One of the hardest rides of my life

Back in June Bjet and I joined teammates Mott Sauce and Big Ring Pike for an epic journey. We rode to Pike's Dad's house in Louisville following Underground Railroad routes.

Wow, it was really cool to go point to point. I typically just ride a big loop. The ride was pretty tough, we hit some headwinds before taking a lunch break in Madison, Indiana. The winds were killing my neck, back and triceps. Then a bit more wind and rollers kicked my ass towards the end of the ride. I wigged out and got so flustered that I could no longer hold I wheel — I stepped off my bike and threw it... Yeah, not pretty.

I hope I was just not recovered from Mohican and 12 Hours of Capitol View. I was really whooped.

On a side note, I would love to turn this into a multi-day trip. Madison is a cool little college town, and Louisville is always fun.

Race #125: Longest race of my Life!

Photo by

More like 12 Hours of Capitol Punishment!
Write ups on this and Mohican coming soon...

Here are the approximate splits I recorded during the race:
Lap 1 (11.2mi + Le Mans start run around a baseball field): 0:56:36
Lap 2 (22.4): 0:56:09
Lap 3 (33.6): 0:56:31
Pit Stop: 0:00:58 — quick swap of 50ml CamelBacks
Lap 4 (44.8): 0:59:40
Lap 5 (56.0): 1:01:36
Pit Stop: 0:02:51 — Extra water, lubed chain, switched to bottles of Infinit, washed up with cold water and re-applied sunscreen
Lap 6 (67.2): 1:04:24
Pit Stop: 0:01:10 — Extra water in drained bottle, used to drink and pour over head on climb
Lap 7 (78.4): 1:11:35
Pit Stop: 0:06:07 —  Extra water, lubed chain, switched bottles of Infinit, washed up with cold water

Lap 8 (89.6): 1:08:21

Pit Stop: 0:01:14 — Extra water in drained bottle, used to pour over head on climb

Lap 9 (100.8): 1:12:14

Pit Stop: 0:04:12 — Extra water, switched bottle, washed up with cold water

Lap 10 (112): 1:03:59 — Really tried to fly through it, feeling like I was being chased!

Race #124: The One-Two Punch!

Photo by Julie Lewis-Sroka

Wow! I had a stellar race at Mohican this year!

My rolling time was about 8:25, and my overall time was 8:37:09. Compare that with last years result of 9:20 of rolling time and an overall time of 10:35:51. That means I was almost an hour faster riding and I cut 2 hours off my overall time! Holy shit!

First, I would like to thank Mitch and Nate at BioWheels for fixing some last minute mechanicals. I also want to thank Sophie, Rick and Lydia at Norwood Chiropractic--they helped all my muscles recover after the Flying Pig marathon.

Bjet and I didn't get up to Loudenville until 8ish in Friday. We were waiting in an order of Infinit to arrive, plus I was trying to finish some design projects. All that sitting made my legs feel like bloated sausages. We only got in a short spin before getting ready for the race.

We got up about 5:15am. I downed some Infinit Mud, a coffee protein shake. I did forget to take my Hammer Anti-Fatigue caps, full of potassium and magnesium to prevent cramping.

The race started and I did not feel awesome... I felt a wee bit sick and my legs were still heavy. The race starts out on the main street of Loudenville and you go straight up a hill. I was do far back, and I saw all my teammates hitting it hard, they looked great. For some reason I could not climb as well as usual, all day. It got to be demoralizing early on.

Once into the single track I kept it chill for about 15 minutes. Then we hit some double track sections. People where still riding single file, but the CXer in me woke up and I conservatively gained spots. Back to some more single track. The pace line was semi-slow, but too much intensity too early can ruin your day. One guys didn't get the memo, he kept trying to pass and then would crash like a total loser. After about 3 or 4 crashes and some yelling amongst the riders the guy finally settled down.

So I've been trying to cut back on chain slap my shifting into the big ring. Then to keep it easy I would gift into the granny gear. I was using all 27 gears! Well, I think I forgot what gear I was in. We hit some downhill double track. I went to shift into my big ring and hammer it but my chain made a bunch of noise. So I pulled over. I think I was Already I the big ring, and I was cross-chaining. The chain was forced off and it wrapped a figure 8 around my crank. Damn! So I muscled it backwards and got it going again. That's when I saw my teammate Mark Rucker.

Mark Rucker is a beast, with powder legs for quads and calves that devour cyclists -- he sits on the front and holds 28 mph, typically on some bike that's 5 lbs heavier than yours! We both mentioned taking the start easy. It's mostly trail to the first aid station, and it can really take the piss out of ya!

Mark and I mentioned riding together. I took a quick break at Aid Station 1 to refill bottles--Mark kept riding, rocking a sweet CamelBack. So I had some incentive to crush the next section, I needed to make up my 3-4 minute deficit on Mark! I finally caught him, but once again grabbed some water for insurance from Aid Station 2. Once again I had to chase down Mark!

Some advice. The first 47 miles of Mohican are tough, tons of trail and climbing. But don't quit at Aid Station 3, it only gets easier. So I roll into Aid Station 3 fast and furious and Mark is waiting for me. I fill up quickly and we set out together.

It was a great choice to ride together. Mark and I were nearly equally matched (Mark had suffered from bronchitis all Spring and wasn't destroying me). He would still kick my ass on the hills. I would lose time, but would TT to regain the 10 - 30 seconds I would lose. It was great to ride with someone you could trust, you could talk and keep your morale boosted while the miles flew past. On all the downhills and flats we would trade pulls to keep the pace high. We destroyed the bike path section

Here are my approximate splits:
To Aid Station 1 (20mi): 1:57/10.26mph split/10.26 avg, took about 3 min: A lot of trail
To Aid Station 2 (34mi): 1:32/9.13mph/9.5 avg, took 4 min messing with Infinit, more trail than I remembered
To Aid Station 3 (46mi): 1:04/11.25mph/9.82 avg, took 4 min, Rucker waited, we tackled the climb together!
To Aid Station 4 (72mi): 1:52/13.33 mph/10.96 avg, last fill up, about 3 minutes
To Aid Station 5 (88mi-ish): 1:29/10.79 mph/10.67 avg, Caught Collier, we blew through it into the woods.
To Finish (93mi-ish): :32/9.33/10.79 avg, yes, we bested all expectations!

The times were really fast this year because I think they shortened the course a tad. But even if there was the extra 2 miles I had to race the year before, and we covered it at an average of 11 mph, we still would have achieved my goal of 9 hours. I'm very happy with that!

WWBD: What would the Badger do if they closed a bridge during a race?

Barry — Roubaix: The Sound of Sunshine

From Bjet:
It is hard to write a brief synopsis of our trip to MI for the Barry-Roubaix because it was a lot of fun packed into just a few days. What I can tell you is that it was an amazing adventure somewhat haphazardly planned. We signed up last December during cyclocross season upon the suggestion of our friend/teammate Dan. Since I am a native Michigonian we jumped at the chance to race in my native state. Our plan was to stay with Dan and his bro Charlie. That plan was foiled by the realization that they had two cats in the household. So we went for plan B which was staying with Jeni in her super MTB Rogue Racing cruiser camper van. We were also able to bring our crazy dog, Kona since Jeni is a dog friendly person.

After a super busy week at work for James & myself were worried about getting our stuff together. I hate running around all crazy before a race since I like to use that energy ON the bike. We managed to get our stuff together (somehow)and headed out late Thursday night. We spent the night in a fancy Wal-Mart parking lot in Indiana. This was good because it allowed us to head into MI fairly early. Since it was still raining when we rolled into town the consensus was that it was an excellent opportunity to visit Bells Brewery. We got some pretty serious stares from the locals when we rolled in at 11:30 am to order some flights. This was the first stop on our unplanned brewery tour. Anyhow, the trip to Bells was cool and while we could have stopped there we ended up with a four brewery tour. Okay...so back to bike racing.

Our friday pre-ride was fun, it can't get much better than one long arse cyclocrossey race. Lots of gravel roads, deep sandpits, pavement, all riding along beautiful lake views and cow pastures. All friday evening it rained packing the sand down tight which with the unseasonably nice weather made for a great race.

