Saturday, March 12, 2011
Saturday, January 15, 2011
RUNNING????
Uh oh, this running thing is starting to take shape. This past week I ran a 12.5 miler up in Annadel State Park climbing 1600+ ft. A day later I hit the pavement for another 12.5 miler in the pouring rain. It was amazing. What's going to be next in 2011? Stay tuned......
Friday, January 7, 2011
Check this out...
I just landed another sponsor with an awesome company. Go to www.sportsmultiplied.com
They've got top of the line goods
2XU Compression Clothing
Prologo
Bont Cycling
They've got top of the line goods
2XU Compression Clothing
Prologo
Bont Cycling
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Update!
Hey there party people? Wow, it's been a while since my last post. I thought I would give a little update as to what's going on in my world. So after the last race of the season and series in October I was knackered. It was a long and hard season and I needed a break. I'm a firm believer in recovery and active recovery to be specific. So I haven't been sitting on my can this whole time.
In the last three years I have logged nearly 15,000 miles, 20 races with 8 wins and a top three on all but three races. I'm a very proud of my accomplishments and my commitment to being the best I can be.
Taking some time off of the bikes has given me some time to do some cross training. Lately I've been following Sealfit Crossfit workouts and exercises. I've taking to trail running and soon I'll be swimming. Let's see, cycling, running, and swimming. That sounds a lot like Triathlon doesn't it?
Yes, 2011 will look a bit different then my previous seasons. Look out Tri guys.
In the last three years I have logged nearly 15,000 miles, 20 races with 8 wins and a top three on all but three races. I'm a very proud of my accomplishments and my commitment to being the best I can be.
Taking some time off of the bikes has given me some time to do some cross training. Lately I've been following Sealfit Crossfit workouts and exercises. I've taking to trail running and soon I'll be swimming. Let's see, cycling, running, and swimming. That sounds a lot like Triathlon doesn't it?
Yes, 2011 will look a bit different then my previous seasons. Look out Tri guys.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Knickerbocker 8hr XC and Season Finale
Here comes another race update. Right, so I got back from the disappointing finish at the National Championships with a lot of fight still in me. The last race of the season and last race of the Leave No Trace Endurance Series was the Knickebocker 8hr XC race on October 16th. After Moab I knew that I left that race with “plenty” of fuel in the tank. I was originally reg'd up in the Pro/Exp SS Solo division. I noticed the field of racers in that division was a bit small. Consequently, I moved to the Pro/Exp Solo division (the difference being theses guys have gears on their bikes). I scrambled to get my Cannondale 29er SS converted to a 1 X 9. That means I would have one chainring up front (34 tooth) and a full 9-speed cassette in the back. So on the Tuesday before the race my bike was ready for the dirt. I put in a three hour ride on Wednesday and another two ride on Thursday. The bike was shifting great so I took Friday off of the bike.
So I show up at the race (Saturday) at around 7:20. I felt relaxed yet was ready to throw down the gauntlet. Now the plan for this race was three fold. First, I was sitting in first place for the overall series with a 40 mile lead. All I really had to do was ride my bike for about 5 laps and that would have secured my overall victory. The second thing was that I wanted to have fun. When and if the fun meter dropped then I would chill and just finish the necessary laps for the overall. Finally, the last order of business was to win the race. The field of racers was deep with talent and it was going to be a tall order. However, I was coming into this race with a bit of fitness.
Back to the race. With my goals in place I lined up right in front ready for the “gun to go off”. I had ridden this course a number of times but never in this direction. We took off at a blistering pace but that was my plan. Start off fast and go until I couldn't go any longer. The selection was made right away and I found myself riding along side a Nationally ranked CX Champion named Cody Kaiser. He's a young lad with some series talent. Anyway, he was racing on a two-person team so he wasn't a threat to me other than forcing me to go faster than I had hoped. Anyway, this elite group of four quickly gaped the field and we were out putting time in the bank. I finished the first lap strong and didn't slow down to pit and just kept turning it over. I rode alone for the remainder of the race.
I didn't have pit support which is not a big deal in the 8hr races. The only time it becomes a potential issue is if you have a mechanical or run out of water or something and the race is close. In my case I knew the race was close as I saw the 2nd place racer behind me two times on the course. I had four Camelbaks loaded and ready in the ice chest. I had food staged on the back of my pickup, so I was set. My pit times were less than 30 seconds. I was keeping fueled with water, electrolytes, and calories. However, during the second lap I needed to pee, darn that pre-hydration. I had to go but didn't want to give up the time. I kept turning it over hoping my body would assimilate the fluid in my bladder. Midway through lap three I was still dealing with the strong urge to go. Finally, at the halfway point on lap four, I did something that I had never done before. I saw that I was alone on the course so I peed while descending a short paved section. I was successful in not peeing all over myself and felt like I had dogged a bullet. Feeling relieved, I pedaled on in earnest.
