My Road to Leadville - from Triathelete to Mountain Biker

From my past blog posts you probably already realized that I have a loose screw when it comes to epic cycling event. I'm on some kind of a “suicide mission” to find the craziest and most challenging rides with as much elevation gain as possible. Sometimes I think to myself: when did it start? How did I catch this bug? Because let's face it, we are not talking about a super climber like Contador or Quintana. We're not even talking about a gifted racer, not even at the local racing level. To be honest, we are talking more about a less that average rider.

Colorado Trail - July Mini Training Camp

The Breaking Point – Where it All Started

When I think to myself “Where did it all start?” The moment that I keep going back to is to my first mountain biking trip when I still lived in Israel to Lago di Garda. To that miserable rainy and cold day that started in an endless climb on the road and then trail. Somewhere in the middle, or probably closer to the start, I found myself all alone (that’s because everybody else was faster than me). This is where I experienced my first breaking point. I found myself sitting on the trail, alone in the middle of the climb, wet and shivering. With tears in my eyes (because I’m a girl) and with shaking hand I reached for my cell phone. Calling to “phone a friend” in Israel. In  a trembling voice I said “I want to go home, I hate climbing, what am I even doing here?” Then I got up, whipped the tears off, got back on the bike and kept climbing. Yes, I barely survived that trip and I probably didn’t even have fun. I don’t remember it was long time ago.

Since then a lot has changed. I became a roadie and then a triathlete. Somewhere along the way I developed a fetish for climbing and a sick appetite for crazy challenges that are most likely beyond my physical abilities. Best defined as Go big or go home syndrome. I think I have to attribute all this to that miserable moment in the Dolomites. That was the defining moment. 

All roads lead to top of Columbine (riding the Leadville course on my mini camp)

All Roads Lead to Leadville

Here I am finding myself once again facing my next challenge. This time I’m taking it one step forward about 15 hours of driving west. Yes, I am signed up for Leadville 100 MTB race.  The same iconic Leadville 100 mountain bike race that starts and end in Leadville, Colorado.

Why one step forward you ask? 104 mile (about 166 km) on a mountain bike, with total climbing of12,000 feet (about 3,657 meters) and all at elevation that starts, ends and does not go much below 10,000 feet (about 3000 meter). All this, a rider must finish in less than 12 hours to be awarded with the coveted Belt Buckle and of course the bragging rights of a Leadville finisher. This type of a challenge is a first for me, so keep your fingers crossed, I need it.

Since I guess I have more than just one screw loose and if I’m Colorado already. Why not sign up for the 3 days stage race Breck Epic taking place in the nearby town Breckenridge. Let’s hope my legs will cooperate.

The coveted Belt Buckle

How do one start?

Step 1: The commitment – I’m becoming a mountain biker

I view myself as a triathlete. So how does a triathlete gets to even think of a race like this? I got the idea from a comment made by one of the riders during La Ruta. That 3 day mountain bike stage race in Costa Rica I wrote about before (here is a link to Part 1 and Part 2 of the post). True, I took part in long mountain bike races before. But those were during or just after my triathlon season. Without any specific training or preparations. More like the result of an impulse decision of I need a break from my tri bike so let’s sign up and see what happens. My version to the Israeli “Yehiye Beseder” (it will be all right), I’ll survive even if it’s not going to be pretty. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.

In this case however, it’s going to be different. Robbie, the head my former team, advised at one point “If you want to succeed in Leadville you need to do it the right way. You need to be focus on this race only. No triathlons and no running. Leadville needs to be you main goal” … what? Really? Me? Focused? Hmmm. OK, I took the advice. I put my tri bike away. Dusted my mountain bike and I even went as far as lubing my chain. Then, I left my tri/road team and hired a mountain biking coach. I committed.

My weapon of choice

Step 2: The lottery and the disappointment

The Leadville registration opens sometime in December and it’s a lottery. You sign up for the lottery and in January, after the lottery takes place, you will receive a notice if your name got picked. Then you have about 1 week to pay and sing up (I think). After that – you are in, welcome.

There is a reason why I never buy a lottery tickets or any other raffle tickets. I never win. So why would Leadville be any different? Of course it wasn’t. On January 7, I got the email. We regret to tell you that you did not get picked in the lottery, but try again next year, we would love to see you. You can also sign up to one of our other qualifying races and if you ride fast enough you may get an entry to Leadville this way. Well, I am smart enough to know that this one ain’t happening any time soon. So what did I do? I came up with a backup plan. This is how Breck Epic came into the mix. Quick call with my coach. Sure that can work, it’s doable, there’s enough time. OK, so I had a backup plan.

The Colorado Trail (part of Breck Epic)

The Turning Point and Solution: World Bicycle Relief

But then came the turning point. For once lady luck was on my side. I was invited to ride Leadville 100 as part of team World Bicycle Relief. World Bicycle Relief (WBR) is an amazing organization that provides access to independence and livelihood through The Power of Bicycles. WBR provide specially designed and locally assembled bicycles to students, healthcare workers and entrepreneurs in rural Africa; connecting them with education, healthcare and economic opportunities. All I needed to do was fundraise X $ for the cause and I am in. So please consider making a donation to my fund raising efforts using this link: Sharon's Fundraiser

Why I say lady luck was on my side? Because I cannot think of a better way to ride in Leadville. Helping mobilize others with a mean of transportation that is a hobby for me but for them it’s a necessity. It’s an opportunity to turn my hobby into something good and give back. Oh yeah and ride Leadville on the way. Thank you Katie from WBR for the invite!!! 

