Riding for Life

BreckEpic - Stage 1 Results

2009-07-05T22:27:00.006-06:00

So I've waited 6 months for the BreckEpic and it's finally here... I can't believe it, all the hard work, the countless hours of training & preparation have all come down to this week. 6 days of back to back racing. I've never done a stage race so I'm anxious to see how I do over the course of this week.

Today was the prologue or the opening stage of the race. This was to be a 9 mile - 3,000' climb. The problem with today (in everyone's opinion) was the fact that the stage didn't start until 3PM... which here in Colorado is the prime thunderstorm window. True to form, the storms started at about 1:30PM, some lightening, fog and sheets of rain coming down.

I got staged to leave the timing tent at 3:44:30, each rider (or pair of riders) left at 30 second intervals en route to the 12,000' level on Mt Baldy. My friends and I arrived at Carter Park at about 2:45 in the cold rain. We were geared up for the worst.

Just before I started the climb, the rain quit, the sun came out and it got nice. By the time I topped out about 49 minutes later the rain had just started again... we really got lucky with the weather!

Unknown to us, the race director made the wise decision to cut the race short and stop it at about 11,100' on Baldy and keep people below tree line and hopefully out of harms way. We didn't know about this change until we were within about 1/4 mile of the revised finish line.

My friends Mike and Tim are racing as a team and pulled off 2nd place in the Men's Duo - 80+. The 80+ means that the sum of their ages is greater than 80.

I managed to secure 6th place out of 13 riders in Men's Solo 40+ but 2 of the riders Did Not Finish (DNF) so it looks like we are down to 11 in my field already. This showing isn't great against my competition but this short format doesn't suit my strengths of going long so I'm hopeful that through the week that I'll hang in there long enough to pick up a spot or two. This is a tough field of guys so I'm now hopeful that I can survive to Friday.

A Picture is Worth a 1,000 Words

2009-06-28T22:51:00.006-06:00

So it has often been said that a picture is worth a 1,000 words... I got a kick out of my most recent bike maintenance episode and thought of how funny things in my life really are. I have to laugh at myself.

The photo below is of the worn out Continental Tire, they named it the Slash. I have ridden this tire to the point that I think I've gotten my moneys worth out of it, it's become a racing slick with nobbies on the edges. For contrast the new Slash...

So I retired the old Slash, mounted a new Slash and had a (little) Slash... life really is funny.

Mt. Evans... Hill Climb

2009-06-23T19:45:00.004-06:00

I've been wanting to do the Mount Evans ride for a long time and I've never driven up this way but I finally decided to go get some altitude training and get a good hill climb in on Mt. Evans. This mountain boasts the highest paved auto road in the nation. The parking lot at the top is at 14,130'. I started at the ranger station which is about 14 miles below. According to my altimeter I climbed about 3,500' over about 14 miles.

I used this ride to get some light power work in but my legs were feeling it from the day prior so I didn't push really hard (big gears). What I did do to keep this a bit more challenging was to ride my 575 mountain bike which weighs about 30#. It has nice 2.3" fat, nobie tires on it so I let out as much air as I dared to give me the greatest rolling resistance as I headed up the hill.

Now anyone who knows me or who follows this blog will know that I'm all about a challenge... so armed with my 575 with semi flat tires, I started up the hill with the intent of catching and passing road bike riders. My other goal was not to let anyone catch me or pass me.

I caught several roadies about 1/2 way to the summit. I got a kick out of one guy's reaction as I slowly passed him... we both said good morning and hello and as he got a look at my trusty 575... I heard him mudder... 'A mountain bike???!!!, you have to be kidding me!!!'.

It took me almost 2 hours to make the summit and about 45 minutes to come down. The road was covered with snow in spots up top and it was wicked windy and bitter cold, I'd guess it to be right around freezing. I didn't stay long up top, just long enough to take a couple of quick photos, put on a jacket and head down the hill to toward a pizza at Beajeaus in Idaho Springs!

If you are ever in the area, bring your bike... or just drive to the summit, it's worth the views!

Crosier Mountain - Climb and Descent

2009-06-23T19:24:00.003-06:00

I'm now 2 full weeks out from the ERock race and I'm feeling pretty good, I feel like I'm recovered to about 85% of normal. Chad and I met in Loveland and head up towards Estes Park but we turn off towards Drake to do a ride on Crosier Mountain. Chad is familiar with this ride and has hiked it numerous times. This is my first time on this one.

As Chad described this ride I was a bit concerned that I'd have the legs and lungs for it. This thing is a very steep climb with little or no rest spots and it is quite technical. As we head up the trail I am reminded how Chad doesn't exaggerate, this is hard but I find myself having a ton of fun. The technical sections are very challenging but I'm clearing a lot of them and feeling very good about myself. Chad, always the technical guru is having an equally fun time.

The top of the climb is mostly unrideable so we carry and push our bikes up the last 1/2 mile so that we can get the super technical downhill on the way out. After checking out the views of Longs Peak and Estes Park we head down to the trail intersection and continue down a different trail than we came up. Chad hasn't ridden this one but he has hiked it and it in his words would be 'wicked technical'... again no overstatement.

We have a great time working our way down the trail, it's slow, requires balance, strength and stamina. Chad had one crash that I'm not luck enough to witness and a small tree took the brunt of his fall. After about 5 minutes and swallowing hard several times Chad is back on his bike and we are on our way again.

The total ride was only about 13 miles but the vertical gain and decent was a good solid work out. We can both feel it in our upper bodies, wrestling these bikes around takes it's toll. I am very surprised that I feel really good, I'm a bit worked in the legs but overall am pleased with how the body is doing.

Rest & Recovery... A long, slow road

2009-06-22T14:15:00.001-06:00

Everyone knows what it feels like to over do it. We have all been sore from doing something in excess or something that we hadn't worked our way into. You know what it feels like... your muscles are sore, they ache and you are stiff. Typically you are sore for about 3 - 4 days, the second day is the worst and you improve a lot on day 3 and are back to 'normal' within about 4 days total.

Well, endurance athletes are no different than anyone else but we train our bodies to be able to go for very long periods of time and to recover from that and be able to do it all over again within a few days or even over night. What I'm referring to is the day to day recovery that we experience when we are training. What is very different is the fatigue and muscle tissue damage that occurs after a race effort like the 24 Hours of ERock.

I'm not sure that I can explain what it feels like to go through a recovery after a huge race like this one but I'll attempt to give you an idea of the ordeal that all of us go through. Immediately after finishing the race I drink a 'recovery drink'. This drink isn't a cold beer but it is a special blend of protein, electrolites and carbohydrates. The idea is that your body is most receptive to this perfect mix of nutrients within 30 minutes of stopping the activity. The body will use the protein to rebuild damaged muscle and the carbohydrates will help replenish the liver and cell glycogen stores.

I use the recovery drink after nearly every ride of any intensity or duration. I look forward to it and I can tell you that it is one of the best things that I have ever discovered to help improve day over day performance. After this race, I headed home to shower and eat and then to get some much needed sleep. Dinner consisted of 2 cans of plain tuna, pasta with a bit of cheese and garlic sprinkled on it along with some fruit. I like strawberries, blueberries and raspberries, they are easy to eat and have lots of good stuff in them to help the body recover.

You may think that I'd have slept from 930pm until noon. I didn't and was up at 06oo after a fitful nights sleep. The body is still so amped up and isn't ready to shut down and rest properly. I'm careful to keep hydrating with plain water and I make a HUGE omelet type thing with broccoli, tomatoes, mushrooms, salsa, cheese and what ever else I can find to throw into it. I basically ate a full 12" skillet full of food and washed it down with about 1/2 gallon of coffee.

I then attempt to do my normal stretches which would take me about 15-20 minutes. I lay on the floor and it takes me 1.5 hrs to get this simple task done. I'm exhausted. At about 0930 I start eating again and I never really stop all day, it's a constant parade back and forth to the fridge and pantry.

According to my heart rate monitor I had burned about 16,000 calories during the race. I know that this is pretty accurate. I also know that I took in about 7 - 8,000 calories during the race. You can't replace calorie for calorie what you burn during exercise because you will bloat like a dead rodent on a hot road. Your body can only take about 1/3 of the calories that it is burning. The good news is that even the most fit athletes with the least amount of body fat still have fat reserves to go staggering distances so long as they are getting the supporting nutrition that will allow them to burn the fat and not canalize muscle tissue.

I'm sore but it isn't that 'normal' over use sore that I described above. It is a deep rooted fatigue and soreness that you can feel in your bones and in every fiber, ligament and joint. It isn't a debilitating soreness just a terrible fatigue.

So Sunday was basically a wasted day of eating and laying on the floor staring off into space. I did manage to unload my truck of most of the race gear and get things a bit sorted out and into the wash. I would normally do a 'recovery' ride which is simply a very low intensity spin while monitoring heart rate below 125 bpm but I opted not to do this and just to completely rest.

I head into see Dr Joel at Well Within Chiropractic for an adjustment and a post race battle damage assessment. I also had scheduled a massage of 1.5 hours with Alysia at Time to Heal Therapies. The outstanding work that these folks do makes my body be able to tolerate what my brain tries to force it to do. The massage really helps flush the body of all sorts of waste that has accumulated in it. The knots that she worked out were amazing and quite painful but I feel way better after they are both done with me.

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday were all days off the bike. Each day I feel less bad and more like myself. The interesting thing is that I keep eating like mad. Every hour or so I'm eating something else. I always feel full but never satisfied, I can not get enough food into my system to satisfy my hunger.

Finally on Thursday I get back on the road bike for a 2 hour spin, low intensity, recovery. Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday are all spent with about 2 hours on the bike trying to get the blood flowing but not tax the system in any way. I took Tuesday off. By now I'm feeling like I'm about to go mad from the lack of intense riding. I feel way better and am anxious to see just how well (or poorly) I've recovered.

So, on Wednesday I head out on the road bike for a 2:15 minute 'tempo' ride. This means that I'm aggressively pushing the bike but I'm not trying to power up hills at all, I keep the gearing low (easy) and keep the spin speed up. I ride about 46 miles and went through town twice but still averaged over 20 mph. I can feel the work in my legs and I'm concerned that I've done too much too soon.

Thursday I feel pretty good and I go out and basically repeat what I just did on Wednesday but I average about 18 mph (this was on purpose). Friday was another recovery ride of a bit over an hour, I feel like I'm back to about 85% of normal. I don't have the full leg strength it will take several more days to get that back to 100%.

During training I use heart rate on the bike as an indicator of exertion. I'm pretty good at managing heart rate and I've done this long enough that I can pretty much feel what range I'm in without looking at the HRM. The other key use for the heart rate monitor is to use it to measure recovery. I do this early in the morning before I get out of bed. My normal, fully rested, resting heart rate will range somewhere in the 42 bpm range. If your body is working to fight off a cold or some illness or to recover from exertion the heart rate will be higher.

On Friday morning my resting heart rate is 60bpm!! This was terrible but I was able to use the data to guide me to only do a light recovery ride this day.

So in summary, it took me 2 weeks to get back to about 85% of my normal bike strenght. I've eaten everything in sight, tried to sleep properly, stay hydrated and allow my body to recover it self from a 24 hour effort.

The next test of my 2 weeks of recovery will be Friday and Saturday, I've got some big climbs planned... stay tuned.

2009 - 24 Hours of ERock - Solo Race

2009-06-08T14:06:00.016-06:00

First an apology... I have not done this race wrap-up nearly as quickly as I had hoped and I know that I've disappointed a lot of folks by not getting it done sooner... the reasons are numerous but the lack of a product is still the same.

