Pile o’ bikes at the finish line

At around 10:00 this morning I was standing on the top of the highest peak in the local area. I’ve been there before, 10 times this year in fact. Today, however was different because I raced to the top as a participant in the 2008 Mount Diablo Challenge.

The Challenge is a “race” in it’s 27th year. It’s a 10.8 mile timed ride, starting at Athenian School in Danville and climbing up Southgate Road 3,249 feet to the summit of Mount Diablo. Limited to 100 cyclists due to space constraints on the road an on the summit, the ride fills up every year. Five groups of 200 are divided and released up the mountain in 5-minute intervals. Those who believe they can complete the climb in about 45 minutes go first. I selected the group that aims for 1 hour and 20 minutes, wave three. We were behind a wave made of all women, a new addition to the ride this year.

As soon as I moved back to the east bay 3 years ago I knew that I wanted to get involved in this ride. I had hoped to try it last year, but tried to register too late. It’s probably for the best, I wasn’t really ready. I was also on a clunky bike last fall, one that I replaced this spring with a Trek Madone. As soon as the event opened for 2008 registrations, I signed up and always had the challenge in my mind when training this year.

This was my first attempt at any cycling event that’s competitive. All of the organized rides I’ve done in the past are more about just finishing. Sure, I went into them with personal time goals, wanting to do a little bit better than the last, but the rides were not setup with specific race conditions. While the Mount Diablo Challenge is not technically a race you are timed, put into groups by speed and awards are given for the fastest riders. Every participant was given an ankle strap that electronically timed their start-to-finish performance. It’s the same technology used for triathlons.

Right out of the gate, my group went fast. People were pumped to get to the top first and adrenaline was making us all ride much faster than we would have normally. The group of 200 had a broad range of abilities. Some of the guys were extremely strong and pulled ahead quickly. This gave those a little slower that carrot to dig deep and push themselves. Riders like myself latched onto that slower group for incentive. This was one of the phenomenons I was looking to experience… the desire to “beat the other guy”. I didn’t know anyone on the road, but I could pick out cyclists who I could pass and used them to keep my pace higher than it would be if I was riding solo. Others, of course, were doing the same to me. The entire hour-long 10 mile climb I was either passing or being passed. For 20-minute segments I’d be with the same group of riders and then something would change and I’d either pull ahead or be left in the dust. I found that the closer I got to the finish line, the more likely I was to sit on the wheel of someone passing me and use them as incentive to accelerate for a 5 minute pull. At the bottom of hill, I wanted to go at my own pace so as to not blow-out early but as I got towards the end, I desired to just go for it.

My official time is 1:12:06 with a pace of 8.99mph. I’m really, really happy with this time. This ranks me at 412th overall (out of 1000) and 102nd for the 30-39 age group. The winning time is 41:19 with an insane pace of 15.7mph!! Last Saturday’s training ride was the first time I tried to time myself up the hill and to push it. I estimate my time at 1:17 that day. I’ve also heard from local cyclists who I respect that their first time in the Challenge was similar to my result. Sitting at the finish line hearing many bemone their inability to break one hour in the race, I am thrilled to just have a respectable time. Next year, I’ll beat 1:10.

Me, at the top

Having completed my fourth and final organized ride for the year, it seems like a good time to check in on my goals for the year.

Goal: 3 organized rides
Exceeded: 4 rides

Goal: 52 individual rides
On Track: 40 to date

Goal: 1,500 miles
On Track: 1,408 to date