August 11, 2007
Laurel Valley Whitewater 33 mile ultra

On my way through Brevard, I noticed blue lights in the rear view mirror. It was 4:15 in the morning. Who cares if you speed a bit. The officer was cool and I explained that I was on my way to a race. He let me go with a warning ticket and only took up five minutes of my time. I was grateful for that gesture and made my way to the finish line to get a ride to the start. I had no business running this race since the Burning River 100 was completed just six days previous to it. Tyler Peek was also running both races so I wasn’t the only nut.


Familiar faces abounded at the start. At 6:30, we all ascended the stairs and hit the trail. I started out near the front to avoid a logjam on the singletrack trail. I ran with Tyler for a good while. The field broke up early on. I wanted to make pretty good time before it got too hot. The forecast was for mid 90’s with high humidity.

The course is gently rolling for the early going. I felt the tendons in back of my right leg but they weren’t hurting too much. I had major swelling as well from last week’s run. That went away after I got some miles in.


I approached the first waterfall but it was a mere trickle. Shortly afterward, I caught up to a large group of runners. I was feeling strong so I passed them up. A short while later, I realized I was pushing it a bit too hard, eased up and let them pass me. I caught back up to most of them and was running with Tyler and Bill Keane intermittently. Bill powered up the climbs and caught me every time. I’d power down the descents but he’d always catch me eventually.

Laurel Fork falls had considerably more water. Just past it was the day’s first long climb. It wasn’t terribly steep but it went on for a good mile or so made remarkably good time. My body wasn’t as tired as I thought it’d be. I went ahead on the downhill and moved at a solid pace. My toes hurt so I didn’t go as fast as usual but before I knew it, I was at Lake Jocassee.


A long climb was ahead of us. I forgot just how long it really was. I had to hike it but at the top it leveled out so i could make up some time. I was running with Bill and another guy until the descent, where I went ahead at a torrid pace. The downhill brought me alongside Lake Jocassee.

The lake was well below its normal level. Vegetation had taken over where water generally resided. The trail remained flat alongside the lake for a while, then crossed a bridge. I was on about an 8 hour pace, which suited me fine. Keeping that pace up would be a challenge but my goal was 9-91/2 hours.

The next section climbed relentlessly. Fortunately, the top of the climb was about the midpoint. The trail remained high with a few downs and ups. It went on much longer than I'd expected. There is a ridiculously long and steep stair climb and descent. Last year, these steps were treacherously slick but they were thankfully dry this year. I was trying to hold out on filling my camelbak until the Horsepasture river but had to give in early. 100 ounces had already been consumed and I'd have to wait another 30 minutes to drink again.

The Horsepasture is spanned by a long bridge. The water was low enough to cross without one. Long flights of stairs flank either side of the bridge. I couldn't shake Bill as he came across the bridge as I was ascending the stairs. He stalked me all day long. These last ten miles took their toll on me. The heat became unbearable. No matter how much I drank, I still felt overheated. I partially remedied this at the Thompson River when I got a little soaking in. I had waited too long however and should have done it much earlier.

Bill went ahead and I met up with Mike Hopton. We continued together, taking it very easy. It took longer than anticipated to make it to the turn at the Whitewater river. This was flat but we still hiked it. We passed a high waterfall as we crossed Corbin Creek. The Whitewater crossing is just 100 yards further and consists of some bouldering to get onto and off of the bridge. I enjoyed this part last year as I did the final ascent but the heat made it extremely difficult. We started the climb out of the gorge. I struggled mightily and Mike went ahead. Eventually, the trail became more moderate but it still posed a problem. Stone steps took me up more steeply and led to the overlook platform.

I enjoyed the view of Whitewater Falls. It makes all of the suffering somewhat worthwhile. I rested a bit for the final flight of 100+ steps. I'd planned on running them but this was simply not possible. I trudged my way up and hit the paved quarter mile trail to the finish. I picked up speed when I saw the finish line and came across in a near sprint.

I had told several runners that Laurel Valley wasn't all that difficult. That was the opinion of someone who had mostly hiked it in very comfortable conditions. In 94 degree heat and running much of the course, my opinion has changed dramatically. It is an extremely challenging run which is more difficult than most 40 mile runs and even some 50 milers.

