Is This A Logo??

Is This A Logo??

Thursday 28 April 2016

Thursday...Frightening!

So with the P2A in the past like a politician's crack habit (What??  Too soon??), what is up next?

Well immediately this weekend is the start of the OCup season with Race #1 out at Woodnewton.  And yes, this race has me scared...again.





Me at the OCup

Why??..Well because it is the first race of the OCup season, which is a very competitive series...and because these races are not really my preference.  I prefer the endurance type races...8+ hours.  The OCups are a full out red-lining effort for 1.5 - 2 hours...they hurt.  And this year I upgraded from Sport to Expert which means I will likely finish near DFL, if not DFL every race...these guys are redonculously fast.  However, the Expert races are 4 laps of the course (as opposed to 3 in Sport), which is good for me to improve...the Expert course is also typically more challenging technically (more fun) than Sport...also good for me (cuz my technical skills are lacking).

And because my focus is on the endurance races, I have done away with my carbon hardtail Stumpjumper.  So now my go to (and only) XC race bike is my titanium Raijin...more comfortable than the Stumpie, lighter and fewer moving parts than a full suspension.

So Saturday I will head up to Woodnewton with Giant to pre-ride the course and know how afraid I should be...then Sunday is the race...when I will find out I was not afraid enough.  Scarey...

Well maybe not as scarey as this...








Or this...





Or this...






But still...pretty scarey...

Anyways...speaking of marathon and endurance races, there are a couple coming up next weekend (May 7th) that if you haven't registered for, you should before it is too late.

If a 60km marathon style race is more your bag then check out the Spring Chicken...



...a very popular marathon XC race run by BORCA, a group of great people.  This is in Beachburg...the area of the province that was home to this past winter's Wendigo (the 100km Ultra Fatbike race that Giant damn near won, and I damn near lost body parts in!)  I have never done the Spring Chicken (yet), but it gets great reviews!!  There is even a trail running option!  So if the marathon style race is your thing...check it out.

If you prefer the endurance relay race format then check out the Spring Epic 8 Hour Relay race.  This will be happening in Mansfield, run by Chico Racing.  Team and Solo options, Mansfield always presents a challenging race course.

I know this scarey dude is signed up...



13Stone....all of it angry


And this guy...who may look mild mannered, but when the race is on the monster comes out...serious...






So I will have my competition cut out for me at this one...

So there ya have it...you have options!!  Choose!!

The new brewery in Dundas, Shawn & Ed Brewing opened earlier this month and is now up and running...if you are in the area check it out.  Lois and I have...and dragged others along with us of course...(not as scarey that way...).  The venue is amazing...there is a retail store at the front, and a bar at the back, and the beer is great!  Krys-of-Domestique is involved, so it seems like it could be a great place to start/finish rides!




Anyways...I am focusing on this weekend...and surviving the OCup.

I'll let you know how it goes...

Stay posted!


Scarey


Tuesday 26 April 2016

The Paris to Ancaster - The Race Review

The always iconic Paris to Ancaster...one of the biggest, well known races of the year.  This year, apparently the biggest ever, likely due to the weather and conditions.  Historically, the weather and conditions have typically been a shite-show for this race.  However, this year it looked like it could be as dry as I can remember it ever being (I have done this race every year since 2009)...although it didn’t seem so warm at 8am Sunday raceday morning.  I had driven up with Lois and EnglishJim (yes he still lives and came out of the woodwork and is back for the season!!!)...shivering my nuggets off as I got ready...them laughing at me...(yes, that is how Lois looks when she laughs...)

me nuggetless...them laughing...cue the foreshadow music...


Anyways...my  goals for this years race:  Number 1 was not to get injured.  The last two years of this race I have crashed (both times turning left under the bridge on gravel pit road after coming out of the last mud chute), and ended up with a concussion that took weeks to work through.  Although I have never crashed at the start, the Wave 1 start scares the heck out of me...a mass of 400 competetive racers, bunched tightly together, vying for position on that usually potholed road (littered with lost water bottles) that narrows into the doubletrack path, then shoehorns into the railtrail with a steel post in the middle of it.  Such potential for disaster.  As it turns out the potholed road had been graded, but was covered in deep, loose gravel that made it impossible to hold your line...just as bad.  There is an entire season ahead after this race...getting injured is a crappy way to start the season...

