tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71471849649396632932024-02-21T01:15:50.076-08:00When Inspiration Hits...lizridesbikeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05633076372293126843noreply@blogger.comBlogger79125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7147184964939663293.post-90047512424797630802014-08-18T17:28:00.002-07:002014-08-18T17:29:44.026-07:00Hampshire 100: Twenty-Fourteen is the Real Deal (with a bonus CBCC mini-report - otherwise known as making up for slacking off)<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Hampshire 100 </b><o:p></o:p></div>
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It’s important to go into a race like the Hampshire 100 with
some sort of a goal. <o:p></o:p></div>
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But it is also important to be comfortable with letting go
of that goal when things don’t go as planned.<o:p></o:p></div>
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This year, I’d done everything right leading up to the
race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I even trained a little bit and
then took some time to recover.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d
figured I would be able to shave some time off from last year’s 9:48 and
hopefully finish around 9 hours and 15 minutes…<o:p></o:p></div>
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…but then the race started and the course was different and
the ground was soft and it took me a really long time to complete the first 63
miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Goals and expectations?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Forget about them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just finish the damn race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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It all started off with the usual hammering down the road,
but instead of the infamous railroad tracks section, we were sent around the
block, back past the park and onto singletrack much earlier than what is
customary for the H100. From there, everything is a gigantic blur in my mind. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The first lap was spent in the company of a variety of
people I’d either never met before or perhaps only met once. We chatted about
other 100s, the terrain, the mud, and how hard the course was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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The second lap was lonely. I didn’t see a single person for
miles and miles and miles (except for the aid station volunteers who I believe
are some of the most spectacular people on the planet). When I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">did</i> finally start to encounter some
other people, they were 100k participants in the final miles of their own
battle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt spectacularly douchey
hammering past them as fast as I could possibly go (which probably wasn’t
actually all that fast). <o:p></o:p></div>
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Like all the 100s I’ve done, I felt myself begin to tear up
with joy in the last mile of the race. At that point, I still had no idea what
place I’d gotten, and really only cared that I was done. This version of the
Hampshire 100 was officially harder than the Patapsco 100 (despite the fact
that there was less climbing).<o:p></o:p></div>
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With 5 women preregistered for the 100M (there was also a
100k race happening at the same time), it was a smaller field than the previous
year, and I was only able to see one of my fellow competitors on the starting line
– Anne Pike.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, we played some
back and forth during the first 30 minutes of the race, but I didn’t see her
again until she crossed the finish line less than 4 minutes behind me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As it turned out, she’d had some mechanical
trouble that stalled her trailside for several minutes. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The next, and only other female finisher for the 100 miles,
Lenka Branichova came through about an hour later. Unfortunately, the other two
women were unable to finish. It was a brutal day for everyone, and I am pretty
sure we were all just happy to have it over with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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There <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">were</i> some
interesting moments during the day. On one of the fast descents during the
first lap, I lost a contact lens, but it decided to land on the inside of my
glasses so I was able to carefully remove it, replace it, and carry on with the
race. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Then, as I was slowly slogging up some singletrack towards
one of the road crossings on the final lap, I heard a familiar giggling. It was
Alby (the only 100 mile person I think I saw on the final lap). Apparently,
he’d done an extra twelve miles of climbing after missing a turn. Too bad there
are no bonus points for extra hills (now that I think about it, I wonder what
his GPS said for elevation…). He blew past me, putting about 15 minutes on me
before the finish. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Another cool part of the day was coming through the first
lap to see my dad cheering me on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d
left him directions to the venue and told him it would be cool if he could make
it. It gave me a nice boost to know that he’d still be there when I crossed the
finish line. He certainly had to wait a long time to see me again, and I’m sure
it was pretty boring waiting around. But having him there was awesome.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s the first MTB race he’s ever been to,
and it was one of my longest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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If you’ve read my recap of this year’s Patapsco 100, you
know that I had a really tough time eating during that race because my stomach
felt off the whole day. With that in mind, I was really concerned about fueling
for this race (I even dreamt about forgetting my bottles and missing the start
as I went in search of them – one of several dreams I had about missing the
start of the race in the week leading up to it).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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I did some research based off of lots of things I’d heard on
podcasts about endurance racing, and I ended up using a concoction that Ben
Greenfield (Ironman racer and fitness expert) uses during long events – a combo
of Superstarch, amino acids, MCT oil, Nuun and water. I drank that along with
water from my camelback all day long, and I didn’t eat a damn thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I never got hungry, and I felt just fine the
whole day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Admittedly, I never felt very powerful out there, but I’d
felt pretty flat all week long anyhow. It felt good to go the day at a pretty
steady level of energy without the spikes and crashes that come along with
sugar and caffeine. However, there were moments when I thought maybe I’d like
to have a ding dong and a coke (maybe that means my concoction wasn’t working
as well as I like to think it was). <o:p></o:p></div>
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Yes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know you aren’t
supposed to try anything new during a big race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But the old routine just wasn’t working for me anymore, and I tested
this concoction twice in the two days leading up to the race (so there). <o:p></o:p></div>
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As of right now, I do not feel the need to go back and race
the Hampshire 100 again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This particular
course may have done me in (or maybe it was just my own lofty expectations and
the sound of them shattering like glass in the first 10 miles of the race that
did it). I really don’t like races that take longer than 10 hours (except
Patapsco, which is loaded with fast flowy singletrack that doesn’t suck souls);
I really prefer races lasting around 6 hours…<o:p></o:p></div>
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…and that is why the next race I plan to attend is the MTB6
in VT.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hear the course is fun, and I’m
looking forward to it – just as soon as I decide I like riding bikes
again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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I have to say, it was an honor to win the Hampshire 100 this
year, and I am finally a proud owner of the infamous winner’s wind chimes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thanks to all who worked so hard to make this
challenging race an event to remember.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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PS…<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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<o:p><b>CBCC</b></o:p></div>
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…I neglected to write a blog post about the Carrabasset Back
Country Challenge (apparently aka CBCC).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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To recap quickly, that race was really cool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not only did it include some of the gnarliest
terrain I’ve seen in an endurance event, but it also featured some of the
sweetest professionally engineered trails in the northeast – think Kingdom
Trails with rocks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Carrabassett
Valley (Sugarloaf Mountain area) of Maine is quickly becoming a mountain bike
destination that you’ll want to consider adding to your “must visit” list. That
said, the race was extremely challenging.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
I managed to pull off the win with a respectable time and a
strong finish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the promoters asked
the post-race crowd if they’d be interested in a 100-mile version of the race,
not a single person raised a hand. <o:p></o:p></div>
lizridesbikeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05633076372293126843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7147184964939663293.post-39041045748108605232014-07-15T11:21:00.001-07:002014-07-15T11:29:16.841-07:00Patapsco 100 (2014 edition) - my first 100-miler on a full suspension, and the most fun you can have on a bike in 12 hours<div class="MsoNormal">
If you like to race your cyclocross bike on gravel roads,
then you should not sign up for the Patapsco 100. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But if you’re into railing what is undoubtedly some of the
flowiest singletrack on the east coast, you enjoy pushing yourself to the limit
of your physical ability (all day long), and you’re not afraid of endless
log-overs and some painfully steep and rocky hike-a-bikes, then this is the
race for you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Dereck and I drove down to Maryland on Friday (yes, the
fourth of July was spent in a car – it’s the American thing to do).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We decided to avoid the disaster that is I-95
and took the longer toll-free route through NY and PA, stopping at the
Lackawanna park area to get a short ride in (fun trails!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love PA!).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
While folks at home were trapped indoors all day or faced
with braving monsoon weather, we were gifted with good weather for most of our
trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We arrived in PA at the hotel recommended by AAA.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As it turned out, that hotel hasn’t had many
updates since it was built sometime in the early 80s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In addition, it is a mecca for drug deals,
local prostitution, and what appears to be full-time residence for a few families.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In other words, it is a shithole.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Somehow my non-smoking room reservation was reserved as
smoking; arriving late that night, we toughed it out until we could get a
better room the next day (a room that had seen some updates – like a microwave,
coffeemaker, and a comforter without cigarette burns in it).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I digress.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Saturday we made our way over to the Hub – Cantonville’s
kickass bike shop, where I checked in, picked up my race packet, and met some
really cool people, including Ray – <u><a href="http://wheelsuckerdiaries.blogspot.com/2014/07/today.html" target="_blank">read his story here</a></u>. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Our next stop was Patapsco Valley State Park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We followed another rider to a parking lot
just up the road from some of the trails that made up the race course, and one
of the park rangers, leaving for the day, came over to offer us lots of useful
information.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He even gave us a fantastic
dinner recommendation – Great Sage in Ellicott, MD – a vegan restaurant with
one hell of a selection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As it turned
out, he raced the Patapsco 33 mile option on Sunday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Saturday turned out to be a really nice and mostly relaxing
day (as compared to last year when I arrived to my hotel at about 11pm the
night before the race after delivering mail in the morning). I made up my drop
bags and prepped my race fuel before crawling into a bed that did not smell
like a dirty ashtray. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Race day got off to a good start at 4am with some coffee,
microwavable oatmeal, fresh berries, and nuts; we were at the race venue by
about 5:15 and greeted by some familiar faces. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNtfAigy3NNlXATCeXlXM6AX7Gs7wXVoyqIoLIZcwYqpfzElTqL_YFT8IHi9kfyc_KDRnVqJ7Jg0bEb9DmnrF6P_d5QrK-sqKcdMmSiwdJr73tOpXu5Db_xlQ8fPzNu0pRFo7EgQEXH0AK/s1600/lap2done.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNtfAigy3NNlXATCeXlXM6AX7Gs7wXVoyqIoLIZcwYqpfzElTqL_YFT8IHi9kfyc_KDRnVqJ7Jg0bEb9DmnrF6P_d5QrK-sqKcdMmSiwdJr73tOpXu5Db_xlQ8fPzNu0pRFo7EgQEXH0AK/s1600/lap2done.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Before I knew it, I was on my bike, lined up on the front
line with a bunch of fast dudes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d
decided to shoot for the front this year so I wouldn’t get held up in a pack of
people going slower than I wanted, and it worked out perfectly. I held a pretty
steady pace for the first lap. I climbed easy so I wouldn’t burn up my legs
before the last lap, rolled through the aid stations because I had all I needed
to complete one lap of the 33 mile loop, and blissfully hammered the swoopy
sections of singletrack with as little use of my brakes as possible. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There was just one problem: stomach issues. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I don’t usually have a problem with my stomach once a race
has gotten underway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Normally, it’s
before and/or after the race that I find myself with any sort of GI issue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But for some reason or other (possibly eating
too much for dinner the night before), I felt off and had a really hard time
forcing myself to eat throughout the day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My race nutrition was a combination of rice cakes (Feed Zone
Portables style that were either savory bacon and pineapple or
coconut-blueberry-chocolate), “hippy snacks” (those bite-sized energy blocks
you can buy in bulk at health food stores), and Accelerade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I quickly found out that rice is difficult to eat while
pedaling, and decided to save those for my stops in between laps; there was
just enough time for me to eat them while Dereck cleaned my drivetrain and
lubed my chain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I popped a hippy snack
here and there, and I only ate three caffeinated GUs throughout the day (to
avoid the seemingly inevitable can’t-sleep-after-racing syndrome I usually
get).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The second lap actually felt pretty good, and I didn’t slow
down much at all (the lap was only 10 minutes slower than my first one, which
could possibly be attributed to the fact that I started my Garmin about 1 mile
into the race on lap one).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Lap 3 was a different story. While I managed to stay on my
bike for the sections I’d been riding all day long, I could feel my body
slowing down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew that I hadn’t been
eating enough, and I started craving coca cola. Dereck was riding that lap with
me, and he was really encouraging. It was fun having him along to see all of
the really great trails out there (and even more fun to be able to talk about
the course with him afterward and have him know exactly what I was talking
about). <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At the halfway point aid station, I finally stopped and had
about a half a can of coke, and the volunteers politely offered me some salt
and vinegar chips from their own cooler after I declined a peanut butter
sandwich in search of potato chips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
didn’t want to leave that table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I don’t think I stopped for long.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The final miles of the race were intermixed
with thoughts of last year’s finish (and the terrible thunder storm that had
erupted all around me during the last miles), the realization that I finally
felt like eating, and attempted ignorance of the painful situation arising in
my shorts (diaper rash, anyone?).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’d hoped to finish in less than 12 hours this year, but I
slipped past the line at 12:03 (guess I’ll have to go back next year).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">My first 100 miler on a full suspension is officially in the books. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTampkfaeLayNyubiDIr0L9h2CueUgqmdJxpx6UJPAElHqPuMxOyzujZemxTTRw-f1bABOCsYSNam2R5QO09B1A1AO30hxe98ulv-OKW7bedVWM9r-qOTF1vSqiDjSJptH5hq-Mu-SuoRy/s1600/podium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTampkfaeLayNyubiDIr0L9h2CueUgqmdJxpx6UJPAElHqPuMxOyzujZemxTTRw-f1bABOCsYSNam2R5QO09B1A1AO30hxe98ulv-OKW7bedVWM9r-qOTF1vSqiDjSJptH5hq-Mu-SuoRy/s1600/podium.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Can you say '</span>game changer'? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I bet you can... </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Kona Hei Hei Supreme is a smooth, slick, buttery ride, and I even managed to drop a dude or two on some descents and close a gap or two on a climb. Big thanks to the guys at <a href="http://konaworld.com/" target="_blank">Kona</a> for hooking me up with a sweet deal! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This year’s racecourse was very much like last year’s, but
there were some new sections of singletrack, making what was an awesome loop
even more amazing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ed Dixon (one of the
promoters) had been working his butt off (along with his wife and whoever else
helped out), and the new trails are some of the nicest I’ve ever ridden. Who
would have thought Maryland would be a mountain bike destination?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
So the next time you’re headed down to Pisgah, or some other place down south, make it a point to stop by Maryland and visit the Hub in Cantonsville, get some tips on the
best place to put your rubber to the dirt, and stop back in town after to grab
a latte from Atwater’s (right next to the bike shop). And bring me with you!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
lizridesbikeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05633076372293126843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7147184964939663293.post-54870771797916216292014-06-16T09:43:00.000-07:002014-06-16T09:43:02.646-07:006 Hours of Pats Peak 2014: smooth really is fast!<div>
Saturday, June 14, 2014</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
When I signed up for this race back in the winter, my only
hope was that the course would be relatively dry on race day. Of course, when
the forecast showed the potential for 3 inches of rain in the two days leading
up to it, I freaked out a little bit.<br /><div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And by freaking out I mean that I thought about riding my
singlespeed because I figured I’d be walking anyhow or my cables would be so
destroyed with mud that I wouldn’t be able to shift.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGXrpMKilpbP5xuQdVcKG-H-22H0cfa22e0F_S9Y_n6vM060Cq2QRZH0WPmx5uaFz04CFBt8-JihvsDuWvxwetmMCJgzXCh9-8gd_G-OC2qDvIdGVvsl94b6SO1v6pLMfpLHMwhvWfBgwW/s1600/6.14.14-me+in+mud.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGXrpMKilpbP5xuQdVcKG-H-22H0cfa22e0F_S9Y_n6vM060Cq2QRZH0WPmx5uaFz04CFBt8-JihvsDuWvxwetmMCJgzXCh9-8gd_G-OC2qDvIdGVvsl94b6SO1v6pLMfpLHMwhvWfBgwW/s1600/6.14.14-me+in+mud.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There was some mud, but there also wasn't<br />photo cred: Pats Peak Facebook page</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Fortunately, the thought of railing that downhill on the
Kona Hei Hei kept me sensible through that moment of temporary insanity; I
wisely chose gears and suspension.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On the morning of race day, the sun was shining, and the
temperature was perfect. I rode the first mile of the course as a warm-up, and
I was delighted to find that even though the course was damp, it wasn’t as bad
as it’d been in previous years. Plus, it was supposed to be nice all day, so I
was hopeful that it would continue to dry out. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjINc6BUICUKq9lfU6YvQdLXTKkuUbT6Bz0wkQUuPfDgzotQQtM2ScHCkFEWvGfhxUHUN_OSBoB1CWY_M2_xKDfUx2DgN6wUbZEVrG8P4hZC_AhY9bihPbgwZaXt3hz0D2kjTO1Y4fGkuuA/s1600/6.14.14-me+climbing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjINc6BUICUKq9lfU6YvQdLXTKkuUbT6Bz0wkQUuPfDgzotQQtM2ScHCkFEWvGfhxUHUN_OSBoB1CWY_M2_xKDfUx2DgN6wUbZEVrG8P4hZC_AhY9bihPbgwZaXt3hz0D2kjTO1Y4fGkuuA/s1600/6.14.14-me+climbing.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Climbing happened a lot<br />photo cred: Pats Peak Facebook page</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I ran into Leslie Timm just before the start – she’d been
pre-riding the course for Sunday’s XC event, and she told me that everything up
at the top of the mountain looked really good as well and was completely
rideable. I was pumped. Plus, I was stoked to see her smiling face – I miss my
TSEpic pals!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Later when I was out on course, I came across Gary Hoenhe with a cowbell and a "Liz A is my hero" sign. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The race went off right at noon with a short Le Mans start,
and we were instantly climbing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wanted
to get into the woods ahead of some of the pack (there were 6, 12, and 24 hour
racers taking off) so I went a little hard at the beginning but never hard
enough to feel a burn or suck wind (you know what I mean, right??). <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I didn’t want to waste any energy by riding poorly, so I
relaxed and just kept my legs turning smooth steady circles. As it turned out,
steady and smooth also meant pretty fast for a 6-hour race. I finished the
first lap at around 46-47 minutes (I can’t be sure on actual time because I
forgot to hit the lap button on the Garmin and remembered a couple minutes into
the next lap), and at that rate, I was pulling faster times than I had in the
XC race in 2013 (and it felt <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">almost</i>
effortless).<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Behold, the post TSEpic legs have arrived, and they are
GOOD.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Going into the race, I was hoping to go fast enough to get
in 7 laps. But as the hours ticked by, it quickly became apparent that I’d have
the option to do an 8<sup>th</sup> lap. That wasn’t something I’d even
considered until I was cruising along on lap 6. <o:p></o:p></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEZinM62_jM5954exnxQhxFL5HLUaiWW6QdIXfB3Xa35fUVAXv3rjM4SFJon0CfDH9oUn05mL070yFJhK000NSp245YNK7mW-eLvIxcZ55hFqxvc2L1YkuB1ahvcxO2LxrP1dXn-N2phyphenhyphen-/s1600/6.14.14-moat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEZinM62_jM5954exnxQhxFL5HLUaiWW6QdIXfB3Xa35fUVAXv3rjM4SFJon0CfDH9oUn05mL070yFJhK000NSp245YNK7mW-eLvIxcZ55hFqxvc2L1YkuB1ahvcxO2LxrP1dXn-N2phyphenhyphen-/s1600/6.14.14-moat.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thank you, Clark Brothers Racing and Moat Mountain</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There were a few things that sealed my decision to wait on
course having a snack until 6pm rather than set out on an 8<sup>th</sup> lap:
(1) hamburger and beer – we’d set up camp by Clark Brothers Racing and their
magical cooler full of Moat Mountain Brewery’s finest assortment of beverages,
and I wanted one <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">so bad</i>; (2) I was
planning to ride at Kingdom Trails on Sunday and wanted it to be somewhat enjoyable;
and (3) I had lapped my competitor a few times already and didn’t feel the need
to risk doing it again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And as I said
already, (4) I was mentally prepared to do 7 laps.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQRe7dZOWkaBRLKNCZFcNUR-XME7Mv_7dYDFoygw89rinZCv4O_HCRtcMMW5j6mc6JC17cDS-4n6QOSwcsPxtvO9E9I-tfUt3afD5I5LE0aNJxVT1RGDYXUdGCKv9YbPQ-uQj3rPkfM5x0/s1600/6.14.14-Dereck+in+mud.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQRe7dZOWkaBRLKNCZFcNUR-XME7Mv_7dYDFoygw89rinZCv4O_HCRtcMMW5j6mc6JC17cDS-4n6QOSwcsPxtvO9E9I-tfUt3afD5I5LE0aNJxVT1RGDYXUdGCKv9YbPQ-uQj3rPkfM5x0/s1600/6.14.14-Dereck+in+mud.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dereck churning butter on the ski slope<br />photo cred: Pats Peak Facebook page</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So I milked the clock by waiting around for approximately 13
minutes, and with 3 minutes to go, Dereck came blasting by me all excited
saying, “one more lap!!” He was heading out for his 7<sup>th</sup>, which would
mean a 4<sup>th</sup> place finish him in the solo men’s 6-hour. I instantly
felt like a chump for standing around when I could have been grinding out one
more lap, but then I thought about that <o:p></o:p></div>
hamburger again… <br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The course was in terrific shape considering all the rain it
had seen in the days prior to the race, and a steady breeze all day Saturday
meant steady drying. I imagine that by Sunday it was riding pretty fast. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE8FLkqjEzVVfci4MUQ5XnR7uOOD_XrSm9_CUZQvm8ZOvXXp6jvEKgZJI0QSVLrJ_2hgklSSf2yoXTaftNWMj0BewS-Yt0VK-fQiJVT6Zaqtn1CkX6Zh0AySwAoIYRLkKsfton2EqSDHsP/s1600/6.14.14-Dereck+descending.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE8FLkqjEzVVfci4MUQ5XnR7uOOD_XrSm9_CUZQvm8ZOvXXp6jvEKgZJI0QSVLrJ_2hgklSSf2yoXTaftNWMj0BewS-Yt0VK-fQiJVT6Zaqtn1CkX6Zh0AySwAoIYRLkKsfton2EqSDHsP/s1600/6.14.14-Dereck+descending.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dereck descending<br />photo cred: Pats Peak Facebook page</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Last year, many of the switchback climbs were just too slick
to ride because the mud resembled something like peanut butter; this time we
were gifted with mud that was tacky and firm (with the exception of a few water
run-offs on the ski slopes). I found myself relaxing and riding some of the
singletrack that I hadn’t even been able to ride in 2012 when the course was
bone dry.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On each trip around the course, I rode different sections
better (and sometimes worse) than the lap before, and I think I was able to
ride just about every inch of the course at one point or other (with the
exception of one or two awkward spots). <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Kona’s full suspension allowed me to sit and spin up the
steep rooty sections and retain traction even though the roots were super slick
in spots. And descending on that bike was amazing. I’m glad I didn’t fool around
and ride the singlespeed (especially after watching those racers who were
painfully grinding up the climbs in one gear).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m really happy with how the day went, and maybe next year
I’ll be more competitive with the guys since there’s a chance I could have
placed in the top 3 there… if only hamburgers and beer didn’t exist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The hours after the race were spent cleaning up, eating
hamburgers, drinking beer, and hanging out with the Clark Bros crew. We camped
just at the edge of the course and were soothed to sleep by the random sound of
12 and 24-hour racers cruising by the tent. After a quick and hearty breakfast
of spinach, eggs, and brats, we were off to VT to get a ride in at KT.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEbqD_JJWYV6-vGdoNdCNl2UADrhbcIo5wHOUMgkcbvcxfZHMnzPqfbbd-8bbLPVlbtDTxBk1012-KjqXE8PiuhF9EUA-tmtqL4gKuFzODMuAhNuv2GpIUL-tI283Ci9xUkWZ9QTK5S6CZ/s1600/6.14.14-recovery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEbqD_JJWYV6-vGdoNdCNl2UADrhbcIo5wHOUMgkcbvcxfZHMnzPqfbbd-8bbLPVlbtDTxBk1012-KjqXE8PiuhF9EUA-tmtqL4gKuFzODMuAhNuv2GpIUL-tI283Ci9xUkWZ9QTK5S6CZ/s1600/6.14.14-recovery.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bone-chilling mountain water, a pumpkin roll, <br />and a hot black coffee</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Poor Dereck took my suggestion of a 5-hour ride to heart,
and I think he got a little nervous before we started riding that I was indeed
going to keep us out on the trails for a full 5 hours (yeah, not really a
pleasant thing to look forward to after a 6 hour ski resort race). Luckily, I
tend to plan bigger than my legs will allow sometimes, and after about 3 hours
on the trails, we rolled back to town to recover in the icy cold river for
precisely 8 minutes and eat sweets from the general store.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I’m really enjoying 6-hour races. They’re long enough to
require some endurance and short enough to ward off a complete mental
breakdown. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Next on my agenda is the infamous Patapsco 100 – destroyer
of souls. This year’s goal is to finish that beast in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">less</i> than 13 hours, and I’m really looking forward to my first
hundred on a full suspension.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two week’s
after that, I’m racing the Carrabassett Back Country Challenge up in the middle
of nowhere Maine, and I’m tempted to follow that up with 12 Hours of Millstone
the weekend after (because they are both part of the New England Endurance
Series – NEES). I’ll make that decision later.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
In the meantime, the quiet little tri-state area of MA, CT,
and RI has a whole lot of fun MTB race stuffs going on. Team NESS has been putting on a summer-long MTB TT series, Team Bums have been doing something
similar, and there’s a short track race series happening in Mass (I think all
three of these events are on Tuesday nights). What a great community of off-road racers we’ve got in this area!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi97CyUuwwoev0eYuaFEJ1D58uxMx-0QIVqnR5_TZUENdFr6kg_gAcfB0fPLK0UeHnelLOkkYsWY57i1dsBchj2uwWDxWP8fuGvdSfXouPaulZHuc9TuEUn-iQZ-e9EGrKVuKaGT8PsD7m1/s1600/6.14.14-podium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi97CyUuwwoev0eYuaFEJ1D58uxMx-0QIVqnR5_TZUENdFr6kg_gAcfB0fPLK0UeHnelLOkkYsWY57i1dsBchj2uwWDxWP8fuGvdSfXouPaulZHuc9TuEUn-iQZ-e9EGrKVuKaGT8PsD7m1/s1600/6.14.14-podium.jpg" height="400" width="330" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Top step<br />photo cred: Gary Hoenhe</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span><o:p></o:p></div>
lizridesbikeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05633076372293126843noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7147184964939663293.post-679547371731493402014-06-02T08:49:00.001-07:002014-06-02T08:49:36.120-07:00TSEpic Stage 7: Slow Rolling and “Recovery Drinks”<div class="MsoNormal">
This is a little late in getting posted because (1) beer, (2) tired, and (3) driving home sucks.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuFkCniqNx3-JXhCDKY5NK9xzVRNym_178byaP7wZIW9yblnOMg0Vs8O_fPzgwlz_5ewqlXbfOgAY7RfjR78fDYolSgQuOKWP7ZbtH39SY2S4VY0kcGhDDg0L6yrfcDpkh2U7XzYvp7NBO/s1600/4.rachel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuFkCniqNx3-JXhCDKY5NK9xzVRNym_178byaP7wZIW9yblnOMg0Vs8O_fPzgwlz_5ewqlXbfOgAY7RfjR78fDYolSgQuOKWP7ZbtH39SY2S4VY0kcGhDDg0L6yrfcDpkh2U7XzYvp7NBO/s1600/4.rachel.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rachel and Cynthia </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Despite a horrible night’s sleep, I woke up the final
morning of racing to mixed feelings of relief and excitement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Everything that happened after the race started is a
complete blur, but I’ll do my best to recall what I can.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2DyRDMIP4ar1p_piwXPW5vpK7FncO1nTrZoN3ULP2nw_F_1AZyfMwe-4UzZ_ppnrxCJJjU_jfHvis6YV2oIvgz57gUQG5N8cAcVJN_ASAzvgyJAkmDyWEqnHXEMfwBfzUWY3k85qbyM8W/s1600/2.rockets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2DyRDMIP4ar1p_piwXPW5vpK7FncO1nTrZoN3ULP2nw_F_1AZyfMwe-4UzZ_ppnrxCJJjU_jfHvis6YV2oIvgz57gUQG5N8cAcVJN_ASAzvgyJAkmDyWEqnHXEMfwBfzUWY3k85qbyM8W/s1600/2.rockets.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Costumes<br />photo by Gary Hoenhe</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My outfit for the day consisted of a jetpack strapped to my
Camelbak. Why? Because FUN. There weren’t a whole lot of other folks sporting
fancy duds though. One guy was wearing his finest pair of underwear, and the
Angry Single Speeder was wearing his shiny silver suit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfeRD2XjerEvPiarLiiBE_dCOI94NPqPfK43wzdmD_e2JOiAwBz02sU5DljmR_UXi44aVCkT7n-4EpYWCqEGzD_SZ0T2kcguPesVYaB6sNTThrYrKtpvX64iBwzI4OKnDLSWowOOnX1eCW/s1600/5.chris.buck.rich.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfeRD2XjerEvPiarLiiBE_dCOI94NPqPfK43wzdmD_e2JOiAwBz02sU5DljmR_UXi44aVCkT7n-4EpYWCqEGzD_SZ0T2kcguPesVYaB6sNTThrYrKtpvX64iBwzI4OKnDLSWowOOnX1eCW/s1600/5.chris.buck.rich.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chris, Buck, and Dicky</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I chose to join the singlespeed clan for Stage 7 because I
knew they were going out to do the 26-mile loop at a leisurely pace that would
include lots of rest stops. At about mile 3, we made our first stop, at which
point it was declared that we were officially off of Boy Scout property. PBR
was coming from everywhere.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At that point, I declined a sip because I still wanted to be
able to put forth a decent effort in the east coast rocks segment (2.5 miles of
it). I’m not sure if we stopped anymore before we got to it, but I do remember
arriving at it and wishing I’d had more time to get ready – it came up really
fast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For the final time during the week, I time-trialed the crap
out of the east coast rocks segment. At about halfway through, my legs
threatened to quit, and I was panting like a dog. But I kept pushing through,
hoping that my effort would be enough to keep me locked in second (there’s no
prize for being the first loser, but second place to an Olympian is f-ing
sweet).<o:p></o:p></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtwqpCMtbYGracJqxm8MEuRqTOQWKqARbDkBIDdsjIOWlL77apfxdYsp7Cj6jXqrYbmN5IhI9CAgJTOZaUuVYPKK6A47OolSGTvSyQU5GQHPT2Hi8-q8zP1axdgApYfbxGlKvllRhBUVCq/s1600/6.rocks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtwqpCMtbYGracJqxm8MEuRqTOQWKqARbDkBIDdsjIOWlL77apfxdYsp7Cj6jXqrYbmN5IhI9CAgJTOZaUuVYPKK6A47OolSGTvSyQU5GQHPT2Hi8-q8zP1axdgApYfbxGlKvllRhBUVCq/s1600/6.rocks.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Done with the racing part<br />photo by Rachel Brown</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Finishing that segment felt good – mostly because I got to
stop and take in some air. I also took in an extraordinary amount of insects.
