My Second Triple Century

On June 25th, 2011, I attempted the second triple century of my career. That would be 300 miles of bicycle riding within 24 hours in the Grand Tour. I did that ride the year before in 23 hours, 29 minutes. This would be my second attempt, and a chance to beat that time.

The night before, I carbo-loaded on some Chicken Alfredo and attempted to go to sleep early, since I would need to get up at about 2:45 am, AND would be riding for almost 24 hours after that! But as usual I was too excited, so I only got about five hours (which was still pretty good). So I got up at 2:45 am, got dressed, ate a quick continental breakfast, and left the motel to drive to the starting line in Malibu.

I got to the starting line right at 4am, which was right when the route opened. There were very few riders there, so check-in was a breeze. That was great because I was able to get on the route very early for the long day ahead. I just hoped my old worn tires would last 300 miles.

I did this ride before, so I knew the route and had a strategy: TAKE IT EASY. I was going to conserve my energy for the hills (especially the 19%-grade Potrero Rd.), and just listen to my body. If I ever got tired, I would slow down and not try to fight it. If I had the energy, I would use every bit of it. I had 300 miles to go. It was going to be a long day AND night, no matter what. So I had better just settle in and save it for the long haul.

Such a strategy would have interesting consequences.

I hit PCH (Pacific Coast Highway) in Malibu at 4am. I leapfrogged with this other rider, who passed me on the downhills and flats but whom I passed on the uphills. At one point, we ended up just riding together and had a nice conversation. Like me, he did the Highland Triple last year. It's always nice to ride with fellow riders, especially since I'm usually alone and still don't know very many people in the CTC/Randonneuring community yet.

As I exited PCH in Point Mugu, and came to a stop at the stop sign at the end of the ramp, four riders blew right by me, didn't call out when passing, ran right through the stop sign, and two of them even passed me on the right. Now, I don't mind being passed (it certainly happens to me often enough), but I DO mind when riders don't warn me and even worse, pass on my right side. Don't riders at this level of riding know better? Come on! Even worse, this would not be the last time I would see such stupidity on this ride.

I arrived at the first checkpoint in Port Hueneme at 7:30am. There were very few riders there, which was nice because there was no long line for the bathrooms or the food. (Last year, Rest Stop 1 was packed!) I did what I had to do, and headed on out towards the dreaded Potrero Rd.

I took it nice and easy. I was not going to push it. I knew what was coming. I crossed the "Camarillo Basin" and reached Potrero Road. I started the first climb. I took it easy. This was not the hard part. The road eased up, and I continued my steady pace towards the steep incline. I ascended each gradual hill. And there it was. The road all of a sudden ascended into this very steep pitch. I told myself, "Here we go."

I downshifted into my lowest gear combination, and just took it steady. Even in my lowest gears, it was an extreme struggle to push that bike up that 19% grade. But I was not going to stop. I was going to finish this in one fell swoop. So I just kept pushing. My heart rate was over 90%. My sunglasses started to fog up. My breathing was getting really fast and hard. Then up ahead, I saw a car disappear under the horizon. It was the top! Already? I already finished the hill?? Wow. When I reached the top, I wanted to yell out a big, "Woohoo!" But I was out of breath.

I continued riding strong after Rest Stop 2, cruising through Lake Sherwood, Thousand Oaks, and then up to Simi Valley and Moorpark. I checked in at Rest Stop 3 and grabbed a lot of food, because I knew what was coming up . . . almost 30 miles until lunch, with two nasty climbs and almost certain headwind.

I left Rest Stop 3 and started the Grimes Canyon ascent. I then got pissed off that I had to stop to take off my arm warmers because it was getting too hot. And then, of course, I had to reapply sunscreen. I hate it when you have to do wardrobe changes in the middle of a ride; such a pain! I then started my nice technical descent down Grimes Canyon. I'm telling ya, I'm really getting good at negotiating and steering through the turns on those technicals! But as I entered Bardsdale, I could feel the wind picking up.