Anyways, as such, I upgraded my entry from Wave 1 to VIP...expecting that the start would be safer...and reduce my chance of crashing by a huge factor.  (To be fully honest, Lois upgraded me...she has seen and heard about that start from previous years.  She says she feared for my safety, but I think she just wanted the VIP parking spot...whatever, I appreciated it...that start has always distressed the shite out of me.)  It also gave me an opportunity to pre-ride a portion of the course with Aaron Schooler...CX/MTB racer with-the-pros...a great experience.

Plus I didn't want the ApexRacePhotography folks to get a pic of me crashing....they try to do that you know...

Goal Number 2 was to better last years time of 2hrs 37min...in fact I fully expected to come in well under 2h30m...especially given this years conditions.


At least my bike was ready...



So...I set out to warm up.  I need a huge warm up...it takes me forever...almost a full hour at near race pace to properly warm up...I don't know if its an age thing...or heart cold-as-ice thing...but it's a problem i haz.  I pushed it, extended my warmup to the last minute before getting to the start paddock...HUGE blunder.  It was packed!!!  It was so packed, I couldn't get in...I was lined up outside the gate to the paddock...400+ racers jammed in front of me...200+ VIPers, many of whom were there for the experience...not to race.

BOOM...at the gun shot, we were off...sort of.  After what seemed like several hours after the gunshot, we, at the back of the paddock, started to move...sort of.  I could have walked faster...seriously.  After a few dozen metres, we actually started to go...sort of.  It was not near race start pace...but we were moving...and it was seriously safe.  Right turn off the pavement onto the loose gravel road...I was desperate to move up, but there was no way without creating havoc through a pack of mostly recreational riders...which was exactly what I wanted to avoid.  Right turn off the gravel onto the road...I managed to move up somewhat before the road narrowed to double track...then it bunched up tight into the railtrail.  Gradually....gradually....riders started making their way lining up on the right side of the rail trail...giving room for faster riders to pass on the left...

Finally, after over 12 minutes at a casual pace...the trail opened up on the left side in front of me...I gunned it!!  More than red lining for an extended time...long line of riders on the right (hey there was ChrisB...another BycycleWorks rider!!...there's not that many of us...) hoping no one would pull out in front of me.  My max heart rate is supposed to be 163...I had now been running at over 170 for several minutes...I was dying, seriously, my vision was turning red...I had so much lost time to try to make up, I had dug such a deep hole to work out of.  I pulled up along a long gap in the line on the right...I pulled in to try to bridge to the next line ahead.  A couple of fast guys had tucked in behind me, and passed...I latched onto them and we raced up and worked to pass the next long line of racers.  
I was hoping to get passed this line for the hard right off the rail trail onto the sharp, loose gravelly climb...but it didn't happen.  We turned right...and of course there were racers walking the climb...I tried to ride around but there was no room.  Off my bike, shoulder it...run around the group through the tall grass off the trail...back on and go.  More riders to get by...but at least it was on a wide doubletrack path through a field.  My heart rate still way too high though...I was burning so many matches too quickly.  

Finally out onto a road...much room to pass...I eventually made my way to a small group I could work with.  However, almost a half hour in...and not even at 15 kms...I was now so burnt, I knew the hole I dug was too much to make up for.  I settled in, try to make up as much time as possible while still survive and enjoy the remainder of the race...I let my heart rate settle down to the low 160s (still more than enough for me) and worked with the group I caught for a topped out but manageable race pace.  If nothing else, this ruined start was a challenging test of my fitness level.

And this is where J.P. became my new best friend for the day.  A racer from Barrie...we worked together for the remainder of the race...pushing each other when we needed it...dragging each other back when we needed it.

