MASS 9hr Relay
So we head to the MASS 9hr relay with a few WV cohorts in crime and after much deliberating, decide 4 of us are all going to do the relay as solo. There is also a night time trial the night before which we do as well, after getting our camp/pit area all set up.
The night time trial proves tricky, as I never saw the course at all and it's VERY twisty & tight, although exciting it is hard to carry speed and easy to not make some bends. There are a few quickly approaced obstacles and steep ups that surprise you. Dirt Rag was here and Karen Brooks did the time trial too, we know that sometimes we are kind of the same pace so we use that to judge how we do. Karen comes in 20 seconds faster than me (Time Trial Results) and we are about midpack of the 7 girls going for solo the next day. This sets a little perspective on how things will go. There are some familiar names on the girls listed and I know a few are fast and they prove this to be true! Final Relay Results of our group:
JR Petsko-25th out of 31 starters with 6 laps
Chris McGill-SS-1st place with 10 laps
Justin Pokrivka-2nd place with 10 laps
Ruth-5th out of 11 starter with 7 laps
This is a really nice private property course, highly recommend for the drive from Pittsburgh.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Saturday, June 20, 2009
1/2 Trail Run Marathon-Rachel Carson Challenge
Rachel Carson Challenge
So, I still do like to trail run a lot, just that it gets put aside due to time in the summers. I decide to change a workout/race plan this weekend and attend the RC Challenge (informally), attempting to run 1/2 the course (14miles) and then ride my SS road bike back to the start area. The RC Challenge includes lots of vertical, my portion was 3300ft total. This goes well, I finish in 4hrs, feel ok except some foot & hip soreness from not running a lot. The bike ride back is a little slow but still ok.
So, I still do like to trail run a lot, just that it gets put aside due to time in the summers. I decide to change a workout/race plan this weekend and attend the RC Challenge (informally), attempting to run 1/2 the course (14miles) and then ride my SS road bike back to the start area. The RC Challenge includes lots of vertical, my portion was 3300ft total. This goes well, I finish in 4hrs, feel ok except some foot & hip soreness from not running a lot. The bike ride back is a little slow but still ok.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Double Weekend Fun!!!
Saturday-West Va Road Race Series, Davis WV
Sunday-Massanutten XXC, VA
I don't do many road races, mostly just I don't like drop bars or riding close to people like these require or the thought of getting road rash or even worse!! But I need to pull a few double race weekends, and this is good op. So JP has a good knack to put together a 'road' bike out of what's laying around the basement and made a bike I used in the Dirty Dozen last year. It's a trek carbon 26 mtb frame, it will fit 700 rims and road tires, but has flat bars on. I ask the race director if gears or handlebars are in the rules, he says, NOPE, this is an 'anything goes' event. Super Duper! Off I go with high end disc brakes to a real roadie race, I think I will fit right in:-)
I chose to do THIS road race not only because of the laid back nature, but also I saw and heard the course was good and hilly in it's inagural year last year. I enter the open women fast group, there is a CAT 4, but whatev, I'd rather go for it. So off we go DOWN a somewhat gravely hill to get to the start......typical west virginia thing to do:-) We start in our groups, it was all I could do to stay on the back on the women group. I fell behind a few times, catch back up until we reach the first climb. Everyone just split up badly and from then until the last final long grunt climb, I was alone. That was ok with me! I ended up last of the fast group by 10ish minutes or so(?) but did beat a few of the cat 4 girls so being on a mtb & knowing I still had a hard race to do Sunday yet, I was ok with that.
Thanks WVMBA and wonderful town of DAVIS, WV for the always good time in your awesome backyard!!
