Monster Cross (50 Mile Course) 2014

Out of water...

Monster Cross... my second endurance race, after Bakers Dozen last year, and I have to admit this was an awesome race though it was a rather tough one and more or less because I wasn't fully ready. Before race day I was all prepped to use my MTB to ride, but instead I was talked (aka peer pressured) into bringing the CX bike and it was the right choice (thanks Paul!). My CAADX was lighter, faster, and probably a little more comfortable for this course though I have rarely been on it for anything longer than 30 miles. This course was long, slightly muddy in a few spots, and a constant flow of up and down hills. I think there were only two or three straight-a-way spots that I could actually take a break and grab a bite to eat and drink, otherwise it was either climbing or rolling. 

For my bike setup I ran a Maxxis Mimo CX on the front and a Vittoria XG Pro on the back with a race day modified tire pressure of around 45/50 psi, which paid off in the long run because I never had to stop for any flats. I also had two water bottles on my bike to compensate for the awesome warm weather that day!

Paul and I left early in he morning and we arrived an hour before the race started. Which was good because I took the time to make sure everything was settled on my bike. I double checked my tire pressure and made sure I carried a spare tube (though two would have been better).
Anyway as we were starting the race I held back in the middle to rear of the pack with the mindset to keep a steady but quick pace so I wouldn't push myself to blow up in hopes to cover ground once everyone was spread out on the course. Which worked well for the most part on my first lap. I was able to pass a lot of people and really showed no signs of being worn out even with the mishap of me losing one of my water bottles on a rough downhill. But after I saw a fellow racer walking down a hill who needed help with a serious flat, I threw out my intentions of actually "racing", in fact I stopped to help two people with flat repair issues, mainly because I was carrying a pump and tire levers. Plus I was having a ton of fun leap-frogging with other racers on the course like the one tandem crew, a fellow MABRA racers from NCVC\United Healthcare, In the Crosshairs, and Family Bike Shop.

After the first lap before the extended portion of the course I felt really strong in my pace and bike handling, I even took the time to dismount on my water crossings just so I wouldn't have to stop to fix flats or mechanicals. Though this was shortly lived while I was on the extended portion of the course. During one of the water crossings, I dismounted too fast and my momentum almost put me off balance when I jumped over the water. And when I tried to get back on the bike I stupidly jumped on it as if I were a CX race, in which I felt my left calf slightly tweak as if almost to cramp up. From there on out I really took it easy so I wouldn't lockup while on the bike so instead of speed and pace it was more or less just pedal, pedal, pedal... to the finish. But to much of my dismay on my second lap with 10 miles to go, I was quickly running out of water.

I hoped that on my second lap I would see my dropped water bottle and use that to push me through to the end, but unfortunately someone had already emptied it! So I was just wishing for an oasis anywhere along the route, heck I even tried looking at other water bottles along the way in hopes they had water in them, but sadly I was out of luck. So with the lack of water, I wasn't able to eat anymore which put me in a bad position to cramp up even more. I conserved energy and on the last 5 miles I drank the last of my water and after I stopped to try to get more at a camp site that's when I took the picture above. 

Anyway I finished around 4hrs 15 mins, I don't remember exactly because when I finished I made a b-line for the nearest cooler and completely forgot to check the results. I was lucky I didn't have any cramping issues and my body, through tired, was not as sore as I thought it would be. Mainly I was just exhausted and a little dehydrated. In short though it was a great time and it was awesome to see some of the fellow CX racers from the season past. 

I am definitely in for this race next year!