Goal number one, “win the overall series”. I had put in 5 laps which sealed the deal there. Goal number two, “have fun”. I was having a blast racing my bike in beautiful Cool CA. And lastly, “win the race”. I was in the lead with no sight of the second place racer. Mission almost accomplished. I found myself starting to do the math figuring out how many more laps I needed to go. Now Jim Northey puts together the best events. His 8 hour races are in fact 8 hours. You've got to have your last lap completed within the 8hr time frame. Some promoters allow for another hour for racers to complete their final laps. The same is true with his 24 hour events. In any case, I was sitting at two laps to go and finishing my final lap sometime after 4pm. It was going to be close for me to potentially go out on a 9th and final lap. Lap 7 was tough it felt like I had the trailer with my son attached. The affects of riding so hard for so long started to take its toll on me. The “math” showed I had one more to go. I head under the start/finish, toss Northey a hammer gel wrapper and blast through with no pit. Now at least for me, while in an endurance event (8hr or 24hr race) the last lap is awesome. I mentally checked off each section of the course bidding it a farewell. I dug deep into my suitcase of courage to fight through the physical pain. I figured Carl Sanders (the 2nd place chaser) was hot on my heels. At the halfway point I knew that race was mine to either win or lose. As I crested the final little hit I could see the finish. At that moment I knew that my three goals had been successfully accomplished and it felt GREAT. I finished at 4:08 which gave me the chance of heading out on lap 9 with 52 minutes. My last three laps were in the high 50's so I sat up and waited for Carl. He came in four minutes latter and he too had not intention of going out on another lap. The race was over, I won!
This season has been a especially long and difficult. Last season was a banner season for me and after securing a spot on the Global Biorhythm Events Team, I had some lofty goals for 2010. I wanted to shoot for a top three in the Leave No Trace Endurance Series. The series included two 24hr solo events, one 100 mile mountain bike race, and an 8hr XC race in Cool. In addition, I wanted to race the National Championships in Moab Utah and place top three. The first two solo 24's I won, I got 2nd place at the Tahoe Sierra 100 (missed 1st by two minutes), and I won the 8hr XC series finale. Moab was a learning experience and finished 6th.
I feel completely blessed by God to have had such amazing success. The list of people to thank is long an exhaustive....
Angie, Leif, Laini, Carolyn, John Harrison, Donna Sutton, Mike Sutton, Jim Northey, Mike and Carrie Self, Keith Flood, Kurt Pickle, Robert Raubach, Brian from Draper UT, Jason and Monica from Moab UT, Jared Franzoia, Sean McDevitt, Breakaway Bikes, Auburn Bike Works, Team GBE, E1 & T1 B-shift, AY UP Lights, Light and Motion, Rudy Project, Camelbak, and many more.
I hope you enjoyed following me this season.
Mike
So I show up at the race (Saturday) at around 7:20. I felt relaxed yet was ready to throw down the gauntlet. Now the plan for this race was three fold. First, I was sitting in first place for the overall series with a 40 mile lead. All I really had to do was ride my bike for about 5 laps and that would have secured my overall victory. The second thing was that I wanted to have fun. When and if the fun meter dropped then I would chill and just finish the necessary laps for the overall. Finally, the last order of business was to win the race. The field of racers was deep with talent and it was going to be a tall order. However, I was coming into this race with a bit of fitness.
Back to the race. With my goals in place I lined up right in front ready for the “gun to go off”. I had ridden this course a number of times but never in this direction. We took off at a blistering pace but that was my plan. Start off fast and go until I couldn't go any longer. The selection was made right away and I found myself riding along side a Nationally ranked CX Champion named Cody Kaiser. He's a young lad with some series talent. Anyway, he was racing on a two-person team so he wasn't a threat to me other than forcing me to go faster than I had hoped. Anyway, this elite group of four quickly gaped the field and we were out putting time in the bank. I finished the first lap strong and didn't slow down to pit and just kept turning it over. I rode alone for the remainder of the race.
I didn't have pit support which is not a big deal in the 8hr races. The only time it becomes a potential issue is if you have a mechanical or run out of water or something and the race is close. In my case I knew the race was close as I saw the 2nd place racer behind me two times on the course. I had four Camelbaks loaded and ready in the ice chest. I had food staged on the back of my pickup, so I was set. My pit times were less than 30 seconds. I was keeping fueled with water, electrolytes, and calories. However, during the second lap I needed to pee, darn that pre-hydration. I had to go but didn't want to give up the time. I kept turning it over hoping my body would assimilate the fluid in my bladder. Midway through lap three I was still dealing with the strong urge to go. Finally, at the halfway point on lap four, I did something that I had never done before. I saw that I was alone on the course so I peed while descending a short paved section. I was successful in not peeing all over myself and felt like I had dogged a bullet. Feeling relieved, I pedaled on in earnest.
