2007 Butterfield Double Century

Journal Entry for February 20, 2007

On Saturday, February 17th, I again attempted to complete the Butterfield Double Century bike ride. This ride was the same 200 mile bike ride I first attempted in February of last year, but was only able to complete 3/4th the course, succumbing to leg cramps, cold temperatures, exhaustion, and the discouraging realization that even if I were to somehow pedal another 50 miles in the dark, I would not likely finish before the 10:30pm deadline. I trained harder this fall and winter by riding to/from work nearly every day and by extending my rides to include longer, hilly routes through East Orange, Tustin and Irvine the last few weeks. Replacing most of the drive train components on my bike also made a noticeably difference.

I elected to take the alternate early start (5:30am) this year to lessen the chance that I would run out of time before completing the course like last year. The early start time is for those who feel they might need extra time completing the course and does not include the fastest riders, who begin with the 6:15am mass start. Of the 150 or so riders who started the ride, I’d estimate 30-50 did the early start. The course begins by heading east a few miles, but then reverses course and heads west, at which time we enjoyed a strong Santa Ana tailwind. The pack of riders or peloton (actually, it was more like a double paceline) bunched up behind some old veterans who set what I thought was rather a slow pace considering the tailwind, so after having to apply my brakes going uphill in order to not run into the bikes ahead of me, I decided to take the lead and set a more moderate pace. I wanted to ride at a speed that would conserve energy for the long ride ahead, yet still take advantage of the strong tailwind while it lasted. I thought that at least some of the other riders would follow. I was very surprised that no one did. Having ridden this section of the course during several preparation rides during the previous week, I was very familiar with the course and enjoyed the dawn and sunrise while climbing up Villa Park Road and into Santiago Canyon. I kept looking back expecting to see the other riders, but never did.

I was shocked, but pleased that I was the first rider to arrive at the first checkpoint at the 37 mile mark. By this point in last year’s ride, I’d already been soaked by the rain, fixed a flat tire (in the rain) and was already experiencing calf muscle spasm due to fatigue (partially caused by the added friction of wearing rain pants). This year, I was elated to see that two of the volunteers at the rest stop were Paul and Elise Haussler (the couple in the red shirts on the photo website), who had picked me up, warmed me up, cheered me up, and made room for me in their truck when I was at the point of physical collapse during the previous year’s ride. I enjoyed talking to them again and eating some snacks before heading back onto the road just as the first of the other riders arrived at the checkpoint. One female cyclist who completed a much quicker pit stop than I did caught up with me when I stopped to apply sunscreen soon after leaving the first check point. She didn’t seem very interested in drafting behind me during the long, fast downhill over the next few miles (perhaps for safety reasons), so I soon left her behind.

I was eventually caught and passed by a group of 4 fast riders from the 6:15am start group about the time we pedaled by the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, a few miles shy of the 2nd check point/rest stop near the southern end of the San Onofre State Beach at the 69 mile mark of the course. By this time, I was starting to feel a bit of fatigue and my feet were very hot. I took off my shoes to allow my feet to cool and changed from my medium duty wool socks into my light weight cycling socks. I was disappointed that they had no ice at this rest stop, just tap water for mixing with energy drink powders, along with the usual snacks, fruits, and sandwiches.

We continued down the bike path until it arrived at Camp Pendleton, at which time we entered the southbound Interstate 5 freeway for an eight mile ride on the wide shoulder of a stretch of highway where bicycles are allowed to get around the military base there. Some bike rides I’ve been on in the past either intentionally went through Camp Pendleton or gave riders the option of riding the freeway. I actually prefer the freeway, as it is more direct and less hilly. However, due to the hot weather the asphalt was very warm and my feet again got hot and felt like they might be starting to develop blisters. Weird February weather. Last year it was cold and rainy and this year we had record heat. When I exited the freeway in Oceanside, I treated myself to a big, cold bottle of Gatorade I bought at a gas station. From Oceanside, we began a gradual climb, first along a 7 mile long dedicated bike path and then through surface streets and winding country back roads of Bonsall and Camino Del Rey until we arrived at the 3rd rest stop at the 102 mile mark where lunch was served. By this time I was beginning to feel the onset of leg cramps, but not nearly as bad as the year before. I managed to snag the only chair at the rest stop and again removed my shoes and socks to allow my feet to cool down. Fortunately ice was available to cool the beverages at this and all remaining rest stops. I didn’t arrive at this midpoint rest stop during last year’s ride until mid-late afternoon when the shadows were getting long and the volunteers were shooing riders out of the rest stop in order to hurry us along so that we had a chance of completing the course on time.

Immediately upon departing rest stop #3, the hill climbing really starts. I knew what to expect this year and took the hills at a pace I could sustain. Even so, by the time I arrived in Fallbrook, I needed several extra stops to keep myself rested enough to continue climbing more hills, some quite steep. As I had for most of the ride, I usually rode alone, only occasionally hooking up with a small group. I stopped twice to refill my water bottle with water and ice from fast food self-serve soda fountains. Eventually I arrived in Temecula where the course took us through seemingly endless hilly subdivisions, where my leg cramping became so bad that I had to stop and stretch out my legs for a while on some grass. I was worried that if the cramps didn’t subside that I might not be able to complete the ride. Paul and Elise were manning rest stop #4 at the 140 mile mark. She suggested Ibuprofen for my leg cramps. Neither the bananas nor stamina pills I had eaten at previous rest stops had prevented the problem, so I decided to give the Ibupofen a try. Last year it was getting dark as I arrived at this rest stop and I was scrambling to put on all the warm clothes I had (some of which were still wet from the earlier rain), which were still insufficient to warm me up. This year, as late afternoon arrived it was still warm enough to forego the warm clothes (which I had brought in a back pack just to be prepared) as late afternoon arrived. I didn’t even need a wind breaker until I got halfway to the next and last rest stop. Maybe it was the pills or the lack of any additional big hills, but I didn’t have much of a problem with leg cramps anymore, even though I was tired. I noted with pride when I passed the spot where I called it quits last year at the 150 mile mark.

The last 50 miles were even longer than I anticipated they would be. Riding in the dark is harder when you are tired at the end of the ride than it is when riding in the dark at the beginning of the ride. What made the last leg of the course bearable was that it was mostly downhill and with a slight tailwind. I was very surprised that I still had energy to stand to pedal up inclines near the end of the ride after having so many leg cramp problems earlier in the day and dozens of miles earlier. My finishing time was 15 hours. Considering that all my rest breaks probably added up to considerably more than an hour, I feel good about my finishing time compared with the 14 hours it took me to complete the less hilly Hemet DC last year.

After Kim picked me up around 8:30pm and took me home, I enjoyed a hot bath, some hot homemade soup, and lots of cold liquids, all of which hit the spot. I then crashed into bed and was grateful to have not been awakened by any Charlie Horses as sometimes happens after prolonged leg exertion. I was grateful to have completed this ride successfully and look forward to repeating the Hemet Double Century in April and at least one other (as yet undetermined) double century this calendar year to achieve my goal of qualifying for the California Triple Crown award, which eluded me last year. http://www.caltriplecrown.com/

Ride results and photos are available at:
http://www.planetultra.com/butterfield/index.html
http://eteamz.active.com/centuryamonth/albums/index.cfm?id=452138

Sorry, none of these photos are of me. I basically looked the same as my photos from last year’s Hemet ride.
http://redbikephoto.com/2006_hemet_dc/image38.html
http://redbikephoto.com/2006_hemet_dc/image118.html