Hard Core 100 Debrief

I did Hard Core 100 for the first time on January 1st, 2013. What a way to start the year! It was the last day of Coach Troy Jacobson's Spinvervals 32-day Challenge. I won't write too much about the prep. See Keiko Flores's Blog for the best advice on what to do to get ready for this ride. I did get quite a bit ready the night before: laid out three changes of clothes (someone from our group Facebook page mentioned changing socks at each disc change. Great advice, my shoes stayed relatively dry), put three towels by my bike, had a tub of assorted GU gels and GU Chomps, and put Heed powder in four water bottles. I use about a scoop and a third per bottle. I don't like my drinks flavored too strongly, and I don't ever cramp during exercise. Also, had my iPod shuffle ready to go (thanks, Tom Fisher), and a tub of Assos Chamois Cream. Obviously, I didn't do any New Years Eve partying. We had a quiet night, and I was in bed by 10:30. I haven't been sleeping well the past few nights-hot flashes :( and I woke up almost hourly. Finally checked my RHR upon waking, it was about 50 bpm, so no worries about lack of sleep having a negative effect. Got up at 6:30, and had my usual breakfast of oatmeal, juice and coffee. Checked Facebook to see who was already rolling, and was on the bike by 7:30 a.m. I started out with tri shorts. We had a discussion on our Spinervals group Facebook page about sore and chafed bits. Someone mentioned wearing tri shorts. I always wear tri shorts on my tri bike when riding on the road. Don't know why I've been wearing bike shorts while in the trainer. Great decision! Had no issues today, so did tri shorts for every clothes change. I was a little concerned with Coach's admonishment at the beginning that anyone who starts the workout must finish it! So, I rode pretty easy at first. I won't give the entire workout chapter and verse. Here's the link to the PDF, though it's not accurate near the end. The ride started with a warmup, then six-10 min sets. Kept my HR and power in the recovery range for the first set. I typically warm up pretty slowly. Bumped them up to aerobic range by the end of the first set, and was firmly aerobic by the second set. Was having no difficulty maintaining 16+ mph. In retrospect, I should have pushed a little harder in the first 1 1/2 hours. Right from the beginning, I decided to ride with my music in one ear, and left out the earbud in my other ear, so I could hear Coach call out the gear changes. I was feeling very good. I did have to get off the bike after one rep to kill a large black spider. Brrrr...hate those things. My husband, AKA Sherpa, got up when I was 1:20 into the ride. He brought me another cup of coffee. I finished the first water bottle in about an hour, and started nutrition at 30 min. I took nutrition every 20-30 minutes, alternating GU Chomps with GU gels. Started Disc 2 at 1:33, but changed into dry clothes first. I had started sweating about 20 minutes in, and was wringing wet by this time. There was another three minute break at 2:30, but I just stayed on the bike and spun through. My hips were getting a bit tired, so I started standing occasionally. I finished the coffee and the second water bottle by 2:45. I was 43.6 miles in at the half way mark. Really thought I was on track to break 90 miles. I see now that my math was bad, per usual. At 3:03, Coach said we should be at 50 miles. I was at 48.3, so, still all good. Disc 3 started with two hours left. I did another clothes change, and remarked to my Sherpa that it was getting mentally difficult. I had left the heat on in my workout room; I usually turn it off, but with a 5 1/2 hour ride on a cold day, I was afraid the house would get too cold. When I walked back into the room after changing, the heat hit me like a wall! I turned it off for the last two hours. I was only at 56.3 miles, and the sets were getting harder, so my average speed was dropping. I was actually still maintaining 16+ on the reps, but was really spinning slowly on the breaks. There was a 12x4 min set with lots of gear changes that just seemed to last forever. It was also becoming clear that the PDF I was following along with couldn't be right. There was too much time left, and not enough work to fill it. Sure enough, at 55 minutes left, there is a 10x2 min set that wasn't on the PDF. I mean, I know I had to do another hour, but mentally, it really threw me for a loop. Checked my distance with 40 minutes left, and I was only at 76 miles. I actually broke down for about 90 seconds, shed a tear or two of frustration, then pulled myself together. Finished out the ride without any more issues, with 86.5 miles. I went through three sets of clothes, three towels, 4 1/2 bottles of Heed and one cup of coffee, three gels and three packages of Chomps. I think I did ok with fluids and nutrition. Took in about 1350 calories and 116 ounces of fluids, plus breakfast. Didn't cramp, although I hardly peed at all during and after the ride. I was literally dripping sweat the entire time, but it does concern me a bit, given my hospitalization last year. I do 50 mile races without getting off the bike (or peeing in my shorts!). Felt better after it was all over about my results. I was reading and posting to Facebook a little during the ride, and I said it was the hardest thing I've ever done. I've done around 10 century rides, and I suffered more on this ride then any of them. Bike setup plays a role. Riding my tri bike on a trainer is not the same as riding my road bike outdoors. For starters, they have different gearing: 53/39 on the tri bike, versus a compact 50/34 on the road bike. There's no coasting on the trainer, no downhills, no riding the wheels of bigger guys and catching a break. Everyone says I'm very hard on myself, and I know I am. This was an accomplishment that I am proud of, like my first century ride. And, if I were to remind myself, my goal then should have been my goal with this ride, which was to finish. And I did that. AND, I finished the Challenge! Thanks to Keiko Flores, Karen Haldane, Judy King, Brad Ellis, Kelly and Eddie Mendoza, Michelle Sewell Spina, Rick and Susan Sobona, Tom Fisher, Mary Duprey, Chrissy Bianco Brooks, Cleda Beckhorn, Callum Skeet and all my other Spinerval Peeps for being so supportive.

Stats at 2:31:16, avg rpm-80, avg hr-140, avg watts-162, avg mph-15.8, distance-40.01
Stats at end: 5:32:39, avg rpm-77, avg hr-143, avg watts-158, avg mph-15.5, distance-86.54

Note to self for next time: eat real food, like fig newtons or peanut butter bagel. Was feeling kind of nauseous by the end.