200 k Randonneur - April 23

[Shawn Wenger]

The 200 k was awesome. Time on the bike... 6:22... overall time including waiting for the McLure Ferry and filling water in Chase... 6:47.
Chris and I hung onto Ian Fillinger & Dan Hill's wheels from the Gateway Shell in Dallas out to the McLure Ferry along Westsyde Road. HR drafting was at BP and pulling was BP+12-15. I knew I couldn't keep that up for the whole 200 k. Thank god we missed the ferry and had a 15 min break to wait for it and get across. We got dropped on Hwy 5 on the way back toward Kamloops, but Ian flatted and we passed them just before Rayleigh thinking they'd catch us quickly. I guess they had trouble fixing it and finally burst his only spare tube and Dan's didn't fit, so Dan came to catch us and Ian called his wife for a bike change.
Dan caught us on Shuswap Rd. We crossed the Lafarge bridge and headed for Chase. Huge headwind out to Chase with big pulls by Dan. That man is a beast. Chris said he couldn't find the draft no matter where he rode. At least the pace allowed me to be BP-10-20 when drafting and BP when pulling.
We got to the Chase Grocery and stopped to refill water and have our control card signed. On the way back from Chase (awesome tailwind by this time, so it was a hammerfest - which was the theme of the day) we met Ian and he turned around and rode with us. I knew he was a DNF, so I felt uncomfortable drafting off him again, but I figured it he had caught us after his flat, I would have been able to draft for a while then anyway. As it turned out, I couldn't hold his wheel and Chris was hurting, so we let him and Dan go. In the end we were only a few minutes behind them anyway. I was second overall and first woman in (even though it was a small turnout with only about 15 riders) with riding time of 6:22 and overall time of 6:47. Average pace 33 km/hr.
What an awesome ride. Oh my god I worked my ass off. My legs are cooked. I'm proud have been able to do some pulling rather than just hanging on for dear life.
We took about 30 minutes off last year's time.

[GinnySellars]

So stoked for you! Must be great to see you are so fit after the hip/abd injury, then mega hills in Mallorca. I hear you were close to the record for your club. Awesome.

[Shawn Wenger]

As it turned out I was 15 minutes off the Women's fastest 200 k time in the BC Randonneur Club. I guess I should have shouldered my bike and jumped across to the retreating ferry! This makes the 300 k in two weeks a little more complicated as I contemplate going for the record... under 11 hours (I think the women's record is 10:45). The course goes from Revelstoke Dam to Mica Dam & back.

[GinnySellars]

Give 'er!!

[Andrew]

Steady pace, good focus, excellent hydration and fueling. And successful completion of a great training camp in Mallorca! That's all it takes to break the record.

Got get it!!!