The Whole Enchilada MTB event recap

 

After enjoying our race experience at the Whole Enchilada in 2022, we were really looking forward to participating again. I swam with our masters group at the aquatic center in the morning and Karel swam at Furman. We were going into this event with a solid week of training in us. We left Greenville around 12:30pm and had homemade sandwiches, grapes and chips during our 2 hour drive to the Whitewater Center. We did a 90 min recon ride on the East Main loop (11.7 miles). I could feel the fatigue in my arms and legs from the previous workouts this week but it felt good to be out on the trails. Last year when I participated in the event I had only been mountain biking for a few months so to have another year of riding behind me, I could notice that my skills had improved. However, I still struggle a lot with tight/twisty turns  but I'm determined to continue to work on it. I was looking forward to one specific obstacle that I really struggled with last year. It's a short steep climb with tiny rocks, followed by several big exposed tree roots and then another set of roots. Karel showed me what to do and after 4 attempts, I finally made it. Karel's rear brake wasn't working and he didn't bring his brake bleeding kit so after we rode the loop, we went back to the car for him to put on different brake pads and then we went back out for him to test it again. He was frustrated that this happened as he was tinkering with his bike before we left and he said he must have gotten an air bubble in the brake. 

After the ride, we did a quick change in the car and then at 5pm, we picked up our bib number and compimentary pair of socks. I forgot to bring a recovery drink/powder on this trip so we stopped by Smoothie King in route to my friends house where we were staying the night. 

I met my Christie in 2005 when participating in a trail run on New Years day in New Port Richy at Starky Park. I was living with my parents after graduate school and we were both leading the race and decided to just run together. We then met up at the Boston Marathon the year later and then from 2008 until 2012, we would stay with Christie during USA Cycling speed week when Karel would race the Dilworth Crit. I came across this picture from 2010 when Campy was just 3 years old. He loved his buddy Milo (who has sinced passed) - they had so much fun together. Christie has taken care of Campy a few times during our international travels and she loves getting updates of her "little man." 

Christie made us vegetable lasagna for dinner (along with salad and bread) and it was so delicious. Christie, her partner Pamela and Karel and me enjoyed chatting over dinner. We went to bed around 9pm as we were super tired. Neither of us felt nervous for the race but excited to ride our mountain bikes for a few hours on new trails. 

We arrived to the venue around 7:30am and we had on and off rain for a good 2 hours. Thankfully it wasn't cold out and the rain stopped around 9:30am. The race started at 8:30am. As I was waiting for the start, a random guy and I were chatting and he said to me "see that guy with the green Specialized. He just did 6 hours on the ridge and won the race and did 10 laps. He was really nice to me when he passed me." I then responded "that's my husband." It was such a sweet thing for him to say and I couldn't wait to tell Karel after the race. I was planning to start in the 2nd wave (like I did last year) but after hearing that the race course changed from last year with more single track to start, I decided to start near the back of the first wave.  

As for the race itself, I was really proud of my skills in the first hour. I was able to get over several obstacles that other guys were struggling on. I have no idea how I was able to manage the roots and technical climbs. My legs were feeling good. I didn't have any falls but near the middle/end, I certainly got more tired and couldn't get through obstacles and had to quickly unclip and hike a bike over the obstacle. There were purple directional arrows for the whole course but several athletes went off course in the first hour and since I was following the group, we had to turn around and backtrack. At that point, I realized that the new course (somewhat reversed from last year) was a bit confusing with all the arrows and signs. Since both the whole and half started together and had a similar course, there were athletes going all different directions and it was very confusing. 