Raging Bull

August 4-5, 2007
Burning River 100 mile run

The start line was in front of Squire’s Castle in the Metroparks. It was built in the early 20th century, fell into disrepair, and has been partially restored. We took off across a field of grass and entered onto Chagrin River road. I’d driven this road many times in my Cleveland days but had never run on it. I started out running with David Snipes, John and Kevin Lane. They all slowly drifted ahead of me. Margie Hughes caught up to me. I’d run with her at Catherine’s two weeks prior. We stayed together for a while and then they lost me. Sean McCormick, whom I’d run with at Mohican, ran with me the last 7 miles of the road section.

Chagrin River road runs along the Chagrin river and has many 19th century homes. These are all in impeccable shape. The village of Gates Mills was the site of our first aid stop. Every building is white with dark trim. It looks like a quaint New England village.


The road stretch ended at the polo field. I stopped to eat and Sean went ahead. The first trail section was flat and relatively deserted. I only saw one other runner for several miles, something very unusual that early in a run. There were several rock hop streams and eventually, the trail gained some altitude. A few groups approached from behind as I spied two young deer 15 yards to the right. They checked me out but weren’t bothered by my presence.


The trail turned from dirt/gravel to grass after the next aid station. It followed around a lake and briefly entered a residential area. The grass was more difficult to run on due to the myriad holes obscured by the blades. I soon passed a fine site. An enormous landfill rose to my left. Fortunately, we didn’t have to scale it and breathe the methane gas as fuel.


The next stretch was outstanding singletrack. Large trees lined the route as the river followed on the right. I got my mojo going again as it felt a bit like running at home. The trail twisted and turned with plenty of dips and rises to make it interesting. All good things come to an end and I soon found myself on pavement again with intermittent stretches of trail. I was running through Bedford, a city where I’d lived for six months.


We reentered the Metroparks by Shawnee Hills golf course. I’d played there frequently in my Cleveland days but had been oblivious to the existence of an extensive trail system running right next to it. I found myself running right next to and well above a deep gorge. The sheer dropoff was over 100 feet. This led to another aid station and then to more trail.


The nice singletrack gave way to a horse trail. This trail was covered with gravel. It ate up my feet a good bit. I was running with a guy named Steve, who knew the entire trail layout for the day. He struggled with the gravel as well but was an extraordinary power walker so he stayed close the whole time. Jay Finkle approached from behind. We ran and chatted a bit and then he went ahead. I pushed on through to the next station. I was at a 20 hour pace and wanted to keep that pace at least until the 30 mile mark.


At the station, I talked with an ironman triathlete named Kyle, whom I met the day before. He asked if I was going to do it in 24 hours and I responded with “It looks possible.” Only it wouldn’t be possible for much longer. Winding singletrack led down to a road and after some pavement, the canal towpath. By this time, the weather had heated up considerably. The towpath had next to no shade. The direct sunlight, intense heat and high humidity would wear on me over the next several hours just like at Mohican.


The towpath was comprised mainly of crushed gravel with some pavement. It’s the site of the Towpath Marathon as well. Even the gravel sections were about as hard as pavement. The sunlight overpowered me from above and the coarse trail beat me up from below. I was passed up by many runners but most resorted to walking as well and I kept them in sight. There was supposed to be just two miles of towpath but there were three. This section was mismarked considerably. According to the course measurement, I’d gone five miles in two hours. My 20 hour pace was history due to the weather and incorrect distance.


I got to the 30.6 mile station and was greeted by Amy Bly and Chris Kaylor. They were providing crew support and Amy would pace me again like at Mohican. They took care of me while I swapped out shoes. I had a six mile out and back/loop section next. Unfortunately, part of it was back on the towpath. From 11:00 to 1:00, I was stuck on that forsaken, exposed, miserable towpath. Margie passed me just as I’d set out. David wasn’t far behind, followed closely by John.


After two miles, I took a left and headed up steeply. This was a difficult grade and I took my time, especially since it was above 90 degrees at that point. It was also the steepest grade I’d encountered. Steve caught up with me and informed me that we’d already gone nearly 40 miles, although the next station was supposed to be at 36.3 miles. GPS devices tend to be accurate to within 1% and it made sense to me considering how long it had taken to cover the “ten miles” over the last two sections. I was still pretty close to a 20 hour pace on the actual mileage but became concerned about hitting the cutoff times with the heat and the extra mileage.


