The Original Grower: 64 Fluid Miles in and around Gunnison Colorado
Holy Smokes. I completed the Full Growler last year, but I obviously forgot how tough the course really is. The actual race was about 61.2 miles and 9600 feet of vertical. Nuts!
The start consisted of a 4.1 mile ride from main street to Hartman Rocks. Let’s just say us Back of the Pack racers held up the back of the pack. We weren’t exactly fast enough for the ‘single speed friendly pace’. But that’s cool. We caught the pack on the 1st hill – Kill Hill, and the race was on. 8+ hours later, the race was over – for me. It wasn’t my best performance. But I finished. My knee is now 100% and my body & mind held up fine. Ok, that’s not true. The 1st 30 miles were a struggle, mentally, but I got it together around mile 40.
Aside from the awesome trails, the Gunnison crowd was unreal. Probably one of the primary reasons why I returned this year. You can’t beat the support at the aid station, the post race party and the general atmosphere. It’s safe to say that I will definitely return next year for the punishment of the Growler.
There are many funny stories that I should share, but I won’t. I’m headed to Jacksonville FL tomorrow AM (Monday, June 1st) and I am way behind the curve in terms of packing. I return late Thursday night, just in time to pack up the BPR mobile and head to the 24 Hours in the Canyon – a great 24 hour training race for the ultimate New Mexico endurance event – The 24 Hours in the Enchanted Forest – June 19th & 20th.
Check out this link to all the B.P.R. photos, gps data and other stuff.
In classic B.P.R. fashion, we learn from all experiences, good and bad. Here is the summary.
Lessons Learned / Experience Gained
- In a 6 hr 33 min drive, how many times can you listen to Against Me! Don’t Lose touch. 134 times, of course.
- Don’t think, just ride. Wasted thoughts are wasted energy.
- If cows want to own the trail, then they own the trail. (No joke, I was held up by 2 massive cows grazing on the trail.)
- If you get run off the trail – tuck and roll. (Yeah, Judd was forced off the the trail during a fast descent on a jeep road due to some bad decisions by a fellow rider. Luckily a controlled ‘wipeout’ was successfully executed.)
- Don’t try to understand why slower people pass faster people after just being passed by faster people. Yeah, sometimes smart riders provide a little room when in rocky / rough sections.
- Put your survival food in a secure pocket, otherwise it won’t be there when you need it.
- Take extra BPR gear – make some money.
- You can never wake up early enough for a 7am start.
- You’ll never feel rested when waking up for the 7am start.
The Google Earth Data
The GPS Data
The 2010 Original Growler: The Start
What’s Tedd Thinking? What’s Judd Thinking? WHO CARES!
Clean cut Judd – No more quest for The Johnny!
BACK OF THE PACK RACING 
congrats on a great ride! i love that race just for the name …THE GROWLER!
by the way, i think by August we will be ready for the atlanta branch of BPR! so we will have to get an order in for gear. we have found a single speed racer and I forwarded him to the blog (which he loves!) there is a 100 miler coming up in altanta and im sure many more, so lets make plans for a fall race HERE!!!
loving all the updates- your blog is the ultimate resource!!
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Hey Cindy. Great to hear from you. Your big brother (The Lt Col) is organizing a new team shirt design + production. We can up the order and cover the ATL needs. Likewise, The Lt Col is trying to motivate your younger brother, we need some serious artistic talent to create my 'Evolution of the Single Speeder' t-shirt design. Can you help with this, i.e., explain the urgency to that young Arnold?
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actually….I just spoke to Brrrian yesterday, and he was all for designing something for BPR. also, we are going to pick a race in the fall to inaugurate the east coast chapter….i think you should be here.
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