I promise a longer and more comprehensive race report tomorrow, but to be perfectly honest, I haven’t had time to really put together my thoughts on the race yet. Last night after the race, my staff and I got together for pizza and beer (following our post-race recovery drinks and well-rounded meal, of course) at one of the houses we rented in Leadville for the weekend.
I was very tired, having finished my fourth Leadville 100 with a time of 10:01:something. It was more than an hour slower than my time from last year, but I knew going in that my fitness wasn’t what it was in 2008. Add to that the cold weather in the morning and the very cold rain that fell at about 7:30AM at 11,000 feet above sea level, and I knew by the time I reached the 40-mile mark that I wasn’t going to break 9 hours. Honestly, once I knew I was well off 9-hour pace, things got somewhat easier. I wanted to ride well and have a good race, but with less pressure to achieve a specific finishing time I was able to back off the throttle a bit and just stay at a pace I knew I could hold. That also allowed me to interact with other riders more than I have in years past, and since my daughter Anna was at one of the aid stations I took the opportunity to pause a little longer than I have in previous years. Considering the difference in my workload and travel schedule between 2008 (before Lance’s comeback) and 2009 (after Lance’s comeback), I’m OK with my finish this year. More than that, I’m really proud of the results recorded by CTS Athletes and Coaches. I’ll have more of those specifics tomorrow.
One story before I end tonight, though. The Leadville 100 is all about triumph over adversity and pushing through mental and physical barriers. For CTS Coach Kirk Nordgren, this was his first Leadville 100. He endured the cold rain about an hour into the race, and he rode through the hailstorm above 11,000 feet on the Columbine climb, stuck to his race plan and his nutrition plan, and was on track to finish in just under nine hours. Less than two miles from the finish line, his chain broke. With the rain and mud, mixed with sand and grit from the trail, chains were breaking left and right all day. Kirk just happened to break his agonizingly close to the finish. He hopped off the bike, repaired the chain as quickly as he could, trying to stay calm, but knowing that he didn’t have much time to get to the finish. He sprinted over the final little hill on 6th Street, sped down the hill and started coming up the final rise to the red carpet that leads to the finish line. Crowds four people deep lined the barriers on both sides of the road screaming at him to hit the line before 8:59 turned to 9:00. He lunged for the line, fell over trying to unclip his shoe from his pedal, and the clock read 9:00:05.4.
All riders finishing under 12 hours receive a rodeo-style belt buckle, but the riders who finish faster than 9 hours receive a bigger version. Traditionally, the fate of the first rider over the 9-hour mark is handed over to the crowd at Sunday’s award ceremonies. By an overwhelming round of applause, hoots, and hollers, Kirk was given the thumbs up by his Leadville family and awarded a big belt buckle. In return, he says, he’ll do his best to make sure he crosses the line with plenty of time between him and that nine-hour mark next time.
Chris Carmichael
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