Steel City Endurance Racing

Tour of Tucker County

May 29, 2010

Thomas, West Virginia

For many on Team SCE, the Tour of Tucker County, affectionately known as “Tucker,” has become a rite of passage. There is no other race like it. If you’re a racer that likes to climb, you definitely sign up for this race. If you still like to climb after this race, then yes, I suppose you really are what people label “a climber.” When talking about the West Virginia races, if you ask someone “Have you done Tucker,” there is inevitably a story, or at least a groan that emanates from that person’s core.  This year, in addition to veterans Stacie Truskowski, Pam Milavec, and myself, we had Dustin Wehler sign up to get to know the pleasure and pain that are Tucker! The location of this race is beautiful, on roads amidst the Monongahela National Forest.

For me, the goal of this race was to finish on my bike and not be completely cooked going into the last climb, so that I could make it up and maintain my pace. Like the rest of us, I just wanted to finish this race. In my mind, that would be beating that hill, that race, and victory. In the almost 1 year since the last time I raced this race, I had managed to forget the details of the course. I remembered the neutral coast down the mountain to the starting line, and I remembered the last ~ 5 mile climb, but I kind of forgot all the parts in between. One aspect I forgot was the fact that more than the first half of the race was a climb, and that there was really no flat aspect to it. Unlike Morgantown, you never really get to a ridge with a series of easy rollers. No this race just keeps you working the whole way. There are an awesome few miles of descent, with nice winding turns, and then a little bit of flat back in the valley around mile 24-25 or so.

However, from mile 28-32, you start to climb Sugarland. Initially there is a little kick in the climb, but then, as you’re going, you realize that the grade is kicking up, and you realize that to maintain your consistent power output or pace, you’re breathing a little harder and definitely going a little slower. You also get a little disheartened when you see guys up ahead weaving their bikes or walking, because there is a part, right next to the cemetery, where you are almost sure you can’t do it. Walking a few feet and getting back on your bike is sometimes called upon here (heck, even the Pros occasionally walk their bikes up some crazy grades), especially if you had burned many matches earlier in the race to stay on someone’s wheel or try to stick with a group. Once you’re past that one part of the climb, which some people reported was around 22% grade (at least), you keep steadily going up, and after one more tough patch, you near the finish line. When you see the windmills, you realize you’re practically there, and the legs go a little faster as you feel it near.

And then, at the end of Tucker, you cross the finish line. And sitting there under the tent is JR Petsko, the race organizer, smiling and congratulating you on your finish. Ah yes, that friendly smile, underneath which there must lie maniacal pleasure in putting a whole group of racers through one of the most arduous courses in the country. This is one race where you have to plan out your hydration strategy to the T, because if you’re short on fluids, you’re in a heap of trouble. Every decision you make in this race (that early attack or early chase) can have major consequences at the end. In short if you cook yourself early, you’ll pay for it on the final climb. This is truly a race that finishing is an accomplishment, as very few people in the country could even attempt such a feat.

Major props to my teammates for beating the mountain, and finishing strong in Tour of Tucker County! So proud of Dustin for finishing that race (and having the courage to start the next day in the Oakmont Crit – whoa), Stacie, and Pam, who climbed strong and managed to finish with a smile.

The funny part about Tucker is, after the finish, and after rehydrate and recover, you soon start to forget again the pain and the details of the mostly uphill struggle, and start to think about next year…

Results found here.

Thanks to Ben Stephens for the awesome race photos!