Yeah, I'm a little apprehensive this evening because I am about nine hours away from racing the 100km 4th Annual Hell of the Marianas. Sure, the distance is daunting, but it's not just the length of the course that worries me.The extreme heat of the tropics combined with the drastic change of elevation is enough to make a grown man cry. I just hope that I'm in pretty decent shape by the time I get to the 50km point at the Saipan Radar Station.
My game plan is to pasta it up tonight and freeze a water bottle or two for the midday heat. I know that they will thaw during the ride and provide some much needed heat reduction when the time comes.
I'm starting with a pair of POWERade sports bottles in my cages and a bunch of Accel Gel packs in my Bento Box. There will also be some pain killers and electrolyte tablets in a ziploc bag to help me if the going gets tough.
All things considered, it's going to be tough. The intro to climbing begins through the Papago section (don't even get me started on the state of the roads back there) and offers sweet relief and high speeds all the way to Laolao Bay Golf Resort before climbing back out of Kagman.
From there it's a familiar climb around the Capital Hill area that leads to a footloose and fancy free speed session towards the King Fisher Golf Resort. There's a short and not-so sweet climb to the turn around point that's followed by a loooooooooooooooooooooooooong climb back to Isa Drive. That is probably the most difficult part of the course.
If I'm feeling okay through that section, I'll have more confidence for the rest of the course.
After a fast and furious trip down Capital Hill, we'll head north to Marpi along a mostly flat Middle Road until we climb about two miles to the 50km point at the Saipan Radar Station. Once there, I'll know how the race will finish for me.
It's a tough climb through the Marpi hairpin to Suicide Cliff, a quick ride down to the Bird Island lookout, followed by a trip to The Grotto and the final climb of the course. Once the legs are burned to a crisp, it's roughly all downhill or flat from there and riders head back through the hairpin en route to Banzai Cliff and the 75km turnaround and aid station (powered by IT&E!!!).
After that, it's pretty much smooth sailing all the way back to the Pacific Islands Club with only exhaustion standing between the riders and the finish line. I'd like to say that I can finish the race in about four hours, but realistically I think that I will be happy with a time that's somewhere under five.
I've been working like a dog on the soccer field (tonight included) and I'm coming off of an infection that sapped my energy for the better part of two weeks. Perhaps I'll be a bit at a disadvantage heading into tomorrow's race.
Too late to turn back now. I'm all paid up so this thing is on!
