8 Hr Relay - Mansfield

Had pasta two nights before plus lunch and dinner the day before. Drank lots of water two days leading up. Morning of had fruit and yogurt and granola, then a little bit of coffee and half a scone.

Forgot the trainer and tent so we (Todd and I) were late getting to the event. Was hoping to be there at 8am, ended up being 8:45am. With the start at 10 I had to rush around, prep my bike, get my stuff together and warm up. Didn’t feel as good going to start as other races. Not enough time to prepare mentally.

Note: always do a head to toe equipment check the night before the race. I tried to organize the final stuff in the morning and forgot key items.

Warmed up on the trainer for about 20 mins escalated my heart to 160 with a couple of sprints. During this warm up drank a bottle of Flash. Felt good heading to the start with about 10 mins to go.

Got a good start position in the front, with a mass start like this event, a number of expert riders in the field and only 30mins (ave) lap times I knew the front of the field would be quick. When we started I stayed at the front, however I went out too hard. The lap starts with roughly a 3-4mins climb, by the time I reached the top with the pack my heart was around 186 – I blew my cork. Also at the top I had a bad position and had to step off to make the final steep corner.

I should have sat back in the pack more (top 4-5), instead of leading into the climb. This wasn’t my intent. It happened and I just kept going (should have stuck to the plan).

After I got on I was at the end of the lead pack (about 8 guys) we headed into the single track and everyone was moving quite fast. I was still having trouble staying relaxed and my heart was still around 182. About 10 mins into the lap the pack hit the second climb, I made a mistake trying to pass the guy in front of me, I went around and pushed up the climb and blew up at the top…couldn’t hold the pace and got dropped.

Note: I should have stayed on his wheel, the pack was moving very fast and making up one position in an 8 hr relay on the first lap with a fast moving pack was very short sighted. Should have stayed there until I felt very strong
(heart around 168 – 170). Attacking at 182 is impossibility for me (at this time). Can’t step on the gas when it’s all ready floored.

From this point on I brought myself back into check and started to focus on my own race.
I was doing good, I got sight of the pack again and could tell I was brining them in, but then on the 3rd climb I got a stick caught in my rear cog and had to get off and pull it out, lost about 30 secs mucking with it. From then on, the pack was gone and I was on my own. Ending up have a respectable lap of 29.22 (probably around 8th fastest of the day) – so all in all it was pretty good.

From then on my laps (4 more) were much better. Riding my own race and having great flow through all of the single track. Had some mechanical issues on the 3rd lap with my rear derailleur (probably because of the stick on the 1st). But besides that everything went well.

Note: If you have an issue like a branch in your derailleur, be sure to tune everything before the next lap. I didn’t do this and I had my chain drop to the inside of my spokes a number of times during the 3rd lap. Probably cost me around 2 mins.

The last lap was good in terms of riding but poor with cramping. I had quad cramping on the last 2 climbs. Although I still put in a good time I had to warm down about 10mins after the last lap and don’t know how well a 6th lap would have gone for me. It’s Monday when I’m writing this and I can still feel where the cramps were.

Note: Must improve warm down. Spin on trainer and ingest electrolytes to keep the muscles from cramping up. Also pay more attention to hydration as the race goes on. This is going to be very important for the 24hrs.

Times:
Lap 1 – 29m22
Lap 2 – 30m00
Lap 3 – 31m22
Lap 4 – 30m32
Lap 5 – 30m52
Max HR (for all laps) – 186
Ave HR (for all laps) – 168 - 170

What did I learn in this race?

1. Recognize when you are maxed out and be strategic when passing. Make sure when you go by you have enough to keep pushing. Wait until you have this kind of energy reserve. Be patient. Blowing by someone to just be passed again makes you slower in the long run. Solid, consistent pace will always win out.
2. First lap was a good test for when I race expert and the top 6 to 10 guys will be as fast or faster than me. Especially in a longer race, get settled into a good pace and then start to press it.

