Lutsen is done Tahoe Trail in 3 weeks.
Who’s Going and What’s your steed going to be?
I’m doing the full 100 this year (my relay partner is headed back to Japan) and I’ll be mounted on the same Cannondale Scalpel Carbon 2, but now with a dropper, Ocho Carbon, and the Onyx/Astral/CX-Ray wheels I had built up early this year. Heading up about a week early to get some acclimation and to pre-ride at least once.
Is that the one @IvyAudrain and @Jonathan relayed last year?
Yep first place out of a field of 1 co-ed team
I can’t talk as my teammate and I got 2nd out of two men’s Teams. Nice trophies though.
I’ll be there. 3rd time doing it but I’m a 50k kinda rider. Will be on an Epic Evo.
Doing a gravel race up in Truckee this weekend so that’ll be my “altitude camp”
Extended forecast starting to firm up for race day. about 47F at the start and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it hit 90 during the race.
Based on the rider guide it looks like they moved the drop bag check point to mile 27, four miles before the turn around for lap 2 near Northstar village. That’s a change I approve of for sure.
Was up there last weekend for the Truckee Tahoe Gravel race. I finished just before noon and it was getting pretty warm. Last significant climb was on the road and pretty exposed. I definitely felt the heat there.
Tahoe Trail starts an hour earlier and is shorter at least for those of us doing the 50k. Hopefully most folks can be done before it heats up too much.
Between the altitude and the heat be sure to stay on top of that hydration.
Yep, I’m doing the 100K and plan to swap hydration bladders at mile 27. Start with a 2.5l w/2l in it for lap one, then switch to a 3l for lap 2. That and fresh bottles (of carbs) and swap out gel flasks. Shooting for 100g+ grams of carbs per hour. So far that’s been working pretty well.
Yeah I train with a 36t and race with a 32t. Boy does it feel easier to climb with the 32. I’m hoping spending the week prior will help at least a little bit when it comes to acclimation. Sure does help to be remote and log out of work early, not to mention get to bed early the week leading up to race day.
Any suggestion on what time to be at the start to lineup? Reach goal is leadville red corral (sub 445). I know there’s plenty of space and time to pass at the start but I also don’t want to be crossing the start at gun time +10. Don’t want to be sitting around in the cold for 45 mins either, if I can help it. Correction , silver corral.
I rolled up to the line at 6:45 last year and put myself about 3/4 back as I was in the relay, so no need to self seed very high. If it took 3 minutes to the starting mat, I’d be surprised. The worst part of the start is once you get past the village, get on gravel and it kicks up, it also gets narrower. The last 400m before things flatten out narrow up a bit more and it’s not uncommon to have people rando unclip in front of you. 
. If you get there the day before it’s worth just riding up that first climb just to scope out alternate lines required to ride around walkers. I have zero issues with barking out “Pick a side and stay there walkers!” in my best military voice of command.
FWIW there’s going to be traffic for the first 3-5 miles, but room to pass if you don’t mind being a tad aggressive.
They don’t do wave starts there?
From the rider guide…
Start Protocol
Each athlete will self-seed at the start line based on ability, with pros up front. This is a mass start and all riders will go off together. Please be honest with your start position in order to make the start as safe as possible. Please do not leave your bike unattended in the start corral
Pre rode the course yesterday. More singletrack than I expected for this type of race. Everything was is in pretty good shape except for 2 sections which will likely require dismounting. One water crossing with an awkward fallen log on the western states trail and later a loose climb with a monster rut in the middle. Hoping for expected high temps as that seems to hit the bay area guys harder 
Good to know, I’m headed out for a loop after my next meeting is over. Starting later than I expect lap 2 to start for me, so good stress test of my hydration plan.
Thats them !
Yep, Already planning on the bladder I’m going to swap to will be a slushy, and counting on refilling bottles at points on lap 2.
My hydration plan is to start with 2x550ml bottles with carb, and 2.5l of electrolyte on lap 1, swap bottles like for like at my drop bag, but bump the bladder up to my 3l that will start as a slushy for lap 2. That worked out really well for me a couple of weeks ago when the back half of my 4 hour ride was a sustained 110° F. Doing a pull on a still very cold hydro pack was rejuvenating. (insulated tubing for the win.)
I’m doing the 100 and it will be my first MTB race. I’m primarily an endurance runner (just did Broken Arrow Triple Crown up there last month) but for a bike race I’m not familiar with aid stations and timing.
My plan was to keep three 620ml bottles on me, two for fuel and electrolytes (Gatorade + Spring + PH 1500) and one with plain water, and refill them at all aid stations. I also have a USWE 2l but have not ever worn it riding (just came in, but having that plus bottles I’m refilling at 5 aid stations per lap seemed overkill. I am a heavy sweater, but assume I’m going to be near an aid station at least once an hour, so having 1.8l of water available per hour seemed doable.
I’m assuming that some of the other posters for the Tahoe 100 skip aid stations and that’s why they are carrying bottles and a bladder, or am I missing something? Any insights I’m not thinking of are appreciated.
I’m sure you know this from running, but best practice is nothing new on race day. As far as aid stations, the fast riders won’t stop and will most likely get bottle handups or a hydration pack swap from their crew. Riders simply trying to complete the ride may stop at every aid station. There are quite a few aid stations at this race and I think planning to stop at each one is overkill.
Per today’s update they are going to add 2 hydration stations, so you’ll have options.
That’s a good thing as @Dr_Alex_Harrison 's Saturday morning app is saying that I should plan on 9.4l of fluid if my target is the Leadville cut off 
