While Jeff Shalk was off the front putting 11 minutes into Jeremiah Bishop's record breaking 6:52 of last year, and Chris Eatough and Hansom Harlan were trailing 5 or so minute behind, I was sitting somewhere back in 100th place riding my own, much slower race.
I went into the 101 with the lessons I learned at Marysville stuck firmly in my mind; heed your lactate threshold, and don't go above it. This was the cardinal law that was dictating my riding this year. My goal: ride smooth and consistant and rip some singletrack. There were a few course changes this year, most notable, Aid 1 was 3mi closer and had a sweet smooth singletrack downhill afterwards instead of the climb up to the top of the ridge behind Penn Roosevelt SP. Way cool.
I cleaned all but the middle bridge on 3 bridges Trail. Including the rock garden. I was stoked. Took a shortened break at Aid 2 and scoffed down a half a PB&J and some apple slices. That was almost a mistake because from then on I was craving apple slices. I rode the long climbs of the course, and basically the rest of the day with a guy named Philip. We rode basically the rest of the race together, on and off. He ended up finishing a few minutes ahead of me actually. After seeing my parents at Aid #3, I rolled onto the fun part of the course, the singletrack stuff. Up lower sassafrass, down upper sassafrass, which is still really really steep, but my new brakes kept me well in control and I passed a few people. Down through the cool twisty singletrack. Way fun. I was actually coherent enough at this point to enjoy the singletrack. According to my mom, who was also at aid 3 last year, I had no idea what was going on by that point in the race. I actually stopped in the singletack which is right after the final aid station of the Stoopid 50. Not this year though; this year I rolled through without hesitation. After a quick climb back up I tackled Beautiful Trail, but did not clean the whole thing. Sad. It's a super fun trail though. I rallied down the loose rocky bench cut to the road and rolled into aid 4 a lot sooner than I expected. It was cool. Climbed up Stilhouse hollow, and started to make my was to the finish. Then came my least favorite part of the race: Sand Mountain Trail and the subsequent endless miles of false flat. Ugh. I made it through, and got to Deer Mountain Rd (maybe???) without the massive headache that I had last year. That trail was fun, but my freehub was acting up and making a weird humming noise when I coasted at a very high speed. It was fine, I just pedaled the entire time. And the last technical singletrack, was even better than I remember it. Rocky goodness...
I stopped at the last aid station to refuel form my final 12mi time trial to the finish. My other goal was to go as fast as possible and catch a lot of people on Fisherman's Trail. I caught a bunch of people and made it over the Old Mingle in a timely maner. After the almost unridable (Chris Eatough cleans it every year) singletrack by the river, I began hammering hard down the remainder of Fisherman's Trail. I think I made pretty good time, and almost caught Ben Yoder (the other Bean's racer there). The best part of the day was that I rolled across the finish line in 9:59:22, just under 10 hours. And I made it home before my parents got back from the aid station.
So yeah... that's my story. Finished in 104th overall, 67th in class, in a time of 9:59:22. I am very happy with that, since last year I finished in 11:04. This is good. Since then I have been chillin. I have a weekend off before the God's Country Marathon, which I am looking forward too.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Driving, Nats, Driving, and Tires
So that's what I have done the last week. Last time you I wrote stuff I was at my buddies in the Albany area. Then I drove. Not far. Just from Wynatskill, NY to West Dover, VT. Backroads all the way. Through the Birkshires and Green Mountain National Forest. It was one of the best hour and a half drives I have ever done.
Mount Snow was an interesting place. A ski resort but without the snow or skiiers. Instead replaced by sweet dirt trails and a few hundred of the faster mountian bikers in the country. My race was Friday. It was Wednesday. I prerode the course on thursday, much like Windham but with a more technical descent. Fun. Very fun. I knew the race would be hard because of the steep walls we would have to climb.
Mount Snow was an interesting place. A ski resort but without the snow or skiiers. Instead replaced by sweet dirt trails and a few hundred of the faster mountian bikers in the country. My race was Friday. It was Wednesday. I prerode the course on thursday, much like Windham but with a more technical descent. Fun. Very fun. I knew the race would be hard because of the steep walls we would have to climb.
