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  • Leadville 100 Mountain Bike Race Success

    I’m happy to report I achieved a new PR at the 2013 Leadville 100 Mountain Bike Race. This was my 9th year of completing the race. My long-term goal has been to complete 10 races and the 1,000 mile buckle status.

    You may or may not know that the race is actually over 100 miles. My cycling computer notes the mileage at 103.8 miles for the last couple of years and 102.5 miles previously. The change in mileage is due to course reroutes to make the race safer and to avoid going through the middle of a gravel pit.

    My best time when the course was 102.5 miles was 10:08. I was gunning for sub-10 hours this year and my official chip time was 10:01:19. Just short of sub-10, but still a new PR – and a time PR on a longer course.

    Here are a few of the things I think contributed to the new PR:

    • Consistent training and less business travel in the six months before the race.
    • Stayed healthy, including no major crashes.
    • Off-season training was consistent. (Similar to the off-season training plan.)
    • I moved some of my road bike interval days to Sunday, following a day on the mountain bike. (Similar to switching Wednesday and Sunday workouts shown on the Level II 100-Mile Mountain Bike Race Plan.)
    • I had a good large training week that boosted fitness (similar to the plan mentioned in the last bullet).
    • Though race morning was brisk at 36 degrees, most of the day remained cool. The day was neither too hot nor cold.
    • The week prior to the race was rainy, making the course perfect for race day.
    • The S-Works Epic 29er worked perfectly on race day, no mechanical difficulties.
    • Nutrition and hydration went well.
    • My pace strategy was well executed.

    Really, the list could go on for pages. There are many things that contribute to a good race day.

    As you look toward your next race, or even next season, take time to debrief your last race experience. What went well? What needs to change before the next race? What must you be satisfied with for now, but needs to change before next year?

    Taking time to evaluate why you are successful will help you for your next event.

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