I turned left on Bardsdale Road, and then onto South Mountain Road. And there certainly was headwind. But it did not seem to be as bad as I remember from last year. In any event though, I decided not to fight it. I just relaxed and pedaled at a maintainable pace, especially since I knew I still had another nasty climb on Highway 150 coming up.

I reached Santa Paula, and I had to stop and down a 400+ calorie MetRx bar. (I could not wait until lunch. Hunger was approaching now! And I still had the long climb to Ojai.) I started the climb, passed Thomas Aquinas College, and had to stop and take my helmet light off since the strap buckle was making a dent in my skull and giving me a headache! I then continued the long climb, and eventually reached the top. There was a hamburger restaurant there. I was SOOOO tempted! But I knew lunch was just a flat-and-downhill away. So I continued. I reached the last technical descent before Ojai. Unfortunately, I could not take it too fast because there was too much traffic. Darned cars! I then turned onto Carne Rd. (which just made me hungrier), and then onto Grand Ave., Park Rd., and then over to lunch. Good. Because I was hungry!

I grabbed a boatload of (salty) food and ate in silence. I contemplated the ride ahead: just one more nasty climb around Lake Casitas and then the remaining 160 miles would be mostly flat (just a few rollers and some wind here and there). I put on my second (or was it third?) application of "butt butter", and got back on my bike through the confusing-as-hell ride through Ojai.

As I rode through Ojai, I was appalled at the number of riders that failed to stop at stop signs. Pretty much every rider ran right through the stop signs! Even worse, they would ride right through despite other cars having the right-of-way. I think I was the only rider that actually obeyed the rules of the road. I was disgusted! I'm sorry, but if we cyclists want motorists to respect us more, we need to do our part and obey the laws of the road just as motorists do.

As I was leaving the city limits of Ojai, I came across two poor riders who had missed the lunch stop. They asked where it was, and I told them that it was back a few miles. I felt bad for them. And they needed to go back, not only to eat but to check in and get credit for the ride. Plus, they would need the energy until the next rest stop.

I started the last major climb of the ride . . . around Lake Casitas on Highway 150. The climbs were nasty as expected. I was slow and sluggish, but I wasn't going to push too hard because I still had 170 miles to go afterward. Long day (and night) still ahead! A couple of times the wind gusts caused me to swerve a bit. As is usual for me when that happens, I screamed like a little princess! But I eventually got through it all, and was rewarded with a nice descent all the way down to Carpinteria.

Now last year, when I arrived at Carpinteria, it was about 4pm, and I was having doubts about whether I could actually finish the 300. This year was different; it was only 2:45pm. And I was feeling GREAT! I had NO doubts about finishing the 300. So with confidence, another application of "butt butter" and incredible will-power to skip the Krispy Kremes at the rest stop, I continued on towards Gaviota.

The ride through Santa Barbara was really nice. I was enjoying the warm summer day, with the beautiful ride along the beach and all the happy people out and about enjoying the warm Santa Barbara sun. The climbs through Hope Ranch annoyed me a bit (always beware of roads with the name “Cliff” in them), but other than that, the ride to the next rest stop in Goleta was really nice.

I continued on, and hit the US-101 Freeway for the long 17-mile stretch to Gaviota. I rode with one of my fellow riders for a bit, reassuring him that, “Yes, this was the right way; it was going to be a while before the next exit.” And despite having eaten a lot at the last rest stop I still had to down yet another Met-Rx "High Calorie" bar because darn it I was hungry! I eventually reached Gaviota, the far point of the triple century. (Last year, when I arrived I was one of the last riders. This year, there were about 3 other riders who arrived with me, which was nice because it showed that I was keeping pace with my fellow riders this time.)

As I headed back, I hit a wall (not literally . . . I just got tired). It happened as I passed through Refugio State Beach, which was the same place where I hit a wall last year. (What is it about that place?!) I downed some electrolytes. Didn't help (at least, not yet). So I just slowed WAAAAY down, and "actively rested". I putted along the return on Highway 101. I eventually started to regain my strength as I arrived in Goleta.

