Fast Fitty Recap.....REDEMPTION

In 2020 this was the single event that I did. Mainly because it was one of the very few that was small enough to manage.  In 2020 this race was brutal. Hot. I was way out of shape for a 50 plus mile race....and it all stacked up to me sitting on the side of the road waiting for the sag vehicle with less than 4 miles to go. This story is different....

I arrived plenty early and there was no crowd. Grabbed my packet and headed over to park closer to the start area. I was wave 4 this year.....where I belonged with the right speed type people. It was a nice morning. Overcast with temps in the 70's. Should be a good day for an awesome ride.

On my warmup I had to get a closer look at this chopper. Pretty rad with its turret and bad ass rocket launchers. I started out away from the Legion to where the course started so I could get a grasp on how far to the gravel. The first mile is pavement. Nice little rollers and good pavement. I rolled out and back and my legs felt really good. I was excited to get started. I wandered thru a little trail and onto the starting road. 

This was the start of wave 1. They are up there a bit. People were spaced ok, but whatever...I had COVID so I wasn't even wearing a mask. We were outside.....so go fly a kite if you have an issue. The waves went off and I edged to the front of the group. I realized as we got to the line that I was at the front....like....very front. Not where I usually start because I am a slower rider. But alas, here I was with a variety of riders young and old. 

3, 2, 1....GO. We took off and made the first right off the gravel onto the initial stretch of pavement. BOOM. Someone shot off the front like a rocket. No...it wasn't me. I was about 3rd wheel and was feeling comfortable with the pace. A few guys passed and started the train. I was 4th wheel and we were hauling ass into the first turn onto gravel. The poor girl in front of me wasn't as confident as I was and we lost some speed....creating a gap. Those 2 dudes were gone. I dropped in behind the girl and off we went. I eventually heard a few people talking. They were strategizing whether to close the gap on the other two or to just stay in line. 

We hit a solid downhill and because gravity loves me I just rocketed down the hill. Now I was leading the train to close the gap. Not a place I should ever be, but whatever....I was feeling good a whole 2 miles in so why not. I was hauling....gaining on the group. No clue how many people were with me....I was just hammering the rollers and slowly gaining on the 2 leaders (of our wave ;)  )

As we reached almost 5 miles I had closed them down to less than 50 yards. But....the road turned left....and uphill. Rider after rider blew past me on the climb. A few thanks me for the pull, calling me a beast!. Well...you are most welcome.....but y'all suck for leaving me behind. lol. 

The next 20 miles were pretty quiet. Although I was still averaging a killer pace, I didn't believe it would hold up. I was remembering all the hills are after 30ish miles in. I was riding my race, but I was riding hard. Would see a person now and then, but was generally alone for those 20 miles. Then a big group came rolling up on me. There was 10-15 people in there. Hard to say because of the way they were riding. When I jump in a group I like to know they are predictable riders. This group.....pure chaos. lol. A group of friends just riding for fun....and that is awesome to see. But not a group that I could hang with. I jumped on the rear of the group and figured it out very quickly that it would be dangerous for me to keep with them. They would swerve left and right and swap places and the guy in the back was left and right and back left. No rhythm. Nothing but pure chaos. I got a gap put on me on the next climb and just didn't bother to chase anymore. Didn't seem worth my sanity...especially with 30 more miles to go. 

Things seem to settle down after that. I was feeling my hard pace in the beginning, but I was still feeling pretty good overall. Temps were getting higher as the clouds broke up. I was thankful for the shade of the trees. The gravel out there....was spectacular. Most of it was hard packed with a few loose sections, some washboard, and some sandy areas. Overall....couldn't have asked for better roads. Around 35ish miles I spied the aid station. I stopped for a quick second and grabbed a water, but then got right back on to keep going. Part of that previous group was there and we started the yo yo ride. One guy on a fatty had passed me before the aid station. Then he passsed me again. Then I passed him back at the next aid station. lol. He caught me one last time and told me I was doing a good job. I was feeling good....and closing in on the finish.

