Beautiful ride today through the Elfin Forest. 48 Miles in all with 2500′ of climbing, from Moonlight Beach in Encinitas, up to Carlsbad, inland through the Elfin Forest, then back to the coast. The weather was great overall and the pace was fairly fast.
As Wildflower had passed, the team is refocusing on Vineman and everyone was looking forward to this long ride. While we have a few months left until the event, it is time to bring up the intensity a bit.
Though we all started the ride together in a large pack, by the time we were to Calsbad, we were in much smaller groups. I was in a fast-pace group for a while and tried to stick with Emily who ate up the hills like they were candy. Once we hit the Elfin forest, the pace really picked up and I was struggling when we reached Harmony Grove. By the time we got onto Del Dios, I was left on my own.
I wasn’t familiar with the route and while on the Elfin Forest, my map blew away, so I was concerned about taking the correct course back to Moonlight Beach. I knew the way from Del Dios, but we were making a turn to the north to add another 8 miles or so to the ride. Fortunately, while going down Del Dios, I managed to make up enough distance where I had someone in my sights and was able to follow them the rest of the way back.
Part of my struggles was from nutrition. I had Clift shotblocks as well as two bottles of Cytomax. I also stopped at Sag before we entered the Elfin Forest. But my stomach wasn’t feeling great from so much Cytomax and by the time I made it back to the start, I was fairly nauseous.
Chasing the group and having an unsettled stomach left me with empty legs when it was time for 30-45 minute run. I ended up walking with Penny since she was still recovering from her bad crash during the half-ironman in Oceanside this past March.