The 2009 - 24 Hours of ERock mountain bike race is now in the books. The race started on Friday June 5 at 1830 and finished at 1830 on Saturday. All week and the weeks proceeding we had periodic heavy rain and severe weather. Everyone was relieved when the forecasted weather for the race was supposed to be good.

I set up my pit area at about 1300 on Friday afternoon. I was able to secure the same spot as last year which is conveniently located immediately next to the timing tent and just off the course. The course is a 'nothing spectacular' course. It starts on the old state road which is a mix of sand, and hard packed sand, it climbs 500' total and descends back to the start/finish. Each lap is 8.25 miles long and it is considered to be nontechnical (meaning no obstacles to negotiate or difficult climbs or descents).

I will say that the views are really tremendous, Pikes Peak being fully covered in snow against the green grass and trees is truly inspiring. Additionally, the wild flowers were in full bloom... really something to see.

This year would be different for me as I would have a crew to support me. Last year I was entirely on my own, it made a difficult race even more so. Chad his wife Kim, their two girls Leslie and Lynn along with Beth (Chad's sister) came from Fort Collins to support me. I have often said that solo racing is best done as a team and this proved to be true even more so this year.

The crew's job is to manage the affairs in the pit area. It is a wildly boring job of hurry up and wait followed by managing the rider and bike as he comes into the pit. Getting the rider to tell you what he needs can be very challenging especially as the hours drag on, the miles add up and exhaustion sets in. This is a statement of the obvious but the crew really must think for the rider, anticipate his needs and be ready for any issue no matter how trivial.

In addition to providing the rider with water, fuel, bike maintenance, clothing changes etc they gather and report valuable information on the number of laps turned, position of leading and challenging riders. They also gather very important information on what the other riders look like, are they fresh, worked, surviving, highly motivated etc. All of this plays into how the rider responds to the challenges on the course. The crew plays a critical roll in strategizing how the rider should respond, or not on the course.

The weather at the start of the race was great, probably around 70F with the typical breeze from the south. Breeze in this sense means a wind of (I'm guessing) probably 10-15 miles per hour. The air in Colorado is typically very dry and this day was no exception, I think that I could feel the moisture being pulled out of me. My lips were constantly dry, cracked and painful.

So my strategy was the same this year... start last, be consistent, ride my own race and never ever stop. I did sit down 3 times during the race, all 3 times were to make quick clothing changes of fresh socks and shorts and to remove leg warmers. Also, with the problems that I've had with my back over the last week I knew that if I stopped and cooled down even a little bit that I risked the back seizing up.

This point cannot be over emphasized, this latest back issue was terrible. Dr. Joel at Well Within Chiropractic had worked on me every day except Thursday this week. We also worked with Alysia from Time To Heal Therapies to help sort out the knotted mess created by my misalignment, over use and old trauma issues. Between Dr. Joel and Alysia they were able to get me pushed, pulled and rubbed back into shape enough to at least get me to the start line. After that I would be on my own except that Dr. Joel put himself on call for me should I need his assistance, he would come to the race with his portable table and do what he could to make my body go as long as possible.

Again, it takes a team to get a single racer to the start line and Dr. Joel and Alysia, I cannot overstate how much I appreciate your unwavering commitment, jumping through hoops and moving schedules around to accommodate me... simply saying thank you is just so inadequate.

After the race Dr. Joel made the comment that he didn't think that I'd ever make it to the start line. I know that the fact that I did make it to the start is a combination of his hard work and experience with my issues, me being in excellent condition, trying to get good rest, eating right and being very careful to ride no more than absolutely necessary during the few days prior to the start.

I had some personal goals this year... I eluded to having them in an earlier blog but would not state them to anyone before or during the race. First I wanted to match my performance from last year of 30 laps, second I wanted to make 33 laps and last but not least I wanted to win... decisively. I had sliced and diced last years data and I knew where I needed to improve. I knew what had worked in the past and from the experience of last year I felt like I knew how the race would go. These 24 hour solo races are so grueling that I must have very simple things to help keep me focused on the outcome. I had calculated what my average speed would need to be in order to turn 33 laps, I accounted for some time in the pit area and hoped that I would be able to hold it all together and come out OK. This simple data was affixed to my handle bars where I could focus on it and never wonder if I was thinking clearly... hey, its simple and that works for me.

The start of any race is always exciting and this one is no exception, I get really amped up and it's hard not to go as hard as possible. Self control is paramount, but it is really hard to have that will power when the gun goes off and the dust starts to fly.

So the first 8 hours went pretty well, I was fairly consistent on lap times although my first couple of laps were WAY too fast and my heart rate was WAY too high. Chad made such a huge difference in making sure that I had every little detail attended to. He had my lights ready to go at dusk, food, water clothing etc. It helps that he is a fellow racer and my 18 Hrs of Fruita team mate. Chad knows what is needed and when. It also helps that we have known each other for 21 years... he can read me and my body language and demeanor very well, we have been in some pretty difficult and challenging places together.

Chad had everything laid out for me for the next 5 or 6 hours and he headed off to get some sleep at my place in Castle Rock with his family. These hours between about 0200 and 0700 are the most difficult for me and probably for most people. Our bodies want to be sleeping, we don't want to be awake and certainly don't want to be pedaling a bike. This is where experience pays off, I knew that I'd be fighting the night demons so I came armed with a thermos of hot coffee, 2 bottles of Coke and an array of other food that I could never eat in a shorter race.

As soon as I started to feel that horrible pull of sleep deprivation and fatigue I started drinking a cup of coffee at each pit stop and I was careful to keep taking my endurolites, fuel and plenty of water.

The worst time for me is between about 0230 and 0700, if you have ever stood guard duty in the military, worked night shift or been up for extended periods of time you know the feeling. I'll have to say that this was the worst sleep fatigue that I'd ever felt in a race. I was having to dig really, really deep to keep moving forward. I'd concocted all sorts of things in my head to motivate me, I'm pretty good at forcing myself to keep going but I had to talk REALLY mean to myself for several hours to make this happen.

I thought that I was going to fall asleep on the bike on the fast decent and careen off into the weeds and crash. What a struggle! At exactly 0430 I began to hear the birds chirping, I thought that this was a good sign and I knew that if I could hold on for another hour that it would start to get light and I'd probably survive these lows.

The next HUGE help came from an angelic figure who materialized out of the darkness and refilled my thermos of coffee, thanks nkr, I owe you ;-) At about 0600 I was feeling like I was totally out of gas so I pulled out the secret weapon in the form of a sweet, syrupy, fizzy Coke. I'd never tried a Coke during a race but I thought that I needed some sugar and caffeine and this would hopefully do the trick. I learned this 'trick' from some super athletes who do these races and it works for them so I gave it a go as well.

Somewhere around 0700 Beth showed up in the pit area. What a welcome sight to have a smiling friendly face to help keep me motivated, fueled and moving forward. With daylight on us the long shadows were becoming shorter and everyone was feeling the surge of energy from the sun. The 1/4 bottle of Coke had kicked in and I knew that I'd overcome the demons of the night.

Before Chad left me around midnight he had told me that I was running in 3rd place, this had been very helpful, a morale booster for sure and a nice benchmark. Beth started to feed me information in the morning on where I was in the mix. Beth reported that I was in first place. At about 0500 I'd completed 16 laps, one better than last year for the same elapsed time.

I had been really worried about another rider from last year who was here again this year. He is young and very strong, I figured that he would give me a run for my money since I had beat him in the very last hour of the race last year. I was disappointed to learn that he was struggling this year, some sort of knee issue. I hate to see another athlete in bad shape like he was but this is racing and some times you are on your game an others you are off, it depends on a lot of things that are beyond your control.

As the hours kept dragging on my target average speed that was affixed to the bar became my point of fixation. I was able to keep focused on it and watch my average speed on my odometer and keep spinning the cranks. At some point I had entered my 'pain cave'... this is the mental place that I go to help me keep the nagging painful distractions from bothering me any more than possible. My pain cave was now full but it was working for me. My left hand had gone numb at some point, I couldn't get it to come back. I knew that I'd pinched the nerve in the wrist again. The special Ergon bar grips were working but not well enough to keep this nagging and very disturbing condition from occurring again.

The 'normal' aches and pains of a long race were starting to become issues. The left knee was bothering me again. It feels like someone has a screwdriver under the knee cap and is trying to pry it up like the lid on a paint can... that screw driver felt huge and I felt it at ever pedal stoke. My back was also bothering me but not as much as I'd expected... I very rarely got out of the saddle to stretch the legs because I didn't want to aggravate the back anymore than necessary.

Chad and Beth were outstanding... I'd come into the pit with 3 or 4 things that I'd need or want and then as soon as I stopped I couldn't recall any of them, it was like hitting a hard reset on my brain. They would run through their check list and they would get it sorted out. They were particularly good about making me drink all the water in my bottle before sending me out with a fresh one. They both know that dehydration is the first killer of performance so they kept me well hydrated when I couldn't think to do it on my own. They were also very good about pushing me to make sure that I was getting enough calories, it's a fine line to question the rider and get accurate answers but they were good at it and persistent.

Somewhere in the afternoon my crew told me that I was running in first by 2 but probably 3 laps... they couldn't be sure because it all depends on timing of when we entered and left the timing tent and how far back the second place rider was as well as when the results had been posted. I place a huge amount of pressure on myself but I felt that pressure subside a bit and I knew that I'd just have to be consistent and now could focus on meeting my lap goal rather than just focus on winning.

The afternoon winds began to really scream out of the south, in fact they were blowing so hard that I had to gear down to pedal down the slight incline on the last mile or so of the road... The pit tents were getting thrashed, many of them were taken down. Our pit tent was damaged in the fray so it had to be retired to the dump after the race. In the past I would have complained about the wind, but now I realize that everyone is dealing with the same thing so I just keep your head down, stay in the Pain Cave and keep hammering.

I came into the pit area at roughly lap 28 or 29 and was greeted by Dr. Joel, his wife and their two kids. I was so glad to see them, it is so awesome to have such great friends that take time from their day to come out and support me. Thanks guys! Your being there made a huge difference to me!!

I could now see the end of the race nearing. I was trying desperately to calculate how many laps I could turn given my state of exhaustion and given the time that I had left. I could see that there was no way that I could hit 33 laps but if I could hold it all together I could probably get 32. I had set the solo male course record last year of 30 laps and I was determined to reset it again this year.

When the end of the race finally came I had completed 32 laps in 23 hrs and 40 minutes... 264 miles total and I had 20 minutes left to spare. I'd beat the 2nd place rider by 3 laps. One would probably think that I'd be elated and over joyed at winning. Quite the opposite, it is actually very anti-climactic. There are no cheering crowds, no real excitement just a huge sense of relief that it was over. I shook hands with the second place rider, what a great guy Andy Fox is... a real class act and an incredible athlete.

I have a great friend and fellow racer who will be mad that I mention this but I found that I was disappointed with my performance in that I didn't meet my goal of 33 laps. I know that it sounds ridiculous and even as I write this I want to delete it and keep it to myself but I also want to make a point. The point is that had I spent just 1 minutes less on average in the pit area each lap it would have resulted in giving me an extra 52 minutes (20 mins + 32 mins lost in the pits) that I could have had to do another lap to meet my goal. Seconds and a handful of minutes do count when it comes to being able to meet your goals.

One of the single funniest and most succinct statements about this race and about the results were made by another racer who I talked with just after the finish. He was on a team and was waiting at the finish line for his teammate. He asked me how many laps I'd done, and in my exhausted haze I said that I thought it was about 32... he stared at me in disbelief and in a very dead pan voice said 'That's retarded'. We all got a good laugh but he is probably right.

