Recently I was asked a few questions about some things on RAW. I'm posting the questions and replies here:
First, I actually rode 415 miles. At Borrego Springs there is a roundabout with about 5 exits, all poorly marked. I was flying along and decided, without crew concurrence, to take the exit that seemed right. Five miles later the crew pulls up beside me and tells me I took the wrong exit. I rode back. My crew did their best to identify the next exit but it was wrong. About 6 miles later they tell me to stop. The load the bike into the van and drive me back to the roundabout. There we scan a little sign ("S1") that corresponds to the route book. And I'm off. Bonus miles.
1. What would you change specifically about your nutrition plan?
Emphatically:
A) I would not focus so exclusively on liquid fuel.
- In an effort to reduce the volume of liquid fuel I increased the concentration of calories, i.e., the maltodextrin/Sustained Energy mix was too dense. It was a thick syrup. My gut couldn't process so dense a concoction.
- I used a 70 oz bladder for water. It was a mistake to use Hammer Electrolyte powder in the water mix. Hammer Electrolyte powder doesn't fully dissolve (I learned). A semi-concretized sludge accumulates at the bottom of the bladder. Every bladder refill accumulated more Hammer sludge. In no time I was drinking a very concentrated muck of Hammer sludge. By the time we figured this out I was 5 bladders into the race and already suffering the runs. It took 5 `flushings' of teh bladder and a lot of shaking to clear out the sludge. From that point on I put nothing but water in the bladder, popping only Hammer Electrolyte pills (2 per hour).
- I drank an Ensure every hour or two, until after about 14 hours. Ensure, added to the above stuff, was just more too concentrated stuff.
My expectation was that my intestines could absorb this intense mix, that my body would burn it off, and my kidneys and ureters would send it out as pee. I was wrong. My intestines were overwhelmed by the concentrated formula and instead of sending it all to my ureters it simply resulted in the runs.
In the future I will rely less on concentrated liquid fuel and begin eating solids (real solids ... not peanut butter or semi-viscous energy bars) from the start. The liquid fuel will be much, much less concentrated. Frankly, I like meat and beef jerky.
2. How did you feel on the climbs?
I don't really think there were any real climbs, except for a few miles up over the coastal mountains and into Henshaw. And these were short, mild, fairly straightaway 6 - 7%ers.
(Though I stopped at Congress I've previously ridden to Prescott, up Mingus Mountain, up to Flagstaff. I knew what to expect, which is why I made the decision to stop at Congress.)
The climbs started at Congress, up Yarnell Grade. And still, though there were only a few `feet' of 9 - 10% climbs, there were no switchbacks, making it much easier to navigate.
On past YG the only other climb to Prescott was past Skull Valley, up into the Prescott National Forest (not a `tree' forest; a scrub high desert `brush' forest). In the PNF it was 4-7%ers at worst, excellent road, no switchbacks. But it was endless climbing for about 14 miles.
3. When you make your next attempt when your situation will actually allow you to train more optimally, how might you train?
First, I'd spend more time training. I could do that in Chicago if I didn't have a job. Chicago -- the midwest prairies -- isn't the `best' training for accomplishing a good performance on RAAM/RAW but when you do it 300 - 400 miles per week for 9 months you'll build endurance/capacity.
Second, I don't just want to `finish' RAW/RAAM if I do it next time. I want to go fast. Go fast. Fast.
I want to add heat, switchbacks, and lots of climbing to the `time' I put into the training. Can't do that in the prairie. (No matter what anyone tells you ... pushing into a 20mph prairie wind doesn't simulate climbing or switchbacks).
Retiring and moving to Prescott in the next 18 -24 months will give me the time, terrain and climate to train right.
4. Would you mind sharing some details and maybe some pictures of your bike?
I'm not that impressed with the differences between my Ti Aero and all the carbon fibre out there. No question the CFs offer benefits. But none so particular that would make more than .5% difference on a 750 mile, multiday race.
What matters is training, fuel, hydration and crew. And some ability to manage altitude (I must have some Tibetan ancestors because I have never been affected by altitude).
I ride a Bacchetta ti Aero. Zipp 404s. Schwalbe Ultremos. 56 big ring up front with two smaller rings. (the 56 made a huge difference when I had a tailwind). An 11-34 nine speed cassette in the back. Although I had a headrest I found that I didn't really use it except to anchor the Fastback pouch into which I put the bladder.
I won't use a bladder anymore. Nor a headrest. Instead I'm more likely to use a cage mount bottle holder attached to the hard shell seat. Even though the bottles will hold only 24 oz (as opposed to the 70 oz bladder) they will be easier and faster to replace than the bladder.
I have pics of my bike, the crew, clothing strategies in the heat, etc., at my picasa site:
http://picasaweb.google.com/psychlin...est2010Photos#
My son took a video: (the first minute is him videoing me snoring at night before the race ... his way of proving to me that I snore )
http://picasaweb.google.com/fallonmms/DFRAW#
5. What did you use for night lighting, and did you feel it was adequate?
Minimalist.
I used one Planet Bike blinkie for the back and one Planet bike headlight. I wanted the least weight possible, knowing that at night I'd have the crew vehicle (rules: bike can't move at night without follow van right behind it).
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I had a great time. I got several questions answered; several assumptions proven wrong; several assumptions verified.
Now I'm off to ride a 100+ in the prairie land.