After the rest stop in Goleta, I continued on my way back through Santa Barbara. The route on the return was easier as we didn't go through Hope Ranch. I rode through the streets of Santa Barbara, soaking in all the happy tourists out enjoying the summer nightlife. I turned off of Cabrillo onto Channel, reminiscing about the AIDS/LifeCycle Paradise Pit! I climbed over the "Summerland Bump", and was surprised at how quickly I finished it (last year when I did it, I was struggling). I hit the flat through Summerland and Carpinteria, and arrived at the Rincon Rest Stop an hour earlier than I did the prior year. Sadly, this time I wanted Krispy Kreme donuts, and they were out.

I continued down 101 through Mussel Shoals, and turned onto Pacific Coast Highway through Seacliff. One rider decided to tail me, because he didn't know the route. So I safely led him (and me) through the tricky Seacliff/Ventura bike path and through old town Ventura onto Harbor Boulevard. As I proceeded down Harbor, I all of a sudden got an incredible amount of strength, and starting jamming at an average speed over 17 miles-per-hour. And that surprised me, considering I was at around 260 miles, and it was about 1am. As I was riding along through Oxnard, I saw a bicyclist riding the other way, with a car tailing her or him. They must have been one of the quad riders. I arrived at the last rest stop of the ride, in Port Hueneme, feeling surprisingly strong. Up next, the last 30 miles.

Last year, the last 30 miles of the ride, through Malibu, were miserable. I was struggling, I was feeling miserable, and I was sleepy. Plus, I was nervous about finishing the ride within the 24-hour time limit. THIS year, I had plenty of time to finish within the time limit, even if I averaged 10 miles-per-hour. And I knew that Malibu had some nasty hills (not that they were really difficult hills, but that they were difficult when you've just ridden 280 miles!). And this year, I was feeling pretty good. So I decided on the following strategy: finish the ride in under 23 hours by conserving my energy for the hills.

I started down Hueneme Road towards Naval Air Road, and then hit Pacific Coast Highway for the last 25 or so miles of the ride. I just took it easy, preparing myself for the Malibu Rollers. I then hit the first big hill at Leo Carrillo State Beach. I took it easy, and before I knew it, I was over the hump. I then started to push harder. A few more ups-and-downs. I kept pushing harder, seeing the 23-hour goal approaching. More rollers. More pushing. More sleepiness setting in. I got more aggressive. I WAS GOING TO FINISH THE RIDE IN UNDER 23, DAMN IT! The Zuma Climb. I was getting closer. Push, push, push! I knew I would finish, but I HAD TO BEAT LAST YEAR'S TIME! Push, push, push! Another climb. Push, push, push! And then another climb. Was this the Pepperdine Climb? I thought so. I hoped so. I reached a false summit, and then another smaller climb after it. And then . . . a sign. Pepperdine University . . . to the right. YES! Just a couple more miles left! And then, Malibu Canyon Road. PLEASE, stoplight, turn green for my left turn! Especially since there is a Malibu Police Car right there. (Wouldn't that suck if I missed my goal because I got a ticket at 3am in Malibu on a bicycle?!) God must have been smiling down on me, because the left turn green arrow lit up just for me, with no help from any other cars! It was destiny. A short ride on Malibu Canyon Road, then the steep descent down to the finish line. What a fitting end to a 300-mile bike ride!

I arrived at the finish line, leaned my bike against a pole, and ran in to the ride official to check in. Final time . . . drum roll . . . 22 hours and 49 minutes. YESSSSSSSSSS!!!!

I then quickly ran to the bathroom because I had to pee like crazy.

I DID IT! Not only did I finish another triple century, I beat last year's time by 40 minutes! But what was really phenomenal was how smartly I rode this year's ride. This year, my strategy was to take it easy and conserve energy. Push when I felt like it, but when I started to feel tired hold back and save energy. Not to get frustrated and push too hard. But to relax. Because it was going to be a LOOOONG DAY. And it seems that strategy paid off. And that . . . was the true victory of the day.