The race itself was really short, only 2 laps of the 5mi course. A little dissappointing, but I lived. We went off at noon and I fell in mid pack for the 1mi prologue loop thingy. Stayed there keeping a close watch on the leader, Duncan. On the main climb I started working up to him. I was behind him after the first steep pitch. Yeah climbing. Caught Gunnar at the end of the first singletrack, which I wasn't expecting. if he starts ahead of me I ususally don't see him. Blame the heavy 29er he was riding for the 3rd time... no good on steep road climbs. continued climbing for about 20 minutes or so. Almost up to the top. Then began droping down the singletrack to the finish. As at Greenbrier, Duncan out-descended me (must work on that). Started the second lap and started to pick it up. I needed to catch him. I came close. made up all but about 30 seconds of what he put on the descent. I saw him on the last pitch before the descending began but couldn't catch him. Damn. Final result: Duncan in 1st at 1:04:58, me in second at 1:06:11, some other guy in 3rd at 1:11 something. Damn... the stars and stripes jersey was just one step up from me.
Next day I watched the expert XC, some of the women's pro (congrats Mary), and left behind the Men's Pro field up the course for a 4hr ish ride. I followed them up and stopped near the bottom of the final descent and watched for 2 laps. They are ridiculously freaking fast... guess that's why they are pros. Congrats go out to Brandon for having a damn good ride for 13th, and to Harlan for killing it in 20th. Pretty impressive to me.
My 4hr ride took me for another lap of the course, then on a 'splorin mission around the area. I rode some roads, both dirt and paved, it rained, and I found some cool singletrack stuff named after Robin Hood characters and places. Rode Robin Hood, Sherwood Forest, Notingham, Maid Merrion, and Friar Tuck. Vermont has some damn nice trails. Fast and flowy with lots of roots and stuff. Big fun, and definitely a good change from the rattle-your-arms-off rocks of Michaux. I had fun even though I only rode a few miles of the trails. Ended up running into Aaron, and Matt and we rode some more road for a while. T'was cool. T'was very cool.
Sunday I messed myself up in the Super-D race. Practice run went greatm reconfirming my belief that Vermont has some cool trails. The race sucked. I crashed (opposite side of my Marysville crash) and scratched up my knee and twisted my stem around. First DNF ever... in a downhill race. Fitting ain't it? Maybe I shouldn't do any more downhill races... until next year.
So that was my week last week... Zach and I left after his 4PM short track and headed home. Stopped at a pizza place in Bennington for dinner. Arrive in Carlisle: abot 1:30AM... took Rt. 209 down through the Pocono's, remembered lots of things that I hadn't remembered in many a year. It was good, and I also remembered how much I love driving late at night. In the rain.
So yeah... also put some new tires on the good old spider. Kenda Small Block 8's, fast as hell. They'll be really good for the Wilderness 101, which is Saturday. I'm looking forward to the long day on the bike. So that's it... prepping for the 101 now... off to do stuff...
Next day I watched the expert XC, some of the women's pro (congrats Mary), and left behind the Men's Pro field up the course for a 4hr ish ride. I followed them up and stopped near the bottom of the final descent and watched for 2 laps. They are ridiculously freaking fast... guess that's why they are pros. Congrats go out to Brandon for having a damn good ride for 13th, and to Harlan for killing it in 20th. Pretty impressive to me.
My 4hr ride took me for another lap of the course, then on a 'splorin mission around the area. I rode some roads, both dirt and paved, it rained, and I found some cool singletrack stuff named after Robin Hood characters and places. Rode Robin Hood, Sherwood Forest, Notingham, Maid Merrion, and Friar Tuck. Vermont has some damn nice trails. Fast and flowy with lots of roots and stuff. Big fun, and definitely a good change from the rattle-your-arms-off rocks of Michaux. I had fun even though I only rode a few miles of the trails. Ended up running into Aaron, and Matt and we rode some more road for a while. T'was cool. T'was very cool.
Sunday I messed myself up in the Super-D race. Practice run went greatm reconfirming my belief that Vermont has some cool trails. The race sucked. I crashed (opposite side of my Marysville crash) and scratched up my knee and twisted my stem around. First DNF ever... in a downhill race. Fitting ain't it? Maybe I shouldn't do any more downhill races... until next year.
