Panama Enduro

If you have followed this blog at all, you will not be surprised that I let the first "race" of the year pass with nary a mention. That's right, Sunday, March 15th, was the Panama MTB Enduro, a approximately 30 mile gravel race south and east of Lincoln. To be clear, I didn't put race in quotation marks to disparage the event in any way; it was simply a comment on my approach to it.

I showed up way too close to the start time and was rushed to get registered and ready. Hooked up with Ryan and Harp (both looking sharp in their new Flatwater Cycling Team kits) and shortly thereafter we were off on a 1 mile controlled start. There were 93 total racers and I (stupidly it turns out) was in the back half at the start. Things managed to stay together pretty well and I was able to move up a bit on the leadout. However, after we turned off the pavement things got hectic fast. The wind was strong out of the south and we were heading right into it. I pulled away from some people and noticed a group of maybe 20 riders forming in front of me. I spent the next couple miles trying my hardest to catch that group but I just couldn't make up the gap floundering by myself in the wind.

Soon afterward we turned to the west and there was the first checkpoint. This race is similar to the local adventure races in that each racer has a card that must be punched with a special punch at several checkpoints distributed throughout the course. On this day, CP#1 was very early in the race, and served to spread everybody out as we all had to wait our turn to punch the card. It was at this point, just 5 miles or so into the race, that I ended up around the people I would ride with all day.

The rest of the race would take us on a big loop to Stagecoach Lake, thru Hickman, to the singletrack at Wagon Train (muddy and horsey), and then back to Panama. It was a grand old time. I ended up finishing about ten minutes behind the people I wanted to be able to keep up with. Overall, I was pretty pleased with my performance, and I know if I had started in better position I could have finished higher in the order.

Afterward there was food, drink and prizes at the Panama Fire Station. My name was called in the raffle and took home some Hammer Gel. Organizer extraordinaire Jim Craig gave us the lowdown on all the upcoming events, and talked about some of the new trails that were getting built. Biggest news: Wagon Train will feature a 15 mile loop when it is complete; that's unheard of around here!!

Results

Psycowpath #1 Postponed

First XC race of the year was supposed to be this weekend, but due to the crazy weather we are having in Nebraska it has been postponed to a later date. Better to dominate playing volleyball on Saturday, which would have been tough had I raced in the morning. Also gives me more time to finish writing up all of last years' race reports...

Update: Race rescheduled for June 14.

Capital City MTB Challenge; 9/20/08

This is part of a series of posts intended to catch up on events from last year that I failed to blog about.

The Capital City MTB Challenge was held at Branched Oak State Park Area 7, and was the first Psycowpath race held near Lincoln in several years. I had ridden this trail many times, and enjoyed it, but always felt it paled a little in comparison to Area 1. However, in the weeks preceding the race, the promoters had done a lot of work and made it a very fast, fun race course.

The course was very different from most in the series in that the lap was very short. This meant that the race was 4 laps instead of 2 laps like all the others. My training had been very lax since the previous race and I really didn't know what to expect from my body.

This tells you all you need to know about my day...

Picture by Adrian O. Argyle by T6.

I shouldn't have expected much. Either as a concession to the relatively short lap, or perhaps to spread the field, there was a mile long gravel lead out before hitting the singletrack. Right after the gun Dan turned on the jets and I knew I was in trouble. It wasn't long before I was in third, then fourth, and then shortly after that I went over the handlebars on a section I had ridden a dozen times. All this in the first 10 minutes of Lap 1. By the time Lap 4 and the race concluded, I was solidly in 6th and worst of all never felt like I was in any way competitive finishing 6 minutes back from 1st place in a hour long race.

On the bright side, it was a beautiful morning riding my bike, my wife came out and watched, and I met some new people. What do I have to complain about?

Tranquility Tire Tantrum XC; 8/16/08

This is part of a series of posts intended to catch up on events from last year that I failed to blog about.

The Tranquility Tire Tantrum XC race was only the second XC race I made it to last year due to scheduling and weather and was the first race post-Laramie. Tranquility Park is located in northwest Omaha and is a relatively new trail system. I had never ridden there before so Ryan and I headed up on Thursday to check it out. This proved to be very valuable as there were a couple really tight corners that I would have blown had I not pre-ridden the course.

Putting out the vibes with Robb and Harp

Beginner Open class awaiting the start

There was three hour enduro at the same time as the XC race so they started first and then it was our turn. At the gun, Dan took off in a typical fashion and I was able to stay with him through the first section. I looked back and was surprised not to see Ryan right on my tail, although it wasn't too long until he was. In what would become a pattern all year, Dan started to pull away and I wasn't able to go with him. I held second for the first half of lap one before Jason and then Ryan passed by.

To my mind, Tranquility's main feature is the somewhat out-of-place in Nebraska descent to the finish; fast, dusty, switchbacks almost all the way to the line. I knew from my preride that this was a section where most people would take time from me and this was no exception. I watched as Ryan and Jason pulled even further away. First lap went into the books with me in fourth about a minute off the lead pace (Dan) and 15 seconds off third (Jason).


I rode most of the second lap all by myself, except for the occasional three hour racer either passing or being passed. During the last part of the lap, before the long descent, there is a long series of switchbacks up to the top of the hill. This section is very wide open, and as I started the climb, I noticed that there was a string of riders coming up behind me. Since I had no way of knowing who was racing in my class and who wasn't, I knew I needed to make sure none of that group passed me. Considering my problems with descending fast, I really had to work hard on the climb. Mission accomplished as I was able to hold off the fifth place rider by 10 seconds. The order in front of me held, with Dan getting the win followed by Ryan and then Jason.