This is from recovery ride on Sunday. Bloomingdale Kal-Haven Caboose

These last pics are from my recovery ride on Sunday. More on that later. lol.

I passed 40 miles.....and then 45......and I was just riding my race. I know I had slowed down by now, but I was still holding a solid average. For those that saw....I had set a soft goal of 3:45 for this race. Looking at how many miles I had left...I started doing the math. I was close....so I had to keep pushing. 

Mile 50 I knew I was going to be within a few minutes. GO...push Sean.....GO. I couldn't see anyone in front of me....but nobody was gaining on me either. I was alone.....but I knew I only had a few turns left. Push....push.....and then I see it.....there on the right hand side of the road. A lonely tree pushing a little shadow out onto the dusty gravel. This was the exact spot where I stopped one year ago. A year ago I was beaten....work out...defeated. This year I was mashing the pedals as I zipped past the tree....with a smile on my face....and reaching for a bigger goal.

3 to go.......2 to go....where is that pavement?!? Finally I see the last right hander onto the pavement. Quick time check.....can I make it.....GO GO GO. I am pushing with all I have left....and my tank is empty. I could see the finish line in the distance as my goal time slipped by. Still....I was close. I made the last left and rolled across the finish line in 3:47....just missing my goal time. Still.....pretty stocked....and let me tell you why.

Remember when I said last year was rough. I was bringing this up because my time was brutal. I was one hour....and thirteen minutes faster this year. Yes...from 5:00 down to 3:47.....on the same course. Clearly there are a lot of factors that go into that time....but the main one is that I wanted to destroy that time from 2020. I did. Sure....I was the last male to finish.....and only 2 women finished after me.....but I finished strong and with a solid pace. 

Twas a bit dusty on the KH this day....

Overall it was a great day on the bike. Then I followed it up Sunday with a solid 36 mile group ride on Kal-Haven with the H's and BB. Weather was perfect and we kept the pace friendly. My average heart rate was only 117, which is perfect for recovery. This weekend is Hanson Hills 50....which will be a major test with all the climbing. It will be my first mountain bike race in a long time. And being heavy....I know the hills will be test.

But....C2C is coming quick. Just a few weeks away. Here are the next few weekends

Hanson Hills 50

Dirty Donut

Cowpie classic

weekend off....but I am planning a century

Coast 2 Coast

Shit just got serious.....

 

Struggle Bus

 Not gonna lie.....I climbed aboard the struggle bus a few weeks ago and it hasn't stopped since!

Life, as usual, can get the best of us sometimes. In the past few days I have been wavering on the rest of my season. The next 4 weekends in a row I have a race. Fast Fitty, Hanson Hills 50, Dirty Donut, and Cowpie Classic. Then a weekend off....then....Coast 2 Coast.

I did a ride on Saturday on the Barry Roubaix course. I was planning the 62 mile course, but the body just wasn't having it. So I cut short. Ride was brutal. Body hated it. Mentally started to tank more. Amazing how much taking a week off the bike can mess with you. I started a new job and my routine hasn't been established yet. I was running short on time to ride, so I didn't. 

Ok, that is a lie. What felt like a busy week really wasn't. I am just using it as an excuse. While I felt like I didn't have the time to ride....I literally sat and did nothing other than hanging out with my daughter. 

Off week. Tough ride. Down the spiral I went.

This past Monday the day started off good. Put a mark in the win column. By noon, there was another mark in the loss column and the stress level was growing.....adding another mark in the loss column. On my way home I get a call from the school that one of my daughters was exposed to someone who tested positive for COVID at school. She is now in quarantine. Strike 3 for that Monday. Mentally.....I was done. 

As usual....when I mentally tank I instantly attack my riding and my events that are planned. We had camping booked this weekend for Fast Fitty, and now we cannot go. Cancelled. But I can still race. But what is the point. I should just cancel Coast 2 Coast too. 