Something like 1,500 racers showed up for the 62, 45, & 25 distances. The neutral roll-out was nothing of the sort since my computer maxed out at 30ish MPH! Ouch, after standing around for the race to start that HURT! James planned to pace me and keep me rolling in my poor early season fitness. Our plan worked well with only one hitch which was a bad wreck in the first few miles which layed a racer out in the ditch. I told James to ride back since he had a phone but thankfully the racer was okay. The rest of the race was a bit of a blur, I just pushed the pace as high as I could to avoid cramping. I made it through with only a few twinges of cramps at the end. We ended up finishing with a 16.6 mph average, 3:45 for time, I was 10th overall and for once I didn't care where I had finished; I was just simply happy to be there. We were also happy for our friend Jeni for shaving a hour off of her time from last year.

Our trip ended with an after-race tour of Founders (where we got to see teammate Dan and his brothers and share a Michigan beer) followed closely with a trip to Brewery Vivant and topping it all off with a visit to New Holland Brewing. Somewhere in that time we also rode our bikes along lake MI and soaked in the epic views and warm sunshine. It is a trip that warmed the soul and we will certainly remember this adventure for many years to come.

Long and Boring

Sometimes riding on the bike path can be boring, sometimes it's like Mac 'n Cheese and it's totally comforting because you don't have to deal with traffic.

Here's a 93 mile loop that links some cities and bike paths that I haven't ridden to before. MIght be fun for some base miles next year or if the spring turns out to be wet.

Kind of structured this idea around Lebanon, got some homies living up there.

Race #92: A New Classic

Let us step back in time. Europe, steel frames, handlebar mustaches, goggles, dirt roads with muddy ruts from horse-drawn carts. Throw in some sadomasochistic race promoters and voila, one-day classics are born. Paris-Roubaix, Ronde Vlaanderen, Milan-San Remo. I'll never get to race these races. But Andy, Mason and Kyle from Columbus's CapCity have created something treacherous right here in Ohio — a short race compared to the Classics but not short on difficulty. It's called the Frankenbike 50.

The race takes place in Scioto Trails State Park between Chillicothe and Portsmouth. 4,500 feet of the best climbs in Ohio — an abundant crop of Appalachian foothills rise up from the modest Ohio farmland — on gravel forest roads which comprise about half of the race course. Connecting the climbs are some scenic paved roads through valley farms and homesteads. And another twenty percent of the course is what they call "singletrack" but are really horse trails — not the image of beautiful, flowy, groomed mountain bike singletrack that one would love to ride. But what goes up must come down. At the end of each gravel climb there is a section of horse trails that quickly drop back down. Steep, ungroomed trails with loads of humps that prevent erosion. After an extremely harsh winter and wet spring, these trails were covered in down limbs, large rocks from washed out gullies and patches of hoof-pocked mud pits from horseback riders. The race is about 45ish miles long, but Frankenbike 50 sounds better (and when you are done you will be glad there wasn't another 5 miles).

So which bike to ride? Thus the name Frankenbike. A road bike got in the top-10 last year, but the descents were more treacherous this year. A cross bike does well on the gravel and trail, but those downhills almost call for a mountain bike. Cross bikes with disc brakes? Single-speed fully-rigid 29er mountain bike with skinny tire. Almost every iteration you could think of was represented in the top 10 this year.

When I first read the race course description a year ago I knew I had a chance to do well. I felt the combination of climbs and trails might favor my riding style, I do well by maintaining a middle-range of power for long periods of time. Long climbs will dislodge the guys with better bike-handling skills, road sections will wear out the mountain bikers. So I wanted to win. But it's a "Gran FUNdo," one category for all the riders with just one "winner" and the overall goal was just to have fun. So am I a jerk if I wanted to win? Yes, but someone has to right?

This year started with a neutralized roll out to create a community amongst the racers. We could warm up together, keep us safe on public roads and share a few jokes before the first gravel climb separates the pack. In both years of this race, the first climb quickly makes a selection. It's a steady 2 mile climb and once you reach the top there are a bunch of little kicking rollers that make you want to cry. Both years I have made sure to make this selection. This year a large pack stayed together halfway up the climb and I was surprised to see an equal representation of crossers and mountain bikers. And both years one rider has put in a tremendous effort to tear this selection apart and stew us in lactic acid — Trek Store Columbus's Tony Viton is a monster. Last year he was one the front of a group of four (of which I was tailgunning), this year I was in second struggling to keep him within 15 seconds.

We reached the top and began the first technical descent together with a small group of mountain bikers about a minute back. The descent was very treacherous on cross bikes, I was glad I ponied up for the TRP brakes this year. At one point I was going sideways with a leg out and somehow I saved it! That could have been bad. You would be trying to not endo over the water-bars when you would be forced to bunny-hop a tree branch. Meanwhile thorn bushes lined both side to the trail to remind you to stay on course.

Tony's riding was very smooth and once we reached the bottom we looked back to see only one of the mountain bikers made it down but had gained time on us. So we worked together taking pulls although I admit Tony's strong form kept him out in the wind a bit more. And I began to notice a slight lack of pressure in my rear tire. I think that descent had taken a toll on my bike.

Another climb and a descent and the mountain biker had caught up. It was Ben from the Ohio State Cycling Team, and he was clearly a force to be reckoned with. A bond quickly formed and we worked together, chatting between pulls and making sure everyone was okay when the occasional spill happened on the trails. My tire was getting low and I was forced to pull over. I was guessing it was a slow leak so I hit it with some CO2, but it was up to 60 psi. Tony and Ben kept a steady pace up the climb and I chased to catch back up. They even waited about 20 seconds for me at the check point on top of the hill. And alas another white-knuckling technical descent. This time I was surfing down on 60 psi and it felt a bit more like a pogo stick. I lost a little bit of time again and had to work hard to catch back up.

Some of the horse trails featured steep hike-a-bikes. I know they were over 20%, but I have heard GPS computers recording 40%. It's weird to be shouldering your bike walking, and still be out of breath. Ben started to gain an advantage on his mountain bike. And Tony began to feel the effects of the hoof-marks. The trail was so bumpy, where muddy trails had been ridden and now dry resemble something much more akin to the pavé of Paris-Roubaix. Fortunately I have been mountain biking all summer, but I recall riding the trails on my cross bike last spring and feeling the burn in my arms. That along with a death-grip on your cantilever brakes would give anyone a quick case of carpal tunnel. Tony, one of the strongest riders, was worn down by the course.

I passed Tony and was keeping Ben in my sights. After checkpoint 2 Ben had easily gained over a minute. We hit a road section and I thought I could pull him back but I was unable to. My 1x9 was inadequately geared for the steep rollers on the trails, the hike-a-bikes had taken their toll too. I would try to stretch my hamstring and my quad would cramp and vice-versa. All race long I felt like I didn't have a chance. Riding behind strong riders with a leaky back tire. I felt more than ever my chance was slipping away. I refueled hoping to prevent the onslaught of day-ending cramps. As the road eventually tilted upward again I was able to regain contact. Ben and I continued to ride together and this time I made a point to stay on his wheel on the trails.

We hit checkpoint 3 together and Mason was dressed up like a ghoul listening to Misfits and Slayer! Mason said we had a solid lead but warned us of a group of riders charging from behind. Ben and I set out on another long grinding hill together. After about a mile and a half Ben began to slow. I told him I would see him at the bottom, expecting that his sweet 29er would shred the gravel downhills and upcoming trails.

So this is where the sang-froid of racing took over. I knew that my little 1x9 cross bike was no match in a sprint or the final technical down hill. Eventually I lost visual contact with Ben and I put the hammer down. I wanted to win right? Grab the bull by the horns! In my mind I resembled one of my heros of the Classics. Nose to stem, high cadence, crushing every roller. And one last technical descent. I gave it everything I had and in the process flatted the front tire too. I had to ride the last section of singletrack on a flabby tire, every corner feeling like I was in a mud pit. All the while I was assuming Ben was just behind me. I hit the final bit of road and nearly bit it, the flat handled worse on asphalt. Fortunately it was only a few hundred meters to the finish. I did it! I got the win and shaved about 20 minutes off of last year's winning time, but I wouldn't have done this without the strong riding by Tony and Ben.

