The Snake Creek Gap Time Trials 2016

One of my goals for this year is to become a better climber, and what better way to do that then to do one of the hardest endurance races with over 5,000 feet of climbing? The Snake Creek Gap TT is a 2 race series with options of 50 miles, 34 miles or 17 miles that take place during January and February. It used to be 3 races with just 34 miles or 17 miles, but they decided to go a little crazy and add more miles to an already crazy race. Under the better judgement from a friend, I decided to go for the 34 miles as my first introduction to the race. Because if I am going to do something, I'm going to do it. And since 34 miles had been the norm option for the past 10+ years, that's why I went for it.

In preparation for this, I started doing hill repeats once a week. I would do about 12 miles and get about 1200 ft of climbing in. Probably should have done way more. Like maybe hill repeats twice a week and maybe double the distance. But I did what I did. I climbed standing, I climbed sitting. I climbed in higher gears than I would have normally climbed in. And I would like to think that by doing that, I added a little more strength to my climbing muscles.

In rolls January and the Snake is in my face. What have I gotten myself into? I've been given detailed reports of what the race will be like, I have watched videos of others doing the race, and I had registered. So as ready as I could be, I set off for Dalton, GA with my cycling buddy who signed up to ride with me.

Here's the thing about riding a race with someone who is more experienced and faster than you, it can get in your head. Are you going to hold them back? Of course you. Are they going to be a little upset about it? Maybe, but maybe not. They might be able to provide you support and a security blanket of knowing you won't be riding alone ever, but it is not your personal race anymore. It's a shared race and you will go through a series of love and hate for that person. Love because they are really great at being there for you, hate because you can't rest as long as you want or need because you have noticed that they have been waiting on you way longer than you would have liked.

January I made some mistakes. I started off a little too fast. Pushed myself a little harder than I should have. I killed my legs faster than I would have liked to. The start of the snake isn't very difficult. It's actually the flattest part you will ride before you even start climbing. After about a mile of fire roads, you get about 2 miles of gravel roads with climbing. I really started losing my partner on those climbs and that made me push even harder. So 3 miles in, and I'm already pushing myself to the max to keep up.

The snake is notorious for having bad weather. But not this one! It was a dark warm day. And I started out dressed a little too warm. Before we entered the woods, we stopped to take off layers. Entering the woods, I barely went a bike's length before I needed to get off and start pushing. Ugh the embarrassment! However there were quite a few people off their bikes, so that was comforting. 4 miles in and I was already pushing and unsure if I was going to be able to get back on a ride.

The gravel descent was a blast! It ended too soon. And then another climb in a beautiful pine needle infused trail. Again, I was off pushing before I even began riding. But the descent was welcomed. I let off the brakes and just flew down hitting what jumps I could. I told myself as long as I could do that, I was doing okay.

We didn't stop at the 14 mile sag stop. I knew I should have stopped and eaten food before we kept going. I had planned on that. But when my partner said that we could keep going, I felt like I could. I wanted to keep going. And at the beginning of that sag stop was more climbing, or walking for me. "This isn't even that bad," my buddy said as she waited for me. My legs laughed at that. Maybe not to her, but to me I was doing more than I had ever done before.

You have 8 miles to go after the second sag stop. 8 miles! Sounds easy, right? Nope. It felt like another 16 miles. So many rocks. The wall! The wall! Dangerous downhills, and a 2 mile big rock garden until you finally make it to the tower and start your way to the road finish. I almost cried so many times during this 8 miles. So. Many. Times. I didn't have the energy to ride any rocks. Climb anything. I was so tired. I wanted to die. When we found the tower, I was ready to sell my bike and die. Finishing felt great, I was ready to be done with the torture.

February was a whole different story. I was more prepared because I had ridden the trail once. But I was doing this race solo, and I was extremely nervous about it. This was my first endurance race completely solo (minus the hundreds of racers who would be around me obviously). I didn't sleep very well the night before. I woke up panicked thinking I missed my alarm.

   It was much colder this race. I know this because my water stayed frozen the whole time basically. Which makes hydrating very difficult. I started out the race with the mindset that I wanted to beat my time, but also ride everything better and smarter. I paced myself at the beginning. Instead of pushing, I just rode my bike. I wanted to have legs for that last 8 miles.

Everything seemed to come faster than last time. The first 14 miles kind of went by quicker than last time. my biggest mistake was going the wrong way and having to climb back to start another grueling climb. I stopped and warmed up. Held my water by the heater so I could drink. I ate my bonks bonker. I opened my shot blocks so I could eat some between the first sag stop and the second sag stop.

Starting up that climb that I had to walk last time, I breathed and just kept pedaling smooth strokes. No walking on that part. Between last month and this month, I felt stronger. I was doing good. Again the 10 miles between sag stops was faster than I remembered. I stopped to eat a gel and drink and back at it I went.

Those rocks had nothing on me this time! I was picking good lines and not having to get off my bike. That dangerous downhill? I had no fear, which lead me to having a small crash but it was graceful. The wall? Still sucked, but I rode up almost 1/4 before giving up and pushing my bike up the rest. The last 2 miles? Felt like 5 miles, but not as terrible. That road descent? So happy to see it!

I shaved 12 minutes off my time. I succeeded in both of the goals I had set for myself. I beat my last month's time and I rode the trail much better and smarter. Walking away with a sweet ass trophy was icing on the cake! Thank you, snake for torturing me and giving me the chance to work hard at something and see progress! Maybe I will come back next year! If the weather is as nice! A girl can dream :)