START TO TRONA (MILE 0 TO MILE 153.8)

TIME SPLITS FROM 508 WEBSITE

PHOTO CREDITS BELOW ARE FROM THE 508 WEBSITE COPYRIGHT ADVENTURECORPS

START TO CALIFORNIA CITY (MILE 0 TO MILE 83.6)

ACTING GOOFY AT BREAKFAST

PITSNAKE AND VIREO

First stage went well. I was on Portia. There is a lot of climbing in the first stage (over 3,000 feet in the first 25 miles) but I find I like it on the P3. My goal for the stage was to be within 5 minutes of my 2008 PR which was 4 hours and 35 minutes. My legs felt good and rested.  I felt fit. It was a good start to a 500 mile race.

SAN FRANCISQUITO CANYON

ROLLING INTO CALIFORNIA CITY 4 hours 41 minutes

CALIFORNIA CITY TO TRONA (MILE 83.6 TO MILE 153.8)

It was on this stage that I had issues with my nutrition. I was drinking the same thing I usually drink. I just added a little something extra  I think that 370 calories an hour was too much. I use CarboPro powder which gives me 224 calories of Maltodextrin without electrolytes, fat, or protein. I then threw in a serving of Fluid, which had 128 calories, some sodium and protein. I think I was taking in too many calories per hour based on my intensity. I eventually got an upset stomach. I spent 15 precious minutes off the bike puking. Brandy and crew were great. I went without calories for a long time. I started feeling better and then gradually started introducing calories again. As time and the miles passed I was back up to full strength in my feedings.

I didn't partake in a burrito from the Trona Time Station like I did last year. I just wasn't up to it. I really wasn't hungry either. But Brandy bought a burrito anyway and painstakingly picked all the onions out of the salsa fresca. I get heartburn from onions even when not riding. Thank you babe but I really wasn't hungry.

What I remember the most of this time station was the damn crosswinds. It was so scary doing some of the descents. In hindsight, I probably should have changed my front wheel from a Zipp 808 to a lower profile wheel -- which I brought with me for just that reason. So why didn't I use it? Because part of me loves the risk and the danger of descending at 55+ mph and getting jostled around.

I got into to Trona at 1534 or 3:34 for you civilian types;) or 8 hours and 34 minutes total elapsed time. I was only 12 minutes off my Personal Record (PR). I didn't think the tailwinds were as strong as they were in 2008. Hence, I was quite pleased with my efforts thus far. And if you factor in the 15 minutes I was stopped with a feeling of malaise then I would have been right on track with my PR. But delays and an occasional upset stomach are all part of Ultras.

MORE TO FOLLOW PLEASE BE PATIENT