Goal number one, “win the overall series”. I had put in 5 laps which sealed the deal there. Goal number two, “have fun”. I was having a blast racing my bike in beautiful Cool CA. And lastly, “win the race”. I was in the lead with no sight of the second place racer. Mission almost accomplished. I found myself starting to do the math figuring out how many more laps I needed to go. Now Jim Northey puts together the best events. His 8 hour races are in fact 8 hours. You've got to have your last lap completed within the 8hr time frame. Some promoters allow for another hour for racers to complete their final laps. The same is true with his 24 hour events. In any case, I was sitting at two laps to go and finishing my final lap sometime after 4pm. It was going to be close for me to potentially go out on a 9th and final lap. Lap 7 was tough it felt like I had the trailer with my son attached. The affects of riding so hard for so long started to take its toll on me. The “math” showed I had one more to go. I head under the start/finish, toss Northey a hammer gel wrapper and blast through with no pit. Now at least for me, while in an endurance event (8hr or 24hr race) the last lap is awesome. I mentally checked off each section of the course bidding it a farewell. I dug deep into my suitcase of courage to fight through the physical pain. I figured Carl Sanders (the 2nd place chaser) was hot on my heels. At the halfway point I knew that race was mine to either win or lose. As I crested the final little hit I could see the finish. At that moment I knew that my three goals had been successfully accomplished and it felt GREAT. I finished at 4:08 which gave me the chance of heading out on lap 9 with 52 minutes. My last three laps were in the high 50's so I sat up and waited for Carl. He came in four minutes latter and he too had not intention of going out on another lap. The race was over, I won!
This season has been a especially long and difficult. Last season was a banner season for me and after securing a spot on the Global Biorhythm Events Team, I had some lofty goals for 2010. I wanted to shoot for a top three in the Leave No Trace Endurance Series. The series included two 24hr solo events, one 100 mile mountain bike race, and an 8hr XC race in Cool. In addition, I wanted to race the National Championships in Moab Utah and place top three. The first two solo 24's I won, I got 2nd place at the Tahoe Sierra 100 (missed 1st by two minutes), and I won the 8hr XC series finale. Moab was a learning experience and finished 6th.
I feel completely blessed by God to have had such amazing success. The list of people to thank is long an exhaustive....
Angie, Leif, Laini, Carolyn, John Harrison, Donna Sutton, Mike Sutton, Jim Northey, Mike and Carrie Self, Keith Flood, Kurt Pickle, Robert Raubach, Brian from Draper UT, Jason and Monica from Moab UT, Jared Franzoia, Sean McDevitt, Breakaway Bikes, Auburn Bike Works, Team GBE, E1 & T1 B-shift, AY UP Lights, Light and Motion, Rudy Project, Camelbak, and many more.
I hope you enjoyed following me this season.
Mike
Friday, October 15, 2010
Moab Nationals Recap...
MOAB
Back in May Jim Northey and I started to discuss the idea of taking the Global Biorhythm Events Team to Moab Utah for the USAC 24 Hour National Championships in October. So since May I've been thinking about the Nationals. While racing the Coolest 24hr Race Against Cancer, I thought about the Nationals. While racing at the Boggs 24 and Tahoe Sierra 100, I thought about saving something in the tank for the Nationals. I had never been to Utah. The fact is the furthest East that I have ever traveled is Reno NV. The lour of competing at the National level in 24 hour racing was on my mind constantly.
Immediately following my 2nd place finish at the Tahoe Sierra 100 on September 11th, I was able to fully prepare for Moab (pronounced Mobe). The remainder of September went by in a flash as I scrambled to get my plans in order. I spent countless hours checking and re-checking Google maps for the fastest route. I was all over the internet trying to pin down the forecast models for Mobe. In addition, I rode my bike a lot to prepare for the physical pain that I would surely face during the race.
The travel plans took a turn and I was without a travel partner and pit support in late September. I immediately went back to the internet and posted all over Facebook and mountain bike forums from here to Mobe in an effort to get pit support. I've done a number of 24 hour solo bike races and I knew that going to Mobe alone with no support was NOT an option.
I could go on and on about the events that transpired but on October 3rd I received an email from Robert Raubach, a fellow bike racer whom I had met at the Boggs 24hr Race in July. He had read my post and decided to give me a call to see if I had the support. We discussed the logistics and came up with a plan. I picked him up from his house in West Sacto on October 6th at 7:00pm and we started our 16 hour journey the Nationals.
That night we made it as far as Fernley, NV. We decided to stay at the Super 8 (don't ever stay at the Super 8 in Fernley NV, just don't). There was nothing “super” about it. While taking the bikes off the rack I noticed the brake level on my Niner (my primary first out race machine) was not functioning at all. An air bubble had made it's way to the brake lever rendering the brake useless. I needed to get the brakes bled before the race.