Right after catching some sweet Hellbenders Burritos, we start the mountainous 4 vehicle caravan drive to Massanutten. We got a nice condo deal to squeeze 7 of us in for the night. In the past, I've only done the Mass XC, it's a USA Cycling so often crowded and with Pros. This year I wanted to do the XXC. I wanted the extra miles, and I incorrectly thought the fastest girls would be in the XC. Ooops. Just so happens this year the XXC got a little more attention and the women cat was loaded. Oh well, off we go anyway. Now I have ridden/hiked here a lot and I knew the trail was going to be god awful rocky and require some hike a biking but I REALLY underestimated this aspect!! After completing the backcountry out & back that was just gnarly and unrideable for quite long stretches, I finally reach the event area, I see JP and some guys standing there already changed. I am SO happy this is over! But I am very confused as the mileage my garmin is saying does not seem right. I yell to JP AM I DONE??? He yells back NO! go back UP the mountain again! I gasp!!! I am exhausted and beat, haven't seen another girl ALL day and really not wanting to slam over these rocky downhills for another hour, but up the mountainous switchbacks I go trying to be happy! Up and then this time straight down the DH course, but then some rocky singletrack seems to loop around FOREVER before FINALLY popping to the last DH and finish. Holy crap, that was long and rough. I was glad it had not been an all out pedal fest, the terrian here is adventurous to say the least and I am glad they put it in the course!
Thanks to MASS, WVMBA, etc for another cool event well worth the drive from Pgh!
Sunday-Massanutten XXC, VA
I don't do many road races, mostly just I don't like drop bars or riding close to people like these require or the thought of getting road rash or even worse!! But I need to pull a few double race weekends, and this is good op. So JP has a good knack to put together a 'road' bike out of what's laying around the basement and made a bike I used in the Dirty Dozen last year. It's a trek carbon 26 mtb frame, it will fit 700 rims and road tires, but has flat bars on. I ask the race director if gears or handlebars are in the rules, he says, NOPE, this is an 'anything goes' event. Super Duper! Off I go with high end disc brakes to a real roadie race, I think I will fit right in:-)
I chose to do THIS road race not only because of the laid back nature, but also I saw and heard the course was good and hilly in it's inagural year last year. I enter the open women fast group, there is a CAT 4, but whatev, I'd rather go for it. So off we go DOWN a somewhat gravely hill to get to the start......typical west virginia thing to do:-) We start in our groups, it was all I could do to stay on the back on the women group. I fell behind a few times, catch back up until we reach the first climb. Everyone just split up badly and from then until the last final long grunt climb, I was alone. That was ok with me! I ended up last of the fast group by 10ish minutes or so(?) but did beat a few of the cat 4 girls so being on a mtb & knowing I still had a hard race to do Sunday yet, I was ok with that.
Thanks WVMBA and wonderful town of DAVIS, WV for the always good time in your awesome backyard!!
Right after catching some sweet Hellbenders Burritos, we start the mountainous 4 vehicle caravan drive to Massanutten. We got a nice condo deal to squeeze 7 of us in for the night. In the past, I've only done the Mass XC, it's a USA Cycling so often crowded and with Pros. This year I wanted to do the XXC. I wanted the extra miles, and I incorrectly thought the fastest girls would be in the XC. Ooops. Just so happens this year the XXC got a little more attention and the women cat was loaded. Oh well, off we go anyway. Now I have ridden/hiked here a lot and I knew the trail was going to be god awful rocky and require some hike a biking but I REALLY underestimated this aspect!! After completing the backcountry out & back that was just gnarly and unrideable for quite long stretches, I finally reach the event area, I see JP and some guys standing there already changed. I am SO happy this is over! But I am very confused as the mileage my garmin is saying does not seem right. I yell to JP AM I DONE??? He yells back NO! go back UP the mountain again! I gasp!!! I am exhausted and beat, haven't seen another girl ALL day and really not wanting to slam over these rocky downhills for another hour, but up the mountainous switchbacks I go trying to be happy! Up and then this time straight down the DH course, but then some rocky singletrack seems to loop around FOREVER before FINALLY popping to the last DH and finish. Holy crap, that was long and rough. I was glad it had not been an all out pedal fest, the terrian here is adventurous to say the least and I am glad they put it in the course!
Thanks to MASS, WVMBA, etc for another cool event well worth the drive from Pgh!
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Mohican 100
Since the initial flub races I have, I have taken a few weeks just to focus on my equipment and myself. I have some pretty big goals for myself and not correctly focused on getting ready for them. Yoga clears the head, so that's where I'm at!
JP still in a cast, I head out to the Mohican 100 with a racer carpool & camper friend. We are both focused on just doing our best, racing for so long now, we pretty much know where we will finish it's just a matter of how bad we will feel when done!
