LOTOJA 2011

On September 10, 2011, I competed in the hardest physical thing I have ever done-The LOTOJA Classic.

Every couple years or so I get the desire to compete in an athletic event. Already having done a marathon, multiple half marathons and the Ragnar Relay, I thought I would try biking. I still remember the day when I first decided I wanted to compete in the LOTOJA- we were on a mini vacation down in southern Utah and I was researching the race on my Dad's smartphone. It just so happened that the open entry period to sign up was a few weeks away. Since the race is extremely popular and the demand is high, all LOTOJA participants are selected through a lottery. After being selected, I committed myself to training all summer long. A few of the training rides I did over the summer included: riding up American Fork Canyon and Provo canyon (through the Alpine Loop), through Heber City towards Kamas, around Bear Lake (while on family vacation), around Utah Lake, the tour de four( Little Cottonwood canyon, Big Cottonwood canyon, Millcreek canyon, and Emigration canyon), and Bountiful up towards Logan via Sardine canyon. Needless to say, there were many Saturdays where I was gone all morning and into the afternoon- leaving Becca to fend for herself (and towards the end- with Lydia). I also biked from American Fork to work (in Sandy) a few mornings during the week. At last, the day of the race arrived. I spent the night at my brother Brent's apartment in Logan, as the race began there. Needless to say, I did not sleep particularly well. All too early, it was time to head over to the start line. My starting time was 7:37 am, which was the 2nd to last group to leave (the relay groups left at 7:40). The course of the LOTOJA covers 206 miles, 3 states, and 3 mountain passes. In order to complete the race, participants must be in before dark, or 8:15 pm. Because of the late start time, I knew I would need to book it all day! The ride north from Logan goes through a flat Cashe Valley to Preston, ID (34 miles). Leg 2 covers 46 miles- up to Strawberry Summit, and down to Montpelier. The remaining 2 mountain passes (including Salt River Pass- the steepest one) followed by a decent to Afton, WY, make up the 3rd leg. It was during these stages where Brent (my brother) and Stephanie (my sister) provided much needed encouragement and support (including stopping at feed zones) along the way. From Afton to Alpine, WY was another 34 miles, and en route I was greeted by Becca, Lydia, and my parents, who drove up to take over the role as support team/vehicle for the remainder of the race. Upon reaching Alpine, I still had 47 miles to go and was totally exhausted and burnt out. The remainder of the race weaved up through the Snake River canyon and ended outside of Jackson Hole in the Teton Village. Soon it would get dark and the finish line was not yet in sight. Even more so now, the race turned from physical endurance to mental. My training had gotten me this far, but now it was up to willpower and the thought of seeing my wife and daughter at the finish line. After riding for another 2 plus hours, I saw the 1 km sign and the bright lights at the finish. The bikers around me started to cheer, knowing we would all finish before the race closed. I raised both hands high into the air as I crossed over the finish line at 8:09 pm, with the time of 12 hours and 32 minutes. What a relief. Throughout the entire race, I was burdened with the thought of not finishing in the allotted time. I bent down, pounding the ground with my fist- knowing I had accomplished a great feat. I was beyond exhaustion and could barely walk when Becca and my Dad came to find me and take me to meet up with the others. It was great to see my family (especially Becca) at the finish line, which made it all worth it. Looking back, I have gained a new found respect for cyclists and anyone with the LOTOJA decal sticker on their car!