Argos
04-23-2006, 06:09 PM
Did my First 6 hour solo Mountain bike race this weekend.
I made the appropriate amount of stupid mistakes and got 14 out of 24 guys doing the Men's solo, but one guy, maybe two had a technical, so 14 out of 22 finishers.
I came in with 2 minutes to get back on the course to do lap 8, but that would have moved me all the way up to........ 13th. Uh, no thanks, there was beer in the cooler, in my Element, that had been calling my name since lap 3 and Pizza in the Ranger Station.
Here is how it shook out.
Before the start I rode the first climb. It was about 1/2 mile @ 12% on 3/4 paved, 1/4 dirt road, then into the woods for more climbing.
It was not too bad, but I knew at least how long it was and knew not to charge up it, I had a long day ahead of me.
Before races, my body has an automatic mechanism designed to achieve race weight. [I pee a lot]
This panned out, and the race started. After the initial climb, my body really needed to pul over.
Are you kidding, you just went like 5 times!
Yeah, sorry, one more time.
This got laughs from the guys saying "Already?!?!"
Turns out this was one of those awkwardly long pees. At least I got it all out, so to speak.
I crashed on a downhill. I went over the bars. The good news is that since it was downhill the fall was a little further, and the ground was there to catch me.
The First Lap was still my best lap, like 44 minutes or so even with my well timed crash and 2 minute "potty break"
The second lap went well, as did the third, except that the sky opened and hell broke loose.
They pulled us over after what for me was my third lap so that the severe Lightning/Thunder could pass.
Mistake #1: No change of dry clothes. Didn't think I'd be stopping. My bad. I'm the consumate overpacker, so I should have planned for this.
In practice, I had ridden for 5 hours on the mountain bike, no cramps, nor pain no problem, but I knew that the cold rain and what turned into about a 40 minute delay was going to be BAD news, no matter how warm I tried to remain.
Lap 4 and 5 were sheer horror and hell. The roots were wet, the tire pressure was now too high, my chamois was wet and 'irritateing' and worst of all I had some cramps from the cold, wet layover.
Lap 6 I felt better, but sure was not moving faster, and on Lap 7 it was all about the finish. I had considered that if there was 10 or 15 minutes left for me to go backout I may go for lap 8, but when they said 2 minutes, I said, I'll fight another day. He asked if I was quitting, I said, "No, I'm not quitting, I'm stopping."
The second half of the course was much faster then the first, more technical half, and on the last lap there was a guy behind me on the last climb of the first half. When he said he was also on his 7th lap, I think it motivated me. I think it did not occur to him that finishing in front of me, this guy riding right next to him, would propel him up to the glorious position of "14", but I knew it. I put on my "Stone Cold Killa" face and downshifted. I rode away from him on the switchbacks, slowly and deliberately until he was out of view. Then, as soon as I was sure he was out of sight, I did 2 things. I breathed (I was about to die from keeping a straight face with all the burning in my legs) and I road like a man possessed. Thankfully, Rod Stewart, fronting for 'The Faces' was in my iPod singing "Stay with Me". Not the most rocking song ever, but it did the trick. I put 1 minute and 30 seconds between him and myself and that was all I could do.
Next time, I will try to have a cross country Full suspension like a Top Fuel or an Epic. The hard tail Mountain Bike beat the crap outta me. I'll also pack dry clothes.
I will bring more beer.
If anyone is thinking about doing something like this, it's the little things that make a big difference, but that said I had a great time and can not wait for the next one!
Hope you had a great weekend, too!
I made the appropriate amount of stupid mistakes and got 14 out of 24 guys doing the Men's solo, but one guy, maybe two had a technical, so 14 out of 22 finishers.
I came in with 2 minutes to get back on the course to do lap 8, but that would have moved me all the way up to........ 13th. Uh, no thanks, there was beer in the cooler, in my Element, that had been calling my name since lap 3 and Pizza in the Ranger Station.
Here is how it shook out.
Before the start I rode the first climb. It was about 1/2 mile @ 12% on 3/4 paved, 1/4 dirt road, then into the woods for more climbing.
It was not too bad, but I knew at least how long it was and knew not to charge up it, I had a long day ahead of me.
Before races, my body has an automatic mechanism designed to achieve race weight. [I pee a lot]
This panned out, and the race started. After the initial climb, my body really needed to pul over.
Are you kidding, you just went like 5 times!
Yeah, sorry, one more time.
This got laughs from the guys saying "Already?!?!"
Turns out this was one of those awkwardly long pees. At least I got it all out, so to speak.
I crashed on a downhill. I went over the bars. The good news is that since it was downhill the fall was a little further, and the ground was there to catch me.
The First Lap was still my best lap, like 44 minutes or so even with my well timed crash and 2 minute "potty break"
The second lap went well, as did the third, except that the sky opened and hell broke loose.
They pulled us over after what for me was my third lap so that the severe Lightning/Thunder could pass.
Mistake #1: No change of dry clothes. Didn't think I'd be stopping. My bad. I'm the consumate overpacker, so I should have planned for this.
In practice, I had ridden for 5 hours on the mountain bike, no cramps, nor pain no problem, but I knew that the cold rain and what turned into about a 40 minute delay was going to be BAD news, no matter how warm I tried to remain.
Lap 4 and 5 were sheer horror and hell. The roots were wet, the tire pressure was now too high, my chamois was wet and 'irritateing' and worst of all I had some cramps from the cold, wet layover.
Lap 6 I felt better, but sure was not moving faster, and on Lap 7 it was all about the finish. I had considered that if there was 10 or 15 minutes left for me to go backout I may go for lap 8, but when they said 2 minutes, I said, I'll fight another day. He asked if I was quitting, I said, "No, I'm not quitting, I'm stopping."
The second half of the course was much faster then the first, more technical half, and on the last lap there was a guy behind me on the last climb of the first half. When he said he was also on his 7th lap, I think it motivated me. I think it did not occur to him that finishing in front of me, this guy riding right next to him, would propel him up to the glorious position of "14", but I knew it. I put on my "Stone Cold Killa" face and downshifted. I rode away from him on the switchbacks, slowly and deliberately until he was out of view. Then, as soon as I was sure he was out of sight, I did 2 things. I breathed (I was about to die from keeping a straight face with all the burning in my legs) and I road like a man possessed. Thankfully, Rod Stewart, fronting for 'The Faces' was in my iPod singing "Stay with Me". Not the most rocking song ever, but it did the trick. I put 1 minute and 30 seconds between him and myself and that was all I could do.
Next time, I will try to have a cross country Full suspension like a Top Fuel or an Epic. The hard tail Mountain Bike beat the crap outta me. I'll also pack dry clothes.
I will bring more beer.
If anyone is thinking about doing something like this, it's the little things that make a big difference, but that said I had a great time and can not wait for the next one!
Hope you had a great weekend, too!