Now that I race Elite and Expert races, a first place seldom happens and this year I relish each podium. I'm happy to have won such a crazy event. I immediately put on the CapCity jersey that Kyle gave me and watched in amazement as riders came in just behind me. I was surprised not to have seen Ben but another mountain biker come in second. Ben got a flat on that last climb. Mason was right, a group of riders were coming from behind and I was lucky to have held them off. Every rider had a crazy story and many other riders came in with broken spokes and flats. Some riders rarely crashed while other had terrible crashes into the thorn bushes.

It's the second year for the Frankenbike 50. The course was extremely well marked and the neutralized rollout was a wise choice. It was amazing how just 3 volunteers were able to run a 45 mile race!

Race #86: Like Nascar in the Woods, but with Cramps

Photo by Kimberly Sink on Flickr

I was really happy to have made the podium at last year's 6 Hours of John Bryan "Race for Relief." But in the past year the competitive landscape has changed and now some new faces have come on the scene looking super fast and becoming new friends. Stephen Huddle just raced the Continental Divide and I am sure has the legs of the energizer rabbit, and Brent Mayer rides like a MotoCross racer with his legs as the engine. And Marty, as always, is a badass. Marty and I both have been dealing with reduced training from life in general and a busier than usual cross-country MTB racing season. I knew this year was going to be tough and it took the edge off my nerves going into this race pretty much knowing I would be lucky to get fourth. This was to be my third John Bryan race and each year I use lesson from the previous year to race more efficiently.

Lap 1: 0:53:41
I had a hell of a run in the Le Mans start this year. I guess the 90 degree runs up the stairs to Mount Adams have paid off. That was, until I got to the bikes. I placed my bike 3 rows in from the right, only to find some last minute hosers had thrown in some extra rows and my bike disappeared. Once found, I made up ground on the gravel road leading into the trail. Marty flew by looking great. A paceline formed of me, Joe and a bunch of homies from Rogue. We were really flying that lap. Stephen was on the front for a while and I think he overheated his motor, Damn. Sam Dombrozsi was killing it on his cross bike, doing jumps off all the obstacles.

Lap 2: 0:54:09
Tried to mellow out a bit and find my own pace. But Bjet yellow that I was only 30 seconds down on the next place so I started going at it again. Around the end of the lap I caught up to them and it was Marty. I was feeling a bit fresh so I jumped in front and we rode the rest of the lap together. When we came in Dan mentioned we were 2 minutes down on the leader. I was like "Geez, who is this robot." Marty had to stop to mix bottles. I had my secret weapon, I was wearing a CamelBack that was allowing me not to pit for the first 3 laps. Thus saving me time in the pit like Nascar or Formula 1.

Lap 3: 0:55:34
Out there alone trying to keep a decent pace. Rode with Darin and some kid from RedZone. It was nice to keep a fast pace and do less work by sitting in behind and getting some benefits of drafting. By the end of the lap I was starting to feel the effects of the race. Compared to last year I was flying, every lap faster than my fastest lap the previous year. Maybe first place would blow-up and I would win?! I had been going at it like a cross-country race, like the finish line was at mile 30. Add to that my reduced training and I was starting to fade. I started to cramp. I came into the finish line and saw Marty just behind me, and Brent was with him. I thought to myself, "oh well, you're getting fourth today."

Pit: 0:00:30
I had a second CamelBack all filled and ready to go. Plus I kept all my gels in my back pocket so little time was lost refueling.

Lap 4: 0:55:43
I can't remember too much of this lap. I think Brent passed me. I think I spent most of the lap about 10 seconds behind him until my leg cramps got the better of me when we hit the little, tiny hills! Ugh.

Lap 5: 1:00:28
I passed Brent when he pitted but he caught up to me on the twisty section. I was tired. I was just trying to do a recovery lap hoping that I could finish the race. My stomach was starting to sour for the first time in my riding career — I think I was over-fueling with Roctanes and EFS and I felt dehydrated, cottonmouthed and like I had a brick in my belly. This awesome spectator in the woods was ringing a cowbell and handed me a water bottle on 2 laps (THANK YOU) — I needed all the water I could get. My body was screaming. Hands hurting, back sore. I lost the core strength and endurance I had at Mohican. Brent caught me and we made a gentlemens' agreement just to recover, just to get some miles out of the way. A few minutes later this guy passed and said he was first place in Solo. Brent and I were like "Dammit, we both had our wheel in front for a few minutes and didn't know it!" After a while Brent got away again. I was wooped but still in third trying to give Marty a run for his money.

Pit: 0:00:54
Tossed off my last CamelBack and grabbed some bottles. Noticed my shifting was getting funky so I lubed the chain. I tried to start stretching because my quads, hammies and groin were spasming and cramping. But then Marty rolled up and I decided I better bail. I gave him a good luck pat on the his butt and took off.

Lap 6: 0:58:21
I tried to up the pace again. But I was feeling pretty bad still. Then Marty passed me looking pretty fresh on one of the access roads. Part of me wanted to surrender but part of me wanted to fight it out. With two laps to go who knows what could happen. I began to ride with a higher cadence to keep my momentum up while not putting too much strain on my aching muscles. It worked. Somehow I passed Brent. I spent the rest of the lap with the same focus: speed without too much exertion. Smoother lines, smarter pedaling. Plus I was smoother without that CamelBack weighing on me, those things can be hot and clumsy.

Pit: 0:00:20
Grabbed one last bottle from Bjet and took off trying to hold onto Third Place.

Lap 7: 0:56:43
I rode it like I stole it. At first I was delirious but finally I woke up and really started hauling ass like last year. I tried to crush every uphill with my high-cadence spin, a mix of power and maintaining momentum. I kept hearing something behind me, was it Brent? Little did I know that it was my spare chain link jingling in my pocket. I felt really good and I think I was pedaling smarter and smoother on this lap. I came across the line and saw Marty all torn up. He said he got first and killed himself to hold his lead. Somewhere I had passed the former leader of the race and didn't realize it. I got second place! Whoa!

Finale: 6:36:25
Man it was a blast to ride at the sharp end of the race, constantly battling for position. The top 4 riders really went at it today. That was the most competitive endurance race I have ridden, and I think the fastest. Thank you to the organizers and volunteers of Race for Relief, as always it was a very fun event. The trails were great, well-marked and thanks for the food! Too bad a thunderstorm rolled in and I couldn't enjoy a beer with my teammates in my new trophy pint glass.


P.S.
Next year I have to double-check my caloric intake per hour, maybe I went too far:
1 50oz Hydration Pack with 4 scoops of First Endurance EFS
1 56oz Camelback with 4.5 scoops of First Endurance EFS
3 Podium Bottles of EFS
3 12oz Water Bottles
7 Roctaines

Well, I got the 6 Hours of DINO coming up!

Race #76: Stubbornness is a Virtue

Photos by Jen Farmer

An epic tale of my first 100 mile mountain bike race in the scenic Mohican 100, where I endured the longest ride of my life (so far).

PRERIDE
Thursday night I went to Norwood Chiropractic, where Dr. Yost worked out a huge knot in my right quad! Overall my legs were fried from my muddy race win the weekend before. This is the second time they have rescued my from the disable list and got me back to the start line.

On Friday, Bridget, Joe and I reconned the first 8 miles. It's critical to know what's coming at you, and how to react as you weave your way through the early traffic of a mountain bike race. I went for a second warmup ride later with Mark, I wanted to keep the blood running through my legs, repairing the damage.

Teammate Kris "Karwash," the 100 miler veteran, gave me a great pep talk where he told me to keep my chin up and never give up. He said I would want to quit 5 times, but not to listen to that voice because coming over the finish line is so rewarding. He also said to stay within yourself and only start really racing at the end — something I was glad to hear because I was worried all week my legs wouldn't make it to the end.

AND THEY’RE OFF!
We had to wake up at 5:30 for the 7am start! I ate some rolled oats and flax, drank a sip of coffee and downed a gel — threw the leg over the saddle and headed to the startline. My legs were still feeling a bit stiff but it takes a while to warm up the engine some days. It was a 10 minute ride to the start and I added a few sprints at the end to get ready for the start.

