Dirty Kanza 200, 2017

Dirty  Kanza 200  

I heard about this race too much  and finally want to try. It sounds like a new challenge to me . I love challenge for myself. I said often before that I am not RACER  , i AM WILD  soul active mamaSveta who love hard way.  So ,to me it was interesting "can I do it?"
 After Arrowhead 135  and  Actif Epica in winter it was my new goal for 2017 . In this year I changed my training plan and focused  on the hills.It is hard to  do in Minneapolis  - flat area. SO I started to looking for  hills around my living place, because first of all I am MOTHER and can ride mostly with trailer.  I never was good about hills and tried to fixed it ).  And month -two later I started to see progress. Also I keeps going with my run practice. I knew mostly hills in my area, I knew numbers of elevation..most of them My neighborhood thinking that I am crazy to rode 1 hill 10 -20 times up. )))

So, to the race date I was not scared about my physical condition. More about weather ( rain, which can kill roads and chance to finish). Also I am no as good at gravel - because I am not speedy girl.

I never was in Kansas before. So, my traveling map have one more place to visit.
Dan's mom came to our house to stay with girls and we went to our trip just me and my lovely man, who supported me at my all races.
 We came late night on Thursday and realized that the place which we rented this is a students apartment and no bed sheets , no pillows ))). Good that I took towel ))) . So we sleep so good next to each other on the tiny bed and warming up each other )

 

PRE-RACE DAY 

 Next day in the morning we rode some of the course . Then Dan back in the city and I keep going little bit more. I met Charly Tri with flat tire. He asked about pump. SO, sometimes My Bike Guy needs help too )

I rode about 20 miles. Back in city, registered. In one spot I met James (owner and builder of Black Sheep Bikes) . He built my bike which I used  for the race. And was funny to met in one spot 7!!!! custom Black Sheep . Even he was surprised )

 After registration , I decided to ride more .

 Atmosphere in the city and around was full of the LOVE to the bikers. Every small sign was for us, riders..

I met legendary Rebecca Rusch (she inspired me as a biker and a firefighter woman ). I met her before at the winter race Fat Pursuit in Idaho few years before.

I asked about signature for my number plate.

Also I get signature from my lovely friends and super bike family Tracery and Jay Petevary from Salsa team . I decided that in hard moments I will thinking about this strong riders and will never give up!

 I will keep this number as all other . But this one will be special for me .

 Another short ride and I said for myself that only broken bike can stopped me from the finish.

 Funny city.

 This was my PLAN for food. But I take only small amount of it. And ate a lot less )))

 It was wonderful day with my lovely man and friends around. It is so wonderful feeling to see SO many bikers, so many of your friends whom I know from different races .

 Another reminder about DK 200

 Date ride with Dan and i am READY!

 

RACE DAY! 

It was strange to wake up at 4 am and have breakfast with thousand + other bikers.
The organizers recommended to stand up at the hours sign - Depends how long it is probably will needs for you to finish. I was not so brave and stay at the 16 hours. Probably is not smart. I lost a lot of time after start to passed other people. I was little bit  nervous... because almost all of my race have some trouble... WHAT will be happened on that time ? 

 

START.. GO! First 10 miles I just passed people as much as it was possible to me... Right after start I realized that my DR2 system is NOT working! I have only one gear.

I had to ride first 50 mile 2000 feet climb on my hardest gear 42x11.

OMG! I never liked single speed before and never will like after!!! It was so depressive. In my head ! WHY!? After 10 miles was first big hill. I had to run up with my bike. My leg was not able to climb on that gear. Some people asked me what happened ?
In my head was many thoughts... what to do ? I lost so many position... Well... I knew that something happened , this is never easy to me ). I thought that my problem will be tons of flat tires ))I will able to do it  (run up ) for all race ? I make short call to Dan that he will be ready at the first check -point  to fixed my problem.  Yes ,up to the hills I was slowly than many people, often I had to run, but on downhill and flat area I tried to catch up those people. Mood was bad.. I prepared for this race so long. I looked at other single speed girls , but their gear was different than mine. 

 

 I am almost at the check point , but big hill in the city slow down me...
Dan waited me and fixed problem very fast. I drink some coca cola and kept going.
So to the 1st check point my speed was 15 + mph  (not so bad for single speed) , but my legs was not good after this gears.

 Another hard 50 miles... We had all kinds of gravel roads! I rode my own way, no group rides.
I saw so many ladies who drafting on the men's wheels..  I will never understand it (since my races in Belarus) . One thing when it is leading group where they switched each other,but when women drafting all race.  .. Anyways, this is their choice. I came for my own challenge and my own ride.