But it felt good because I was done racing for the week. I waited a few minutes
for the SS posse to catch back up (they knew that I was racing that section and
had kindly stood aside to let me go ahead of them).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When we got rolling again, I realized immediately that my
legs were cooked. WELL DONE cooked.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For the rest of the ride, which included lots of well-timed
breaks. I was happy as pie in singletrack and on down-hills, and a miserable
zombie-like creature on all of the roads and climbs. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At one of the stops (about halfway through the course and at
the bottom of the enduro), the SSers chose to remove their tracking devices and
leave them behind to throw off the race promoters. They were being tracked
because last year’s antics had kept them out in the woods awhile. We all had
some fig newtons and carried on our <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></div>
way.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkkKbick1RbBUSvJFYbCiHDfEC5juEDeiykIxgR8ExTmYAknsHQM1tVOfaFr-M9lhsn4TLI0StCgkaART66e34a5wE51XBem1L72IfbLwa3L9QywRx2EXqRfRCuLGATweVblxcYrm5zgIB/s1600/7.singlespeeders.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkkKbick1RbBUSvJFYbCiHDfEC5juEDeiykIxgR8ExTmYAknsHQM1tVOfaFr-M9lhsn4TLI0StCgkaART66e34a5wE51XBem1L72IfbLwa3L9QywRx2EXqRfRCuLGATweVblxcYrm5zgIB/s1600/7.singlespeeders.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the bottom of the enduro segment - goodbye spot trackers.<br />Photo by Rachel Brown</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The rest of the ride, I fluctuated between getting dropped
by them on hills, hanging with them in singletrack, and ripping past (some of)
them on downhills (thanks to the FS). Yeah, that’s right. I totally cheated by
having gears and using them on this ride. For a little while, I tried not to
shift, but I was all out of willpower, and that granny gear was just too sweet
to ignore. </div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH43dFbY2Re0JMTc-CVeyak6BbpDWqg4-Sf1YhEP3i1jIi1cPxTkJO36mfH1sl5N5sMVZQc6STcmdzjclMZEpsjOEbxvgg_HwB3KBKwE6W9CkzF_5GEnj7zaiVm_BqQk1WsBEvRwWjRi0G/s1600/3.break.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH43dFbY2Re0JMTc-CVeyak6BbpDWqg4-Sf1YhEP3i1jIi1cPxTkJO36mfH1sl5N5sMVZQc6STcmdzjclMZEpsjOEbxvgg_HwB3KBKwE6W9CkzF_5GEnj7zaiVm_BqQk1WsBEvRwWjRi0G/s1600/3.break.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taking a break to enjoy the view...<br />except that the view was behind them.<br />PBR time.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The second to the last stop of the day was at the rocky
spectator heckle stop. I was provided with lots of delicious recovery fluids
there after 2 failed attempts to ride up the rocks. If I’d had ANY power left,
I’d probably have been able to ride that, no sweat. But I was lucky to be
turning the cranks at that point. This was the first race I’ve ever been in
where Coke had no effect on me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The last stop of the day was a group pee break about .25
miles before the finish line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We rolled through the finish line nice and slow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I handed in my enduro timing chip, and felt a
gigantic sense of relief. I was done!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I did a quick soak in the pond and went back to the lodge to
clean up and prep for Stage 8.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Stage 8!?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Yeah, the final stage was a 16-person derby around the pond.
Each lap meant eating a food item (donut, then pretzel, then whoopie pie).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We started Le Mans style on one side of camp
headquarters, but when we ran to grab our bikes, they were all over the place –
it took me a while to figure out that mine was in a tree (I could barely reach
the front wheel).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This race was completely absurd. I found myself getting
proposed to while eating a pretzel (he was down on one knee and everything), I
received my only injury of the week (a bruised tail bone from getting crashed
into while I was eating my pretzel, I watched while people had air let out of
their tires (I somehow escaped this misfortune because I was DFL), and when my “fiancé”
left his clothes on one side of the pond so he could swim across to the finish
line, I put them on over my kit and rode to the finish looking rad in his
sweaty clothes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbtkVAUSomWKl0qtb_tvUbVNQ80VWYhQA-W6c2A6QNsfFylvDPYrU7ikzqtmLODlJUiEptZC_SLFGqLvevKvQxubZTyZ6HlxznbjvRSi1qJC8BdrZmIWelMGW89UZMHzJdVE8j-CMBA6zt/s1600/1.group.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbtkVAUSomWKl0qtb_tvUbVNQ80VWYhQA-W6c2A6QNsfFylvDPYrU7ikzqtmLODlJUiEptZC_SLFGqLvevKvQxubZTyZ6HlxznbjvRSi1qJC8BdrZmIWelMGW89UZMHzJdVE8j-CMBA6zt/s1600/1.group.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Lower Eagle Crew (minus Kaarin and Lawrence)<br />Photo taken by our pal Walking (spelling?) from Panama</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
By the end of those shenanigans, I was officially toast, and
rather than party til the wee hours of the morning like many folks did, I
attempted to sleep…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
…we were on the road the next day shortly after 8am.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, you’re probably wondering if I’d do it again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The answer is unequivocally, YES – I’m signing up as soon as
I can for TSEpic 2015. <o:p></o:p></div>
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lizridesbikeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05633076372293126843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7147184964939663293.post-10842161099125790642014-05-30T17:31:00.002-07:002014-05-30T17:31:52.535-07:00TSEpic Stage 6: The day I smiled for 60 minutes without stopping<div class="MsoNormal">
Before today’s stage got started, I was cranky and tired.
And I probably stayed that way for the first hour or two of the race. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Today had everything. We went for a road ride, a hike, a 6
mile climb to hell, and then… <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
…wait for it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
WE WENT MOUNTAIN BIKING!!!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Okay, before we got to today’s first east coast rocks
segment, I wasn’t super stoked about the stage, but I knew that there was some
really great stuff coming because everyone had told me that I’d really like
this stage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This time, they did not lie. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPYo1mXhVpvMW4nRbWEJjtjzkZ-liC1ePSQBPVuR2DbagYGUF6EVMc7lsjD-Iy4detLhI9AMRV5_Vt6Z8XlI-z6bUKToQj9JKHZZFFPHlwzcB8xIOgbgjeCHzVL4i3R5qU_1EJg_aW2WrL/s1600/me+suffering.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPYo1mXhVpvMW4nRbWEJjtjzkZ-liC1ePSQBPVuR2DbagYGUF6EVMc7lsjD-Iy4detLhI9AMRV5_Vt6Z8XlI-z6bUKToQj9JKHZZFFPHlwzcB8xIOgbgjeCHzVL4i3R5qU_1EJg_aW2WrL/s1600/me+suffering.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me getting passed by Mike Kuhn and Dr. Todd (I think)<br />after just eating something on a road section<br />photo courtesy of Dr. Todd (I think)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After the first checkpoint (which followed the six mile
climb and then a ridiculous fire road descent complete with water bars conveniently
distributed in just the right places to make you slow the F down), I saw the start of the east
coast rocks segment.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My heart went all a flutter with joy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’d been riding with my Eagle Lodge pal, Alan, and he let me
check into the segment ahead of him. He thought he’d follow my lines and learn
my New England secrets. He was sorely disappointed because I went completely
ape-shit and time-trialed the living crap out of that section.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That’s when the smiling started. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And then it kept going because not long after that segment
(and after a little bit of road) we hit even more fun singletrack (with even
more rocks). I was in my element and completely delighted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Despite the sections of road that linked everything together
today, I was really pleased with this stage. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN7qV8zwuH9oaCCoiVfmBEaf3lbRpF0miVvsJiCYK39uXwW_4dXR1fm7BE6Cew8L1J1EtdDmGp67Ff9t8YMYwH-Ttpb_taaYfPmOTpwfjx_TbdsJVjOmswOCKAe-nmPmjV4EUf46gnGGcV/s1600/rocks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN7qV8zwuH9oaCCoiVfmBEaf3lbRpF0miVvsJiCYK39uXwW_4dXR1fm7BE6Cew8L1J1EtdDmGp67Ff9t8YMYwH-Ttpb_taaYfPmOTpwfjx_TbdsJVjOmswOCKAe-nmPmjV4EUf46gnGGcV/s1600/rocks.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tussey Ridge heckle pit<br />photo stolen from TSEpic FB page</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The highlight was the climb up to Tussey Ridge, which gave
way to the second east coast rocks segment. While Stage 1’s segment felt a
little bit like a joke (no rocks to speak of), Tussey Ridge was no joke. At one
point, I went through some sort of a heckle pit where a guy in a hammock said
something like, “the only thing harder than <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">that</i>
is getting out of this hammock,” and by “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">that</i>”
he meant the absolutely stupid pile of rocks I was riding over.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Those were just awesome trails today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The view from Tussey Ridge (while I was going
all out to race it) was spectacular – views on both sides.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I hate to do any complaining about today’s stage, but the
last few miles deserve their moment in the spotlight. We climbed some road, and
then we climbed some steep singletrack, and then we climbed some road, and then
we climbed some god-awful backwoods bramble covered cow paths at mile 40.3 or
something to bring us through the finish around mile 40.85 (and there I was
thinking I only had a mile to go back at mile 39).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But today was the best.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I came back to the lodge to call AAA (a phone call that took
20 minutes and had me transferred 4 times and left me completely pissed off),
and the car got unlocked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Then I drank some “recovery beverages” with the crew
upstairs until about 45 minutes before dinner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Tomorrow’s stage looks to be a whole lot of fun and not a
whole lot of racing. There’s just one, really long east coast rocks segment
left, and I intend to race that part. The rest of the stage will be spent
partaking in shenanigans and enjoying the ride.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Today’s results . . .<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
9<sup>th</sup> in the stage (keeping me 9<sup>th</sup> in
the GC), 7<sup>th</sup> in enduro (5<sup>th</sup> in GC), and 2<sup>nd</sup> in
east coast rocks (unsure how that played out overall because I didn’t see
results posted). <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Tomorrow’s post may be delayed as I am anticipating some
intense “recovery” going on throughout the day. But stay tuned all the same.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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lizridesbikeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05633076372293126843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7147184964939663293.post-26646652549504751222014-05-29T18:28:00.000-07:002014-05-29T18:28:18.514-07:00TSEpic Stage 5: Good, bad, and not all that ugly . . .<div class="MsoNormal">
There was a whole lot of hype leading up to today’s stage.
And if you’ve been following my blog posts, you probably know that I’ve been
looking forward to it.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Apparently the course was changed from past years, and what
used to leave people broken and shattered has been tamed down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Yes, there were some rocky, technical trails out there –
trails that remind me of some of my favorite haunts back in New England
(Bigelow Hollow, Natchaug, Goodwin, Old Furnace, etc.), but quite frankly,
there just wasn’t enough singletrack today. That was a HUGE letdown. Yes, fun
trails – but not enough of them and WAY too much dirt road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMcwxATltqrYwMUPz7BW5Yn0RVkg9E6RcqymYASLRi2fb3XSGFyfUxq3Pye0Nn_Vks4Cy1Fe_2CJvsymO4X82UqOYR8eRlYc0T_V6v_wdyyVP8pAxfR2LJTWFxI0HmOY9fbW1mklBlFDW7/s1600/pub.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMcwxATltqrYwMUPz7BW5Yn0RVkg9E6RcqymYASLRi2fb3XSGFyfUxq3Pye0Nn_Vks4Cy1Fe_2CJvsymO4X82UqOYR8eRlYc0T_V6v_wdyyVP8pAxfR2LJTWFxI0HmOY9fbW1mklBlFDW7/s1600/pub.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waiting to crawl into the pub</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The race started off with a neutral group ride over to the
base of a big climb that quickly turned into a single-file death march. No
sooner had we hit the peak of that climb, and we were checking into our first
enduro segment. I rode it pretty conservatively because the rocks were
slippery, and I just wanted to have a smooth ride today. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So long story short: I rode like it was my job through the
beautiful NE-esque singletrack, I meandered carefully down the enduros, and I
rode with what felt like no power on the hills. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The weather today was cold, drizzly, and miserable in
comparison to the past few days of steamy and warm, so I had to borrow some arm
and leg warmers from Gary. I really liked the Death Row Velo stuff he let me
borrow, and it didn’t clash too badly with my DAS jersey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I rode with Gary for a bit, but I wasn’t really up for
having a riding buddy. When he broke his shoe and then rode away from me, I
settled back into my own little world of hating the roads and wishing for more
rocks. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But despite my complaining about all the roads, I’m glad I
could finish the race today. My friend Leslie woke up sick this morning; send her
some good vibes so hopefully she’ll feel good enough to get back at it
tomorrow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">After the race, we went over to Elk Creek Cafe for a complimentary beer and some french fries and fried pickles. They weren't open yet, so we waited patiently on the sidewalk and threw the local coffee shop for a loop by giving them an afternoon rush like they've never seen. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And then we went down to State College to visit Freeze Thaw Cycles because Gary managed to bust his shoe during today's East Coast Rocks segment, and he needed a new pair. We didn't get back to camp until dinner time. I ran around in a panic (after shoveling some food down) to get my bike clean, prep my laundry for laundry service (it needed pre-washing), pack my drop bags for tomorrow, and get in the shower. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And then Gary locked the keys in the car... with my camelbak in there (he has no idea how that happened). Calling AAA after tomorrow's stage. My bad for leaving the keys in the car (along with the spare set).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Results: 9<sup>th</sup> in today’s stage, 9<sup>th</sup>
overall in the GC, 3<sup>rd</sup> in the East Coast Rocks, and tied for 5<sup>th</sup>
in enduro (with my roommate, Rachel). <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Tomorrow…<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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lizridesbikeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05633076372293126843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7147184964939663293.post-61400086736950644822014-05-28T18:41:00.000-07:002014-05-28T18:41:22.759-07:00TSEpic Stage 4: Hump Day Road RaceDespite today’s stage being the one I was looking forward to
the least, it wasn’t all that bad. I was actually grateful towards the end of
the course to see that there were only roads left.<br /><div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTUZ3RMwWdDAKFOVz0Ohw9p4-sQQWxgCIxqIZk0GMBJLczWq6mTJUKgnynltaR8ur8AdHm1mZSlNVQpiSNfwI2Mbsx21ONa7UBkMppePWGPgAfu790_RWJ3fQP3yVjBcuBOnrnmzsD1yNm/s1600/camelbak.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTUZ3RMwWdDAKFOVz0Ohw9p4-sQQWxgCIxqIZk0GMBJLczWq6mTJUKgnynltaR8ur8AdHm1mZSlNVQpiSNfwI2Mbsx21ONa7UBkMppePWGPgAfu790_RWJ3fQP3yVjBcuBOnrnmzsD1yNm/s1600/camelbak.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How I keep my back clean.</td></tr>
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<br /></div>
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The rain we’d gotten yesterday carried over into the
morning, and we knew we’d be facing some sloppy conditions out there. Of
course, if we were going to have to deal with a rainy race day, today was
probably the best for it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Instead of racing on the Kona, I went with the hard-tail
today because there were going to be a lot of <o:p></o:p></div>
roads, the course was going to be
muddy and destructive, and my butt needed to be in a different saddle. I’m glad
I made that choice (even if the 1x10 was a little rough for some of the
climbs).<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The race started off way too fast for my liking, and I
decided to just settle into a pace that felt kind of awful but wouldn’t destroy
me. I knew I’d have to grab a wheel and do some drafting, but I was having a
tough time finding a group that wasn’t going harder than I could handle at the
start.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Let me just say that I think breakfast was weighing me down.
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
(Breakfast is served at 7:30 and the stage started at 9:30.)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It took me awhile to come around, and I watched a lot of
people pull away from me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Somewhere around halfway, I met up with Ellen, and after
that, we spent a good portion of the race together. Despite suffering, we kept
each other motivated, and as we made our way up the long climb out of the
valley, I thought I spotted one of her U25 competitors in the distance. I told
her she had 8 miles left, that she was riding strong, and to keep it up and
race smart to the finish. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And holy shit. That’s just what she did! She dropped me like
a bad habit and kicked some serious butt to the finish line!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Nice work, Ellen!!!)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRxhjuOzYOUFBlrGm4J4YePqvwty40tCj2P9EzDj-NsoTF0sSmJv4iQ1gxifIyB-MG52leXUUyT3j7NAFlrwEzWtuxUBeUwsgQlP-UTHLOvuQ-GTIiDMo3p2OxvAkggAPSC0ZnPBxG9MK6/s1600/dirty+stage+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRxhjuOzYOUFBlrGm4J4YePqvwty40tCj2P9EzDj-NsoTF0sSmJv4iQ1gxifIyB-MG52leXUUyT3j7NAFlrwEzWtuxUBeUwsgQlP-UTHLOvuQ-GTIiDMo3p2OxvAkggAPSC0ZnPBxG9MK6/s1600/dirty+stage+4.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ALL DONE.</td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Ellen and I both spent some time with one of the male duo
teams (Mike and Rory – spelling??) who took some pulls for us and followed our
wheels as well (they were both on singlespeeds).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There were a few notable moments of today’s stage…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Garamond; mso-fareast-font-family: Garamond;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->The fire-road enduro segment that went on
forever and ever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I almost ate shit but
somehow stayed upright, and by the time I got to the check-out station, I was
completely incapable of picking a line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Garamond; mso-fareast-font-family: Garamond;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Ye olde train tunnel. This thing was dark, wet,
and AWESOME.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are pictures of it on
the internet somewhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was so cool,
and there were some super rad supporters there handing out ‘recovery beverages.’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Garamond; mso-fareast-font-family: Garamond;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->The final long climb of the day. This didn’t
look like much on the elevation profile, but let me just say, that shit was
WHACK!!! I seriously came close to crying as turn after turn of this slimy,
peanut-butter-coated climb brought more and more elevation into my line of
vision. Early on in the climb, there was a pickup truck sitting on the side of
the trail with two shirtless men who informed me that I was about halfway up
the climb.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They lied.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They lied SO HARD. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I’m really glad that stage is behind me, and I’m looking
forward to tomorrow’s “primitive” terrain. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Results: 8<sup>th</sup> place for today’s stage and 5<sup>th</sup>
for today’s enduro segments. 10<sup>th</sup> in the overall GC and 6<sup>th</sup>
in the overall GC for enduro. There were no east coast rocks segments yesterday
or today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
lizridesbikeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05633076372293126843noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7147184964939663293.post-19652153042891639252014-05-27T17:48:00.000-07:002014-05-27T17:48:06.661-07:00TSEpic Stage 3: Enduro (can we do this every day?)<div class="MsoNormal">
Today’s enduro brought us away from camp to nearby Tussey
Mountain Ski area, and everyone seemed super relaxed.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We had a really relaxed neutral start where we had 15
minutes to get out on our way, and everyone rolled out a very leisurely pace.
