EPIC TRAINING SYSTEMS
Endure, Excel, Achieve
2006 Death Valley Double Century Race Report
October 28, 2006
196 Miles 10,500 feet of climbing

Results 2006

Finished 10th out of 140 starters and 12 DNF's

12:11 Total Time!!
                                                             Elevation Profile
Wattage Numbers

Total Kilojoules-                   6560kj

Best Average  30min-           222w
Best Average  60min-           214w
Best Average  120min-         207w
Average Watts total event-      157w
                                                               Hell's Gate Detail


This particular edition was the fourth in history to traverse the
northern route of this event, heading to Scotty's Castle, Ubehebe
Crater, Hell's Gate, and other roadside attractions. With riders
representing AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, MA,
MD, NC, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, TN, TX, UT, WI, plus
Canada and the United Kingdom, this event remains one of the most
popular endurance rides in the country. (Chris Kostman)














Start line pictures look for my yellow booties and you will find me on the
left.








 Pulling into Stove Pipe Wells Mile 25.        Getting marked









       Setting up tunes for the next 30 miles of hammering solo.










                           Climbing to Scotty's Castle.











Pulling into the 95 Junction Mile 98            Pulling into Scotty's Castle
                                                                Second time Mile 120
Summary

The Death Valley Double Century (DVD) marked the third major
endurance event in a 5 week period.  Beginning with Everest Challenge
Sept 23-24, then two weeks later I did my goal event of the year Furnace
Creek 508 solo Oct. 7-8, and finally, my last event of the year, the Death
Valley Double on Oct. 28.  I felt really good.  Considering all the miles and
climbing in the recent weeks, I really felt strong.  I felt recovered.  I finished
10th.  My goal was 12:00 hours and I just missed it-- total time 12:11!

I was 20 minutes faster than the last time I did this event.  Considering
that I rode solo for over 170 miles, I am satisfied with my time. The last
time I did this event (total time 12:31) I drafted with riders throughout the
course.  In particular, I remember drafting down from Hell's Gate (over
45mph) to the finish (last 25 miles) behind a tandem.  

In five weeks I did over 900 racing miles and 75,000 feet of
climbing.  
Ride Report

I was fortunate enough to arrive Friday afternoon.  I hate to feel rushed and
miss the rider check-in the night before the event.  Usually, I work a full
Friday and then drive to the event and it is quite late when I arrive.  As a
consequence, I have to wake up earlier to check-in the morning of the event.  
But fortunately, my work schedule is a little more flexible now.  I checked
into the hotel and then checked into the event.  I was there early enough to
grab some freebies which was nice of Chris Kostman, the ride director.

The following morning, the “fast guys” as some people call us, lined up and
rolled at 7:00am.  The next group was launched 10 mins later and then the last
group 10 mins after that.   The first group went out at a pretty good pace and
I fell into a nice groove.  The tandems usually take the lead and the solo bikes;
follow closely to take benefit of the huge draft.  Saying that drafting a tandem
is nice would be an understatement.  You work a little on flat terrain and
barely at all going uphill.  Different story on the downhill though, you must be
ready to put your bike in the biggest gear you have and pedal for all you are
worth.

These are the things I considered for my bike setup:

1. The course does not have a lot of climbing only 10,500 feet.

2.  I knew I would draft a tandem for a portion of the course.

3.  I would also be spending the majority of the time alone without anyone to
draft.

My bike setup was as such:

Scott CR1
Front: Reynolds DV-UL wheel
Rear:  Zipp 404 with Powertap
Profile Design Lightning Stryke Aero Bars
Chain rings:    55 x 39
Cassette:        11 x 27

As we approached the first few rollers the usual accordion effect happened.  
The tandems slow down and the solo bikes pass them.  Then when the
tandems crest they catch and pass the solo bikes.  This went on until we hit
the roller just before the left turn that descends towards Stove Pipe Wells
(SPW).  It is not much of a descent more like a gradual downhill.  

Up until this point I was sitting very comfortably behind a tandem.  I was
enjoying the draft on the flats and gentle downs.  I recovered as we went up
the rollers while I watched the solo bikes pass us.  But this is where I made
the first, last and most costly mistake of the day.  I stayed back with this
tandem (which had done the 508) while all the other riders took off up the
roller and down towards SPW.

I call it a mistake because I stayed behind the wrong tandem. I felt that I was
in really good form and I honestly thought that I could've stayed with the lead
group on that day.  Well the lead for the lead group got bigger and bigger but I
felt committed at this point and stayed behind the tandem hoping to catch the
lead group on the gentle downhill.  Every pedal stroke was agonizing because
I kept seeing the hope of a top ten finish disappear.  Damn it, I had chosen the
wrong tandem.  By the way this was mile 15 or so.  

(Mile 25) I followed the tandem down into the stop at SPW and then I went
solo.  I could not believe that there was only two Port- a – potties and the
stop.  I had hydrated pretty well before the event and by SPW I had to go.  
So even more of a delay as I had to wait for the facilities to become available.