So thanks again to everyone for your support!! PowerQuip, I couldn't do it without you. To my customers and friends for being supportive and encouraging even while shaking your heads and asking me 'why?'. To Dr Joel, and the staff at Well Within Chiropractic... without you this would NOT have been possible, you know it and I know it... thank you so much. To Alysia at Time to Heal Therapies for the great massage work.

A very special thanks to Chad, Kim, Beth and the kids for spending your whole weekend supporting my effort to win this race again. Solo racing IS best done as a team, thanks to everyone!!

Gut Check

2009-06-01T22:12:00.003-06:00

I've just had a real gut check. All of us are human, frail and subject to illness and injury. It doesn't matter how fit or unfit we are there is always a risk of injury or illness. Somethings could potentially be prevented, others can't.

I've had some great training rides this last week. Big ring climbing, excellent descending, road and mountain rides. I've spent time riding with people who are very talented and gifted athletes. To be able to swing a leg over the bike and to ride the same trails and roads with these folks is a great privilege to me.

My first gut check came when my friend and I were witness to a terrible auto accident that we think left someone dead. My friend's statement was so simple and clear... you never know, life is too short...

So the second gut check came this morning after my normal routine of getting coffee & breakfast and some light stretching. While I was sitting at my desk my lower right side of my back started to spasm and seized up. If you have had back problems you know what I'm talking about, it's the kind of pain that is absolutely debilitating. It takes your breath and won't allow you to sit, stand or walk, you are kind of frozen in place unable to move.

All I could think of is the 24 Hour Solo on Friday this week. I called Dr. Joel at Well Within Chiropractic, he got me in before he opened for his afternoon sessions. He carefully worked on me and gave me instructions of icing etc. I'll see him again tomorrow so I'm hopeful that he can get straightened out before Friday. If anyone can help me, it is Well Within Chiropractic. Thanks again to Dr. Joel and his excellent staff! I'll see you tomorrow.

Life is Short... Enjoy the Ride

Count Down to the 24Hours of Erock Solo Race

2009-05-31T10:00:00.004-06:00

It is Sunday morning May 31st and I am counting down to the start of the 24 Hours of ERock on Friday June 5th. The race will start at 18:30 on Friday and end at 18:30 on Saturday evening. I'll be riding this race solo again this year.

I have high expectations of myself for this race. I am also feeling the pressure of knowing that there are many interested people who will be watching and waiting to see the results of my efforts. Quite frankly I am a little nervous, I had great difficulty during last years race especially over night with the worst abdominal cramps that I've ever experienced on a bike. This course while beautiful and has views of Pikes Peak and the front range gets boring as you continue to turn more and more 8.25 mile laps.

Endurance racing is not only physical it also relies heavily on the mental toughness and commitment to pushing through difficult periods of pain, suffering and feelings of self doubt. I cannot tell anyone why any of us do these races I suppose, in part, that it is a sense of accomplishment of doing something that most people won't even consider. There is also an endorphin high that comes with participating in these long events.

Here are answers to some questions that I get asked frequently:

Why would you do something like this?
Answer: I can't easily answer that question... see above.

Doesn't your butt get sore?
Answer: It can and it will however with sufficient training you build up a tolerance to long hours in the saddle. Clothing selection plays a significant roll in how well or poorly the body tolerates the hours in the saddle. We all use special cycling shorts which have a built in pad that greatly helps in transporting moisture (sweat) away from the skin and helps cushion the sit bones of the pelvis from the saddle.

Do you ever stop? Do you get breaks?
Answer: This race is run through a pit area each 8.25 mile lap. I'll stop after each lap hopefully just for a few seconds to get another water bottle and more fuel. A racer may stop as much as they like but any time spent stopped is wasted. My strategy is 'never stop' which means I'll spend as little time as possible stationary. A slow lap is better than no lap.

What do you eat?
Answer: I'll use a blend of liquid fuel and electrolyte supplements from Hammer Nutrition. As the race progresses I will use some solid food like bananas, bagels, fruit, pretzels, sliced turkey, etc. I don't eat much solid food but it tastes good as the race progresses and helps me feel more satisfied than the liquid fuel does.

When do you eat?
I eat (or as we say, 'fuel') on the bike. I have small bottles called flasks which have my premixed liquid fuel in it. I'll also grab solid fuel like part of a bagel in my jersey pocket and eat it on the course.

Do you have a crew to support you?
Answer: My definition of a crew is a person or people who can think for you when you are in the pits. They will fix issues with the bike, tell you lap positions, help make strategy decisions, make sure you are eating and drinking and generally help you get back out on the course faster. Asking someone to give up essentially 1/2 of their weekend, stay up all night and sit around for 23 hours with little to do while they spend 1 hour actually 'working' is tough to do.

So for this race officially no however, the Well Within Chiropractic team of Dr Joel and his wife will be there for some time. I do have a friend(s) who are fellow racers who will check in on me from time to time. It is really nice to see a familiar face and a warm friendly smile when I enter my pit area.

What are the other racers like?
Answer: Mountain bike racers and riders are notoriously friendly and helpful. Often we are encouraging each other on the course. We will give out tubes when someone has a flat, tools, advice and help when another racer needs it. I can't tell you how nice it is to get passed by another rider who simply says 'Good job! Keep hammering!!'.

What happens if it rains?
Answer: It's a mixed bag, you race in the same conditions as everyone else. As I've written about in other blog entries, typically you just keep on riding. However, some races can get cancelled or delayed etc. I've had races stopped prematurely due to heavy rain, hail and lightening. The best you can do is be prepared for every type of weather and condition possible. This means everything from the bike setup to clothing choices.

Will you ride the same bike for the whole race?
Answer: Hopefully yes but this year I am very fortunate to have my Yeti 575 as a back up to my new full Carbon Yeti. I'll stage the 575 in my pit so if I have a problem with the Carbon bike I'll simply switch to the heavier bike.

How do you pace yourself?
Answer: I study the course, look at previous race results, look at my previous performance and make a call as to what I want my average time to be. Pacing is very difficult especially during the first couple of laps. I naturally want to go out hard but that expends too much energy so I have to go out slow and remain steady and consistent in my effort. I will also start at the very back of the pack during the race start which helps me keep a better pace.

How well do you expect to do during this years race?
Answer: I have some goals and expectations but they are personal for now and I won't discuss them until the race is done the dust settles.

I'll continue to answer questions as they come in...

Thanks again for everyone's support and encouragement. Thanks especially to the Well Within Chiropractic team of professionals, with out your skill and commitment I would never be able to toe the start line and perform at the level that I am capable of. Thanks to my partners at PowerQuip who support me and my customers with every aspect of our business. I am eternally greatful for the support of everyone for my riding and racing.

Life is Short... Enjoy the Ride

Riding In The Draft

2009-05-25T19:52:00.011-06:00

I sat in the back of my truck (which has a shell on it) watching it rain. I was in the Tabegache parking lot just south of Grand Junction, CO it is Memorial Day Weekend. I was contemplating my weekend and good fortune to have just missed getting caught out in the rain again.

I met my friends Mike and Megan from Jackson, WY for the weekend in Fruita. Mike and I were to ride and Megan and their dog Lilly could take advantage of the trail running opportunities. We camped in the Colorado National Monument National Park. It has wonderful red rock cliffs, sandstone spires and views that are outrageous.

We were stuck in a weather pattern of rain showers and thunderstorms. No matter, we were together and having fun. We rode the Tabegache area and got caught in a huge rain storm. Mike and I hid under an overhanging rock to wait out the deluge. We witnessed a flash flood in the drainage below us. What had been a dry wash, became a raging torrent of brown water in about 10 minutes. We were relatively warm and protected so it was kind of fun just to witness the weather in this desert environment.

In the evening we spent time fixing bikes that had parts ruined by the mud. We can't have a fire in the National Park so we resort to cooking over charcoal and then sitting around the grill to stay warm. The two canopy tents sure came in handy with the torrential rains that we got.

The next day the trails were way too muddy to ride so we set out on a road bike ride on the mountain bikes. We were set on doing the 37 mile loop throught the park. We headed down the hill, through the 2 tunnels and to the valley floor below. From there we rode towards Grand Junction and the east entrance of the park. As we climbed steadily to the park entrance our intensity increased and we started to work harder. The total verticle climb is not much, only about 2,500' but we got most of that rise in about 4 miles so it was a good effort and steep in places.

We were on a training mission, we were working together taking turns 'pulling' or leading up the climb. It is interesting on a climb that the rider in front works hard and the other one has a mental break and can fuel and drink before taking the lead again. On a climb, it's all mental, taking the lead or following but it works none the less.

We crested the worst of the climb and really dropped the hammer both of us wanted to catch and pass riders on road bikes. Road bikes are way faster than a mountain bike with the same rider on it so it was a big challenge for us to do... set your sights high. As the terrain became less severe our speed increased dramatically.

Cycling is not well understood by most people who aren't into it.... I'm no expert and am learning as I go. Riding a bike fast is really difficult, it may look easy but it is far from it. As your speed increases the air resistance becomes an enormous factor. This is where riding in the draft becomes necessary, working together becomes absolutely critical. In general terms riders in the draft will require about 30% less effort to maintain the same speed as the lead rider.

You will see the draft used in auto racing, it is a critical component to any sport where speed is a factor. In cycling, the rider or riders in the draft can 'rest', eat, drink and relax until their turn back on the front. Two riders can be way faster than a single if they know what they are doing, the more riders the better because you get to rest longer in the pace line. The following rider must stay 'on the wheel' of the next rider. There is a zone of disturbed air that you must be inside of in order to be 'in the draft'.

This zone of disturbed or 'dirty' air requires that the bikes be within at least 12" of each other, the closer the better. This is where skill and trust are paramount. The lead rider must pick the line to ride, avoid obstacles and be smooth. The following riders must have absolute confidence in and trust the leading rider.

As we continued to hammer along the road each of us taking a turn in the front and the other following we began to get into a rhythm and we started to catch road bikes and were dropping them like bad habits. Each 'pull' would last for 1 to 2 minutes before we move over and let the follower become the leader.

We had probably passed 6 or 8 road riders when we passed a lone rider, it wasn't but a few minutes until he caught up with us. It was unspoken, we all were taking turns on the pull with the other two in the draft. It had to be a sight to see to 2 mountain bikes riding a pace line with a very high end expensive road bike but we were really keeping a great pace and having an awesome time.

The vistas were splendid but we couldn't enjoy them because a momentary lapse of concentration could spell disaster.I learned a lot this day, I see so many parallels between life and cycling and I could write volumes about them. The important things that I learned is that riding the draft is really, really fun and very fast. It takes timing to stay in the draft and timing not to drop the rider off the back. It also takes absolute trust in your lead rider.

So as the rain continued to fall on my truck I pondered my good fortune to have such great friends, wonderful places to ride and the freedom to do so. I thought how truly lucky I am...

All the rain brings out these beautiful cactus flowers.

Life is Short... Enjoy the Ride

Training In The Rain

2009-05-21T23:11:00.003-06:00

So today's ride was supposed to be a 3-4 hour effort in Indian Creek with a night exit using a helmet light. It started to rain very lightly this afternoon but not to be deterred, I headed up to Waterton Canyon only to be turned away at the gate by, well... the gate with a big sign on it stating that the canyon road and parking lot were being maintained... bummer!!

So the next closest ride was Deer Creek Canyon... back in the truck and 15 minutes later I pull into the parking lot which has 5 or 6 other cars in it. Perfect, I think, no traffic to contend with on the trail. Rain in Colorado sends people inside... we don't see much rain so most of us don't know how to act when it does.

