EPIC TRAINING SYSTEMS
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2007 Butterfield Double Century Ride Report
Feb 17, 2007

204.5 Miles and 8300 feet of climbing

Done on Milwaukee Bicycle Co. Fixed Gear

49 x 16 81.46 gear inches








            



                                                                                                                         


This Saturday I did my first Double Century (DC) on a Fixed Gear.  I guess you can say I
HAVE DONE MY FIRST ULTRA ON A FIXED GEAR.  I was very excited leading up to the
event since my mileage on the FG had been increasing for months. My plan is still on track.  I
wanted to get in enough miles so that I could do a Double Century on a fixed gear.  

However, leading up to the event I had been sick since before Christmas.  I had lost so much
training time.  I would try to train and fall sick again. I was restricting my training/riding to just
Saturdays.  During the week I would rest and sleep.  But just a week before the event a doctor
prescribed a Z pack.  Apparently, this is a very powerful antibiotic.  I took it for five days as
directed.  I didn't think it was going to work but after the 5th day I finally started to feel normal
again.  

So now on Thursday, two days before the event (when my antibiotics ran out) I was feeling
good but didn't have the usual miles on my legs that I like to have at the beginning of the season.  
But since my goal was just to finish my first DC on a FG then I wasn't going to worry about my
time.

On Saturday morning, Planet Ultra had an early departure time for those that required more time
to finish the event.  I had a few friends, Brandy, Mary and Ron, in the early group that left at 5:
30 am.  I left at 6:15am.  I had a goal to catch as many of the early departures as possible before
Checkpoint #2.  As it turned out I caught Brandy and Mary at Checkpoint #1 approx. 37 miles
into the 204.5 miles of the event.   


From the start the pace was really fast.  We had a headwind as we left Anaheim Hills.  Anytime
we went East and South the winds were really tough.   I was in good company Mark Patton who
I rode with on the 2006 Hemet Double to a 10:44 time and finished #1 and #2.  Keith who I had
chased, to no avail, at the Fall Death Valley Double, he placed #1 on that event.  And Wade Baker
who had placed #3 at Race Across Oregon, 535 miles and 40,000 feet and had also done the 508
in 2006.  We were moving quite fast. I had no trouble keeping up with them on the flats and
uphills.  I was actually climbing better than them.  But as soon as the downhills came I would get
dropped.  

That is the frustrating thing about riding a FG.  Many people gear towards the climbs. I gear
towards the flats and gentle climbs.  I figure I will just muscle it on grades over 8% and walk if I
have to on grades steeper than that.  I don't want to spin over 130 cadence on every downhill.  I
feel so exhausted when I gear any easier than a 49 x 16.  


So now back to the Butterfield DC.  I was dropped within the first 30 minutes.  I was dropped
on a pretty consistent downhill, gentle but consistent.  It was a struggle to maintain over 30
mph.  My cadence was too high so I let them go but then caught them again on flatter ground as
we headed towards Santiago Canyon.  Once again I climbed better than them but as soon as the
descent came I was blown off the back. I rode alone for awhile and then a group of four riders
came up from behind as we entered Live Oak Park.  I out climbed them and then got dropped on
the downhill into the first checkpoint.


At the first Checkpoint (~Mile 37.4) I rejoined my friends Brandy and Mary.  They were just
leaving the checkpoint.  I had caught them in 37.4 miles--even though they had a 45 min head
start.  As I was stepping off the bike my right leg quad muscle cramped.  I almost fell over.  I
have noticed since riding the FG that I cramp more often than I ever have on multi-speed.  Well I
filled my bottles and made sure I took four Endurolytes.

The next mile was very tough.  It was a short steep hill.  I don't know where Trabuco Canyon
ends and Plano something begins.  Luckily, it is a short section maybe .5 miles but in a 49 x 16 it
was really tough.  Having pre-ridden the course I knew that the next 10 miles were generally
downhill and then fairly flat along the coast heading South.  