So I told a bunch of my friends what was going on. They all told me NO WAY. You cannot cancel, you have been putting in the work and are just having a rough time right now. Keep riding and get back on track. 

I unplugged. Watched a sad movie with my daughter. Cried. Got sad. Cried some more. Talked more with friends that are giving me nothing but understanding and encouragement. Slept. Ate a box of cookies. 

Today, I feel better. Yeah life is still all over the place. But I am still on track for my goal mileage for the year....even after a week off. Saturday weather looks warm and I have a major bone to pick with that race.....because I was so slow last year. I have goals still. I just have to put the excuses away and put on my big boy pants. Keep working. Keep grinding. 

Right now.....

Hart Hills Gravel Race recap

Time for another recap. This time I made the journey from Allegan up the Lake Michigan coast to Hart.  Upon arrival I found a parking spot and wandered over to packet pickup. I got my bag and headed back to the car to gear up. It was a bit cooler than I anticipated, so I wore my heavier long sleeve jersey. Met up with Bill and Nick from Rockford bike shop and headed out for a short warmup.

I joined up with a group and headed out of town. We kept going and I was getting nervous about being late for start so I swung back to start area. I had about 10 minutes so I rolled around and then eventually headed to the start gate.

The 50 mile riders were lining up and started to crowd the line. I was towards the back of the group...because lets face it....I am not a speedster. While I was ready mentally for the cooler air and the 55 miles ahead of me, I was not ready for the adventure I was about to start. While I thought there was 10-20 people behind me....there was a grand total of 2. lol

Then it was time to race. The group started out of town and I was actually pushing ahead in the group a bit. The entire field was stretching already as the start was on pavement, which is expected in nearly every race. We made a turn onto gravel...and the fun really began. The gravel up there is a mixture of loose gravel and sand. By sand....I mean....sand. I had no idea what I was in for with this race....and it was starting to show its ugly face early on. 

Above is one of the worse sections of sand. It was pretty gnarly

Photo courtesy of StellaFly

The miles slowly crept past. There were a lot of people riding around me. I would pass a few and a few would pass me back. At mile 10....I was averaging under 10 miles an hour. I was planning on a 4 hour day....and now it was starting to look like a 5 or 6 hour day.

I met up with a woman that was riding my speed and she made the funny comment about averaging 9 miles an hour. A group of 6 or 7 of us made the turn onto Hart-Montague trail and the speed instantly went up. Flat pavement. What a welcome sight even after only 10 miles. We pushed ahead and started picking off people. Cruising 22 mph is awesome and I was finally able to find a rhythm. We crossed a road that had a little rise, I pedaled hard and ended up riding alone. Made another turn....back into some nasty gravel. Watched my average speed climb to 11.5.....but it was about to tank again.

After the 25 mile course turnoff I rode alone for a long time. There were a handful of people I could see, but nobody close enough to ride with. Slowly the miles went by. I walked....a lot. Not because of hills...but because I simply kept sinking in the sand. I would be riding at a solid pace and then the road would just disintegrate and I would sink. Add in that there was a gale force wind warning....and my day just kept getting longer. 

Eventually I hit 50 miles. Thankfully the gravel gave way to a pavement finish so I was only fighting headwinds and crosswinds the last few miles. I managed to find a rhythm in those last miles...and pulled my average speed up to a blistering pace of almost 10 miles per hour. Just awful. I crossed the line is 5:26. Brutal race....but I finished....and I wasn't last.

This race was a good mental training race. Physically good too, but more mental. I am grateful that it was a full loop and not multiple laps....because I would have bailed out for sure. This race was one of the most difficult I have ever done. Had the gravel been locked up, it would have been better. The race was simply what it was....and we cannot choose the weather or the terrain or the conditions. What we can choose...is to give in....give up....or keep going. I chose to keep moving forward. The thought did cross my mind that I would have been faster if I had stayed in bed. I am thankful I didn't, but it was a challenge to keep going. I made it. I finished. I wasn't last. I lived.