Is This A Logo??

Is This A Logo??

Friday 30 October 2015

Fall Stuff (Not Falling)

So now with the race season pretty much over...to find topics to write about I need to get creative and stuff.  That's hard.

Nobody has got Shikazeed off the podium, no one has got Cauchied to vomitousness in a race, Unglued hasn't crashed (that we know about), Blaze isn't back...yet...There are no friendly BikeZone people on my local trails...

I guess I could do a review of the season, but according to the purveyor of all wisdom, (Rob Ford????) "The past is in the past" (with a short statute of limitations, I suppose); besides that would be boring as hell (would hell really be boring???).





I could write about how great riding in the fall is....but everybody does that.  Riding in the fall, admittedly, is great...with the leaves turning colour, the forest thinning out, temperatures moderating...but it's not really the best season for riding.  Summer is really where it's at.  Trails always dry and rideable...the bright sunlight from 5am to 10pm, a constant very comfortable 25 degrees, and coming home from a ride with Lois waiting for me with a recovery beverage....








Yeah....summer is the best mtb season....a guy can dream, right?? (Luckily, I don't have to...)

Plus...Lois always has her friend ready to wash my bike in the summer...




Anyways...I am enjoying riding for the last coupled of weeks without structured training plans....but I will be getting back at it next week....I think.  I actually enjoy training with a purpose.  As much as I had begun to get burned out from the race season, I knew that by January I would sorely be missing the racing.  Then just this week I stumbled across this...

http://substanceprojects.com/news-articles/ontario-fat-bike-series-schedule

Yes....a winter fat bike race series, by our friends at Substance Projects!!  Starting in January...perfect!!  Almost...




Yeah...so maybe I will have to do that!!  Maybe this one that BicycleWorks just got in the store??




Well it may not be that specific bike, but luckily they have about 20 other models in the store...

So, DanOfSubstance...how about a fall gravel bike series to follow it up with??  And while you are at it....how about bringing back the EagerBeaver MTB 100 miler??!!  A guy can dream, right??  Maybe if enough of us pester him...or bring him 40 Creek, and cookies...






One thing I do do (do do???) in the off season is to try new stuff....gear, clothing, nutrition...

Right now, I am trying this...


So far I am liking it.  Usually I don't test nutrition during the race season because I don't like the possible bad surprises...and yes those have happened...so I do my exploring this time of year.  I have a background in Sports Science and that stuff so I get right into it.  I don't do centrifuge separations, or burn to test for caloric content or anything like that...I don't test on animals (although my cats do get a little too close often...)....but I do check the label thingy...



I like to know what kind of energy per serving is available, the electrolyte content, and the ratios...  What is really cool is that it is customizable...you can add energy/carbs (eload calls their standalone carb product FLY) in case you are a bigger person with more energy needs, or are doing a longer or more intense race/session.  You can add more electrolytes (Zone Caps)...if it is a hotter day, or you sweat more.  And the eload website is very thorough , www.eload.net

Mostly, I like that it is gut friendly.  I'm trying the pineapple flavour....tastes great.  Check it out.
There...I guess that's my free, shameless pitch o' the day???  Think e-load will pay me a kazzillion dollars now??  Maybe I can afford to race RAAM?

Or at least get a fatbike...BicycleWorks here I come....get my SWorks Fatboy ready...

Stay posted!




Wednesday 21 October 2015

50Km SingleTrack Challenge - The Review



So, yeah.  PulseRacing's 50 km Single Track Challenge.  I haven't done this race since 2010, or there abouts.  Mainly because I really struggle with twisty single track (this means I am slow as shite at it).  I am getting better at it (maintaining momentum, staying off the brakes, accelerating out of turns properly...), but it is still not my forte (no, not the Hyundai).

But, I enjoy riding at Hardwood....so I considered doing the race; enough that I went to Hardwood to check out the conditions Friday (before the Sunday race)....and Jaime and Giant joined me.




What photogenic folks!!  Like these guys??





Anyways, now that we got that out of the way...

Our 'preride' was very leafy, rooty, wet and slippy.  Since the race course was not yet completely marked, we rode 'Gnarly' and 'Radical' as practice.  On the long double track descent on the way back to the start, at the end of the day....I washed out my front wheel, at speed, (on one of the taped twisty sections where they hope to slow you down)....went down hard, smacking my head solidly on the ground.  Knocked me loopy (yes worse than normal)...




