Bootlegger 100

This past weekend was the Bootlegger 100 in Lenoir, NC which was the first gravel race of the year for me. The course was 107 miles, 10,000 feet of climbing, and ran through the beautiful Pisgah National Forest. Didn’t miss the early mornings of gravel racing but was excited for the day on tap. The day rolled out pretty chill before the pace started lifting up the first couple of smaller climbs. After the first longer climb of the day the front group thinned out to about 20 riders. On the next descent, a small crash by a rider would split the group in two going into the longest climb of the day. I was caught behind but we worked well together to claw our way back to the front group just as the 8-mile climb to the Blue Ridge Parkway. I couldn’t hold the pace of the top couple of guys as the pitch steepened but settled into my rhythm for the climb. I rode most of the climb and the next couple of hours solo sitting around the top 10. After a long descent and flatter section, I was grouped back together with 2 other riders. With 40 miles left, we’d be going into the last major gravel section that contained a long stair-stepped climb. I would distance the two at the bottom of the climbs before reconnecting with one just as we’d start going back down and head toward the finish. For the last 20 miles, we traded pulls and tested each other a bit over the remaining small climbs. Coming back into town there was a small roller where my groupmate tried to distance me but I was able to stay on his wheel and come around him over the top attacking through the last two turns to come in for 10th. A pretty solid day for me with it being my first long race of the year. Tested out a bit of a new fueling strategy with First Endurance high carb drink mix and liquid shot, was thoroughly impressed with how it worked for me, and will definitely be bringing it with me to the next one. Excited to build on this towards the summer gravel races and looking forward to coming back to the Bootlegger again!