Bishop scorches Shenandoah to break course record

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Two local racers - one a current and one retired pro - won the Shenandoah Mountain 100 near Harrisonburg, Virginia, on Sunday. En route to what would be a record-breaking time in the penultimate round of the 2009 National Ultra Endurance (NUE) series, Jeremiah Bishop (MonaVie Cannondale) won the men's race in 6:50:27 by a mere 22 seconds. Sue Haywood (SBC) took the women's race in 8:20:47 after riding the race solo in front of the rest of a talented women's field.

"It's the best field we've had here for this race," said Bishop. "Everyone was cooperative and worked together on the road sections. I can't believe how fast we were going - it was wicked. Guys were sticking their neck out and riding hard."

"Course knowledge was an absolute advantage," said Bishop, who lives nearby in Harrisonburg and trains on the trails featured in the race. "It allowed me to soft pedal some sections and recover when I was cramping or needing to drink or eat."

Bishop's race was his first after a broken back (compression fracture) sustained at the Intermontaine Challenge in late July.

A blazing pace in the men's race

The race started fast and furious on what would be a perfect day with fast conditions. Overcast skies and temperatures in the high 70s and low 80s kept most racers hydrated and free of cramps. Dry conditions made parts of the track lose, but also set the course up for fast times.

Early in the race, a group of five riders formed including Jeremiah Bishop (MonaVie Cannondale), Christian Tanguy (Fraser MTB Team), Jeff Schalk (Trek Co-op), Jesse Jakomait (Cannondale), and Sam Koerber (Gary Fisher).

Tanguy disappeared about 15 miles into the race after flatting on the singletrack Wolf descent, and the others may have thought wishfully that he was gone for good. However, the super fit Frenchman, now living in Michigan, chased back up to them within a few miles and soon all five were trading pulls to keep the leaders flying along.

"It was the first time we had five riders hit the Ramsey's Draft section (approaching mile 45) with five riders," said Bishop. "That made a real difference to the race."

"There were five of us together for most of the day. On the flat section leading up to the final big climb (around mile 70), we were trading pulls," said Schalk. The pace was high enough that Sam popped off. Then Jesse popped off, so it was down to three of us. We started going really hard then. It felt like a cross country race pace.

"Once we got above 320 watts and I had to stop pulling on that 15-mile uphill," said Bishop. "Tanguy started pulling through hard on some short, steep sections. I looked down at my powermeter and saw 440 watts.

Bishop knew they were on track for a possible new course record. "I came out and rode 100km last week and got a bunch of time splits for the middle, so I knew what it would take to run a sub-seven hour time. I didn't know if I'd be the person to pull it, but thought one of us might do it. We were running at about seven minutes below the seven-hour barrier the whole race."

"It seemed like aid station five (near mile 75) was never going to come," said Tanguy, who had a plan for the penultimate aid station that would save him time in the crucial later part of the race.

"It seems like I'm always the last ones to get my bottles. That might not be right, but it feels that way," said Tanguy. "I took three bottles at aid station five so I wouldn't have to stop at six. I knew there were only a few miles to go once we got to six, and I didn't want to chase then."

Tanguy's strategy served him well. The three raced out toward Little Bald Knob together and then effectively sprinted for the hole shot to be first going down Chesnut trail.

"Jeff put in a good dig. I tried to come on the inside to get the hole shot, but he got it," said Bishop. "He was riding much better on that descent - it was sort of a role reversal for us."

On that descent, Schalk opened up a small gap of several seconds. Bishop followed and Tanguy sat happily in third. "We did the entire downhill together which I'm satisfied with because in previous races, I always got dropped on the downhill," said Tanguy. "This time, I was maybe 50 yards behind, and every little portion going back up, I'd make it back up to them. It showed improvement for me. We made it to the bottom and I looked at my computer and there were 10 miles left."

Bishop and Tanguy quickly caught up to Schalk on the pavement as they approached the final aid station.

