7a wake up call and 36 degrees called for coffee. Headed to the lodge and cleaned up, brewed some coffee and got ready for the 9a start. With little warmup riding down to the start from the campsite I had no idea how I'd feel. It was a fun mass start with double track to a hill. It separated a lot of people and gave you room to pass. The first lap seemed really long for me and thought to myself "I have to do another lap?" I was yo-yoing with another gal who was faster on the climbs and then I would pass her on the downhills or flats. On the way through the start/finish line I grabbed two more water bottles to get me through another lap. The second lap I was feeling good but had lost sight of the one gal when I had stopped to get bottles. It was hot and the trails were dry so I made a stop at the first aid station for water and ice cold water down my back. Then the last aid station I stop for another water to get me through the last 5 miles. The trails were so dry that my chain was creaking along the way and I had babied the climbs in fear I would snap my chain. On the last 5 miles I mishandled a water bottle which I picked up and then my tube/co2/tire lever came untaped from my seat post which I stop to pick up too. Coming into the final stretch I was happy to be done and sooooo thirsty for ice cold water. The aid stations were super supportive and the director came up to me after the race thanked me for coming out and how a did a great job. 10 minutes later I'm back at our campsite and soaking my legs in the creek, chowing down an turkey sandwich and guzzling coconut water. Now for the 5 hour drive back to Jackson which thankfully we had good music to name that big hair band and 80's rock.
Stats: race time 4hrs 57min, 45 miles & 6823 ascent, 10 hrs of drive time, 20 hours in Ketchum.