The next morning started early as Robert and I woke up at 5:30am. We mounted the bikes and walked across the parking lot to a Casino/Restaurant. Lucky for us the restaurant was not opening until 6:00. We high tailed it out of there after many glares from the locals. Oh, and it stunk of cigarette smoke. It's raining, we're hungry, and I've got to get the Niner fixed. We headed East on 80 and found our way into Lovelock, NV and stopped to eat at the Cow Poke Cafe. No joke, that's the name.
Back on the road we went and as soon as I secured cell coverage I called my awesome wife to look up bike shops in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Niner needed some love. The first shop we called, “The Contender” as it was called told us to come on by and they would take care of me. After a slight delay for lunch and bike repair we were on our way once again. No too much longer into the drive out of SLC Robert recalled that we had just lost an hour. Darn that time zone stuff. So now we have to add an hour to the digital clock on the truck. Now it's absolutely pouring down rain, thunder, and lightning kickers. It's insane. Robert was happy to drive in the atrocious conditions.
Oh, here's where it gets cool. So back when I was scrambling to figure out pit support a super cool guy name Jason from Mobe emailed me and said I could pit with his 4-person team at the race. I had contacted him about my bike issue too and when we spoke later that day he offered up his trailer for Rober and I to sleep in that night. He was planning on brining it to the race and had it all ready in front of his house. So we had a place to stay in Mobe.
So, we after grabbing a bite to eat in Mobe (which was completely bustling with mountain bikers) we made it to Jason's house at 8:30. He gave us a quick tour of his trailer and told us to come inside their house in the morning for a hot shower and coffee. Yeah, these people went above and beyond. Morning came and indeed we were treated to hot showers and fresh coffee. Monica offered to make us breakfast but I couldn't accept that gesture. We brought our food in and prepared our breakfast in her kitchen.
Okay, on to the race. We arrived at the race venue about 9:00am and quickly discussed pit location and tactics. It's always fun figuring out the best location for quick pit stops during the race. So, another Utah resident and avid outdoorsman/mountain biker emailed me in response to my “pit help” request on the bike forum. He mentioned he was going to be in Mobe that weekend and offered to help in my pits. Brian, arrived at the venue on Friday afternoon ready to help Robert in the pits. The rest of Friday was spent pre-riding the course, going over pit strategies, and resting.
Saturday October 10th......race day. I woke up early and noticed the temps had dropped to freezing as there was a thin layer of ice on the truck. Okay, note to self, it's going to get cold tonight. Standards ops breakfast was a bit different as I wasn't into making the nutty pancakes. I opted for a ham and eggs scramble, bagel and cream cheese chased down by some Peets French Roast Coffee.
Time was ticking and before I knew it, it was time for the long winded racer meeting. Blah blah blah, can we start the race or what. Yeah, the start of this race was going to be a lemans start. We had to run ½ mile in this open dusty field before mounting our bikes and hitting the trails. First off, I hate running. I hate running in cycling shoes, and I hate running hard right before jumping on my bike and pedaling for dear life trying to jockey for position. So that's how this race was going to start. I found myself deep into the field upon getting on my bike. Usually, the field spreads out a bit and once we hit the dirt you can settle into your own rhythm. This was not the case. It was mayhem and border line reckless the entire first lap. I guess that's how it goes at the National level. It was like a XC race on steriods.
After the first lap, I felt like I could settle into my own pace. I wasn't too concerned about my placement in the SS field. I saw one Sser ahead of me and let him go. I wasn't about to get into a chasing game this early on.
Let me take a minute to discuss the course. Each lap was 15 miles and climbed 1300'. The course was pepperd with lose rocks, huge boulder drop offs, thick beachy power sucking sand pits, and sections of smooth slick rock. A very challenging course and would prove to be the hardest course I had ever encountered period. After the pre-ride I was stoked for the challenge but knew it wasn't going to be easy.
On lap two I spin out a bit while negotiating one of the countless technical climbs which resulted in my left knee ever so gently touching my fork stem. No, I smashed my knee and it hurt. It continued to cause me some severe pain but I figured it would work itself out. I found myself favoring my left leg completely and was pedaling with my right leg when at all possible. This was not a good sign. Expecting to get through a 24hr event unscathed is unrealistic. The pain train picks you up whether you want to board or not. However, usually at least for me, I don't board the train until it gets dark. Now, I was on the train, in the front seat, and it hurt.
It's one thing to doubt your ability when you don't have “it”. It's another thing to doubt when your concerned your doing further damage to your body. My fitness was there, I was managing the caloric intake (thanks for Robert and Brian) and had I not inured my knee it would have been a different race. However, I did injure my knee and the pain was not relieved with ibuprofen and massage therapy. I was faced with a very difficult decision. When I assessed the risk versus gain on finishing the race, it was clear that bagging a potential 3rd place at the National Championships was not worth the risk. I had come to the Nationals to draw blood on the field and it was me that bled.
It has been a very very long time since I purposefully abandoned a race. The humble pie tasted horrible but I knew I had made the right decision. After all, this Saturday October 16th, I've got the series final at the Leave No Trace Endurance Race Series. It will be a modest 8hr XC race in Cool CA.
