This is a local area summer event ran by the Strongland Chamber of Commerce with RR MTB at Apollo trails followed the next day by the RR Road Race near Lower Burrell. Event info & results are at:
http://www.strongland.org/bikerace.html
RR MTB:
Usually this two lap rocky, tight trail race is a hoot & most likely you can bet you will be up against local RR rider extraordinaire Liz M. She flies through these trails faster than a bat with dead on radar. Last year, I felt good here, so good that I miracleously got ahead of her until almost the 1/2 way point.....where I screwed up and flatted & then double flatted as I watched her coast off to yet another RR victory:-(
So, this year, I am not feeling quite so technical savvy and somehow my usual love of climbing is dwindling, yet it's me & her once again. The start said it all for me, after the open wide sprint in which the pack of guys drops me like a hot potatoe, I usually starting catching and easily passing several in the first trail section & then first short rocky climb. As soon as I reached the climb this year, there was no one to pass! I could not believe it, this was a bad sign! I attempted to hoof up the hill in my usual manner, but was not making progress....I looked up to see Liz was making it up pretty darn well and took off into the rocky bliss before I even reached the top this year.
I keep trying but don't have it. I can only pedal to finish today & really just prayed to not wreck or get lapped!! I finished this year with my slowest ever final time at this race. Bummer, Liz gets the trophy.....AGAIN:-(
RR Road:
So I have some doubts on doing the course this year, and I do it on full-on MTB as there is actually a class for it here. The course changes a lot, so I checked it out previously and have to say, I had some concerns about it for safety, so I figure the MTB will keep me out of close riding with others & I can keep an eye on traffic easier that way too. I ride the 10 miles to the start from my house, get lined up with the mass start pack, and before you know it we are mass flailing down an initial 'S' shaped curve only minutes in to the race. I feel nervous and ahead of me I see some commotion. As I get closer it seems like trouble as the pack is moving sideways & people are yelling. Suddenly some inpatient riders pass me by going far into the oncoming lane, only to careen with some stopped traffic around the bend, which has already brought down a few previous riders.
I hear horrible crash sounds, people now screaming, I hear bikes collide behind me, more people screaming, I see someone careen under the front end of a car, it's all I can do to peel my eyes away and hold my bike steady in the jumble. I am pretty sure it's only a few seconds before it will be my turn to hit pavement. I hear a voice say to me 'just keep moving, keep up your pace, don't slow down'.....it was my rider friend Brad right beside me. This kept me a little calm and we coasted out of the mess together.
Like most people I wanted to stop and go back, see what happened, who got hurt, etc. But I realize Emergency people will be there to tackle everything & really I cannot do anything. Even so, I feel a gut wrenching twinge as I ride on, most race-like energy just sucked away. I guess my bike felt the same way, as just moments later I flatted. I fixed it, and rode out the course, but was the back of the pack alone after this happened. I rode, got the exercise, and was really cautious on the rest of the course about traffic!
I stayed for awards to watch all the local peeps get their overall or age cat awards. The Global Ride Wmn Team did well, as Nina & Liz took off right from the start! Then I packed up the backpack & rode home, still counting my blessings to come through the road clump unscathed but feeling very unsure about racing on the road again.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
2009 Shenandoah 100-The Ladies Keep it Real.
For a second time ever, we opt to forego the local MTB scene this holiday weekend which is the annual 24 hours of 7-Springs. After SO many 24-hour races in the last decade, this isn't exciting for me so much & having done the Shen 100 before & knowing the area (Geo Washington Forest) from other trips, I am stoked to get some epic & classic trail riding on.
There is a little glitch to using the long weekend solely for getting ourselves to and from the Shen. JR Petsko & Gina have planned their wedding this weekend.....at Snowshoe!! This was going to be rough. So, our plan is to volunteer to head to Shen Friday, set up camp & save enough space for about 10 peeps that say they can't go early, ride Saturday AM, drive the ~3hrs to Snowshoe, drive ~3hrs back to Shen, then race on Sunday. agh.
So everything gets messed up ASAP as usual for us. We leave later on Friday than planned, at the last minute JP notices my bike of choice should have a new bottom bracket slapped in, so it gets quickly put in, luckily we always have spares on hand. Once arriving to the camp, it is aready getting dark so picking a spot becomes an issue and seems to take forever. Finally we settle in, only to realize in the morning that we see a better one & repack all our stuff and hoof it over to a new site. Then we finally get started on a little ride later than planned, as we head out, JP contacts Gunnar to verify the wedding time. We assume it is 4:00, Gunnar verifies we are wrongo......it's at 2:00. Crap, it's like noon, there is no way we can make it! We grudingly shorten our ride & in the hastiness I do not do a good job of testing the shifting due to the bottom bracket swap. I fail to use most gears & never realize I didn't test out the big ring. I will realize this bright and early just after the race day start!!
