The Glen Haven Gallivant 200K Brevet was quite challenging for this Kansas boy. But, I got it done. Here's the course.
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/107031 and the map http://www.rmccrides.com/brevet20100710-map.pdf
Nice group of 15 riders started. I lost the group on the climbs within the first 10 miles. That was alright. Now I was just going to ride my ride and not try to stay with anyone. (There are so many cyclist in this area. The numbers of bikes on the road made it look like BAK. Amazing numbers.) I knew the climb up the South St. Vrain Canyon was going to be tough. It's 10 miles plus. I had been trying to make pretty good time before the canyon to get me enough buffer. On the climb I held my heartrate at high 140's to 154 traveling at 5 to 6 mph most of the time. HR 154 is LT for me. This was about a 2 hour climb. I stayed on my bike except for one stop at the top of the canyon for about 4 minutes. I knew getting to the 2nd control was going to be the trick at Meeker Park Lodge. I made it with 4 minutes to spare. At this point I was a mess. I was off the bike about 15 minutes here bathroom, liquids and food. Back on the bike and up to Wind River Pass. Checked the average HR before headed down to Estes Park. 139 to get me to the top. The road down into Estes is kinda rough so I couldn't really let the bike roll. Had to hold it to between 35 and 45. One 4 minute, non control, stop to check in with Michele on the phone while I had coverage. Michele and the kids where spending the day playing around in Estes and such while I was out and about. Made it into the Glen Haven Control with 16 minutes to spare. I'm off the bike for 20 minutes eating and doing the bathroom thing. Cherry Cobbler and icecream at the store in Glen Haven.
I'm starting to think I'm going to be able to finish this thing. Just 60 miles to go and a good bit of recovery coming up. From Glen Haven to the plains it's a downhill rockfest. Just take the lane and let the bike roll. I'm catching enough recovery I'm starting to enjoy the ride again. After exiting Big Thompson Canyon I start heading south making my way back to the start point. I find I can keep moving well enough if I'm on the flat but just don't have much to give on the climbs. I'm about 15 miles into the ride back south and a storm has developed to the north of me. A really nice tailwind drops out of it for the next hour. Excellent. I'm rolling 23 to 27. I do hit a short steep climb in here and go to my lowest gear. I have to really concentrate on keep my thighs from completely cramping up. Back on the flat and I'm rolling again. I stop in Hygiene top off the bottles and get another Cliff Bar. 23 miles to go. The rest is rather uneventful. I continue to find I don't have hardly anything on the even moderate climbs. But I know I'm going to finish well ahead of the cutoff and am feeling good about that. I finish in 10:56. 9:37 rolling on the bike. I'm last by a bunch but feel very good about finishing. I think I did alright on calories, or as well as I could. HR monitor had me expending 6725 calories. I'm pretty sure I didn't keep up on hydration. I was drinking about as much as my stomach would take. But I would be soaked with sweat whenever I was close to LT on the heart rate. Lots of time spent there.
I enjoyed this ride, enjoyed the format. Wish I could figure out a way I could get to more brevets.
Eric J