So, am I upset that I made the trip out to Mobe only to not finish the race. Absolutely not. I got to broaden my horizons and experience two very different states. I got to meet a number of super nice and generous people made a number of new friendships. The adventures that Robert and I had along the way was worth the trip.
Back in May Jim Northey and I started to discuss the idea of taking the Global Biorhythm Events Team to Moab Utah for the USAC 24 Hour National Championships in October. So since May I've been thinking about the Nationals. While racing the Coolest 24hr Race Against Cancer, I thought about the Nationals. While racing at the Boggs 24 and Tahoe Sierra 100, I thought about saving something in the tank for the Nationals. I had never been to Utah. The fact is the furthest East that I have ever traveled is Reno NV. The lour of competing at the National level in 24 hour racing was on my mind constantly.
Immediately following my 2nd place finish at the Tahoe Sierra 100 on September 11th, I was able to fully prepare for Moab (pronounced Mobe). The remainder of September went by in a flash as I scrambled to get my plans in order. I spent countless hours checking and re-checking Google maps for the fastest route. I was all over the internet trying to pin down the forecast models for Mobe. In addition, I rode my bike a lot to prepare for the physical pain that I would surely face during the race.
The travel plans took a turn and I was without a travel partner and pit support in late September. I immediately went back to the internet and posted all over Facebook and mountain bike forums from here to Mobe in an effort to get pit support. I've done a number of 24 hour solo bike races and I knew that going to Mobe alone with no support was NOT an option.
I could go on and on about the events that transpired but on October 3rd I received an email from Robert Raubach, a fellow bike racer whom I had met at the Boggs 24hr Race in July. He had read my post and decided to give me a call to see if I had the support. We discussed the logistics and came up with a plan. I picked him up from his house in West Sacto on October 6th at 7:00pm and we started our 16 hour journey the Nationals.
That night we made it as far as Fernley, NV. We decided to stay at the Super 8 (don't ever stay at the Super 8 in Fernley NV, just don't). There was nothing “super” about it. While taking the bikes off the rack I noticed the brake level on my Niner (my primary first out race machine) was not functioning at all. An air bubble had made it's way to the brake lever rendering the brake useless. I needed to get the brakes bled before the race.
The next morning started early as Robert and I woke up at 5:30am. We mounted the bikes and walked across the parking lot to a Casino/Restaurant. Lucky for us the restaurant was not opening until 6:00. We high tailed it out of there after many glares from the locals. Oh, and it stunk of cigarette smoke. It's raining, we're hungry, and I've got to get the Niner fixed. We headed East on 80 and found our way into Lovelock, NV and stopped to eat at the Cow Poke Cafe. No joke, that's the name.
Back on the road we went and as soon as I secured cell coverage I called my awesome wife to look up bike shops in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Niner needed some love. The first shop we called, “The Contender” as it was called told us to come on by and they would take care of me. After a slight delay for lunch and bike repair we were on our way once again. No too much longer into the drive out of SLC Robert recalled that we had just lost an hour. Darn that time zone stuff. So now we have to add an hour to the digital clock on the truck. Now it's absolutely pouring down rain, thunder, and lightning kickers. It's insane. Robert was happy to drive in the atrocious conditions.
Oh, here's where it gets cool. So back when I was scrambling to figure out pit support a super cool guy name Jason from Mobe emailed me and said I could pit with his 4-person team at the race. I had contacted him about my bike issue too and when we spoke later that day he offered up his trailer for Rober and I to sleep in that night. He was planning on brining it to the race and had it all ready in front of his house. So we had a place to stay in Mobe.
So, we after grabbing a bite to eat in Mobe (which was completely bustling with mountain bikers) we made it to Jason's house at 8:30. He gave us a quick tour of his trailer and told us to come inside their house in the morning for a hot shower and coffee. Yeah, these people went above and beyond. Morning came and indeed we were treated to hot showers and fresh coffee. Monica offered to make us breakfast but I couldn't accept that gesture. We brought our food in and prepared our breakfast in her kitchen.
Okay, on to the race. We arrived at the race venue about 9:00am and quickly discussed pit location and tactics. It's always fun figuring out the best location for quick pit stops during the race. So, another Utah resident and avid outdoorsman/mountain biker emailed me in response to my “pit help” request on the bike forum. He mentioned he was going to be in Mobe that weekend and offered to help in my pits. Brian, arrived at the venue on Friday afternoon ready to help Robert in the pits. The rest of Friday was spent pre-riding the course, going over pit strategies, and resting.
Saturday October 10th......race day. I woke up early and noticed the temps had dropped to freezing as there was a thin layer of ice on the truck. Okay, note to self, it's going to get cold tonight. Standards ops breakfast was a bit different as I wasn't into making the nutty pancakes. I opted for a ham and eggs scramble, bagel and cream cheese chased down by some Peets French Roast Coffee.