We speed demon to the wedding, missing the church part, but getting to the reception in time. Congratulations JR & Gina!!! All is good and the wedding is set up nicely, we all try to not drink too much & regrettingly have to leave rather early for the drive back & a good night's sleep. We get back to find Lochner/Mahokey/Schmalzer/Powers/Cohen got to the camp ok, although one didn't like our choice of spots and ditched us! We squeeze in the Shogrens and McGill & our full camp is finally off to sleep.
The typical AM scene, then last minute I want air in my front tire, Gunnars throws an ancient pump my way & I can't get it on the valve. He does it in a rush, low & behold rips off the valve stem......how does someone with SO much experience do that?? seriously?? Chris Scot is booming the countdown through the megaphone off in the distance. Crap....JP, Gunnar & I all start the fix it process and the fastest flat change I've ever seen occurs & we all make it to the back of the pack just as the gun goes off. We got to some road sprinting prologue stuff asap & this is where I realize my big ring just ain't gonna work. I spin along losing ground, then as we start doubletrack climbing, I see McGill passed out trailside. He says he does not feel well, I immediately hit him up to check out my front shifting......he says just a cable thing so keep adjusting the barrel. Each time this works for a short bit, but eventually needs tightened again. I figure just keep going and maybe at a check stop I can get it looked at. I can probably get away without a big ring, but would rather have it.
In some initial climbing I am having fun and try to keep a good spot in the pack I am with & begin barreling down one of the first tight long rocky decents, I want to go fast here so no one on my tail causes an issue, yet this is flat zone city, and before I know it I hear the dreaded hiss. Once pulled over, I get the change done quick but as air goes in air comes out??? Oh geez, I must have missed a thorn, I rip the tube out, recheck the tire and there is nothing in it?? So, I only carried one tube & now realize that it must have gotten bad somehow rubbing stuff in the seatpack or something. I have a long super rocky descent to coast on my rim so I take it very slow, hoping a check at the bottom and I could score a tube. Several people with 26 offer, but I decline. Once at the bottom, I see the check is another 10 miles on the gravel road. I decide I can't ride 10 miles on the rim, so I hesitate and sit on the side of the road deciding how I am going to bail. The end of the pack is coming through and another offer of a tube comes along, this time I take it knowing he can use my damaged one to get a new one at the check. Finally I am ready to go, although finding it hard to get motivation now because I have lost about 2 hours time with this issue.
I struggle this flattish 10 miles out wishing I had a big ring, so when I reach the check I choose the option to have someone look at it. This takes over 20 minutes, the fix is good & was more than cable work, but I wonder if worth the stopping time at this point. Now I am off my pace by 2.5 hours, I have not packed lights because I didn't anticipate 'just finishing' and taking that long. I have done the course before and lots of 100s so my feeling today was if I wasn't going to do better, I just probably wasn't going to do it at all. I rode on with this feeling knowing that no matter how fast I went there was no way I would finish with daylight & that meant I would have to DNF at the last check, at mile 86. Darn that was a bad feeling, but I figured to ride the 86 anyway.
A rider I know from Dirt Rag, Karen Brooks, was here today checking out her first 100 mile race. She was pacing herself well, taking breaks at the checks, & had packed lights just in case. She was keeping up a good pace, while I was starting to slack off. Being her first one, her goal was to finish. So we rode together for portions up until the 86 mile point, at which time she grabbed her light to get the last climb and descent under her belt. She offered that I could ride along and attempt to use her light too, but I really just was disappointed and didn't care to finish so I declined and she went on to get her first 100 done in pretty good time!
Overall, another good ride, sad not to finish but got to ride the epic Shen trails another time which is always good! Justin had a good time, ending up 5th SS class & 36th overall. There were more women than I've ever seen at a 100.....37!! That is amazing, as just a few years ago it would be lucky if 10 women started! I do notice it is funny, as more women enter, the age range widens, the rider's ability range is more varied, girls enter on SS, etc. yet I have NEVER heard one women complain about wanting classes, unfair competition, etc. such as the men continually squawk about & attempt to justify their limits by entering just the right class! The Ladies Keep it Real!
Shen Mt Touring is always a great event host, check out events/results/etc:
http://www.mtntouring.com/mountain/htm/home/page_home.htm
There is a little glitch to using the long weekend solely for getting ourselves to and from the Shen. JR Petsko & Gina have planned their wedding this weekend.....at Snowshoe!! This was going to be rough. So, our plan is to volunteer to head to Shen Friday, set up camp & save enough space for about 10 peeps that say they can't go early, ride Saturday AM, drive the ~3hrs to Snowshoe, drive ~3hrs back to Shen, then race on Sunday. agh.