Yeah, kind of like that....except he is a little whiter than I am...

So, I thought conditions might even things out enough to slow my competition down, and let me keep up somewhat, if I could stay upright....plus, I like riding at Hardwood...so I registered for the race.  So did Giant.  Later we found out that the enigmatic EnglishJim also registered!!

So, on race day Giant, EnglishJim, and I made our way to Hardwood....and prepared for the race.  It was dry, almost sunny....but flippen cold!!!  0 degrees Celsius cold!!  But dressed accordingly, so it was all good!

The cold may have kept some of the regulars away...but many braved the cold (I believe there were over 200 participants).  Seth was racing, as was his son.  Unglued was present on a geared bike.  JeffS was there racing his fatbike, and his daughter Sarah was racing.  And the members of FatBoyNation were also racing their fatbikes!

FatBoyNation:  Burnsy, Raf, and CheerSquadJenn??



So after a significant warm-up....very required in this weather, we made our way to the start paddock...and I actually got a spot closer to the front.  Boom....we were off.  And I actually had (for me) a pretty good start!  I kept the lead group within site during the double track start climb...until the bottleneck into the first bit of single track.  And then the climbing started...

The first 8 kms of the course (the race was two loops of a 25km course) was climbing.  Mostly steep, twisty, rooty, singletrack climbs.  My heart rate stayed near max this entire time...trying to keep pace with the racers around me.  And this is where, my head started pounding....and I began to feel nauseous.  This has never happened before...and I concluded that it must have been due to the smack on the head on Friday...a bit of a concussion.

Otherwise, the trails were in good shape...and had been almost totally leaf cleared by the organizers.  The middle part of the course was more single tracks combined by short bits of double track...in fact some more steep climbs on much of the double track connectors....just to keep the heart rate up.

Then the last 4 kms....fun, fast, flowy, single track....with a couple of rock piles to ride over (or around).  A great finish to the loop.

I got passed by some racers, and passed others...but during the first lap, I really had no idea how I might be placing.  I was mainly trying to ignore the aching head, and properly hydrate and fuel through the nausea.  I knew for certain TerryS was well ahead of me...(he is in my category, but one of the fastest  racers at any age...he, in fact, finished third overall...and 40 full minutes in front of me).  As it worked out I ended up riding much of the first loop with Tom211, Gavin142, and Allan197....until we hit the fast last 4km of the loop.  Then they dropped me...I am so slow and overly careful at the fast, twisty stuff...

However, as I passed through the start/finish zone, Tom, Allan, and Gavin had all stopped to grab more food and water.  I had enough food and water on me, so I didn't need to stop, and took the opportunity to ride on and put a gap behind me, between myself and them.

Then it was back into the steep, twisty climbing....and it was here they caught me....and pushed me faster than I really felt comfortable going.  However, for mostly the remainder of the loop we stayed together, taking turns leading....pushing each other.  In the last 4km....the fast stuff...Tom was in front, and started to pull away...trying to drop us.  I pushed my skill limits to keep up to him....and to stay in front of Gavin and Allan.  Then, the last 200m or so into the finish was wide open double track.  As we sprinted to the finish I managed to pull in front...barely...beating Tom by just one second.  As it turned out, Tom and I were in the same age category; Allan and Gavin were in a younger category.

I had finished 8th (Tom 9th)...well off the podium; but, for me, not bad considering how I struggle with single track.  And other than the pounding head, it was a good day.

Giant finished 5th in his category.
Seth did Rock and Road Race team proud and finished second!



JeffS kicked butt and finished first in the Fatbike cat....and his daughter Sarah won her category!!  (Yeah, the whole family is fast!!  I may have to nickname them Shikaze...which is Metis for 'Holy hell they are fast!!)



In case you didn't notice in the FatBoyNation pic above RafRider finished second to JeffS to take the silver in the Fatbike cat.

So, yeah...a good day.  Thanks to Pulse Racing for a great race....and great eats at the finish!

I have to thank EnglishJim for insisting he drive home; with my headache this was me...



So this is officially the last race of the season for me.  Now, to enjoy some fall riding...

Like this ride in Dundas that ended up with having to repair a broken derailleur (or if you notice, everyone else repairing my broken derailleur).



Although, I think it was Giant taking the opportunity to get a pic of Mandy...