So that was my week last week... Zach and I left after his 4PM short track and headed home. Stopped at a pizza place in Bennington for dinner. Arrive in Carlisle: abot 1:30AM... took Rt. 209 down through the Pocono's, remembered lots of things that I hadn't remembered in many a year. It was good, and I also remembered how much I love driving late at night. In the rain.
So yeah... also put some new tires on the good old spider. Kenda Small Block 8's, fast as hell. They'll be really good for the Wilderness 101, which is Saturday. I'm looking forward to the long day on the bike. So that's it... prepping for the 101 now... off to do stuff...
Monday, July 14, 2008
And now for some real racing...
So Windham was fun. I had no idea how much fun a real NMBS race could actually be. I arrived in at Windham Mountain Resort Friday night around 11:30 after almost 7hrs of driving from Carlizle. 2hrs worth of construction related traffic jams and one dinner stop turned a nice 4.5 hr drive into no fun. I set up my tent next to my parents (they got there much earlier) and went to bed. The next morning I woke up and went about completly fixing my bike to get it ready for racing. I had installed my new brakes on Thursday night, but couldn't get two bolts out of my old rear rotor. Had to have the mechanic at the free bike maintenance stand remove them with a bigger tool. Problem solved. New Rotor instaled. Avid Juicy Ultimates are by far the best brakes I have ever used. Excellent modulation, superb power. I can actually lock up my wheels!!!
Saturday I watched the Pro Men's and Women's races. That was a humlbing experience. As usual Georgia Gould won in her commanding style. In the Men's race Adam Craig and Jeremiah Bishop traded the lead for the majority of the race, but Matt Toulouse made a late race surge from around 8th place to beat out Craig by 6cm in a sprint for the line. JB rolled in third. It was sweet. Congrats go out to Ry Leech for taking 3rd in the Semi-Pro XC, to Martin Kell for taking 6th, and to Zach for 9th in the Jr. Expert XC.
Sunday morning at 8:00 was my race. I got juniored. There were only 8 (?) people in my class, one of them being a 14 yr old who was racing up. He won. Damn. I got second. We rode away from the rest of the field at the beginning of the first lap. I tried an attack on a steep road section, but he followed without much effort. By the top of the climb he had enough of a gap thatI couldn't catch him on the descent to the line. He won by about 2 min. Race over in about an hour. I really need that third lap before I can really come on strong. Hopefully the third lap will exist at Mt. Snow next week. So 2nd in my first national series race... not bad I suppose.
The big news of the day though was the Jr. Expert and Semi-Pro STXC. In the Jr. Expert race Zach rode himself to a sweet 3rd place. Leech rode to a 2nd place in Semi-Pro. But, much to everyone's surprise (including the announcer's) Martin Kell made a massive attach in the 15th minute of the race to take the lead. Once the announcer said that he was on a "suicide mission" Martin set out on a solo flier to eventually take the win (his first as Semi-Pro). It was awesome. Truely and amazing piece of riding my Martin. The Pro STXC races were interesting but not that interesting.
So now I'm in Albany,NY sitting on the couch of a friend I haven't seen since high school. I'll be here for a few days, then Wednesday I'll head up to Mt. Snow for Nationals. mmmmmmm. Hopefully I can pull out a win there. Yeah... That would be nice.
Peace...
Saturday I watched the Pro Men's and Women's races. That was a humlbing experience. As usual Georgia Gould won in her commanding style. In the Men's race Adam Craig and Jeremiah Bishop traded the lead for the majority of the race, but Matt Toulouse made a late race surge from around 8th place to beat out Craig by 6cm in a sprint for the line. JB rolled in third. It was sweet. Congrats go out to Ry Leech for taking 3rd in the Semi-Pro XC, to Martin Kell for taking 6th, and to Zach for 9th in the Jr. Expert XC.
Sunday morning at 8:00 was my race. I got juniored. There were only 8 (?) people in my class, one of them being a 14 yr old who was racing up. He won. Damn. I got second. We rode away from the rest of the field at the beginning of the first lap. I tried an attack on a steep road section, but he followed without much effort. By the top of the climb he had enough of a gap thatI couldn't catch him on the descent to the line. He won by about 2 min. Race over in about an hour. I really need that third lap before I can really come on strong. Hopefully the third lap will exist at Mt. Snow next week. So 2nd in my first national series race... not bad I suppose.