A few highlights along the way:

The doubletrack through the bush that led to Highway 5, with several deep softer muddy spots...can't imagine how much worse that became as the day wore on and riders softened it up more...

Most of the race course that led through farmers' fields is normally soft, deep mud.  Not so this year...all dry and fast.

I was so burnt, I had nourishment in my bottles but it wasn't enough...needed more.  So, I was glad to see a volunteer handing out packs of Cliff Bloks at the ball field in Harrisburg...but he didn't have time to reload as he handed off to a rider in front of me as I went by...ah well...

The rail trail between Harrisburg and Weir Road...where some nimrod decided to damage the environment to cut down and drag trees across the trail in an effort to sabotage the race.  Guess he/she didn't realize we were all CX and MTBers...slowed us down but didn't stop anything.  However, someone needs a serious attitude realignment...

That ditch from that rail trail onto Weir road is still a challenge...

On Weir road caught Paul 'Turbo' Trebilcock...star of the TV show Boundless...got to ride and chat with him for a while till he dropped off when we turned left onto Governor's Road.  Very cool!!




Driest conditions I've seen....the Mineral Springs mudslide was not even a mudslide...dry, flatt-ish...easily rideable.  Powerline Mudslide didn't get the memo....it was still ankle deep goopy mud that it is always known for...it didn't disappoint...






There are so many pics like this....




This isn't Oggie...but Oggie did strike this pose...and yes, he still beat me...(but then, eveybody did ...this day).

Many people elected to dismount and run at that point...me included, this year..
I didn't want ApexTed to get this pic of me...






On Powerline Road, between the two mudslides, girls were handing out Timbits...I so needed nutrition...I gratefully accepted two...and shoved them in my mouth.  Not so smart...dry Timbits in a dry mouth with deep breathing lungs.  I just about choked myself to death...I was still choking going down Powerline Mudslide...

Off of the mudslide, down the steep descent onto Gravel Pit Road...the left curve under the bridge...was where I crashed both times in the previous two years, and rung my noggin greatly.  I elected to slow down and play it safe, but still took it dangerously close to the edge.  It is deceiving how sharp and loose that turn is, at the speed you come down the hill at.

Then, onto Mineral Spring road toward the final daunting climb of the day.  I caught J.P. who had dropped me at the mudslide (with less than 5 km to go it was now every man for himself to the finish)...he was cramping up, but still urged me on.  Up Martin's road and that hill.

Up the beginning technical bit...then that steep short wall of a climb...I was hoping it was muddy and unrideable....but no...it was perfectly dry.  Dammit!!  Eat stem to power up it...my heart rate once again jumping over 170...more technical bits...then the final full road climb.  Many riders off the side cramping up along the way...many walking their bikes.  My legs and lungs both screaming to let go...heart rate holding at 173...

There's DundasJim cheering me on!!  There's Lois, cowbelling!!

Actually there was a crowd cheering racer on....but with the blood churning through the ears, it all blended together like this...







Finally, crest the hill, to the finish....done.  Time 2hrs36 minutes.

I was done...I had survived without crashing...without injury.

While I beat my time from last year (by a mere minute), I should have done much better given the conditions.  The start, destroyed my chance.  It challenged my fitness trying to make it up...and I'm happy with the fitness level.  Just have to be smarter.  While I am bitterly disappointed with my placement (everybody crushed me!!), some of my friends had the race of their lives.  Fig, Unglued (he may become Glued again!!), Jaimie...all had personal bests!  Well done!!!  





You knew there had to be one eventually...



And what can I say...smarter next time...hopefully.  But I have to say, one great thing about this sport...so many good people involved!!!  Nothing but encouragement!!  I have so many colleagues and friends that I have so much respect for, and push me to be better.

Other notes...

MarkR rode through a severe bonk (doesn't even remember grabbing my arse as he passed me).  JennR, Blaze, JeffS...podiums all.