Most of the day’s climbs were done in the granny gear and for good reason –
today was all about recovery (despite the 4k feet of climbing).<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVasHTixCWOXbTKhHw8RnaqgKyQ73wwN7SR3Tee9xE-6w2fv1LckRVEKAMI7PNIqnCfwV3nyi0568zByHtU6gRF9SK_vxmeXL0x1Ybq6M-Qz0dj-BbRBy8nuZn7My_VOP2MPpSokN7bqYT/s1600/time+to+shred.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVasHTixCWOXbTKhHw8RnaqgKyQ73wwN7SR3Tee9xE-6w2fv1LckRVEKAMI7PNIqnCfwV3nyi0568zByHtU6gRF9SK_vxmeXL0x1Ybq6M-Qz0dj-BbRBy8nuZn7My_VOP2MPpSokN7bqYT/s1600/time+to+shred.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When doing the enduro, you must wear baggies.<br />And riding a sick FS Kona helps make it fun.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There were 5 enduro segments throughout the day. The first
two were pretty short while the 3<sup>rd</sup> was long enough to light my
hands on fire with friction, and the final two were more steep and rocky. All
were awesome. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Despite all of the climbing, I finished the 5<sup>th</sup>
segment smiling from ear to ear, feeling completely refreshed and rejuvenated
(a quick soak in the frigid stream at the base of the mountain might have
helped too). Plus, I got off the mountain in just the nick of time – a huge scary
storm was looming on the horizon, and shit went crazy pretty quickly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
While I managed to escape today’s racing unscathed, one of
my Canadian lodge-mates didn’t fair so well. Kaarin was wearing the leader’s
jersey for the enduro today when she went down hard in a corner, breaking her
ankle and putting her out of the race (“Mountain bikers, eh?”). I’m so bummed
for her. She’s an incredible rider and an awesome woman – truly inspirational.
Latest word is that she’ll be getting flown back home for surgery.</div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKP86whBDY9v3n1n11oLHCUvZ2kGjueNMrdlq-T9awOvZF6Tg07VhgqRQJtJ_FE264d49Jmwd17570WZxNNWMO3BeCDQ075KCjClLcxPrHszAeM5rgmSOKZc-Uscwwwm8RpRkbsUmw5a8E/s1600/matt+mtbracenews+line.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKP86whBDY9v3n1n11oLHCUvZ2kGjueNMrdlq-T9awOvZF6Tg07VhgqRQJtJ_FE264d49Jmwd17570WZxNNWMO3BeCDQ075KCjClLcxPrHszAeM5rgmSOKZc-Uscwwwm8RpRkbsUmw5a8E/s1600/matt+mtbracenews+line.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Matt from MTBracenews.com<br />And the epic line of people waiting to swipe in on enduro<br /><div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
segment numero uno.<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m sure there were other casualties (bike parts, body
parts, and what have you), but I don’t know of any others for certain except
the guy from Panama I spent a lot of time riding with who somehow went
headfirst into a tree (he is okay – just a little sore). I really enjoyed him
and his friend today – they were fun company.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I also spent some time riding with the young and talented,
Emily Shields.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s only been mountain
biking for 2 years now, but she can shred. And at only 20 years old, she’s got
an impressive resume of bicycle racing. She’ll be one to <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
keep an eye on in
upcoming years.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As for results, it’s kind of up in the air at the moment.
Our results were posted, and then, apparently there was an epic number of
protests. Basically, what I’m about to tell you could be totally wrong. As of
pre-protest, I was 10<sup>th</sup> for today’s stage and 5<sup>th</sup> for the
week’s overall enduro score. I have no idea where I stand overall at this
point, but I expect that everything will be listed on the website by
morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Tomorrow’s stage?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Coburn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s the roadie stage,
and I’m not super excited about it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjw3YpLXSSESkGmU1d7whbDw7pLjace1q5zr9-yMjt7_xJTKBPcmVTID4jMrPa0Yaz2FLYkrPESjoiyPwfe2Gl4dkzlNcDXLaH9eTGDDKSpi0_Es_gTFcaDUSCht1A0ImQWEl5v8NiACGq/s1600/bike+lean.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjw3YpLXSSESkGmU1d7whbDw7pLjace1q5zr9-yMjt7_xJTKBPcmVTID4jMrPa0Yaz2FLYkrPESjoiyPwfe2Gl4dkzlNcDXLaH9eTGDDKSpi0_Es_gTFcaDUSCht1A0ImQWEl5v8NiACGq/s1600/bike+lean.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Kona Hei Hei Supreme ready for the 5th and final<br />enduro segment of the day - the rockiest one yet.</td></tr>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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lizridesbikeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05633076372293126843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7147184964939663293.post-18543052721021611032014-05-26T16:29:00.000-07:002014-05-26T16:29:31.834-07:00Stage 2: Can we climb some more please? (And after that, can we descend forever and ever?)Holy shit.<br /><div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Our Canadian bunkmates tell me that today’s stage is the
hardest of the week. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I believe them. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5D35c5ZcPDHG_pwX1o71kBeBczit8aFWYeXufjOrSNlqK3E-MVZEzqOQHNzS6FeK35T9soGLi6XUoAMyG82wpXQVbSvpQJKAbF5ir77mHcSzLN8G0a9ONftaOX6hbDEACDDM9JabpP-Wl/s1600/gary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5D35c5ZcPDHG_pwX1o71kBeBczit8aFWYeXufjOrSNlqK3E-MVZEzqOQHNzS6FeK35T9soGLi6XUoAMyG82wpXQVbSvpQJKAbF5ir77mHcSzLN8G0a9ONftaOX6hbDEACDDM9JabpP-Wl/s1600/gary.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gary liked the stream (aka TSEpic spa)</td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
If we weren’t climbing up gravel roads for extended periods
of time, we were riding some of the most amazingly rocky, trails I’ve ever seen
or descending the longest, steepest hills in the history of ever and ever.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We started out on gravel road that seemed to go on forever
(10 miles, maybe?), and when we finally hit singletrack, I was pretty relieved.
It’s all kind of a blur, but there are some things I do remember clearly…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
…at the top of one of the really long climbs, we had a long
section of super technical singletrack with an amazing view. I really enjoyed
that section.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The enduro segments were particularly painful for me today.
I was basically holding on for dear life and trying not to get too out of
control. I wouldn’t say that I ‘raced’ them, but I scanned in at each one for
my participation points.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Another notable moment today was climbing up Stillhouse
Hollow (the final torturous climb of the day) and nearly running over a
rattlesnake. I screamed, panicked, and then called back to the guy behind me to
let him know to look out for it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Then final stretch of the race was pretty uneventful. We
came back through the muddy section along the stream that was part of yesterday’s
TT (not a fun section), and the finish area was pretty quiet (probably because
the fast people had finished hours before).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxCA-Z6FL7g_CjvWyfs8wZ9q1vDVFolvHeqRAmQLtMsVzxqfs9ylPlI5477sehei2a7oNdYBsHqR6JZaLsP2X_FvxbkjFxyAw24LgwfneSTWHubhud71vhmnmvIB2TLZxmgILeKRZ_y85U/s1600/thanksgiving.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxCA-Z6FL7g_CjvWyfs8wZ9q1vDVFolvHeqRAmQLtMsVzxqfs9ylPlI5477sehei2a7oNdYBsHqR6JZaLsP2X_FvxbkjFxyAw24LgwfneSTWHubhud71vhmnmvIB2TLZxmgILeKRZ_y85U/s1600/thanksgiving.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The food here is GOOD.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The first thing I did was make a recovery smoothie and head
down to the stream for an icy soak. The second thing was take a shower (a cold
one because even thought the boiler is fixed, it won’t stay lit long enough to
heath the water). Then I laid in bed with my legs elevated while eating corn
chips and trying not to choke to death because I just couldn’t be bothered to
sit up to eat. And I finally got around to torturing myself with the foam
roller of death and tidying up my bike (not a whole lot though because tomorrow
is enduro day).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I just got finished with a thanksgiving dinner complete with
apple pie, and I’m skipping out on the award ceremony because beer yoga is more
important.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So how did I do?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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I’m not sure where today left me in the grand scheme of
things (overall placing), but I finished in 8<sup>th</sup> place (still out of
16) with a time of 5:09:07, I was 5<sup>th</sup> in the east coast rocks
segment, and I somehow managed 7<sup>th</sup> for enduro despite my death grip
on the brakes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
lizridesbikeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05633076372293126843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7147184964939663293.post-47624505537948078532014-05-26T05:48:00.000-07:002014-05-26T05:52:05.483-07:00TSEpic Stage 1: Bald Eagle (or how to blow yourself up in the sun)<div class="MsoNormal">
Once again, I’m writing this as the next stage is within an
hour of starting.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Yesterday’s stage was a little nerve-racking. The time trial
was setup so that the fastest people started in the back. And while I tried to
avoid looking over my shoulder in anticipation of the men’s pro-field possibly
running me over, I found myself looking backwards more than I should have.
Jeremiah Bishop passed me in an early section of singletrack, and it was fun
trying to keep up with him for the brief few seconds I could still see
him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKYAXdLyC7vn9-V35ejMi1fChGiTWkrg_KhNVNcjN8MiMgEbLX8g74QgzwliCM4G0wNQajqhw6r4WdHbWnsaHTFnEpN6UPHK6dpmuCVzNM7c3-F4M2TYMqxdeHyRu3wFBCbFWW7tL3LTzs/s1600/start.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKYAXdLyC7vn9-V35ejMi1fChGiTWkrg_KhNVNcjN8MiMgEbLX8g74QgzwliCM4G0wNQajqhw6r4WdHbWnsaHTFnEpN6UPHK6dpmuCVzNM7c3-F4M2TYMqxdeHyRu3wFBCbFWW7tL3LTzs/s1600/start.jpg" height="320" width="314" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">About 1 minute to go<br />photo thanks to Gary Hoenhe</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The course started out right at base camp and headed
immediately to tight twisty singletrack before going to a trail along a stream
that had quite a bit of mud and exposed slippery roots on it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was pretty much it for the mud though.
From there, we were on a road for an exposed climb (whose idea was it for those
black kits anyhow??). <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That first road section was a good indicator of how I would
feel for much of the TT – hot and on the verge of exploding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There were some very cool sections of trail that stood out
to me. One was just after a road section, and as soon as I got to it, I
recalled Mike Wissell’s pre-race ‘pep-talk’ about the downhill that was so
steep that brakes would be completely useless. The look of fear on my face as I
went screaming down that must have been priceless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One of my favorite sections of trail was the enduro segment.
It had a long, long rocky downhill followed by a big tractor tire feature, some
pump track dirt mounds, and some really swoopy berms. Of course, stopping
during the race to swipe in and out was a little weird, but after I watched
almost the entire women’s field make their way past me while I was trying not
to explode on the road, I decided that I would make sure to stop and swipe at
every damn enduro segment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is summer camp, dammit, and participation is mandatory
(at least for me it is).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Towards the end of the course, there was an ‘east coast
rocks’ segment. I expected some pretty serious rock gardens because the rocks
on the enduro segment were pretty gnarly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But after a short section of small bumpy (and sharp) rocks, the rest of
the segment was just super tight singletrack that reminded me a lot of
something you’d see at Mendon Rd. in Sutton, MA.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, long story short (because I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">DO</i> need to prep for a race that’s going to start soon), I finished
11<sup>th</sup> out of 16 (7<sup>th</sup> in enduro and 6<sup>th</sup> in east
coast rocks). It wasn’t the start to the week I’d been hoping for, but it’s going
to be a long week. While I felt like I was going to completely explode, I
managed my efforts appropriately so I could save myself a little bit for today.
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Today’s race?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>About
40 miles with close to 6k feet of climbing. Hurt so good, right?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Oh yeah - side note: last night’s dinner was delicious
(various stir fry flavors), and this morning’s breakfast (everything
imaginable) was even better. The kitchen staff here is amazing, and that is a
gross understatement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
lizridesbikeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05633076372293126843noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7147184964939663293.post-46770060816761409152014-05-25T10:27:00.000-07:002014-05-25T10:27:46.990-07:00Destination: Singletrack Summer Camp 2014<div class="MsoNormal">
While I am patiently waiting for the first stage of #TSEpic
to begin, I thought I’d post an update on how things are going so far… </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
…this is going to be awesome.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The ride down with Gary from Death Row Velo was mostly
uneventful and filled with a combination of Pandora stations: dubstep, 80s
metal hairbands, and Stevie Wonder. Jesse’s Honda Element was packed to the
ceiling with stuff (mostly mine), and with four bikes on the back, it was
longer than a short bus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We got into town sometime after 3pm, claimed our spots in
Eagle Lodge, and quickly rolled out on our bikes to stretch our legs and check
out the first couple of miles of the 15 mile TT course (Stage 1). It’s tough to
say what the course is like because we only saw a small portion of it, but I
can say this: there is mud, the rocks are sharp, and the roots are slippery. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Shortly after our ride, we found Rachel (Bikeman) and helped
her unpack, and we met up with Leslie and Ben (Riverside Racing) for a group
dinner downtown of Thai food. Food choices? We all went with “safe.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
By the time we arrived back to camp, it was time for bed,
and I think we had lights out around 10:30. I think most people had a tough
time sleeping, but for once, I slept pretty well and somehow managed to stay in
bed until 7:30ish. And by 8am, just about everyone was up and bustling around
the lodge’s kitchen. Just about everyone staying here has a meal plan that
includes breakfast and dinner, but it doesn’t start until tonight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We spent the rest of the morning prepping our bikes and
checking in to pickup our schwag bags and electronic timing cards (we’ll use
those to scan in and out of the enduro segments).<o:p></o:p></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqcIsuyZUqei_vKwqOnh3UdWTNSbxzKIh16fMdwSuDP1YSpaa5oDZi2knB6J0AoS6BwQobSRIX5zXGLGT-MVYKryFgSjgQ8SFnajxFxvlBHaQX_FM-H2TRCt0R47llq-7PcDvV1G5dA4dk/s1600/schwag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqcIsuyZUqei_vKwqOnh3UdWTNSbxzKIh16fMdwSuDP1YSpaa5oDZi2knB6J0AoS6BwQobSRIX5zXGLGT-MVYKryFgSjgQ8SFnajxFxvlBHaQX_FM-H2TRCt0R47llq-7PcDvV1G5dA4dk/s1600/schwag.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The goods #TSEpic</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Apparently back in January, the company that processed our
registration entries lost all of the paperwork for the racers here, and that
put a whole bunch of confusion into who had signed up for what. For example, I
paid for a meal plan, but there was no record of that. Fortunately, they took
me at my word when I checked in today, or else I probably would not survive the
week. Also, there was a brief moment last night when it looked as though I
wouldn’t be rooming with Rachel, but that situation was easily settled (I feel
so bad for the promoters who are dealing with the mix-up from that registration
company).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For the rest of the day, I’ve been trying to get organized,
making friends with the Canadians we are living with on the lower level of
Eagle Lodge, and trying to stay calm. Seeing the starting order for the TT got
me a little freaked out as I took note of the fast women and men who would be
chasing me down as they come from behind, staggered at 30 second intervals. But
it’s all good. Today will be short compared to everything else we’ll be doing
this week. I’m focusing on a clean and efficient week of riding, starting
today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Our race meeting starts at 2pm… <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
…I should probably get dressed now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Stay tuned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
lizridesbikeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05633076372293126843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7147184964939663293.post-28609448543854392282014-05-22T12:11:00.002-07:002014-05-22T12:11:56.540-07:00TSE Prologue: Bible, Prep, Stages, and Jitters<div class="MsoNormal">
The <a href="http://outdoorexperience.org/tse/" target="_blank">Trans-Sylvania Epic</a> stage race is now a mere 3
days away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My bikes are ready, and
there’s nothing more that I can do to prepare myself physically besides get
sleep, stay hydrated, and try not to panic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Of course, reading the <u><a href="http://outdoorexperience.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/TSEpic_RaceBible-2014-LowRez.pdf" target="_blank">race bible</a></u> doesn’t really help
to quell my nerves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While I want to be
prepared so I know what to expect, knowing what to expect is also pretty scary.
I think I’ll feel better once I’ve got the car all packed up and checked
everything off my TSE packing list spreadsheet (maybe not).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You might be wondering what exactly this “stage race thing”
entails.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> I'll try to break it down to the basics...</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
...each day there’s a new and totally different MTB race event.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Day 1 – Sunday:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
12:15pm - 15 mile time trial (1,600ft of climbing)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Day 2 – Monday:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
9:30am – 41 mile endurance cross-country (5,892ft)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Day 3 – Tuesday<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
10:00am – 22 miles with 5-timed enduro sections (3,553ft)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Day 4 – Wednesday<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
9:30am – 40 mile endurance cross-country (4,396ft)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Day 5 – Thursday<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
10:30am – 31 mile primitive cross-country (3,957ft)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Day 6 – Friday<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
9:30am – 42 mile endurance cross-country (4,883ft)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Day 7 – Satruday<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
9:30am – 26 mile endurance cross-country (2,455ft)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Interspersed throughout each day of racing are enduro
segments – some are downhill enduros and others are sections of rock
garden.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Basically, you swipe some sort
of fob at the start and finish of each section, and your times go towards those
either the enduro or “east coast rocks” category.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The most important part of the race is finishing each day
before the time cut-off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you don’t
make it, you’re no longer in the running for the overall race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can still line-up and race, but you
automatically get a DNF in the grand scheme of things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you want to get more details about each stage, or maybe
follow along on the race news all week, <a href="http://outdoorexperience.org/tse/" target="_blank">hit up the site</a>. I’m going to
try to post a short personal update daily here on the blog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My plan for the week?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Ride smooth, avoid getting sucked into race mode, and do my own thing so
that I can finish each day without any major problems. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Tonight I trade my Mini for <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesse Q’s Honda Element so I can spend
tomorrow filling it with all of the random bits I might and might not need. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tomorrow I will also purchase copious amounts
of food, ride my bike for a bit, and raid <u><a href="http://www.bikect.com/" target="_blank">DAS</a> </u>for CO2 cartridges, tubes,
and lube.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And Saturday, I will pickup
Gary, watch while he attempts to fit his stuff in the already overloaded car,
and make my way down to PA for a week of adult MTB sleep-away race camp.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s going to be epic; thus the name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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lizridesbikeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05633076372293126843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7147184964939663293.post-64169555202270578642014-05-14T13:00:00.001-07:002014-05-14T13:00:26.330-07:00Race Recap X 5 (aka: The Longest Blog Post of All Time): KOB TT, SSAP, Rasputitsa, 6-Hours at the Game, and TVR<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Dear reader,<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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This may take awhile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Please f</span>eel free to skip through to the end and simply comment on how long it
took you to scroll all the down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thanks in advance for reading (or just scrolling). <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
And if there are typos of any kind, get over it. Would you want to proofread this after you wrote it? <br />
<br />
Didn't think so. </div>
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<h2>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Race Recap (x5…and
then some)</span></b></h2>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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Once again, I’ve failed to report in on what’s been going on
in my super exciting life…<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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…that’s because it’s been just so super exciting that I
haven’t been able to devote any time to writing about it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course, I started a draft about a month
ago, but that was only because I was trapped as a passenger in a car for four
hours and didn’t feel like doing any more homework.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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So here goes . . .<o:p></o:p></div>
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<h2>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">KOB TT</span></b></h2>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha-vZ-vNKEG66qKcbA3oU9TyTFcO-hw7nB-fuk6rOUfwuIfS2K4uv8Dlptr7Fpew_wx3LrpdHWVJlYD4wB_8IaI8dWUwxPkRFATz2p0OPhaPtRlROaS-lFgEx52mQQPczG5ROqNoyZOSh5/s1600/KOB+TT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha-vZ-vNKEG66qKcbA3oU9TyTFcO-hw7nB-fuk6rOUfwuIfS2K4uv8Dlptr7Fpew_wx3LrpdHWVJlYD4wB_8IaI8dWUwxPkRFATz2p0OPhaPtRlROaS-lFgEx52mQQPczG5ROqNoyZOSh5/s1600/KOB+TT.jpg" height="400" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">King of Burlingame TT <br />
photo by Glenn Anderson</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I kicked off my race season with a swim at Burlingame State
Park. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Swim? <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Well, technically it was a mountain bike time trial, but legendary
levels of rainfall left the course more suitable to a kayak race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I rode my rigid singlespeed up against some
stellar <u><a href="http://www.bikect.com/" target="_blank">DAS</a></u> teammates and the blazing fast, young cyclocross champ,
Ellen Noble who took the win on a bike more suitable for that course. <o:p></o:p></div>
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That early season (March 30<sup>th</sup>) race consisted of
some leg-shredding tech sections, white water <o:p></o:p></div>
rapids, and floating bridges.