Time was ticking and before I knew it, it was time for the long winded racer meeting. Blah blah blah, can we start the race or what. Yeah, the start of this race was going to be a lemans start. We had to run ½ mile in this open dusty field before mounting our bikes and hitting the trails. First off, I hate running. I hate running in cycling shoes, and I hate running hard right before jumping on my bike and pedaling for dear life trying to jockey for position. So that's how this race was going to start. I found myself deep into the field upon getting on my bike. Usually, the field spreads out a bit and once we hit the dirt you can settle into your own rhythm. This was not the case. It was mayhem and border line reckless the entire first lap. I guess that's how it goes at the National level. It was like a XC race on steriods.
After the first lap, I felt like I could settle into my own pace. I wasn't too concerned about my placement in the SS field. I saw one Sser ahead of me and let him go. I wasn't about to get into a chasing game this early on.
Let me take a minute to discuss the course. Each lap was 15 miles and climbed 1300'. The course was pepperd with lose rocks, huge boulder drop offs, thick beachy power sucking sand pits, and sections of smooth slick rock. A very challenging course and would prove to be the hardest course I had ever encountered period. After the pre-ride I was stoked for the challenge but knew it wasn't going to be easy.
On lap two I spin out a bit while negotiating one of the countless technical climbs which resulted in my left knee ever so gently touching my fork stem. No, I smashed my knee and it hurt. It continued to cause me some severe pain but I figured it would work itself out. I found myself favoring my left leg completely and was pedaling with my right leg when at all possible. This was not a good sign. Expecting to get through a 24hr event unscathed is unrealistic. The pain train picks you up whether you want to board or not. However, usually at least for me, I don't board the train until it gets dark. Now, I was on the train, in the front seat, and it hurt.
It's one thing to doubt your ability when you don't have “it”. It's another thing to doubt when your concerned your doing further damage to your body. My fitness was there, I was managing the caloric intake (thanks for Robert and Brian) and had I not inured my knee it would have been a different race. However, I did injure my knee and the pain was not relieved with ibuprofen and massage therapy. I was faced with a very difficult decision. When I assessed the risk versus gain on finishing the race, it was clear that bagging a potential 3rd place at the National Championships was not worth the risk. I had come to the Nationals to draw blood on the field and it was me that bled.
It has been a very very long time since I purposefully abandoned a race. The humble pie tasted horrible but I knew I had made the right decision. After all, this Saturday October 16th, I've got the series final at the Leave No Trace Endurance Race Series. It will be a modest 8hr XC race in Cool CA.
So, am I upset that I made the trip out to Mobe only to not finish the race. Absolutely not. I got to broaden my horizons and experience two very different states. I got to meet a number of super nice and generous people made a number of new friendships. The adventures that Robert and I had along the way was worth the trip.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Tahoe Sierra 100 Report.....
Another race report coming at all. Buckle up it's going to be a long one. Okay, so after the Boggs 24 Solo in July I quickly changed gears (not literally being a singlespeeder) and started to prepare for the Tahoe Sierra 100. The 3rd race in the Leave No Trace Endurance Series put on by the infamous, Jim Northey. The 2010 version of the TS100 was going to be very similar to '09 with a little more singletrack and mileage. My training plan for this race wasn't much different than training for solo 24's. In any case, last year I missed 1st place by 5 minutes and definitely wanted to stand on the top of the podium this year. The Pro SS field was stacked with talented guys so it was going to be a tall order. Nevertheless, the goal to not only win was on my docket but I also wanted to break the 9 hour mark. Last year I came in at 9:58.
Alright enough fluff. My good friend Jay Bretz and I depart Santa Rosa mid morning on Friday. We arrived up at Ice Lakes Lodge on Soda Springs Road with plenty of time to check out the newly added singletrack. With registration and partial pre-ride complete, we headed back to our room. Dinner at the Lodge was nothing to write home about so I will leave it at that. We retreated back to our room and I got ready to bed down. I hit the rack at 8:30 knowing that the 5:00 AM wake up call was going to be more than annoying.
Well, the good thing is that I wasn't rudely awakened by the alarm clock. I happened to wake up on my own at 4:45. Jay and I both knew that it was/is critical to get some food on board before a long event like this. Jay had a ham sandwich and I choked down a egg salad sandwich and sweet potato....cold. Don't even ask, that's NOT my typical pre-race meal. Anyway, we made our way outside and the cold just punched me in my face. Frost on the truck! We both started to discuss our clothing options for the race. Although it was chilly 30 something degrees out and most certainly colder down in the valley, we know the temperature was going to hover in the mid to high 70's by the early afternoon. It's a dicey decision, do you dress for the cold then shed and have to carry them for the rest of the race? Or, do you sack up and battle the cold waiting for the sun to heat up? I kind of chose a middle option. I had a wind breaker that I ditched at the bottom of the first climb. Anyway, I'll get to the details now.