So everything gets messed up ASAP as usual for us. We leave later on Friday than planned, at the last minute JP notices my bike of choice should have a new bottom bracket slapped in, so it gets quickly put in, luckily we always have spares on hand. Once arriving to the camp, it is aready getting dark so picking a spot becomes an issue and seems to take forever. Finally we settle in, only to realize in the morning that we see a better one & repack all our stuff and hoof it over to a new site. Then we finally get started on a little ride later than planned, as we head out, JP contacts Gunnar to verify the wedding time. We assume it is 4:00, Gunnar verifies we are wrongo......it's at 2:00. Crap, it's like noon, there is no way we can make it! We grudingly shorten our ride & in the hastiness I do not do a good job of testing the shifting due to the bottom bracket swap. I fail to use most gears & never realize I didn't test out the big ring. I will realize this bright and early just after the race day start!!
We speed demon to the wedding, missing the church part, but getting to the reception in time. Congratulations JR & Gina!!! All is good and the wedding is set up nicely, we all try to not drink too much & regrettingly have to leave rather early for the drive back & a good night's sleep. We get back to find Lochner/Mahokey/Schmalzer/Powers/Cohen got to the camp ok, although one didn't like our choice of spots and ditched us! We squeeze in the Shogrens and McGill & our full camp is finally off to sleep.
The typical AM scene, then last minute I want air in my front tire, Gunnars throws an ancient pump my way & I can't get it on the valve. He does it in a rush, low & behold rips off the valve stem......how does someone with SO much experience do that?? seriously?? Chris Scot is booming the countdown through the megaphone off in the distance. Crap....JP, Gunnar & I all start the fix it process and the fastest flat change I've ever seen occurs & we all make it to the back of the pack just as the gun goes off. We got to some road sprinting prologue stuff asap & this is where I realize my big ring just ain't gonna work. I spin along losing ground, then as we start doubletrack climbing, I see McGill passed out trailside. He says he does not feel well, I immediately hit him up to check out my front shifting......he says just a cable thing so keep adjusting the barrel. Each time this works for a short bit, but eventually needs tightened again. I figure just keep going and maybe at a check stop I can get it looked at. I can probably get away without a big ring, but would rather have it.
In some initial climbing I am having fun and try to keep a good spot in the pack I am with & begin barreling down one of the first tight long rocky decents, I want to go fast here so no one on my tail causes an issue, yet this is flat zone city, and before I know it I hear the dreaded hiss. Once pulled over, I get the change done quick but as air goes in air comes out??? Oh geez, I must have missed a thorn, I rip the tube out, recheck the tire and there is nothing in it?? So, I only carried one tube & now realize that it must have gotten bad somehow rubbing stuff in the seatpack or something. I have a long super rocky descent to coast on my rim so I take it very slow, hoping a check at the bottom and I could score a tube. Several people with 26 offer, but I decline. Once at the bottom, I see the check is another 10 miles on the gravel road. I decide I can't ride 10 miles on the rim, so I hesitate and sit on the side of the road deciding how I am going to bail. The end of the pack is coming through and another offer of a tube comes along, this time I take it knowing he can use my damaged one to get a new one at the check. Finally I am ready to go, although finding it hard to get motivation now because I have lost about 2 hours time with this issue.
I struggle this flattish 10 miles out wishing I had a big ring, so when I reach the check I choose the option to have someone look at it. This takes over 20 minutes, the fix is good & was more than cable work, but I wonder if worth the stopping time at this point. Now I am off my pace by 2.5 hours, I have not packed lights because I didn't anticipate 'just finishing' and taking that long. I have done the course before and lots of 100s so my feeling today was if I wasn't going to do better, I just probably wasn't going to do it at all. I rode on with this feeling knowing that no matter how fast I went there was no way I would finish with daylight & that meant I would have to DNF at the last check, at mile 86. Darn that was a bad feeling, but I figured to ride the 86 anyway.
A rider I know from Dirt Rag, Karen Brooks, was here today checking out her first 100 mile race. She was pacing herself well, taking breaks at the checks, & had packed lights just in case. She was keeping up a good pace, while I was starting to slack off. Being her first one, her goal was to finish. So we rode together for portions up until the 86 mile point, at which time she grabbed her light to get the last climb and descent under her belt. She offered that I could ride along and attempt to use her light too, but I really just was disappointed and didn't care to finish so I declined and she went on to get her first 100 done in pretty good time!
Overall, another good ride, sad not to finish but got to ride the epic Shen trails another time which is always good! Justin had a good time, ending up 5th SS class & 36th overall. There were more women than I've ever seen at a 100.....37!! That is amazing, as just a few years ago it would be lucky if 10 women started! I do notice it is funny, as more women enter, the age range widens, the rider's ability range is more varied, girls enter on SS, etc. yet I have NEVER heard one women complain about wanting classes, unfair competition, etc. such as the men continually squawk about & attempt to justify their limits by entering just the right class! The Ladies Keep it Real!