Anyways...yes...the plan for the next week or two will be to get some fun rides in...and to keep the weight off...before CoachRob gets me into winter training.

Stay posted!!








Thursday 8 October 2015

A Giant Crushes the World Solo 24 Hour MTB Championships



So a few months ago, while I am out for a spring ride with my friend Giant, he mentions that the World Solo 24 Hour Championships are being held in North America for the first time (in Weaverville, California) and that we should register and participate.  Unfortunately, life circumstances kept me from taking part, however Giant registered and committed to give it a go.

I mentioned to him that if he was really committed he should talk to CoachRob and employ his expertise to get him prepared; which he did.  And so began a season of racing and preparation for this race....including racing in the OCup series, soloing in 8 hour races, and soloing in the 24 hour Summer Solstice race (which Giant podiumed!).  All while training according to CoachRob's direction.

Giant was very nervous about this race!  And for good reason....here is the course...




Take note of the elevation.  600m per lap!!  The first 5 kilometres is climbing!!  20degree incline at point!!  Imagine that suffering!!  That climb actually destroyed many an elite rider!  And that continues my point...

There were elite, and pro riders from around the world taking part in this race....and Giant wondered how much he really belonged amongst this crowd.  In fact the pressure kind of got to him....to the point where he kind of snapped and posted this very strange selfie on a facebook page he manages...





Of course I couldn't let that go by without posting my own selfie...




I think it's kind of funny that BicycleWorksPaul always describes Giant as 'that fast guy that looks like a magician'....and he kind of does....



It must be the goatie, I think...




Not quite like this one though....




This is Giant's cat...




Anyways...I am getting very off track here...back to the actual race...

So, Giant did get over his mild paranoia and made his way to Weaverville...




And he quickly introduced himself to many of the elite riders I mentioned earlier...here he is with Jake Wade and Robert May...two relative gods in endurance mountain biking...




Other well known names in attendance included Tinker Juarez, and Jason English...   I looked for Chris Etough in the registrations list but he was not there....for whatever reason.

In case you are wondering how tough this course was, here is a video of the first lap, courtesy of Jason English...who ended up being the elite, and overall winner of this event!!

This is actually one of the best race videos I have seen...the rider stats are on the screen, so note:
- his power output and heart rate, especially as the course hits 20degree climbs...
- how he is still able to chat freely even while climbing...
- the first 30minutes is endless climbing!!  Imagine the suffering through 10+ laps!!!
- his downhill speed hit 50kph, even through twisty singletrack!!





So, the race started at noon Cali time....and the organizers posted the results live....so during the afternoon I checked the results...




Holy Shite!!!  Giant was in second place with 8 laps!!!  He was killin it!!  Could he keep up this pace??  (In case you didn't already know, or figure it out yet....Giant's nickname is Ondrej Benjik.  Yes, I know....that is a weird nickname...but he picked it...)




I kept checking....he kept pace!!!




He actually took time mid race to post to facebook how much he was suffering, and how much he hated the climb!

As an FYI....the climb destroyed many racers...including Jake Wade who called it quits after 8 laps....and even Tinker DNF'd and actually officially retired from 24 hour solos!!




But Giant...is one determined (some may say stubborn!!) and in the end he did it!!  He held it!!



Second place!!  Silver medal!!  Amongst world class athletes!!

Podium!!




World champion hardware!!



I already had the utmost respect for this gent....the intensity of his work and desire to excel...how much he has progressed in this sport....and this affirmed it.  Giant, you sir are a motivation!!




Damn rights you do!  The dedication to training, nutrition, the tough races through the season...CoachRob kickin your ass...all of it.  In the end, your worry was for naught...you deserved to be there, and not only belonged among those names, but stood above many of them when all was said and done!  Mission accomplished.  First place next year??




FYI....next year....I plan on joining you!!

In the meantime...

Stay posted!


Thursday 1 October 2015

Fall Epic 8 Hour MTB Relay Race - Riot's Review



Well here we go.  The Fall Epic8.  Instead of a long pre-amble about the pre-ride (cuz I bored you with that last week!!), let's get right into it!

Giant, Lois, and I pull into Hardwood, the race venue....and start to set up our camp/pit area.  But it's windy, and the pit keeps blowing over.  It's supposed to look like this...


It didn't...

