Golden Triangle 2008

Looking back Day 0

The adventure the day before GT involving the load of dirt had me stressed out, I now realize and accept. I got dehydrated and didn’t get myself topped back up by the end of the day. The stresses I listed in the rant above were on my shoulders ready to break my back. I have over the years given up on other people’s expectations of me and this week I gave up on my expectations of myself. I am the quiet guy that doesn’t speak my mind that often that has control over my emotions but this week I lost that Vulcan like control. I had a conversation with my Coach Tuesday and we have figured out that my diet has a big hand in my meltdown on the Golden Triangle.

From past rides I know the number of photos taken is directly related to how much fun I am having. Unfortunately this year there is not many photos but I am still glad I went on it, even if I got a ride for 28 of the 327. I need to use the warning signs I saw before rock bottom as a learning experience. This weekend was not a failure no matter how much I wanted to sell the bike.

Looking back at Day 1

Starting the ride with no water in my bottles was DUMB. I should have known better especially after being dehydrated so badly yesterday. Looking at my graphs closer I just realized that the first hill I went pretty hard, the first 5km my avg HR was 165 and the days average was 150. I never much enjoyed climbing a mountain pass first thing in the morning. Next time I have to figure out how to warm up before going, at least the snack stop is early into the ride.

The majority of the day is downward run so if you can catch a tail wind it is mostly enjoyable. I recognized a few people from past GT rides… ok I mostly recognized the ladies. There was one lady when she spoke you would have to look twice to make certain it was a lady.

The second major climb of the day I put my head down and just grinded looking at my graphs my heart rate was hitting the roof on the first half of the climb. There is a false summit I think it’s by the lookout and I pulled over and rested lying against the hillside praying for death to take me.

The downhill was not as fun as it was with “Go Fast” the touring bike. This unnamed bike is a whole lot more twitchy and we haven’t quite found the sweet spot yet for going fast down a hill. The pavement is getting worse so that doesn’t help much.

I set my tent up and caught a shuttle to the Hot Springs and soaked for 40min and then had an ice-cream for surviving the first day as I waited for the shuttle back. Well I waited for about 4 shuttles, I was getting bumped by larger groups. One would call dibbes on the van and they wouldn’t want to split the group up so me being the quiet one knowing that I didn’t want a small thing to cause me to blow up at strangers I would wait for the next one. The forth came and it filled before it came to a complete stop so I muttered under my breath and started walking to get the rage out of me. I realized that two ladies were talking about my Birkenstock sandals I was wearing… I don’t even remember looking to see if they were cute or by themselves finding solo ladies was difficult. Either they were married or in a pack of single ladies to fend off guys like me I guess.

So I realize that supper service is probably going to be done by the time I get back to the rink it is at. So I stopped at a restaurant and had a steak sandwich (my thinking was protean for recovery) I get back and find a charger for the garmin and end up chatting with the night guard they hired to look after our stuff as we slept in the ball field.

I slept pretty nice once the guy with the guitar shut the hell up. It was nice for a while but there is only so much camp songs you can take when you are trying to sleep. I had Breath right strips on but the ladies in the next tent glared at me as they all said they were kept up by all the snoring. I know I wasn’t the only one but I was closer to them J I slept well so I don’t care.

Looking back at Day 2

I did have sunscreen on yesterday but my knees and arms have got a good red tan line on them. I wore my tri suit today which wasn’t the best choice with the chip seal pavement. It has a smaller Butt pad so there is less padding. My entire body was vibrating from the road surface.

I could have eaten more at Breakfast but what options do you have when some haven’t even eaten yet and you want seconds. I do not remember what I had to eat at first snack but I do remember sitting in the shade of the truck and a volunteer with a very serious look on her face asking if I was alright. My heart just wasn’t in it today was my response and I have a feeling that since then they kept an eye on me. I could see some motherly looks tossed my direction as I stood with my helmet as my plate for food.

Looking at my graphs I just realized that there is 3 decent climbs before snack and 1 after lunch and their map shows that the whole day is mostly flat. It makes more sence now why I was pacing behind this Full Suspension Mt Bike. It was depressing at the time when I saw the hydraulic brakes and the fox suspension fork. I am on a tri bike for crying out loud I should be leaving this guy in my dust! But nope I was hoping that he wouldn’t speed up for the longest time.