I modeled some sexy poses at the startline and tried to relax, this may be the toughest day of my life (on a bike). The gun went off, but I kept it conservative waiting for my legs to come around. The beginning of these races is always a mess with tons of traffic as hundreds of riders find themselves gridlocked on what most would call a single-track hiking trail.

I stayed relaxed and eventually found myself with some good riders with similar abilities and matching speed. My legs were warmed up and the trail was so fun. Actually, my legs felt really great! The massage from Dr. Yost worked miracles!

If you like to mountain bike and haven't been there, the Mohican State Forest offers some lovely riding with beautiful scenery and some fun roller coaster trails that allow you to go really fast on a bike (thus not allowing you to enjoy the scenery). My average speed with all the hills was 10.7 mph. I couldn't wait to hit the road sections and really beat my target time of 10 hours. I was on the back of the group of riders and feeling really great when it happened...

DISASTER 1
My chain snapped! I was going around a corner with a steep uphill when suddenly my feet were spinning without resistance. At first I thought it just dropped. But upon further inspection I realized that was the key component of my drive train dragging behind my bike!

That was when I remembered I did not have and extra chain pin or a Sram Quick Link... That was a bit stupid of me! Was my day over? I had two options: 1. act like a total baby and throw my bike down a hill and have a complete meltdown or 2. put on my big boy panties and behave like an adult and calmly solve the problem. I must admit that many times I have chosen option 1, but for some reason I was really calm. Kris's pep talk was working!

Somehow I fixed it (I am a horrible mechanic). I kept channeling a calm energy and patiently went about removing a couple links and re-smashing a pin back into place. I watched as the end of my race passed, then the leaders of the 100 kilometer race began to pass. I think I lost 10 minutes or so.


AID STATION 1
I rolled out of the aid station about 15 minutes off my targeted time. That was when I saw teammate Karwash crushing it. Dude was weaving through people like a pro so I jumped on his wheel for a moment. He got past a few people and I got stuck behind a guy who took 10 years to get over a log (it's called cyclocross buddy, look it up). I refilled my bottle with Infinit, lubed my chain to prevent more chain suck/breakage and did a security stretch of my legs.

I sped up again hoping to catch my teammate and get back on track with my target time. I was flying down a downhill when suddenly I became aware that my hand was no longer on my handbars and...

DISASTER 2
I had a high speed Endo (end-over or when you go flying headfirst over the handlebars). It was so fast. When my hand came loose (I have no clue if I relaxed it for a second or some liquid — possibly pee — on my grip made it slippery).

My head hit the ground, my neck twisted and my knee felt like it was on fire. I started screaming curses and bloody murder! I thought I broke my neck, then I realized I could move it. I was seeing millions on little green, blue, yellow and purple dots. "I must have a concussion." Then I looked at my knee. My chain ring, that thing that looks like a saw blade, ripped a hole on the inside of my right knee. The would was already sticking out a few inches and white. "How long have I been on the ground? Did I black out?" Looking at it I started screaming bloody murder even more. "Did I just tear my ACL? Do I need knee surgery?" Someone could hear the crash and the screams and yelled if I was okay. I yelled yes... I don't know why.


My day must be over. It was only 1 mile back to Aid Station 1, I could just turn around and DNF. My teammate Joe passed me and asked if I was okay. I said yes again. I then gently lifted myself back on my bike and pointed it towards Aid Station 2. I could pedal this off right? Kris's pep talk now became my mantra.

I caught up with Joe and we rolled together for awhile. It was nice to have his wheel on the downhills, otherwise I would have been prone to feel scared and lay on the brakes.

AID STATION 2
I rolled in and a couple volunteers at the Buckhaven Hunting Lodge were really helpful as we washed out and applied a bandage to my knee. I was joking about duct tape, but we actually used camo duct tape to keep the bandage on! All my teammates came past and checked in on me. I took forever to get back on the bike, but I didn't want to rush out of there too quickly and cause another disaster.

Well, I was back at it and feeling pretty good. I was riding with some really cool people (one was a father-to-be from Cleveland who rode for ChamoisButter, another 100 miler veteran) and making up some time on the roads. I was still riding pretty conservative, using the granny gear on all the uphills. I just crested a hill and was on a flat when...

DISASTER 3
Chain break number 2! I was an idiot and was trying to go fast — forgetting that I was still in the granny and I was cross-chaining! Oops!

At this point some of the zen I was feeling disappeared. I was a little pissed, I didn't want to go back home and face people telling them I did not complete what I had set out to do. I knew how to fix it so I did it again. The only question, how many more times was it going to break? How many hours would it take me to complete the race? Did I have enough food?


I was kind of thinking how lucky the Pros in the Tour de France are, with a car full of brand new bikes that follow them and they instantly get service when their bike breaks. That kind of reminded me of Eugène Christophe and how he lost the 1913 Tour de France spending hours repairing bis bike, acting as a blacksmith repairing his own steel fork because it was illegal in those days to ask for assistance. How lucky the current guys are! And wow, we are kind of like these men of yesteryear.

AID STATION 3
I caught Joe again going into the Aid Station. He was flying before but now he looked like steam was coming out of his radiator. My heart was breaking for him, he looked incredible going into this race and I was really hoping he was going to set a personal record for himself. He ended up not finishing because he had pushed himself too hard for too long.

I took waaaaay too long at this aid station. But seeing my friends, other racers as well as their wives who were helping at the aid station, was really therapeutic. It was nice to share a laugh for a second. I saw Bridget as she came in, and I told her about my terrible day and for her not to worry — that this may take awhile!

AID STATION 4
It was 26 miles between Aid Stations 3 and 4. Anything could go wrong and I could run out of food, water and energy. But I was lucky. The miles flew by. And so did the bandage on my knee. It came off and the would was left exposed to mud and dirt, blood covering my top tube. A volunteer at the Aid Station provided me with iodine and a clean bandage. I was so happy to have it cleaned out.

SMOOTH SAILING
The rest of the day was so easy. My nutrition was perfectly planned and my hydration was spot on with the help of all the volunteers. My legs felt great due to training, diligent nutrition leading up to the event and Dr. Yost's miracle massage. I was thankful for the 100 mile time trials I did, and the stubborn 6:30 hilly ride I forced myself to complete in the pouring rain. I was training my capacity to endure pain.


I settled in and enjoyed the scenery. It was so hilly and scenic. I passed farms, oil wells, horses playing with donkeys (funny), Amish kids playing while watching the race. At one point a raced an Amish buggy and won. I went through the campground at Mohican Wilderness and this kid asked me if I was winning. I said no. I should have said yes because he was really hoping I was the winner!



FINISH
My head still felt a bit sore from the impact, and my knee almost stopped bleeding. I felt great, still really fresh, until I hit the final single track. My back finally started to get sore, my arm muscles fatigued too. I think I stopped drinking my fuel to hurry to the end and I came across the line a little out of steam.

I was really far behind my target time at Aid Station 3. But I really rallied in the final 54 miles and I ended up finishing in 10 hours and 35 minutes. Only 35 minutes past my target time. I wonder how I would have done without the disasters? I could have also pushed myself too hard and blown up. Having the disasters allowed me to relax.

It was so great to see all my friends again! I grabbed some grub and water. I even ate a second meal, then I had a Great Lakes beer with my friends before crashing in bed. Kris was right, it was all worth it. I am so glad I finished.

I want to say thank you to all the volunteers: the police officers that ensure our safe crossing of busy roads, the volunteers that save us at aid stations — and Ryan the race promoter, he might be a bit of a sadist but he reveals our full potential with an incredible course!

My first Mohican 100 miler: Finish line photo

Photo by Joe Bellante

Done! 2 broken chains and a major crash — my knee has a chain ring incision in it! But not too bad, I rode a 10:35.

Race #73: Jimmy & Nates' Death March to the Core of Evil

Yesterday 8 members of the BioWheels/Reece-Campbell team converged on the Hoosier National Forest to compete in Sub 9's Death March. The premise of the Death March is simple and brilliant — there are 9 cemetaries in the Hoosier Forest, the first team of 2 cyclists to connect all the dots via trails, gravel forest roads and roads on whatever type of bike are the winners.