It’s one that will be talked about for a long time to come as people attempt to
compare wet conditions to “that time we rode against a raging current for 9
miles” (or whatever distance that was). <br />
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<br /></div>
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Two weeks later (April 13<sup>th</sup>) I lined up to start
another race on my singlespeed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
time, it was the perfect bike choice because <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">everyone was doing it</i>. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<h2>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">SSAP</span></b></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Singlespeed-a-Palooza (presented by Dark Horse Cycles at
Steward State Forest in the Montgomery, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
NY area) is likely going to remain of
my favorite races of the season as it did last year. I made the drive out to
Dark Horse on Saturday before the race with SSAP first-timer, Tim Hall where we
met up with a bunch of amazing people, including a handful of DAS racers and
many other significantly awesome folks.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUTqzhGVUzyVyAua-Sb_ddnLG8qhxVKyMqZA-S8KeathIZdixk0ZQxymbhxyI4BoVTZn8fFNhsC0eTZy1yro-ow4E5JNqLAxyY7tShiWhY4fLZsXf-5Cd3iA44XRc9C8Pk2yGEvBQB54bj/s1600/ssap+-+cigs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUTqzhGVUzyVyAua-Sb_ddnLG8qhxVKyMqZA-S8KeathIZdixk0ZQxymbhxyI4BoVTZn8fFNhsC0eTZy1yro-ow4E5JNqLAxyY7tShiWhY4fLZsXf-5Cd3iA44XRc9C8Pk2yGEvBQB54bj/s1600/ssap+-+cigs.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a><o:p> </o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Here’s how it all went down:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Saturday we pre-rode a good chunk of the course and followed that up <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
with
a big group of DAS-peeps dining and drinking at a local Irish pub. Rather than
turn in early for a good night’s rest, we chose optimum fun at the most
happening spot in town – the backyard of Dark Horse Cycles. There was a bonfire,
an array of hoppy beverages (thanks to Clark Brothers Racing and their Moat
Mountain sponsor), and some of the very best people you could ever meet.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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Needless to say, there were a few of us who had enough of a
buzz to think that riding around town looking for fun would be a good idea. </div>
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<br /></div>
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We
quickly found out our idea of fun was not shared by the people whose wedding
reception we briefly disrupted, and we shamefully retired to a very brief
night’s sleep.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The racecourse was fun and flowy as always but a bit muddier
than last year, therefore much slower.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
ran the same gearing (32x18), and felt a whole lot better on it this year –
likely due to the fact that my SS is all I’d been riding. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The first stretch of the race, a dirt road stretch designed
to break up the packs of racers before hitting the singletrack, turned out to
be the deciding factor for me. I went as fast as I could there, going back and
forth with Katina Walker and Jocelyn Linscott (super endurance singlespeed
allstar) for the first spot going into the woods. There was a prime up for
grabs, and I figured I might as well go for it. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyyRlERddYtCCMdXbpCWUjY1UVuhnSlSnRcP9CNFKR5vsqDHeQgFByB-XwRUxAdtzUAX13dhm5ROzPFfvEdXa8xvKnF7GBsSIFPKyvg09jTrlWtp3_Khr8wiyZGsS9kWYSn0iLfiC2oZjB/s1600/ssap+-+winnings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyyRlERddYtCCMdXbpCWUjY1UVuhnSlSnRcP9CNFKR5vsqDHeQgFByB-XwRUxAdtzUAX13dhm5ROzPFfvEdXa8xvKnF7GBsSIFPKyvg09jTrlWtp3_Khr8wiyZGsS9kWYSn0iLfiC2oZjB/s1600/ssap+-+winnings.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SSAP winnings - thanks, Dark Horse Cycles!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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The singletrack immediately met us with a bunch of sport
class riders who were either more than willing to let us by or completely
obnoxious about it with their radios playing so loud in their camelbaks that
they couldn’t hear us coming (not cool, guys). Needless to say, the traffic
must have worked to my advantage as I quickly learned how to ask for a chance
to pass (“I’m looking to pass when there’s a chance” or “I’m coming up on your
right” – simple, yet not something I’m used to doing).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Long story short (or shorter than it could
be), I won the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The after-party was kickass – barbecue buffet, beers,
buddies, and some sweet prizes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So what’s the only thing that I was (and still am)
disappointed about that day? Actually, there are two things: (1) my SS buddy
Melissa wasn’t there because some f-bag in a car decided to send her to the
pavement a couple days before the race, and (2) nobody else made the effort to
wear something fancy. I felt very lonely in my fancy blouse, purple shorts, and
fanny pack (with a pack of Marlboro’s hanging out for effect). Next year I’d
better see some classy fashion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The weather that weekend was phenomenal and perfect for
tent-dwelling.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And then the following weekend was different . . .<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h2>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Rasputitsa</span></b></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What!? <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">How do you even
SAY THAT!?</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
*** If you are still reading, you might want to take a break
and come back . . .<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
. . .we aren’t even close to done yet.***<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Every now and then, you have to get out of your comfort zone
and test yourself in a way that’s likely to leave you feeling significantly
inept and pathetic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That’s why I signed up for a road race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And it wasn’t just any road race; it was one of those trendy
dirt road fiascos where they named the race, “Rasputitsa,” which is Russian for
the mud season in Russia where the roads become mostly impassible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
While the roads of this particular race were mostly
passible, there was one section called, “Cyberia” that forced most people off
of their bikes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That section began
gently with some easy patches of snow, ice, and mud, but it quickly gave way to
what can only be described as a washed out river bed, interspersed with chunks
of ice, river stones, running water, and of course, mud.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn’t long before the terrain became a
climb, and the bike race morphed into a snowy, icy hike uphill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But don’t worry; the walk uphill was well worth it; that’s
because, at the apex, we were met with a support crew (including a yeti)
offering shots of fresh maple syrup in ice cube shot glasses. There was also an
amazing view.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The rest of the race was more of the dirt roads interspersed
with sections of pavement that we’d seen in the first half of the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At one point, we found ourselves pelted with
tiny balls of ice about the size of corn kernels. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I spent much of the race riding by myself. I didn’t really
have a plan going into this race, but I probably should have thought about it a
little harder ahead of time and stuck to one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A plan would have prevented me from riding into the wind all day
singing, “All by myself.” <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This event pushed me to do a few things that a mountain bike
race does not usually do (at least for <o:p></o:p></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA0vXR0CMmtAbeG1_wcwMW5qD37ZPlzrBfOVnAE28gXa0liqeszTJ5vpUdzfPt5fboCdz4-heF66dCiNwcq9xDp548qb7FmH-CIFXP0km7cC8gSVFMmVktHnQhQSYcv68AAt8HAemFlKHI/s1600/rasputitsa+breakfast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA0vXR0CMmtAbeG1_wcwMW5qD37ZPlzrBfOVnAE28gXa0liqeszTJ5vpUdzfPt5fboCdz4-heF66dCiNwcq9xDp548qb7FmH-CIFXP0km7cC8gSVFMmVktHnQhQSYcv68AAt8HAemFlKHI/s1600/rasputitsa+breakfast.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My traveling companions: Tim, Jesse, and David<br />
Breakfast Club</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
me): (1) Sit and spin – sometimes its
good to just sit down in the saddle, spin your legs, and keep a good pace; (2)
push a hard gear for an extended period time; (3) settle in behind someone
every now and then and enjoy being out of the wind – I failed miserably at this;
and (4) ride a cyclocross bike.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Back in town, we were met with one of the best after parties
I’ve had the pleasure of enjoying (second to the one at SSAP).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a well-stocked buffet and a cash
bar, and it was inside a large building on Main Street in downtown Newport –
right next to the start/finish area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I enjoyed chatting with friends, stretching my aching back
(Cyberia was rough), and watching the finishers arrive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My time was 3:28:57, about 40 minutes behind
the winning women’s time of 2:48:38 (Lyne Bessette). <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When I signed up I had intentions of treating this as a race,
but with my lack of experience on the road, I knew there was no way I was
attempting to hang up front. About a mile into the race I knew that if I was
going to put in a race effort, it wasn’t going to be then. I typically need a
good 30-60 minutes of warm-up to feel good, so it was a little disappointing to
watch everyone ride away from me. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The best parts of that race were before it, after it, and
the day following because all of those parts consisted a friends and a lot of
laughing. Have you ever seen The Girl Code on MTV?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But my travel companions and I stayed up late learning lots of extremely
important things about women from that educational program.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
***Still reading!???<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I hope you are taking notes for the quiz afterwards.***<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h2>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Crazy F-ing Hundred </b>(that
did not happen)</span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’d planned months ago to do a renegade epic mountain bike
race on April 26<sup>th</sup> (complete with absolutely no support), out in Big
River, Arcadia, and Pachaug.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Unfortunately, a combination of busy schedules, lack of planning, no
childcare, and shit-tastic weather forced this ‘race’ to become a ride. A fast
group of guys dragged me about for 40ish miles in Big River and Arcadia, and
that was plenty. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
While I was initially disappointed at the lack of mileage, I
made up for it the following weekend.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h2>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">6 Hours at The Game </b>(Efta’s
Battle at Burlingame – long version)</span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I signed up for the Battle at Burlingame when the race
entries fees were ridiculously low, and then a couple of weeks later, they announced
a 6-hour version of the race. I promptly emailed the promoter (the wicked
awesome Kathy Robbins) to have her switch my race entry and sent her an
additional small sum of money. This race was a bargain!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghVCveVD5aQsUvgo2sUtrvaZ66OONnYmpdMbpWRgKqdWB-USe_OOqzslBfNwJoCytpfdZ1Ag0VG7nxS8izHiJz6g0iRalGJ_Nw8iV1Gha-yLDZFXn92hIEZC0YAIE-HUz-g4YSLThDKAbN/s1600/6-hours+-+Tam+Lynn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghVCveVD5aQsUvgo2sUtrvaZ66OONnYmpdMbpWRgKqdWB-USe_OOqzslBfNwJoCytpfdZ1Ag0VG7nxS8izHiJz6g0iRalGJ_Nw8iV1Gha-yLDZFXn92hIEZC0YAIE-HUz-g4YSLThDKAbN/s1600/6-hours+-+Tam+Lynn.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">6-Hours at the Game<br />
photo by Tamara Wong</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Fortunately, the weather that day was favorable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Long story short, the course was a nice combo
of the KOB TT loop and Battle’s XC race loop, and I managed to get in 4 laps in
about 6:08 for a total of approximately 60 miles and a 2<sup>nd</sup> place
finish to the ever-powerful Karen Potter (aka, my mentor for TSE). <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Of course, I had no idea Karen was even out there racing
because (1) I didn’t see her at the start, and <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
(2) I recall her mentioning to
me months before that she’d be doing the XC race that day. So when she heckled
me as she passed me while I was stopped grabbing a banana in between laps 2 and
3, I just thought she was out warming up for her race. Funny. I eventually
figured it all out. <br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Most notable moment in the race?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finishing. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I should also note that this was my first race on the Kona
Hei Hei Supreme, a supremely awesome bike that absolutely shreds anything and
everything on the trail. I’m learning to appreciate a new sensation on the bike
– gliding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Of course, a race like that must immediately be followed up
with a 5 day training block from hell that begins with a brutally technical XC
mountain bike race, right?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Right…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h2>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Team Bums’ Treasure
Valley Rally (EFTA): aka TVR</span></b></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
… and that’s just what I did beginning Saturday (I am
writing this <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">mostly</i> on
Wednesday).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One of my very favorite local races happened earlier in the
season than usual <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and</i> on a Saturday
this year. What’s even better: it did not fall on a date where I’m away for TSE
(like the Gnar Weasels race, unfortunately). <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Last year, the course was dry and fast, and I raced my rigid
singlespeed. It hurt so much that I didn’t ride that bike again for over a
month.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikEYj_Wt10xZ_M_S29TURNj9KeJZNL0aLdoBPqkbE5PEfm0X-sPcqHsVO9XhUSFjbidLt00HwgnxnB1N8EZ-abx3mj0_DlbqXOwJ5XwBhSPQWfgPP9dBAZIXBLELaRUNQNV3ANszAC1llc/s1600/TVR-Tam+Lynn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikEYj_Wt10xZ_M_S29TURNj9KeJZNL0aLdoBPqkbE5PEfm0X-sPcqHsVO9XhUSFjbidLt00HwgnxnB1N8EZ-abx3mj0_DlbqXOwJ5XwBhSPQWfgPP9dBAZIXBLELaRUNQNV3ANszAC1llc/s1600/TVR-Tam+Lynn.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">TVR<br />
photo by Tamara Wong</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Since I’m working to get comfortable on the Kona before TSE
arrives, and because I really didn’t want to blow my elbows out two weeks
before Singletrack Summer Camp (the other name for TSE), I enjoyed a nice cushy
ride around the course this year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But as anyone who has raced this course is aware, there is
nothing cushy about it – even if your bike <o:p></o:p></div>
is a couch. Overnight rain left the
already gnarly course greasy and extra challenging. <br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was delighted to see 8 women lined up at the start of the
elite race (including myself), and I managed a strong start. Of course, that
didn’t last long because I made the silly mistake of testing a new position for
my water bottle. No sooner had we started hammering singletrack (where I was
surprisingly in 2<sup>nd </sup>position) and the bottle fell out. I had no
choice but to stop because loosing liquid then would have meant disaster
later.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I lost a few spots there,
immediately picked one back up, and then settled in 5<sup>th</sup> for much of
the race. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The first lap was spent in a constant state of flustered
because I had suddenly and tragically forgotten how to ride my bike in tech. I
tried to regain my focus, free my mind, and let my body do what it knows how to
do on a bike. My goals for lap 2: loosen up, ride more (and walk less) than I
had on the last lap, and get my head back in the game. Fortunately, the course
was drying out.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
By the final ½ lap (elite racers complete 2.5 laps), I’d
finally started to figure out how to ride my bike, and I somehow unleashed some
extra speed and strength. I finally caught back up with Mo, who I’d lost sight
of during the shit show that was my first lap, and I managed to pass her and
power on to the finish in 4<sup>th</sup>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
While my time was about the same as last year’s, the
conditions proved to be pretty harsh on everyone else too, and everyone was
slower.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I heard a few complaints about
the amount of time it took to race TVR, but there are no complaints from
me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In my opinion, an XC race should not
take 1.5 hours; it should take 2.5 or more. But that’s why I’m racing endurance
events this year – save the short races for cyclocross.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2O5R_pPFLkF7fqylcy-pIV14gVR50BvzmE9nrnlNftdJUyERwFpxGzz5sA3AeqM1MYz7BB9TlQ9RrRMaqcIZb8UIzOnnYA0MYoQDAV7kho8_0cqKqzoJBTblLMI5cLc6LiRiQ__VMEkvd/s1600/karen+-+uxbridge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2O5R_pPFLkF7fqylcy-pIV14gVR50BvzmE9nrnlNftdJUyERwFpxGzz5sA3AeqM1MYz7BB9TlQ9RrRMaqcIZb8UIzOnnYA0MYoQDAV7kho8_0cqKqzoJBTblLMI5cLc6LiRiQ__VMEkvd/s1600/karen+-+uxbridge.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Karen at the Uxbridge lookout spot</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So…what’s next?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On Sunday, I let Karen drag my sorry tired (and sore) butt
around the trails of Uxbridge, MA – an <o:p></o:p></div>
amazing combo of trails that give you a
bit of everything imaginable, including more tech. After 3+ hours, I was ready
to put my feet up and not do a damn thing all day. It was mother’s day, my
school semester had ended Friday, and anything else that needed to be done
could freakin’ wait! <br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This was the second day in a 5 day training block designed
to make me suffer in preparation for TSE, and suffer I did…along with Monday
night and Tuesday night. Tonight’s suffering will be the ultimate though – I
have to do my workout on the trainer because I need to simultaneously spend
time with Skyler. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The big race is just a week and a half away now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s going to be amazing, and I need to give
a big thank you to everyone who dragged me around on their wheel helping me
prepare for this – especially those of you who conceded to joining me for
ridiculously early morning rides. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h2>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">One last thing</span></b></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This school semester was intense. I think I made it through
unscathed, but grades aren’t posted yet. I’ve already gotten started at my
summer internship (paid) working in a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Drosophila</i>
(fruit fly) lab at UMASS.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a sweet
gig in the neurobiology department, and I’ll be learning some cool stuff
relating to genetics and of course, neurobiology. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When the summer is over, I’ll go back to my other internship
(also paid) as a writer and my FINAL SEMESTER at Eastern where I’ll be taking
only two classes (one with a lab), doing research in an independent study, and
working as a TA for a course on stem cells and regenerative medicine. This
might seem like a hefty workload, but I assure you, this is going to be pretty
damn sweet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m thinking I’ll avoid cyclocross racing as much as
possible and extend the mountain bike racing through December. I’m taking
recommendations for races to put on the calendar after August (Bradbury is
already in mind) . . .<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
PS - for some sweet video coverage of Rasputitsa, 6-Hours at the Game, and TVR, hit this site: <a href="http://dirtwire.tv/">Dirtwire.tv</a></div>
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lizridesbikeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05633076372293126843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7147184964939663293.post-69363842567368633732014-02-09T13:13:00.000-08:002014-02-09T13:13:43.202-08:00Quick update on commuting . . . After 2 fantastic weeks of commuting weather (back when I started this), CT got a little bit of snow. Then real winter hit us. <div>
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It's been cold, and I was ill-equipped to deal with it. Plus, my last commute left me with 3 days of lower back pain (due to riding with a very heavy backpack). So I haven't been riding to school.</div>
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In the meantime, I've made an <a href="http://www.bikect.com/" target="_blank">investment in panniers</a> and some Bar Mitts, and I'm in the process of setting up my Redline CX bike as a dedicated commuter. </div>
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Donnie from DAS is letting me borrow his Kona Kapu for use on the trainer/rollers so I won't have to switch the commuter back and forth from an indoor rig to an outdoor rig all the time. That will make life <i>much</i> easier.</div>
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Also, I made some discoveries on campus this week:</div>
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<ol>
<li>There is a locker room in the athletic complex that <i>anyone</i> can use - not just athletes (this is in addition to the team-only locker room, and it is not really a well-known feature of ECSU which is why nobody told me about it when I was asking around). This means access to a locker for storage of "stuff" and the ability to shower.</li>
<li>The spin bikes in the athletic complex are actually nice. I did an interval workout on them in between classes and work on Tuesday, and that's going to be a key training tool for me this semester until it gets warmer and the roads clear a bit (there's a perfect place to do hills on the road bike nearby).</li>
</ol>
<div>
So now I just need to figure out a way to store food on campus, and I'll be all set. I have permission to leave some items in an alcove of the biology department's office wing, but I don't want to leave anything perishable there. A refrigerator drawer would be ideal. I'll have to make-do with the gold mine I've found this week (lockers, showers, and spin bikes).</div>
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Now, I want to get back to commuting this week, but the forecast is looking like typical New England winter weather. Snow overnight tonight, and snow/rain all day on Thursday (Mondays and Thursdays are the days that I'm best able to commute right now). I might end up trying for Tuesday instead. </div>
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Despite whatever happens this week, warmer days are coming. </div>
</div>
lizridesbikeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05633076372293126843noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7147184964939663293.post-87888949097310804352014-01-13T16:28:00.001-08:002014-01-13T16:28:10.046-08:00Commuting: Day 1 Recap . . . I've already got a lot of homework to do (first day of the spring semester), but here's a quick follow-up on how the first ride into school went for me . . . <div>
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My morning got a little delayed because Skyler's bus never showed, and I had to drive her to school. Luckily, that still left me with plenty of time. </div>
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<br /></div>
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I opted for the Fate - my 29er hardtail mountain bike. The front fork is blown out, but I can still lock it out, so it's perfect for commuting (or so I thought). Somehow, I managed to fit all of my necessities into my backpack. It was stuffed, and it was heavy. </div>
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I've decided a partial commute is all that's going to work for me right now. I can't justify spending 4 hours of my day riding my bike to and from school/work. That's absurd. But 2 hours? 1 out and 1 back? That's good stuff.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsSg9rvJ702VTlS1_W4-cLayw-RXE13-IOYv6Bfx5-3D8BgwHE-Ksl_TL3FvFRxeUMOx0eZeQyMFKaQGrzYtYZeIMF13qxsiI9SXR4GO_AIQIawRGGa_OImECq_WeECdE5ab-Lu8cHCV7f/s1600/commute.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsSg9rvJ702VTlS1_W4-cLayw-RXE13-IOYv6Bfx5-3D8BgwHE-Ksl_TL3FvFRxeUMOx0eZeQyMFKaQGrzYtYZeIMF13qxsiI9SXR4GO_AIQIawRGGa_OImECq_WeECdE5ab-Lu8cHCV7f/s320/commute.jpg" width="320" /></a>The ride to school was the stuff that good dreams are made of. The airline trail was mostly hard from the overnight freeze, and surprisingly drier than I've seen it in the middle of the summer. Also, I should probably note here: the ride towards Willimantic from Hampton is ever-so-slightly downhill. It was a fast and glorious ride to school. </div>
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<br /></div>
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I found a conspicuous location for my bike, locked it, and hung my clothes (and food) on it. Then I left a note that read, "To whom it may concern, If there is a problem with me leaving my things here, please call..." Nobody called. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Since it's the first week of school, we don't have any labs. So I mostly hung around all afternoon waiting for my 7pm class... then I found out that was cancelled too. </div>
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<br /></div>
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I left school around 3:30-3:45, and set out for the airline trail. But before I made it, I had a close encounter with a handicapped driver. Fortunately, I sensed a car slowing down alongside of me before the #*@% made a righthand turn directly in front of me. She missed me by inches. I yelled. </div>
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<br /></div>
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When I finally made it to the airline trail, I was eager to get into a groove and relax. Yeah well, it got warm out today, so what was wonderful this morning was soft and miserable this afternoon. My backpack felt like it weighed more than earlier as it threatened to bury me in my tracks. Plus, the return meant that I was going up a very slight incline. I suffered in the worst way. </div>
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<br /></div>
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FYI - the weight of a backpack is not just a problem for the back; it's also a problem for the buttocks. Imagine weighing an extra 20lbs. Now imagine spending some time in the saddle. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Anyhow, it was a pleasure to meet my friend, Liz just as I went through the underpass of route 6 - having someone to follow was nice. (Thanks for that). </div>
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So, day 1 is done. Now to figure out the next day that this will be feasible.</div>
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<div>
I'm definitely going to need panniers. And I've been given some tips on how to make my own Bar Mitts, so I'm going to try that soon. Also, I'm going to have to take my cross bike off the trainer and use that, but fortunately, Donnie D ( "CEO" of <a href="http://www.bikect.com/" target="_blank">Danielson Adventure Sports</a>) has offered to let me use his steel road bike on my trainer. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Until next time . . . </div>
lizridesbikeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05633076372293126843noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7147184964939663293.post-78977006861859672732014-01-10T14:46:00.000-08:002014-01-10T14:46:03.505-08:00Bike-Commuting: I Need to Start<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">For a while now, I've been doing a lot of yammering
on about how, one of these days, I'm going to start commuting to work and/or
school by bike.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Like everybody (except the people who actually commute), I've had tons
of excuses over the years for why that hasn't actually happened (with the
exception of the<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> very</i> few occasions
when I <i>did</i> commute). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSRb9rBm9c_1gWlBX4yV2mX2oUR5IQp7psWbNncrFX3jLJb_S9bYcp7aZfWgdorpWUyTzQ4YVfjTMZdGErZZkJAwZLo4QXehHp1WA1IqdgPXqIGPZYHZLY1q0B0RnhoYf89pLULwjrenoI/s1600/1.10.14+pic-bikes+at+ecsu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSRb9rBm9c_1gWlBX4yV2mX2oUR5IQp7psWbNncrFX3jLJb_S9bYcp7aZfWgdorpWUyTzQ4YVfjTMZdGErZZkJAwZLo4QXehHp1WA1IqdgPXqIGPZYHZLY1q0B0RnhoYf89pLULwjrenoI/s1600/1.10.14+pic-bikes+at+ecsu.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The current bike lock-up option at ECSU. Doing it wrong.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Beside the fact that I need to get my 10 year-old off to school in the
morning, I also need to carry schoolbooks, lunch, and clothing. There's
nowhere at Eastern for me to keep anything, so what I bring has to stay with me
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">all </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">day </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">long.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">I <i>did</i> send an email to the Dean of students in the hopes
that he'll direct me to someone who's in charge of university planning and spending.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Of course, </span>I made sure to mention that ECSU
is one of the “greenest schools in the state,” and that they could do better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I suggested that they get some <u><a href="http://www.bikegard.net/" target="_blank">bikelockers</a></u>, and I even provided them a bunch of links. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">But let’s get real.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m going to
be done with school in December, I need a place to keep my bike <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">now</i>, and there aren’t going to be any
really awesome solutions anytime soon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">So, here’s what I’m going to do: I’m going to bring my bike into the
basement of the science building, and lock it up there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m going to ask someone if I can have access
to a closet, or a cupboard, or something where I can keep some food and clean
clothes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not going to take “no” for
an answer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I’m going to try to ride
in at least 2 days per week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcWnnONLsFsF_5JXAyBVsTddidXzjES7FieQOAEhScrWt2J_fzEqxTvCDy_fFZW-8Z8yTvFaRmh4HjbJs1Mmi4xTXqoDI9g0dMmhcB6PyEz5T7f2fEHW5CuWJNpqYPY-tgi9gNE-f1kxIM/s1600/1.10.14+pic-tandem.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcWnnONLsFsF_5JXAyBVsTddidXzjES7FieQOAEhScrWt2J_fzEqxTvCDy_fFZW-8Z8yTvFaRmh4HjbJs1Mmi4xTXqoDI9g0dMmhcB6PyEz5T7f2fEHW5CuWJNpqYPY-tgi9gNE-f1kxIM/s1600/1.10.14+pic-tandem.jpg" height="320" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A photo I found on the web. Doing it weird.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Now, I’ve got two options for where I’m going to start my commute.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One is in Brooklyn, CT – I have to drop my
daughter off there anyhow, so I could just “park and ride.” I could probably
even keep my bike there if I wanted to in between commute days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The other option is to start at Goodwin and take the airline trail into
Willimantic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Starting from Brooklyn, I’d be taking a lot of dirt roads and eventually
the airline trail too, but I’d have to ride on Route 6 for a stretch
(dangerous, even by car).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Google maps
estimates that trip to take about 2 hours, but I’m guessing, it would be a
little less.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">From Goodwin, it looks like the ride is about 10 miles, and G-maps
estimates that at <i>just</i> under an hour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Based on the handful of times I’ve ridden that stretch in the past, I
know I can do it in about 45 minutes if I push.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><i>But</i> I wasn’t carrying a bunch of crap when I rode it then either.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">If I’m going to give this a whirl, this coming week will be the week to try
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, Monday looks ideal – first
day of the spring semester, no homework to worry about yet, and decent
weather.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"><o:p> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXoiWdx_HEoL7vDBe-TP5WE5mRg2m6lAz-76dJ91xqpoJsscIHEe5JesbiBf3Bv7oY7nossqnnqOY8jTI65WEbl02H5rUCg8N1aIowenhbCKGY8_7kJb7OQh1FgH-Wh-fV9GmWTnWwBg-W/s1600/1.10.14+pic-downtown+boulder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXoiWdx_HEoL7vDBe-TP5WE5mRg2m6lAz-76dJ91xqpoJsscIHEe5JesbiBf3Bv7oY7nossqnnqOY8jTI65WEbl02H5rUCg8N1aIowenhbCKGY8_7kJb7OQh1FgH-Wh-fV9GmWTnWwBg-W/s1600/1.10.14+pic-downtown+boulder.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Downtown Boulder, CO. Doing it right. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">I finally have all the gear I really need (winter riding shoes, YES!). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But there are just TWO more things that I’m probably going to want if I really commit to this: 1) Fenders, because DIRT, and 2) Bar
Mitts, because COLD.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here’s hoping this commuting thing sticks so I can pimp my ride.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Now, beside the fact that this is going to be good for me, I’ll save a
crap-load of money on fuel, and I’ll get to ride my bike more often (making me
a more tolerable person).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Plus, other people
commute all the time, and that is pretty darn inspiring - role models are so great. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">One of these "people" is my buddy, Steve. After asking him for a few
commuter tips (he’s been commuting regularly for years now), he went above and
beyond by dishing out a 4-part blog series.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Here’s part 1: <u><a href="http://porkbellyracing.blogspot.com/2014/01/everything-you-never-wanted-to-know.html" target="_blank">The Intro</a></u><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Then came: <u><a href="http://porkbellyracing.blogspot.com/2014/01/part-2-of-stuff-most-of-you-dont-care.html" target="_blank">Food</a><o:p></o:p></u></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">This one is pretty detailed, and very helpful: <u><a href="http://porkbellyracing.blogspot.com/2014/01/part-3-gear-this-might-actually-be.html" target="_blank">Gear</a></u><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">And this one is my absolute favorite: <a href="http://porkbellyracing.blogspot.com/2014/01/lets-play-guess-whats-in-my-bag-game.html" target="_blank">What’s in the bag?</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">But that’s not all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Via the
ever-amazing Twitter, Steve introduced me to @ryantkelly who wrote this: <a href="http://exit17.net/2012/09/19/ask-ryan-a-question-commuting-to-work/" target="_blank">how to commute to work by bike.</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFihI-UEaA5chB5i6XygDcusP_BYi0Gn0nauhS5s6tx9m0ww0qqiw_eNK8KwTT5fb4YgMGuTYOh5FipMVUNmXcJN-ppQvUZtT_KQmmVwrcI1iK2YmpLf5liykIsRa1faFPcnmlRcRth2-G/s1600/1.10.14+Everti_Bike_Commute.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFihI-UEaA5chB5i6XygDcusP_BYi0Gn0nauhS5s6tx9m0ww0qqiw_eNK8KwTT5fb4YgMGuTYOh5FipMVUNmXcJN-ppQvUZtT_KQmmVwrcI1iK2YmpLf5liykIsRa1faFPcnmlRcRth2-G/s1600/1.10.14+Everti_Bike_Commute.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I stole this pic from the <a href="http://blog.seattlepi.com/velocity/2008/07/05/new-trend-in-bicycle-commuting/" target="_blank">here</a>. Doing it right x3.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Anything, and probably everything you want to know about commuting is in
one of those links.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Now comes the real challenge… <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">…walking the talk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or in this
case, riding it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">That’s where this bunch of yammering comes in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I say it on the internet, it means I have
to do it, right?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">So if you’re reading this, I want to know: 1) What are your excuses, 2)
If you do commute, please tell me your secrets, and 3) Do you want to take the
challenge to start this week?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
lizridesbikeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05633076372293126843noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7147184964939663293.post-3806928404706787612013-10-28T17:11:00.002-07:002013-10-28T17:11:49.939-07:00The off (awful) season . . .You may be wondering if I dropped off the face of the earth.<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Or perhaps you haven't wondered it all... </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
...you probably have better things to do than read this blog, but every time I post, you get sucked in because, like a really fantabulous NASCAR race, you are hoping to see a crash.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Well, I won't keep you waiting then.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Crash: </div>
<div>
Taking five classes with four labs is crazy f-ing business!! If you want to have any sort of free time <i>whatsoever</i>, you will never do such a thing. Fortunately, I knew what I was getting into, so I am doing my best not to have a nervous breakdown and not to bitch about it (too much). </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So let's move on... nothing more to see here.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So things have been a little crazy in these parts. I'm just coming off a weekend of writing 3 lab reports and cramming for an exam... meanwhile, I've neglected to produce another 5 pages towards my senior thesis for English or prepare for any of the three labs I have tomorrow. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Yet here I am writing this... </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
But I had to. You see, I've missed writing about my adventures. More importantly, I miss <i>having</i> adventures. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
That's why I'm spending a few precious minutes writing this. I am preparing for next year's adventures. I haven't planned too much yet, but the key to racing in 2014 is going to be <i>planning</i>. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So here's what I'm looking forward to (so far):</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Singlespeed-a-palooza</li>
<li>The <a href="http://www.tsepic.com/" target="_blank">Tran-sylvania Mountain Bike Epic</a> - it's 7 days of racing and it's going to take a lot of planning to be ready. </li>
<li>A top-secret (maybe not so secret if I'm posting it here) renegade hundred in the backwoods of Rhode Island and CT at the end of April (just in time for finals).</li>
<li>The <a href="http://patapsco100.com/" target="_blank">Patapsco 100</a> - you bet your ass I'm doing that again! </li>
</ul>
There's a chance I might do a bit of the NUE series next year (only races close to home), and I fully intend to call the MTB season quits at the end of August and train for 'cross! </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Yup, you read that right... </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I want to put in some effort for a season and see what it's like to be in shape racing 'cross. I already know what it's like to be out of shape, and that's even kind of fun. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
What I'm hoping to get out of this post are some suggestions about what races I ought to add to the calendar for 2014... so go ahead, tell me... </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
In the meantime, I'm going to read about whatever it is I'm doing with chicken fetuses in lab tomorrow... </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
...scrambled eggs? </div>
lizridesbikeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05633076372293126843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7147184964939663293.post-84614718162904428702013-08-22T19:34:00.000-07:002013-08-22T19:34:28.395-07:00Hampshire 100 (2013 edition)<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p> </o:p><i>(WARNING: Profanity alert)</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I think I signed up for this race back when there was still
snow on the ground here in CT.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After
last year, I knew I wanted to do it again to improve my time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not only that, but I wanted to throw down
with the big girls and try for a top 3 finish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Then I got all gung ho about school and signed up for a
summer calculus class, and I scored a sweet internship where I get paid money
to write stuff (and I do some other stuff there too).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">BUT, I’VE LEARNED MY
LESSON… There will be no summer classes for me in 2014.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And for the record, I passed calculus
(B-).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not typically okay with grades
that low, but I worked my ass off for that one.</i> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Basically, life got busy, and it was by my own doing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">So when people ask me, “What have you been doing to prepare
for the NH100?,”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can honestly say, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">nothing</i> special.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I went on a really fun group 60+ mile
dirt/paved road ride a couple of weeks ago that had lots of NH100-like gravely
climbs in it, and I’ve been racing the usual xc races (yeah, I know I’ve been
slacking in the blog department).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">But… I really did nothing special. Riding during the past
few weeks was sporadic – I did hill repeats once and otherwise played on the
singlespeed in the woods to build up my tolerance for pain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">For someone who wanted to improve her time, I did not do
much to prepare. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And besides that, if you’ve read any of my other blog posts,
you know that I’m a bit impulsive…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">… so you probably won’t be surprised to hear that I signed
up to do the NH100 short track xc race the night before the 100 miler (really
good way to prepare, right?). And it also wouldn’t be a shocker to learn that I
went really hard in that race… <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">… and took a beer hand-up of Dale’s Pale Ale. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And a dollar to go even harder (thanks, Anthony).
