Vermont 50

[cbusick]

I started writing up a report of this but it was getting nearly as long as the race itself.

My strategy:
- steady on the climbs (maintained position)
-hit the descents and singletrack "Like Greg was watching" (jumped from one group to the next on every descent)

Summary:
* 32F at the start in the dark as the moon set
* First 30 miles felt like ALL climbing and a lot of it was steep.
* Hamstring cramped at mile 34, ate bananas and watermelon at aid station and felt better
* depressing to watch average speed drop below 10mph
* Mile 43, hamstring cramped up bad enough that I thought it was all over for me but some more bananas and watermelon and I was on my way
* Last two hours were spent casing Doug from riverside while being chased by Erik Nelson from Nemba
* Soo soo happy to see the 2 miles to go sign.
* I couldn't catch Doug, and had to dig hard on final descent (https://www.strava.com/segments/5641747?filter=overall)
to hold of Erik.
* I was happy to see 4:46 on the clock at the finish, then ecstatic when I realized my real time was 4:41 since my wave started 5 min back. Average speed 10.0. (distance was under 47 miles, yet I don't feel cheated) My right leg sized and I nearly fell down trying to get off the bike in the finishing coral.

29th overall (The winner did it in 4:04)
10th in the 35-44 expert field
7500' of climbing

hmm, that's still a long write up, but I don't have the energy to try again and shorten it up

[jraguin]

Wow, nice job. 7500 feet in 47 miles. That is brutal. Unlike Capt Cratty, I like the longer race reports so thank you.

[cbusick]

I was thinking this was the most elevation I've done on a ride this year, but Kitchen Creek/Engineers was 1000' more.

[JeremyC]

John its all relative. 5 paragraphs for a 40 min crit = long. 5 paragraphs for a 5 hr MTB race = short.

Congrats

[KTeves]

Nice job persevering for a great result Chris!

[pcollins]

Way to tough it out Chris, great job!

[rusto]

Wow, I bet typing even hurt after that. Great job!

[Smudger]

WARNING it's not short!

I need to start this race report off with a little preamble to set the scene. If you just want the race facts jump to RACE:

After a pretty hectic work year that resulted in an almost total lack of training in 2014 I decided to buy a mountain bike last October. The intention of the purchase was to motivate me back onto the bike and get back into some sort of race shape but subconsciously it was so I could go to Kingdom Trails for the weekend and drink beer with the guys. A couple of weeks later I realized the subconscious goal (what a great night that was) along with completing the Circumburke 25 mile race a broken man in a time of 4Hrs 17min. The bike did also meet it's primary purpose, keeping me riding through the late fall /early winter and combined with the Cali spring training week got me back and racing a bit this year.

Over the years I've heard a lot of talk about VT50 being a real MTB test so it seemed like an obvious plan to make it a goal for the year. I knew that getting into the race is one of the biggest challenges so I was ready with my finger poised as soon as reg opened. Unfortunately my research on the race pretty much started and stopped here. It's 50 miles on a mountain bike what else do you need to know???? I should be able to do that in under 5Hrs right??? A summer of chasing Busick, Pare, Cratty, Bill and Greg around the trails of Metro West ensued to get me into shape. All is good until a week before the race when my back completely seizes. Couple of visits to Tom Ball helps a lot but I can only manage 2 short rides that week followed by copious ibuprofen and adjustments. Fully tapered I guess.

RACE:
(Cat 2 Master 1 (45-54) starts at 6:15)