The big news of the day though was the Jr. Expert and Semi-Pro STXC. In the Jr. Expert race Zach rode himself to a sweet 3rd place. Leech rode to a 2nd place in Semi-Pro. But, much to everyone's surprise (including the announcer's) Martin Kell made a massive attach in the 15th minute of the race to take the lead. Once the announcer said that he was on a "suicide mission" Martin set out on a solo flier to eventually take the win (his first as Semi-Pro). It was awesome. Truely and amazing piece of riding my Martin. The Pro STXC races were interesting but not that interesting.
So now I'm in Albany,NY sitting on the couch of a friend I haven't seen since high school. I'll be here for a few days, then Wednesday I'll head up to Mt. Snow for Nationals. mmmmmmm. Hopefully I can pull out a win there. Yeah... That would be nice.
Peace...
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Funny Stuff
This post is in memory of Gunnar's failed attempt at a proper victory salute during the Marysville Short Track. Check out the Victory Salute Encyclopedia... Gunnar take note.
In other news I am readying myself for a week of traveling to places I've never seen, mainly the East Coast National at Windham Mountain, then to a friends house for a few days in Albany, then on to MTB Nats in Mt. Snow VT. I will be bringing the compy so updates will be provided...
In other news I am readying myself for a week of traveling to places I've never seen, mainly the East Coast National at Windham Mountain, then to a friends house for a few days in Albany, then on to MTB Nats in Mt. Snow VT. I will be bringing the compy so updates will be provided...
Monday, July 7, 2008
Fun on the Farm
If it's the weekend of July 4th, it can only mean one thing: the MASS Stage Race and Festival Weekend at the Osterling Farm in Marysville, PA. All I can say about this weekend is that it is one of my favorite races out there. The course is awesome, the people are great, and the atmosphere is exactly as one expects a bike race to be. Racing starts Friday night with the Night Individual Time Trial. This is the first year I've done that race, and I only came in 12th. My dad blames it on having only light on my helmet. I blame it one me riding slow. But that was far from the most important event of the weekend.
Night ITT Craziness
Night ITT Craziness Photo Credit: Don
Saturday morning brought the main event of the weekend, the XC and Endurance Races. I was in the latter attempting to defend my newly aquired 3rd place in the MASS Endurance Series Standings. The race was 6hrs long. The course was slick and wet from the previous weeks rain. It would be fun. I rode my first lap near the front. I had set myself a challenge for the day, ride in the big ring as long as possible. I was good for my first three laps. On my first lap I really started hurting. That's when my endurance arch nemesis (one Mr. Groves) passed me for the last time. We had been dueling back and forth somewhere in the top 10 since the beginning of the race. My fourth lap was the beginning of my near physical implosion. It was getting hot and my legs were burning. It would be my last sub-hour lap of the day (53 min I think). Lap 5 was the true implosion. Lap time 1:10. Not good. I had set out two other goals for myself during the race: complete the same amount of laps as last year in a shorter time (8 laps in 7:01 last year), and not get lapped. Niether of those would happen. VisitPA.com super-fast endurance guy Rob Lichtenwalner caught me, like clockwork, on lap 5. Oh well. 2nd place VisitPA.com guy Mike Hebe caught me on the transition between lap 5 and 6 while I was taking on some much needed sustinance. The 3rd place Skinny Chicken caught me later in lap 6. Sad day. Luckily my luck turned a little after poping some Endurolytes. My last two lap times dropped, a 1:08 then a 1:06. Still not what I needed to bring back Mr. Groves (who is my only real threat in the series standings). In the end, 10th place in the Open Men, 17th overall with 7 laps in just under 7 hrs. I continued my tradition of walking straight off the dock into the lake, but that was slightly unsatisfying as the lake was luke-warm. If my calculations are correct though, I did defend my place in the series.
