Colorado Trail Race - Wish me luck

[Christophe Noel]

Thanks, River. There was an hour in Breckenridge that nearly ripped my heart from my chest. I've not been so emotionally destroyed in a long time. Turning around and heading downhill was a tough, tough thing to do. It was honestly, a decision that I feared would come starting as early as Bailey when I realized I was not riding as strong as I usually do. I was making okay time, but the effort was not sustainable. I kept putting in the miles hoping I'd recover and feel more like myself. I was totally dragging *** up 285 to Kenosha. I probably camped in the same valley of despair you camped in below Georgia. Not a fun spot.

I have to just put this to rest now. I spent all day yesterday wondering if I could have made it to Copper, rested and pressed on, but given how I felt sitting on a couch on Sunday I doubt it.

On a side note, days before I left I was at a BBQ with Kurt Refsnider, a serious beast of a rider. He said on his one CTR attempt, he arrived at the Ten Mile Range on his first day and hit a wall. He bailed and hasn't been back. That first assault to Breckenridge is not easy. Sick, healthy, hot, or whatever, it's gonna test your metal right out of the gate.

Good luck on your ride, River.

 

[Mr. D]

Great effort, you accomplished a lot preparing and etc to make it where you did. It is steep up 285 and I have only ever driven it in a vehicle.
Glad you didn't crash when you were not 100%. At least now you know some preparation things you will change on your next attempt. That damn mental
game is a tough one...

 

[riverfever]

Thanks, River. There was an hour in Breckenridge that nearly ripped my heart from my chest. I've not been so emotionally destroyed in a long time. Turning around and heading downhill was a tough, tough thing to do. It was honestly, a decision that I feared would come starting as early as Bailey when I realized I was not riding as strong as I usually do. I was making okay time, but the effort was not sustainable. I kept putting in the miles hoping I'd recover and feel more like myself. I was totally dragging *** up 285 to Kenosha. I probably camped in the same valley of despair you camped in below Georgia. Not a fun spot.

I have to just put this to rest now. I spent all day yesterday wondering if I could have made it to Copper, rested and pressed on, but given how I felt sitting on a couch on Sunday I doubt it.

On a side note, days before I left I was at a BBQ with Kurt Refsnider, a serious beast of a rider. He said on his one CTR attempt, he arrived at the Ten Mile Range on his first day and hit a wall. He bailed and hasn't been back. That first assault to Breckenridge is not easy. Sick, healthy, hot, or whatever, it's gonna test your metal right out of the gate.

Good luck on your ride, River.

I was so out of it I couldn't remember if there was a fire ban or not last year in that area but I was worried about myself and making it through the night so I dug a hole in the dirt and circled it with rocks and started a small fire, crawled in my bivy and curled up around it and could not get my teeth to stop chattering. It was silly.

You do have to try to put it out of your mind but that will not be easy to do. In 2008 I was on the backside of Marshal Pass and my freehub blew. I walked back to the downhill and made my way back to the highway and to Salida. In 2009 I was actually feeling strong and was right at Los Pinos Pass and stopped for a few minutes to think about how much I missed my wife. Before I knew it I was turned around and heading to Gunny. Stupid. I did not race in 2010. This has been my nemesis. I hired Lynda Wallenfels to coach me and, most important of all, I've finally been able to put the hydration, right heart rate, and diet together so that my mental side stays strong. It is very hard for me to leave my wife for this but it has consumed so much of our lives as a couple that she deserves for it to be put to bed.

Kurt is a good friend and a helluva guy. I finally realized that he is, indeed, human after seeing him struggle on the CT and then blow to bits on Coconino earlier this summer. Always inspiring to watch his dot.

Hang tough man.

 

[Christophe Noel]

I think until you try this ride, you'll never appreciate how brutal it is, as you well know.

Unbelievable what this ride does to your head. I've been riding with Kurt and feeling great on those longer training rides. But when things start to go south on the CTR, it's unreal how bad it can get. I'm certainly no rookie to bikepacking. I've done over 1,000 races. Just one CTR attempt made be feel like a red faced newb.

I came across two guys from Boulder who were coming down through the burn just above the S. Platte. They said they were bailing on their trip because it was too hot and they feel they got off to a bad start. Amazing how that jacked with my head to see two guys bailing after just 20 miles.

I will say, this is one super cool event. I think I'll give it one more shot, probably next year. Funny how I can tell it's already under my skin.

 

[fisher205]

Christophe,
Sorry about your setback. But I'm glad your all right.

I rode with 3 friends last night that are doing the CTR and taking off with the mass start. All 3 are anxious, two haven't done a multi day race before but the third one has been on the Iditabike/rod three times. So hopefully you can do it next year.

Brad

 

[Christophe Noel]

That's cool, Brad. Be sure to tell them to enter that first day with a handful of humility. It's a 22,000 foot gain to Breckenridge in just 98 miles. There's not an easy mile in the lot.

My biggest disappointment is knowing I now have to obsess over this for another 365 days.

 

[trailsurfer]

Christophe,

Sorry to hear about the CTR for you this year. But as you said, the trail isn't going anywhere. Enjoy the next year as you prepare for 2013. It really is all about the journey getting to the starting line. Having completed one MTB 7 day stage race, the training and camaraderie leading up to the race far surpassed the race itself.

 

[29er]

"The trail isn't going anywhere..."

Hate to bum you out, but they just moved it last weekend. It goes through Iowa now.

For the record, you're a hell of a rider and I have little doubt you'll be back to the CTR to stomp on the pedals.

Kurt is out there giving it a go: http://trackleaders.com/ctri.php?na...14_24583143_10151139935566014#f25b0a2d723ebc6

He's here at the moment:

 

[phsycle]

"Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better."

- Sam Beckett