This year the course is rerouted with miles of new singletrack put in and the venue located in new start area. The camp area is nice, the start was good. The prologue was a WAY too short & fast road section for this large pack, and led straight to the new trails right away. So the beautiful new 25 miles of flowing singletrack turned into no more than a cluster of frustration for most people! Even though there was a road hill, a hike a bike and few other things it was just not enough to get the field spead out. This cramped everyone's style for the first quarter of the day.
I leave the 60/100 split with just a few peeps, glad to get some quiet time!! Then quickly I regret it as I end up not seeing anyone for miles and miles on the 40 mile out and back. I am stoked to get to the 'out' checkpoint, in bad need of a pbj. But then quickly in dispair as it only has oranges out. I am not prepared for this! I was counting on the food stops in this event and had nothing with me excpet a few gus. I now have to ride another 20+ with no food. I am so screwed. I head off and decide to get it started. This is the best part of the trail for me, it gets a little more backcountry-ish and I like that. So at least I had that to look forward to. Eventually back to the park trails and to the 60/100 checkpoint again, and SO looking forward to a pbj. Again I was told there were leftovers, which was watermelon and heed and all the drop bags were packed up! ok, NOW I am not just frustrated, I am outright mad. I check my watch, I clarify that the station was open until 7 in the rules and it is only 5. They tell me it closed at 5, I pull out the printed rules from my pocket, there is silence. My drop bag is pulled out, I get my drink mix, and refuse the offer to wait for a sandwich to be made. I don't have 10 more minutes to hold up the entire show. I take off for the last climb disgruntled but not really feeling THAT bad except my damn bunion feet are really hurting. The last checkpoint was GRAND! They were jovial to be helping and HAD FOOD and were in no hurry to pack it in as they stated they knew more people were still behind me! Finally some happy helpers and some food:-)
By now, my time is a typically 12 hourish route for me. The course ended in some disheartening hike a biking and climbing but was obviously close to the roll in finish and some good grilled food.
Overall, I was hoping to improve on my typical 100 time, but didn't. I did improve on my first Mohican time, which was also my first 100 in 2006. I am soon getting custom orthotics and hope that will help with feet issues, other than that I need to just keep focused on 'training' & having fun!!
Congrats to my baby bro for doing his first 'long' race, the 100K, and on SS.
Thanks to Garth, Ryan, OMBC, etc. for the event.
JP still in a cast, I head out to the Mohican 100 with a racer carpool & camper friend. We are both focused on just doing our best, racing for so long now, we pretty much know where we will finish it's just a matter of how bad we will feel when done!
This year the course is rerouted with miles of new singletrack put in and the venue located in new start area. The camp area is nice, the start was good. The prologue was a WAY too short & fast road section for this large pack, and led straight to the new trails right away. So the beautiful new 25 miles of flowing singletrack turned into no more than a cluster of frustration for most people! Even though there was a road hill, a hike a bike and few other things it was just not enough to get the field spead out. This cramped everyone's style for the first quarter of the day.
I leave the 60/100 split with just a few peeps, glad to get some quiet time!! Then quickly I regret it as I end up not seeing anyone for miles and miles on the 40 mile out and back. I am stoked to get to the 'out' checkpoint, in bad need of a pbj. But then quickly in dispair as it only has oranges out. I am not prepared for this! I was counting on the food stops in this event and had nothing with me excpet a few gus. I now have to ride another 20+ with no food. I am so screwed. I head off and decide to get it started. This is the best part of the trail for me, it gets a little more backcountry-ish and I like that. So at least I had that to look forward to. Eventually back to the park trails and to the 60/100 checkpoint again, and SO looking forward to a pbj. Again I was told there were leftovers, which was watermelon and heed and all the drop bags were packed up! ok, NOW I am not just frustrated, I am outright mad. I check my watch, I clarify that the station was open until 7 in the rules and it is only 5. They tell me it closed at 5, I pull out the printed rules from my pocket, there is silence. My drop bag is pulled out, I get my drink mix, and refuse the offer to wait for a sandwich to be made. I don't have 10 more minutes to hold up the entire show. I take off for the last climb disgruntled but not really feeling THAT bad except my damn bunion feet are really hurting. The last checkpoint was GRAND! They were jovial to be helping and HAD FOOD and were in no hurry to pack it in as they stated they knew more people were still behind me! Finally some happy helpers and some food:-)
By now, my time is a typically 12 hourish route for me. The course ended in some disheartening hike a biking and climbing but was obviously close to the roll in finish and some good grilled food.