Tanguy blew by them and launched an attack. "We were on the pavement and there was a little climb, so I decided to test everyone's legs," said Tanguy. "I opened a 30-yard gap, and then there was a big descent after and they caught me. I thought 'oh well, too bad, but at least I know they are tired.'"

The trio entered what would be the final big climb of the race, up a fireroad.

"When we made the turn onto the doubletrack, I said to myself, 'Ok, let's go.' I was surprised that it was Jeremiah following me and not Jeff because Jeremiah did not have such a smooth pedal stroke, and I thought that was a sign that he was more tired."

Bishop saw the gap to Schalk and realized it was decision time and took over the pace-pushing.

"Jeremiah put the hammer down and I could barely stay with him," said Tanguy. "I was having a problem with chainsuck, and I had to pedal backward every so often backward for a short ways." Schalk was done with his role at the front and dropped off the two for good - he would ride solo into a third place, about four minutes back.

"Christian's chainsuck let me catch my breath and I went as hard as I could to the top. We went over together, and I led the downhill trail to the final section of dirt road. Then I went for it, in the big ring, all out, as hard as I could. I was try to put some short track speed into it," said Bishop, who was the 2008 short track national champion.

"He opened up a gap to me which was my fault, I didn't pre-ride," said Tanguy. "I thought we were going up to the campground not down, and my computer said 98 miles so I thought we weren't done yet and that we'd go up one more time and I might get my chance."

Bishop held on for the win, just 22 seconds ahead of Tanguy. Jesse Jakomait, an engineer for Cannondale, finished fourth and Sam Koerber (Subaru / Gary Fisher) was fifth.

With one race to go in the NUE series, the outcome is undecided.

"I have three firsts and a second," said Schalk, who's leading the overall. "Jeremiah now has two firsts and a second so if he goes to the Sierra race next weekend, he could take it." Racers must complete four events to count in the series, and the finale is the tiebreaker.

When asked if Schalk would go to the Sierra-Tahoe 100 final in California, he said, "That remains to be seen." Bishop said he might go, depending on input from his manager, but Tanguy, who has one win and four seconds, will sit out the last race due to travel time and expense.  The final is in just six days.

Each woman for herself

"It was really fun, maybe because I know all the trails," said a smiling Sue Haywood after winning the women's race by nearly half an hour. "It was so fast, going up and down, I felt like I was flying on the downhills, and they kept perking me up. Maybe it was the adrenaline."

Haywood, en route to her fourth Shenandoah Mountain 100 win, left her competition behind in the first mile and never looked back - or saw another woman for the remaining 99 miles. "I didn't feel like I had a good start, but I knew I was in the lead and ended up riding with a couple of people pretty much the whole race."

My record here is 8:15, and my goal was 8:45 (she finished in 8:20:47). I didn't carry a watch, I let my legs dictate the pace. 8:20 without as much training as I had when I did the 8:15 is good. Fitness-wise it's hard to start fast now, but you still just push yourself and want to do your best even if no other girls are around. You're looking for your personal best. That's what makes it fun with having some of these courses the same every year."

Betsy Shogren (Cannondale) finished second to Haywood after a mechanical early in the race. "Last year I had a bunch of flats, but this year I made it through with none. However, my derailleur died just 15 minutes in, so I rode the whole thing in the smaller of my two chainrings. Maybe it was a good thing, my legs are really tired after this season."

Unlike Haywood, Shogren rode mostly alone. "There were long stretches out there where I didn't see anyone." Shogren, who has three wins and a second place in the series, will not travel to California next weekend for the final race.

Carrie Lowery (Outdoor Store) rode to third place with a 9:02:18. Danielle Musto finished fourth while Brenda Simril was fifth.

Musto, a long-time series regular, who said she will sit out the 2010 series, noted the impressive level of women's racing at the Shenandoah. "We had a really tough field this year," she said. "You can't relax for a minute in the 100 milers any more."

More photos coming!

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