JennR crushing the women


JeffS crushing the Fatbike


Blaze crushing the 40k

Watch out for Blaze this year!  He has been secret training all winter, coming back from a multiple bone fracture of the wrist.  He is faster than he will admit...sandbagger...





Oh yeah...Gunnar Holmgren...won it all!!  Yes, the whole thing!!  Someone I know won (he is CoachRob's son)!!  I didn't think anyone really won the P2A...I thought it was all a myth...like a unicorn...   Well done!!!  Unlimited kudos!!!

Gunnar...should be smiling!!


And as said...so many good people!!

The Danger crew at the start


JennKenn driving the Fatbike up that killer final climb



Jaimie and PowerPaul....getting too fast for me...


JeffS and Hal



JennR and VVagabond 
(Yes the LandHams came from NewBrunswick to visit and attend this race!)


Blaze trying to ignore Fig...CptSydor in the background ignoring them both...


Me watching in awe as Fig shoves three wieners and a bun in his mouth...
Like a typical day at the gym for Fig...   :)


Anyways...as I have said, so many good people...so many pics...
Too many to post...if I missed you I apologize...I could go on forever...

And I already have...

What's up next??

I'll tell ya Thursday...

Stay posted!!


Okay...two...


Thursday 21 April 2016

XC Marathon Race 1 Homage to Ice - The Review



So the Homage to Ice...the race that typically kicks off the XC mountain bike race season in early spring...you know...right around the time the weather is always a bit of a shite-show.  And this year was no different...

With a dumping of snow on April 10th, and race day on April 16 it didn't look good.  But DanOfSubstance (race promoter extraordinaire of Substance Projects) put on his superhero cape, recruited dedicated volunteers (including members of Team Van Go, I believe).  They did some crazy ritualistic voodoo dance (I'm certain cats were involved...but I can't say how, exactly), made some course modifications, and crossed many body parts (but never cross the streams!!!) in hope that weather and conditions would work out.

And apparently, the MTB gods approved....a couple of days of warmer weather, trails maintenance and course modifications, the sandy soil  of the Dufferin forest all came together...the forecast for raceday was +20 something, something!!

So on raceday morning, Jaimie, Giant, and moi, piled into the truck and headed to Dufferin forest.  We got there almost two hours early and the parking lot was already full!!  The promise from Dan of great trail conditions, and fun but challenging course, and the weather forecast (it ended up getting up to +27 that day!!) made this Dan's best attended race!!  And it was great to see so many familiar faces, that hadn't made an appearance all winter.  In fact even the LandHams showed up all the way from New Brunswick for a surprise appearance!!

And ApexTed the Nikon Ninja was on site to capture all the fun!

 ApexTed??



So, on CoachRob's direction...I do my best to get a proper warm-up.  I take forever to properly warm-up (Giant and Jaimie say it's cuz I'm old...)...seriously, it takes me at least an hour of rather intense effort to warm up....which explains why I so often have terrible starts at races.

So, at 11am we are herded into the start corral, listening to Dan talk about voo-doo mastery before boom!  We are off!!  The race route was a 15km loop, with the Full Marathon racers doing 4 laps.  The race started with a lengthy section of gravel road that allowed us to get sorted out avoiding a single track bottleneck.  The road was actually so dry the group threw up a thick cloud of dust.  The road led into a grassy road descent, that the dangerously packed group sped down...then a right turn through one of the few mud sections, and up a grassy road climb.  I was doing my best to keep Giant in sight...he had started quite a bit ahead in the paddock.  Normally, he would have been well ahead and out of sight by now...but he was not having a good start, and I was actually having a decent start for a change!!  Jaimie was directly in front of me...he had trained hard all winter, and dropped a ton of weight (OK, not literally a ton)...he was lean and fast!  NewieSteve was right next to me on his carbon Fatboy (that thing is as light and nimble as my titanium MTB!).

