I had a great day. Didn’t get to the start early enough so I was starting towards the back despite doing the waffle distance. Picked my way through as the day went on. Felt very overbiked on my Checkpoint with 42mm tires, it was hard to hold on with groups on the road but caught back up on every dirt sector. Loved the GRX gearing for the later climbs. My feet were wet, bike was super dirty and noisy. Ended up 14th place female, 3rd in AG in 8h 22. That was my 5th time at BWR San Diego and thought it was maybe one of the tamer courses.
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I heard last years course was faster with less single track and I think the rain washed out some sections. Interesting they cut the last three of the four drop-offs on the way back along Hodges the day before. My guess is liability. The last drop was 20’.
Definitely emotional. It was my first gravel race and 10th time on dirt. I borrowed a bike, bought some tyres and went for it.
Only “races” I’ve done thus far were 3 fondos in 22’ between 3-4 hours (I predicted 6 for the wafer). I found the Fondo’s much easier to pace and enjoyed the tactical element of working the peloton and attacking on climbs. This was a bit of a crap shoot.
I was toward the front at the start. Kept it at sweet-spot for the first five miles and looked up to see 500 riders ahead of me. On the Twin-Oaks climb I did my FTP for 11 minutes while people blew past me. I couldn’t get over how fast people were.
I hooked bars with someone down Questhaven and crashed, lost the group and road the next 30 min with two others. Caught back on a couple miles before the second dirt section (where the burnt out car is).
I worked hard on trying to get my technical skills up only have it wasted with every technical section turning into hike-a-bikes due to people unclipping. This definitely hurt as I was in Assioma road pedals and they were tough to clip back in. I burned a lot of matches trying to get around people on Raptor without unclipping. Looking back, I did an easy pre-ride of Raptor the day before, and was a minute faster over an 8 min section.
Once I got over Raptor I felt like I had blown. Not a feeling I had ever felt before, I was nauseous, tired, and wished I had perhaps taken it even easier. I made it up with a small group over Bandy climb, picked up a couple bottles at the top and lost the group again. From there I was solo again until the Highland Valley single track- I could see two riders about 10-20 yards in front of me. I kept them in sight all the way back to Hernandez. Caught back on and had company for the road.
From the 2.5 hour mark to the base of Questhaven was sheer hell. I’ve never had to dig so deep to try and maintain high Z2. Every little pinch climb on the single track hurt, but all I was thinking was make it to Questhaven and do the best you can.
I took a caffeine gel 20 min before Questhaven and I think that helped. I pushed The QH/DP climb as hard as I could without blowing up completely. Played it safe along the last dirt section and ripped it through the school to the end.
I crossed the finish line and was shocked how emotional I felt. I’ve never had to dig so deep just to finish.
I did much better than I expected. 34th overall. 4:57. But I have mixed feelings. While ultimately the result was a surprise, I wish I didn’t have to go to such a dark place to get through the middle section. Dirt is unforgiving, you can’t coast, you can’t switch off, you can’t relax on the descents. If you have to do 450w to get over the next pinch then that’s what you have to do.
Over all, a great experience. Right now I couldn’t tell you whether I’d do it again. 
Sub 8 hours is pure insanity. Well done! I have no idea how anyone can do the full waffle. The clutch, radiator and wheels would have fallen off well before the end had I attempted it. Thanks so much for all your advice, I wish we had connected over the weekend. I’m not lying in saying I was pretty much comatose after the event.
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I was quite early last year and it worked really well. This year was similar time but it was so jammed with everyone starting at once. Should have gone for 6!
I lied, I didn’t even stop at Bandy.
Ramona - two bottles of fuel, half a coke and to pee.
Top of Black Canyon climb - chain lube.
Ramona back - two bottles fuel, pee and chain lube.
Queathaven- one bottle fuel and a coke.
Far more efficient this time around.
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7:31 here! Went too hard in the beginning, started cramping 25 mi into the ride… Got held back at the single track section. Dropped a bottle and stopped to get it. Lost my group and ended up working for a slower group. Learned a lot. First time on my Factor Ostro Gravel, Pathfinder 38’s, worked pretty well. I’ll be back!
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My 40mm Terraspeeds were perfect. I had no problem on dirt and was actually faster rolling on road than just about everyone else. They don’t have much for side lugs, so you have to be a touch more careful around loose corners, but a perfect tire! Lots of sidewall protection for those rocks you don’t see until it’s too late.
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Weird, I reconned Fri/Sat and only one drop was there.
I was passed a bunch too on the climb but stuck to my tempo. I passed many of them in the rest stops and up raptor 
loads of people get frisky up that first climb and pay for it.
I did the same thing last year without the getting around people part as it wasn’t congested. I was in threshold the entire time. This time I briefly put a foot down once but otherwise rode the entire thing. Passed a bunch and slow pedalled balancing a bunch. Was a minute slower but didn’t need to walk, so my HR was reasonable. Trick is to leave enough room to person in front or else you’ll stop whenever they do or have to hammer it past. S
I was in a similar boat last year, and I attribute it to going out too fast early followed by lack of sufficient nutrition. Fixed both, had fun. I as nowhere near exhausted this year, feel fine today. Definitely had a few beers 
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That’s a huge result, congrats!
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Interesting. I heard they were discussing Saturday whether they would have the last drop (the hectic one). I heard it got cut, but I didn’t realise the rest were cut as well.
100% did all those things but there were so many it was inevitable. Just when you think it was clear someone would unclip or there would just be half a dozen people walking.
Yup, should have taken it easier. I spent so much time in small groups of 4 or less that matches were being burnt. But with gravel I think if you don’t get ahead before the single track you’re gonna lose a ton of time and get gapped.
I avg 103g/hr and 150g total caffeine. First gravel race, been cycling for 2 years, structured training for one. I’m happy with 34th overall. If I were to do it again I think I would go to 32-35’s. What am I saying? I’m never doing that again!
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I did better but still far from perfect this year until the first single track (Lake Hodges). Last year I burned many matches trying to get to the front and paid for it later on in the race. This year I took it easier and never went into the red, though I got held up more in the single track. I went off on my own and then connected with another guy for 8-10 minutes only to have a group catch us 
Plan for next year is to try to motivate people to work a touch harder, a large group will always come together up Del Dios. Then burn a match to be at the front of that group instead of working for 20 mins!
That nutrition seems absolutely ON POINT to me! I’m absolutely doing it next year and sticking with 40mm terra speeds. I won’t make the mistake of under-biking, not worth a wipeout. I had no issue keeping up on the road at all.
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