I've completed this race twice before and they were both type 2 experiences. Working in construction doesn't allow for much training and my schedule usually leads me to eating poorly for a two to three month period. This is a recipe for disaster.
This year has been a bit different. I've ridden a bit more volume this summer and with the help of my girlfriend Laura I have cleaned up my diet quite a bit. I also got a decent amount of climbing in my training this time around.
The Soggy Bottom 100 can be broken down into three legs. The first leg is 43 miles from the start at the Seaview Cafe in Hope to the Resurrection Pass Trail head in Cooper Landing. From there racers climb back up to the Devil's Pass Cabin back down to Devil's Creek Trail head at 27 miles. Finally, we backtrack once again and crawl up Devil's Creek Trail to the cabin and back down to the Seaview Cafe in Hope at 36 miles.
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| After riding on the road for about 5 miles we finally get on the trail. Photo Credit Oscar Lage |
The road to the trail head is pretty uneventful and usually chatty. Some folks really take advantage draft and the smooth gravel/clay road. I find that slowly working into my pace is better for me in 100 mile races.
Nicholas Blades is an experienced long distance rider. He is a great climber and teammate so I decided to latch onto his back wheel. We made it through the first 15 miles and it was pretty uneventful. A few solo riders passed us and as much as I wanted to race them right then I knew that I needed to hang back and stick with my race plan.
Around mile 20 I needed to relieve myself and stopped. I took this opportunity to eat some food and drink fluids. Nick stopped as well and got back going before I did. I got a couple of twinges of legs tightening up and backed off a bit. Apparently my pace was OK because I caught back up to Nick and a couple of other solo riders.
After crossing the pass for the first time I started to open it up a little bit. My plan was to maintain pace up the climbs and to pick my pace up considerably on the flats and downhills. With the Yeti SB4.5c underneath me I felt that I could make up time on my friends there.
The stretch of trail from the Cabin down to the Swan Lake Cabin is great descent. The previous two Soggy Bottoms that I've participated in I noticed that there were always folks getting flat tires here. Not me though, I'm invisible.
Yeah, I got a flat. I thought I was awesome flying through the downhill. I got passed by 6 people that I had just passed. After about 10-12 minutes I got the flat repaired.
I was riding with a chip on my shoulder and passed everyone that got by me while repairing my tire. I rolled into Cooper Landing and Janice Tower met me with my checkpoint drink and food. Thanks Janice!
The climb out of Cooper Landing is a tough one. I consider it the toughest one out of the three. The heat of the day, a few spots that are steep. Average speed shows that it's the slowest leg of the three. Surprising enough, the sun came out and really warmed us up. Something was different this time with my legs. They felt pretty good and I continued to ride my race.
After going through the Bacon Station again I started riding on the Devil's Creek Trail. There was a little headwind that kind of annoyed me. I told myself that I would get a nice push going back. The downhill to the trail head is a mixed bag. I wanted to go fast but with riders coming back up you really have to measure your risk factor. There is a lot of yelling on the downhill.
I realized that I was much closer to the guys I usually race in the Kincaid series while going downhill than in years past. I was feeling really good about this and used it to power me into the final checkpoint at Devil's Creek Trail head. The wonderful Laura Fox brought my food and drink mix to the trail head. I loaded my stuff up and headed up the trail again.
I made it up to Devil's Pass with little drama. I was tired at this point but continued to keep rotating the pedals. After getting up there I found that the headwind I had earlier had died down. :/ Ha ha, cycling is funny that way.
After getting over the last few climbs to Resurrection Pass I really open it up and get down to Hope as fast as possible. I really wanted a 10 hour time and I wasn't sure if I was going to make it. Math is not something endurance athletes are very good at 7-8 hours in.
Thanks to the folks maintain the trails we had a great trip down into the lower river valley with very little sight distance issues. When you've set up a plan, followed it and have seen it come to fruition it makes for a pretty awesome feeling.
I got to the very last hill. Mutha Fu.... hill. If you've done the 100 mile or 85 mile solo race you know what hill I'm talking about. I got up that hill. I made that hill my... whatever. You get it. ;)
After another couple of miles we pop out at the road again. My bottom was hurting, my shoulders were twinging and my legs were on their last...leg? I put in a solid time trial to finish. I was stoked. 10 hours was not just a reality, I was going to come in with more than enough time.
Nicholas Blades is an experienced long distance rider. He is a great climber and teammate so I decided to latch onto his back wheel. We made it through the first 15 miles and it was pretty uneventful. A few solo riders passed us and as much as I wanted to race them right then I knew that I needed to hang back and stick with my race plan.