Overall, I was hoping to improve on my typical 100 time, but didn't. I did improve on my first Mohican time, which was also my first 100 in 2006. I am soon getting custom orthotics and hope that will help with feet issues, other than that I need to just keep focused on 'training' & having fun!!
Congrats to my baby bro for doing his first 'long' race, the 100K, and on SS.
Thanks to Garth, Ryan, OMBC, etc. for the event.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
2009-Dirt Sweat Gears (DSG)
Heading down to TN for the USA cycling DSG. Long drive, big field, Open Women full of Pros, costly trip. Why am I going here? Fun road trip with a good racer friend and a chance to check out a private trail system and get a long 12 hour solo day in. Decide it's worth it.
Parousing the event set up, I coincidently run into a race counterpart that I forgot lived in the area. She fills me in on the course and a few things, no matter, with the girls here I am just doing whatever to get a good ride in!
So, we start in some misty rain, just enough so the short prologue is slick. Peeps are wiping out and we are not even to the trail! Priceless! Once in the woods, it starts pouring buckets. Within minutes I am followed by bad karma and a rear flat in the pouring rain and mud. AGH. I get out of the mud area to some grass, get it changed in the storm, jack it so full of CO2 air since I am still mad at myself over the flub flat fix at Greenbriar two weeks ago. I am also a little excited, this is the most challenging flat situation I have had in a while and it went fine, I love when the weather gives me a test for what it might be like in Costa Rica this fall(!) So back on, I am now behind the pack and the trail is getting bad. Very bad. A combination of things make the course not hold up to rain and traffic. It falls apart, bikes pack with mud...BAD. I push, scrape mud, I carry, scrape mud, I push, roll a few feet, carry, scrape mud, it's fruitless. I decide it's a DNF, I have been out here for 5 hours to get a lap in!!! The front pack gets through one lap ok, they hit the crap on their second lap and have just as much trouble, but the tough ones stick it out mostly carrying mud packed bikes on their backs. I DNF and hit the tent for some relaxing! My carpool bud gets in two laps, her second also being a 5 hour lap and she is also done. Craziness, I have not seen anything like this in my travels!
Other than not holding up to weather, the course is nice, the event set up is nice, and if your up for a race, some of the best competition gathers here!!
Parousing the event set up, I coincidently run into a race counterpart that I forgot lived in the area. She fills me in on the course and a few things, no matter, with the girls here I am just doing whatever to get a good ride in!
So, we start in some misty rain, just enough so the short prologue is slick. Peeps are wiping out and we are not even to the trail! Priceless! Once in the woods, it starts pouring buckets. Within minutes I am followed by bad karma and a rear flat in the pouring rain and mud. AGH. I get out of the mud area to some grass, get it changed in the storm, jack it so full of CO2 air since I am still mad at myself over the flub flat fix at Greenbriar two weeks ago. I am also a little excited, this is the most challenging flat situation I have had in a while and it went fine, I love when the weather gives me a test for what it might be like in Costa Rica this fall(!) So back on, I am now behind the pack and the trail is getting bad. Very bad. A combination of things make the course not hold up to rain and traffic. It falls apart, bikes pack with mud...BAD. I push, scrape mud, I carry, scrape mud, I push, roll a few feet, carry, scrape mud, it's fruitless. I decide it's a DNF, I have been out here for 5 hours to get a lap in!!! The front pack gets through one lap ok, they hit the crap on their second lap and have just as much trouble, but the tough ones stick it out mostly carrying mud packed bikes on their backs. I DNF and hit the tent for some relaxing! My carpool bud gets in two laps, her second also being a 5 hour lap and she is also done. Craziness, I have not seen anything like this in my travels!
Other than not holding up to weather, the course is nice, the event set up is nice, and if your up for a race, some of the best competition gathers here!!
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