Around 2 hours into the event, I came across two signs "Parkway" and "East Main Loop." At this point I was by myself and wasn't sure where to go. Last year we did the Parkway first and finished with the East Main loop but even though the course was somewhat reversed, I wasn't sure where to go. My gut said go straight because prior to those signs, there was a sign that said "course split ahead." Right after I passed the parkway sign, I saw a purple arrow so I thought I was going the right way. I even saw tire tracks in the mud so I figured others had gone this way. After 2 miles of riding, I came across a group of riders that I had seen early on in the race and they were coming from another direction. I asked them if they went the East Main Loop and they said yes. So I did an extra 2 miles but missed 1.76 miles. I continued on the course with relief that I was actually back on the course but I couldn't shake the fact that I had missed some of the course. For the next 23 miles and 2:26 hrs, I couldn't stop thinking about this mistake and what I should do. I went through several scenarios but what was interesting is that the scenarios changed depending on where I was on the course. I decided I would just finish the race and get a DQ when I was in the back part of the course. It was super mudy and the trail was not well groomed and I was getting frustrated and tired. But then when I would get to an easier section, I decided that I would make up the part I missed. It wasn't about awards or overall placement but I wouldn't be able to be ok with the fact that I knew I missed some of the course. Even if it was not my fault, I new I did it and I didn't want to finish the race with that on my mind. 

The only problem was that I wasn't sure where I would be able to get back on the course to where I missed the turn. As I was nearing the parking lot, I spotted the enterance to the main loop where Karel and I rode the day before so I got myself off course and did the 1.76 mile loop that I missed. It was very technical and I was so tired at this point so I had to walk my bike a lot. My detour to re-ride the route I missed took me 20 minutes and it was three miles. So that was over 7 miles extra that I did on the course. After I finished the loop, I felt relieved knowing I did it all. I thought I was nearing the finish but I still had 4.5 miles and 31 minutes to go. Ugh, part of me just wanted this to be overwith as I was feeling so many different emotions. But I kept my mind calm by just focusing on having a solid training day and doing what I felt was the right thing. 

I finished with 51 miles in the 43 mile course and rode for almost 5.5 hours. It was a long day but I would say, a productive one to have that much time on technical terrain - and in muddy conditions. 

After I crossed the finish line, Karel came hobbling over to me and I thought that his back was bothering him (which is usual) but then he told me that he had several falls. The first was hitting his knee when he fell on a tight turn. This also caused him to hurt his left thumb. Then he had a few more slips on wet roots but just when he thought things were going better, he made a tight turn off a bridge (none of the bridges had chicken netting which helps with traction when wood is wet/damp) and the bike slipped out from under him and he banged his right hip really hard. He was on the ground for over 3 minutes in tremendous pain. He still had a little over 10 miles left in the race so he continued riding but at that point, he was hurting, frustrated and just ready for it all to be overwith. He also experienced confusion with the arrows and at the results, the placees were inaccurate as so many people did not complete the entire course. 

Soon after I finished, they were announcing the results and they called my name for winning the 40-49 age group. There were only 7 females who did the whole. The first place lady likely didn't complete the course as she wasn't at the results and she rode almost 80 minutes faster than me (and beat Karel) so since she didn't show up, the announced me as overall female. I recieved a hydration pack and a Whole Enchilada (which had meat in it so I packed it up in a to-go box for Karel). 

I was speaking to the 2nd place female and she told me that she also found the course to be confusing. I told her my situation with the course and although I did complete the entire course, I still don't feel right for winning the event. 

The girl who was 2nd overall is in the background with her husband. I found her on Facebook and sent her a message that I would like her to get the hydration pack as her award for being the first overall female. 

Well, it was a muddy, fun, crazy, adventurous, unpredictable day of racing. These situations are tough and many athletes have been in them. While you are told that you are responsible for knowing the course, it's also important for the race director to have correct signage to keep you safe and on course. Instead of putting blame on the race director or feeling upset about your mistakes, the best thing you can do is admit if you cut the course by accident and when in doubt, make up what you missed. This way you finish what you intended to start AND you get in a bit more time doing what you love. Always race with integrity. Remember, for most of us, this is a hobby. 

I drove home to let Karel relax a bit from his crashes. He was in a lot of pain. He felt a bit better after some ice cream and he is feeling a bit better today (no worse) so hopefully he will feel better as the week goes on. 