Once I was refueled and relieved I got back on the bike and hammered.  I
stayed in my big ring (55T) from SPW to the Ranger Station --just before the
real climb to Scotty’s Castle begins.  During this time I used my aero bars.  
This was the first time in 12 doubles that I used aero bars .  I think I
will use them again.  I passed many of the people that had left me behind
when I was drafting the tandem.  Then I passed a guy who wanted to team
up with me.  He seemed strong enough so I decided that it would be prudent
to conserve some energy and play along.  But after a few pulls I realized that
he was actually slowing me down so I went on alone.  Just before we split up
he said something like “you need to save some”.  I replied “I’ve done this
event before.  I’m good.”  

As you look at the elevation profile you will notice that there is a continuous
climb for about 25 miles.  It is gentle but it does go up and up for a long
time.  It wears on you because you are not doing cruising speed but you are
also not at climbing speed.  

(Mile 68) I got to Scotty’s Castle and felt great.  I refueled quickly and
headed up the final miles up the climb.  Once you crest at about 4000 feet,
you are on a long straight and flat road.  It is one of the most boring straight
roads.  Of course, there are longer, straighter rods on the 508.  It was on this
section about 30 miles round trip (Mile 75-115) started to fade and started
falling asleep.  I don’t know why this happens to me.  I have periods in the
middle of the day where I am falling asleep.  

I had been riding alone since mile 25.  I noticed someone was coming up
from behind me.  I was not gaining any ground on him so I slowed down and
he eventually caught me.  We then worked together until the 95 Junction.  We
refueled and a couple of other riders came in to the stop and we decided that
it would be best if we all rode together.  I was the weakest link.  I could not
maintain their pace.  Every time it was my turn to pull I pulled about 2 MPH
slower than the pace set by the other riders in the paceline.  Eventually I
recovered.  As we neared the descent to Scotty’s Castle I picked up the pace
and only Dan Crain came with me.  

The descent to Scotty’s was refreshing and necessary. I had gotten bored of
the long straight out and back 30 miles to the 95 junction.  I can’t imagine
how triathletes race on flat/rolling roads.  It bores me to only do 30 miles.  I
love to climb and descending is not so bad either.  

(Mile 120) At Scotty’s Castle we were required to pick up our lights.  I found
it pretty silly to pick up my lights at mile 120 and only 2 O’clock in the
afternoon.  But it would be dark by the time I got in.  

The climb to Ubehebe Crater is not difficult until the last ¼ mile.  However
the road surface is terrible.  My feet were hurting pretty bad by now and the
road was not helping.  If I could only learn how to get rid of the aching foot
pain that I get on these long rides I could improve my times significantly.  The
pain is so bad that I can’t pedal with any force.  

I knew I was in better form this year than 2 years ago because after leaving
the Crater I was able to put together a couple of intervals.  Two years ago I
coasted and coasted until I got to the Hell’s Gate turnoff.  This time I was
able to make use of the descent and make time on a few riders.  

I reached the Hell’s Gate turnoff alone.  I had been alone for the last 60
miles.  But as I was refueling Tim pulled into the rest stop.  We had linked up
earlier for a short time on the way back from the 95 Junction.  It was nice to
talk to another rider since I had been alone for so long.  Tim left the rest stop
about 1 minute ahead of me.  He climbed at a faster pace and I could not keep
up with him.    As it turns out he finished 9 minutes ahead of me.  

(Mile 168) The Hell’s Gate climb is the toughest part of the ride for me.  
Since the course doesn’t have that much climbing you can go pretty hard all
day.  And then at mile 168 you have 6.7 mile 2000 feet of gain climb.   If
you have been hammering all day this climb can really test you.  I was trying
to finish in under 12 hours so I was pretty spent by the time I hit the base of
this climb.  My average speed up the climb was just under 8 mph.  Not bad
but that was were I lost valuable minutes towards achieving my goal.

Getting to top of the Hell's Gate climb is a huge psychological boost.  The
climb is almost 7 miles but the descent is 11 miles.  You know you are almost
home free.  The terrain undulates on the last 12 miles.  I was feeling better
after the long descent and tried really hard to maintain a fast pace.  I kept
watching my time and realized that I wasn’t going to make my 12 hour goal.  
But I kept the pace high and finished with a total time of  12:11.

(Finish Line Mile 196)  I came into the finish feeling pretty good.  I was a
little disappointed with my time initially.  After a few minutes of reflecting I
was ok with my time.  I considered the fact that I rode solo for almost 170
miles.  And still I finished 20 minutes sooner.  I does get harder and harder to
squeeze out a few minutes as you get closer to the 12 hour mark on a Double
Century

LESSON LEARNED-- Follow the right wheels and when in good form sit
in on the fastest group you think you can stay with.