Jaden and Joe mulled over maps for the week leading into the event. They came up with a very solid course that should deliver us to the finish line with very good times. Also, we planned to ride as a team — a CX team time trial! This put a lot of added pressure on a lot of us, I've always liked off-road bike racing because every rider competes for themselves — because I worry that a poor performance or a crash by myself could potentially hurt the teams' time or worse hurt another team member.


So the start was pretty fast and furious and our 8 riders were spread all over the place! We were really gunning it! I turned myself inside out to pace some of my teammates up to the front Bio-riders. When we made contact I pulled to the left for a break and for the first time ever I physically vomited from the effort! I think Bjet's homemade blueberry wheat muffin that I ate 10 MINUTES before the start may have been a bad idea!

We were together for only a few minutes when the Karwash/Collier BioTeam South duo got a flat! We chose not to wait as the first cemetery was just ahead and they might be able to catch up there. But we didn't see them and perhaps the flat was worse than expected. After about an hour of hard riding Ole Gersy was starting to look fatiqued — an illness had plagued for the previous week and he wasn't his speedy typical self. The Mott/Gers duo had to bail. Then there were only 4! And only a short time later Joe got a flat as well! The gravel roads were taking their toll on our bikes and our bodies.


One of my favorite things about competition is that I believe it reveals the unlimited potential of humankind. Racing has transformed me as a person and has helped me overcome my fears and inhibitions. I am pretty scared of heights, being near a railing or the thought of falling can actually paralyze me! I have been to Paris twice and have not yet been on top of the Eiffel Tower and I DNF'd a climb to the top of Gaudi's Sograda Familia in Barcelona. So it was required that both team members climb a fire tower and have their pictures taken. I sucked it up and got through it! The old structure swayed and creaked but the view from the top was worth it! Here I come Eiffel!


Mott rejoined at the the Fire Tower — he would be along for a fun ride, just tagging along and not taking pulls. And speaking of unlimited potential: Karwash and Collier caught back up to us looking fresh and fast. As a team we hit the lovely trails to hit Callahan cemetary. Man, the trails were really beautiful! I can't wait to ride there again.

I just drank my last drop of water with 15 miles to go. I was low on calories and hydration and worried I wouldn't make it to the end. Suddenly Sub 9's Ron Burgundy van pulls up filled with beer, water and Clif Bars! Thanks to them I didn't wither away out there!


So we were probably only a few miles from the finish. Jaden got a cramp and had to slow up for a sec. THERE WAS BLOOD IN THE WATER. We mentioned when does it become uncivil, when do we race for the best sub-team times. But part of me wanted to roll in as a united front with Jaden & Joe getting the best placing as a thanks for the organizational brilliance. On a hill just before the end Nate and Karwash were going for King of the Hill bragging rights. As a lark I gunned it to come from behind — and suddenly this was perceived as an attack. Nate and I were suddenly pitted against Karwash/Collier. We chugged up the hills and it appeared that we had dropped them. But the day's efforts had taken their toll and as we crawled up the final hill Karwash and Collier rejoined and we took it into the camp with a sprint finish! Karwash and Collier took it at the line! Perhaps it was a bit unclassy to attack the homies that we owe a debt of gratitude — I see some untimely mechanicals in my future!


Thanks again to Jaden and Joe for orchestra the BioTeam's diabolical plot. It was so fun to race as a team and I really think with a few tweaks and streamlining we're gonna tear up next year's race. The results aren't posted yet but I think all of us are in the top 15, not bad out of 98 teams!

Great job Sub 9, brilliant race with a beautiful course! Thanks to the Ron Burgundy van I made it to the end.

RESULTS:
10th Place:
BIOWHEELS/REECE-CAMPBELL RACING TEAM SOUTH (Karwisch/Collier)
Total Time: 04:29:00; with Time Bonuses: 01:14:00

11th Place:
BIOWHEELS/REECE-CAMPBELL RACING TEAM #3 (Nate and Me)
Total Time: 04:29:02; with Time Bonuses: 01:14:02

12th Place:
BIOWHEELS/REECE-CAMPBELL RACING TEAM #1 (Jaden & Joe)
Total Time: 04:30:00; with Time Bonuses: 01:15:00

The Dirt Double

This was quite a tough weekend. I was hoping my mountain biking season would have been over weeks ago but a rain-delay and Bjet and Marty were doing the longer race gave me the idea to crush myself one last weekend. I also was inspired by Jacques Anquetil's incredible feat known as "Le Double." The main difference between Anquetil and I is that he actually won both events.

I was only off the mountain bike for a week or two but it was a tough reminder that maybe I really need to work on my handling skills. I feel I work so hard and waste my energy by handling inefficiently. At the end of the weekend I felt like a losing boxer on the ropes — every little knock, fall, bobble and peddle strike took their toll on my body.

Race #48: 6 Hours of D.I.N.O. at Versailles
At the last minute I kind of realized I really didn't want to do this race. I was cranky and the lame Le Mans start (where we had to take off a wheel or seat post) really p.o'ed me. But it took off the pressure.

Lap 1: 1:06:50
Actually my first lap was magical, for the first time this year I felt no pressure and kind of had that surfer's high. I was having a wonderful lap until the end, where I dropped my chain going into one of the rocky creek crossings. These dudes started yelling at me and killed my buzz. Bobbled again going over the water fall. Bridget caught me at the end and I was in a bad mood! Poor loser Jimmy!

Lap 2: 1:05:14
Rocking with Bjet, we took turns on the front. This was a tough race for our team TT because I was stronger on the hills and Bridge was better on the descents. Nate caught us at the end of this lap and I ended up bobbling every descent and lost a bunch of time to Bridget. She actually crashed looking back trying to figure out how I disappeared...

Lap 3: 1:07:41
I ended up catching and leaving Bridget to kill the climbs. I actually hammered this lap and took a few minute pit stop at the end of it.

Lap 4: 1:06:34
Eberything started to hurt a little. Actually started reconsider Caesar's the next day.

Lap 5: 1:12:30
This lap stunk! I actually stopped to refuel at one point (thinking I was going to have to do another lap). On top of it my lame saddle bag un-velcro'ed three times on technical sections! Why didn't I just jam it in my pocket? Really could feel the lack of calories on this lap...

I was totally surprised to be finished, I thought I was going out again. I stopped at the end and Charlie and Nate yelled at me to finish. I was glad I didn't have to do another. I was pooped and totally in awe of all the 12 and 24 hour racers. I was lucky that even though I came in way after Nate I was still in fourth, and Charlie was in second! Sweet!

Jimmy Vs. Versailles Trails
12.33 mph, 30 miles, 02:26:00 (07.25.2010 DINO/CORA Race)
11.16 mph, 63 miles, 05:38:49 (09.11.2010 6 Hour Race)
10.67 mph, 40 miles, 03:45:00 (07.31.2010 Training ride with Bjet and Charlie)

Race # 49: Caesar Creek
I didn't have a ton of speed, and maybe my style was a bit off but I actually had a bit of fun in the race. There were some tough parts and I kind of treated it like a cyclocross skills test. I tried to go fast but threw out the anchor!

It's embarrassing to cross the finish line as they start the podiums! Ouch.

Jimmy Vs. Caesar Creek Trails
8.70 mph, 19.5 miles,02:14:30 (08.23.2009 Caesar Creek Race)
8.22 mph, 28.5 miles, 03:28:00 (09.12.2010 Caesar Creek Race)
6.95 mph, 34.5 miles, 04:58:00 (04.11.2010 5 Hour Training Ride)

Race #50: FrankenBike50, A Race for Men

When I saw this race posted on the CapCity website my mouth started watering. A 50 mile cyclocross adventure! It sounded treacherous and visions of classic Tour de France danced in my head. I saw men wearing goggles and leather helmets donning extra tires wrapped around their torsos. This will be my Roubaix, my Strade Bianchi, my Ronde.

I think everyone was nervous and eager to see how their fitness is heading into cyclocross season. The start was fast, the racers wanted to get the hole shot. There was about a mile or two of a gradual asphalt climb, and a group was hammering on the front. I was really happy to be up there and I tried to chill and stay out of the wind. But a small group attacked and the guys on the front of the group were being left out in the wind a bit too long so I hopped up there and bridged the group to the leaders.