6:30 and we were off. The start was pretty fast and everyone felt they needed to be up front. I too wanted to be somewhat near the front just cause I like to start out a little bit fast. Anyway, there was about 2ish miles of mostly flat singletrack that lead to an 6 mile fire-road descent. I settled into my own pace on the descent and actually was able to stay somewhat towards the front. The SS rig is a bit limited when the downhills aren't too steep. Right, so before the start of the first big climb I doffed my jacket and started up. Right at that time I came across a teammate and huge competitor in my class (Jared Franzoia). He was the one that beat me last year. We rode together for a little bit but then I kept my pace and never looked back. I never saw him again.
I blasted through the first aid station and started the 2nd big descent. The bitter wind chill and temperature nearly froze me. My arms and legs were shaking vigorously and both hands were numb. I couldn't wait to start the 2nd big climb. Once to the climb I started picking off racers left and right. It wasn't the plan, I just was doing my thing. I pretty much knew I was leading the SS field. I didn't let it get to my head as this was the same scenario last year when Franzoia caught and passed me at mile 70. The second aid station (miler 23) was much like the first except I grabbed a banana and pbj. The next 13 miles proved to be quite challenging. I crashed on the top of Red Star Ridge but quickly remounted and got back in the grove. I was gauging my pace by the people I was riding with. Kevin Smallman who finished 2nd in the Pro geared class was the only one to pass me up to the aid station at mile 39. After coming off of the Ridge I was told I was sitting in 8th place overall.
When I made it to mile 39 I knew I had some work ahead of me. I fueled up at the aid station and started the long fire road climb. At about mile 43 I looked back (never look back) and noticed another racer pushing his bike up behind me. That could only mean one thing.....another singlespeeder. I started the 8 mile descent ahead of him and railed it. Unfortunately, so did this other guy. He rolls up and the first thing he says is, “Hey, what gearing are you running?” Found out I was running an easier gear combination than him. We rode together for about 10 miles or so and I discovered he was from Illinois. Come on, a singlespeeder from Chicago. Are there any hills there? It didn't matter, Dan was riding strong. I was in for a fight for sure. So after we went through another aid station we started a brutal 2 mile climb. The kind of climb that puts the one-speeders on their feet. I quickly dismounted and started the hike while Dan pushed than rode then pushed and rode. He got a gap on me but I wasn't about to do anything crazy like race “his” race. I knew we had 40ish hard miles to go and I knew the course and he didn't. I let him go.
Once you hit the halfway point in these 100 milers you start to realize that every mile that ticks away means your closer to the finish. Yeah obviously, but it's just a mental thing. Anyway, I started to deal with some slight leg cramps but nothing to stress about. When I got to mile 70 I really wanted to get to the last climb but it was going to be a long 14 miles away. At about 82 miles I noticed off yonder a similar fellow pushing his bike up a steep pitch. Could it be? Yep, it was Dan. It had been over and hour plus since he left me alone pushing my bike. When I caught him he seemed a tad surprised. We both were suffering and at least we were suffering together. We started to chat again but I was sure that like me, was thinking about when to make a move. There was one last steep grind before a fast descent that lead up to the final climb. I didn't really attack him as much as I just rode him off my wheel. I started the downhill about 10 seconds ahead of him. I full throttled the descent leaving nothing back. I killed it. We had one more aid station before the final climb and I blasted through it and hit the climb. The climb started with some rollers which didn't really suit me. I was hoping for a tougher hill which would have been harder for Dan. Nevertheless, I kept a strong tempo up the hill and looked back a few times and never once saw him. The closer I got to the top the closer I felt to victory. Although I knew ANYTHING could happen. And that ANYTHING happened. Dan came out of nowhere and passed me like I was walking on my hands. The only audible thing I hear from him was, “I got some coke.” I couldn't match his pace but time was running out. We must have been at mile 88. I ramped up my pace but didn't have the gas to catch him. I did manage to close the gap and got within 40 yards. Unfortunately, it was on the last hike-a-bike section and that was that. I rode that last 2 miles in complete shame. No just kidding. I felt great. It was an awesome battle. Dan was the stronger rider and put in a solid effort. I finished the race in 9:31 minutes and secured 2nd place just three minutes behind Dan.
Alright enough fluff. My good friend Jay Bretz and I depart Santa Rosa mid morning on Friday. We arrived up at Ice Lakes Lodge on Soda Springs Road with plenty of time to check out the newly added singletrack. With registration and partial pre-ride complete, we headed back to our room. Dinner at the Lodge was nothing to write home about so I will leave it at that. We retreated back to our room and I got ready to bed down. I hit the rack at 8:30 knowing that the 5:00 AM wake up call was going to be more than annoying.