The trail continued on flats and downhills and over long footbridges. The bridges spanned gullies because private property encroached nearby, prohibiting skirting the gullies. A very fast downhill brought me back to the towpath and then it was on to the station. I switched my shoes back to the originals, cleaned myself up a bit and sat in the shade. Chris and Amy got my pack refueled and I told them I should be at mile 65 around 8:30-9:00. I knew that was wishful thinking with the heat and possibly more extra mileage thrown in.

From there, we embarked on a dizzying array of trail connections. We went on a mix of singletrack and bridle trails. I was running with Steve and we were passed by two runners going back wards on the trail. The bridle trail was being used by a horse riding club and they had a sign stating for us to turn around and return. It confounded two runners. When we got to the sign, we realized it wasn't intended for runners. At the aid station, the two eventually came in after realizing they'd made a mistake.

The next two sections were on the Buckeye trail. I was now running with two guys who were doing their first 100. One guy was Aaron and the other was Jason Haines. Jason was an ironman triathlete but had never run for more than 12 hours before. I tired to tutor them on the nuances of running for nearly 30 hours. Jason was very receptive to my advice and paced himself well. We walked a fair amount simply for conservation. There were some nice, steep downhills which I hammered and then walked until they caught back up.

Jason and I got ahead of Aaron and we came into the Boston Store station. The next section looped back to the Boston Store. I saw Kevin there. He was four miles ahead and looking strong. Jason and I headed out on the towpath, where we saw two deer cross the path ahead of us. We turned and came to a paved road. Jason went ahead. I wasn't doing well on the hard surface. At an arrow, I turned and did some bushwhacking looking for the trail. I realized I turned too early and the route stayed on the road which took a 90 degree turn. At this point, Aaron caught up with me and we ran together to Brandywine Falls. It was a long four miles back to Boston Store. They had podiatrists on duty so I took advantage and had some blisters looked at.

I headed out solo on the Buckeye trail. There was little light left as the sun had bedded down for the evening. The trail skirted along the highway. I eventually came upon a woman. She was the only person I saw on this stretch. By the time I made it to Pine Lane, It was completely dark. It was already after 9:00, and I still had five miles yet to where I'd meet Amy.

A short trail led to a very straight road section. At the end of that road we headed onto another straight road and then on to the hike and bike trail. This is a paved rail trail which has rock outcroppings lining much of it. After two interminable miles, the route took a wide trail, which seemed to go in multiple circles. Frustration built as I wondered if I'd ever reach the aid station. I'd been alone for the last three miles. Finally, I came out of the forest and saw some cars.

It was 10:30 and I finally made it to Happy Days. I was two hours behind schedule. They had wonderful pasta and I indulged myself after changing shirts and socks. I made myself comfortable as I like to do after the sun goes down. My feet needed the rest and I was finally able to eat some real food. Trail food gets old after a while. The problem with this station was that the volunteers tried to rush me out of there. They wanted me to eat on the run and even got on Amy for not pushing me to go on immediately. She knew better than to push me but shouldn't have had to listen to that nonsense. I go when I'm ready and I got a bit upset with one guy. I told him I'd go when I was good and ready. I'm not a fighting person but He was pushing me when I didn't want to be pushed. That was the low point of the run.

We left and discussed the arrogance of the volunteers at the last station. They wouldn't let Amy approach the food table or have any food or water. This meant that Chris would have to run support for her. It was time to forget about the incident and focus on the trail. It became a bit more of a climb than a run. There was substantial bouldering for the first mile. It was a challenging way to warm up a pacer.

The next trail saw us warm up our lungs. I started singing with "Mr. Jones" and "Wonderful World". We also sang some Prince tunes, "Kiss" and "When Doves Cry". I like to wait until we're relatively alone before singing. I don't know if anyone else heard us but I hope they enjoyed the show if they did.

Some nice downhills got us moving very quickly. A grassy, cross country trail took us within sight of the next station at Kendall Lake. It was a tease as we had to encircle the lake first. The lake was a bit larger than it appeared. After meandering for about a mile, we finally made it there. This was a very comfortable place and they even had a veggie sausage for me. That truly hit the spot.

We entered the forest again. Coming out of the forest, The temperature dropped considerably. We were on a grassy trail surrounded by higher grasses. A large grassy dome lay in the distance. This must have been the highest point in the county. They called this the "Sound of Music" hill with good reason. We went down one and up another grassy hill to the next station.