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Yeah, that was silliness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But it was a freakin’ blast!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They started </span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxn2bvwNyjQ2M_Vc7iD_sV4nyFGP4FUaDnlGpkBJ-O53Jbg2ETlO5LagbR3hMFzb_aIB9lJc8Z5S4PWeSdv0-kBR39unHLSPaIrwSQMJx_5U6TwX7h691jqqB2PxeX8U-hoSO07Vh7MmS3/s1600/NH100+FB+Page+-+start.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxn2bvwNyjQ2M_Vc7iD_sV4nyFGP4FUaDnlGpkBJ-O53Jbg2ETlO5LagbR3hMFzb_aIB9lJc8Z5S4PWeSdv0-kBR39unHLSPaIrwSQMJx_5U6TwX7h691jqqB2PxeX8U-hoSO07Vh7MmS3/s320/NH100+FB+Page+-+start.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">NH100 miler start - stolen from the Hampshire 100 FB page</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">the men and women together upon our request, and I somehow
managed to be third going into the woods off the start.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Ummm… what?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yeah…
that didn’t last for long.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I settled
into a nice steady pace and finished 6<sup>th</sup> overall while taking the
win for the women. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I was sure glad to finish that race because that meant
dinnertime, and I ate not one, but two $5 pasta dinners (for sale at the race
venue).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I’d driven up to the race that afternoon following work with
Donnie D (<a href="http://www.bikect.com/" target="_blank">owner of DAS</a>), and we met up with Tracy, Ben, Matt, Gary
(<a href="http://deathrowvelo.com/" target="_blank">Death Row Velo)</a>, and Oliver (<a href="http://www.peaceloveandpedals.com/" target="_blank">Peace, Love, & Pedals</a>). We all skipped
out on the racer’s meeting so we could get settled in at the campground across
the street before it got dark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">It was actually a good idea that we camped there – the two
hour drive home would have been miserable Sunday night, and camping at the
actual venue was for Saturday only.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So
keep that in mind if you think you might want to do this race in the future. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">So we went back to the campsite and partied like the
rockstars we are…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">… okay, we each had a beer and were in bed by 10pm, but we
had to be up at 5am and be ready to ride our bikes all day long -Tracy, Ben,
and Matt were doing the 100K, and Don, Oliver, Gary, and I were doing the 100
miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Either way, that’s a lot of
riding.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">We had a mostly uneventful night full of restless sleep due
to the weird creature making alarming noises in the dark (after the 2<sup>nd</sup>
night, we were in agreement that it was an probably an owl not a bigfoot), and
we woke up dark and early to the cacophony of various iPhone sound-effects and
LMFAO’s Sexy and I Know It – all at once.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I did my best to eat, stay calm, and make sure I didn’t
forget anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t need another
Patapsco debacle where I set out without any food in my pocket (doh!).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">We were over at the start area before 6am, but it seemed as
though there’d been a rush on all things hot <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj61MR53a0YKjYq8m5_djNKqvhUQsZhFilebY459M21VFggJs9gw3PHgly9O0zeU9AVYOmEYqPiMzKpPsHJzGTQz3s-ceehrIeB5m5iWZVyCfg07Zjzh8FSPV0sayKd0E8R53gbfnoxUaW9/s1600/NH100+FB+-+Matt-Ben+Start.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj61MR53a0YKjYq8m5_djNKqvhUQsZhFilebY459M21VFggJs9gw3PHgly9O0zeU9AVYOmEYqPiMzKpPsHJzGTQz3s-ceehrIeB5m5iWZVyCfg07Zjzh8FSPV0sayKd0E8R53gbfnoxUaW9/s320/NH100+FB+-+Matt-Ben+Start.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">100K Men's start</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
and caffeinated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So we had to wait for coffee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the good old Hampshire 100 crew was on
their mark, and we didn’t wait long.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Now, if you think the lines for port-a-potties are bad at
ordinary bike races, you should see them before a 100K/mile bike race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People are hard-pressed to get their business
done before they spend ALL DAY on their bikes – it’s not something you want to
be dealing with when you’re out there (but it happens). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">After an exciting pep-talk by the race promoters, it was
all-of-a-sudden time to line up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I found
myself next to <a href="http://evenmydoghasablog.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jocelyn</a> and Linda, and <a href="http://karenpotterbikeracing.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Karen </a>heckled me with a
“sucker!” because she’d opted for the shorter day by doing the 100K (which she
won).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Before I had a chance to rethink anything, we were off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And we were going fast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew the first 20 miles would be super
fast, so I told myself to play it smart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As much as I hate riding a paceline, I found myself naturally sucking
every wheel I could.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The benefit of
being short is that people don’t usually notice or mind as much when you’re
hovering behind them like that (at least that’s what I tell myself).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I was with a pretty large pack of riders for quite awhile,
and Linda was right on my wheel for a bit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Right up until we “left the beach,” as one of the promoters described
it, and hit the wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So basically, you
ride wicked freakin’ fast for 20 or so miles, and then the “real climbing”
starts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And by real climbing, they mean
most people will be walking their bikes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But I knew what was coming, and I’m not most people (yeah, I can brag
because I rode that gravely wall!).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Of course, what goes up, must come down… but we didn’t
descend for long before we were climbing again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This time, it was up the power line climb.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, because I’d done this race last year,
I’d done some really effective brain work over the last year to make these
climbs seem way more awful in my head than they really were.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So the power line climb actually looked a
little less terrible than last year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I’m worried that now, I’m going to think all of these climbs
aren’t so bad, and I’ll get a rude awakening next year… ugh…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>vicious cycle of insanity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNGfmlQ5ajpCEXzcJOZPLAklpLd8pJkOfSpzOiz686iJekvtt8oNRtQXx843RDOGjYPhiVixqa3S_AHIDuMbh2ihr8PkaCOksdH_ovFgyjXlMb4qumlpASkId14kvuCViVTFRujHUEIHRp/s1600/by+Gabriel+Crooker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNGfmlQ5ajpCEXzcJOZPLAklpLd8pJkOfSpzOiz686iJekvtt8oNRtQXx843RDOGjYPhiVixqa3S_AHIDuMbh2ihr8PkaCOksdH_ovFgyjXlMb4qumlpASkId14kvuCViVTFRujHUEIHRp/s320/by+Gabriel+Crooker.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo by Gabriel Crooker</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">(Oh wait, did I just say I’m doing this again next
year?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You bet your ass I did.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Okay… back to the power-line climb…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was with some of those crazy guys who were
trying to ride all day with just one gear (craziness, I tell you), and one of
them was Thom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got to stare at his JRA
socks while we marched up the hill, and I tried to crack some sort of joke
about him walking too slow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nobody was
laughing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Walking up that hill
sucked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess some people rode that,
but after being a hero on the wall, I wasn’t about to be a superhero and try to
ride this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I didn’t see Thom again until I was just creeping out of the
woods from my only pee break. Good thing there’s no Dirtwire.tv footage of
that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">He took off on his fancy one-geared bike, and I was off to
bask in the misery of a horrible bonk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Just before this, at around mile 48, there’d been an aid station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d just grabbed what I needed from my drop
bag, but what I didn’t anticipate was the overwhelming need for caffeine that hit me soon after I left that aid station. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Also at the mile-48 aid station, I saw Nichole, Matt’s
wife.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seeing someone you know out there
is one of the most wonderful things you might experience during a race like this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I should have known <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg2OuNRRSJ97FHA3Do-uRUVDKh7BqsVqrIoYhGbV-kgX5WqOfDCOFHFR1u57DH8lDuxsZkrlKKC1enMI65k-ZdvKr6kmTRm1u0XcyfRTr4ILhdCWFsL7_5PcAa7HXLWE6e3bzQyZQpoF6_/s1600/1185336_10200447573975952_853427471_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg2OuNRRSJ97FHA3Do-uRUVDKh7BqsVqrIoYhGbV-kgX5WqOfDCOFHFR1u57DH8lDuxsZkrlKKC1enMI65k-ZdvKr6kmTRm1u0XcyfRTr4ILhdCWFsL7_5PcAa7HXLWE6e3bzQyZQpoF6_/s320/1185336_10200447573975952_853427471_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is me at mile 48 - Thanks, Nichole!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
when I had trouble
responding to her questions that a bonk was lurking on the horizon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">So, for the next 10 miles or so, I was in a pretty sad
state.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not a good way to be when you’re
riding on singletrack and trying to beat your time from last year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I figured I was somewhere around 3<sup>rd</sup>
or 4<sup>th</sup> place, but there was no way of knowing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">When I finally saw the mile-59 aid station in the distance,
I immediately started yelling to ask if they had any coke.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, they sure did - it was lined up on the
table in Dixie cups, and I did at least 4 shots of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then a kind woman offered me an expresso gel
which I graciously thanked her for and stuffed up the leg of my shorts (fuel up
the right leg and trash up the left).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">All I had to do next was cruise through the start finish
area and set out on the short lap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">As the coke slowly started to kick in, I began to feel a
little better, and I was able to really enjoy the last sections of singletrack
leading back to the park where we started.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">As I came through, I saw Karen and yelled out to her some
bit of nonsense before riding through to the aid station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I pulled every bit of food out of my bag that
I could stand to carry, had someone lube my chain, and stuffed more caffeinated
gel up my shorts – all while pounding more coke.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">In the middle of this chaos, Karen had cruised over to tell
me that 1) I was in second place and 2) Vicki’s bike was broken but she was
still riding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, they told me I was
only about 5 minutes or so behind her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
almost started to cry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After some other
kind words by Karen, I rushed back out onto the course feeling like that
pep-talk had given me the kick in the ass I needed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">From here, you ride a lot of the roads/trails you rode on
lap 1, but at some point, you get redirected onto a bunch of other stuff before
getting dumped back onto the main course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This way, you’re not doing 120-something miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">So there I was, hammering down the road as fast as my tired
legs could crank me along.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I was
wishing my sorry ass off for a wheel to suck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I rode the next twenty miles without seeing a single human except for
the folks at the one aid station where some guy decided to drive his truck into
my line of travel and force me to yell.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I think I mentioned this in last year’s write-up, but the
one good part about the second loop is you miss the “wall after the beach” and
the “power-line climb,” and instead, you get to climb something that can only
be equated to “much friggin’ worse.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
after that, you get some paved stuff at mile 85 (also more uphill).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgciQT7PCQtJxh2PULxWlb_RYfxILeVK1QenkVG0UM-glQONtmra9Vl5rH-L6mX0Ro9YFG4Wgkx9v4b4I4s-3V-dUdJOb9RXF30PNzf3k-yWMu_xnJl5w4EPlS6LsHtKxEohiIRQeVc8_B_/s1600/16287_708152365867956_1884035112_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgciQT7PCQtJxh2PULxWlb_RYfxILeVK1QenkVG0UM-glQONtmra9Vl5rH-L6mX0Ro9YFG4Wgkx9v4b4I4s-3V-dUdJOb9RXF30PNzf3k-yWMu_xnJl5w4EPlS6LsHtKxEohiIRQeVc8_B_/s320/16287_708152365867956_1884035112_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This year's fiddler - found her! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Somehow you’re dumped back into the course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can look at <a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/361797918" target="_blank">my garmin file </a>to get
a glimpse of the course from a really high bird’s-eye-view. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I actually got a second wind in the last 30 miles (or maybe
it was just my first wind), and I was able to crank pretty hard while feeling
surprisingly good – caffeine is the best dope ever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was still thinking (hoping) I’d catch
Vicki, but at the same time, I didn’t want to pass her if her bike was indeed
broken and she was still riding it (which it turns out… she was).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">As soon I was within 4 miles of the finish, I hammered the
singletrack with everything I had.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m
actually surprised by how clean I rode everything all day – even when I was
bonked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last year I fumbled every time I
hit real trails because I was so thrown for a loop by the tight twisty
stuff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">It was the best feeling in the world to find myself riding
through the campground (across from the finish area) because from there, it was
pavement to the homestretch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It looked
like I’d reached my goal of finishing in under 10 hours, but it was hard to be
sure…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">…I’d forgotten to turn my garmin on until a few miles into
the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the record, that’s a
really dumb move.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Here’s why:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>1) you
won’t know how far you are from the aid stations, 2) you will spend all day
calculating what you think might be your correct (a) time and (b) mileage, and
3) you will start talking to yourself because you’ll have gone completely
insane.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So like I said, dumb
move.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">As soon as I finished, I saw Brian Spring (Karen’s mechanic
and an all around wicked cool dude), and shortly after that, my teammates came
over for high-fives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was eager to
check my official time, and finally snuck off to peek at the timing screen… 9:48:58.
SUCCESS!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY-VKRI6T16C-KhYkP3_dqDHLy6MskwAxDzmlCLNnGvNdsfDtoh9JP_nPzHbXEl2sh_0w2YAwMM3WeSCJkWfF37esuTZ1emCddOE_hWaJedjRdGs2Pg3XD4jTwXj7l1CBP7FK8NwPiIIc-/s1600/1080936_620526007970462_17987934_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY-VKRI6T16C-KhYkP3_dqDHLy6MskwAxDzmlCLNnGvNdsfDtoh9JP_nPzHbXEl2sh_0w2YAwMM3WeSCJkWfF37esuTZ1emCddOE_hWaJedjRdGs2Pg3XD4jTwXj7l1CBP7FK8NwPiIIc-/s320/1080936_620526007970462_17987934_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thanks, Mark Drogalis!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I was second woman overall. Vicki had me by about 31
minutes, and I finished ahead of Linda by about 50 minutes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fourth and Fifth finished 10 and 20 minutes
after Linda respectively, and it looks like all of the women who started the
race finished the race (not so, for the 15 men who DNF).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think I was about 40<sup>th</sup> overall
out of 88 finishers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">What an awesome race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">As I was washing my face, Thom managed to find me with his
camera . . .<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://dirtwire.tv/2013/08/h100-liz-chabot-allen-im-just-from-connecticut/" target="_blank">Here I am talking about wrestling. </a></span><br />
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I felt like a rambling fool.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Next stop was a delicious plate of food, some Smuttynose IPA
(thanks Tracy), and chatting with friends under the pavilion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The podium held the friendliest group of ladies ever, and I
had to high-five Vicki twice – once for winning and the second time for winning
on a monster gear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s awesome!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">It was cool getting to watch Donnie D finish the race, and
Amy (his wife) and Maggie (their dog-child) had arrived at just the right time
to be able to snap his photo and lick him (I’m sure you can figure out who did
what).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnmYVzyVBJEOZcE1a0w8s2FVY7r6EYmx1V7Z73OSHFaZRKoN5gXWMTGiwEI_ht5w1afDrrUUNRG5YH6nJzIFDURJHa0uWTv__uV_7DJF21nQ0qtCAd6n7cxSvw7sWuezyxmaNyGnh8J69W/s1600/1006319_10151658499174926_1815346809_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnmYVzyVBJEOZcE1a0w8s2FVY7r6EYmx1V7Z73OSHFaZRKoN5gXWMTGiwEI_ht5w1afDrrUUNRG5YH6nJzIFDURJHa0uWTv__uV_7DJF21nQ0qtCAd6n7cxSvw7sWuezyxmaNyGnh8J69W/s320/1006319_10151658499174926_1815346809_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Later, back at the campsite, we ended up ordering pizza and
attempting to drink beer.. It’s actually
not manageable to drink more than one beer after that much riding. It was fun to hang out exchanging our stories
from the day and comparing notes. But as soon as the food started to hit the
tummies, everyone got really quiet and really sleepy. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The end.
Zzzzzzz</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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lizridesbikeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05633076372293126843noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7147184964939663293.post-33049060684504794252013-07-22T18:35:00.001-07:002013-07-22T19:22:39.987-07:00The Gnar Weasels Shredeth: It shredeth some other people, but I was actually okay for the most part... <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
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Once again, I am late in getting this out . . . <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
. . . But if you follow my blog, you should be used to that
by now.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s Gnar Weasels Race Report time, and in an effort to be
brief while conserving time, I’ve opted to incorporate some new features into
this blog post. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Let’s start with this . . . <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Top Ten Reasons to
Race Gnar Weasels<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPsr9fn9emX4dkXETlmnBJcwJhyIxSOdDtDOD9lYfjEUa3TiCwIsNMBGYrosS5QqGF9EhX9A4OESjIvJz0YfBH0jqApqKr3snb48RbunILYH6rUTYyCeYhLfLkGEGsOaJGAqsgypi5aaSo/s1600/russ+campbell+-+colin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPsr9fn9emX4dkXETlmnBJcwJhyIxSOdDtDOD9lYfjEUa3TiCwIsNMBGYrosS5QqGF9EhX9A4OESjIvJz0YfBH0jqApqKr3snb48RbunILYH6rUTYyCeYhLfLkGEGsOaJGAqsgypi5aaSo/s320/russ+campbell+-+colin.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Colin Reuter aka @resultsboy - doing the results<br />
http://www.russcam.com/cycling/130713_gnarweasels/content/130713-0330_large.html</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
10. The race is
designed and promoted by dudes who like to shred real trails – This means that
you’re<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
not going to find a bunch of double-track or boring ski-slope climbs.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
9. The podium is a
bunch of boulders in the woods – No need for anything fancy because rocks make
everything more awesome.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD_x905pRME4sI83CvMAFEySPTvWuvEKHkYUikoUsOmgTrZDB0oKYUxYnjK1ILeGOOCUgJPd7u7q2DIYFZZPKX_ndr8GIu4FQSYmri_ViC3OOWnrGME5Y9gHZhCzNyI3lJaZKr22IG83UP/s1600/thom+p.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD_x905pRME4sI83CvMAFEySPTvWuvEKHkYUikoUsOmgTrZDB0oKYUxYnjK1ILeGOOCUgJPd7u7q2DIYFZZPKX_ndr8GIu4FQSYmri_ViC3OOWnrGME5Y9gHZhCzNyI3lJaZKr22IG83UP/s320/thom+p.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thom Parsons aka @BigBikesThom <br />
aka Ultra Enduro Dyude<br />
aka The Face of Dirtwire.Tv<br />
http://www.russcam.com/cycling/130713_gnarweasels/content/130713-0342_large.html</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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8. People come from
all around to race it – Texas, California, Connecticut… It’s just <i>that</i>
awesome.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
7. If you are a
mountain biker you will have an advantage over the fittest of the roadies –
sure, they might stomp you into the ground at Winding Trails, but at Gnar
Weasels, the ground grows teeth and devours them! (Gnom, Gnom, Gnom…)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
6. Weasels are cute –
plus, Weasel races are known to be great fun in the cyclocross world… Night
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Weasels and Ice Weasels. Good and Good. <br />
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyMIEsHLXP4jYcXymHTAG7F9FlcbzUH-JwDxyEShVbrLx6KSamFJq2kFktUvfTYbzJ0qzMnoiK0WRYleiBrwf1UUNj1XhuEIfhgisbeIOArtCxZfWyNG39cuLkdFbsPnzw0J9ZIRzSvUWJ/s1600/Benjamin+Stephens.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyMIEsHLXP4jYcXymHTAG7F9FlcbzUH-JwDxyEShVbrLx6KSamFJq2kFktUvfTYbzJ0qzMnoiK0WRYleiBrwf1UUNj1XhuEIfhgisbeIOArtCxZfWyNG39cuLkdFbsPnzw0J9ZIRzSvUWJ/s200/Benjamin+Stephens.jpg" width="143" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Ben Stephens<br />
Thanks for making me look fast.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
5. Beer Marshalls –
If you’re really thirsty and need some carbs on the fly, you might be lucky
enough to encounter someone offering you a nice cold beer. Oddly enough, nobody offered me a beer, but
that might be because I looked really focused (which I was).<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
4. Bacon – I don’t
typically eat meat. Nor did I have any
during the race. Nor was I offered any
(probably for the same reason nobody offered me any beer), but I am told that
there was a fine young man out there making sure that people would not go
hungry. I’m also told that you had to
eat bacon to get beer… that might explain why I didn’t get offered beer. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
3. Since I’m on the
topic of food… TACO TRUCK – Where else can you find a taco truck out in the
middle of the woods!? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
2. Gnar Weasels is
the week before nationals (at least it was this year) – It turns out that the
nationals course for 2013 is extremely rocky and technical. Gnar Weasels is the ultimate primer for the
rocks at Bear Creek in PA. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKnYpGRQwaIR8vLlPbEanZRWFBLQhrjuQ-BuEIHrk2mfKxeNcfwxWPXA8lumLLYtBFYIKX2RydziUfgS7dhehwx0xb9-4DdKkI5pQLFxIMyQIhJZ5BFlJqIVnAbzreSsza674C1Gr6lnqQ/s1600/MP+-+feed+zone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKnYpGRQwaIR8vLlPbEanZRWFBLQhrjuQ-BuEIHrk2mfKxeNcfwxWPXA8lumLLYtBFYIKX2RydziUfgS7dhehwx0xb9-4DdKkI5pQLFxIMyQIhJZ5BFlJqIVnAbzreSsza674C1Gr6lnqQ/s320/MP+-+feed+zone.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Feed Zone - That might be a bowl of bacon on that table.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
1. Rocks, Roots, and
GNAR – As I’ve already mentioned, this course requires some tech know-how. <o:p></o:p></div>
And riding rocks is my absolute favorite, so
this makes Gnar Weasels number 1!<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now here's how the race played out for me:</div>
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<br /></div>
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With 7 elite women at the start line, I was looking forward
to a competitive race, and Gnar Weasels and the rest of the ladies
delivered. The first five minutes pretty
much predicted how the race would turn out.