 2nd check point 100+ miles , half way 7 hours .Average speed 14 + mph ...It is SO hot. Sometimes it is reminded me about Maah Daah Hey 100 
Dan told me that I am no so bad doing.. So I do not stay more that 5-7 minutes and keep going.I take coca cola and some water.  

 

Fields fields fields everywhere..

From the start I saw hundreds of people with flat tire

I saw hundreds bottles, food,tubes and other stuff on the roads.. Sorry, but I could not stop and take garbage.. But I keep all my stuff with me.

After 10 -15 miles after check-point I saw Risa ( from Minneapolis) who sitting near road with one guy.  I passed her.  It was amazing to see so many women  at the race. I saw this amount only at Almanzo.

Very often during the race I heard my name "Hi Sveta". I do not recognized all ,but is was nice moment... Sveta  came in USA 5+ years ago.... and now she knew so many bike people around

In one moment Emily Korsch, MO who passed me...She asked me about my name (because  she saw my GJ shirt and said that she knew my Russian friend Andrey Karpoff (world is tiny!) and I saw her personally..NICE. I follow her at FB. She is super athlete at Adventure race sport. I was thinking in that moment that she passed me at my first Maah Daah Hey. I would love to be as strong.

 Sometimes I stopped to put water on my head and body from the creeks near roads.. It is help me a lot to keep my body cool .. I learned this from MDH 100 .
 It was so hot and I could not eat food. I knew that I HAVE TO ... so I ate and drink during the all race:
2 gel, 1 apple sauce  , 2 bottle of coca-cola, 2.5 liters of water, some peace of ham,1 apple.

 Crossing creek - what a wonderful feeling...!!!

3rd (last one) check-point 160+ miles done..Speed went down to the 13 + mph. Just 50 to go...  I do not take long rest (less than 10 minutes)... Now I was brave... I know that it is last step. And all done...

  I keep doing. Many thoughts was in my head... about what I saw around, about life....
I  charged my Garmin with battery and in one moment after long downhill I lost it .. I decided return back. I saw group of people behind me"Anybody saw it ?" And one guy said that he took it. OH!! Yeah !! I do not have to ride back anymore ...

 Last 50 miles was easier that miles before... Less elevation, better roads... No hot sun....

 I was hoping to come under 15 hours.. But train changed my plans.  Kind of sad moment... But what you can do..... In that moment train put together about 30+ people ((( Many of them had same feeling. No more motivation ride fast...  We will cot midnight patch... But   anyways... It is race... GO Sveta GO!

  And soon you are in the city.... You see finish line.... lots of people..... I pass few more people... Yeah ! Finish.I heard my name and time 15 hours 26 minutes. I my head was" Ha , they said my name right". Hug from Rebecca Rusch. I saw Mark Stevenson (boss of Trans Iowa) . He congrats me. Fun moment we standing and talking BEFORE race and I saw him right after...
My sign on the Russian   ПОЕХАЛИ! (let's go!)

 

I saw Dan... I know that he is proud of me... I saw this on his face.  And I was happy that race is done. He told me that non of Minneapolis girls in front of me.. I was surprised. Because I thought that I lost all during the first step of the race with single speed riding.

And I was proud of myself, that first 50 miles of hard single speed killed my legs , but not ME! Mentally I never had thoughts "WHY I am doing it, I want to stop".. It is new level to me... 

 So. I had time to thinking can I rode better if I do not broke my gears system, do not lost time with train ? Yes. But life and sport do not like  Subjunctive inclination IF !Yes, I did worse for  1 hour than April Morgan in 2016 ( but better than in 2015). But all this depends of weather and trail condition. But I was never as strong as she. I read her blog about DK  and blog from 2016 and it was moment when I decided to GO on this race.
 When I am thinking about my "training " - I am just active mom who just ride her bike with trailer  and kids (80% of the ride time )this is not so bad.The race day was a day when Yeva (my youngest daughter) celebrate 1,5 year old. I was long and hard way to me  return my physical shape and started to ride as good as I did before pregnancy.
 Who have kids they know how complicated it is be active and be good mother. When I saw results of the race  and realized that I rode better than many girls whom I know  Risa Hustad ( 4 minutes!!)  , Chelsea Strate, Jill Martindale, legendary Andrea Cohen and other . This let me believe in myself more than I did before. I'm always not so sure of myself
Huge thanks for my  husband who is my sponsor, lovely man, friend and main support person. Without him and his help many of my race would not happened. 
Thanks all who believe in me. 
I was 48 from 124 STRONG women.. Because on that distance only strong ladies coming. It is no joke race. 
I will be back (c)
PS What NEXT ? I do not know. I want to do my own Ironman  challenge for myself and local friends.