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| Bacon Station at the Devil's Cabin intersection. Photo Credit Ryan Greeff |
After crossing the pass for the first time I started to open it up a little bit. My plan was to maintain pace up the climbs and to pick my pace up considerably on the flats and downhills. With the Yeti SB4.5c underneath me I felt that I could make up time on my friends there.
The stretch of trail from the Cabin down to the Swan Lake Cabin is great descent. The previous two Soggy Bottoms that I've participated in I noticed that there were always folks getting flat tires here. Not me though, I'm invisible.
Yeah, I got a flat. I thought I was awesome flying through the downhill. I got passed by 6 people that I had just passed. After about 10-12 minutes I got the flat repaired.
I was riding with a chip on my shoulder and passed everyone that got by me while repairing my tire. I rolled into Cooper Landing and Janice Tower met me with my checkpoint drink and food. Thanks Janice!
The climb out of Cooper Landing is a tough one. I consider it the toughest one out of the three. The heat of the day, a few spots that are steep. Average speed shows that it's the slowest leg of the three. Surprising enough, the sun came out and really warmed us up. Something was different this time with my legs. They felt pretty good and I continued to ride my race.
 |
| Photo Credit Laura Fox |
After going through the Bacon Station again I started riding on the Devil's Creek Trail. There was a little headwind that kind of annoyed me. I told myself that I would get a nice push going back. The downhill to the trail head is a mixed bag. I wanted to go fast but with riders coming back up you really have to measure your risk factor. There is a lot of yelling on the downhill.
 |
| Devil's Creek Trail. Photo credit Will Ross |
I realized that I was much closer to the guys I usually race in the Kincaid series while going downhill than in years past. I was feeling really good about this and used it to power me into the final checkpoint at Devil's Creek Trail head. The wonderful Laura Fox brought my food and drink mix to the trail head. I loaded my stuff up and headed up the trail again.
I made it up to Devil's Pass with little drama. I was tired at this point but continued to keep rotating the pedals. After getting up there I found that the headwind I had earlier had died down. :/ Ha ha, cycling is funny that way.
After getting over the last few climbs to Resurrection Pass I really open it up and get down to Hope as fast as possible. I really wanted a 10 hour time and I wasn't sure if I was going to make it. Math is not something endurance athletes are very good at 7-8 hours in.
Thanks to the folks maintain the trails we had a great trip down into the lower river valley with very little sight distance issues. When you've set up a plan, followed it and have seen it come to fruition it makes for a pretty awesome feeling.
I got to the very last hill. Mutha Fu.... hill. If you've done the 100 mile or 85 mile solo race you know what hill I'm talking about. I got up that hill. I made that hill my... whatever. You get it. ;)
After another couple of miles we pop out at the road again. My bottom was hurting, my shoulders were twinging and my legs were on their last...leg? I put in a solid time trial to finish. I was stoked. 10 hours was not just a reality, I was going to come in with more than enough time.
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| A little bit of energy left to crack a smile and beer. Photo Credit Laura Fox. |
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| The real Yeti. Photo Credit Charlie Renfro |
Position Name Time
1 Adam Reimer (first male) 9:01:00
2 Speedway Threesome (first relay) 9:04:00
3 Meredith Nobel (Petite) 9:06
4 Chaz DiMarzio 9:12:00
5 Kevin Murphy 9:51:00
6 Dante Petri 9:53:39
7 Samuri Cerial Killers 9:53:56
8 Quick and Dirty 10:09:00
9 Owen Ala 10:23:00
10 Moose Knuckle 10:31:00
11 Chris Jung 10:38:00
12 Clinton Hodges lll 10:44:26 (7th place 100 mile solo)
13 Team Davis 10:44:33
14 Jill Simek (first woman) 11:14:58
15 Dustin Eroh 11:15:05
16 Zach H uff 11:14:58
17 Nicolas Blades 11;28
18 Amber Bethe 11:35:00
19 Adam Rothman 11: 39
Thanks again to the volunteers and forestry service for allowing us to ride our bikes over this great trail.
My gear worked great. I rode a GX level Yeti SB4.5c which is an incredible bike. Revolution Racing's bike shop sponsor sells them and built up a great bike for me.
Speedway Cycles
Castelli Cycling wear
Yeti SB4.5c
I used my arm warmers that were custom made for the team by Castelli Cycling, a 70oz Camelbak and carried all of my food in my jersey pockets. I used Skratch drink mix, Clif Shot Bloks, homemade savory rice cakes, Sport Legs, stroopwafels and Pro Bar Bite bars. My tummy felt great the entire day. I never bonked and I always felt well hydrated.
