WILMINGTON/WHITEFACE 100K

[michael todisco]

Race report:
Overall this year was much better than last year, except for the rain and mud. Last year severe foot pain made the race difficult. Happy to say that this was not an issue for 2016. There were only 2 short times yesterday towards the end of the race that I started to feel onset of a bonk but it didn't last. Plus I was getting cold from all the rain and a chill was stating to set in.

Rain stared right at the gun and was heavy at times. Mountain jeep road were rutted and sandy and muddy making the descents sketchy. On Jay mountain, some racers bought it here, trying descend at speed was a crap shoot. 1 second cruising the next muscling your bike to stay on line and avoid the ditch. Also getting a face full mud and dirt did not help visbilitly, so basically I held on and used the "force" to see and descend the best I could. Riding uphill on these roads felt like your tire was flat or like riding in snow, lots a slip and resistance, working twice as hard and going half the distance.

Fueling was interesting, since by 20k every pocket, water bottle and fuel pouch were infiltrated with grit, each mouthful gritty and disgusting.

Debra was crewing at around 25k mark on the outbound and 75k on the inbound, doing a fantastic job encouraging me and supply the necessary fuel and mental support.

I was leaping frogging my main competition all day long, 2 guys who beat me last year I was able to put away by the halfway mark. There were a few new guys that weren't giving it up so easily, we battled to the end. The final result, 5th place , I was 8 seconds behind the guy in front me and 2 minutes and 45 seconds from the podium. Not a bad day. Finish time 6:21:44, that's official.

On to High Cascades 100 miler in July...