Eventually we get set up....kind of.  Giant wanders over to the paddock, I hurry to get my kit on, and head to the paddock, to Lois' "Have a great race, Superman!!".  I feel like...




Until I get to the paddock....then I'm...




Yeah, I'm stuck towards the back of the paddock....damn it!!  In many races it's not a big deal to start farther back...in this one it would be.  This was one of the most well attended 8 hour races I have ever been in (seriously, there was far more traffic on the course throughout the day than I have ever experienced), which is a great thing for our sport....just not ideal to be behind it all right off the start.

This was it...





There were my friends/competition/evil masters of the universe....Giant, serious, Martin, GarryS....all towards the front...   They would be ahead of the bottlenecks....I would be in them.  You may think that a few minutes lost off the start isn't a big deal over the course of the day...but when you are dealing with racers who are as fit, or more fit, as fast, or faster than you a five minute head start can be forever.  And this was a course built for speed...there was really nothing technical to even the playing field.

Anyways, wow...that was a long whiny rant...but I am too lazy to go back and delete it, so....BOOM!  We were off!  As I am a notoriously slow starter, I made a conscious effort to go hard and work to pick my way through the mass of riders as quickly as possible.  Well, quick is a relative term, of course....and since the first 4 -5 km of this course was a gradual climb, it didn't help.  My heart rate shot quickly to 165...which is huge for me....and stayed there for the first two laps!

Anyways...did get caught in a bottleneck or two of course, but made it through lap one....through the tunnel  (damn...forgot to holler in the tunnel!!), by our pit where Lois was taking pics as we passed....




Oooops....sorry, that's not me....not sure who that could be...



There we go!  That's me...
While I'm at it....

Fig



serious...overtaking some unsuspecting soul..

Seth

Giant

Martin

John

Huh??

Ooops!  Who is that??

Anyways....all of the laps start to blur together...but things kind of happened like this...

Around lap 2 or 3...not sure which, I catch up to serious....and after a couple of attempts I pass him.  This is a major accomplishment for me...this guy is fast!!  He must be having an off day...I know my own abilities....and I'm not as egotistical as this guy...





Around lap 4 or 5...not sure which, I'm on the wheel of a rider, looking for an opportunity to pass, when he goes over the bars on a small log over.  I'm following too close and I endo over top of him.




I land, on my bars giving me a nasty charlie horse on my right quad....and pop the ribs that are just beginning to heal from being damaged in the tree collision in the last race.  Damn...I continue on with each breath now causing a complaint from the ribs....and the quad cramping around the charlie horse...

Lap 5 or 6 I pull into the pit to grab more food.  I ask Lois, "Do you know how I am doing?"  She replies, "You are currently in second, a few minutes behind Martin."  What??  Seriously??  I am in second!!??  "But...", she continued, "You are just a minute and change ahead of third place."  Ah....I replied, "That would be Tom."  (serious)  I better get the heck going....

Lap 6 or 7 I'm toddling along....the suffering is starting to set in...and Hal passes me.  On his singlespeed.  Chatting away, like he is sitting for tea and a biscuit.  I ask him if he is racing singlespeed or solo.  Solo, he says....and drops me like an anchor.  Damn.  I'm now in third.

And as I mentioned, the suffering is starting to set in.  I have to keep stretching the charlie horse to keep it from cramping.  And the damaged ribs are creating a sympathy cramp in the upper back between the shoulder blade and spine.  And crepitus can be a bit disquieting...literally...  And for whatever reasons...I can't get two songs out of my head; Lola...and Fat Bottomed Girls.  What did I encounter on the trail to subconsciously put those in my head???

Anyways....the suffering created a bit of a dislike for hitting the start/finish transition zone.  Because it meant that the climb from the start began....for the first 4 -5 km of every lap.  I didn't so much mind the climbs between the "3km to go", and the "2km to go" signs....they were almost kind of flowy....and there were a couple of steep doubletrack climbs that were ok cuz they were short and gave a good opportunity to pass.

But the entire course was worth the last km...a bmx style downhill with fun steep berms, and a few rollers with an opportunity to catch some air...(this is where ApexTed was camped out for the day...where he used his ninja skills to make me look fast!!)

PhotoCred:ApexTed ApexRacePhotography

PhotoCred:ApexTed ApexRacePhotography



Wait....who is that last pic??  Who keeps photobombing my post??

Giant kept photobombing pics too...