And now Sunday, the final day, brought some shorter (much shorter) racing. At 9:00 the entire field of racers took off for the mass start hill climb, an even I won last year in my Sport A division. I got a crappy start and had to pick my way through many people before I reached the guy in front. We must have been moving because I passed a few of the Expert A guys before reaching the leader. I immediately made my attack, and he countered gapping me a little. Caught him again and attacked. Same result. Caught him just before the line and attacked again, with the same result. 2nd place. Acceptable. Passing some of my Expert riding friends, great. The last event of the weekend was the Short track. I figured that if I could win this or at least get top 3 I would do pretty well in the GC for the weekend. Again a crappy start, 3rd row, forced me to work my way through the field. Eventually I had the leaders in my sites and started reeling them in, there was a little climb that I could make up a lot of time on as the race wore on. I caught them with 6min to go, and immediately blew by them onto the gravel road. I was going to win this race at all costs. The exit from the gravel road was a tricky tight right hander around a tree. There was one line. Somewhere between overtaking the leaders and that right hander my rear brake died. I went to grab it to scrub some speed for the corner and nothing happenned. I went full gas into the corner and hit the ground hard. Lead gone. I uttered a few choice words and got up and started running to remount my bike. They were still within catching distance. Same corner next lap, same thing happenned. The rider behind me passed me. I had one lap left. There was no longer any chance of winning, or even getting top 3. I rode the last lap to conserve my 4th place. I ripped a pair of shorts. I am now sporting some scratches on my right arm, many scratches on my right shin and a huge road rash on my right hip. The latter still hurts, but with the help of copious amounts of neosporin is beginning to heal. Now to the matter of my rear brake. Sunday night I ordered a pair of these babies to replace my brakes made by a company I shall not name. I have never been happy with these brakes and have experienced multiple hose coupling failures on top of a general lack of good performance. I am done with them. First paycheck from work... mostly gone. The brakes will be here Thursday, just in time for Windham NMBS next weekend.
I'm pretty sure I ended up 4th in the GC because of my STXC mishaps. Oh and my new computer arrived. It's mighty shiny.... and my hip hurts. Sitting down sucks...
Saturday morning brought the main event of the weekend, the XC and Endurance Races. I was in the latter attempting to defend my newly aquired 3rd place in the MASS Endurance Series Standings. The race was 6hrs long. The course was slick and wet from the previous weeks rain. It would be fun. I rode my first lap near the front. I had set myself a challenge for the day, ride in the big ring as long as possible. I was good for my first three laps. On my first lap I really started hurting. That's when my endurance arch nemesis (one Mr. Groves) passed me for the last time. We had been dueling back and forth somewhere in the top 10 since the beginning of the race. My fourth lap was the beginning of my near physical implosion. It was getting hot and my legs were burning. It would be my last sub-hour lap of the day (53 min I think). Lap 5 was the true implosion. Lap time 1:10. Not good. I had set out two other goals for myself during the race: complete the same amount of laps as last year in a shorter time (8 laps in 7:01 last year), and not get lapped. Niether of those would happen. VisitPA.com super-fast endurance guy Rob Lichtenwalner caught me, like clockwork, on lap 5. Oh well. 2nd place VisitPA.com guy Mike Hebe caught me on the transition between lap 5 and 6 while I was taking on some much needed sustinance. The 3rd place Skinny Chicken caught me later in lap 6. Sad day. Luckily my luck turned a little after poping some Endurolytes. My last two lap times dropped, a 1:08 then a 1:06. Still not what I needed to bring back Mr. Groves (who is my only real threat in the series standings). In the end, 10th place in the Open Men, 17th overall with 7 laps in just under 7 hrs. I continued my tradition of walking straight off the dock into the lake, but that was slightly unsatisfying as the lake was luke-warm. If my calculations are correct though, I did defend my place in the series.