Ontario Cup - 2 - Kelso

As bad as Dagmar was (weather and condition wise) Kelso was good. Sunny, 18 degrees and a light breeze. The trails were bone dry and totally sweet.

Day before had pasta for lunch and dinner and drank lots of water during the day. Morning of had fruit and yogurt and granola, then a little bit of coffee and half a scone.

Changed my tires to pythons from the nokias – good decision re: conditions and I discovered that the plastic covering under my rear cassette was starting to break – would have been a major issue on the trail.

Note: always perform a pre-bike check-up as soon as you arrive, go through everything again to make sure it’s running ok.

Warmed up on the trainer for about 15 mins escalated my heart to 160, then rode the rode for another 5 to 10. Got to the start with 10mins to go, had to bud into the front to get a good position. Had a good start and stayed in the top 3 into the climb, felt pretty good. By the end of the first climb I had a small lead on the pack (not much). I recovered in the forest for a bit while building momentum and then started to open it up.

Rode alone from that point until ¾ through the 2nd lap, I was going through the farmers fields when I flatted in the rear. Jumped off, rip the tire off, tube out. Blew into the spare tube with my mouth – this was tricky, then CO2’d – got about 30 psi in – little soft but ok. Was up and running in 2-3 mins.

Note: investigate Zeflal puncture proof inflate – would have saved me 2-3 mins.

While I was fixing the flat a lot of people went by, I knew that wasn’t going to be able to hold the lead. But I didn’t know who had passed me. Got back on, took a bit to get the legs gelling again, and then just pushed and tried to make up time.

Ended up being neck and neck with the 3rd placed guy on the final “wall” climb. Ian was yelling for me, this guy had someone yelling for him, we were neck and neck – very intense. I beat him by a hair to the top, but then he passed me on the top – while I was recovering. I kept on his tail though until we came up to a rise with a good rolling downhill section. I built up speed and passed him like he was standing still – floating over a bunch of roots – it was one of those incredibly exciting moments. I knew he would try and stay with me so I just kept pushing through the single track, standing up when the small rises in trail came.

After about 3 mins or so I took a look back and couldn’t see him anymore, but I still just kept pushing, thinking that there was no more climbing and this was is it. “Leave it on the field” went through my mind a couple of times. My right quad and left ham started to cramp a little so I had to ease off on the standing – still did it on the rises but only for one or two pedal strokes.

Taking the final downhill I took a corner a little too tight and caught my bar end, flew maybe 5 or 6 feet with the bike and landed on my side. It was soft though, so I was ok just a little rattled. It’s always tough to crash and get right back on and not crash again – have to forget about the fall and get back to the flow.

From there I just hammered on the final flats chasing a guy in another category through to a sprint finish. It was fantastic.

In the end I was 30 seconds ahead of the second place guy. Don’t know where he was, or if I passed him or what. What a close race.

Time: 1hr 32mins
Max HR – 182
Ave HR - 168

What did I learn in this race?

1. Pre-riding and planning pay off
2. A more structured warm up will continue to help – keep doing this – with the power drink
3. My pedals and cleats squeaked – oil them before the race
4. Always stay focused and ride your own race, give your best performance possible, can’t ask for anything more than that
5. Buy some of that zefal flat stuff – that would have saved me at least 3mins
   
   

   Finally, this was an amazing competitive experience. Can’t describe the feeling
   of mid race when the “flow is on”, it’s pure escapism to feel that dialed in and
   focused everything on auto-pilot and just flying. I’m getting tingles as I write
   this. I wish there was a way to experience the day again – like in VR or
   something. Photos, words and memories simply don’t come close enough to
   describe.

Ontario Cup 1 - Dagmar

What a way to start off the season. Around 6 degrees, drizzle and rain and lots of mud, to say that this was a challenging way to start the season would be an understatement.

Warmed up on a training in the parking lot for 15mins. Did two 1 min intervals and got my HR up to about 150. Headed to the start line 15mins before the start. This was good for position, bad for keeping warm. Think it would be a good idea to warm up longer and still get to the start around this time, less stressful then getting there late and trying to squeze in.