The Whole Enchilada MTB event - event recap (and tips)

 

I can't remember when it happened but Karel told me he registered us for The Whole Enchilada MTB event at the Whitewater center in NC. I was excited for the opportunity to test my new skills (thanks Lon!) and to use this event as a "long" training ride. Although the GPS shows 44 miles, the accurate distance (wheel measured) was 50 miles - which would be my longest ever MTB ride. 

Earlier last week Karel and I went to the pump track in TR (a few miles away) and practiced some of our skills. While it feels like we are playing, there is some fear, discomfort and anxiety that is produced when practicing/learning new skills. I was proud of myself for finally getting the rhythm of "pumping" and conquering my steepest ramp. I struggled on some other areas but I know that I will be an ongoing work in progress. Karel is still struggling on the jumps as he is very fearful about crashing. I know he will get it one day but right now, his recent crash last May is still preventing his brain from trusting the right skills to keep him safe. 

Tip: If you have a weakness or a certain skill scares/worries you, don't wait until race day to put yourself into that uncomfortable situation. To be race ready, it's not just about the fitness that you accumulate over months of training but the skills you develop to help you stay present, relaxed, safe and confident on race day. I rarely hear of triathletes practicing their "skills" in an empty parking lot or spending a few hours on a more challenging course to work on bike handling skills. You may also find it to be a valuable investment to participate in a skills camp. For example, in our upcoming bike skills climbing camp on Fri-Sat, we will be working with our campers on 15 important bike handling skills (betcha didn't know there were 15 important skills that can keep you safe and riding confidently in any type of terrain/condition). 

After a quick and easy 2 hour drive, we arrived to the center around noon. We picked up Chipotle on the way (our favorite go-to when traveling) so that we would have lunch ready for us after we did a short recon ride. I had watched a few videos and studied the map so I had a few segments in mind for our recon ride. But when we parked, a "local" started talking to us and told us where we should ride and that he would even ride with us for a few miles to get us out to a good place to check out some of the course. Since this event covers all the trails in the park, we knew we couldn't recon the entire route the day before. Our new friend/guide (and his dog) showed us the East Main Loop, which included a few technical features and a lot of twists and turns. I'm still working on my tight turns, berms and switch so it was good to get out there and practice. I struggled on a few technical areas and got really frustrated on this root section on an uphill that I just couldn't clear. After 4 tries, we finally moved on. Although I can get over some challenging rock/root segments, I really struggle on uphill segments with those features as it requires the right gear, shifting the body weight forward and backward (my rear wheel kept slipping) and a lot of power. Many of the inclines when mountain biking are well over 20% (short and steep) so it requires a lot of power but also pressure on the front and/or rear wheel while also shifting the weight. 

After our 1 hour/7 mile ride, we ate our lunch at a picnic table and then worked a bit on the computer (hotspot) down by the manmade whitewater river. It was cool and windy outside but it was relaxing to work outside so close to nature. At 5pm we picked up our stuff when packet pick up opened and by 5:45pm we were heading to our hotel. We picked up pizza from a local pizza place and after checking into our hotel (Holiday Inn Express), we ate dinner, finished up some work and went to bed around 9pm. 

Tip: Knowing that pre-race fueling is so important, don't leave your pre-race eating to chance. Additionally, avoid long lines and waiting for food by ordering food online. I ordered Chipotle while we were driving (online) and picked it up around 10 miles from the venue. I have been using this service for the past year when traveling and find it to be a huge stress-reliever. I often order the food at least 10 minutes before we plan to arrive so that even if we are early, we aren't waiting. I also ordered our pizza 3 hours prior to picking it up so that we didn't have to wait for food when we were tired, hungry and needing to check in to our hotel and unload the car. By doing a little research before you travel, you can ensure that you will meet your nutritional needs without spending unnecessary time, energy and money. I also brought a cooler and bag of food to ensure that we wouldn't be hungry throughout our quick trip. With YouTube, blogs and the internet, it can be helpful to do some course recon of your event. Keep an open mind as everyone has a different perspective but you can still gather some helpful info like where to park, what to expect, etc. 

