Revenge of the Rattlesnake-40 Miler

Well since traveling costs more than it used to, I have had to be more selective with which events I would spend time/money getting to. I've done enough in different areas over the last several years to know those that are my favs and this weekend was one of those. Talking the Pro Bikes pair, Todd & Lee-Ann, into carpooling down was easy so off we were to Davis WV, to the Blackwater Bikes annual Revenge of the Rattlesnake-40mile.

Friday night was the typical drive down and hotel stay....NOT. We got stopped for speeding in a 25 zone, but cop felt like talking about football and didn't give us a ticket! Then we lucked out and unexpectedly got a FAH-REE comfortable place to spend the night. SAH-WEET.

Morning comes I start the ritual of getting ready. Alas, my partners in torture had a different method of getting ready and I was nervous with my routine not the same, but it was ok. This year's course was set point to point, so for those that would need it they set up a shuttle meaning we had to be there extra early before the actual start time. Even though the weather was guaranteed wet and more rain, carousing the bike shop early the expected WV faces started showing up: Jason Cyr, JR Petkso, Ben Klimas, The Riddles, etc. But in the crowd were also lots of Pittsburghers who are well aware of the what the day has in store: Josh Cohen, Don Powers, Brad Schmalzer, TJ Platt (TOP), Holly Forsythe (Pro Bikes), Tom Hong, Matt Ross, Brocc, etc. I was glad to see I am not the only one thinking it was a good idea to drive 3-1/2 hours for this event! I was also glad to realize that several strongest females on this course were not going to be present, alas I picked a perfect one for cherrypick:-) : Sue Haywood(trek) unfortunately still recovering from broken leg, Chrissy Buerkle (pro bikes) got a hook up to Nova Scotia, Betsy Shogren (Cannondale) was doing Cross.

Due to routing the soon to be off limits Dolly Sods North into the course, the start was at Timberline Resort where we caroused the ups and downs that others glide on, headed into Dolly Sods, and finally turned North on our way to Canaan and eventually Davis. When you start at a SKI resort, it is absolutly necessary that you immediately go UP what others ski DOWN. Great way to thin the pack as this hill was friggin long, but very rideable. Not sure if it was the right thing to do, but after my usual lagging start, I got myself to what I thought was 2nd in the row of girls about 1/2 way up the hill (it was actually first, but I had lost track of fast stuff Mandi (Vicious Cycles)). I was very worried that there might be more climbs like this during the day and that I was starting way too fast, but knowing how I am, I always figure I want as many miles under my belt and be that much closer to the finish in case anything bad happens like mechanical, bonk, run out of water, sore butt! Later in the day this approach DID prove to pay off!

Hitting the single track turn after this climb was not quite the recovery period you can usually get, as it actually climbed some more, was loaded with bigger sized baby heads and loose rock for several miles. It wasn't long before out of nowhere, fast stuff Mandi came bombing past me and I never saw her again, although I was really motivated to at least catch a glimpse of her, it never happened.....she was off to first place. A few unlucky, Todd included, missed this turn and continued up the hill for some extra climbing, and then the dreaded effort of catching back to the pack. They passed me as we were getting into the exciting bogs of the Dolly Sods, one of which I took a clipped in spill to, quickly realizing my prized pocketed Peanut M&Ms were now drenched in slime. I laughed as I got my muddy self up as I also realized shifting and holding on were going to become very hard as my gloves and handlebars were covered as well. Off I went, glad so far to see no other females behind me yet.

Riding alone for a huge portion of the course after this, only seeing the unlucky with mechanicals or a few guys in the distance ahead and behind every now and then, was nice and peaceful and I tried to keep remembering it was a RACE and not slow down just because I was alone. Negotiating the course alone takes slightly more effort, and I frantically was looking ahead for pink flags and yellow arrows.

Attempting to fly down the slippery Timberline DH course proved a challenge but I was happy at the bottom because it meant the first third of the course was done, it also meant that the suspicious rattle I had heard before the DH was now miles behind me! Off to the North, and a quick road section with some bumpy horse trail worked in proved to be an area I began to notice a dreaded problem, this was ~mile 20. Too much sandy mud had worked it's way around and was causing the front derailleur and shifter to jam up. Getting stuck in the big ring when going from the road back to the singletrack allowed 3rd place, Eileen, to catch me, smile, say hi, pass me, and spin away. The rest of day would prove a battle between me and the derailleur as I continually banged on it and used 1/2 my water, and several creek crossings to continue to keep cleaning it off after every muddy section. It was getting stuck sporadically, but I still tried to keep shifting, knowing I should have just picked a gear and stuck with it instead, this meant quite a bit of walking/jogging when uphill not always getting out of granny on downs. This meant back and forth with Eileen for the rest of the day.

The Allegheny Trail at ~25 miles started sucking the life out of me, but I kept moving, eating, jogging, and being VERY hopeful that I could somehow still finish second, no hopes of seeing first now. Finally getting to familar territory ~mile 30 and the easier rocky and more dry sandy Plantation Trails was a blessing. I started counting down the miles, figuring no more big climbs and maintaining a pace by finally getting my chain in and staying in the middle ring I finally pushed past Eileen, picked up the pace for the last downhill and then the tricky 'pine tree' section, and hit the gravel road for the sprint to the river crossing that lead to the finish. It was with a mixture of sadness and glory that I realized I had not even gotten to ride a mile with the other Pittsburgh girls, Holly & Lee-Ann, which I expected we would be together more to share in the torture and motivate each other. I found out later they had ridden together for quite awhile and actually finished together only moments behind me. Lee-Ann caught a stick and had rear der. issues, along with losing a screw from her back brake caliper....can you say, 'sucks to be you'? She didn't let it get to her and she rode out the course, made all the time checks, and was happy to reach the end, even with her drowning episode in the last river crossing! (we were clearly instructed it was best to walk this one, but somehow LA missed that and attempted anyway, the mossy rocks taking her down still clipped in and struggling keep her head above water, thanks to Holly and the spectators for saving her life!)

Overall, Pittsburgher's put on good show:
Pgh Men:
1-TJ Platt (TOP) 3:56!
3-Jason Cyr (ex-pgh)
9-Brocc
18-Don Powers
20-Matt Ross (DH)
21-Todd Schoeni-(Pro Bikes)late midnight stiches required!
22-Glenn Martin
30-Josh Cohen (DH)

Pgh Women:
2-Ruth (DH)
6-Holly(Pro Bikes)-WVVUS Series 1st Place.
7-Lee-Ann(Pro Bikes)

Thanks to great hosts, Blackwater Bikes/Matt Marcus and wvmba for great event. And esp to JRP for photos, cheering and just about anything else people ask for!
See full Revenge results: iplayoutside.com
See full Endurance Series results: wvmba.com