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



                                                                                  RESULTS


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.