Hotter n Hell Triple Threat Weekend
After aborting my first attempt last year, I went back to complete the Hotter n Hell "Triple Threat" event this year - and succeeded!
This Hotter n Hell weekend takes place in Wichita Falls, TX, in late August, which is what makes it literally hotter than hell in most years!
The "Triple Threat" event weekend consists of:
-12-mile mountain bike race on Friday afternoon
-100 mile/century endurance ride on Saturday, and
-trail half marathon on Sunday morning.
I've done the 100 mile/century ride maybe a dozen times over my "career"; it's a bit of an annual pilgrimage for TX endurance athletes and long course triathletes. 2015 was my first attempt at the MTB race. Within the first four miles of the 11-mile flood-shortened MTB race I crashed, breaking two ribs, but completed the Category 3b (beginner) race anyway in 1:08, which was 8th in the 3b category. So, with broken ribs, I still did the 100 mile/century ride on Saturday (finishing in 4:39 pure ride time and 5:08 total time incl. stops) at almost 22mph avg. I didn't even attempt the half marathon because it would've been just too painful with the banged-up ribs.
So I went back this year for my second attempt, and a little redemption!
They restored - and reversed course - the full 12 mile MTB course this year. I finished 12 miles in 1:09, only falling completely once when my front wheel washed out in some deep sand down a small hill. Quickly back up and at it. Got some lovely scratches on my forearms and shoulders from having some minor disagreements with some trees on several tight corners. The trees won, but at least I stayed upright and was able to keep going. 1:09 was good for 10th in Cat 3 (non-total beginner like last year). A mile longer and the same time as last year, I'll take it!
For the 100 mile/century ride, this year the weather was cooler than last (starting out about 75*F at 7am and hitting a high of near-100*F at about 2pm), so we started out much faster with the groups I was able to cling onto. Averaged 24mph the first hour alone! The best thing about the whole day, over 101 miles total, I didn't end up stopping once. No pee stops, no drink/food refills at all. Just kept going! I've never gone so long on a bike without stopping. Ended up with another 4:39 total ride AND overall time. Only had three bottles of Nuun and three honey stinger waffles the whole ride too. Cooler temps definitely helped me with that accomplishment! That ride ultimately put me in 7th in my M40-44 age group, out of 282 total.
Now that I'd made it further than last year, the next event was the trail run on Sunday morning. Started out nice and cool in the low 70s. This race takes place on the same - but slightly lengthened - MTB course from Friday. They lied to us and we ended up with 13.7 miles instead of the standard distance. Made that last mile SUCK! Well, that and the late miles between 9-11 sucked for me too, lots of walking. Any way, ended up with 2:24 run time (10:06 average), which also placed me 10th in my AG (out of 29).
So, for the total of three events, I ended up with 10th in the Triple Threat trifecta rankings (out of a total 164 finishers), with my first successful completion!
My reward, besides three individual finisher medals, was a hand-cut slice of wood made from the downed trail trees, with an engraving of the event and date.
Yes, I'll undoubtedly go back every year from here on out and try each time to improve my times, of course!
(and for those of you keeping track, that's TWO pictures of me without a beer in my hand! haha)
Comments
Congrats. Way to come back strong.
Looks like you had gruesome fun - you're kind of weekend.