The salt run trail was soft and sandy. Our feet got a welcome break from the pounding of hard surfaces. This section would go on for an eternity. We crossed a couple of roads and moved very well on a relatively flat trail. By gaging my pace, I expected to be at the next station. We went on until we came to a corn field, where Jason was hobbling along. He had encountered a major ankle problem but kept on plugging along. We stayed with him for a few minutes, offering moral support. The trail left the corn field and crossed the towpath. Unfortunately, that wouldn't be the last time we'd see the towpath. We came into another field and circled it and then crossed the road and traversed a grassy field to the covered bridge.

Chris was at the covered bridge. We resupplied and headed out on a loop. Jason had caught us as we relaxed and just kept going. I had some peanuts, which are an outstanding energy food during the nighttime hours. I had me great speedburst at Mohican after eating peanuts and had a little burst on the toughest climbs of the day. The trail went straight up and we moved very quickly. At the top we increased our pace significantly. It took a while to catch Jason but I didn't expect him to make it all the way through the 100+ miles. We went down and up repeatedly. All of the ups and downs were steep but we made it through the four miles in under an hour.

We again left the covered bridge and followed a road, passing Hale Farm & Village. We moved better than the other runners around us. We passed four and entered the Buckeye trail again. It was becoming light so we switched off our lights and enjoyed the morning view. Soon, we hit another station, O'Neill Woods. We got plenty of attention and got some socializing in. The field was pretty spread out and we wouldn't see another runner for a few miles.

We headed down the trail to a road and then onto the towpath again. It was difficult to run on this surface. Both of us had sore feet and tended to walk rather than run. We saw a young runner ahead, struggling mightily. He still had enough time to walk it all the way in. We were at about 89 miles now and came upon a sewage treatment plant. The plant eminated the foulest stench I'd ever laid my olfactories upon. We covered our noses and breathed through our mouths but to no avail. There was no way to stop the putrid, malodorous funk. It was all we could do to keep from puking.

The towpath continued uneventfully until it abutted a busy road. There were fast food loints and other businesses but no sign of an aid station. A female hiker passed by and we asked if she'd seen the station. She nodded but implied it was still a good way ahead. We eventually got there. The supposed 3.3 mile section was beyond five miles. We were treated well and told that we had well over an hour to spare before the cutoff.

It was back on the towpath. We saw two deer and when we came to a nice set of benches, we rested our weary feet again. Two runners came upon us so we got up and started walking again. The distances were frequently inaccurate so we wanted to keep moving. A sign said one mile to go and we were elated. For once, the distance discrepancy was in our favor. We hit the final aid station. There were just five miles to go!

We crossed a bridge and climbed on a brick road. A grassy downhill led us to a trail along the Cuyahoga. This was fairly flat until we came to the stairs. These stone steps weren't easy to climb. Up the trail, we had more steps. We went under a large bridge and entered onto a gravel trail. The gravel played havoc with my feet and several runners caught and passed us. I usually pick off runners toward the end of a race but the gravel, pavement and heat took their toll. I just had to walk this trail. We came to mile 99, where multiple pacers were allowed. Across a bridge and onto the final trail section we went. This was a very nice trail, considering it was in a downtown area. They saved a good number of rocks for the final mile. I perked up since it was such a nice trail and I was nearing the end of the day's journey. We came out onto a road where we could see the finish line. Amy pushed me to keep my place. We'd passed one runner on the trail but I still let a half dozen pass me in the final six miles.

Getting closer to the finish, I walked so that I could have a strong finish. I picked up my pace and got into a full sprint across the finish line. It took 28 hours and 37 minutes. I wound up 57th out of 68 finishers and 144 starters. Over half of the field dropped out. That was to be expected since the temperature hit 93 with very high humidity. I'd finished my third 100 while Amy had run her third ultra in two months. The actual length was between 106 and 107 miles. The total climb was uncertain. I'd heard 7,000 feet beforehand and 11,000 feet according to GPS. It's probably closer to the 11,000 figure despite the extended flat sections. Growing up nearby, I had no idea how rugged and steep the trails in the area actaully are.

Some of my friends finished and some didn't. Jason made it across 45 minutes after I did. I was extremely impressed with his fortitude. David Snipes had a very strong run. I stayed for the awards and had my feet doctored again. My 24 hour expectation was foolhardy. Next time, I'll just concertrate on finishing when doing a new 100.

Raging Bull

July 21, 2007
Catherine's Fat Ass 50k

We camped in a pickup truck a couple of miles from the starting line. This would be Amy's first 50k race. She'd done the distance on a fun run and had paced me for 40 miles at Mohican, but this course was a beast, as is anything at Massanutten. We started with a level section which gradually turned into a climb. We were making good time, especially for so early in a run. I generally go out conservatively but pushed a little harder on that day.

