It's not just about a bike: Soggy Bottom 2017 - AKA Alaskan Hot and Sweaty Bottom

This was my third time riding the Soggy Bottom, 100+ mile MTB race on a mostly singletrack course on the Kenai Peninsula. This year was hot (Alaskan Hot so more than 70F)

The race started off great, I didn't try and keep up with the really fast guys up front, I rode my own race. I arrived in Cooper Landing (Checkpoint one) in just over 4 hours which is right around my target time for that leg, A quick turn around and back on the trail and headed for Devils Pass (checkpoint two). I was targeting around 3 hours for this leg, It took me around 3:15 however I was cramping up pretty badly from Juneau lake which was not ideal. I have cramped before and can recover but it would be tough.

I have been using a new electrolyte drink powder called Amino Energy, this stuff has been great at getting rid of cramps when they come. I initially planned to drink a bottle per leg, I should have done more for leg two and definitely for leg three.

I left the Devils checkpoint after drinking a bottle and taking one with me feeling not to bad, I actually rode up all the steep part of the trail, as the trail levelled off the cramps kicked in. How badly? Where I was unable to walk to try and shake them off, which muscles? all of my legs. At this point I was beginning to regret not scratching at Devils Pass, I was also beginning to wonder how I was going to finish, I still had around 30 miles to go.

I walked and soft pedalled my way to the top of Devils pass taking my time to cool off in the stream crossings and on to the junction with Resurrection pass. At this point I ran into my Team mate Chris who was sweeping from Cooper Landing to Devils. I had a little chat with him then headed on my way across the not flat top of Resurrection pass. By this point I was having to pee around every 4 miles, this is really annoying as I was still cramping up though less and less.

The descent from Resurrection is mostly down hill, the top section is really fast 20+ mph even when not pedalling. It drops down to the creeks then climbs back up before another descent. I was having to walk all of the climbs back out of the creeks which is annoying but my legs were now cramping a little less. I stopped to chat to people I saw on the trail and tried not to push the pace to much so I wouldn't cramp up again. I know at around 10 miles to go we cross the Resurrection river and the trail then really undulates before we cross back over the river. At mile 99 there is a little incline that seems to go on for ever, this year I actually managed to ride it all. We hit the end of the trail at mile 101miles then its just 4miles of mostly gravel back to the finish in front of the Seaview in Hope. I was all finished in 11:40

Thoughts on my race

When we rode into Cooper Landing I really thought this would be the year I went sub 11 hours, as I left Devils pass trail head and managed to ride all the steep sections I still thought it was a possibility once I started cramping up on the "easy" sections I was wondering how I was going to finish. I rolled across the line at 11:40 after giving it everything I had to get there. I am once again happy that I finished sub 12 hours but a little disappointed I didn't break 11 hours.

This year Amanda and Fiona supported me at the checkpoints, It was a great moral boost to see them there. I would love it if they could do it again, though maybe its time for me to have a stab at the team version of the race.

Crunching the numbers

Year	Hope to Coopers moving	Hope to Coopers total	Coopers to Devils moving	Cooper to Devils total	Devils to Hope moving	Devils to Hope total	Total Moving	Total
2017	3:59:04	4:01:15	3:10:41	3:16:24	3:44:48	3:59:42	11:02:45	11:40:04
2016	4:12:27	4:18:53	3:10:48	3:18:35	3:25:43	3:35:01	10:57:05	11:28:41
2015	4:17:59	4:25:53	3:20:11	3:35:47	3:47:54	4:31:16	11:36:54	13:15:38

As can be seen, this year I am definitely faster well, until I cramped up. As always I will keep plugging away at my fitness and see what next year brings. The cramps in this race seemed different to previous cramping.