This was my 5th Unbound, I had finished 3 of them so far. Coming off some injuries last November in a dirt crit (broken rib & collarbone, 2x cracked ribs and scapula) I was in decent shape, but not in as good shape as previous years. So my plan was a bit more conservative than usual. The mantra was do not burn any matches in the first 2hrs. I have been very successful at shorter distances in CX, XC, RR, TT, TTT but long gravel events have been my nemesis. Always fuel, hydration and pacing issues. Cracking, massive cramping, sometimes not finishing. So last year I started really experimenting with pacing, fuel and hydration. Tossing out everything I have been doing. Figured out a new strategy that has more solid food, a bunch more electrolytes (like 3-4x more) and finally nailed it. 2nd in my age group (I'm 59) and also made my goal of going under 12 hrs.. by 40 seconds. Weighted avg power was 204w, with over an hour of power data missing after the many stream crossings finally got to my meter and made it drop out intermittently. Guessing 210-215w without that. I'm 159 lbs. 17.5mph avg including carrying the bike for about 17 minutes through the mud according to Strava.
Fuel: On Bike: 400cal in 2x 26 oz bottles on frame, Skratch Hyperfuel Umchu Coconut almond and coconut chocolate bars, many Maurten Gel, many Skratch bars, only 2 I think Maurten Gel, caffeinated x1 - In aid stations Salted macadamia nuts in ziploc Churro bites in ziploc. Like donut holes but churros. Lots fat and sugar, yum Didn't count calories eaten but my best guess is around 4400. Garmin says I burned around 7000.
Hydration: Skratch Hydration, 380mg sodium per packet 70 oz bladder in Revelate small frame bag, 3x Scratch packets per fill I drank no plain water all day, all hydration from Hyperfuel bottles and Skratch Hydration in bladder. -preloaded hydration/electrolytes by drinking a Skratch Hydration bottle before bed and another upon waking. -I think I drank about 7L, a bit short of the 9L I planned, but it was cool and rained for about 90 minutes mid race.
Had a great day on the bike. Felt strong all day and never felt empty. No cramps (I almost always cramp), finished really strong. 345w up Highland hill. 45 minute burst of rain at about the halfway point was really tough. You’re sitting in a drafting group blasting along at 20+mph, rain and mud covering your glasses, can’t see shit, desperately trying to hold the wheel in front without crashing. Sometimes the group would be powering along so fast that everybody that had aerobars was in them. I'll tell ya, drafting in the mud at 20+ in the aerobars when you can't see, is one of the hardest things I have ever done on the bike. Gravel TTT! The two stretches of peanut butter mud that forced us to carry or it would entirely clog the frame, about ¾ mile of it. That was at around mile 165, just after the last aid station. The pros got there earlier while the mud was wetter and didn’t stick as much so they rode it most of it. There is a video of women's winner Sofia Gomez Villafane riding almost all of it. In contrast, I walked 95% of it and still had clay stuck everywhere. The later you got there, the drier and worse it was. I spent a few minutes in a deep stream, pulling the wheel out to get at the clay jammed into the fork so the wheel would roll again. Shoes pedals just big brown blobs. Once out of the mud at around mile 168, my legs felt great and I blasted the rest of it. Shame the meter died. I saw long stretches of ~300w and long stretches at 0w because the meter dropped out. Pushing to make <12hrs. If I finish one more and I get into the fairly exclusive “1,000 mile club” of 5x finishers. Can't wait.
Expo was huge Easy 27 mile pre-ride Friday Firsties! (5am) 45 minutes later Post peanut butter Hello, my name is Crusty Made the box!
Sitting in the DFW terminal on the way home with a celebratory red, dreaming of next year
Davis3inCO wrote:You look pretty clean based on the photos I saw of the mile long mud pit. Great job!
I put a little towel from the hotel in each drop bag. Wiped my mug a bit. I learned from previous races that mud is a great insulator. When the sun comes out, you can overheat because your sweat is blocked by that layer.
The last mud bog was unrideable so I got splashed less. I imagine I was a lot more caked rolling in to Aid #2 after 2hrs in a paceline during the hard rain.
Easy 27 mile pre-ride Friday
Firsties! (5am)
45 minutes later 
Hello, my name is Crusty