Karen got the hole-shot while Mo followed close behind, and Ellen and I
were back and forth for much of the first lap.
By the second lap, Ellen pulled away as I stopped for a bottle, and then
the traffic started to get congested. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib4HvdEz9b6Ou7nGpwrVshOluestmdr-ksYAXkDCNxHqbebNtRcilyeXKCibihXIhRsuAzvewEtZbVL8AsPP5eoX6up_EG4zrj_y_04COQ_dQiZnEopofYh_azy9EQ4DXQIMTyWndJhNhV/s1600/Russ+Campbell+-+group.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib4HvdEz9b6Ou7nGpwrVshOluestmdr-ksYAXkDCNxHqbebNtRcilyeXKCibihXIhRsuAzvewEtZbVL8AsPP5eoX6up_EG4zrj_y_04COQ_dQiZnEopofYh_azy9EQ4DXQIMTyWndJhNhV/s320/Russ+Campbell+-+group.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Russ Campbell<br />
Bike race PRO-tographer</td></tr>
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Eventually I lost site of her as I had to continually battle
against the traffic as men passed me and I passed them back. With legs still tired from the Patapsco race
less 7 than days before, I didn’t have much fight in me. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I finished in a solid 4<sup>th</sup> within 5 minutes of the
Karen, and ten minutes ahead of 5<sup>th</sup>.
I’ll check that one off as a success, and maybe next time, I'll rest in between races (yeah right). <o:p></o:p></div>
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I hope you enjoyed the new format. I’m also going to try this (here’s hoping the
interactive features are compatible with blogger – if not, too bad, so sad):<o:p></o:p></div>
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And that should do it.
I’ve got to get to my MTB Nats race report some time before the next
race. <o:p></o:p></div>
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**Now that I've hit publish, it looks like that interactive thingy works... sweet. Enjoy.<br />
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<br />
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//cdn.thinglink.me/jse/embed.js"></script>lizridesbikeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05633076372293126843noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7147184964939663293.post-92032275464798388762013-07-15T06:58:00.001-07:002013-07-15T06:58:12.535-07:00Patapsco - 100 Really REALLY Tough Miles in almost 13 hours<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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This. Race. Was. Epic.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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The word epic is <i>way </i>overused
these days. It should really only be used for events like the Patapsco100. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Let me put it to you this way… the <a href="http://patapsco100.com/" target="_blank">website</a> said things like,
“Feel. Your. Heart. Beat.” and “The Most Challenging Ultra Endurance Mountain
Bike Race on the planet” and “16000 feet of climbing in three laps” and “the
pure pain epic” and “who would do this crazy event”…<o:p></o:p></div>
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You get the picture.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Just in case you don’t, there was also this, “All 100 mile
racers who finish the course within the cutoff time of 15 hours (6am – 9pm)
will receive a 2013 Patapsco 100 Finisher’s Jersey… it is not for anyone who
finishes at 9:01pm. If you want it you are going to have to earn it.” Obviously, these race promoters weren’t
messing around.<br />
<br />
I found out later that a huge portion of the our entry fees were going towards two different charities. One was the race promoters' main cause diabetes via <a href="http://www.adventuresforthecure.com/" target="_blank">Adventures for the Cure</a>; At the bottom of this post, I am copying the content of an email I received after the race that shows you just how awesome these guys are and where the money is going. I am still blown away by the good that can come from an event like this. </div>
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You might ask what would make me want to do such a
thing. Honestly? I signed up on a whim. I knew that I wasn’t racing that weekend, and
I also knew I wanted to be. Then a guy I
made pals with during the NH100, Jeff, posted the link to bikereg saying that he
was in. Well, I scoped out the bikereg
page and figured, what the heck, I may as well do it. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Almost immediately, I started having doubts. “Am I ready for this?” “Have I trained enough?” “I haven’t even been on a road ride over 40 miles
this year.” “16000 feet of elevation is
like, 6000 more than NH100, and that was freakin’ hard!” “I have to drive all the way to Maryland
after work?” “Shit, that’s a holiday weekend.” “Oh crap, I have Skyler that
weekend.” “Will my rapidly deteriorating fork last long enough?” “It’s only
like four weeks away.” “Oh my God, nationals are two weeks after that… will I
be recovered?”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Needless to say, I was a bit worried. Everything seemed to come together
though… my brother came to Maryland with
us, so Skyler hung out with him while I raced. <o:p></o:p><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitXU_qUvYr43-OEGtqNQzN4FNjlS5ged23owe2dPozrUlkjS5BSqcPv70Fha6mTl6S_F0S45L1FbWJNRrSTEI07tnKPIx7WPi6wYRULeTox_zscV50ge2tUxBXvsEgYu8E7_cC5R-G0ZtZ/s1600/psco+medal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitXU_qUvYr43-OEGtqNQzN4FNjlS5ged23owe2dPozrUlkjS5BSqcPv70Fha6mTl6S_F0S45L1FbWJNRrSTEI07tnKPIx7WPi6wYRULeTox_zscV50ge2tUxBXvsEgYu8E7_cC5R-G0ZtZ/s320/psco+medal.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If you finished two laps (100k) you got this.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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There was no camping at the venue, so I used my AAA card to
get a discounted room at the Best Western only ten minutes away, and they had a
pool. Skyler got to swim and hang out
with her uncle all day. We made it to
the hotel with plenty of time to get settled, and enough time for me to try to
get a good night’s sleep. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The morning of the race, I got out of bed at 4:45. I probably should have gotten up earlier to
have more time to prepare, but it seems to be my thing lately to wait until the
last possible minute for everything. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I had Jared and Skyler drive me to the venue, and they
helped me carry all of my gear over to the start/finish area. What was really great about these race
promoters is that they really made sure the racers had everything they could
possibly need. Not only did they supply water
and food for us, but they had a tent for us to leave our coolers under so that
our stuff didn’t have to bake in the sun all day. I can’t tell you how great that was – it was
a very very hot and humid day. <o:p></o:p></div>
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As I mentioned, I was last minute and super unprepared for
this event, so with 20 minutes until start time, I was attempting to make
myself some breakfast. With limited
resources of my own, I made a nutella sandwich and ate it as fast as
possible. In fact, I made it to the
start line just after the pre-race speech was given, so I had only moments
before we were rolling out on the parade loop before starting off on the actual
course. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Up until that day, it looked like I was the only woman
signed up for the 100. I was pleased to
find out that I wasn’t alone on the day of the race – a gal on singlespeed had
arrived. In our pre race chit chat, I
found out that she hadn’t finished a 100 miler yet. With all of the talk about how hard this one
was going to be, I wondered what she was thinking riding a singlespeed if she
wanted to finish. As it turned out, the
men’s 100 miler was won by a singlespeeder.
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.nofilmphotography.net/2013patap100/e6df822a2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Ptap100"><img alt="NoFilm Photography: AFC Patapsco 100 (2013) &emdash; Ptap100" height="435" src="http://www.nofilmphotography.net/img/s10/v110/p1844978338-3.jpg" width="580" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
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So, we rolled out nice and easy at the start, and I kept
telling myself to take it easy. Knowing
that the course would be predominantly singletrack with an insane amount of
climbing, I didn’t want to blow myself up at all. So I sat back with some other guys and just
felt it out. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I realized quickly that the pack I’d settled with was going
way to slow if I was going to finish the race before dark, and my goal was not
to crush it but to be off the trails before dark. Basically, I just wanted to finish and
survive. I ended up picking up the pace
as soon as I had a chance and eventually found myself riding much of the first
lap with a guy on a fat bike. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The course was spectacular. With over 80% singletrack, at no time did I find myself bored. Most basic xc race courses don't have a fraction of the logs that this place had. Not only that, but there were sections filled with small sharp rocks and tons of roots, and other sections where the rocks were laid out nicely over water crossings. From what I'd heard, a lot of the trail had been newly built to accommodate this race, and boy did they build it right. <br />
<br />
There were a lot of sections where you could really move while other sections took some serious time because you weren't quite sure what would come around the next bend. I found it very similar to the sort of trails I ride as often as possible in New England. With all of the good stuff, you had to be okay with the little that wasn't so good - for a short portion of trail, a very very steep and somewhat rocky area, we were required to get off our bikes an walk until the end of the trail because it was a designated hikers only area. No problem, except that it was longer than I like to walk. </div>
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Also on that first lap, I realized about two miles in that I
hadn’t put any of my food in my pockets.
If you know anything about endurance racing, you know how important it
is to be eating food all day whether you are hungry or not. Going an hour without any calories will
inevitably cause you to bonk at some point.
I calmly told myself it would be okay.
I knew that at mile 17.5, there’d be an aid station with food, and my
drop bags would be there. So I chugged
my water and my GU Brew and kept <o:p></o:p><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNCLJJuNUle3qrY1XtbNC5KW2rbJ7lUdtQDUjHZ0ObLV1EsRWW-At7SBH3jwHYl7F6Kz9YGPzyamWLN4mNx0lyNE700TiIAaSDlycLLM5g4pGw-Z6MfxoWx4bbwK-rVEeqHDipeFD6sZ-P/s1600/nasy+GU.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNCLJJuNUle3qrY1XtbNC5KW2rbJ7lUdtQDUjHZ0ObLV1EsRWW-At7SBH3jwHYl7F6Kz9YGPzyamWLN4mNx0lyNE700TiIAaSDlycLLM5g4pGw-Z6MfxoWx4bbwK-rVEeqHDipeFD6sZ-P/s320/nasy+GU.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Delicious Homemade Energy Gel <br />
<a href="http://wheninspirationhitsliz.blogspot.com/p/chia-seed-energy-gel.html" target="_blank"> Here's the link to my recipe</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
moving.
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At one point on the course, just before the 17.5 aid
station, we had to ford a river. I don’t
mean some puny little stream crossing – there were plenty of those too, but I’m
talking about a real river. It was
impossible to ride through it (especially if you value working parts on your
bike), so each lap we had to get off of our bikes, pick them up, and wade
through the water. Sure, it felt
wonderful with it being so hot out, but imagine every lap getting your chamois
and your shoes saturated with river water.
By the time you dry out (not that you are ever dry because you are
sweating profusely all day), you are getting wet again. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Another interesting moment in the first lap came when the
lead group of the 100k racers came up behind me. They were hauling like a freight train, and I
realized there was a familiar face in the pack.
<a href="http://dirtwire.tv/2013/07/patapsco-100-cheryl-sornson-its-brutal-out-there/" target="_blank">Cheryl Sornson</a>, NUE Series champ was right there with the
guys. I found out later that she was
doing a two-person team with <a href="http://www.chriseatough.com/?page=plans" target="_blank">Chris Eatough </a>– yeah, he’s the same guy
with the Eatough Training Plans. So my
witty retort as Cheryl came cruising by was, “Are you Cheryl? [yep] Holy
shit!” I guess I was a little
starstruck, and at the same time, I was a little nervous that I might have some
serious competition. No worries
though… as it turned out, there weren’t
many people who would finish the 100 miles, and Cheryl wasn't out to do that... this week.
<o:p></o:p></div>
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So, the first lap went pretty well. I was overly concerned that I’d taken it too
slow because it took me just over 4 hours, and I wanted to keep the pace pretty
steady on the next two laps to hopefully finish around 6pm. I knew there was a fair chance I would slow
down a bit though… and I sure did. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://www.nofilmphotography.net/2013patap100/e6de4def2" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="2013 Patapsco 100"><img alt="NoFilm Photography: AFC Patapsco 100 (2013) &emdash; 2013 Patapsco 100" height="450" src="http://www.nofilmphotography.net/img/s10/v104/p1843715826-3.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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Around halfway through lap 2, I started to feel some serious
fatigue set in. It was blisteringly (is
that a word??) hot in the sun, and fortunately, the singletrack kept us in the
shade for a large portion of the day.
(Did I mention that this race was over 80% singletrack?) <o:p></o:p></div>
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The climbs were starting to really hurt. I just kept telling myself to keep it all
going in a forward moving direction.
Somehow, that worked. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Going into lap 3, a guy came up to me asking if I was still
feeling strong, and as I opened a can of coke, he questioned me on how the heck
I could handle drinking that… Obviously
he wasn’t in on the secret. Coca Cola is
a freakin’ lifeline when you’re endurance racing and you are on the verge of
death. I drank half the can and told him
it was the perfect thing and that I only drink it during races. He didn’t seem to believe me, but maybe
someday he will try it for himself. Coke
also saved me at the final aid station… more on that shortly….<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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<o:p>Also at that point, I had to take my contacts out. I'd gotten dirt in my eye, and I couldn't see very well for most of the second lap. I'd planned for the worst, so my glasses were in my bike bag. Contacts out. Glasses on. Good to go. (If you've read any of my other race reports, I'm sure you are sick of hearing about my contact woes.) </o:p><br />
<o:p><br /></o:p>
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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So, I set out on that last lap with a pocket full of my
homemade chia seed/blackstrap molasses energy gel, some caffeine and sugar
coursing through my veins, and hoped for the best. That last lap was tough. Really tough.
The worst part was being alone out there, but at the same time, that was
also the best part. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I don’t remember much about that last lap before the water
crossing except that I walked a lot of the climbs. I remember the water crossing distinctly
because when I got there, the course marshal told me that there was a storm
coming in; he said that a lot of people were dropping out, and it was very
likely I would get pulled. He also told
me that all of the volunteers were getting pulled off the course. I politely told him that there was no way in
hell I was stopping there and that I’d take my chances.<o:p></o:p></div>
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At that point, I was tired…
autopilot was on, and I just kept turning the pedals when I could and
walking when I just couldn’t turn over the cranks. I was elated when I finally reached the 17.5
aid station. Again, I was strongly urged
to stop because the storm was coming. That
being said, the volunteers worked overtime to get me fed and make sure my bike
was running smooth before I set back out.
<o:p></o:p></div>
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Let me elaborate here a bit…
these people were getting me food, pouring me cold coke, cleaning my
drive train, lubing my chain, filling my bottles, and forecasting the
weather. They. Were. Awesome. They took such good care of me. I went out for the loop that would bring me
back through there (yeah, there was a section where we had two-way traffic
going in and out of that aid station… more about that in a bit). <o:p></o:p></div>
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Feeling a bazillion times better with a whole ton of sugar
in me, I hammered the hell out of that loop.
There was no way I was quitting.
The only way I was coming off that course was if they forced me to. As I came back to the aid station – possibly
about an hour later, all of the tents were down and there were a lot of people
there. I assumed they were going to pull
me, but when I asked them, they said I could keep rolling if I wanted to, but
there wouldn’t be a place to get any water on the course. No problem – in my effort to hammer the
previous loop, I hadn’t had much to drink and still had plenty in my three
bottles. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Off I went… ten miles to go.
For the entire last lap, I’d been dreading what I knew was the last dirt
climb of the race. It was a steep
long-ish hike-a-bike strewn with loose rocks.
Without a doubt, it was my least favorite part of the race. <o:p></o:p></div>
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And the climbing didn’t end with that. It kept going a bit into some singletrack
before leading back into some swoopy fast stuff. What a nice treat! There was even a view through the woods of a
huge waterfall. The last portion of
singletrack dumped us out onto a rail trail type of thing, which eventually
lead to a short section of paved road…
then it was a turn back into the park where it all began. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://www.nofilmphotography.net/2013patap100/e6eebf43f" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="Ptap100"><img alt="NoFilm Photography: AFC Patapsco 100 (2013) &emdash; Ptap100" height="249" src="http://www.nofilmphotography.net/img/s10/v109/p1860957247-2.jpg" width="400" /></a>The route back to the park was paved, but it was not
kind. It was Straight. Up. Hill. Man, did that hurt, but I was so stoked to
be done that I was up out of the saddle and hammering. I rode to that finish line like I hadn’t done
anything all day. <o:p></o:p><br />
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When I came through the line – which happened to be the
pavilion where everyone was hanging out, I arrived to a whole crowd full of clapping. It was awesome – just straight up
awesome. My time was just under 13
hours. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Within seconds of taking my helmet off, Thom Parsons of <a href="http://dirtwire.tv/2013/07/patapsco-100-liz-chabot-allen-13-hours-of-awesomeness/">Dirtwire.tv</a><u>
</u> was there with his camera, and the
helmet went right back on. I am just
vain enough that I couldn’t handle being on camera with a big line across my
forehead. I’m so glad that smells can’t
be captured on camera because I smelled terrible. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I didn’t find out until a couple of days later, but there
were <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Alut4iF4Ef8ydFFSeDZuQkI0WWNYQ3YwcGZmTzFKNmc#gid=0" target="_blank">only 13 finishers</a> of the 100 mile race.
That’s a pretty large attrition rate.
For being the first-place woman, I scored a sweet payout of $400, and
for being a finisher in general, I received an original 2013 Patapsco 100
Finisher’s Jersey. Plus, there were
cookies in my goody bag. I practically
inhaled them. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbHY5ImN8jigS7Wp-cLGzVbv5yxRqdSCnStIvS5GGk_mnMEaH4uQCpycBUhpyO2sNh6CN1Yf7XaB2KpoBNHyUqX3vYotJZObRY1Kt3IIsBD0D_wmmjEBqhNLHOU9zf_Xek0XNbdJEzwa7D/s1600/sky+capital.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbHY5ImN8jigS7Wp-cLGzVbv5yxRqdSCnStIvS5GGk_mnMEaH4uQCpycBUhpyO2sNh6CN1Yf7XaB2KpoBNHyUqX3vYotJZObRY1Kt3IIsBD0D_wmmjEBqhNLHOU9zf_Xek0XNbdJEzwa7D/s200/sky+capital.jpg" width="200" /></a>The fun didn’t exactly stop there. When I finally left the festivities, I got to
yell out the window of the car to some of my fellow competitors who were in the
process of making their way up that awful hill.
It felt good to cheer some people on, but it felt even better to be
sitting on my ass in a car. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Finally back at the hotel room, I couldn’t decide what to
eat… it was pathetic. I finally settled on some greasy disgusting
Chinese takeout and sent Jared and Skyler out to pick it up so I could
shower. If you’ve ever showered after
being in the saddle for… well, for all day… then you know that it’s not all
that great. I was dirty beyond belief,
but it hurt to get clean. Everything
hurt – right down to my pinky fingers. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr0WZl2O07kGzF_TvDwQQQy2xvACcHQo3_U2z8JiISzB4t0PEWQVraU5ZtUEgf8KnWtGYFyGNkHRLu23gqMCZcOJsbGVxuppw3BmC3kiGd0kfx2e1apldThdn62DF34Q4nJqlaJbmGIOAd/s1600/wrights+cycles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr0WZl2O07kGzF_TvDwQQQy2xvACcHQo3_U2z8JiISzB4t0PEWQVraU5ZtUEgf8KnWtGYFyGNkHRLu23gqMCZcOJsbGVxuppw3BmC3kiGd0kfx2e1apldThdn62DF34Q4nJqlaJbmGIOAd/s200/wrights+cycles.jpg" width="200" /></a>As soon as I was clean, I went directly to the bed, and
that’s where I ate my dinner. You might
think that a person who had just done the hardest 100 miler known to the U.S.
would sleep in the next day and maybe not get out of bed much… <o:p></o:p></div>
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…Well, I promised Skyler we would go to D.C., and that’s
what we did. We were up and on the road
by 8 or so, and we walked just under 10 miles around the capital city. It was awesome and awful all at the same
time. The heat was ridiculous so I’m
really grateful for the exceptional air conditioning in all the Smithsonian
museums.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpd8-8iE2cJ1wOx-sdiKUHSHrmLtoqvGGUucEtZPcPvlxnf7qIACLpMaFZOMNQs9wuNsm29-nJHupNlSScijcdLRsYXZf_MrHvMFtLXG7NcSsO4NZQ5GEAALvIha5R3ay_CBjWl90dZlzu/s1600/sky+lincoln.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpd8-8iE2cJ1wOx-sdiKUHSHrmLtoqvGGUucEtZPcPvlxnf7qIACLpMaFZOMNQs9wuNsm29-nJHupNlSScijcdLRsYXZf_MrHvMFtLXG7NcSsO4NZQ5GEAALvIha5R3ay_CBjWl90dZlzu/s200/sky+lincoln.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGLZgHn7tQOlXh97XtMZlV2sEuaRk-E3n7l6J9TGgUj9tHm9xuupzlhVSHQwR0kKZ6n9q4HOryIe_pQpYAjkMIWD83HNvFu8Lg6ju_7BQ2lsSflHeofb4Q9rM6WQwgjCP3MRsocmJLoHug/s1600/sky+dinosaur.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGLZgHn7tQOlXh97XtMZlV2sEuaRk-E3n7l6J9TGgUj9tHm9xuupzlhVSHQwR0kKZ6n9q4HOryIe_pQpYAjkMIWD83HNvFu8Lg6ju_7BQ2lsSflHeofb4Q9rM6WQwgjCP3MRsocmJLoHug/s200/sky+dinosaur.jpg" width="200" /></a>We had a fantastic day, and Skyler was in bed and asleep as
soon as we got back to the room at around 8pm that night. And no, I didn’t sleep in the next day
either. We were up shortly after 5am and
on the road for home. I had Jared drive
for a bit so I could study for my class, and when we got back to town, I got
dressed and head off to the new job and didn’t get home until after 9:45pm… It’s been exactly one week, and I’m still
tired. (But that didn’t stop me from
racing yesterday… Gnar Weasels race report to come… must sleep first). <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
Here's the email I received after the race. It goes to show just how kickass the Adventures For a Cure team is:<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Congratulations on finishing the Patapsco100!! We only had 13 people to do so. You are among the few. Every one of you should have already received a finisher's jersey. If you would like to purchase additional jerseys you may do so here:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">[I took that link out. Sorry, you are not a finisher.] </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br />We are giving you 2 days to purchase as many jerseys as you would like before we open this page to everyone else. We understand and agree that only true 'finishers' should have these jerseys, however, our charity mistakenly purchased too many jerseys and we need to offload the costs.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDMe4oeJXaBD9TOlBw9Ux83oX6uA-S9M_erc6KYhOmY6uokRliYmUpem-bHlthArRv5Bns6EZqOoMgrgYXeHFJAtTnNuLtciaTWG6HwnY_bVzTDUF3CAoj_F26U-d1j2BN0w51FPxwp14p/s1600/jersey+psco.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDMe4oeJXaBD9TOlBw9Ux83oX6uA-S9M_erc6KYhOmY6uokRliYmUpem-bHlthArRv5Bns6EZqOoMgrgYXeHFJAtTnNuLtciaTWG6HwnY_bVzTDUF3CAoj_F26U-d1j2BN0w51FPxwp14p/s320/jersey+psco.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">[I completely agree with their decision to do this. The money needs to go to the charities.]</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Adventures For the Cure gives money that is crucial to our causes. Half the money raised from this event goes to supporting a diabetes camp for children (<a href="http://www.diabetesdestiny.org/">http://www.diabetesdestiny.org</a>) where they learn to manage their diabetes while living active lifestyles. People with type 1 diabetes can die or suffer serious consequences of poor management. This camp gives these children one more tool/resource to help them live with their disease.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The other half of the money goes to Kupenda for the Children (<a href="http://www.kupenda.org/">http://www.kupenda.org</a>), an American organization that assists children with disabilities in Kenya who are at risk of being killed, abused, or neglected due to a local belief that they are "cursed." This organization is literally saving and changing lives. I have personally seen children who could not walk, learn to run. I have seen children in despair, being kept in the closet of their homes because their parents were embarrassed to have a child with a disability, later living at a school with other children, smiling, laughing, and living!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">When you know where our money goes, you can see how we cannot not sell these jerseys. Thanks for understanding!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Come join me next year. I am definitely going to try to get back down there again. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Oh yeah, and take a look at the <a href="http://dirtwire.tv/2013/07/patapsco-100-the-hardest-100-miler-ever-the-movie/" target="_blank">Dirtwire.Tv Patapsco 100 Movie</a>!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<!--EndFragment-->lizridesbikeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05633076372293126843noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7147184964939663293.post-66416938085817492602013-07-14T08:10:00.000-07:002013-07-14T18:36:28.549-07:00Windham Pro XCT - Fun With Friends and Epic Finish Failure<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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I’ve been rather busy in the past couple of weeks, and I now
have a backlog of things to talk about. Rather
than put up one ridiculously long post, I’ll do you a favor and do 3 separate
posts because I’m nice like that. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Windham Pro XCT</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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I held off from writing about this right away for a couple
of reasons:<br />
1.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span>I was really busy.<br />
2.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span>I was disappointed.<br />
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</span>I was trying to focus on the next race (more to come on that shortly…).</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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The overall experience <a href="http://windhammountainbike.com/home/" target="_blank">Windham</a> weekend experience was
first-class. I met up with my teammate,
<a href="http://www.bikect.com/" target="_blank">DAS</a> on Friday because races were Saturday, and it’s a three-hour
drive from Danielson to Windham. We made
good time, and arrived at the mountain shortly before 2pm – almost at the exact
same time as our <a href="http://www.deathrowvelo.com/" target="_blank">Death Row Velo</a> buddy, Gary. Tracy had arrived about an hour or so before
us. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
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Priority number 1 was to pre-ride the course, and it was
easy to see that there were no major changes from last year. There was certainly no less climbing than in
previous years. Because they’ve used it
as a World Cup race course, it’s really well designed. The rock gardens are laid out well, and there
are some bridges and other slightly technical features. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNu4u4yTi3ffRm_F4VNnMVIda-DVwOavhgcBVj5dWxmjLiXF4-LK6nTNr39roHF1V3bgdR5_UQUrlnh5e6gJmv0D29zKGPWJFNoNEoOtFJkqGoBBXZ9GfGJMAlLKkuGnYIf0DPenoLAc1z/s1600/post+xct+pre+super+d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNu4u4yTi3ffRm_F4VNnMVIda-DVwOavhgcBVj5dWxmjLiXF4-LK6nTNr39roHF1V3bgdR5_UQUrlnh5e6gJmv0D29zKGPWJFNoNEoOtFJkqGoBBXZ9GfGJMAlLKkuGnYIf0DPenoLAc1z/s320/post+xct+pre+super+d.jpg" width="320" /></a>Probably the most challenging section is called the “Mini
Wall” – a reasonably steep exceptionally rooty downhill with a sharp left hand
turn at the end. Previous years had left that section super loose and dry which
was scary enough, but this year the rain made it muddy and almost unrideable. Notice I said <i>almost</i>. <o:p></o:p></div>
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All-in-all, the course looked good, and I wasn’t worried
about racing on it… I was just worried about who I was racing against. I’ll get to that… <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFtvnCNGcndsfo0rfh0wwoSQnqx2Mra54rFp0YgPuxBytSVARx9-FRFDq3AL4EFot3K2bMjNEMA8MT74WajPWeJHpd589ZXVd3Wi3Lbla-8cdhqJpOKGx1bP3_lFEBy7D-7QfNr0upjEk_/s1600/ski+lift+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFtvnCNGcndsfo0rfh0wwoSQnqx2Mra54rFp0YgPuxBytSVARx9-FRFDq3AL4EFot3K2bMjNEMA8MT74WajPWeJHpd589ZXVd3Wi3Lbla-8cdhqJpOKGx1bP3_lFEBy7D-7QfNr0upjEk_/s320/ski+lift+.jpg" width="320" /></a>After checking in at registration, I found out that my
super-d registration included a weekend-long lift ticket so that I could
practice the super-d course. As it
turned out, this was both good and bad.