We soon made it to a steep climb, a flat bit and then a rocky climb up toward Bird Knob. I was familiar with this since I'd done this run in 2006, and on the Massanutten Trails 100 in May. We ran with Gary Knipling and David Snipes. Gary is a bit older and is pure entertainment. He is far from shy and loves to make any kind of comment without any worry of what others think. He isn't always politically correct but again, he is pure entertainment.

At the top of the climb, a couple of overlooks afford a fantastic view of the valley below. From here, it's almost level but extremely rocky. Amy had no trouble with the footing. The footing is what makes the Massanutten area so difficult for runners. There are many tough climbs but step placement is the real challenge of the area.

We got to the first aid station quickly. After fueling up, it was down a dirt road for a good while to the next station. The road continued along a mountain stream with multiple cascades. We ran with Margie Hughes. The road turned and headed up for a long climb. At this point, we passed a couple just out sightseeing, driving along the river. The woman stated "You people make me sick", just audible enough to be heard under her breath. We took no offense to offending her by doing something athletic. Slovenly behavior can sometimes be offensive to me.

We took our time and hiked much of it up to the aid station. A man hollered that this was a run, not a walk, so I sprinted up the hill to the station. Amy called me an idiot doing that but I've gotten used to people calling me names for little bursts of speed.

The trail started out easy, then followed a stream bed full of boulders. We crossed it many times. This is the prettiest part of the run. Large boulders and ledges rise on either side. We increased our lead on the group we left back at the station. We both seem to do best on the more rugged sections. Soon we were back on ordinary trail and took a right onto the Massanutten trail. This is where it started to heat up.

The sun beat down and the trees provided only partial shade. I kept saying there was an out and back trail coming up on the right. My estimate of distance was a bit off; way off. Amy got tired of my false estimates. She'd heard them before so she was a bit leary of them anyway. We did make it to the out and back which climbed moderately to a lookout. On the way back, we made good time and it was mostly downhill to the next station. One runner skipped the out and back section but we still passed him up and didn't see him again. This was a relaxed race but it isn't cool when somebody cheats on the course.

We repeated a section of road and came to a confusing intersection. We figured it out and made it to Catherine's Furnace, where smelting occurred from the 1840's to the 1860's. The purple trail started next to the furnace. This trail starts out deceptively easy but gradually becomes steeper. The temperature wasn't all that high until the climbing kicked in. Less tree cover led to discomfort. The trail got steep and we still had over two miles to go on the climb. The start of the switchbacks is where Amy kicked it into high gear and I had trouble keeping up with her. After struggling for several miles, she was now leading the way. We broke away from the group we were with and put an awful lot of space between us and them.

The trail became more rocky as we continued. Several more switchbacks and we were at the top of the ridge. The downhill was quite steep and covered with pine needles and rocks. This led to a road and then to the last aid station. Beyond the station, lay the anthill road. The anthills are several feet across and each one seems to be larger than the last.

The last few miles are the same as the first few in reverse. We ran well over the rocks and entered the steep rocky downhill we traversed in the morning. With weary legs, every step is precarious. WE made it through and continued on some more downhills. No one was in sight until the last mile, where we passed a young runner and finished in 7:16. I took five minutes off of my 2006 time and Amy finished her first 50k race.

Raging Bull

July 15, 2007
Dancin' in the Trees 28 mile Ultra Fun Run

I rolled in at 10:00, the planned starting time. Fortunately, I wasn't the last to arrive so I had plenty of time. This run was organized by Sarah Almodovar with consultation from Adam Hill. This would be a new experience for me, since I had just ridden a 100k bike ride the previous day. I figured the course would be challenging but it wound up being a bit more difficult than I'd imagined.

We started out on an easy stretch. I actually got to run with Sarah, Adam and Annette Bednosky for a good while. They usually drop me about a quarter mile in. I focused a little more on speed and my body was responding. After starting in the Pink Beds, we headed toward Pilot Rock. I battled some stinging nettles along the way. Pilot Rock afforded a baffling view as I had absolutely no idea what mountains I was looking at. We relaxed on the exposed rock and enjoyed the view.

Sarah forewarned me of the upcoming downhill. It was extremely rooty, rocky and steep, just how I like it. She stayed close behind while I powered my way down. That was one of the top few downhills I've ever run.