As I turned onto the Antonio Pkwy, Brandy got on my wheel.  I thought if she was feeling good
that we should pick up the pace and see how long she could stay on.  Brandy was doing a
fantastic job drafting me.  At times she would come up alongside me and I would have to remind
her to save her energy for later.  

(Mile 53-80) The winds were strong all morning and every time we headed south we would have
to fight it.  I thought we would make up good time on the coast but the winds were keeping our
speed below 18 mph.  The San Onofre Beach section was windy and the temperature was
rising.  I LOVE RIDING ON THE 5 FREEWAY.  But on Saturday we didn't have the usual
tailwind so it wasn't as much fun.  

(Mile 80-88.9)  Brandy was having heat issues.  She was actually quite hot earlier in San
Clemente Mile 50ish but now we were going inland on the bike path and she was fading.  I
wasn't feeling so great either.  My stomach was queasy and I was feeling the affects of the heat.  
I decided we should stop and dunk her head in a sink of cold water at Popeye's on North River
Rd Mile 89.We were at this stop for over 10 mins.

I think Brandy felt better after the Popeye's stop and I have to admit it was good for me too.
Once on the road I pushed for us to get to the lunch stop with no more stops so we could sit in
the shade and relax a bit. At the lunch stop I saw Ron and he looked baked.  The longer I was
there the more I saw riders coming in complaining about the heat.  Contrary to my typical riding
style we stopped for lunch and sat in the shade.  I advised Brandy to dunk her head again.  Lunch
stop was another 24 minutes of the bike.

(Mile 101.9- 128) After lunch we have to climb Circle R, Lilac, the 395 to Reche Rd and the 395
to Rainbow, all these climbs keep taking north.  I was feeling fine but Brandy was fading again.  
So we pulled over at Rainbow Valley Market and got some cold drinks.  The Sustained Energy
which I had drinking all day was not so appealing anymore.  I downed some cold Gatorade and
felt great meanwhile Brandy was dunking her head again in the sink. Another 10 minutes off the
bike.  

I have to tell you at this point I was really surprised that Brandy was still hanging tough. I was
admiring her ability to bounce back from her lulls. Because this was her first DC I had to keep
reminding her to drink and keep fueling even though your instinct is to stop drinking and fueling.  
As long as you keep sipping you will keep riding.  New riders often think they can't continue
because they feel so bad--BUT that all passes.  YOU WILL RECOVER AND FEEL BETTER
ONCE AGAIN.

From Rainbow into Temecula and some more heat.  So we slowed the pace down a little just so
we could stay moving.  Brandy was still hanging in there.  When we made it to the light stop
Checkpoint #4 Mile 129 I saw Mark Patton there and I wondered why he was there.  He
confessed that the pace was so high at the beginning that he just blew up and let the guys go.  
Sadly, I see that he DNF’d.

As we made our way to Lake Elsinore, I had to start physically pushing Brandy because our pace
was down to 15 mph.  With me pushing her we were able to go about 20 mph and hold it for a
few miles.  Finally the sun started to set as we entered Temescal Canyon.  It was had been
unseasonably warm all day and now it was feeling nice.  I LOVE RIDING AT NIGHT.  The
traffic is less and the rural roads feel like they belong to you.

(Mile 172.3) Checkpoint #5 Tom's Farm Brandy was still with me and now I was impressed.  
Bobbi F. was working the checkpoint and said of Brandy "...she must be strong if she is hanging
with you all day."  I told her “yeah I know I’m impressed.”  I asked Bobbi how many riders had
been through the checkpoint and she said no more than 20.  That news came as a shock for two
reasons.  First, because we had stopped for lunch and other stops and second because I was
feeling great.  Usually, if I am in the top 20 or 10 riders I feel really wasted by mile 160.

The last 30 miles were uneventful since the climbing was over and the heat had died down. I
think the Butterfield Double is a great beginner Double.  It has some climbing and then you get
about 30 miles to recover and then more climbing.  It is an easier route and furthermore it is a
very Fixed Gear friendly.


     ADDITIONAL BUTTERFIELD DOUBLE CENTURY REPORTS
2008 Butterfield Double Century
ELEVATION
 RESULTS