Seeing the course ahead of time reassured me that it could be done on my
hard-tail, but the course was extremely muddy at the topmost part of the
mountain so I got my bike pretty dirty in the process.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The other plus-side of the lift ticket was that I was able
to talk John and Gary into racing the super-d as well. I don’t think it was that hard of a
decision… A race where all you have to
do is ride up to the top of a mountain on a ski lift and then come down some
super sick trails? Who wouldn’t?</div>
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After some cleanup and dumping our stuff off at our motel
room (the <a href="http://www.windhaminn.com/" target="_blank">Windham Inn</a> at Johnny O’Connors), we set out in search of
food. Without any argument, we settled
on <a href="http://www.cavemountainbrewing.com/" target="_blank">Cave Mountain Brewery</a>. I don’t
remember what everyone ate, but I’m pretty sure we all had at least one
beer. However, we noticed they had a
stout float on their dessert menu, and that foretold where we would eat dinner
on Saturday night as well.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI4gaALCMSoJIKlCR4IG2suizj3ib87UiC75ffHhGFcnFscHS-iu_pz8lhUJ2AFCAMplpInfxuldwdFR-mfAnHbWnkTO6lQRPKg6CA2kNlQENpsdJ-MPn_aRWS4zOie5-u95l1WGXx9YKA/s1600/skyline.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI4gaALCMSoJIKlCR4IG2suizj3ib87UiC75ffHhGFcnFscHS-iu_pz8lhUJ2AFCAMplpInfxuldwdFR-mfAnHbWnkTO6lQRPKg6CA2kNlQENpsdJ-MPn_aRWS4zOie5-u95l1WGXx9YKA/s320/skyline.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<o:p></o:p></div>
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Like the dedicated cyclists we all are, we had lights out by
10pm – John and Gary had a start time of 8am, and we all wanted enough time to
get the easy-up tent set up before the races began. Plus, we had the bright idea to cook eggs and
stuff on a camp-stove and make French-pressed coffee… as you can probably guess, we didn’t do that
the following morning. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Race day was all sorts of exciting, and the weather was
gorgeous; both of the guys had a good race. Tracy was up next, and she looked really strong out there. My race was midday at 1pm…</div>
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…What’s cool about my race is that instead of racing at the
same time as all the other cat 1 men and women, the pro women had their very
own race time. I guess this is how they
do things in the big leagues. <o:p></o:p></div>
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So, lining up at the start of this race was a bit
surreal. Not only was I standing next to
some of the fastest women in North America, but I got to have my name called as
I made my way up to the line – super exhilarating. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Here’s how the race went down:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5dRqNdGAjf-wErq3lSONnbetPfIlx_eGbdXYapMGFi2y0B6AWOwWTk87YJT6LWmJi_iCSzZ17oF8F0hF7jL3jfKHKyqkmkSFfhNmT4APgmSjo4OCPXVWz7wVIgD-v-KJcidXkHdPj4n1k/s1600/hurt+face+windham.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5dRqNdGAjf-wErq3lSONnbetPfIlx_eGbdXYapMGFi2y0B6AWOwWTk87YJT6LWmJi_iCSzZ17oF8F0hF7jL3jfKHKyqkmkSFfhNmT4APgmSjo4OCPXVWz7wVIgD-v-KJcidXkHdPj4n1k/s320/hurt+face+windham.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<ul>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm2v2tHvrmPNSkVyV2Po7xO9-1kxHod2GFkhPU2C2ZyG4cCTGSMgd3id2oZfN4xnKXw-iML48KDnpMBqdq_ZaLjf5C2bHs8797FDKGVHwxsaNvNxVAI8f_f1A1fksPzYQkSWEZsngQrrxI/s1600/xct+with+jane.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm2v2tHvrmPNSkVyV2Po7xO9-1kxHod2GFkhPU2C2ZyG4cCTGSMgd3id2oZfN4xnKXw-iML48KDnpMBqdq_ZaLjf5C2bHs8797FDKGVHwxsaNvNxVAI8f_f1A1fksPzYQkSWEZsngQrrxI/s320/xct+with+jane.jpg" width="240" /></a>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">First 3 laps, the legs felt heavy and tired, but
I rode pretty much everything - even the sketchy mini wall.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Last lap, I started to feel like I wanted to be
there, and I started pushing it.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Unfortunately, it was too late.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">At the top of the last climb, I heard the motorcycle that rides in front
of the leader.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Before the race, we were told if we got lapped
by the leader, we would have to pull ourselves.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">So, I knew I’d have to do that.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Shortly after Lea Davison passed me, my left contact
lens ejected itself from my eyeball.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">I had to walk the mini wall on because I
couldn’t see a damn thing.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">I didn’t know where I was supposed to go since
I’d gotten lapped.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">In the other UCI
races I’d done, we weren’t supposed to go through the start/finish area if we
got lapped by the leader.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">I pulled off the course just before the final
straightaway so it wouldn’t look like I was in second place and immediately
reported to the officials.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">I had worked really hard on lap 4 to get a good
gap on two other riders, and succeeded.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">I couldn’t find the results posted anywhere and
had to get ready for the super d and find some food.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">I found out two days later that I got recorded
as <a href="http://windhammountainbike.com/home/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/WindhamMTBXCNationalPro2013.pdf" target="_blank">DNF</a> – even thought they told us we were supposed to pull ourselves if we got
lapped, and even though I reported to them immediately.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Next time, I will ride through the start/finish
area pretending like I’m second.</span></li>
</ul>
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Needless to say, Windham was fun, but the whole organization
aspect of the race, with the UCI and their confusing rules, was not so much
fun. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt2W1DIvB3EXPH5_3Dqc99154pdQEGXxePocdEerNg8nTNB9T6VuekXrzVRBgpvJmORicU8GMyP6qf1gjjhuA2QhgznuB5EKMsxQH_yvdBWNj7V7cWC-VR6GXkCTSVdBbUDOFG3wdvsBwU/s1600/super+d+bike+mess.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt2W1DIvB3EXPH5_3Dqc99154pdQEGXxePocdEerNg8nTNB9T6VuekXrzVRBgpvJmORicU8GMyP6qf1gjjhuA2QhgznuB5EKMsxQH_yvdBWNj7V7cWC-VR6GXkCTSVdBbUDOFG3wdvsBwU/s320/super+d+bike+mess.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The super d was a new experience. It was a bit unorganized and weird, but after
riding the lift up and <o:p></o:p><br />
hanging out for a bit at the top of the mountain, we
lined our bikes up, walked back about 20-30 feet, and waited to be told to
start. Then we ran to our bikes, hopped
on, and raced to the bottom of the mountain.
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I think it took about 10 minutes or so… I don’t really know. There was no timing system; they just marked
us down in order of how we finished. It
was funny – some women were decked out like downhillers, some were on
hardtails, and some were a bit in between.
Appearance meant nothing when it came to rider ability. Apparently, I got 5<sup>th</sup> out of
however many of us there were. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Another problem I ran into had to do with my bike… somehow, the xc race messed with my front
derailleur, and I couldn’t get my chain to stay on the big ring for the super
d. I suppose there could have been worse
problems – like for instance, getting a DNF when you actually did not DNF. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The day got wrapped up with another trip back to the
brewery. I had two delicious glasses of
their chocolate hazelnut porter (and bought a growler of it to take home), and
the guys got their stout beer floats.
Because of my dairy issues (migraines), I didn’t order one, but I had a
taste… holy shit, that’s good
stuff. <o:p></o:p></div>
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There was talk of riding somewhere nearby in the morning,
but with my bike all dysfunctional, I told everyone I was out. Rather than leave me to my own devices,
everyone else decided to just head out in the morning too. So that was it. Homebound.
<o:p></o:p></div>
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My plan for the week was to only do a few rides, and I was
starting my new job, starting summer school, and throwing a July 4<sup>th</sup>
party – all before heading to Maryland after work on Saturday so I could do a
100 mile race on Sunday at 6 am on what was touted to be the hardest 100 mile
course in the U.S. <o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment-->lizridesbikeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05633076372293126843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7147184964939663293.post-82206557622698843452013-06-24T13:41:00.000-07:002013-06-24T13:41:40.622-07:00Grafton Ponds MTB Race: Another Lesson in Singlespeed RacingAs I've mention in past posts, I've been wanting to race my singlespeed again. The perfect opportunity came yesterday at the Root 66 Series' Grafton Ponds/West Hill Shop XC race in Grafton, VT. Rather than try to learn anything about gear ratios or ponder what might be best for the course, I just went with the same thing I had for SSAP - 32X18. Okay, okay... I asked a little bit, but <a href="http://charlieridesabike.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Charlie</a> told me I'd be better off just not worrying about it. He was right. If I'd worried about it, I'd probably have realized just how hard that gear setup was, and I'd have made it easier. As it turns out, I had only one option out there yesterday, and that was to just push through the pain because that setup was just at my limit.<br />
<br />
In the past week, I've been struggling to do my training rides. I did a decent road ride Monday morning on tired legs - something I don't normally do but thought would help better prepare me for the 100 miler in a few weeks. I tried to do a solo MTB ride Wednesday after my job interview, but I just couldn't seem to get out of my own way. It was one of those rare moments where I probably should have just done more mindless like go on a road ride. Anyhow, if it wasn't for my teammate, Tracy, I probably would have had another bad day on Thursday. I'm grateful to her for inviting me up to Wachusett for some climbing. We got in 3 base to summit repeats, and I went home feeling mentally recharged. Friday I went to Foxboro on the SS to explore and try to get my MTB mindset back to normal... ehhh.... whatever, I got to ride my bike someplace new. I need to get back over there when I have more time because I missed a lot of the good stuff. <br />
<br />
Because it's always important to be prepared, I washed my laundry Saturday evening... "Sure, my clothes will dry overnight in this humidity... I'll just point this fan at them." Yeah, they were still damp in the morning. If you passed me on Route 30 in VT, I was that crazy lady holding my bike shorts out of the sunroof into the wind. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdazx8gDWQgQWLBVkRwhzNu1osIZruEaT3S9Y8d4AH3-Y3FaJARjCBWA3eNRw9vHjpVXnSdVn4X5ekKnyMwTp-qLIk8a-T_gTryslGUKmnPPDs_2fjvAvApHTqoX86PLl0FG_iwIRrGG-x/s1600/1001153_10151556505614926_1836684575_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdazx8gDWQgQWLBVkRwhzNu1osIZruEaT3S9Y8d4AH3-Y3FaJARjCBWA3eNRw9vHjpVXnSdVn4X5ekKnyMwTp-qLIk8a-T_gTryslGUKmnPPDs_2fjvAvApHTqoX86PLl0FG_iwIRrGG-x/s320/1001153_10151556505614926_1836684575_n.jpg" width="320" /></a>Skyler brought a friend along this weekend; Grafton Ponds Outdoor Center is the perfect venue for racers with kids! The girls were hula hooping and swimming all afternoon... unfortunately, this meant that they weren't doing a very good job handing up bottles. I will give Skyler credit for being ready with one handoff - the one I didn't need... as I took off from the start line. From there on out, I was pretty much on my own, and I had to stop and reach into my cooler every lap but the last one. Usually I can go a couple of laps on one bottle, but yesterday I drank almost an entire bottle every lap. The heat was pretty oppressive if you weren't in the shade, and the effort I had to put in to make all of the climbs on the singlespeed left me overheated after the first lap. I was consciously trying to cool myself down on the descents by unzipping my jersey and relishing every bit of cool air that hit my skin. Another conscious decision was to spin my legs as much as possible on the descents and flats to push the acid from the climbs out of my muscles - it seemed to work. <br />
<br />
Karen Potter, Bryna Blanchard, Kate Northcott, and I made up the pro women's field, and based on past races, I knew this would be a competitive race for all of us. For much of the first lap, Kate and I were close to one another and not far off from Bryna while Karen had already pulled away a bit. Somewhere at the beginning of lap 2, I was forced by my singlespeed to pass Kate on a climb, and I continued to pull away from her. I was hoping to close the gap that Bryna had made on us, but by the last lap, I was down to survival mode and didn't have anything <i>extra</i> left to work with.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip224y63qkmHq5gztP0gmSLaJejhLpE8CkaF86135F8rbDhGbO68-MUKAy2XNqf5qgybFOEhZ73f5O7SoF2TK0lPkm5J9SFVaw8bbh18xKiRXyUFDMOYqt8cxEDY9MId_HVLEIdHLT2aIT/s1600/1014337_10151556510294926_168380739_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip224y63qkmHq5gztP0gmSLaJejhLpE8CkaF86135F8rbDhGbO68-MUKAy2XNqf5qgybFOEhZ73f5O7SoF2TK0lPkm5J9SFVaw8bbh18xKiRXyUFDMOYqt8cxEDY9MId_HVLEIdHLT2aIT/s320/1014337_10151556510294926_168380739_n.jpg" width="320" /></a>Looking at the finishing times, I had thought I was closer to Karen and Bryna, and the results were good - but not as good as I'd hoped. However, I looked at my Garmin time, and the proof is in the pudding. I started my Garmin thirty seconds before the start whistle, and I stopped it immediately after crossing the finish line. (I also semi-successfully pushed the lap button). Anyhow, the timer on that thing doesn't lie like the satellite GPS function tends to, so my real time should have been closer to just under 2 hours and 7 minutes which would put me only 2:15 behind Bryna and 4:20 behind Karen. I wonder if their times were messed up too... All I know is, I still had Bryna within a minute of me on the third lap, so I couldn't have lost that much time on the last lap knowing that my lap times were consistent. Yeah, I know this is boring and probably insignificant. The point is, I don't think I've ever finished this close to either of those ladies, so this is rather exciting for me - especially since I was completely out of my element racing a rigid singlespeed. <br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="548" src="http://connect.garmin.com:80/activity/embed/332393210" width="465"></iframe><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiviSSYqjQYLWAfXvTAMK2PvCFcnJ6xMkNz1ONkdKSLpDtBe21U-v935QFECQrF-L4daWNHO0JubQrJRQnpSswy0Pg46DMUK1cidQzyN67gCn5UtWl_csgoLAEsuBHhmLlwaK-H12Ye6xGb/s1600/1044956_10151556504374926_2129916292_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiviSSYqjQYLWAfXvTAMK2PvCFcnJ6xMkNz1ONkdKSLpDtBe21U-v935QFECQrF-L4daWNHO0JubQrJRQnpSswy0Pg46DMUK1cidQzyN67gCn5UtWl_csgoLAEsuBHhmLlwaK-H12Ye6xGb/s320/1044956_10151556504374926_2129916292_n.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
The most important thing about this race is the course. I cannot stress enough how well-constructed those trails are and how ideally set up the course was. While I'd heard the course was flowy, I had no idea just how smooth it would be. Sure, there were rocks and roots, but with the right amount of tire pressure and the proper finesse, those trails rolled like they were made for bicycles (which they were). I had a blast. There was nothing unrideable, and there were a number of really nifty bridges that added to the fun of it all. In between sections of stellar singletrack were wide fire roads that either went up or down and provided room for passing. These were interspersed just enough so that we weren't stuck behind (or in front) of anyone longer than absolutely necessary. Sure, we had a few areas where we were held up every now and then, but we got around it eventually. I'm looking forward to making that race my singlespeed bitch on a yearly basis. <br />
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Next up... a week of recovery rides and my first Pro XCT race ever on Saturday; this will also be my first UCI MTB race, and I'm doing my first Super D Saturday afternoon. The Windham Mountain XC course is a blast, and I feel like I've got my climbing legs this season, so my goal is to avoid getting lapped by the real pros and stay in the race to finish.lizridesbikeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05633076372293126843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7147184964939663293.post-50988437814395028752013-06-18T08:00:00.003-07:002013-06-18T08:00:40.162-07:00The Pinnacle MTB Race 2013: Should Have Brought Training Wheels<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdUgBC-MomgFIYZnIIxeM7ef7bnoIJ58jMP7X8YEzPlU_Tx4e_grvo3mM-Xy35Jd6bTrHGN0Cjk4i8ks-4CEJTWX_oF97YG_8MGZMzxtlddYtzLRJUc3plJlEO81MASjnbtZpniQQjP9Ct/s1600/blurrr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdUgBC-MomgFIYZnIIxeM7ef7bnoIJ58jMP7X8YEzPlU_Tx4e_grvo3mM-Xy35Jd6bTrHGN0Cjk4i8ks-4CEJTWX_oF97YG_8MGZMzxtlddYtzLRJUc3plJlEO81MASjnbtZpniQQjP9Ct/s320/blurrr.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">by <a href="http://pedalpushingpatons.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Rob Paton</a> - I'm a blur because I'm so fast.</td></tr>
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By definition a pinnacle is a high point. For me, this race was nothing of the sort. While I can't complain too much (I made the podium in a group of really fast and talented ladies), I know that I wasn't at my best on Sunday. Coming off of two weekends where I felt in top form, it was inevitable that I'd have to come down a bit at some point, and I'd much rather have it be for this race than the pro xct race in two weeks. Here's how the day went...<br />
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Tracy and I had a nice quiet ride up, and all was going well until we took a wrong turn. Now, if you've ever driven up 202 through New Hampshire, you probably can understand how this might happen. What a ridiculously obnoxious route! If you aren't paying attention for even a second, you'll end up off in the wrong direction, and you won't realize it until you're 20 miles off course. Yeah, we turned the GPS on after that, and all was well. We even made it in time to hand our pal Tim his bottle at the start of his last lap. <br />
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We both got in a decent warmup between the little bit we managed to ride of the very beginning of the course and then cruised up and down the road, and we were able to ride the plummet a couple of times to get a feel for it. The plummet is part of a ski jump. There's an actual jump on it that I suppose some people were launching off of during the race, but since there was no actual need for those shenanigans, I chose the smooth line to the right of the jump. It's rather intimidating when you're at the top of that thing looking down, but it's a blast to rip down - you just let go of the brakes and fly!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqew5EQQGzZsvHBBfCOpWknMU9vwrjgwaq2v1YVBZ2GlT2wgBwH0Tk6c63vdsK0Bb1ddPApDgKpfT80k9YH2wHg1We9unj2yAh4TN4A4QF1_3bu7T32I66YmfVqJ8MdxCocfXrNXW9qr7m/s1600/lineup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqew5EQQGzZsvHBBfCOpWknMU9vwrjgwaq2v1YVBZ2GlT2wgBwH0Tk6c63vdsK0Bb1ddPApDgKpfT80k9YH2wHg1We9unj2yAh4TN4A4QF1_3bu7T32I66YmfVqJ8MdxCocfXrNXW9qr7m/s320/lineup.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">by Laura B. Kozlowski - Ladies at the line</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqew5EQQGzZsvHBBfCOpWknMU9vwrjgwaq2v1YVBZ2GlT2wgBwH0Tk6c63vdsK0Bb1ddPApDgKpfT80k9YH2wHg1We9unj2yAh4TN4A4QF1_3bu7T32I66YmfVqJ8MdxCocfXrNXW9qr7m/s1600/lineup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisaSM8c5mPzcJCILSJ7ldHAYMtJpf8ZnwWad3j2WNwCKzgxaaeuLhYFVrDsX3Y-FxI22mWVOdLr5ZrkL40CSqOOM1rnUb58Oa2RSvwceJjRvrG4wPg8GPWmjLxCH8kvqVi4vYGOc0is4qd/s1600/start.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisaSM8c5mPzcJCILSJ7ldHAYMtJpf8ZnwWad3j2WNwCKzgxaaeuLhYFVrDsX3Y-FxI22mWVOdLr5ZrkL40CSqOOM1rnUb58Oa2RSvwceJjRvrG4wPg8GPWmjLxCH8kvqVi4vYGOc0is4qd/s320/start.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">by Laura B. Kozlowski - Clustered start</td></tr>
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</a>Going into the race, there were 5 of us preregistered, but at the start, it was hard to tell who was racing elite and who was racing expert. Seeing the results, I can see we had a whopping 7 elite women! That's not too bad... in addition, there were another 6 women racing the expert category. For once, we were starting the race with a decent number of gals. It should have been a competitive start no matter what, but for some reason, when the countdown to takeoff ended, we found ourselves starting with the masters men and the juniors. Ummmm.... what!? Yeah, what a mess. This course only had a short section of double track to thin out the herd of riders before we were sent into singletrack for what seemed like an eternity, so it would have been nice to have broken up the fields. Yeah, it's probably good practice for the bigger races, but the bigger races usually include more passing room. I am definitely not complaining about the awesome singletrack we were racing on... I'm just saying that I'm unimpressed with the fact that they chose to stuff us all together like that considering the layout of the course. Rant over.<br />
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Before I start to sound too whiny, I want to add that this course is unbelievably awesome. There's a whole lot of climbing and a whole lot of really great trails. You basically climb forever and then descend, but it's nothing at all like Pat's Peak was the weekend before. This course has a lot more singletrack and a lot more tight twisty sections. It also has a brilliant downhill complete with some pretty remarkable berms. I wish I'd gotten up there to pre-ride the course because I had not raced there in at least three or four years. I have to say though... it's a well-designed trail system. Everything on the course was rideable, and the mud was pretty minimal. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV5jxzoz_0rT-Hlb2A_gFpYPHZzGv2VDa7ghEQ1MR1BxzpxxFdKE0qauOC3h-nUj8I3YR-wbcnz5aDa4_wqdu5qktijnHBlJDyLCFqFBBYNQAz94f1orZL2gG7qdOgh7yrXK-bmS2-6Ugl/s1600/tongue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV5jxzoz_0rT-Hlb2A_gFpYPHZzGv2VDa7ghEQ1MR1BxzpxxFdKE0qauOC3h-nUj8I3YR-wbcnz5aDa4_wqdu5qktijnHBlJDyLCFqFBBYNQAz94f1orZL2gG7qdOgh7yrXK-bmS2-6Ugl/s320/tongue.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">by Rob Paton - Put that tongue away. </td></tr>