3:45am wake up / microwave porridge in hotel room drive 20 miles to start. Car frost warning goes off as we pull into parking lot.
Race briefing at 5:30
Watch Chris start Cat 1 race at 6:05
Throw clothes in drop bag and line up front row for my start at 6:15
Still dark but enough lights around me to see
Couple of handlebar nudges as guys race for the hole shot (it's 50 miles guys) but slot in 3rd wheel and draft to the bottom of the hill
Plan is to ride below threshold on the climbs, keep the pressure on in the descents, eat/drink consistently and have something left for the more technical trails in the last 3rd of the course.
Sitting in 2nd /3rd wheel for the descent and first road climb. One guy pulls off the front but he's all over his bike and out the saddle. He's not going to last....
1st climb in the woods is a little dark but not too bad. This was my only dab of the day as someone from the race in front gets off their bike right in front of me
Mike Bolio from Bikeway Source keeps on trading places with me on his fat bike....seriously!!!!
We are pretty sure we are 2nd or 3rd in our race and possibly 1st and 2nd cause that guy that went up the road must have blown up by now
This routine remains for the next 18 miles of STEEP dirt road and ATV trails ups and downs (45mph on loose dirt road descent in the half dark keeps your buttocks well toned) until we get to the summit of Garvin hill after 4056feet of elevation gain. (9.9mph Avg... behind goal)
Around mile 25 Mike is struggling with cramps so I punch it up one of the super steep 18%ers in the woods passing 3 or 4 riders from fields in front and I don't see him again until the finish.
I am now on the verge of cramping myself though. Just keep riding on the edge and drink and eat.
Get to mile 31 where the more technical trails start after another 2260 feet of elevation gain and I'm still at 9.9 mph
Not feeling good about my chances of making my 5 Hr goal.
Even though the last 18 miles are generally down hill they are more technical and as it turned out they still had 2993 feet of elevation gain
Resigned to not making my time goal I was all about making sure I got on the podium
Only a couple of guys passed me during the whole race and they were both Cat 1s that were chasing back for one reason or another
I felt really slow in the single track due to the fatigue but post race looking at the times in Strava I don't feel too bad about it (9.1mph Avg) I should have gone faster on the 1st and 2nd sections.
With the fatigue I am riding a little more conservatively cause the last thing I want to do is crash and loose a podium
At mile 44 you get back down to the river and the final aid station where they said 3 miles to go
What 3 miles???? Yes 3 miles!!! But that's only 47....could I get back under 5hrs????
Unfortunately from the aid station you climb through the woods on the Ascutney ski mountain side before the final descent. I try to push the climb but am on fumes
Last descent would be fun if fresh. Unfortunately I wasn't . Got it done and crossed the line with 5:18 on the race clock which was 5:03:02 for me.
2nd out of 107 in my category and 88th overall
That guy who was not going to last was an uber sandbagger. He finished 25th overall in a time of 4:40:13

Post race observations:
1. The course is a legitimate ball buster
2. Need to do more long sustained climbing in training
3. Cramps are real. Even with the low air temps you loose a lot of fluid and the sustained climbing fatigues differently than more normal riding. Need more electrolytes
4. Weather conditions were absolutely perfect. Would be a significantly different proposition in the wet
5. Rent condo at the mountain rather than hotel 20 miles from start. 3:45 alarm call was stupid
6. Couldn't blame my back it held up as good as it could for this length/type of race
6. Have some unfinished business. I'll be back.
7. Chris Busick "CRUSHED" it

[KTeves]

Awesome job Smudger! Sounds like you pretty much crushed it also.

[Bradford]

Busick, Smudger - fantastic results! Way to go guys - this sounds like a super tough race and you guys delivered great performances.

[jraguin]

Great job Smudger. You certainly have come a long way in about 10 months. I know because I have had to chase you on many a ride. I look forward to 2016 where you are already starting off in such great shape.

[JSteiger]

Thought I would chime in on the race report to add another perspective. This was my 8th year doing the VT50 and Mike Condon's 7th or 8th.

One of the things that keeps us coming back to this race every year is the course. The single continuous 50 mile course is considered one of the best in country. It takes you through some of the most beautiful country side that New England has to offer. The single track is flowing and fun, the downhills are ripping fast, the views as the sun comes up in the Vermont mountains is hard to put into words, and the feeling of being in the remote woods are all the things that makes the VT50 so fantastic. The aid stations are filled with lots of food and beverage while friendly volunteers cheer you on as you suffer through the course.

On top of enjoying the "vibe" of the 50 - we had pretty good days. We cramped and suffered as we do every year, but enjoyed the experience more than ever.

I pulled off a 5:04 in the expert group (not bad for the 4th race of the year) and Condon a ripping fast 4:48 in expert. Both PRs.

Looking forward to 2016!!

[Jacob]

Great job all!

[Smudger]

the views as the sun comes up in the Vermont mountains is hard to put into words

Very true there was one in particular view with mist down in the valley that was utterly stunning.

[argus]

Thanks for sharing the great reports and congratulations on the awesome results!