Lining up for the start my heart was around 145, by the time the gun went I was toppping out at 175 or so (standing still!). Anyway, off we go, I had good gearing and placement into the first corner, I was pretty much on the lead guys wheel for the first km or so, I decided to pull back rather than pass (didn't want to blow up too much).

So I let 2 or 3 guys go by...I stayed in contact with this group until we hit the first pile up - at the drop off. Can't believe people were getting off to walk down - some people's technical skills just suck. As I came up to this section I dropped in and as i pushed back to go down my shorts caught on my seat which kept up forward on the bike (this happened a couple of times during the race in different sections) and i was mm away from going over the bars - sketchy!

Note- always were tights over top of shorts - doesn't look as good but ensures shorts don't get caught on the seat.

As we cleared this first section I came out behind the top 3, at this point I felt pretty good and decided to take them before the first mud climb. Passed the lead guy on the outside of a muddy corner (kind of risky) and led the pack coming into the climb. Was pretty tough to get traction, but I made it about 80% of the way up. There was a ton of traffic in this section, lot's of walkers. I was pretty vocal at all times. Rider, coming up, etc. We then got out to mostly double track for while, bike was running great - quite fast through these sections. At this point I focused on riding my own racing and passing the upcoming riders clean. If someone was going to pass me from behind so be it, I was staying focused on my technique, effort and HR. As we moved into some really tight single track, I rode super clean, lots' of roots and rocks and nasty stuff - I cleaned it all. This is when the first of 2 longer climbs came, I geared down and sat in the spin, cleaned the climb.

Note: mtb racing is all about the climb. I'm sure this is where I made all my time. People were just getting dropped left and right and even walking up relatively easy sections.

Then came the off first part of the mud...off camber with rocks and logs. It was really tough to stay on top of it, but I did. Only stepped off once and rode the rest clean - which was quite the feat.

Note: Always try and stay on the bike, even if it feels slow, it's faster than getting off, walking/running and getting back on.

Then came the big climb of the loop, spun pretty much the whole way up, got to the steep last part and as I was going up I passed a couple of guys, started to spin out and one guy gave me a little push THANKS! that was just what I needed. At the top I took a breather for a couple turns of the cranks and then stood up and hammered this open double track stuff until the next muddy single track, which was tricky but not too hard (second lap this turned into a 4 inches of mud soup - virtually impossible to ride).

Then it was open to the downhill, this rocky gully. I was somewhat cautious at the top, then I let it go. Pretty exciting, bunch of spectators in this section too, pretty cool. Then one last climb - had to wlk/run it up - no traction. Then open grass stuff, which was nuts, steep downhill mud slide, going pretty quick sliding sideways - yikes - stay on it!

That was it for the first lap. Second lap I just stayed focused, kept passing people and trying to keep my tech, effort and HR in check. Needless to say the second lap had more mud (due to rain) so I end up running more sections - which sucked cause I'd much rather ride than run :)

What did I learn in the race?if it's raining don't wear glass, you'll end up mucking with them during the race (made me slow on a climb - I found them bouncing around inside my jacket near the end of the race, I guy I passed, passed me back because of this) - trade off on this is that mud can fly into your eyes - this happened a couple of times, but I think it's worth the risk.
wear tights over shorts, not the other way around, unless they have suspenders then you're ok
if it's going to be muddy, put those extra cleats (ones that go in the front) in your shoes, it'll help when running up muddy hills
spay PAM on your pedal cleats and pedals, it will help keep mud away from this area
always use a trainer to warm up, riding around is bullshit, start 45mins to one hour before the start and do a session for 30 mins to 45 mins.
Drink a bottle of performance drink (same as you'll race with). When you're done, stretch all the major groups, legs and back mostly and then head to the start with about 15 mins to spare. Get in position and don't stand still, shake your legs, clap your hands, keep moving.