12 Hours of Lodi Farm
by Tris
I had a blast at Lodi this year. I went solo and completed 6 laps. I decided to ride solo for a number of reasons: First, I had to go to Michigan on Friday and was flying back in on Saturday night. I was scheduled to get in at 9, but if anything went wrong, I didn’t want to let a teammate down. Plus, after traveling, I might be really tired and decide I just didn’t want to do it. Also, I didn’t like feeling under pressure to perform because I had teammates counting on me. And finally, I knew I could ride 100 miles, since I did the Wilderness 101 last summer, so I should be able to do at least 4 laps with no problem, and finally, doing the race was the only chance I had to ride this weekend.
So, I arrived at National at 9 PM feeling good and like I wanted to do the race. I called Mike and asked him to register me, I would be there in about an hour. I had packed everything I would need beforehand, and Mike (he’s the bestsest) dragged it all to Lodi for me, even sacrificing bringing his single speed so that he could bring my bike for me in case I decided to race.
I jumped in my car, and headed south towards Lodi, hoping to find a Starbucks and a place to get some cash on the way. Finally, on route 3 in Fredericksburg after the route being Starbucks free, there it was!! I did a quick u-turn at the next light and got myself a triple grande soy latte. Then I found Lodi without any wrong turns, thanks in large part to having been there before.
I arrived and parked at about 10:45, collected all my gear from my car and Mike’s jeep and madly started getting ready. At 11:50, I finally got to putting in my contacts and strapping my light on with an extra battery strapped to my bike frame. Everyone else was lined up for the start, and luckily the first countdown didn’t count, because I missed that one. But I got down there just before the siren. In hindsight, I kind of wish I had just stayed by the ez-up and started after everyone else finished running.
I did two laps and REALLY enjoyed myself. I had set the minimum goal of 4 laps, since that is what I had done last year in a duo, and because that is what Mike did last year as a solo (he did have some mechanical problems, though). But I set my real goal at 6 laps…thinking that would bring me in at just over 50 miles.
I just loved riding along in the middle of the night with no one around, only to see the occasional headlight through the trees. The course was much easier than last year simply because it was dry. After two laps, having gone through 2 of my three batteries, I decided to take a nap until 6 AM because my batteries were barely lasting a lap and I did not want to end up out there without a light, after bringing in two riders without lights on my last lap. But I also thought this would mean I would only get in 5 laps. But I was okay with that.
I started up again a little before 7. It seemed like a completely different trail in the light. I wasn’t really keeping track of how long my laps were taking, but figured I could get in 3 more laps without too much of a problem. I was not out there to place, but just to get in a good ride and see what I could do.
After two more laps, I realized I might be able to fit in a 6th lap! I was still feeling pretty good, since I was really going at a pretty easy pace. I was also taking it easy because I am already in physical therapy for a bike-related shoulder injury, and did not want to risk falling and making it worse now that I was finally seeing some improvement.
On my 5th lap, I decided that if I could get in before 11:30, I would do a 6th lap. My 5th lap felt like my fastest, though I was also starting to get tired, so it is really hard to tell. As I was riding along, a guy was walking next to the trail, I asked if he was okay. He said he was fine, but busted his chain. He didn’t have a chain tool, so I stopped and gave him mine. I was going to wait, but then realized I was going to be close to my self-imposed 11:30 deadline, and waiting would mean I would miss it. I told him to drop off my chain tool at the CityBikes truck and went on my way.
Then wouldn’t you know it, my chain starts making crunchy noises. Getting paranoid, I cross the stream at about 11:22, meeting my deadline and with enough time to spare to lube my chain and see if I can borrow someone else’s chain tool, because of course my chain will break now that I don’t have a tool. Chris Clarke handed me his mini tool, Evan helped me lube my chain, and I went on my way for a 6th lap. (It was really great having all the City Bikes folks there!!!)
I started to feel some pain on this lap. My inner quads were starting to cramp, so I walked a couple of hills I had biked every other lap. The back of my right knee was feeling weird. My bad shoulder occasionally stabbed with pain. But I knew this was my last lap, so I pushed through.
So I finished around 12:45 or so. I am really psyched I rode over 50 miles. I think I finished 5th out of 6 starting solo women. Great training for the rest of the season on a really fun course with some really great people!!
- Posted in : 2006 Race Reports
- Author : Tris Newbury
Comments»
[…] Race Reports: Ricky deLeyos (1st Place Solo Singlespeed), Tris Newbury (5th Solo Women), Mike Klasmeier (2nd Place Sport 3-Man Team), Joel Gwadz (1st Place Duo/Clydesdale) […]
Only psycho crazy bikers race Lodi Solo. Well done Tris!