I was still on the front as we headed onto a loose gravel road and I made a stupid mistake of making my turn too late and too fast and slid out, right at the base of a climb! So I grabbed the bike and started running up the hill losing a ton of spaces. Chewning from Team Hungry was with me and we attacked the first long climb with much bravado! We clawed and clawed our way up, and a few times my legs nearly gave up but Michael wouldn't let me give up. We eventually closed the gap and were with the two leaders!

I ended up getting the hole shot on the first trail descent. Man it was hairy and loose! Rock and sticks everywhere on a crazy ATV path. I was holding the breaks the entire time, because if you let off you might go too fast for the cross brakes to save you. At the bottom another rider and I hit the first road section. We looked back and we were alone, we lost Michael and another rider to that crazy downhill!

My new companion, Jeff, and I would end up spending most of the race together. We would share pulls on the road, wait for each other at aid stations and were all together chivalrous and true sportsmen, Why make an enemy with 35 miles to go? In some ways I knew I was in trouble and the win would most likely not be mine. I was rocking a 1x9, a 39 on front with a 12-25. Not enough meat for a sprint, and not easy enough for the long climbs. At one point we were having a Sunday ride on some single track and I think we dallied and lost a little time. Only at this point were we joined by another rider going into Aid Station 2, but another crazy downhill and Jeff and I were alone again.

The day, the scenery and the fire roads and trails were really beautiful! So much fun. We were getting close to the end, we finished a long hike-a-bike and we were going down a truly fun and fast trail. It was here the day went pear-shaped. We were going so fast we missed a turn. We lost a lot of time on the bottom of the hill because we were very confused, and we ended up riding and walking through this gnarly creek bed of loose shale. We finally found Aid Station 3, only to discover that we lost about 8 places and ten minutes... Going into this race I had a small hope that I could pull out a win, and now my hope was lost. I just said "c'est la vie." Jeff took off, and my gears and my broken heart prevented me from attacking this next climb.

There were 2 riders about 30 seconds ahead, Jeff bridged and dropped them in no time. But it took me most of the climb to reel them in. All in all, losing spots actually forced me to push even harder late in the race and I am thankful for this late effort. I was really killing myself up these last hills and on the flats. My HR was easily 160s -170s and my legs were cramping. I saw my friend Layne going into the final single track descent, and despite stopping to help another cyclist, he closed the gap to me rocking his sweet 29er. We rode into the finish together and I was so out of gas I couldn't accept his invitations to sprint around him! It's so fun to see all my CapCity friends again!

Once again Andy from CapCity put on a great event and the trails and roads were so scenic and epic, they made me fall in love with Ohio again. I can't wait to go out there and train this winter and spring!

Race #44: I found myself somewhere between the trees

My goal for this year's 6 Hours of John Bryan were:
1) Prove to myself that I am getting better as a mountain biker a.k.a. get my lap times down
2) Beat last year's time, even minus the long breaks I took
3) Break that Top Ten (I was 11th last year)
4) Training race for Versailles 12 Hour (This is a big maybe, doubt I have the heart/legs to do it)
6) Tune up "the motor" for cross

But going into this race I have had "bad sensations" in my legs all week. I over trained last weekend, just because I was having fun. Maybe the extreme heat made me dehydrated during these workouts, turning my legs into ripping shreds of beef jerky... You could play the guitar solo to "Misirlou" on my hip flexor tendon — it is so tight!

The race started with a "Le Mans" style start. Even though I typically stink at these I love them because it shuffles up the field pretty well and it doesn't rely upon when you register, how many points you have or how sharp your elbows are:

LAP 1: 0:59:33
Like I said, I had a bad start. But I found Bridget's wheel, I was about 1 rider behind her, and she was doing a great job pacing us through the tight twistys. On the wider access roads she was making killer passes, and I kept finding myself two riders behind her. The second time we did this little pass dance I found myself behind a very slow rider and she was gone. Plus I took this weird slow wrong turn and lost about 6 places!

LAP 2: 0:57:32
So second lap I set out to find my beloved. I ended up riding with this LionHearts kid in the beginning of the lap — that kid was really fast! No slouch! And he was having a blast on the bike, bouncin and bunnyhoppin everything. I eventually found Bridget and we rode together for about 2 laps. We are a great compliment to each other, I follow her wheel on the more technical parts and I get in front and hammer à la Spartacus.

LAP 3: 0:59:17
Jeff Cyrus rode with us for a second — he called us roadies and took off! He was flying! And Gary Lunsford was looking incredible, he was crouched down and pedaling through every turn like a fluid dirt-fueled monster! Unfortunately just after this my impression of a downhill slalom skier went pear-shaped and I was going too fast through a turn, clipped my right handle bar on a sappling which sent my left handlebar into a big tree. I punched the tree with my left hand, flew forward and smashed my left shoulder! Oh well, we got back up and I just tried to ignore the throbbing pain.

PIT STOP: ABOUT 0:06:00ish

LAP 4: 0:59:04
There came a dark point on lap 4. Bridget froze her Camelback and it hadn't thawed, so she was out of water. She stopped at an emergency aid station and I said I would peddle ahead slowly. Well, I didn't see her after a few minutes and my mind kept thinking about my goals. A) Race for myself and try to get 7 laps in or B) continue to pace with Bridget and push her to a podium position? I chose option A after a few more minutes... I'm a heartless bastard.

LAP 5: 0:59:05 & LAP 6 0:59:27
These laps got super hazy. I think I was kind of gassed. I would ride hard, then take it easy through the twistier sections in case I had momentary lapse of judgement and crash again. I was really hoping lap 5 would be faster so I could phone in lap 6 and still make the time cut. Somewhere in here I got passed by the legend Gunnar Shogren, it was kind of having Pete Townshend smash your guitar or Picasso paint over one of your paintings. Demoralizing but BADASS! Eyeing my computer I realized I had to time trial the last 4 or 5 miles of my 6th lap. I barely made it in according to the clock, but I DID IT, onto lap 7!

PIT STOP: ABOUT 0:04:00ish

LAP 7: 0:56:27 (give or take)
I refueled and took off. Something clicked this lap. I got lower on the bike, leaning and pedaling through every turn! I finally got that "surfer's moment" where everything flows and you feel at one with the bike and the trail. I really crushed this lap, and this made the difference. I am glad I just didn't go out there just to do it.

Without knowing it, I pedaled my way onto the first podium of my mountain biking "career!" And I am so happy my parents were there to see it. Super cool! And I crushed my 2009 performance, riding my first 6 laps nearly 25 minutes faster!

2010 Stats
3rd out of 32, 7 Laps, 80.5 Miles, 7:00:25 Total Time, about 6:50 of total riding time, avg 11.78 mph

as compared to 2009 Stats
11th out of 28, 6 Laps, 69 Miles, 6:51:40, Total Time, about 6:10 of total riding time, avg 11.19 mph

Race #38: Band of Brothers

All the reasons why I came to BioWheels were completely cemented at this race. All my teammates are great people who will help you at the drop of the hat, push you to do your best through competition (I have been training my ass off to do the kit justice). At the last minute the bad luck I skirted in Cohutta caught up with me as my dry conditions tires were sliced by the Lord Himself (or is this good luck?). Nate hooked me up with better tires, brought up in the middle of the night by Mitch. They both stayed up with me trying to get them to seal.

It’s a little intimidating to know that you are slated to do battle against 223 other 100k open racers. Like Cohutta I had pushed myself to go out hard, thinking that if I could stay ahead the gaps behind me may buffer me from losing time and positions. My smarter teammates knew they should pace themselves and use the end of the race to pick off spots.

Unfortunately I began to cramp on the hike-a-bikes early. It was frustrating to feel early on that I wasn’t really racing but trying to survive. Maybe it was the humidity, the lack of easy places to drink or the two beers and the hot tub the day before — I wasn't feeling my best. I did have some moments of glory. I was with Amanda McKay when I rode a creek and climbed out of that bad boy like a real mountain biker. I was shredding some trail at about 14 mph (great for me) before and after checkpoint 1. I passed some people here that ended up finishing an hour behind me.

But the cramps came back and I slowed. I was with Charley Miller when his legs forced him to DNF after this crazy horse trail descent over 2x4s. I was climbing the next hill when I fell over and got a cramp so severe I laid on the ground for a moment! I nearly DNFed right there. But I saw Karwisch and he cheered me up and I soldiered on.