Then into the single track...tight, twisty... this stuff is the bane of my mtb race existance...my single track skill is seriously flawed...I train, I practice but some kind of mental block or CIA mind control trick keeps me from getting it right.  I am stupid slow in this stuff.  Jaimie starts to pull away, and Steve is rubbing my back wheel.  Then a sharp left uphill switchback with a challenging log-over clogs the field and brings us all back together....but it is short lived.  There is plenty of twisty single track...Jaimie begins to pull away...I push to keep him in sight.  This section of the course included a number of challenging, but fun (because I do OK on them) log hop-overs. 


Dan cheating on a log over



Then an extremely tight, twisty bit...in fact my bars wouldn't even fit through the trees...I stalled out and Steve, and a guy on a carbon Salsa fatbike passed me off trail.  (I better remember to negotiate that next time!) I get back on and take after them.

Then the single track dumps out onto the mid way point station where VolunteerLiz is shouting encouragement.  Followed by about a kilometre of very icy double-track, that served nothing but to spray your arse with freezing water...


Burnsy earning a cold keester



I caught Steve and the SalsaFatbike guy...then we turned left up the up the Amsterdam Brewery Big Wheel Ascent where I pulled away from the Fatbikes...yeah...this was a great hill.  A grassy hill of death; a mushy, grassy, long, steep, double track climb that had my heart rate through the roof at the summit.  It didn't help that as we approached the hill I could see Jaimie cresting the top, and I gunned it to catch him...but by the time I go to the top he was on fire and gone, and my lungs and heart were exploding!


KarenG fighting up the hill
 

This hill was so long and steep it needed two pics...


Then at the crest of the hill, we dove back into single track (fricken single track!!)... which included a steep, fast, rolling descent that turned right over a log drop...I flew over the drop....and landed squarely in the bush...off track...but quickly got back on...(I better remember to negotiate that next time!).

Then a couple of steep single track climbs that were so dry they were slippery, and reminded me that there was more than one challenging climb on the course.  A longer section of dry double track led to a section of singletrack through a bed of dry pine needles; a final climb up a former downhill course led to the final section of double track and through the start/finish station I went...no Steve or SalsaGuy seen behind me...no Jaimie or Giant seen in front.  Laps 2 (and 3, and 4) started with a section of thick mud single track, that got softer and deeper as the race progressed...then back onto the course.

Lap 2, saw me ride much of it with a strong singlespeeder who mentioned that he just passed SingleSpeedAlexa, and SingleSpeedSarah...I pressed on hoping to stay ahead of them (they are both incredibly fast!).

Lap 3, had me ride much with ThatGuy...a very strong rider on a fatbike!!  He was kicking butt...and we took turns passing each other...until lap 4 when he pulled away.  On lap 4 MikeL (an adversary of mine from last years OCups) caught and passed me on a flat section...I passed him back in a technical section...then on the grassy hill of death, he passed me...then at the summit he found a turbo boost and hit it.  He was gone!!  Boom!!!  Where did that come from!!??

I fought to keep him in sight...but I never did catch him.  In fact...SingleSpeedSarah caught and passed me...she so very often manages to catch and pass me near the end of many of these races!!

I pushed hard, not wanting to get passed again...crossed the finish...totally spent...almost exactly 4hrs...seconds behind MikeL...7th in my category (MasterMen).  There was Jaimie who beat me by minutes...and Giant who finished 30 minutes in front of me...not so bad considering they are 35 years younger than me...(perhaps a slight exaggeration...).  And Steve came rolling in soon after...

Then the podium presentations...

ThatGuy came in first in Fatbike, Burnsy came in second!!  Well done!!



SingleSpeedSarah first in the Women35+, SingleSpeedAlexa second!!



KarenG came in 1st in Womens Half Marathon (2 laps of the course)

And no pic, but my nemesis serious competed in the Half Marathon Master Men SingleSpeed category and took third!!

So...this officially kicks off the XC MTB race season...just in time for a slight change of gears for this weekend.

The iconic P2A (Paris to Ancaster) is this weekend...so I recover from the H2i, and ready for the P2A.  I have no delusions of grandeur for this one...not like this fierce fellow....





This race has just grown too big...my plan is to survive, and the goal is to come in under 2hrs30minutes...