And now Sunday, the final day, brought some shorter (much shorter) racing. At 9:00 the entire field of racers took off for the mass start hill climb, an even I won last year in my Sport A division. I got a crappy start and had to pick my way through many people before I reached the guy in front. We must have been moving because I passed a few of the Expert A guys before reaching the leader. I immediately made my attack, and he countered gapping me a little. Caught him again and attacked. Same result. Caught him just before the line and attacked again, with the same result. 2nd place. Acceptable. Passing some of my Expert riding friends, great. The last event of the weekend was the Short track. I figured that if I could win this or at least get top 3 I would do pretty well in the GC for the weekend. Again a crappy start, 3rd row, forced me to work my way through the field. Eventually I had the leaders in my sites and started reeling them in, there was a little climb that I could make up a lot of time on as the race wore on. I caught them with 6min to go, and immediately blew by them onto the gravel road. I was going to win this race at all costs. The exit from the gravel road was a tricky tight right hander around a tree. There was one line. Somewhere between overtaking the leaders and that right hander my rear brake died. I went to grab it to scrub some speed for the corner and nothing happenned. I went full gas into the corner and hit the ground hard. Lead gone. I uttered a few choice words and got up and started running to remount my bike. They were still within catching distance. Same corner next lap, same thing happenned. The rider behind me passed me. I had one lap left. There was no longer any chance of winning, or even getting top 3. I rode the last lap to conserve my 4th place. I ripped a pair of shorts. I am now sporting some scratches on my right arm, many scratches on my right shin and a huge road rash on my right hip. The latter still hurts, but with the help of copious amounts of neosporin is beginning to heal. Now to the matter of my rear brake. Sunday night I ordered a pair of these babies to replace my brakes made by a company I shall not name. I have never been happy with these brakes and have experienced multiple hose coupling failures on top of a general lack of good performance. I am done with them. First paycheck from work... mostly gone. The brakes will be here Thursday, just in time for Windham NMBS next weekend.
I'm pretty sure I ended up 4th in the GC because of my STXC mishaps. Oh and my new computer arrived. It's mighty shiny.... and my hip hurts. Sitting down sucks...
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Get hyped... it's Tour time
In this time of fleeting respect for professional road cycling, the Tour de France should serve as a point of unification for all cyclists. Unfortunately it most likely won't. I know a lot of people who have gi Iven up on it all together. Whether you will follow it or not, this should still be amusing to you. I know I enjoyed it...
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Beginning of a long month
If you've happenned to notice my schedule, July is going to be a long month for me. This weekend is the Marysville Stage Race, which has always been one of my favorite events of the year. A Night Individual Time Trial, 6hr endurance, short track and hill climb race are on tap for Friday, saturday, and sunday. I'm excited about the endurance because I got 3rd in it last year and I am gunning for at least a repeat performance. The field is stacked though...all the usual people are coming and I'm sure both Hebe and Rob are hoping for wins. I'm excited and my legs feel good.
The weekend after that I'm headed up to New York (a new place for riding bikes) for the Windham NMBS race. Again really excited. After a quick stay in Albany with a friend from high school whom I have not seen since then, I'm headed up to Mt. Snow for Nationals. My race is Friday. I'm staying the entire time though. Gotta catch the Pro races in XC, STXC, DH, 4X... well pretty much everything... as well as Zach's race. He should win, it would be fun. I should win as well. That would also be fun.
To top that all off, the weekend after Nationals is the Wilderness 101. My goal is to have a solid ride and better my time last year (11:04) by somewhere between 1 and 2 hrs. The 101 is possibly my favorite race course ever. The singletrack in Rothrock is epic and the perfect reward for that 7 mile road you just ascended. Perfect I say... perfect. I am excited about this race.
Anyway, back to my lunch and a quick nap before getting pack to polishing thin sections. I have some high speed sprints (seems obvious doesn't it???? how would a sprint be low speed?) to do this afternoon, according to my handy training calender. mmmmmmmm sprints...
Peace...
The weekend after that I'm headed up to New York (a new place for riding bikes) for the Windham NMBS race. Again really excited. After a quick stay in Albany with a friend from high school whom I have not seen since then, I'm headed up to Mt. Snow for Nationals. My race is Friday. I'm staying the entire time though. Gotta catch the Pro races in XC, STXC, DH, 4X... well pretty much everything... as well as Zach's race. He should win, it would be fun. I should win as well. That would also be fun.
To top that all off, the weekend after Nationals is the Wilderness 101. My goal is to have a solid ride and better my time last year (11:04) by somewhere between 1 and 2 hrs. The 101 is possibly my favorite race course ever. The singletrack in Rothrock is epic and the perfect reward for that 7 mile road you just ascended. Perfect I say... perfect. I am excited about this race.
Anyway, back to my lunch and a quick nap before getting pack to polishing thin sections. I have some high speed sprints (seems obvious doesn't it???? how would a sprint be low speed?) to do this afternoon, according to my handy training calender. mmmmmmmm sprints...
Peace...
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