I found myself having more mini stops this day. Pull over get the butt off the seat and stretch for a while. I had thought today would be somewhat of a Half Iron man simulation day. I hope my races this summer go better than this simulation. My mind did wandered to what life without triathlon would be and as bleak as I felt and the number of times I yelled I quit during the ride, as I set up my tent I thought what will Mike have planned for me next week.

After lunch it started to sprinkle and the head wind picked up and the speeds dropped to a crawl. On the plus side my HR dropped a zone after that last hill, the body was giving out very slowly.

Supper was an absolute feast for me, I had that plate piled up good and high. I did not stick around for the slide show that was put on after the door prizes were handed out. Oh the streak continues, five years of not one single door prize won my by myself.

Looking back at Day 3

This was another light plate for breakfast. I had thought the night before that maybe I should just find a Denny’s and get a good breakfast without a lineup so I could get the day started before the traffic got going. There was a mud slide blocking the traffic west of Golden so we all were hoping to make it to snack stop before the heavy trucks started to roll.

I ended up drinking both of my bottles dry by the time I made it to snack and as I pulled in I realized there were a few cars with bike racks and I offered $40 to take me to the top of the hill. I was a mess a complete and utter wreck. The food table didn’t have the greatest selection which was a disappointment. I chatted with one of the volunteers and found that I could put my bike on the luggage truck but that would finish my day. I wasn’t ready for that. I knew that the section to lunch would kill me off with the rolling climbs. But I know within myself that if I know that climb is 14km and I can see the top of the climb… it will be done. So I went back to one of the vans and took a ladies offer for a ride. I found out as we drove that she was a nurse and I looked like Hell when I first pulled in.

Lunch was a good helmet full of food. I had seen people at lunch the day before with Mr Noodle cups and this time I got one for myself and it was the best thing I did all day. So I rested as I noticed that weather was starting to act up behind us so off I go. I did get up the hill, stopped to take off a layer, then again to put it back on and one last time to take it off till I hit the top. The HR monitor started acting up and going up to 240, bugger off I know my heart would explode if it really was going that fast.

The road surface changed when we came back into Alberta, every 6 feet there was this dip that could have used a tar strip to fill it in. So that rattled the bones for quite some time. I remembered from previous years that they had Smarties at the last snack stop so I was chanting Smarties as I climbed the hill. Looking back that is when I started mentally bouncing back to reality.

At the snack stop the rain caught up to me as I stood and enjoyed my box of well earned Smarties. I saw the pretty red head and ended up riding to the end with her and her husband. There was a few climbs that I didn’t remember and was not ready for. Next year remember the part where the road splits. I was happy it was raining because then I don’t overheat but with my slick tires I wasn’t going to do any crazy riding just in case. Each and every corner I was looking for the sign saying we were done. That last 20 odd km is pretty much a mind fuck that you can’t just shake off, it keeps going and going. Then you get that last left curve and there is the hostel sign and your done.

I got changed out of the wet gear and saw the volunteer lady that helped me out today and thanked her. Shook hands with some of the radio guys as I got my luggage and called the ride done as the bag piper got started.

I stopped in Canmore for supper and good thing because there was a mini van that caught on fire climbing Scott Hill. It caused quite the traffic jam, the tow truck was just pulling in as I passed the accident scene. I was in bed by 9pm and awake at 3am, I have two night shifts to look forward to. I might flop around in the pool before work and sit in the hot tub now that I have finished my story and updated my logs and such.

Day1 in 2005 8:34-15:55 446 Pedal time 521 Total Time
in 2008 8:53-15:39 436 Pedal time 636 Total Time
Day2 in 2005 7:37-13:36 405 Pedal time 437 Total Time
in 2008 8:19-15:33 449 Pedal time 714 Total Time
Day3 in 2005 7:36-16:00 538 Pedal time 655 Total Time

in 2008 7:47-16:00 434 Pedal time 813 Total Time

Start weight 207 - 20% body fat

Finish weight 207.5 - 17.5% body fat. As per my fancy scale