If you follow my blog you will notice that I am very cautious about wet conditions and mountain biking on wet trails. The reason that I avoid the trails when it's wet is that the tires tend to break down the trail surface when it's muddy so I just don't do it. Trails are too hard to come by and too hard to repair and maintain to treat them badly. Today I felt like the light rain would have little effect on the trail surface, I was right the tires didn't have any affect on the trail surface.

It had been about 2 years since I'd ridden this single track and I forgot what I had been missing. This trail is quite steep on the lower end with some rocky technical sections on it. The upper part of the trail system is just spectacular with good smooth single track and great little climbs and descents. The light rain made the otherwise sticky rocks, slick and treacherous.

I make 2 laps around each of the upper 2 loops and then head back to the truck. Total ride time 1:45. This was a nice little work out with no people to contend with and just enough rain to make the trail perfectly tacky.

Life is Short... Enjoy the Ride

Wrenching

2009-05-20T21:10:00.003-06:00

Some people hate working on their bikes, some don't have the ability to do it, some don't have the time. Others like myself enjoy working on their rides. I will perform nearly every maintenance item on them with the exception of a few things like truing wheels or reuilding shocks & forks. Everything else is fair game to me.

I have always tinkered with mechanical things, I'm good with my hands and I like figuring out what makes things work and what makes them not work. When you ride as much as I do and you don't have a professional mechanic to work on your bikes then you learn to do it yourself. It also saves you a ton of money and down time waiting on a shop to do something simple. However, making a mistake can cost you as well... Usually, you only make that mistake once.

One of the beauties of doing my own work is that I know everything about the bikes, I know every sound, click and whirr. The bikes all have 'personalities', each is different. It also makes a big difference when something goes wrong on a ride... and if it can be fixed on the spot then I know how to fix it in the field... I don't like to walk, besides pushing your bike for 15 miles back to the truck is just plain no fun.

A while back 3 of us were starting on a ride and one of the bikes brakes wouldn't work. These are hydraulic disc brakes that normally work flawlessly. Between the 3 of us we improvised the tools, gadgets and fittings needed to extract brake fluid from my truck and get it into the bike brake cylinder. Long story short, we did a full brake bleed job in the parking lot and it only shorted our ride by about 15 minutes.

Wrenching is a 4 letter word to some, to me it's a necessary but fun aspect of being an avid rider.

Life is Short... Enjoy the Ride

Indian Creek

2009-05-15T00:05:00.004-06:00

Indian Creek is a special place for me. It is a huge area that is generally contained in the Pike National Forest. The trails are very good and there is plenty of climbing and descending to be had so it is a great place for me to train. It is close enough to my place that it is easy to get to with out too much hassle.

I find it a great place to escape to so that I can ride my mountain bike and most times I never see any people when I'm there. Tonight I left from the Waterton Canyon Parking lot at 5:40. I dropped the hammer out of the gate. My intent was to get about 20 - 25 miles in before dark.

The legs didn't have the snap and pop that they normally do. I suspect that it was the 2 days off the bike, the travel to and from Chicago and sitting that took it out of me.

Anyhow I was headed up Stevens Gulch which now has a bunch of dead fall in it due to the last big heavy snow that we got. I had to keep getting off the bike to climb over the down trees. At about 3/4 mile up the trail from the Waterton Canyon single track loop I spotted another rider ahead of me, pushing his bike. When I caught up to him I scared him... he never heard me coming. Anyhow, he was very happy to see me as he was lost and definitely headed in the wrong direction. I got him straightened out and redirected him back to toward Waterton Canyon. It would have been a very, very long night for him if we hadn't crossed paths.

About 10 minutes after sending the lost biker on his way I spotted a bobcat in the trail! This is a first for me, I've seen their tracks in the snow before but never seen one in the wild. He was moving away from me and I only saw him for a second or so but I got a good enough look to tell exactly what it was. I think that I crept up on him because of the flowing water in the creek and the damp ground kept my bike tires quiet.

I saw a bunch of mule deer in different spots on the trail and also ran across 4 elk that were grazing in the meadow on my way back down towards the dam. I don't often see elk in this area so it was neat to see them run gracefully out of my way.

I finally reached the dam and the dirt road when it was near dusk. It was fun riding down the 6 miles of dirt road next to the river in the near dark with no lights and no people. I think how fun it would be to share some of these cool experiences with someone else. I got back to the truck after dark happy to have done 25 miles in 2 hrs and 45 mins.

Gaining Perspective

2009-05-10T17:32:00.001-06:00

So early this morning I went to great lengths to write about proper recovery after a big race effort. Low intensity ride, low heart rate, plenty of sleep etc, etc... That is the typical recovery regime after most races. This morning however I am trying to gain some perspective on a number of things. I want to see how my body will perform on two consecutive days with big training loads on it. Additionally, I have some things in my life that I'm trying to work through so I find that I do some of my best thinking while on the bike in an anaerobic induced haze.

The subconscious mind is powerful, I didn't realize until I was on the trail that I'd already made up my mind on what I was going to ride. I'd picked out two of the biggest, hardest climbs in Indian Creek to ride up. These are the most difficult and longest climbs that I can do in this area and I know them well, nothing like creating your own little suffer fest.

Over all I felt remarkably physically good but I didn't have the power in my legs that I wanted to feel. This didn't necessarily surprise me due to the fact that I haven't been riding a bunch of hills consistently. I rode 4 hours, 35 miles and climbed 4,500'. While this isn't a big training day it did give me some good perspective on where I am on my training. Ultimately, I'm trying to be in shape for the Breck Epic stage race which has 6 days of back-to-back racing and 40K' of climbing.

The weather conditions today match my mood, overcast, dreary and cold. I'm glad that it never rained but it was damp and cold which kept me hammering to stay warm. On the top of one ridge the single track is perfect and it descends gently at first then drops dramatically toward the end, the ground was damp and the trail was tacky. So with the fog swirling around, I found myself ripping down the trail with reckless abandon. I am riding like I'm being chased by the devil him self. I am acutely aware that no one knows where I am and no one is likely to be by this way for several days so a big crash could be a real problem. Additionally, no one would miss me for at least 2 days this keeps me very focused on not making mistakes.

So for my riding I learned that I must start hammering hills and lots of them over the next 2 months. As for working through the things in my life that are troubling me... they are still troubling me but at least I have a better more well rounded view of them.

Maybe I'm tired enough to sleep tonight. It's all about gaining perspective.

Life is short, Enjoy the Ride.

Front Range 50

2009-05-09T22:36:00.005-06:00

I usually wait a few days to update the blog after a race but my mind is working over time at 0200 Sunday AM and I can't sleep so I'll just do it now...

The Front Range 50 arrived only 6 days after the 18 Hours of Fruita. It is very difficult for your body to recover from one really big race and be ready to go for the next one in such a short time. These race efforts are so hard that it breaks your body down to the point that it takes days of careful 'active recovery' on the bike, proper eating and plenty of rest to get over the last effort and to be ready for the next heavy hard training day or race.

This last week was quite difficult for me with a lot going on in my work & personal life as well as a trip out to Ohio for a one day training class. I didn't make the time to be on the bike so I wasn't able to do a 'recovery' ride on Sunday... the day after the 18 Hrs of Fruita.

It seems counter intuitive but the recovery ride is an important element to quickly getting back on your training regime. It essentially helps flush out all sorts of waste products that are still trapped in the muscles and speeds the repair of broken down muscle tissue etc. Additionally this very low intensity ride helps work out sore and stiff muscles, for me it is done at a heart rate of less than 125 beats per minute and is usually 1 - 1.5 hrs in length.

Another extreemly helpful recovery treatment is a massage, again trying to work out soreness & knots from the over use.

Anyhow, none of these things happened for me last week and to make matters worse my flight was delayed coming out of Cleveland by 1.5 hours and then the shuttle bus was 30 minutes late so I didn't get home until after 11 PM. I had fixed my bike before leaving on the trip but had never ridden it to verify that the repairs were OK (mistake). None of my stuff was packed or ready to go and to make matters worse I over slept...

Anyhow, the day was an absolutely classic Colorado spring day. Bright blue skys, sunny and a few scattered clouds by race time it would be about 45F. I was able to get my premixed bottles up to the start finish 'neutral feed zone' and to recruit a spectator to help me get my bottles on each lap. Not having a crew is quite difficult especially in these short races where seconds mean the difference between one finishing place and the next.

This race is interesting because it attracts all kinds of riders, there are professional, expert, sport & beginner riders all lumped together in the mass start we are further broken down by 10 year age groups. Additionally, there are 2 races being run on the same course so traffic is an issue for faster riders trying to pass the slower or riders.

My strategy going into this race was to go out hard and fast, get to my target heart rate where my body would just barely clear the lactic acid from the muscles and to hold this maximum effort for 4 hours. I believe that I will be able to turn 45 minute laps so I should finish the 5 laps in about 3 hrs 45 minutes.

The start on this race is a bit crazy, the riders are bunched together on our bikes and when the gun goes off we all scramble to get moving then immediately climb a short hill on a dirt road toward the start finish line. The faster riders are staged in the front of the throng and the rest of us are left to fight our way through slower traffic.

The first couple of laps are difficult due to riders being bunched up, slower riders are getting dropped, faster riders are having to pass etc. I take stock of how I feel during each lap to determine if I can go harder or need to slow my pace. After each lap I seem to get a bit faster, the thinning of the field is helping that but I also am 'getting into the groove'. I try to fuel, take electrolites and drink water at the same spots on the course each lap.

The pit area is always interesting... my recruited 'crew' is there with my water bottle and fuel flask, I have to drop the spent flask and bottle and get the fresh ones on board... sounds trivial but is quite difficult. An experienced crew member will get water and fuel to the rider so that they never have to stop the bike... in this instance, I have to stop briefly but I am forever greatful to the lady who helped me... I don't remember your name but I sure appreciate your help!!

I count the laps and push hard trying not to over exert myself and 'blow up' but still get every bit of performance from my body. I make the final lap and am pushing really, really hard. My legs and lungs are screaming, I try to catch a riders which I do but there are always more to catch. I pay partiular attention to the calf markings on each rider which identifies what class and age group they are in... anyone with a FR50 40-49 gets my full attention.

I don't ever recall feeling as truly spent and wasted after a race as I did during after this one. My legs are aching acutely, throbbing. I feel good about my effort and I know that I left nothing on the course, I had exerted myself to the limits of my ability.

I finally cross the finish line at 3 hrs 37 minutes and 28 seconds. A full 30 minutes behind the winning time for my age group. I'm very pleased with my performance, last year I finished the race in 3 hrs and 51 minutes so obviously my early season fitness is much better this year as I am way faster. Also, the new Carbon Yeti is helping my times due to being about 4 # lighter than the 575 that I raced last year.

My offical finishing position is 21 out of 67 riders in my age group. A friend reminds me that I'm racing against pro and expert riders I am neither of these and that we are all lumped together into one age group. It's all about perspective...

My friend Kim (Chad's wife) made it to the race with their 2 kids, I'm really glad to see them all, thanks for coming guys!! Chad had a great race improving his time over last year as well.

Sorry for the absence of photos... no one was there to take any for me.

Results: http://www.warriorscycling.com/home/results.php

Until next time... remember Life is short, choose your friends well and never cross the finish line with anything left in the 'tank'... Enjoy the Ride!

