CTR 2010 Status and Updates.

[ScottM]

Harris and Jefe seem to have found some kind of shelter near Marshal Pass.  Good plan for staying dry...

[Pivvay]

Hehehehe. I know where they are. Jefe is lucky to have been near DH.

[jp3d]

Ethan missed a turn in the dark and did a few bonus miles
Lost less than 45min and is back on track, still in the lead!

[Woodland]

Ethan plows on into the night. He is putting a significant lead on JK. Also the projection chart puts him right now at 4 days 3 hrs 36 minutes and closing!! Could he do it?

[pro_out]

Jeff K seems to be backtracking this morning. Must have lost or left something behind.

[ScottM]

Yeah, Jeff must have left something at his last bivy spot.  Or maybe it was such a good spot that he decided to go back for more Z's?     He never seems to stop for more than an hour or two, but stops multiple times per night.  Looks like a pretty significant backtrack, but at least it was all fairly fast dirt roads.

I wonder how wet/slow the roads are.  The morning I rode them in 2009 things were a little slow in that valley.

[ScottM]

Uh oh, it looks like Kerkove is heading off route now... to Gunnison?  Bummer.

[pro_out]

Jeff is beyond his last bivy spot and is off course almost to 114 Perhaps he's had enough, I hope not he was having a great ride.

[mtbcast]

Emily Sportsman called in from Buena Vista. And Mark Caminiti called in from the Leadville hostel.

[mtbcast]

Nathan Gallion called in from up above Leadville. He appears to be near US24. He was up early and had already crossed 2 passes.

[l-s-d]

Jeff is beyond his last bivy spot and is off course almost to 114 Perhaps he's had enough, I hope not he was having a great ride.

He's got to be done. Vehicle speeds into Gunny. Car = Out. Too bad, he was flying.

[dwj]

my guess is jeff ran out of food. seemed like him and jesse were running pretty light. that was a great effort tho.  ethan is still at least 28ish hours from durango and that is with good weather and spirits

[LyndaW]

my guess is jeff ran out of food. seemed like him and jesse were running pretty light. that was a great effort tho.  ethan is still at least 28ish hours from durango and that is with good weather and spirits

More likely ran out of brake pads?

[bartspedden]

From Jeff's gear list (http://www.jeffkerkove.net/2010_06_01_archive.html) it looks like he had 2 sets of pads. Can't wait to find out what happened, at least it looks like he's ok.

[Stefan_G]

From facebook

Jeff Kerkove: Pulled the plug on CTR near Los Pinos Pass (spelling?). 3 days of wet shoes and socks + tons of hike-a-bike = nasty heal blisters which left me cuting the heals off my race shoes. Could ride fine....but pushing the bike was painful. Not the best situation for the area of the race course I was heading into. I'll be back in 2011!

Bummer, Jeff.  You were having an incredible ride, especially considering the heinous conditions out there this year.

[jeffkerkove]

Pulled the plug right near Los Pinos Pass this AM while chasing Ethan.  Since day 1 all racers have been left with wet shoes and socks after the heavy rain.  For me, this combo along with all the bike pushing left me with quarter size blisters on each heal.  The pain was so bad that last night I cut the heels off the Northwave Touring shoes I was using......great idea, but a little to late.  Last night I lost Ethan on a hike-a-bike....I then set up bivy.  With all the bike-pushing terrain coming up on the course, I felt it was in my best interest to pull the plug.  I didn't want to quit....it was a 1 hour Q & A with myself....before I made the right choice.

I will have more on my race later....but here is the short of it....

1. I was comfortable the entire race until the blister issue which became the worse and so became a nagging issue after Sargents Mesa.  Pace was spot on for me.....never too hard.
2. Food and nutrition was dialed...never ran out or had too much.
3. My 'sleep plan' was how I wanted it.  Few power naps a night.
4. Rain was a killer.  Ruined peoples equipment....made the course a mess. I was left with damp sleeping gear right off the bat.....  

Ethan was in good spirits...but was also mentioning his feet and lack of 'horse power'.  Can you say Jungle Rot?  Pic to come.

Talked with Jesse briefly on my backtrack to Gunnison....he looked tired...and was concerned with his diet in this new race style for him.

Minus the heel/blister/shoe issue.....everything was spot on.  When do we sign up for 2011?  

[mtbcast]

Sorry to hear about your blisters, JK, you had a great ride goin'! I'm sure moist conditions made any healing out of the question out there. Next year!

FYI, Folks:
Toby Gadd called in from Buena Vista where he was carbing up! And Dillon Taylor also called in from Buena Vista.

[Eric]

That's too bad Jeff, you were flying and it was an impressive ride regardless

[jenyjo]

nice effort and race there, jeff!

we've all been watching you keep and push the pace!

so sorry to hear about the blisters and issues!!  you were flying!!!

hope you heal well, fast, and are ready for the rest of your season!

jj

[LyndaW]

Pulled the plug right near Los Pinos Pass this AM

Awwwww - bummer.

Many tough guy points awarded up to there. You were looking invincible in the nutty weather.