BC Stage Race Day 4

This stage was looming in my mind before the race ever started...it was circled, pencilled & highlighted as a hard day.  Not only was it a hard day, but the 2nd toughest day was not even close.  This would be a 64km slog with over 2,000 meters of climbing.  It was a point to point stage (no loops) from Earls Cove to Sechelt.

A day like this would be a tough day on its own, let alone as Day 4 of a stage race and the 4th straight day on of riding.  To this point, the legs had managed keep up but it was only a question of time until the legs had a heavy and tired day...

It was a late start as we had to take buses and ferries to the start line.  By the time we lined up, the mercury on the thermometer was steadily going up up up.  The day included lots of climbing in exposed positions to the sun.  This was going to be a long day.

Just about everyone I talked to had one bad day throughout the 7 day race.  Mine just happened to be on the longest and hardest day.  I knew what was in store on the very first climb when the legs would just not respond.  This day kicked my butt!  In many ways. this day reminded me of the Silver Rush 50 with lots of exposed climbing and difficult terrain.  The temps were in the upper 80's and low 90's which also contributed to my suffer-fest of a day.

Most of the climbing was steep, much of it was un-rideable with hike a bike sections where you just watched the sweat dripping off you as you pushed your bike up steep inclines.

The peak right after Aid Station 2 provided some amazing views of the bays but I was in my only little world of pain while trying to keep the pedals moving.  As usual, the riding was hard and the last long downhill was fast, but also technical with guess what?  roots and rocks!!  At this point my lower back was screaming at me and it was difficult to even enjoy the downhill.  The day eventually ended but not without taking a heavy toll on the body.  I felt really beat up after the stage and it took me a long time to recover throughout the evening.

As soon as I finished, I gulped down a bunch of liquids and food to try to help the body stay hydrated and fueled because there was a tough day of riding the next day too.  There was a lot of sitting around and trying to re-fuel and not worry too much about just how miserable the body felt.  I had dug into the reserves on day 4 to finish and was hoping that I had not gone too far into the reserves which could subsequently impact the remaining days.

At this point in the race, my cardio system was starting to adapt to the multiple days on.  The first day of racing, my heart rate was constantly in the 150's with an occasional visit into the upper 160's and lower 170's (my max).  By day 4, my heart rate could not get above 145...the mind was willing but the body was no longer able.  It is really interesting to me how the body will adapt or protect us from overload.

It was a 5 1/2 hr stage for me and the late finish (due to the late start) was bound to impact the next day which happened to be an early start...just how were the legs going to feel for Day 5?