2009 - 18 Hours of Fruita - Race Results

2009-05-04T07:39:00.015-06:00

Finally!!!! The first race of the year is here!! As you know the 12 Hours (Dawn Til’ Dusk) race in Gallup, NM was cancelled a few weeks ago. Chad and I were terribly disappointed. So we are now headed to the 18 Hours of Fruita race in western Colorado. We meet at the Mammoth Lot on the west side of Denver, transfer Chad’s gear from his truck to mine and drive west. We are both excited and a bit hesitant about the first race of the year. Both of us have put in countless hours of training & preparation and a bunch of cash to get ready for these races.

The thing that I think makes this race particularly challenging is that we are racing as a team. We are both driven people so we expect a lot of ourselves and we expect that as team mates that we will live up to and exceed our expectations of each other. This is a bit stressful for both of us, thinking about making the right decisions and executing flawlessly.

Last year we had some handoff issues. The timing of when the rider came to the start/finish line and the relief rider hit the course. We also had equipment issues. This race is so fast that wasted seconds even over 18 hours can translate to a lost position at the end of the race.

Chad and I have spent untold hours riding motorcycles, hunting, hiking, climbing and enjoying life. Sometimes I think that we know what the other person will do better than they themselves do. We have spent hours critiquing our personal performances over the last year and how we performed as a team. We have analyzed and broken down our results from last year, looked at them in so many different ways but now it is time to put this self critical evaluation and retooling to the test.

On arriving at High Line Lake State Park we are assigned a camp site which we quickly convert to our Pit area. There is the large 6 person dome tent, our thick inflatable air mattress, sleeping bags etc and the all important 10’ x 10’ canopy tent. As we make our final pre race preparations it is becoming apparent that a year of reflection and hard work are paying off, we are relaxed and over prepared so we are not stressed and we are ahead of schedule.

The race is to start at 00:00 Friday night. We decide who will start the race with a coin toss, Chad wins the toss so he will start the race for us. Our plan is to ride 2 laps each then hand off to the next rider. The intent is that we will get into a groove during each session and minimize handoff issues while maximizing our lap performances by not becoming too fatigued. We know that in good weather that we will turn roughly 30 minute laps so each person has an hour on and off the bike to do what ever needs done to be ready for the next session.

We are able to get a couple of hours sleep before 23:15 on Friday so we wake up and get Chad ready to go with time to spare. He is on the start line early with the rest of the racers. I can’t see him or anyone on the start line in the inky darkness but the announcer is easy to hear in the calm night air and the cheers of everyone is exciting.

The gun goes off and the racers have to run a short course, get to their bikes and start the ride. This Lemans style start is intended to spread out the field and minimize traffic issues during the ensuing mêlée’ . I can’t really explain the excitement that we feel, if you have been there then you understand, if you haven’t then I’d liken it to what you felt as a kid when you waited so long for a birthday, Christmas or some other highly anticipated fun event.

The night is warm, we are wearing leg warmers, jerseys, a light weight wind vest & arm warmers. Its cold each time we start but we quickly warm up. The course is not technical, it is relatively smooth single track & a few very short climbs. The aggravating thing over night is the dust that hangs in the air from all the bikes, it keeps us hacking and spitting to keep things clear.

We don’t have a reliable means to track our progress as it is a monumental effort just to stay on track with our pre lap preparations and focused on riding but we can both tell that we are riding very well and consistently. The key to doing well at this type of event is consistency and simplicity… do what works and repeat it exactly every time so that you don’t forget something.
Early in the morning we have our first mechanical issue. Chad’s front tire has developed a leak, fortunately I was ready to go and we only lost about 6 or 7 minutes on that lap. I’m mad at myself because I wasn’t right there when Chad came in to get out onto the course… another lesson learned.

I do my two laps and Chad meets me to get his two laps with a fresh tire and plenty of Stans Tire Sealant in it. We keep hammering, I try to meet Chad after each lap, ride with him for a few hundred yards, make sure that we are on track, address any issues and then wait for about 30 minutes until he comes around again.

Some where around noon it starts to rain, very light misting rain which really helps to knock the dust down and makes the course even more fun to ride. Just after noon I take the handoff from Chad who informs me that the 6.25 mile course has become very fast from the mist and to have fun on my laps.

He is absolutely right, the track is packed down, hard and tacky. The tires hook up well on every corner and I’m having a blast. My very next lap goes from tacky to greasy in about 10 minutes time. This mud is legendary. The soil is bentonite clay and it has the craziest properties of any mud that I’ve ever seen. My speed decreases because it is nearly impossible to keep the wheels under us, I nearly crash 3 times… it’s kind of like trying to ride a bike with slick tires on wet ice.

During this lap, I have formulated a quick warning for Chad to try to keep him from a big surprise and potential crash… I simply say ‘it’s slick, expect to crash’. Chads lap starts at about 13:34, the rain is coming down steadily now. Somewhere within the first 1.5 miles the mud got so bad that it jammed up the drive train on his bike so badly that the derailer was snapped off at the hanger rendering the bike unrideable. The mud is so tenacious that it sticks to very thing like gorilla glue, it’s unreal and has stories told about it that make it legendary and mystical to all who haven’t experienced it.

I’m in the Pit area when Chad shows back up dejectedly pushing his broken bike. I was ready to go, so I immediately jump onto my rig and head out to experience the muck and mayhem that he has just endured. The crazy thing about this bentonite clay is that if it quits raining it dries out very quickly and within a matter of 10 minutes it will become rideable again. This is exactly what I experienced, I had a good lap of 31 minutes so I rush to the pit and tell Chad to get his bike fixed because the course is fast. I tell him to meet me in about 50 minutes and to be ready at the start finish.

Laps 29 and 30 for me were really, really fun because the track is so tacky and the tires are hooking up so well. I have good lap times. Chad is there to meet me at about 15:46 but he has no bike, he can’t fix it, the derailer is jammed and he can’t get the broken derailer hanger off of it.

We quickly agree that he will take my bike out for his next 2 laps… the problem now is that it has started a steady rain just as he leaves the line. Somewhere in the first couple of miles he experiences the mud that mountain biking nightmares are made of. My super light 22.5# bike more than doubles it’s weight with mud and then the drive train jams and the derailer is destroyed in a split second. Not to be deterred, Chad spends 1 hour and 20 minutes, pushing, pulling, dragging and carrying the broken bike around the course. He finally arrives back at the start to the cheers of everyone in sight. It’s now 17:06 and with two broken bikes, and the race ending at 18:00 we are done for the day.

Chad just after the final lap with my bike and what's left of the derailer & drive train. He actually has 'washed' the bike in the lake to remove most of the mud!

Despite the mud challenges we manage to finish 6th out of 12 – 2 man teams. We have completed 31 laps. The winning team is truly impressive, they turn an amazing 37 laps, somehow their bike setup is superior to ours and the mud doesn’t affect them as much as it did us. I suspect that they were riding single speed bikes (no fragile derailer to contend with) and / or that they were using narrow mud tires which don’t collect and distribute as much mud as our tires did.

In the final analysis, we are extremely pleased with our individual performances and with how we worked together as a team. We still have room to improve and we must make some bike setup changes to better contend with the potential of mud but overall we are very happy to have done so well. Quietly and separately we are already plotting our strategies for next year and breaking down the individual elements of the race to see where we can make improvements.

Thanks to our sponsors PowerQuip and Well Within Chiropractic with out your support and encouragement we couldn’t have done it without you. Thanks to Chad's family and our friends who sacrificed their time with us to allow us to train and race!!

Fruita Colorado

2009-04-21T20:38:00.012-06:00

Ahhh... spring in the Rockies... one minute it's sunny and 60F and the next it's snowing so hard that you can't see. I'm getting a bit tired of the snow and there is a huge 'up slope' spring storm that it bearing down on Colorado. An upslope typically dumps snow on the front range but it doesn't impact the middle and western part of the state.

So on Friday with the weather guessers predicting anywhere from 10 - 36 inches of snow for the Front Range on Friday and Saturday I decided to bail out and head west to Fruita for a dry weekend of mountain biking. The best laid plans... by the time I could leave on Friday, the snow was so heavy that I70 was closed. So early Saturday AM with a driving rain snow mix I headed north on 25, west on I80, South on 13 to Rifle and west on 70 again... I had escaped the grips of the snow and showed up in Fruita in time to ride Marys Loop, Steves, Handcuffs, Lions Loop and Mack Ridge.

On Sunday AM, I head over to the Book Cliffs Area just north of Fruita. I'd never been here before but this is a treat! I was slow starting due to my back being tight and sore from shoveling some snow on Friday AM and from being in the truck so long etc. Anyhow, I mixed a 4 hour bottle of fuel and headed out... I warmed up on Prime Cut to Chutes and Ladders. Back up Prime Cut to Front Side. I am on a mission to do the Edge Loop and nothing is going to stop me.

The Edge Loop is about 30 miles long, it's remote and apparently not often ridden... perfect! I never saw a single sole during this whole ride :). No mountain bike ride would be complete without some great twisted story to tell...

So at about Mile 22 I've climbed and decended a good amount of pretty precipitous terrain (OK some of it is wicked steep) and I'm now at the infamous 30' 'waterfall'. Which is thankfully dry.

I've done a bit of climbing and this kind of thing doesn't bother me but it has my undivided attention. I've got to get me and the bike down this cliff face in one piece. There is no way around it and no turning back. This would be an easy task with 2 people but since no one likes to play my game... I'm left to my own devices.

There are a couple of fixed lines that have been placed down this narrow rock chute that are critical to doing this little decent safely. So I rig up my bike with my camelback straps so that I can wear it on my back.

No, it is no fun taking your own picture and it's not a very good one but you get the idea of the bike/camelback rig.

My biggest concern about the decent was getting the bike wedged in the top part of the chute and it causing me to fall or to damage the bike. Anyhow, I'm now down safely and I continue to head down the narrow canyon. After a bit I am back on single track climbing out of several ravines... this is really cool!

I arrive back at the truck and I've consumed all of my fuel and nearly drained my camelback dry. I've been out exactly 4 hours and I'm happy that the fuel and water are working out so well... I do a lot of tweaking on these critical aspects to make sure that I'm getting the calories and hydration that I need. I'm having to use a camelback this year due to the Carbon Yeti having only a single bottle cage... it takes some getting used to, hence the need to practice with it.

I quickly refuel for 2 more hours, more water and head back out to hit the classic storied trails of Kessel Run, Joes Ridge & Western Zippety. I finish up on Zippety Do Da. My friend Mike told me that this was going to be a real treat so I saved it till last. He was right! This is a gem! It's marked for experts only and has a reputation for breaking collar bones due to how steep it is and after riding it I can see why!

So the BDA (Battle Damage Assessment) at the end of the weekend, I'd driven a ton of hours, ridden 8 hrs of single track & checked out both mountain bikes. I've covered about 80 miles. The bikes are running fine and my body is responding to the training load. My back however is killing me, I'll get into see Dr Joel at Well Within Chiropractic in Castle Rock when I get home... he will get me straightened out again.

Life is on the bike this weekend is lonely but life is good!

More Hill Work

2009-04-15T22:06:00.002-06:00

Today's bike session was more work on Jackson Creek Road. I was able to get 3600' of vertical which equates to about 2 and 1/2 laps before I ran out of day light. I was very happy that I felt much better and stronger than 2 days ago. I was able to keep the intensity, speed and heart rate up. The purpose of this workout is to build power so I'm using larger gears and lower pedal cadence... I can feel it in the legs tonight.

I love this time of year because the training gains are always obvious and quick to realize. I'm eating a lot and am happy that I am able to do so with out worrying too much about counting calories. I concentrate on consuming high quality protein, carbohydrates and veggies. I also supplement which is very important for recovery and to allow hard training the next day.

