Return on investment may be a business term, but the idea of getting something back, hopefully bigger and better after you have already put something into it, is what every cyclist, every athlete, wishes for. It could be getting fitter, slimmer, faster or even saving money or time. So what happens when you invest big in one event but walk away without the return you hoped for? You invest time (570 hours over a year) money on flights traveling to your event, time off work, you go all in for a result and…nothing! What then?
by Nick Coley
Leadville, Colorado, 3094m (10,152ft) above sea level in the Rockies is home to one of the toughest mountain bike races in the world. Not only because it’s 104 miles long and features 3800m of climbing, but because it’s over 3km above sea level meaning a massive reduction in oxygen levels. Oh, and to finish it, you have a 12 hour time limit with 5 cut off times along the way.
I had previously completed the Leadville 100 in August 2014 with a time of 9 hours and 19 minutes and straight away I wanted to return in 2015. Not only to better my time (sub 12 hours gets you a silver belt buckle, sub 9 hours gets you a gold buckle) but also because it’s one of the best events I’ve ever raced, an amazing setting and it’s a challenge!
So onto 2015 and investment time. I had decided to fully commit to training for the event in 2015, I had a structured training plan, I had a good winter and got the miles in and rolled into spring in good shape. I had seen my power numbers increase and felt good and convinced I could get under the 9 hour mark. Even with a few breaks during the year, for holidays and time with my girlfriend, I still felt ready when the time rolled around to fly to Colorado. Even psychologically I knew what to expect.
I managed to have a few days in Boulder with some riding at 1600m above sea level and then a few days in Breckenridge at 2800m above sea level before the final trip to Leadville at 3094m above sea level. We arrived at Leadville on the Wednesday with plenty of time for a short ride on Friday before the race on Saturday and even some time to chill out.
When race day arrived I was ready. Food prepped, bottles filled, support crew briefed, clothing set, bike checked, time checks in my head so I knew where I had to be by when and also in relation to the fact that I wasn’t at the back like last year but a few rows forward. The weather was also clear and looking good for the day…let’s do this!
As the shot gun went off to start the race at 6:30am, myself and the 1800 other riders rolled down the 5km of tarmac to the dirt turn off and the start of the race. Climb number one was done and faster than last year, mainly due to less traffic being further forward. Descent number one was followed by climb number 2 and then descent number 2 all in quick succession, 20 miles done and onto the flatter part of the course. Tarmac, dirt track and a small amount of singletrack for another 20 miles and you reach Twin Lakes which is a key part of the race, partly because you are about to start the monster Columbine climb (12km averaging 8%) but also due to the huge amount of supporters here at the feed station. 100s of crew and supporters are here cheering everyone on and you end up riding through a tunnel of noise hoping your supporters spot you and wave you in like a formula 1 team pit stop!
After a quick stop for new bottles and some more food, it’s off up the monster climb, to the turnaround point (this is an out and back race) and also the highest point of the day (3800m). The climb starts with some steep sections and then clams down before going mental just above the tree line! The steep sections at the top are rocky and hard to ride at the best of times with fresh legs, let alone with 100s of other riders going up and the fast boys & girls coming down to avoid. However you are then rewarded with a fast descent back to Twin Lakes and 60 miles done. Another refuel and bottle swap and it’s on to the last 40 miles, 20 of which are on the flat(ish) dirt tracks and tarmac roads, to the last 2 climbs that were tackled on the way out.
One piece of advice that is given to riders on their first Leadville is “Save something for Powerline climb on the way back, it’s HELL” It’s also said that this is where the race really starts and is won or lost. This climb is super steep, around 8km long and has more false flats than seem physically possible and it’s where last year I blew up like a nuclear warhead! However, I had eaten better, religiously in fact every 20/30 minutes, I had also made sure I had drunken more because of the heat on the return leg. I had invested a whole year of time, effort and money and was way ahead of schedule and was determined to save even more time on the last 20 miles as last year I had lost it all in this part of the race.
But…
Sometimes you don’t think of everything, how can you? How can you prepare for something that has never happened to you in your whole life? Incredibly painful cramps in both legs!
Maybe it was payback for winding my boss up a few weeks earlier after the Ride100, where he had suffered with cramps in the last few miles into London, but one thing is for sure, it stopped me in my tracks, I fell off the bike and in a state of shock, survival mode. It was that intense that I even went light headed and thought I was going to faint. “Right, relax, wait for it to subside, drink, have something to eat and then get going again”. Wise words at the time and I even managed to get back on the bike after a minute or so, but it was just a taste of more to come. For the next 15 miles every time I pushed on the pedals I could feeli it coming back and when it did, it resulted in jumping off the bike and trying to walk it off. I even got offered some pickle juice from a supporter which he said is for cramps! At that point I would have eaten dirt if someone said it would help.
I didn’t look at my time for the next 10 miles as I didn’t want to know, I was stopping way too much to walk off the cramp and wondering to myself, why the hell is this happening, I’ve never suffered from cramps in my life! I’ve raced here before and no cramp, I’ve raced in hotter conditions and no cramp, so why now?
‘Pedal…shut up legs…focus…lay it all out on the course…commit, don’t quit…keep on pushing’ -I tried everything to stay in the game.
However, the harsh realisation kicked in when I looked at my time on the last 5km run into the finish, not only was I going to be the wrong side of 9 hours, I was going to be slower than last year. All or nothing was coming back in as nothing. The finish was all a bit of a blur. My legs still cramping even inside the last 1km. My parents, who had made the trip and been my support crew, were there to see me back in as well as a couple of friends. They all came over to see how I was, and I think I just said “cramp, what a time to get cramp”.
My bike was whisked off to the bike wash and I would then collect it later, so for now it was a hobble over the road to the hotel and up the stairs.
Once alone in my room the disappointment set in. All that time and investment over the last year and also the investment from my parents to come out and support me, then amounted to what I thought was nothing. Anyone who has put their all into something and it hasn’t worked out will know the feeling I experienced that afternoon. Failure, disappointment, let down, angry, upset, sad, ‘what a waste of time’, ‘I’m not good enough’, all of these thoughts flew through your head.
Thankfully, eventually I managed to think straight again and could start to see that, perhaps after all, I wasn’t walking away with nothing.
Most sporting greats would agree that you often learn more about yourself through losses than you do though wins. While a burring desire to succeed is key, it seems, equally, you must not be afraid to lose! Now I’m not saying I’m onto the World Champs or Olympics next year, but even at a lower level, at my level, losing is an important part of the journey.
Putting everything, over the course of a whole year, into one race is a big gamble. What if you do lose? Is it a waste? Certainly not! You learn and you get better, you take the pain and disappointment and fuel the fire inside to get faster, stronger and you come back and smash it up next year.
See you in 2016 Leadville…
Nick Coley is Staff Trainer here at Evans Cycles HQ