I have no idea what happened at the end of the race. I followed Karwisch to checkpoint 2 and caught Mitch there. I was a few minutes behind Mitch at checkpoint 3. They turned on the rocket packs while I threw out the anchor!

Talking about great teammates. Joe's shoe destructed so he had to DNF, and Nate's bike is too pretty to gunk up — so they came to aid station 3 to give us royal treatment!

I need to learn to shred some trail — I lost so much time in the final part of the race through the rock gardens. I crashed a handfull of times and I feel like a defeated boxer. I came in 36 out of 116 finishers (another 107 racers DNF'd or DNS'd). 7:14:50-sumthin. Lost a lot of time with little dabs and slips. But hey! I have progressed so much as a mountain biker. Those perfect races are few and far between.

Lessons learned:
– Perhaps use time off the bike to refuel. Should have been chugging on the early hike-a-bikes.
– Hey dummy, there is Heed at the Aid stations. At Cohutta I fiddled with Nuun tablets on climbs!
– Maybe not pre-open Clif bars before a muddy race. Gross.
– Don't over-train! I wanted to repeat my success at Cohutta.
– Learn more about the drive train so I maintain it during the race.
– Remember to stretch and pee on & off the bike if possible.
– Remember the First Aid kit! I am black, blue and bloody.

Side effects:
– Major chain ring wound in the back of my left leg. It got packed with mud.
– Shaved a lot of skin off one of my knuckles, also got packed with mud, yuck.
– I'm worried I swallowed some nasty mud. I have had minor IBS since the race, maybe I'll go to the doc!
– My back is killing, better go to Sophie at Norwood Chiropractic ASAP!

Long Hours

In the Office Chair
I've been reminded that I am a pro-designer not a pro-cyclist lately. One week I barely trained due to 15-17 hour work days. Good thing I kept bike commuting, otherwise I wouldn't have been training. Plus the roads are pretty clear at 1 am and 5 am.

But I was so sleep deprived I forgot how cross-brakes don't stop for sh*t and I crashed on a downhill in Indian Hill. It was right in front of a family reunion in a park! Hilarious. Perhaps out of pride, I always pop back up and wave at people and try not to lick my wounds in front of others.

Rekindling a Little Romance
Bridget and I have been training a lot more together lately! She used to be the only person I would ride with. But we have been so busy the past two years and on different schedules we rarely train with each other. I know she was unhappy with her form going into Cohutta (but still got 10th!) so we have been training a lot more together and I have been putting the hurt on her!

We had two really nice Velo Dates. One was a sleep-deprived Friday night (where I crashed) where we rode up to a pizza place called The Works in Loveland. How do you get pizza grease out of spandex? The second was a little sunset picnic on the Purple People Bridge followed by a hill climb competition up to Devou! Lovely.

In the Saddle
Some of my weekend rides have been shortened due to rain or poor planning and my weeknights rides have been a little shorter due to work. But here and there I have had some fun epic rides on the weekend.

One was a semi-hilly century with my teammates Joe, Rachel, Geri, Gerz and Mott. It is incredible how quickly 6 hours flies by when you have great company! We rode up to Loveland and then down in Kentucky on Amsterdam and Route 8. They finally killed me on the final hill! A total wall!

Another ride that got botched was Bjet's and my first attempt at riding in Shawnee State Park. There has been so much rain lately that I didn't want to tear up trails. We got out there too late to ride the long hours I wanted, and the locals we first met were hostile and the roads weren't marked along 52! Some people out there don't respect the beauty of the place they live in — litter constantly along the roads. We did some "American Flyer"-esque dog sprints! Then we came upon this chicken farm with all their chickens all over the road. Add to that a pack or 6 loose dogs flying at us! We had to gun it as chickens were flying everywhere and dogs were on our heels! I was surprised some farmer in a straw hat, no shirt and denim overalls didn't come running out with a shotgun!

Last weekend was my last chance of putting some hardcore training into my legs. Friday night got rained out. We tried to ride but I didn't feel like forcing myself to ride in the drizzle and thunder. Saturday I turned the screws on myself and rode every hardcore hill I could think of between Indian Hill, Loveland, and Batavia. I put in about 6 hours and 96 miles. Then Sunday I did it all over again. Bridget never rode a century! So we did a very similar route minus a couple climbs and added on a few more miles. I was hurting, but it was great to have a powertap with heart rate monitor to observe how I far I can push myself once the "elastic has snapped." Plus watching Nibali and Basso in the Giro that morning stoked my fire! How do they do that?!

I will be riding over 1000 miles this month! I think my work is down. Time to rest up and get ready for the big event.

Race #36: Big Leap at the Big Frog!

WOW! NO CRASHES! NO MECHANICALS! NO FLATS! TOP TEN!? I will be paying for this later...

I had no idea what to expect from my first endurance event. I have been training a lot, pretty 33% more than last year, but still nervous about a 65 mile mountain bike race with over 10,000 feet of climbing.

I love how just speaking to a few friends gives you great nuggets of wisdom you latch onto. Joe's response to a previous blog post gave me great nutritional advice. Layne narrowed down the proper amount of calories per hour, and I read this Hammer Nutrition article as well. Former teammate Chris told me to look around and take in the scenery, and beware the final descent! Teammate Kris mentioned that it is so fast it is easy to maintain 11 mph on the trail (this became my magic number). Farmer mentioned watch for the wooden bridges.

Bridget couldn't zip her jersey before the start and we roll up and got into the middle of the field just as the gun went off! I followed wheel for a bout 2 seconds and then Bridget starts weaving through people. That puts a little spur in my butt and I freak out and take off — thinking she has my wheel. I even jumped up on the grass for a bit and CXed around a big pack (but lost Bridget like a jerk). It was great, the first 3 miles of the race were an uphill highway that really separated riders by their fitness.

Then we hit the trail. I was really killing it (compared to my recent rides where I only averaged 6-7 mph on trails) but I was tending to "rally car" by accelerating then braking in the blind corners. I told myself to chill out as to not waste a bunch of energy I would need later. Did a great job at being no slouch on that first trail section. And glad I didn't beef it huge on the wet rock section in front of all the spectators.

We hit the first long climb. I was still riding like it was a short MTB race. I was trying to average 8-10 mph on the climb, reeling in riders left and right. It was so fun to do a nice 20-30 minute climb where my little diesel engine can jump pump out a comfortable rate. Brought back memories of Oregon.

Flew in an out of first aid station, just got topped off on water (I had a Nuun tablet to drop in later, but mainly was drinking Heed in my pre-prepped bottles). We set out on a loop of fire roads. Still flying and reeling in people. Blew through aid station 2 and finally caught up with teammate Kris. He was all like "we gotta be in the top 20!" I was mystified but this stoked my fire even more. I was still riding like an idiot — riding the middle chain ring in the climbs. We rode together for about 5 miles or so when these 2 riders caught up. I got that hunger of defending my position and took off up a climb like a bastard. I was stopping for anything — I was peeing off the bike on a downhill!

Then I rode with this one dude from Florida who I kept exchanging positions with 20 about 15 or 20 miles. I would pass him on the climb, and he would descend past me. So we rode a climb together as I settled into a more reasonable rhythm. He flew down another hill and I didn't see him again.

About hour 4 I started to cramp a little. I was popping enduralites and sport legs like a madman after that. I was worried about water but luckily the last aid station popped up. Took on a bit too much food and water just in case...

I was hunting down that guy from Florida but couldn't see him. Then I got slower. I started doing climbs at 4 mph. I was riding with a single-speeder when we finally hit more trail. It started to rain. I put in another dig of speed to keep the wolves at bay but it didn't last too long. I think I ended up losing a spot or two in the final 20 miles, but I was happy to maintain a pace where my legs didn't turn to concrete.

I did the final downhill in the pouring rain during a thunderstorm. AWESOME! Pure fun and adrenaline. It was like a log flume — the trail being acting as a gutter for rain coming down the mountain. I would bounce down these switchbacks over moderate roots and rocks, the dab my leg as I slid my back tire through these blind corners with crazy drop offs over the ledge. It was like a movie (and not Pee Wee's Big Adventure, jerks)!