I'm still heavier than I want to be, my scale tells me that I'm running roughly 7% body fat, in another 6 weeks I should (or want to) be down to about 5%... I'll get there, it just takes hard work and focus on not eating junk or consuming more good food than I really need.

Road Bike Intervals 1 min on 2 min recovery

2009-04-15T14:42:00.003-06:00

Well, I got to experience a new level of pain and suffering yesterday. I was introduced to the 1 minute full out sprint followed by a 2 minute recovery and repeat 10 times. This workout is supposed to and should help the body improve its ability to work at very high intensity levels and recover more quickly between. The translation over to the mountain bike would be a tough technical uphill section that requires a lot of effort to get through or a passing situation in a race.

I was quite pleased that I could hang in there on these. 3o minute warm up ride then the 30 minute ride - recover intervals then 30 minute cool down. Today, my legs feel OK but I can definitely tell that I was working hard yesterday.

I ended up with a work out cough and I could taste the blood but I'm happy to say that overall the body is hanging in there and responding to the training load.

Jackson Creek Road

2009-04-13T23:23:00.003-06:00

Well today was the first day that I've hit my 'favorite' dirt road. Jackson Creek Road is a dirt road that essentially goes straight up into the foothills... it is a relentless climb of 1400' vertical to the gate that blocks access to the national forest. There is no road or trail that I know of that is close to the house, can be ridden when it's wet and is sustained and steep... this fits the bill.

I turned around at the gate today because there was snow on the road past it and I know this route so well that I know that it would be futile to try to go farther. Also, I forgot my bike fenders and with the road being so wet I would have ended up a muddy mess with little additional training to show for it. I only have a few weeks to train on this road because the traffic becomes so heavy once Rampart Range Road is opened up that it is dangerous for me to ride it not to mention the choking dust that is kicked up by all the cars, trucks & jeeps.

I rode the Yeti 575 today because it is heavy on the way up and fun on the way down. More weight going up helps build that leg strength that I'll need for long sustained climbs during races but I'll be doing those race climbs on the light weight Carbon Yeti which should translate to faster speeds and better overall endurance.

I only had time to make 2 laps on JCR before it got dark but the 1.5 hours was worth it. I've got a good base line for my climbing strength now and I'll be able to work on building power in my legs. This training hill is not fun, in fact it is really hard to do and to stay focused. I just keep thinking that all this hard work will pay off when the gun goes off at the (now) first race - The 18 Hours of Fruita.

Sunday Training Ride

2009-04-12T17:15:00.003-06:00

Well after yesterday's cancelled Dawn Til' Dusk Race in Gallup NM and our subsequent drive back home... I was dying to get a ride in... no matter the penalty...

So I headed out on the Cyclocross bike at about noon... I stepped into 38F, Fog, Rain and about a 20mph wind... this was going to be a real training day on the roadbike... because as you know ' If it ain't rainin', then it ain't training '.

A bunch of cars passed me while I was out... I could feel them stare at me as they went by... probably muttering something about me obviously being crazy.

I managed to stay on the bike for over an hour and a half but my hands go so cold that I couldn't feel them and I couldn't work the brakes so I had to cut it short. I really felt good and wanted so badly to continue for several more hours but thought better of it... I don't want to get sick or run down. It was a struggle to get my gloves and gear off in the garage but I felt better after a hot shower and some warm food.

I'll lift and do some ab work this afternoon. I will also stretch... I'm still tight from the long hours in the truck on Friday and Saturday.

I can't really complain about the rain because we need it so badly, it's been really dry here for about 4 months so this is very much welcome.

Monday is supposed to be sunny and 59F and I should get to take advantage of it!

Dawn Til' Dusk - 2009 - Canceled due to Rain, Snow & MUD

2009-04-12T15:04:00.016-06:00

Those of us who choose to entertain ourselves with hours of training and long races expect bad weather from time to time... I could tell some stories... Anyhow, Chad, his sister Beth and I headed down to Gallup, NM on Friday April 10th for the 12 hour Dawn Til' Dusk mountain bike race. It was a great trip down, good conversation, good music and good company... It takes about 8 hours drive to get there from my place in Castle Rock.

We arrived in Gallup at about 430PM on Friday afternoon, got checked in and headed over the race course which is about 15 minutes away. Chad and I were both signed up to do the 12 hour solo race. The race directors quarantine solo riders in our own special holding area which is close to the course so that it makes it easier for us to get into and out of our pit areas quickly.

We set up our canopy tent to stake out our spot which will now become our official 'Pit' area and then we head off to partially ride the course before it gets dark. This is the first time that we have ridden this course so we are anxious to see what it holds in store for us. We ride out about 3 miles out then catch the other side of the trail and return down a different set of switch backs back to the Pits. The course is very nice, the first bit of it has a couple of tricky switch backs and one ledge which is easy to ride if your mind doesn't get in the way (it has a nasty fall to the right down about 10' if you screw up). The top part is clay, 'slick rock' and packed sand... very nicely done trail.

After securing our race packets back at 'El Rancho' we head off in search of food... Pasta and chicken is what I want and we find it at a local itialian place... good food and poor service...

This is the biggest salad that we have ever seen! Go Beth!

I should interject that Beth has volunteered to come down and crew for Chad and I... what a sacrifice that she has made giving up a vacation day driving about 17 hours round trip with us etc... We are grateful for her company and for her help during the race. Thanks Beth! We enjoyed having you along and hope that next time will bring sunshine and warm temps!

Saturday 0500 comes early... none of us has slept particularly well, we are nervous as usual before a race especially the first one of the season. The other thing that is nagging us is the sound of a steady rain drumming on the flat roof out side our windows.

We are loaded and out the door by 0530 headed over to the pit area. Things are looking pretty bleak... fog, rain, snow and cold. We arrive at the pit area at about 0545 where we are greeted with a sea of mud.

The race director came by at about 0600 and told us that the race would be delayed from 0700 until 0900 due to the bad weather and absolutely deplorable trail conditions.

We are all hopeful that the present weather system will pass quickly and that the course will dry out to allow the a 0900 start. We have access to Sirus - Satellite based Travel Link radar in the truck which now becomes our sole focus for the next 2 hours. The red triangle is where we are and the weather is tracking to the north east... nice...

At the pre-race meeting at 0845 we are told that the conditions are terrible and the sections of the course are not only unrideable but also unwalkable... nice...

So an additional 2 hour delay is put into place and we are delayed until 1100 at which time they will decide to either hold the race starting at 1200 or cancel it.

From our unique position to see the weather on radar as well as to be able to cross correlate what we are seeing outside the truck we are starting to believe that there is no way that they can hold the race without 1) destroying the trail and 2) risking someone getting badly hurt or worse.

Chad starts to play with the video function on the camera to document the drama.

There was a clearing of about 30 minutes where the sun came out briefly and the weather gave us a break for a while then it socked in again... at about 1000 the weather had rolled back in and the race was cancelled... then it was a mad dash to get out before some little car got stuck in the quagmire.

You can tell from the video and comments that we are absolutely bored to death and trying have fun and make the best of a bad situation... The backhoe is going in to extract a bunch of cars that wouldn't make it out without assistance. Sometimes these things happen... we are terribly disapointed that we can't race and we feel bad for the race promoters and staff, they can't control the weather... so we start the long drive home.

We hope to try it again next year! Hopefully with better weather!

New (Replacement) Carbon Yeti

2009-03-30T22:49:00.005-06:00

Well true to their reputation Yeti took care of my broken frame, no cost to me and I was back in business after exactly 7 days. Now that is service! The shop (Bike Source) in Highlands Ranch was tremendous, thanks Steve & Damon, you ROCK! The other really cool thing is that my replacement frame is now stealth black which is way cool.

Yes this is my kitchen... hey I can cook AND look at the new bike.

Training is going pretty well but I'm concerned how well prepared I am for the first race... April 11 in Gallup, NM. Dawn Till Dusk (12 hour solo). I have to remember that this is the first race of the season and that it is meant to be a 'shake down' for me and the new bike... a measuring stick if you will to see where I am and where I need to be as the season progresses.

I escaped the impending snow storm April 4-5 by driving to Sante Fe, NM... long haul and I had no idea what was in store for me there or even where I was going but I knew that there wouldn't be any snow and that I could either road or mountain bike in the high desert so it was all good. I was concerned that I would miss out on two critical training days if I stayed in Colorado so south bound I25 was calling me!

The local bike shop in Sante Fe hooked me up with the trail gouge and a map and I spent 2 days getting the crap kicked out of me... these are technical and steep trails and I'm not too adept at technical up hill so it was a real work out for me.

So the race season is about to start and I've got an official 'Team'... PowerQuip of course is the main sponsor and PowerQuip couldn't do it without our principals and our customers... thanks to everyone for their well wishes and for your support!

My other sponsor is so critical that without them I'm am certain that I could never even think of competing in these events. I am very happy with is the work that Well Within Chiropractic (Dr. Joel Kinch) www.maximizedlivingdrkinch.com/ has done with me to eliminate my neck and back pain. Without Dr. Joel and his super staff of professionals I couldn't hope to train at this level. They have helped me beyond description and I'll be a patient for life so that I can get the most from this beat up body.

My next post will be after the Dawn Til' Dusk Race on Saturday... 0700 - 1900 (12hrs solo). My friend Chad and I are headed down together on Friday AM.

Catching Up

2009-03-15T22:47:00.003-06:00

Catching up... I think that I do more 'catching up' than most 'normal' people do. Anyway, it's been a while since I took the time to tap out a few words and alot has transpired in my tiny corner of the world.

Lets see... I've been riding a bunch both road and mountain, I'm feeling pretty good and getting some good solid training hours in. We have had a very, very dry winter and early spring on the front range so the trails have been rideable even in the foothills. Last weekend I got a great 4 hour ride over at Indian Creek, there were still patches of ice on the trail in spots and some places were wet but over all it was bone dry.

On Sunday I got in a long ride in Buffalo Creek which I had ridden only a small part of several years ago. There is a bunch of terrain to explore over there and I can't wait to go back.

During Sunday's ride the frame broke on my new carbon Yeti. The bike had a grand total of 138 miles on it so I'm sure that Yeti will cover it. It was very strange to keep riding the bike once I discovered the crack and realized just how bad it was but it held together and got me out without having to walk the last 10 miles so I'm grateful for that.

After a long delay and a bunch of procrastination I put the Yeti 575 back together. I had some parts issues etc but it is done now. It is essentially a new bike now... new pivot bearings, new headset, new cables & housings, rebuilt fork and shock by PUSH, new set of chain rings... rode it yesterday for an hour... freaking SWEET. Feels better than new but it is a TANK (~30#) by compairson to the Carbon Yeti which weighs 22.5#.

Speaking of the Carbon Yeti, it handles incredibly well. I can't believe how much faster and more confident I feel on it. I'll have to keep riding it to get fully settled in on it but I can say without hesitation that it is absoultely with out a doubt the finest race rig that a rider could hope for.

I'll primairly use the 575 to train on and it will make me work harder on the climbs so that the Carbon bike will be a treat during races.

So my plan is to keep riding the road bike(s) to continue building endurance, with a mix of riding the 575 and (hopefully) my new (new) Carbon Yeti. I'll try to get some good solid hill work in with the 575 since it weighs about 30# as it is currently configured...

So for hill work on the mountain bike it's Jackson Creek Road here I come... this is a dirt road that, in good conditions, will allow about an 8 mile uphill that boasts ~2,100' of verticle. The downside to JCR is that it gets a bunch of traffic once they open Rampart Range Road so I won't have much time to use this great hill for training. The other downside to this road is the pure repetitive nature of the work out. It also requires that I use fenders on the bike because sections of it are always wet this time of year. However, doing this route 4 times in a row is a respectable workout and serves its purpose.