We woke up around 5:45am and prepared our coffee (Karel brought his travel espresso machine - doesn't leave home without it when we travel) and I had my instant coffee. I brought food as a backup but we had plenty of options at the continental breakfast. We both had eggs with pancakes. I also had a banana w/ PB and Karel had oatmeal. We also had a glass of OJ. We left the hotel around 7:15am and arrived around 7:30am. With an hour before the start, we had time to warm up on our bikes, go to the bathroom a few times and soak in the chill vibe of the race. Funny story - we parked next to a nice guy who asked Karel about chain lube. As they were talking, I noticed he had an accent. I asked him where he was from originally and he said Czech Republic. I laughed because neither Karel or Mikey could hear that they had the same accent. They quickly switched from English to Czech and now we have a new friend (and even more of a coincidence - his wife swam in college with one of my athletes!). It was around 40 degrees so a bit cold to start but with experience from previous MTB rides, I knew we would warm up. I had another banana before making my way to the start. I put on my 1.5L hydration pack (filled with 4 scoops INFINIT custom formula) and stuffed my pockets with bars, gels and chews (I mostly use bars to satisfy my tummy when we mountain bike as it's always a full body workout). Karel had NBS in his hydration pack and stuffed his pockets with a variety of sport nutrition products. 

Tip: Even with low key or non-priority events, there's always an opportunity to practice and learn. Don't miss out on an opportunity to practice your nutrition, gear, equipment and anything else that can help you build confidence for your more important event. Far too many athletes just "show up" and forget that every race is a learning opportunity. Take every race seriously - even the fun events. 

Around 8:25am we made our way to the start and Karel positioned himself in Wave 1 and I waited for Wave 2 (which were arranged by guesstimate paces). Karel and I have been really busy lately with a lot on our mind but we kept reminding ourselves that we "get" to do this and there's nothing more fun than spending all day in nature. I didn't feel scared or anxious for the event but had a little nervous energy as this was all new to me. With this being my second ever mountain bike event, it was much bigger than the first one and all new trails that I have never seen before (except the 7 miles that would come at the end of the race). There were two races going on at once (half and full) but everyone started together. 

Karel's wave went off fast and he said it was super uncomfortable. His HR was high and he was working really hard to stay near the front. Karel absolutely loves mountain biking but he was not liking the hot pace from the start. Eventually it spread out but he pushed himself until the end. My wave went out hard and I could feel my heart pumping. It usually takes me around 90 minutes to start to feel good when I ride so I embraced the uncomfortable feeling. On top of this, I also felt uncomfortable with people behind me as I felt like I was slowing them down. Thankfully everyone was really nice and I just told whoever was behind me to pass me anytime. I did the same when I needed to pass someone- I would just say "anytime you get a chance I'll pass you." There's no passing on the left/right with MTB but just passing when it's safe to do so (however you can get around). For the first hour, it felt like there was always people around me but I tried not to spend extra energy on that and instead just focused on myself. I knew I would be slower on the twisty sections and downhills so I used the climbs and flat sections to my advantage and really pushed those. 

I stayed up on my hydration - drinking from my pack every 10-20 minutes and then using my frame bottle (2 scoops Skratch) when I was on the more open/flat sections and could grab that bottle. I started eating my Supra bar around 75 minutes in (taking a bite when on the wide open sections). I had one stop to remove my arm warmers and put in my pocket - I tried to do it as I was riding but realized it would be quicker, safer and easier to just stop and do it. 

As for the course itself, it had almost everything. I didn't find there to be any difficult features like rock gardens (I'd say there are more difficult sections in Pleasant ridge where we did our 6 hour event). But there were so many difficult sections like rocky switchbacks when climbing, sooooo many roots, steep downhills with so many bumps and tight twist and turns between trees. 