I hit the final road and killed myself with a final effort just in case anyone was gaining. It turns out my suspicions were correct — there were 2 riders just over a minute behind me.

This was the text message I sent after I saw the results: "F'yeah! 8th place with 5:41:34! Thanks to my homies for some great advice and BioWheels for making my bike flawless!" I am floating on a cloud even though I know the results would have been different if there were more miles of trails and if all the heavy hitters weren't racing the 100 miler.

Congrats to Kris for getting 15th, Teri for also getting 8th, Bjet nabbed 10th on some rough form, and homie Bill got a 7:34 (one of his first races)! Other homies Nathan and Layne crushed the 100 miler with 9 and half hour rides, half of which were in the rain!

So pumped — can't wait for Mohican!

Saddle Soars!

I've always enjoyed pushing myself to see what my limits are. It was not that long ago that my weight and lack of fitness really limited what I could do.

09/03/2007 Newtown to Lebanon
52.63 mi.
03:13:00
16.36 avg mi/hr
175 lbs/ 2,895 calories burned
149 avg Heart Rate

05/31/2008 Loudenville—Wooster—Shreve—Nashville Loop
56.90 mi.
04:20:00
13.13 avg mi/hr (with about 2000-3000 ft of climbing)
160 lbs/ 2,469

06/15/2008 71 Miles on the Little Miami Scenic Trail
71.50 mi.
04:11:00
17.09 avg mi/hr
160 lbs/ 3,562
149 avg Heart Rate

07/03/2009 Beer Bottle Loop with Jadin, Joe and Scott
83.75 mi.
04:31:00
18.54 (mi/hr) (avg)
148.0 lbs./ 3,662 (kcal)
Not really apples to apples because I was drafting, but it was hillier.

09/04/2009 FIRST CENTURY up Loveland trail
100.20 mi.
05:28:52
148 lbs / 4,443 (kcal)
18.28 (mi/hr) (avg)
129
153 (watts) (avg) 645 (watts) (max)
30 min interval = 216 watts 1 hour wattage = 189 Did another 30 minute interval on return.

I think this effort will really help for cross season. Pushing 200+ for half an hour!

6 Hours Riding like a Mom on a Hybrid

I thought I would take it a bit easy after my last race where I flew off into the woods and landed on my back as well as headbutted a tree. As a 32 year old rookie I always create a goal so that each effort feels like a success. So for the 2009 6 Hours of John Bryan I decided to get acquainted with endurance events as well as work on my bike handling.

Unfortunately the night before did not afford me much sleep. I think I only got three and a half hours... I nearly decided against racing worried that the tight trails may cause me to make mistakes and get hurt. But you don't know what will happen unless you try, right?

I had a secret weapon though. Bridget made an initial run of some of her BJET Bars, homemade energy bars. I had a big batch of banana walnut and a smaller potent batch of chocolate coffee.

LAP 1: 1:07:05
Really shaky handling, getting used to the coarse.
Approx 5 min break
checked air pressure as back was washing out a little
LAP 2: Approx 59:56 (2:13:01)
LAP 3: 58:37 (3:11:38)
Really tried to crush it...
Hands began to kill me!
Approx 36 min break
I was kind of drained and was searching for second wind
LAP 4: Approx 1:02:53 (4:50:31)
Really rode like a mom on a hybrid trying to get feeling back in my hands.
LAP 5: 1:01:26 (5:52:05)
Dialing it in, trying to teach myself skills.
LAP 6: 59:55 (6:52:00)
Tried to bring together what I learned that day with more speed, but bonked a bit in the middle due to running out of food and water.

I'm pretty happy with my performance — I was 11th out of 28 solo male riders.

I was so impressed watching some of the elite riders pass me in technical sections. They make it look so easy. I wonder if I lack quick hand-eye coordination. Will working out my upper body help my handling? Maybe Bridget can teach me a few things. I also feel like I could use a fit on my Paragon. Even though I dropped the stem I still feel a bit on top of it. That thing is huge, and I look like a kid on top of it. But when those wheels start spinning that bike really zooms!

Things I learned:
— Need to continue working bike handling skills
— Use brakes less and conserve energy through handling
— Make more efficient pitstops in Endurance events
— Please stop making poop face

Mohican 100K

I have been up to race up at Mohican no less than 5 times. Each time I race there I forget how those climbs can sneak up on you & rip your legs to shreds. It is never an easy ride. It does however give you satisfaction knowing you tamed it - a bit.

I decided the Sunday before the race that I was out. I hadn't had enough time to prepare, I was lacking some endurance race essentials, like a camelbak, repair stuff, energy food. I hadn't put in a ride longer than a few hours. It didn't make sense for me to go there to race 60+ miles in one day. Then, I got an email from a friend. He had a place we could stay. It was only 2 miles from the start. Dang, how could I say no! So, I put in my last minute request to get off work the friday before the race off so I could get my s*** together.

I ran around like crazy on friday getting everything together. I picked up a few last minute supplies and got my bike tuned up by the awesome guys at the Trek Store. They hooked me up big time by getting my bike all ready to go (of course I bought it by at the the last minute) for the race. Thanks Jacob, Justin.
Finally, it all came together and I headed out to pick up my husband James at work. We loaded up his commuter bike and we hit the road.

We made pretty good time and ended up getting to Camp Nuhop, to register just before 7. I got myself signed up and as I turned around I saw Floyd Landis there chatting it up with Ryan, the race director. My husband James & I were star struck. We should have both gotten a photo with him but we were in fear we would say something stupid.

We headed out of Camp Nuhop and to our hotel. When we pulled up we saw Bob, (area 106 Trek rep.) Travis & Michelle (of the Trek store Pittsburgh). We chatted with them a while. Chris Eatough came out to chat as well. Again, we were star struck. We were invited to head over to the Pizza Hut with the gang but I opted to get my things sorted for the next day and hit the hay.

I hit the hay early thinking I'd be able to sleep really great that night but when I laid down I couldn't sleep. I was worried about the next day; the 7am start, the 60+ miles I'd be doing. I couldn't help but think - what am I getting myself into?! Then about 3-4am the thunder and lightning rolled in. Again, what am I getting myself into?!

At 6 am I was tired but the pre-race nerves jolted me awake. I got my stuff together and James and I headed to downtown Loudonville for the start. The crowd of cyclists quickly gathered and before I knew it I was stuck out in the back. It was hard to get around and to pass in the bottlenecked area so I was stuck behind a group of riders with no way to gain ground. This is where I made a critical mistake. I never was able to make up for the lost time there. The next 15-20 miles I was hurting. My legs were stiff & slow. I knew I was in for a long day. I figured I'd ride it out to the first aid station and then see how I felt.

I knew that Chris would be there (owner of the Trek Store C-Bus, Cincy) and I was happy to see a familiar face to cheer me on. I stopped for a minute or two to get some Clif Blocks down and refill my Camelbak. I felt better when I got back on my bike and I knew that as tough but that I was going to be able to finish. The next 15ish miles were hard. Lots of bike hiking and narly trail. Truly some backwoods stuff. I got a few leg cramps in that hike-a-bike section and I thought I'd be a DNFer but for some reason; or some miracle, they never returned. The subsequent miles were much easier but with all of the mud I was getting major chain suck. I was wishing I'd have lubed it up at the midway point. My journey through the Mohican Wilderness was irritating because I was on/off, on/off my bike.

I hit the one of the last aid stations; got my chain lubed, got some quick refuels and was off. Sure, there were some monster climbs that never seemed to end but with each climb I could see the end in sight. I did loose a lot of time on the road sections. It was like ride, look for the signs, ride, stop, where am I going?! I dunno...I felt like there could have been about 50 more course markings. I finally rolled into the last aid station where I learned I only had about 7 miles left to go. I was no longer "racing" at this point. I had no idea who was ahead or who was behind. I really took my time finishing it off. I rolled into Camp Nuhop with 8:00 of riding time. It was good enough for a top 5 finish (out of 15) but not good enough to finish in the money. Dang! Well, it was fun, it was hard, and it was shear mayhem at times but I can't wait to do it all over again.

Great photos of the race by Bob Meyers here.
More on the race here.