Hills, heat, and more heat.

Went up for the 12/24 hours of Boyne last weekend. Not a big turnout, 55 poeople or something. Most people were on teams, and I would soon why. It was hot. Not just hot, crazy hot with little breeze. What made it worse? The hills. When you are climbing a 2-3 mile sandy hill, in 90 degree weather, you dont get enough speed to generate a breeze over you. The loop was about 8.5-9 miles. The first mile was a cross country ski trail that was quite sandy. After that, maybe a half mile of sweet single track, then you come to a sign that says "climb time" a little over a mile in. Its 2 back to back crazy steep hills that I walked the top of every time. They were sandy too. Between miles 2 and 4, nothing crazy climbing wise, some fun down hills. Then at mile 4 you see "the grind". Its was brutal. A LONG climb, with lots of roots, turns, just things to slow you down. Just when you think its over it dumped you out on a paved rode that would be the last, extremely steep 1/4 mile to the top of Boyne mountain. After that it was some downhill single track, then it dumped you out on a paved cart path to rocket down the ski hill and eventually across the face of the hill back to the start finish. I hit over 33 and even 38 on this downhill everytime riding the brakes, it was crazy fast. If it werent for the turns who knows how fast I could have hit. I did 3 straight laps, then found out I was the only one in my class, rested a bit, did another, hung out with some relatives that were over and did 2 more for good measure. Rode a total of 6 hours, 53 ish miles. Won by default. I drank 150-200 ounces of fluid during the race and still lost 4 pounds. Not good. Maybe tHD can put together a team for this even next year. Solo, it would be a Mutha F-er!

Little elevation chart. The downhills are even hard, roots, rocks and dropoffs. No rest....