Probably one of the only flat sections of the course

Step 3: Training

I will spare you the details of my training. In short, a lot of hours of solo riding on my mountain bike. Quality time with my Epic and during the week to change things up on my fatty Trixie (aka my fat bike). A lot of close to tears moments and some breakthroughs moments as well. I even signed up for a few short races of less than 3 hours of crazy high heart rate and mediocre results. Then I started getting emails from my coach: “it’s all good but at some point you are going to have to start climbing”. But Coach, I write back “I live in Chicago. The longest climb takes less than 1 min. Even if I drive to neighboring Wisconsin the climbs are not that long, a few minutes at most”.  “Oh yeah right. I forgot” said my Coach “we’ll work with, that but it’s not ideal”. Thank you Coach Sarah Kaufmann for the support, for pushing me and for working with my craziness. 

Lucky for me I get to spend some time in Paris for work each month, so I brought my road bike with me and even got in a few weekends of climbing, but not much more than that. I realized there is no other way. I must head west. To see in my own eyes and to feel in my own legs and lungs what have I gotten myself into this time.

On Columbine climb 

Mini training camp in Colorado and the lessons Learned

After a crazy 8 weeks at work, my work load suddenly temporarily went down and the week of July 4th looked good for travel. I jumped on it. Booked a flight, rented a car, packed my bike and off I go, I’m on my way to Colorado. I planned 4 days of riding: 2 in Breckenridge area and 2 on the Leadville 100 race course. Since I could not find a victim to join me for this challenge or this trip, I was solo again on the trails of Leadville. I do not like to go mountain biking alone. It’s not a smart thing to do, but I had no choice. I was counting on the fact that this time of year there will be a lot of other riders riding the course. I was trying to reassure myself and feel better. Someone will find you lying down, hopefully you will still be alive and before you are eaten by a bear or some another animal. It will be all right Sharon.

Luckily the rides went without any issues at least in this respect. I was able to train the course and in altitude. A quality training block, and a lot of important lessons learned.

Bikepacking, the next thing but not for me. Thanks Beth for the company on Breck rides

Mountain Biking in altitude

I am fortunate that my body responds well to altitude. I have skied, road biked and ran at similar elevations of 10,000 feet and above. I forgot, however, how different it is to mountain bike such altitude. Especially on those steep climbs and single tracks. The lunges just scream “please Sharon give us some air” and the legs follow almost immediately screaming even louder “STOP”. Climbs that on the road will give me no issue with no heavy breathing and no need to stop. On the mountain bike its different – it required multiple stops and heavy breathing like I am in the midst of a sever asthma attack. Breathing deep just burns, which makes this already challenging course even more challenging. OK, this is not really news to me. It’s more or less a reminder, a refresher course on what’s yet to come. Because there is nothing I can really do about it, other than be mentally prepared to suffer.

Mountain biking in altitude is a different animal, but when you stop to catch your breath at least you get this view  

Nutrition 

After my first ride of part of the Leadville course, a big ride of close to 6 hours and about 57 miles (about 91 km) that included Columbine climb (the longest climb of the course). I realized that my nutrition plan will not work: About half way into my ride, I realized that I did not eat enough and I am bonking badly. I also discovered that while mountain biking at altitude my body needs more food than on the road bike. I have to eat solid food too and the Infinit energy drink is not enough. Since I am coordinationly challenged and eating on a mountain bike is more complicated. I had to come up with a solution that would make eating on the bike easier. Yes, I know I will not get any points for style here, so all you “room for 2 bottles in the frame” crybabies, close your eyes and don’t read the following lines. I am going to ride with a bento box for gels on my top tube and a feed bag for bars on my handlebar (as you can see below). And yes, I am also going to ride with a backpack with 3L bladder. The style will have to wait.

My setup

Don’t believe everything you hear about Leadville

During the years I’ve heard people say about Leadville: “It’s a road race but on a mountain bike, it’s not technical at all”, “La Ruta is like doing Leadville 3 times, you won’t have an issue” “Leadville, ha, just another highly overrated race”, “if you did an ironman, it’s going to be a walk in the park for you” and so on. I also heard other opinions and spoke to people who thought differently. But experience is the best teacher. After the riding most of the course myself I know: No it is not like a road race, not even close. Even if it’s only 1 day, it is going to be harder than a day in La Ruta. It is going to be the hardest day I have on my bike! And lastly, the sub-12 cutoff is going to be close. As I wrote before, keep your fingers crossed, I need it.

When you ride solo there is no escape from a selfi or two

Ready or not here I come

I am writing these lines and going to pack. Tomorrow I will be uploading the car, my bikes, the dog and most importantly my other half and head to Colorado. One week to Leadville. Please don’t ask me if I am ready. I hate this question and I hate even more the answer. Even after 3 ironman races, 12 half IMs and numerous other races and rides I never feel ready. There is always something I could have done better. I could trained more. I could have trained harder, etc. It’s never enough.

This time I also know that the stakes are different. There is more pressure. Unlike other mountain biking “races” that I’ve done in the past mentally thinking of them as just a ride. This time I’ve trained. I cannot use the “I didn’t train” or “I wasn’t taking it seriously” as an excuse. Because as I wrote above – Leadville is the goal. Taking a deep breath (while I’m still at sea level and it doesn’t burn).

So like before an ironman race I know it’s going to be a long day and anything can happen. The outcome will not only depend on me. It depends on the weather, other riders on the course, mechanicals (crossing fingers here too). Will my body cooperate with my head or will it fight it? My nutrition and most importantly – mental strength and focus. The goal – keep moving forward.

So as I said (the Fugies sang) – ready or not here I come.

Leadville 100 – see ya on August 13

This blog post will be also be published in Hebrew on BikePanel in the coming days.

Thanks for reading.