Well, the good thing is that I wasn't rudely awakened by the alarm clock. I happened to wake up on my own at 4:45. Jay and I both knew that it was/is critical to get some food on board before a long event like this. Jay had a ham sandwich and I choked down a egg salad sandwich and sweet potato....cold. Don't even ask, that's NOT my typical pre-race meal. Anyway, we made our way outside and the cold just punched me in my face. Frost on the truck! We both started to discuss our clothing options for the race. Although it was chilly 30 something degrees out and most certainly colder down in the valley, we know the temperature was going to hover in the mid to high 70's by the early afternoon. It's a dicey decision, do you dress for the cold then shed and have to carry them for the rest of the race? Or, do you sack up and battle the cold waiting for the sun to heat up? I kind of chose a middle option. I had a wind breaker that I ditched at the bottom of the first climb. Anyway, I'll get to the details now.
6:30 and we were off. The start was pretty fast and everyone felt they needed to be up front. I too wanted to be somewhat near the front just cause I like to start out a little bit fast. Anyway, there was about 2ish miles of mostly flat singletrack that lead to an 6 mile fire-road descent. I settled into my own pace on the descent and actually was able to stay somewhat towards the front. The SS rig is a bit limited when the downhills aren't too steep. Right, so before the start of the first big climb I doffed my jacket and started up. Right at that time I came across a teammate and huge competitor in my class (Jared Franzoia). He was the one that beat me last year. We rode together for a little bit but then I kept my pace and never looked back. I never saw him again.
I blasted through the first aid station and started the 2nd big descent. The bitter wind chill and temperature nearly froze me. My arms and legs were shaking vigorously and both hands were numb. I couldn't wait to start the 2nd big climb. Once to the climb I started picking off racers left and right. It wasn't the plan, I just was doing my thing. I pretty much knew I was leading the SS field. I didn't let it get to my head as this was the same scenario last year when Franzoia caught and passed me at mile 70. The second aid station (miler 23) was much like the first except I grabbed a banana and pbj. The next 13 miles proved to be quite challenging. I crashed on the top of Red Star Ridge but quickly remounted and got back in the grove. I was gauging my pace by the people I was riding with. Kevin Smallman who finished 2nd in the Pro geared class was the only one to pass me up to the aid station at mile 39. After coming off of the Ridge I was told I was sitting in 8th place overall.
When I made it to mile 39 I knew I had some work ahead of me. I fueled up at the aid station and started the long fire road climb. At about mile 43 I looked back (never look back) and noticed another racer pushing his bike up behind me. That could only mean one thing.....another singlespeeder. I started the 8 mile descent ahead of him and railed it. Unfortunately, so did this other guy. He rolls up and the first thing he says is, “Hey, what gearing are you running?” Found out I was running an easier gear combination than him. We rode together for about 10 miles or so and I discovered he was from Illinois. Come on, a singlespeeder from Chicago. Are there any hills there? It didn't matter, Dan was riding strong. I was in for a fight for sure. So after we went through another aid station we started a brutal 2 mile climb. The kind of climb that puts the one-speeders on their feet. I quickly dismounted and started the hike while Dan pushed than rode then pushed and rode. He got a gap on me but I wasn't about to do anything crazy like race “his” race. I knew we had 40ish hard miles to go and I knew the course and he didn't. I let him go.
Once you hit the halfway point in these 100 milers you start to realize that every mile that ticks away means your closer to the finish. Yeah obviously, but it's just a mental thing. Anyway, I started to deal with some slight leg cramps but nothing to stress about. When I got to mile 70 I really wanted to get to the last climb but it was going to be a long 14 miles away. At about 82 miles I noticed off yonder a similar fellow pushing his bike up a steep pitch. Could it be? Yep, it was Dan. It had been over and hour plus since he left me alone pushing my bike. When I caught him he seemed a tad surprised. We both were suffering and at least we were suffering together. We started to chat again but I was sure that like me, was thinking about when to make a move. There was one last steep grind before a fast descent that lead up to the final climb. I didn't really attack him as much as I just rode him off my wheel. I started the downhill about 10 seconds ahead of him. I full throttled the descent leaving nothing back. I killed it. We had one more aid station before the final climb and I blasted through it and hit the climb. The climb started with some rollers which didn't really suit me. I was hoping for a tougher hill which would have been harder for Dan. Nevertheless, I kept a strong tempo up the hill and looked back a few times and never once saw him. The closer I got to the top the closer I felt to victory. Although I knew ANYTHING could happen. And that ANYTHING happened. Dan came out of nowhere and passed me like I was walking on my hands. The only audible thing I hear from him was, “I got some coke.” I couldn't match his pace but time was running out. We must have been at mile 88. I ramped up my pace but didn't have the gas to catch him. I did manage to close the gap and got within 40 yards. Unfortunately, it was on the last hike-a-bike section and that was that. I rode that last 2 miles in complete shame. No just kidding. I felt great. It was an awesome battle. Dan was the stronger rider and put in a solid effort. I finished the race in 9:31 minutes and secured 2nd place just three minutes behind Dan.
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