I did the Tour de Big Bear this past Saturday. My first ever climbing fondo at elevation.
Not quite as crazy as the Triple Bypass, but similarish: 8700’ of climbing over 98+ miles, 7,000 ft average elevation, one continuous 1600’ climb and one continuous 2000’ climb.
I was hyperfocused on conservative pacing at elevation and fueling, and hydration was good, but what got me in the end was the heat. Weather report said 81F highs, which was accurate at Big Bear Lake. Climbing up the backside of the main summit, I stared at my Garmin as the temperature creeped up past 106F. That was unexpected. An ice water drench at mile 80 got me going again and I felt like I had more in the tank as I crossed the finish.
In hindsight, I could’ve gone faster, but I know that I could’ve also gone a lot slower had I cramped or bonked (which I avoided). So I’m happy with how it went. First time’s a learning experience. Next year I’ll come back a little bit fitter, a little bit lighter, and lot more experienced.