3 bottles and she was too fast/efficient to give my tired mind enough time to ask myself what I needed or wanted for the next ~30miles with a big climb). Luckily the temps remained in the low 70s and we were riding shady, windy, fun single track.

Leaving the supplemental aid (between 1 and 2) I quickly caught up to a single speeder (turned out it was #1 last year: Gerry Pflug, 44 from PA). He and I would go back and forth for the next ~25miles and chatted each other up, which made that section go by really fast! Thanks, Gerry!

On the top of Swede Ridge I clipped a downed tree (trimmed to just the edge of the trail) and went down HARD! I was chatting with Gerry and the next thing he heard was a loud THUD and the air leaving my chest. He did call out if I was OK as he vanished around the next trun, and I was able to push out an “All Good!” as I collected a spewed water bottle and hop back on the bike as I did an inventory. I wasn’t sure if I had broken my big toe, split a toe nail or did any damage to the bike. Turns out everything was up to par! (Close call!).

Sector 16 went by so fast I question if we even did it! I only remember making a turn on to Skyliners and knowing this is by far my fastest section with its rolling terrain with technical spots that I knew I could carry speed through. Once Gerry pulled over, He was also well hydrated, I opened it up and didn’t see him until the climb out of South Fork shut me down. It was a long gruel, but I knew it would keep going and would not relent, so I stopped a few times (hydrated, watered and ate) and went back and forth with Gerry and another rider a couple times before they finally gapped me well before Aid 2 at 56miles.

Exiting the single track section we had about 5 miles of double track into Dutchman (Aid 2). I was slowly regaining my energy after the long climb and passed Jason Berning, 32; a Fitzgerald Bicycles rider from Victor who was also feeling as though we could give Dave Byers a hard time for not riding this race! (there were a few older riders sporting 2012 Cream Puff finisher caps at this race, just sayin’).

Finally I was feeling better and ready for the loop around Bachelor!

I could not help but think how fast Steve Gustafson was going to do this section! I was glad he wasn’t my rabbit, but I was primarily solo all the way to Aid 3 at Lava Lake, making up two more positions. Riding this section alone was a bit difficult because you couldn’t see where the trail was going. Downed trees were grey, the trail was grey, there were shadows galore and turns a’ plenty. Riding alone, however, enabled me to see the trail clearly (lack of dust) and avoid or make obstacles that become difficult with other riders around. I felt I was making great time. 

This section was definitely rocky. Going got slower as Lava Lake became visible. Technical features on turns required you to slow down and crawl over/around/down every 100ft. Somewhere in this section, I heard later, Gerry lanced himself on a broken tree – for which he immediately was concerned he had a sucking chest wound! Yikes! After the race I had wondered what happened to him; somehow I had come home 10 minutes ahead of him, but I had never seen him again after the long climb to Aid 2. [Hmmm; there seemed to be some magic out there; I’ll let others fill in other events that occurred, which might explain why we might refer to Steve as “Magic Man”.] Either way, Gerry wound up finishing 3rd in SS. I’m guessing if he hadn’t of been lanced, he may have had a shot at #1! He definitely had #2 as Jace Ives, 28 (#2 SS) had one of the biggest bonks I’ve ever seen on a race course. My only regret this race was not stopping to feed him – turns out Angela also noticed him at an aid and wanted to offer up assistance as well! (After watching an interview on bigbikesmedia.cyclingdirt.org, “Stabbed Gerry Pflug”, I’m not used to Jace’s general demeanor, which probably made him sound/appear worse off than he was; he did recover for 2nd SS after all!).

After Aid 3 and an additional water bottle (they had heed there too; not expected) I entered the Strava section, and extra challenge for the deranged/pros. There were several rocky sections that I figured I’d not even try. I wound up walking about 5 of them, tried to water a thirsty tree, but failed. I was looking for justified reasons to pull over and take care of something in order to give my body a chance to recuperate. I should have eaten more the previous hour, but the terrain made eating very difficult, so I was under fueled at this point! (pull over, eat – it’ll be worth it - or over fuel before a long technical descent! – that was Aid #2, where I probably should have spent more time eating)

After making the final climb, Tiddlywinks removed any comfort remaining in my back with continued bumpy descending until we were finally delivered to the last 6miles of pavement to the finish! I was leading John Weathers (Men’s 40-49 #2) in the descents until I dropped my chain for the 4th and final time (stuck between crank arm and big ring, around a bolt that is supposed to negate the issue; too short) and lost my lead into the pavement. I was unable to catch John on the road. He was slowly pulling away, giving me no chance of a draft. My placement got one better just at the end as John slowed up on the ~500ft of remaining single track just before the finish and I was able to get around him in the last 50ft for the ‘win’. He figured correctly that I was younger and his podium finish was not threatened!

Angela was there again to receive the tattered riders, took my bike and helped me wash the dust from my weary body. I could not bend over or pick anything up. My lower back was locked up. I was able to walk around and fake my disposition while I got some pizza and beer and waited for everyone else to come home. We all primarily finished within an hour of each other (which our support ladies really appreciated! – didn’t have to wait around an extra 4hrs for the last group member to cross the line).

I feel we all did a super job at this race despite our own personal lows and how sure we felt on the technical descents. No major technicals that I heard of and our wives/girl friends did an amazing job feeding, cleaning and setting us back on path at each and every aid station, save Lava Lake. I can’t thank you enough.

Till next time! Cheers,

Z