Shen Mt Touring is always a great event host, check out events/results/etc:
http://www.mtntouring.com/mountain/htm/home/page_home.htm
Sunday, August 16, 2009
2009 6 Hours of Power, Ellicotville NY
This is a popular course, lots of peeps from pgh go up, just an easy 4 hr drive north. Runs a short, fast, smooth ~6mi loop within Holiday Valley Ski Resort, up the mountain, along the ridge and then back down. Ellicotville Bikes is always a cool place to stop by, and so is the Ellicotville Brewing restaurant.Past years we have crashed on some local floor space, this year we decide to primitive camp near the transition area. Also, different this year....JP and I do Coed Duo. In the past, I have done Womens Duo & Solo here, but never the Coed Duo. Reigning champs Gotch and Bittner, will be the target! Paula and I have battled back & forth constantly over the last few years, so I know our times will be close! We leave the boys race up to them!
There was an awesome turn out from pgh this year on the podium spots! DH took overall Duo and lots of pittsburgh first timers came out to give it a try and made it look fun!
In the end, we got the champs by moments. This is only the second duo JP & I have ever done, our first was 12hr VKnob back in 2002, a race that goes into the night, against all men & we won! Between these Duos & a 24hr Duo with Eric Kriberney in 2007 (got 2nd against all men!), I can say it is pretty stressful to do these with someone WAY faster than yourself! The extra pressure can be a little overwhelming, but both of these guys are super nice good sports about it & made it a great experience to have done! If you ever have to chance to pair up with someone such a different pace than yourself, give it a try & have fun!!
Saturday, August 8, 2009
WVMBA-Big Bear Ultra 2009
So, it's a week after the Wilderness 101, I am not sure what I have for a 50 mileish course but this is one I really wanted to do so head on down to Big Bear to see what's up. Unlike the miles of doubletrack and maintenance road I envisioned, Race Director extraordinaire had gotten trail work underway and had miles of brand new very technical singletrack for us to test out! This was super duper, I can really say I think this course rivaled the reputation of the often talked about WVMBA Rattlesnake course in terms of 'toughness' factor!
There is a decent group of women, and right from the start my pace feels great but I am not with the girls I expect to be. I am right behind Betsy on her SS through the first gradual incline, I think about slowing down but decide to just go with it. The course hits the newer technical stuff and even though slippery/damp roots/rocks, I manage to hold my place in the pack without much dabbing and I know I've gained some in that section. The next one, Voo Doo Rocks, is a repeat, I flow about as much as I could in there no dabs although I do jump off to skip over a few 'dangers'. Big climb, I still feel good, strike a few passes of boys near me, and wonder where the other girls are and how they are making in through. I know I am second to Betsy but wonder if that will last all day. Eventually we get to another new technical stretch & to the checkpoint and still no sign of girls. They tell me I am about 5 min back from Betsy, I know she is having some trouble with her chain falling off today, but also know I feel better than usual so just keep going as hard as I can. I won't catch Betsy (!) but I sure hope I don't slack and get caught myself. The last portion of the course is easier terrain, I have eaten/drank all day & still feel good. I finish in 2nd, glad to have held off almost all of the competition for an entire 5.5 hours!!! I spin down the road, get a quick rinse off, pass the next girl finisher on the road and surprised at what she had to say about the course "THAT was hard!". Ironically, that was about the last thing I would have said, I was thinking more like "THAT was a super fun course!"
See iplayoutside.com for full recap/results.
There is a decent group of women, and right from the start my pace feels great but I am not with the girls I expect to be. I am right behind Betsy on her SS through the first gradual incline, I think about slowing down but decide to just go with it. The course hits the newer technical stuff and even though slippery/damp roots/rocks, I manage to hold my place in the pack without much dabbing and I know I've gained some in that section. The next one, Voo Doo Rocks, is a repeat, I flow about as much as I could in there no dabs although I do jump off to skip over a few 'dangers'. Big climb, I still feel good, strike a few passes of boys near me, and wonder where the other girls are and how they are making in through. I know I am second to Betsy but wonder if that will last all day. Eventually we get to another new technical stretch & to the checkpoint and still no sign of girls. They tell me I am about 5 min back from Betsy, I know she is having some trouble with her chain falling off today, but also know I feel better than usual so just keep going as hard as I can. I won't catch Betsy (!) but I sure hope I don't slack and get caught myself. The last portion of the course is easier terrain, I have eaten/drank all day & still feel good. I finish in 2nd, glad to have held off almost all of the competition for an entire 5.5 hours!!! I spin down the road, get a quick rinse off, pass the next girl finisher on the road and surprised at what she had to say about the course "THAT was hard!". Ironically, that was about the last thing I would have said, I was thinking more like "THAT was a super fun course!"
See iplayoutside.com for full recap/results.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
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