The Very Hairy Hundred 2017

The alarm clock went off at 4:30 a.m. this past Sunday . It was time to take the 1 hr 45 minute drive to the Hairy Hundred. Having attended the last three HH's I knew I didn't want to miss this well organized $30 race, super cheap,  which is the perfect shakedown ride timed 2 weeks out from DK200.  What's not to like?  My husband would not be riding but would be taking over cheerleader and sag duties. The morning started out very rough, I have no idea why, everything is wrong.  My stomach rumbled, head hurt and I coughed, I coughed a lot. Seriously? It was definitely bad timing to feel crappy right before riding a hundred miles... f***. My husband quickly loaded my Wonderful Salsa Warbird, tossed our bags into the Subaru and by 5 a.m. we were on the road.   I tried to get myself together, talk myself into feeling better, it wasn't working. There was no way I could tell my husband,  who had gotten up extremely early on a Sunday, chauffeured me almost 2 hours to a bike ride/race that I wasn't entirely sure I could even get on my bike to start much less finish.  I suffered in silence and was able to take a 30-minute nap as he drove. Help.

The peoples CHAMP

 The fact that it was only 52 degrees really worried me a bit.  Geez, did I pack enough to stay warm? Leg and arm warmers would have to suffice. Damn!  The wind was a justa whipping around like a mad, wild child.  There were shivering cyclists everywhere lying to themselves they were not cold.  The weather man predicted the winds would be mild at 10 to 12 mph.  Just to let you know he was a f****** liar.  We arrived to see a lot of familiar faces in the large parking area.  The 2017 HH boasted a new venue along with a challenging course.  I checked in and was handed # 72. There were two blue tickets stapled to it.  One was for a free beer , the other was for an ice cream sandwich.  Sweet finishing goodies!!  I turned them over to my husband because I would lose them before I finished. (He ended up losing them)  (Then he found them under the car seat after we arrived home)

Feeling silly at the start

 I coughed through the entire  pre-race meeting and my stomach felt like I had a brick in it. What in the hell did I think I was doing?  I am getting ready to ride 100 miles and before I knew it we had started. It was a fast start, crazy fast. How the hell was I going to get through this?  I realized about 5 miles in that I needed to reel myself in/back or I was going to vomit and never reach the finish line. The only goal is to finish and figure out a few last minute things.  To be honest with you,  I have done more inside training than outside, I have quite a bit to figure out. Training indoor has helped me stay as consistent as possible while life threw me some curve balls and the weather was extreme. I can only hope that it transfers over nicely.  The HH is my "one and only" gravel race before the Big Show in two weeks. Am I nervous? Not really.  At this point it is what it is.  

The 370 yr old tree

By mile 25 I finally started to feel more like myself. My head no longer hurt, the brick disappeared, and I wasn't coughing. With great news comes bad news... The wind was absolutely relentless!  It seemed to follow us no matter which way we turned and place itself front and center.. right in your face! I really needed something to pick me up after being whipped by the wind.  Someone, anyone. Say something nice to me!  I thought I heard him around mile 64 and I mentioned it to the fella riding next to me. I do not think he believed me.  Rounding the corner I saw that it was him! I stopped to plant a hug and a kiss, then I pedaled on my way. I could tell he was relieved that I was not the same person he had seen at the start. I was going to the finish smiling, really gritting my teeth.

The course was beautiful

A super nice cyclist gave me a beautiful red apple and I took it with me as I headed out into the fierce wind. That apple really hit the spot!  For the first few miles I did have a little help from another cyclist but we soon parted ways and I was on my own again. Wind and being alone suck the most. When the happen at the same time you just have to keep telling yourself that it can't last forever.  Another lie.  Those miles tick off so slowly and drain you of any energy you may be keeping in reserve to finish strong.  By the time I hit mile 80 I was patting myself on the back for coming through and actually showing up today.  My legs still felt fresh so that was encouraging and my nutrition was working. The only thing that wasn't working for me was the constant wind and the temperature. I could ride the flats in the open area directly in the Sun and warm up and pull my arm warmers down but then I would get on a downhill in a shady section and freeze up. The temperature did end up about 60 degrees which is pretty chilly considering we had 87 in April. Upon finishing I donned a hoodie, brr. 

Big shout out to this fella! Thanks Babe!

 Before I know it I hit the home stretch and some volunteers are telling me to go to the left.  I end up riding way out in this field and all of the sudden I hear my husband screaming.  I cannot see anything, I can only hear his distinctive yell.  I cannot see The Station until I come around this big turn and then all of a sudden I am like, " I'm home" and " I'm done".   Cool! because honestly I had no idea what time it was or how long I had been on my bike.  Having forgot my Garmin at home I was forced to load the course to my phone. My phone stayed in my top tube bag all day, I looked at it once.  The course was very well marked and cue sheets were provided.  I put mine in my back jersey pocket like a dumbass, I sweated them together and wouldn't have been able to use them if I had to.  The '17 HH was very well done and well organized. Just moments after finishing a band starting to play, a live band.  I was more than ready to cash in my beer and ice cream ticket. After changing I found Jim quickly and he had a beer ready for me. The food was delish, I ordered a fantastic black bean burger and fries that was worth the drive alone. I think this venue could easily handle a couple hundred people so help me spread the word and put it on your calendar for next year.  You can do this ride with friends and take all day or you could race it. I think it's totally up to you. Either choice you make you will be surrounded by Stellar individuals and like-minded people. Going into the Dirty Kanza I feel pretty confident but, there are no guarantees. Two hundred miles is a long flipping way to pedal and a lot of things can happen.... so I'm just going to continue to stay loose, hydrated, healthy and injury-free until I get to the start line. 

How did your Hairy Hundred go?