Torries Peak via Kelso Ridge

2009-02-07T22:01:00.013-07:00

Well I committed to myself on the flight to Salt Lake City that I would go with Chad and try a winter assent of Torries Peak via Kelso Ridge and so this little adventure began by meeting at 0530 in the Wolly Mammoth parking lot just west of Denver.

After a slow start (0700) from the parking lot off of the Bakerville exit which is just down the hill from the Eisenhower Tunnel we ski up the road.

We are on our back country skis with skins on the bottom of them. For those who may not know, skins are used to allow a ski to slide easily forward and up but when loaded with your weight it ‘sticks’ to the surface of the snow. This method of back country travel gives you access to areas that are otherwise quite difficult to get into and out of easily. The ski evenly bears the weight of the skier as he ascends. Unlike snowshoes, upon reaching the turnaround point the skier, after removing the skins from the skis, has a real advantage of a speedy exit rather than a slow slog out.

Both methods of travel have their advantages and their place but neither is perfect on all terrain. The skis that we are on today use a special binding that attaches to our plastic ‘double boots’, again a trade-off… While being really great for keeping your feet warm, providing excellent foot & ankle support as well as a solid anchor for crampons they are poor ski boots at best. I explain all of this because it is difficult enough for me to ski the most forgiving skis and great fitting ski boots but then to add the sloppy fitting double boots and stiff, straight & hard to turn back country skis makes it an ‘adventure’ for me every time on the way down. By contrast, Chad could use anything remotely resembling a ski and beat me down the hill all while making it look easy.

The sun just hitting Kelso Ridge, we are a long ways off still well below tree line.

Safe back country travel at any time of year requires some level of knowledge and skill. Winter travel is particularly tricky because the special gear required as well as the obvious challenges of snow, ice, wind and cold. As we make our way up the snow covered road we are constantly adjusting our clothing levels to match the current conditions. This is a ‘skill’ or at least a knowledge that requires a lot of practice to do naturally without it taking lots of time and effort. We are constantly zipping, un-zipping, removing, adding or adjusting layers of clothes to match the rate of heat generated against the rate that the environment removes it from our bodies. Further adding to this unchoreographed dance is the requirement to shed heat at a rate that is great enough to be comfortable but not too warm that we begin to sweat. Sweat is one of the outdoorsman’s greatest enemies because if you get wet, you can, at best, be uncomfortable and at worst create an environment ripe for hypothermia.

Today’s clothing and gear is so advanced from what is was 30 years ago… or even 10 years ago. Growing up, we wore cotton ‘long johns’ which were great until you started to sweat or got wet from melting snow, rain etc then they were pretty close to useless because cotton holds moisture which as explained above can cause problems. I’m always in awe of the early explorers & mountaineers who didn’t have the advantages of this modern gear which we all enjoy and take for granted today.

The ski up the road (or ‘skin’ as we call it) is easy, we quickly loose the sound of the I70 traffic and are surrounded by tall evergreens. At first there isn’t much to look at but after a few hours we are seeing a rocky ridge, lesser mountains and much better views behind us. The problem or advantage to the time on the skis on the way up is that it gives you time to think. We aren’t in any particular hurry today, Chad has been sick for a few days and is still trying to shake the evil spirits that have had a grip on him. We don’t stop much and only just long enough to make clothing adjustments and get moving again.

Staying hydrated in this high altitude winter environment is a constant battle. I’d guess the humidity levels to be somewhere around 10-20% so at every breath you are loosing water, we are also loosing water through sweat. Oddly enough it is not easy to do so we pay particular attention to keeping ahead of dehydration and a hunger.

The views are getting better, we can now see Torries and Greys peaks in the distance as we ski above tree line. There are a few other hikers on the trail today, probably about a dozen. They are all headed up the standard route to the summit(s). We finally ditch our skis when the snow runs out into the rocks and make our divergence away from the trail over to the prominent, unmistakeable Kelso’s ridge.

Chad making one of seemingly hundreds of adjustments necessary throughout the day.

The wind has been tearing at us ever since we cleared the tree line, it’s cold, uncomfortable and dangerous to exposed skin. So long as we keep moving our gear keeps us protected from the elements and from frostbite. I don’t know what the temperature is but I can tell that it is above 0F and I’ll guess that it was probably around 15F to 20F at this point but the wind is blowing pretty steadily we guess it at about 30-40 mph.

There is a small, old mining shack that is just at the base of Kelso’s ridge that makes a reasonable wind break and a good place for a quick lunch. We don’t say much about the weather but we are both thinking that the wind is way too strong for us to be up on this rocky, icy and very exposed rocky ridge line. Our proposed route follows the long ridge to the summit. Exposure as it relates to climbing vernacular has several meanings, it can mean that you are physically suffering from the elements either hot or cold or that you are on a steep, scary slope that if you fall could mean disaster. The Kelso Ridge route is known for both kinds of exposure as it resembles a knife edge and for its exposure to the elements, particularly the wind.
We get headed up from the mining shack to the ridge immediately above and strangely find it to be nearly devoid of wind. We are quite frankly stunned that the wind is non-existent. We snap a few quick photos and get started on the route.

As we make our way up with Chad in the lead we banter back and forth a bit at first before becoming nearly silent. The interesting thing about climbing and exposure is that is completely focuses your attention on the task at hand… all you can do is think about preventing your body from plummeting down the hill. I don’t care how bad a day or week you have had, a good climb with some real tricky spots and plenty of thin air between you and terra firma below will provide you with a mental escape from it all.

The other thing that I should mention is that we neglected (on purpose) to bring harnesses and a line (rope). It is truly amazing what you can climb when you don’t fear falling because you know that the line would arrest a potential fall. With no line to rely on (or use as a mental crutch) our rate, and mine in particular, of assent is slowed considerably as we gingerly pick our way ever higher.

Thats me, very focused on self preservation & not making the nightly news.

This is a challenging ridge in double boots and mittens, I like to think of the whole experience as climbing with roller blades and boxing gloves… not much in the way of feel or feedback from the rock, ice and snow. There are 3 or 4 sections that give us both real pause as we continue our way up. The views are absolutely spectacular, there is nothing to obstruct our vision of the mountains in every direction.

As we make our way up the ridge, I feel a sense of calm and focus. I had a slight tension headache in the morning which nagged me up to the point that we started the route. I know that the stresses of life have been long forgotten and are replaced by more pressing requirements of self preservation.

We are making poor time as we ascend, I am moving slowly, deliberately and cautiously up, Chad on the other hand seems to be in ‘the zone’ and is smoothly navigating his way up. We do a time check at somewhere around 1300hrs, we are at about 12K feet we both know that we need to make a decision within the next hour to proceed ahead or to turn back.

After several more harrowing little pitches we finally have the turnaround discussion at about 1430hrs. Chad thinks that we are about ½ way up the ridge to the summit, at least 2 or more hours away at a good pace. There is apparently a tricky little section of extremely exposed rock that must be scaled up ahead and I’m having concerns about my mental ability to get through it. Further, if something happened we could be in real trouble if we got stuck on this unprotected ridge after dark.

We speculate that under the best circumstances it would be 1800hrs before we summit and walk down the trail to where our skis are and over an hour to ski back to the truck from there (in the dark of course and with no head lamps). We also contemplate down climbing the sections that we just came up, neither of us likes that idea. After some debate, we decide that it is best to ‘bail out’ down the route we came up. We think that there is a possibility that if things get really bad that we can bail off of the ridge to the rocky slopes to the west to avoid the technical sections.

I know that Chad is disappointed that we aren’t going to make the push for the summit and so am I. I am the weak link today and I feel bad that I’m holding him back, I’m not climbing comfortably or easily.

After some time of down climbing we begin to get a bit more comfortable with this most difficult task and start to make better progress. Finally back at the skis, we peel the skins off and head down the trail towards the truck. We arrive at the truck right before dark, glad that we made the decision to down climb vs pushing to the summit.

A bad day climbing beats 100 good days some where else... we feel fortunate to have had both a good day and to have been climbing. Mission accomplished, I know that I feel rejuvinated and replentished... the roses still smell sweet.

Below is a link to the route that we did with great photos, we did not reach the 'knife edge' or white pillar of rock. The photos were taken during the summer but you get a great perspective of what it looks like.

http://www.14ers.com/routemain.php?route=torr4&peak=Torreys%20Peak

Beautiful White, Grey & Black - Thoughts from an airplane

2009-01-29T22:49:00.009-07:00

Well, during December 2008 I was on 12 flights in about 3 weeks and by the time February 2nd arrives I will have been on an additional 8 flights... So, 20 flights in less than 2 months, that's just not right! Anyway, I'm not asking for sympathy, I know where I can find it, in the dictionary... it's between... Oops can't write that, this is a 'G' rated blog.

My latest sortie got changed from Bismarck, ND to Salt Lake City, UT... One of the guys that was in Bismarck this week told me that it was only -20F ambient and that I would have been disapointed with the weather since it was -56F last year with the wind chill but, I digress...

I have flown commercially so much in my 19 year career that I find it a real drag. To me it's like being on a Greyhound bus, it is a way to get from point to point. The upside to flying is that I can work, read or sleep... I mostly work but sometimes catch up on the latest mountain bike magazine or the occassional book. I always try to get an isle seat and avoid the dreaded middle and rarely find myself on the window.

Tuesdays flight to Salt Lake on Frontier Airlines was something different, the flight departed into a piercing blue sky, CAVU (Clear And Visually Unrestricted ) weather. We took off heading directly west... the flight was only about 30% full, I had an exit row to myself. With no MTN bike mag to read and not being able to use the computer until after take off I found myself in the window seat gazing out at the countryside which quickly slipped beneath us as we climbed to ~32,000'.

The flight path from DEN to SLC takes us just south of Longs Peak... I can see the City of Boulder, Fort Collins, Devils Back Bone and other prominent landmarks. I am now truly captivated by the topography, I'm staring down at Longs Peak, recalling a wildly cold night that my friend Sean and I spent in the Boulder Field at about 12,000' before doing the final winter assent of the Dove route in double boots, crampons & mittens... I recall an early Christmas day morning with my friend Chad when we attempted to climb Longs and the wind was blowing so hard that we couldn't stand up above tree line... that was cold too.

Further west I see Grand Lake which is close to where I usually ski and to the north Walden and the huge expanse of cold flat ground to the west of Walden all the way to Rabbit Ears Pass. Next I see Steamboat Springs, Hayden Station & Craig Station with their cooling tower plumes giving away their locations like light houses on a clear night.

A bit further west I spot the Colorado River where it heads down into the Flat Tops where Chad and I hunt elk... I think how funny it is that I can spot these things and am able to orientate myself so easily even with everything covered in ice and snow. I feel strangely and strongly attached to Colorado and the west not just for the tremendous views and rugged unforgiving landscape but also because of the people and characters that it attracts. I think how lucky I am to be here, to have a real sense of belonging and a sense of direction and purpose for my life.

My mind wanders, I remember that I am supposed to tell Chad if I can join him on a climb up Greys and Torries on Saturday this week. I also get a flood of memories of Denali, Aconcagua in the Andes, motorcycles rides, skiing, ice climbing and just hanging out in various cool places around the state and in the west. I feel the mental draggons of work & life trying to claw their way back into my thoughts I am able to stave them off and force myself to continue enjoying the scenery.

I finally realize just how much I'm enjoying the views from this flight and how the flight is a metaphoric parallel to my life. I've been on a laser straight trajectory of work, a bit of play here and there and for the past 10 years almost no time where I allowed myself to just soak in the sights and sounds on a regular basis. Sure, I've stopped to smell the roses but those quick stops have not been long enough to replenish the heart and soul, I am realizing that there is a void inside that needs to be refilled.