Once things spread out and I was riding by myself, I felt much more comfortable. At one point a pack of deer ran by me and it reminded me why I love being in nature. The time went by so fast and before I knew it, I had been riding for 3 hours! With so much to focus on, I never had time to think about how much I had left. I literally took things mile by mile. Everyone was so nice and encouraging. There were only a few ladies doing the whole event so I found myself around guys the entire race. 

I was really proud of myself for getting over some really tough segments on Goat Hill. There were rocks/roots and switchbacks as we were climbing (and super steep) and although I unclipped at the top after clearing the hard parts, I just didn't have that power to take another pedal stroke (or I would lose my balance). Lon told us to "get angry" with some of those climbs and that's just what I did. I really went after them and felt so accomplished. There was one climb with a very tight switchback and I have no idea how I cleared it climbing as there were so many rocks and I wasn't able to do it the day prior. There were a few segments where I did unclip as I didn't feel comfortable going over the feature or I hadn't learned the skills yet. With the course taking us over every trail, somehow Karel managed to see me twice and gave me a cheer. The signage was great and the course was really well marked, even though there were a few sections that were a bit confusing. I had to stop once as a sign on a cone fell over with the strong winds but two other guys assured me which way to go. 

I never felt low energy although I could feel my legs getting a bit tired in the last hour as that is where the most challenging features were and it became harder to choose good lines and to gather the power to get over them. I had the root segment on my mind from Friday and when I approached it, I went after it but I fell. I scraped up my arm a little but it wasn't anything serious. I tried to unclip with my left foot but it must have slipped and I fell over. No biggie - onward I went. 

As I got closer to the finish, I saw Karel and he gave me a cheer. I was happy to reach the finish line but I was shocked how good I felt. After 5 hours and 50 miles, I felt like I could do it all again. The course didn't have long climbs and there were some open road flat segments on gravel (and around a lake) which allowed for recovery. However, the downhill segments can be as hard as the uphill, especially when your legs are tired. I love my new bike that Karel built for me two weeks ago (this was my second ride on it) but I'm still getting used to the dropper post (which I love). 

Once I crossed the finish line, I chatted with Karel and we exchanged stories. Karel ended up 8th (although it looks like he was higher up as there may have been some issues with timing) and I couldn't believe I was 2nd overall female (a good 45 minutes behind first, which was a 20 year old). Karel enjoyed the taco bar after his race and we went back to the car to put on our run gear for a quick trail run. After getting my award for 2nd overall female, we went for a 20 minute trail run. My legs felt pretty good and overall, I didn't feel too beat up.

Tip: The nutrition you consume in the day before, the morning of, during a workout and after does not just help your current situation but also how you recover and the state of your body during your next workout. The better you fuel/hydrate, the easier it will be for your body to recover and get stronger from your effort. Even if you feel good with nothing/little, you could feel great and that's where gains happen. Because long workouts, high intensity workouts and races can be really hard on the immune system, protect yourself by fueling/hydrating well before/during/after. Your body will thank you. 

The best part of the event was taking a warm shower in the locker rooms before driving home. I had a recovery drink as I was walking to the shower. 

As I mentioned online....

While I’m super stoked about my performance after three months of learning how to mountain bike, it would be wrong of me to not share my Friday recon ride with Karel where I was frustrated and tearful after failing four times trying to get over a technical uphill rooty section.
As we age, it’s so easy to want to stay in our comfort zone. We don’t want to be too uncomfortable, as we may end up with a broken bone or a broken ego. Continuing to do what we’ve always done is safe. We know we’re capable of it and can be successful at it, and that’s a comfortable feeling.
It’s too easy to think we know a lot. Accumulated experiences do bring confidence but if all you do is repeat those same experiences, it’s hard to improve.
Be a beginner again. Learn a new skill, open your mind to new techniques, invest in yourself. It’s ok to struggle, stumble and even be a bit fearful.
Life is short. Let it be a lifelong pursuit to begin again.