After another climb, we hit a nice, fast stretch where Adam and Sarah saw a bear run down the trail in the same direction we were running. I was running with Annette and Jon Snow. Another steep downhill was upon us so I motored on through to try and catch Adam.

The next stretch followed the river and since it was so ridiculously hot and humid, we searched for a good water hole to chill our bones a bit. Most of us got in. The water was frigid but it did the trick. We continued along the river and hit a road stretch where everyone dropped me.

At this point, we were ready for the ridiculous climb up to the Pisgah Inn. I got a head start up the hill but everyone caught me. The trail became progressively steeper as I went. Even hiking nearly became anaerobic. The trail was gorgeous, climbing through multiple forest types. I hadn't seen or heard from anyone in quite a while. After many miles of climbing, I finally reached the top and descended to the Mountains to Sea trail. This led to the Pisgah Inn, where I saw Adam and Sarah, but not Rob and India, who were also ahead of me.

Rob and India had turned right instead of left and compounded the wrong turn by taking another turn, adding about four miles to their trek. We waited for a while and then headed back toward the Pink Beds. The trail became very rocky and I was moving well until I got a slight cramp and had to ease up a bit.

The last half mile of the descent was straight down and then I just had to run the Pink Beds. This stretch was much longer than I'd remembered. I made it to the parking lot after nearly eight hours.

Raging Bull

July 14, 2007
Hot Doggett 100k ride

I was doing a long run the following day and the heat was stifling last year so I opted for the 100k rather than the full century. I started out a little fast but eased up for the first climb. I took it easy until the first big climb, where I eased off a bit more. I started riding with a woman from Raleigh named Teresa. This was her first mountain 100k and I wasn't about to push too hard so we rode the entire ride together.

I heard a plink in a spoke two days before the ride. I'd hoped it was just a bit loose but it was broken. One broken spoke on a rear wheel isn't too big of a deal.

I ran into another woman from my gym named Karen, who rode with us a bit. The weather was much cooler than last year's ride. It made it much easier. The climb up Devil's Fork didn't wear me out like it did last year but it still pushed me. It gets very steep and is difficult to ride even in granny gear. There was a photo op and I showed off for the camera. I did a short sprint up the steep grade and heard a pop. Another spoke broke. At the aid station, I played with the brakes a bit to get the wheel to turn. It tacoed a bit so I had to open the brakes almost all the way to allow the wheel to move. I couldn't even get half a rotation when I spun the wheel. It looked as if my ride was over.

I tested it out on the road and it pretty much worked when there was weight on it. Since I couldn't get a ride back any time soon, I opted for continuing the ride. It was a bit foreboding doing a long descent with only front brakes and a weak back wheel. I've never been much for common sense so I tossed caution to the wind and hunkered down the mountain. Surprisingly, I had no problems so I kept on going.

Sam's Gap is a nice five mile climb in the heat of the day. I didn't ride it quickly but I had plenty of energy at the top. The following descent was a bit treacherous without full brakes and a wobbly wheel. I made it through and finished the ride. It took 5:54, which is very slow for a 100k but I took it easy and just enjoyed myself, leaving a bit for the next day's adventure.

Raging Bull

July 4, 2007
Fabulous 4th 100k Ride

This was my fourth riding of the Fabulous 4th 100k. I hadn't ridden many long rides yet so I expected to have some trouble. Last year I'd done it in four hours flat. I expected to take at least 4:20 this year.

I started out a little fast and had a few early bursts of energy where I passed dozens of riders at a time but they'd always pass me up shortly thereafter.

The scenery was fantastic. Pastoral landscapes and plenty of horse farms greeted me at every turn. The weather was perfect. I rode comfortably and didn't push it too hard.

This ride is famous for its short, steep grunt hills. I had to drop to granny gear to climb them. I attacked the steepest one, which was only twenty feet high, just past a dam. I dropped to an easy gear and hit about 130 rpm, blowing past several riders. Over the winter, I worked on increasing rpm in my training. It works the lungs a little harder but the leg muscles recover more quickly.

I rode intermittently with Dave and with Drew Shelfer. Drew was riding a mountain bike with street slicks. I stayed with him for most of the ride. The big grunt hill just about wiped me out but the long climb went smoothly. The final descent toward the finish was the fastest I'd ridden in the four years I'd done the ride. My time was 30 minutes slower than last year. The lack of time on the bike was showing through.

Raging Bull