I think that it is interesting to know as humans our most acute sense is smell, I think that mine is sight. I realize that as I study the terrain below that the bitter cold and pristine white snow & ice that blankets the ground prompts me to think about the things that bring me warmth... my friends, family and business associates.... It seems that what was supposed to be another 'typical flight' has been a catalyst... the decision to climb Greys & Torries this weekend has been made for me.

BreckEpic, Mountain Bike Stage Race

2009-01-20T17:47:00.004-07:00

It was very late late a few nights ago and after much soul searching and contemplation that I finally talked myself into signing up for the BreckEpic Mountain Bike Stage Race. I submitted my deposit to hold a spot on the start line of the first ever mountain bike stage race to be held in the Good Old USA. The race is scheduled for July 5 - 10, that's right 6 days of back-to-back races out of the ski town of Breckenridge Colorado.

The race promoter promises a mostly single track event which will be truly amazing to put together even in Breck which boasts great trails and picturesque, percipitous terrain. I suspect that this race will attract the best of the best so I'm not sure what I was thinking when I signed up for this 'soul crusher'.

Anyhow, for those unfamilar with stage racing, as I am, these are the basics of the game; Ride each stage (one per day) and get a time for each one, add the 6 times for the week and that's where you place relative to your competition. The interesting thing about stage races seems to be that you can have good days and bad and still have an overall good (or bad) race. I have no idea how my body will respond to this kind of abuse but I am now destined find out.

My racing experience so far has been a single hard race of 50 - 100 miles or 24 hours solo followed by about a week of 'active' recovery and rest. I'll have to rethink my stage racing strategy so that I don't 'blow up' from too much exertion too soon and not be recovered for the next day.

I've got some good mentors who will be able to help me understand what I need to do and what I need to avoid.

Reprieve, Verification & Vindication

2009-01-19T13:35:00.006-07:00

Well, we here on the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains have gotten a reprieve from winter. It's mid January and it is 55F during the day which means that I can get in a ride on the road. This leads me to the verification that I am definately in the base building stage of training and am not anywhere close to where I will need to be in 3 months.

My road ride on Sunday on the cyclocross bike was fantastic but I had to stop and pull the toe caps off of my shoes and remove my arm warmers because I was over heated. The ride that I did would normally take about 1hr 45 min during the regular season took me right at 2 hrs to do. Granted I wasn't trying to break any records but I was 'getting after it'.

I really felt great which means leads me to the vindication that I am, in fact, building strength and endurance and that my body is finally adapting to the training stresses that I'm placing on it. Training inside is one thing but getting onto the bike outside where I can accurately compare times from one work out to another is key and not always do-able in the middle of January.

It looks like I've got about 11 weeks until the 12 hrs of Gallup NM... I've got a lot of long hours in the saddle if I'm going to survive that race.

Colorado, Oh! Winter in January

2009-01-17T19:36:00.002-07:00

Yesterday I got out on my 575 mountain bike... I was on the road but outside and it's mid January in Colorado. It was about 50F, I wore below the knee bibs, jersey, arm warmers, gloves & a wind vest...that's it. Today, more of the same with the same kit. Everyone takes advantage of the weather when it's like this at this time of year. There were walkers, runners, motorcycles, kids playing & people hanging out in lawn chairs drinking beer! We should have a few more days of this before we are slammed back into the reality of winter but I'm sure going to enjoy it while it's here.

I'm going to have to spend some quality maintenance time with the 575. I need to change all the pivot bearings which is a yearly deal. Also I need to have the shock and fork services as well.

I pulled the Shimano XTR shifters and rear derailer off of the Carbon Yeti and sold them on Ebay. I'll replace those with Sram XO components... lighter and perform better... hey it's my blog and my opinion!

Windshield time, flights, hotels & not enough sleep

2009-01-14T22:12:00.003-07:00

Well, this week has been a tough but good work week and a terrible training week... I flew to Columbus, OH on Sunday night, got to the hotel at ~ 0100 Monday, got up at 0600 to work out on an elliptical trainer that had to have 150,000 miles on it. Oh well at least I got a bit of cardio done. All day in meetings, then all evening on email. Tuesday started with 3 hrs of sleep an hour drive to the airport a 2hr 45min flt to Denver.

I met two guys at the airport and drove 2.5 hrs to Wheatland WY for 4 hrs of meetings. We headed out of town towards Laramie WY @ about 1600 ultimately headed for Steamboat Springs. I like this drive but could do without the wind. I enjoy showing my work colleagues the antelope, mule deer, elk & hawks along the way... they haven't seen these beautiful animals before or this part of the country so it's even more fun for me to show them the sights.

Arriving in SB at 1900, we grab a quick dinner and I'm off to bed by 2130 absolutely beat. I'm up at 0400 Wednesday, not to exercise but to get some very critical emails done before hitting the road at 0630. Meetings in Hayden and Craig, the 4 hour drive to Denver, quick dinner and drop the guys at the airport and then another 1 hour home... no exercise today or yesterday, they were 'rest days'.

More Indoor Trainer Work

2009-01-11T15:50:00.006-07:00

This time of year is difficult, I want to be outside on the bike but there is Ice & Snow everywhere so it isn't possible to safely ride on the road. I bought a used cyclocross bike a few years ago to use on the trainer and on the road when there is gravel everywhere etc. I got a great deal on it with excellent components. For those who may not know a cyclocross bike is simply a road bike that is made to be used both on and off road. The frame is sturdier and is meant to take a beating and tires are wider and have nobs on them like a mountain bike tire & the gearing is a combination between a mountain bike and a road bike.

Cyclocross racing was developed in Europe by road racers who wanted to extend their season and do some more challenging and very different courses. These courses are typically short, the races are short at about 45 minutes but the difficulty is tremendous. The course will have both natural and man made obstacles on it which require the rider to dismount, carry & run with the bike. I haven't tried a cyclocross race yet but may in 2009, it looks fun!

Anyhow, I bought the cyclocross bike because I knew with an aluminum frame that I couldn't (or likely wouldn't) be able to break the frame while it was on the trainer. This peace of mind allows me to really hammer on the trainer without worrying about wrecking my nice carbon road bike... I learned from my friend that you can break carbon frames on trainers.

For the last few days, I've been on the trainer over an hour each day with one day off the bike. I'm also lifting, light weights, high reps and working on core strength as well. I'm trying to build a decent base fitness level before I start ramping up the time on the bike and/or the intensity.

On The Road - Typical Trainer Day

2009-01-07T06:59:00.004-07:00

This morning started at 0430 in Wheatland Wyoming at the Super 8 Motel. I had worked all day and then driven the 3 hours to be here for an early AM breakfast meeting on Tuesday followed by a series of additional meetings the rest of the day.

These training days are really difficult because I have to load the bike, trainer & gear along with my work stuff into my truck, make the drive, unload, drag it all into the hotel, set everything up and get to bed, only to wake up a few short hours later.

I climb onto the trainer and start my workout at about 0445. Thankfuly, this morning I'm only on the bike for 1 hour and 10 minutes.... just enough time to clean up, pack up and get to my breakfast meeting.

I spend the day with the customer, had my meetings which I think went well and then head home at about 1700... 3 more hours in the truck and reverse the process of unloading etc at home. Sometimes these days make it really challenging to stay motivated.

I feel much better after I've ridden, even though this is a short workout.

First Ride of 2009

2009-01-03T16:16:00.009-07:00

I can't believe that 2008 has already come and gone. It all seems like a blur now but it has been an exciting and eventful year for me.

Today I finally got to ride my new Carbon Yeti. I hadn't been able to ride it since I brought it home December 23rd. Today seemed like the only window to ride outside for a while so I jumped at the chance. The new bike weighs 22.8# with UST (tubeless) tires & all XTR components! This will be a serious upgrade from my original Yeti 575 which at race weight was ~27#.

It was about 25F when I left the house and snowing very lightly, I could tell that the snow would be flying in earnest in a few hours so my timing was good. With AC-DC's - Hells Bells playing on the Ipod in the background, it was a fitting maiden voyage for my new race rig.

My legs felt heavy from my first 4 days of telemark skiing this season but I was stoked to be on the bike. The similarities are many between the 2005 - 575 Yeti and the new 2008 Yeti ASR Carbon. They fit the same but that is where the similarities end. The Carbon rig handles far better than the 575, it turns tighter, is extreemly stiff laterally and compliant up and down. There is a steering geometry difference that seems to inspire my confidence on the downhills and turns... I'm hopeful of seeing if that pans out in the real world.

The trail close to the house is in great shape with a bit of ice & snow on it in the shady spots. Now with Joe Satriani in the background I was inspired to kick up my pace and see what the bike would do... I am nothing short of astounded with the ride and how light it is. I will have no excuses during my next race(s), it is now all about the engine and I've got a bunch of work to do!

Despite my wanting to go for much longer my hands are cold and I can tell that the snow will start at any time. I had met another rider on my way over, we didn't speak just nodded and grinned at each other, I'm sure that we had the same thoughts... what a great day for a ride!! We meet again on my way back and offer a similar acknowledgement, though my grin was now about the size of Texas.

One last burst of speed, a few undulating pseudo jumps I am able to log some flight time. The Eagles were belting out their classic 'Take it to the Limit' tune just as I entered the jump section... how cool was that?

At the end of the dirt trail and back onto the pavement the snow has now started to come down steadily and is sticking to the road which is now completely white. While I'm glad to be home to warm up my hands I hate to hang the bike up to wait for more favorable weather.

I'm convinced that I've made the right decision to buy this bike, it was a hugh financial commitment but should allow me to go to the next level in my racing pursuits!

Weekend Hike, Lost Creek Wilderness

2008-10-12T16:16:00.001-06:00

Well, I'm new to blogging... I don't know what the purpose really is but thought that I'd try it to help me keep focused and motivated to train, race and basically excell at life and living.

I did a hike with my friend Ed into the Colorado Lost Creek Wilderness area on Saturday. We left Castle Rock at about 0700 and got started on the trailhead about 0900. The objective was to retrieve a lost camera that had been dropped over the side of a cliff a few weeks ago. I brought a 165' line, harness and a few caribiners.

The weather on the front range was overcast & misting when we left but as we hiked up toward the 'falic' rock (no you don't need any imagination to know which rock we are refering to) the overcast broke and we had clear blue skys and a very light breeze. I kept commenting that the aspens golden color was absolutely fantastic... again, we wish that we had a camera.

We reached the top of the rock at about 1100 after an easy hike up. Ed really knows this area well and having him along sure made the day enjoyable. I didn't have to think hard about navigating (there is no formal or marked trail) as Ed had been here many times before.

I set up my rapel station on a pine tree and rap'ed over the edge. The rock is steep but really doesn't warrant this kind of protection but a fall would ruin your day and potentially be life threatening... guess that I'm getting smarter in my 'old age'.

After a thorough search of the rocks, including crawling into a hole where the camera was suspected of falling I finally abandon the search when it started raining and sleeting... I sure was happy to have my rap gear when the rain started... what was originally a super sticky rock surface became slightly greasy. Though I didn't locate the camera, I now know where the camera isn't, that's important too!

The hike out was really something, the rain that was falling was slowly trickling into shallow groves on this massive rock dome, soon the water was cascading down these troughs several hundred feed to the canyon below... again we wished we had a camera.

We didn't find the camera but we sure had a great day which included nearly all of the weather that Colorado offers... sun, overcast, rain, sleet... just no snow.