Let keep those streams crossed in hopes of good weather this weekend!!
Stay posted!!



Thursday 14 April 2016

4 Out of 5 Dentists Agree...

So, due to overwhelming, crushing, debilitating demand that I post on Thursdays, rather than Fridays, I humbly conform and am posting on Thursday.  I'm like that...OK, not true...it was my idea...still I will blame the dentists...since Unglued says I blame lawyers for too much stuff.  Well, them and the Rothchilds.

Anyways...let's at least try to start this thing somewhat on track, eh?  My week in MTB...no races to report on this week...

Actually, the week started by getting invited by mtbmeister to a very interesting clinic on MTB racing nutrition.  The  clinic was hosted by ApexRacePhotography race team in Bolton, Ontario, and presented by former cycling pro, and current nutrition guru Anne Guzman.  So, on Saturday I dragged Fig out to Bolton to join me cuz I get lonely easily...I'm like that.  I found the clinic very informative and have made some changes to my diet as a result.  Fig thought it was very good as well....but complained that a nutrition clinic did not provide a lunch....Fig is like that.  He could go to the Mandarin and complain that there wasn't enough food.

Fig needs to learn to stash food like a squirrel...even garlic bread...apparently...

Seriously...squirrels like garlic bread...who knew??

Anyways, after the clinic there was a ride planned, so mtbmeister, Oggie, me and Fig all rode out to Palgrave to ride the trails.  It was an hour ride out, to find the trails dangerously icy....then an hour ride back.  So it turned into more of a road and gravel ride on MTBs...but still....a hell of a workout trying to keep up to this crew...

The only time I was in front on this ride...

And if this wasn't enough NewfieSteve dragged me out to Turkey Point trails on Sunday.  Why Turkey Point??  Cuz if every other trail system on the planet is not rideable for whatever reason...chances are Turkey Point is.  Seriously, it's like a dome of some gnarly voodoo protects the place...of course now that I say that they will probably do, like a controlled burn out there to prevent forest fires and shut down some of the trails for this weekend, or something...you best check out their Facebook page to make sure...

Anyways, with over 60kms of primo single track trails out there, we ripped it up for 3 hours or so until frost bite started settling in.  To recover, I demanded that we stop at the new brewery in Dundas and warm up...yup...demanded...cuz I'm like that...demanded...like this guy....





So, Steve relented and we stopped....new brewery, Dundas...called Shawn & Ed...or ShEd...check out their Facebook page...since apparently we are doing the Facebook thing in this post....and yes they have a safe place to park your bike if you ride there....and great beer!!


NewfieSteve and his Missus (NotNewfieLisa) at Shawn & Ed Brewery








Anyways...so if that wasn't enough...(riding I mean....not beer...or whiskey)...Blaze took me out this week for a rip around the bay....forcing me to do intervals for two hours...kicked my arse....but he provided Rumble for recovery...



Yeah...I like that shite!!

It perks me up like this before and after pic.....





Anyways...now I am getting ready for this...





Its SubstanceProject's first XC MTB race of the season....the Homage to Ice...

I'm kind of excited for the first XC Marathon race ....but kind of afraid it could be a slop fest if it doesn't dry out...fingers crossed...it should be OK....I just scare too easily...

In fact...started watching Game of Thrones this week...at friends' recommendations....felt exactly like this...



Anyways...don't let me get off track here...

Thanks to the crew at BicycleWorks in Waterdown, I've gotten the Raijin all decked out with a new drive train and wheels ready for the new season...





Bike is more ready than I am!  Plus you never know what kind of challenge DanOfSubstance will throw into the race route...he is evil like that.  CoachRob is doing his best to whip me into race shape...but I am still old, fatter than I want to be, and not fast enough.  Ah well...as long as Oggie doesn't run over me at this race...

By the way...since we are doing the Facebook thing...this is Oggie's favourite Facebook page...

Anyways....before I get into trouble, I'd better go get readier for Dan's race...
I'll let you know how it goes!!

Stay posted!!