I guess it's OK...he has a cool goatee....like this guy...



Anyways...back to the race...at some point JeffS passed me shouting as he normally does...Oggie passed me shouting something unintelligible (probably something political....he's like that); JC cheered me on through the transition zone a couple of times...as did Pinoy (PinoyPedalPushers had quite a contingent out on this day!).

Also, the R&R solos had a pit and everytime I passed by they cheered me on.  Thank you!!

I enjoyed shouting like a fool everytime passing through the tunnel, not only because it was juvenile and fun...and scared the heck out of any riders near me...but it let Lois know I was approaching the pit, so she could be ready with a new waterbottle, cookie, or a quick pole dance...anyways...

So...at lap 7 or 8...not sure which, I pass through the transition zone and start up the loooong gradual start climb...when I pass serious who is just pulling out of his pit (his pit was on the start climb).  What the heck??!!  When/how did he get ahead of me??  Must have been while I pitted.  Anyways...he passed me up the climb....I pushed but couldn't hold him.  Damn.  Damn.  I was now in fourth.  Damn.

Lap 10...about 6.5 hours into the race, I pit quick to grab food.  Lois says, "You are 2 minutes behind Martin, who is now in third place."  Means, serious and Hal are now in first and second.  But two minutes....I still had time to catch him.  I had time for two more laps, maybe three with a miracle.




So...lap 11 I bury myself to catch him.  I attack every climb, push it to the edge on sketchy switch backs. My heart rate over 160 the entire lap.  And I had a younger solo racer on my tail the entire lap, pushing me, which helped.  The ribs and charlie horse are both screaming.  Fly through the pit and Lois calls out, "You are now 1.5min back!!"  Oh boy...I only gained 30 seconds.  Into lap 12...

I pushed again...and depleted every ounce of what little I had left after lap 11.  Through lap 12, up the final climb to the top of the bmx zone, there is Emily Batty cheering me on (seriously, really...I have no idea what else she may have been doing there, but she was there), and she yelled, "You have 5 minuted to get one more lap in!!"  I said, "If only I had your speed!"  She replied, "It doesn't look like you need it!"  Hah!!  I wish.  Honestly, that is literally how it went down.  Then I'm sure in the breeze I heard, "Preacher!!!  I love you!"....but I was pretty delirious at that point.

Anyways....through the bmx zone and into the start/finish line.  I had 33 minutes to get one more lap it....but that wasn't going to happen after 12 laps.  Although Fig sprinted past...he was going to try to get one more lap in...wow....go Fig!!  I was done....12 laps.  I finished in 4th place.

Although I was disappointed at being so close, but still off the podium the truth is that this was my best 8 hour race ever.  CoachRob has me more prepared and fit than I have ever been.  It's amazing what a difference a properly structured training plan can make (especially when you actually follow it!).  He also has coached me down to 170lbs...the leanest I have been since I can remember...I believe I can get to 165....then the goal is to hold that.





Something like that.

So...how did everyone else fare??




Wait, what??  Who is that???

Anyways...

Giant came in third.  John was second to Eric Batty....second to a pro....not bad!!



JeffS and his daughter KT tag teamed to second...second to Emily Batty/Adam Morka....a pro team...very good!!!



JC tag teamed to third,

Oggie's 3 person team came in first!!
Fig did get that last lap in for 14 laps!!
BobM...in his first ever Solo8 hour....11 laps!!  Well done!!
Mark and JennR 4th on a 3 person mixed team with 14 laps....nice!!
Hal was first, serious second....both riding singlespeeds in the solo cat.
Martin was third!



I got my 100k pin...


The lovely Vanna holding the pin in front of me....and you notice all the famous people in the background??

Another note...Jerehmiah had to call it quits after 11 laps with a nasty crash.  Heal soon, sir!!
14stone didn't break his bike!!

Finally, I want to give a shout out to all of the racers on the BikeZone team.  Have to be the nicest, most polite group, down to each rider, I have encountered on the trails.

Second Finally, good luck to Giant this weekend.  He is on his way to Weaverville California to participate in the 24 Hour Solo World Championships!!  This course had 600m of climbing per 20km lap!!  Crazy!!  He will do well!!

As for me, (why does it always have to be about me???), maybe some CX races??  Maybe the 50km SingleTrack Challlenge at Hardwood??  We shall see...

Stay posted!!