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I had a decent start, and went into the race with Hattie up in front of me and expert racer Sheila Vibert right behind her. I had both of them in sight for most of the first lap, but I also had to deal with a bit of traffic on the first lap, and meanwhile my ability to ride my bike had taken a catastrophic turn for the worse. I kept doing that thing where you look at what's immediately in front of your wheel rather than down the trail at what's coming. When I'm on group rides with new riders and dishing out pointers, I constantly lecture people about letting their peripheral vision take care of that stuff closest to them on the trail. The brain will remember what's there while it simultaneously processes what's up ahead. Ugh. I'm happy to say that I got that out of my system by the end of the race... for the most part. Kim Quinlan, a girl with one heck of an awesome attitude, caught up on that first lap and tore by me on the downhill. I kept her in and out of sight on the last two laps, but she took off like a rocket on the last lap passing Sheila and almost catching Hattie. This week, Hattie had <a href="http://www.efta.com/PDF/results/2013/pinacl13-1.pdf" target="_blank">three and a half minutes</a> on me (Kevin, I hope you're keeping score because she got me this week, LOL). Kim was just a little over 30 seconds behind Hattie so she must have really hammered that last lap, and Sheila was about 40 seconds behind Kim. So, I managed 3rd place for the elite women and fourth overall with Kate Lysakowski was less than two minutes behind me.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8OqeNqFYb1dwFaC2qqNljHxWjcO1X8J2DFWXrTX14wi3Ktp-fHUKtKbhYzL_5yTs5KOMVl8_9UiB799yhGS9IovY3JnA7FtHgpZpolJ3OATEl0R5_RdlX66HhmosFy4ehFvwsEPCv802y/s1600/2013_pinnacle_mtb_by_denis_626.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8OqeNqFYb1dwFaC2qqNljHxWjcO1X8J2DFWXrTX14wi3Ktp-fHUKtKbhYzL_5yTs5KOMVl8_9UiB799yhGS9IovY3JnA7FtHgpZpolJ3OATEl0R5_RdlX66HhmosFy4ehFvwsEPCv802y/s320/2013_pinnacle_mtb_by_denis_626.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">by Denis Laliberte - Post-race smile</td></tr>
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As far as how I felt physically during the race, I can safely say that I felt strong but not as strong as I did for the last two races. That's to be expected. I'm in the middle of a big push to add miles because not only is the New Hampshire 100 coming up in the middle of August, but I decided to add another 100 miler to the mix July 7th. Since I don't want to completely wreck myself for the Windham Pro XCT race at the end of this month, I'm trying to wreck myself now instead. There's only so much time to prepare, so I've been pushing it hard the past couple of weeks so I can take it easy next week before I face the national field at Windham in the pro xc race and my first super D. <br />
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I've been wanting to race my Singlespeed again this season too... it's looking like the perfect opportunity this coming Sunday at the Westhill Shop/Grafton Ponds XC race in VT. I'm trying to get the most out of the deteriorating fork on my Fate, so racing my Soma SS will preserve that fork a bit longer (although my wrists will be taking the beating instead on my SS's rigid fork). <br />
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Happy riding... this week looks like it's going to be good for it! <br />
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lizridesbikeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05633076372293126843noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7147184964939663293.post-3038947354608415392013-06-13T09:26:00.001-07:002013-06-18T06:49:41.090-07:00Pat's Peak: 1 Lap of Lameness + 2 Laps of Rockstar = A Win (followed by a dose of Kingdom Trails)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid9eyQ0x9yIoE7dc4EBhtXDSBdg4UVG159bXTouWLHAAxQO8uhGUjMy47fXcM3GosNhTexZv1yNOycXg6B8ZWwFNPDo09gOXyO5ENkfMxS012XqEwswbCjQa9rLXTazW8R0whM46J_LWcC/s1600/hattie+and+I+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid9eyQ0x9yIoE7dc4EBhtXDSBdg4UVG159bXTouWLHAAxQO8uhGUjMy47fXcM3GosNhTexZv1yNOycXg6B8ZWwFNPDo09gOXyO5ENkfMxS012XqEwswbCjQa9rLXTazW8R0whM46J_LWcC/s320/hattie+and+I+.jpg" width="320" /></a>Sunday's race at Pat's Peak was inevitably going to be a mudfest based on the massive amounts of rain that poured over most of New England in the couple of days before the race. In fact, the 6, 12, and 24 hour racers began their race on Saturday at the tail-end of that rain system. Upon arrival, I ran into my friend Kevin (aka pants guy) from RI who had completed 6 laps in the 6 hour race the day before and was about to race the cat 2 XC race; he described the course using the term peanut-butter and described himself using the word stupid. I prefer to substitute stupid with "crazy-in-a-good-way" because that is essentially what most mountain bikers are. <br />
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Mike came up with me to the race - a rare treat for the both of us because he's usually working or driving to VT with his daughter on Sundays. We reserved a campsite on Burke Mountain, and planned to ride the Darling Hill trails on Monday morning despite his slow-healing rib injury (don't wear socks on highly polished wooden stairs). With him there, I was ridiculously spoiled. My bottles were kept cool in the cooler in between laps, and he packed up the car while I changed after the race. <br />
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We'd gotten there early, so it gave us the chance to ride the ski lift up and down the mountain and get an idea of how much water was running down the course. Even from that height, it was still pretty obvious that there were going to be some mud pits, but it didn't look <i>that </i>bad. Last year's race came during a heat wave with a reasonably dry course, and there were still sections that seemed to hold water - that's something the venue will have to address eventually (I made sure to inform them of that when I responded to their race survey). They've already done a lot of work in the past 5 years or so... there was a time when that course was insanely dull, and I absolutely hated it. It's come a long way, and it's now my favorite race because it has everything: technical climbs, long power climbs, fast descents, steep technical descents, winding singletrack, challenging lines over rocks, and a rewarding section of slight twisty singletrack that comes at the top of the mountain before the longest and craziest downhill on a race course since Mt. Snow! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnZ7hiQAAacgEn4g7jSNzlh4_6Bc66u3-mvEdgkeNWdl_NGYIRxS9oCVPMl-1GYK3WKSR7cbTG5eqburM8YOrho7F7OF41cW4XR1Selet34poYPaYooH6c74pc0N1MCmkF_NyKzB1212BV/s1600/935913_10151532622524926_382621682_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnZ7hiQAAacgEn4g7jSNzlh4_6Bc66u3-mvEdgkeNWdl_NGYIRxS9oCVPMl-1GYK3WKSR7cbTG5eqburM8YOrho7F7OF41cW4XR1Selet34poYPaYooH6c74pc0N1MCmkF_NyKzB1212BV/s320/935913_10151532622524926_382621682_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is Kevin. He likes to wear big chains around his neck.</td></tr>
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As Mike and I were hanging out on the deck at the base lodge watching the cat 2 racers come through the start/finish area for their 2 lap race, I looked over to see a familiar face arriving - Kevin Ryan of team Bikeman. As Kevin likes to say, "We go way back... old school CT crew..." He lives in Maine, but he spent some time in CT doing some work with amphibians near the DAS stomping grounds. You can find pictures and comments about him in my Colorado blog post; he's that Kevin. Kevin's been saying for awhile that Hattie Freye (of the Maine stomping grounds) and I are the fastest girls he's ridden with, and he wanted to see us in a race against one another. Neither of us had any idea that Hattie would be there that day, but we were both excited when we saw Hattie and her husband Andrew at the starting line. <br />
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The most unfortunate part of the weather leading up to the race was that it severely impeded race attendance. There were only two of us at the start for the women's pro/cat 1 open and three in the women's cat 1 35+ race. The earlier cat 3 and cat 2 races showed equally small numbers of women - maybe one or two more. Hattie and I lined up separately from the cat 1 women, and while the registration website had said 5 laps, we were only doing 3. The same situation happened last year - laps took longer than expected, so they cut us down to 3. I have no problem with this, but I'm thinking that they should probably consider posting less laps on their website based on the fact that they consistently take a very long time despite the conditions. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRAUbAgXiIot5x7j58KfQh7PnstpuqQlQd_-j98WUNXnjW7gEPhUN94qKsMoxbZwKRaoH_wqdUhLUDFWXnCTGmwimLIZ1W7TcUwUSzOK8fEP3mSrl3edZ9_KEshzAjZVsfRSXqC7EqPJUk/s1600/1005588_10151532621729926_213148006_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRAUbAgXiIot5x7j58KfQh7PnstpuqQlQd_-j98WUNXnjW7gEPhUN94qKsMoxbZwKRaoH_wqdUhLUDFWXnCTGmwimLIZ1W7TcUwUSzOK8fEP3mSrl3edZ9_KEshzAjZVsfRSXqC7EqPJUk/s320/1005588_10151532621729926_213148006_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old-School Homies</td></tr>
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At the start, I was able to clip in quickly and take the lead. I'm not going to lie; that first lap was a pathetic attempt at expert riding. I walked way more than I should have on both the ascents and descents. Somehow, I found the strength to gain some ground with my climbing. I was feeling pretty good. Regardless of the gap I made on that first lap, I gave it all up on the main downhill of that lap. I was off my bike in sections that I should have ridden effortlessly, and I eventually had Hattie back on my tail. That girl can rip! I let her by because I hate holding people up when I'm riding like a scaredy-cat. As I came through the start/finish area, I told myself to get it together, and I mentally lectured myself about the fact that I essentially threw it all away on that downhill. Mental reset? CHECK! I quickly made my way back up to her, and finally made a pass after the first mile or so of the second lap.<br />
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My ability to remain on my bike increased, and I did everything on the second and third laps that I should have done on my first lap. In fact, I completely killed it on the 3rd lap at every chance I got. The climbs were starting to hurt, but I kept it in the big ring as much as possible and hammered the living crap out of every section I could. I crossed the line beaming and was promptly told by my buddy Jon to take my happiness elsewhere (I've had races like that, so I forgive you, Jon). I ended up with a 4 minute lead, and the fastest cat 1 woman finished 7 minutes behind. I had the Garmin on while I was racing, but I failed to press the lap button while I was racing; other than my poor performance on the first lap, forgetting to hit the lap button is my only regret. I'd like to see what my laps looked like comparatively. Based on the fact that Mike was peeing in the woods when I started my final lap, I'd say that I was moving <i>way </i>faster on my second lap than my first, and knowing how I was riding like a complete psycho on the last lap, I'd say I was faster still. It's good to know that I can push hard even after 2 hours of challenging riding. <br />
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Funny side note: During my final lap, I came upon Kevin who promptly said, "I told you you'd catch me." We proceeded to converse with one another as though we were out on any old group ride until my psycho-lady climbing-style took me out of range. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4zNMUeOTL21FdVxY4oknp3hX2qLzQOQRef-Q9qT1tc04L5Oxi2sZCQeHMC25R3XjYRsHYXOlB4_rdTyYnZ9_c4N93NkPKjx0IwIm_KlDmju-v8OZjFi7wv65nnnZx3azbEsxzCdWj0K5p/s1600/999893_10151532619419926_471876499_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4zNMUeOTL21FdVxY4oknp3hX2qLzQOQRef-Q9qT1tc04L5Oxi2sZCQeHMC25R3XjYRsHYXOlB4_rdTyYnZ9_c4N93NkPKjx0IwIm_KlDmju-v8OZjFi7wv65nnnZx3azbEsxzCdWj0K5p/s320/999893_10151532619419926_471876499_n.jpg" width="320" /></a>With awards done, Mike and I set out towards Burke with the plan of finding a good dinner spot on the way. He wanted to treat me to dinner for making Dean's List this semester - again. We settled on The Flying Goose Brew Pub. While the beer was absolutely excellent (we tried their oatmeal stout and a honey ale), their food was mediocre and pricey. I'd recommend just hitting the pub for beer and apps and skipping the whole dinner thing despite the fact that they have an amazing view and a sweet old-school cruiser hanging from the ceiling and decked out with white lights and fake ivy. <br />
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On our way to Burke, we saw what every person traveling through VT hopes to see before they hit it at highway speed - a MOOSE!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVOqRTc2xW-r_BhlTcovwi6JdqSasyUliYGx1hjRef0mOfqAC5QXoB1AEiWHryA2bCJS6uprGJBXrghfS49cBsjdHgQWtxhX3tcaoufEZ0iO0SMqTbOTimLyyqCO6FI_hsghBYRKZiiiE8/s1600/7245_10151533748874926_1688296052_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVOqRTc2xW-r_BhlTcovwi6JdqSasyUliYGx1hjRef0mOfqAC5QXoB1AEiWHryA2bCJS6uprGJBXrghfS49cBsjdHgQWtxhX3tcaoufEZ0iO0SMqTbOTimLyyqCO6FI_hsghBYRKZiiiE8/s320/7245_10151533748874926_1688296052_n.jpg" width="320" /></a>I think we made it to the campground around nine. We had a lean-to site because there was the possibility of rain, and lean-tos kick ass. With the tent up, and no firewood, we showered and went right to bed. I slept intermittently having had way too many chia seeds and caffeine throughout the day and my muscles still being all tensed up, and Mike slept not at all - bruised ribs are not meant for sleeping on a wooden platform. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSE3dN8YHx3JHvHUv7ee6f3Q9bvJkocIrGufEoQqvRpAajVj7rUd-W-mVE3-BJodkTBr4tUZfG96wqeSp_zp1I60d3EquoeyQnd2FLABhV3wmoq86PIZtFoQfZrrNj2QsTkCny4t_IwZkR/s1600/946677_10151535380419926_1562596691_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSE3dN8YHx3JHvHUv7ee6f3Q9bvJkocIrGufEoQqvRpAajVj7rUd-W-mVE3-BJodkTBr4tUZfG96wqeSp_zp1I60d3EquoeyQnd2FLABhV3wmoq86PIZtFoQfZrrNj2QsTkCny4t_IwZkR/s320/946677_10151535380419926_1562596691_n.jpg" width="320" /></a>Morning brought about a swift breakdown of camp followed by breakfast at the general store where we eventually chatted with the only other people who had been camping. They were there for their first time and up from Massachusetts. <br />
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Knowing that Mike hadn't been riding at all, and his ability to function on a bike would be questionable with that pesky rib injury, we decided to park at the top of Darling Hill so that he could go straight to town after the ride, and I would go back up for the car. This worked out well. We had an awesome 10-11 mile ride hitting some of my favorites - Harp, Troll Stroll, Webs, West Branch, Jaw, Maxilla, and Leatherwood. After retrieving the car, I came back to find Mike chilling on a picnic table with a bottle of Switchback Ale. We ate, Mike rested, I yoga-ed, and we hit the showers before heading off to Hardwick, VT for Mike's daughter's graduation ceremony to Jr. High. Arriving early, we decided to check out downtown Hardwick. I'm glad we did because I found myself a freakin' SUPERMAN BELT BUCKLE! Yeah, I know... sweetest thrift store find <i>EVER</i>! I told Mike he better not ever call me Howard Wolowitz. <br />
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P.S. I was watching Season 5 of The Big Bang Theory, and Howard does indeed have this very belt buckle. lizridesbikeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05633076372293126843noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7147184964939663293.post-7259608892978180862013-06-03T19:38:00.000-07:002013-06-04T02:47:21.748-07:00Domnarski Farm XC MTB Race 2013: Squishy Tire Sprint Finish<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyHAzK_PpRP2Qv04L3wvns64cVBzWN3BNu7flSQfgsM6Sf4trz4D1fJ2nwSW1Oi2Ryn1_bML9RR0RSWaZo5p05yODLeqcSSzHkIBrD4nXAgY2A3mTQpkV5sy1hiuxrqUDha_c7OpN8bRBa/s1600/start.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyHAzK_PpRP2Qv04L3wvns64cVBzWN3BNu7flSQfgsM6Sf4trz4D1fJ2nwSW1Oi2Ryn1_bML9RR0RSWaZo5p05yODLeqcSSzHkIBrD4nXAgY2A3mTQpkV5sy1hiuxrqUDha_c7OpN8bRBa/s640/start.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Courtesy of Matt Domnarski - Joanne Grogan, me, and Ellen Noble </td></tr>
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In 2009, I raced one of my first "expert" races at Domnarski Farm - back before we called it cat 1. This was the first year that the Root 66 Series visited the venue, and it was same the year I got the iron rider award for finishing every race in the series. Racing sport (now cat 2) all season, I moved up to expert after nationals (which were at Mt. Snow), and finished the season out at the Farm after having completed the Marathon race at Landmine the week before. It was an awesome start to what has become a real passion in my life. It took me 2 hours and 53 minutes to complete two laps on the course that year. Last year, I finished at about 2 hours and 16 minutes, and this year it took almost two minutes longer... regardless, this was by far my best performance there. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQuFGD3JZls3BG-pOJbGCmu8vGbEMO1ETzTocVy9EzdqlWtNA4wJH9_tSWAqcZq4V9WyJXW-2TvP8D8dmihauTL_d1QVQiQvsD5lBIWw9vz9XptpNA4vh3NFD5kIxU_u-9TeS62HPb9hDF/s1600/end+pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQuFGD3JZls3BG-pOJbGCmu8vGbEMO1ETzTocVy9EzdqlWtNA4wJH9_tSWAqcZq4V9WyJXW-2TvP8D8dmihauTL_d1QVQiQvsD5lBIWw9vz9XptpNA4vh3NFD5kIxU_u-9TeS62HPb9hDF/s400/end+pic.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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There were only three of us in the pro/open field at the starting line, but as usual, it was a stacked field. Ellen Noble is the junior national cyclocross champion, and Joanne Grogan is a strong racer on the cyclocross scene as well. My goal for the race, as usual, was to stay with the leaders. As always with my starts, I chose to ease into it. The course starts out with a fair amount of climbing, at it was over 80 degrees out, so I didn't want to make myself sick on the first lap. Joanne was having some trouble settling in, so I made a pass as soon as we hit double track and tried to make my way up to Ellen who had already put a decent gap on us. I kept her in sight on the double track, but when we hit the singletrack, I managed to loose site of her. In the past, I've found that area to get bottlenecked with racers, but this year, I rode that section without anyone to pass or anyone trying to pass me - it was nice and I was able to relax and settle in. </div>
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The first lap went pretty well. I rode a little bit sloppy and flubbed some stuff I should have rode smoothly, but I managed to keep my pace in check and stop myself from overheating. The loose rocky fireroad downhills had lines made by the many sets of tires plowing down them, so I was able to relax in those sections where I normally ride horribly. As I came towards the end of the first lap, I was told that Ellen was only about a minute ahead of me. Hearing that and knowing that I was feeling pretty good, I knew it was time to get moving. </div>
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I went into the second lap telling myself to relax and ride strong. As I started the climb up "halfway hill," I looked ahead and saw a rider in the distance. I immediately honed in on the bright pink socks and knew that it was Ellen. Telling myself not to count my eggs before they hatch, I tried not to get too excited as I consistently closed the gap. I kept the heat on, but tried to prevent myself from blowing up. As I came into the singletrack before the infamous power line climb, I was mentally preparing myself to close the gap and take the lead. Unfortunately, I made a sloppy move in the singletrack and burped my rear tire... as I started to climb, I could hear a strange hissing sound. Coincidentally, a cicada was buzzing right in time with the air leaking from my tire so I let myself think that's all it was. As I completed the series of climbs and cornered back into the woods, I knew that I had a problem. At that point, I started deliberating on whether or not I should stop and put air in or just be careful and keep going. It was <i>really</i> squishy. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibFXIS1ttyYVILA8E0RgusPTzgNjlbobLJYUCNehY_2pNTAppFtVL4XeXTMm-YGWc7MCJZqkdvv5wfmmqdEPn4L17o-MrnAVoGdMsvAR0yNoEFvu8HV2m9GutvE-gnQd2OuF2fAHA4qR6w/s1600/Sky+and+I.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibFXIS1ttyYVILA8E0RgusPTzgNjlbobLJYUCNehY_2pNTAppFtVL4XeXTMm-YGWc7MCJZqkdvv5wfmmqdEPn4L17o-MrnAVoGdMsvAR0yNoEFvu8HV2m9GutvE-gnQd2OuF2fAHA4qR6w/s320/Sky+and+I.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Skyler in the background<br />
(photo courtesy of M. Domnarski)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS4K77WY7NOFTpaigJtKfCzyZJ-efMx-XT_sKAuo-9Qc1hyphenhyphenhmhqQ-2aFsIHTWPUTbdptDyM-W3Pt1UZL7PYCyOp2bk60RNNjQOaQKZm5vbNYCWX8XmRgCWw2hnhtePX8frfLifE6zzeGpn/s1600/psi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS4K77WY7NOFTpaigJtKfCzyZJ-efMx-XT_sKAuo-9Qc1hyphenhyphenhmhqQ-2aFsIHTWPUTbdptDyM-W3Pt1UZL7PYCyOp2bk60RNNjQOaQKZm5vbNYCWX8XmRgCWw2hnhtePX8frfLifE6zzeGpn/s320/psi.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Definitely lost 50% of my air. 10 psi is a little too soft.</td></tr>
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Ultimately, what prevented me from putting air in my tire was the fact that my CO2 pump was in the bag hanging under my saddle, and it's a complete pain in the ass to get that thing unzipped. It would have taken me twice as long as normal because I would have been so flustered at having to stop. Well I think about it now, I should have stopped... or better yet, I should have just been carrying that pump in my pocket like I used to do... anyhow, I did not stop. I kept going - cursing every time I felt my rim hit a rock. Somehow, I managed to stay with Ellen. When I was finally able to pass her, I should have been aggressive and stayed in the lead, but I was worried I would make my situation worse if I got too crazy. Being as gentle as I could, I kept up with her... right down the very last downhill. I don't usually ride close to other riders - especially going down hill, but I knew I was close enough that even if the tire gave out, I could run if I had to. We ended up coming into the finish area for an epic sprint to the line. Bummer about that tire... <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqCjRros_y8EvENxQXAOybMaGjTgMaPYlA-_FnykYv479PSF9P6CNXX8q3c-Xu6XdbFRljl4Ga91qxK1ad3SmZIXwmR9LynDxKd7Gm-XJNXKsghwuxA3lC4Q3g8NWLmbcuZ1Ud9D8sEbtS/s1600/finish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqCjRros_y8EvENxQXAOybMaGjTgMaPYlA-_FnykYv479PSF9P6CNXX8q3c-Xu6XdbFRljl4Ga91qxK1ad3SmZIXwmR9LynDxKd7Gm-XJNXKsghwuxA3lC4Q3g8NWLmbcuZ1Ud9D8sEbtS/s320/finish.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Regardless of the tire issue, that was one of the most exciting races I've had to date. It was nice to be able to actually <i>race</i> someone at the end. We were actually back and forth a bit, and I had to make decisions that I knew would affect the outcome of the race for me... THAT is what makes racing extraordinarily fun!! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">results<br />
(photo courtesy of M. Domnarski)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheI_CeXwRt9BiLOzmBDgs-2gLQ3q6VGto3OphiN2Yq0H6zZ7N_VYybF4INb93spe-5zoTdgCh2a9NZNwv5JkGZ7Uup8ouotfLGyPvz1Nr_PMOW8BIM7-SLJF2JCZ41HSX7fsbqZLw1jRrG/s1600/green-bax.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheI_CeXwRt9BiLOzmBDgs-2gLQ3q6VGto3OphiN2Yq0H6zZ7N_VYybF4INb93spe-5zoTdgCh2a9NZNwv5JkGZ7Uup8ouotfLGyPvz1Nr_PMOW8BIM7-SLJF2JCZ41HSX7fsbqZLw1jRrG/s320/green-bax.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Domnarski Farm always has the best payout! $200 for 2nd!<br />
Thanks, Matt!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7OJOe2813m7RW3khehcNClbQfHScZkqQEgmUWObzZdPTxuWFq3FHmv9oxaoiLkp9GK3OHoLid1VLrYs0YsToxEm4HWa48nJNiiHEoM6kX14n9t7_Mw9XBzuHkxGCq6sayJR0RTaviTqmp/s1600/podium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7OJOe2813m7RW3khehcNClbQfHScZkqQEgmUWObzZdPTxuWFq3FHmv9oxaoiLkp9GK3OHoLid1VLrYs0YsToxEm4HWa48nJNiiHEoM6kX14n9t7_Mw9XBzuHkxGCq6sayJR0RTaviTqmp/s320/podium.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ladie's podium: Joanne Grogan 3rd, Ellen Noble 1st, and me 2nd<br />
(photo courtesy of M. Domnarski)</td></tr>
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lizridesbikeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05633076372293126843noreply@blogger.com2