I love this picture. Taken by Ryan's wife Jackie, right after I about fell over.

All in all, I was pleased with how I raced, and as an added bonus, my good buddy David came out to watch the race and hang out a bit afterward.

Now about the Laramie Enduro...

Catching Up

Wow, its been awhile since I posted. Here's a quick recap: Closing. Moving. Cornhusker State Games. Work. Laramie. WORK. Video. Very busy but I know there are people waiting and wanting to hear whats been up so I'll try to start working through it all.

Closing went smoothly and so did the move despite the heat. We had a ton of great help all weekend (July 17-21). Thanks to everyone who helped us clean and move and start putting things away. Providing even more stress fun and to give ourselves a break was the Cornhusker State Games MTB race. I was excited because this was the first time that Laura would get to see me race and because I was eager to atone for what I considered to be a weak showing at the Norfolk race.

Awaiting the start (Pic courtesy of Cornbread)

Showed up just late enough that I didn't really have time to warm up, and it was already obvious that it was going to be a very hot and humid day. I had trained a lot since the first race of the year in preparation for Laramie, but due to rain and nature of the race, I hadn't spent a lot of time on singletrack. The beginning of the race played to my strengths in that it was a long grassy leadout before getting to the meat of the trail. Dan, myself and Ryan went off the front and put a bit of a gap on the rest of the pack. Hitting the trail in second place, my lack of singletrack riding caught up with me as I slowed down excessively in a corner and felt Ryan run into my back tire. It wasn't long before Dan rode away from us never to be seen again (by me anyway). This didn't bother me too much because Dan is a super strong rider and wasn't in the same age group that I was (I still need to hone my killer racing instinct).

I was able to maintain second place for half of the first lap before Ryan came around me and then another racer shortly after that on the next climb. My legs were feeling good, but I definitely was lacking the short burst power and cornering necessary for success. At this point I was in 4th overall and 3rd in my age group. I was caught by one more rider from the 35+ age group near the end of the lap and was relieved to hear that there wasn't anyone behind us for several minutes. He was able to get around me when I dabbed in a muddy section dropping me to 5th.

The second lap started pretty uneventful as I considered that as long as I didn't do anything stupid I would land on the podium for the first time in my very short stint as a racer. I kept looking around on the switchbacks and never saw anyone coming up behind me. Looking up the switchback climb it seemed like I was gaining ground back on Ryan, but it was hard to tell. I dropped my chain due to mud buildup toward the end of the lap but was able to get it back on quickly. The lap finishes with a long downhill on a service road followed by the reverse of the grassy section that started the race. As I entered the last singletrack section before the final stretch, I felt the dreaded squirm of my front tire that meant a flat. The singletrack was short so I hopped off and ran out to the top of the service road. I did a quick evaluation and determined that I wasn't going to change the tube. I wasn't thinking too clearly at this point but decided that I would run the rest of the way (about a mile).

After an hour of racing running in cycling shoes and pushing a bike with a flat tire is not fun at all. I kept looking back to see if anyone was catching me, and surprisingly I didn't see anyone. I was finally passed for fifth overall when I was within sight of the finish line. I didn't recognize the rider and had no idea if he was in my age group or not.

Running my bike to the finish line.

Post-race. Not a lot of explanation needed for this one...

Afterward I mostly just moped around and felt horrible. The effort totally wiped me out and I was pretty sure I had lost third in my category. I got cleaned up and Laura and I hung around to hear the final results. It took awhile for things to get sorted and it was about 45 minutes after I finished when I realized what I did wrong. A more experienced (or cognizant) racer would have reinflated the tube as it was and rode it out. Even if I had to stop and put in more air it would have been much faster than running the whole way. Oh well, I won't make that mistake again.

When the results were announced I was surprised to find out that I had held on to third place and took home a fancy bronze medal. Ryan got second in our age group and Rob, Robb, and Harp all had good races as well.

I'll try to recap the Laramie race soon. I think most of you know already, but I wasn't able to finish due to some severe dehydration. Robb on the other hand, killed it. More on all that in the coming days (I hope).

Time

How it flies. Well tomorrow is closing day, and then the hateful (to me anyway) process of moving and organizing and cleaning begins. I've spent quite a bit of time on the bike in the past couple weeks and now its time to see where its gotten me. Sunday at Branched Oak for the Cornhusker State Games, and then Thursday of next week it is off to Laramie. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous.

I hope to start updating this blog again regularly once the moving is complete. Expect race reports and pictures.

If The Clothes Made The Man...

I'd be faster. Thanks MWC! And thanks to the wife for my birthday present.


I signed up today for the Cornhusker State Games mountain bike race. I wavered a bit about what class I should enter, but I ended up choosing beginner. The race is just 6 days before Laramie, so 10 miles of racing sounded better for my preparation than 15 miles. Plus, as far as XC racing goes, I am still a beginner with only one under my belt.

Since You've Been Gone

Crazy weather throughout the Midwest has wreaked havoc on my racing and training plans over the last month. We've been spared the severe flooding that Iowa is experiencing but we still have received 16.5" of rain in the six weeks since I posted last. Several races were postponed, cancelled, or altered because of this unprecedented amount of rain. The Branched Oak 12 hour race was one that I was really looking forward to, but Robb and I had to make an executive decision not to race in the mud. Bummer.

Due to these circumstances (and others yet to be mentioned) I only did two big rides during this time. The first was the Platte River Riot 6 hour Marathon race on May 18th. I obviously wasn't racing to win, so I went out with only the expectation to ride for as much of the 6 hours as possible and to learn some things about myself that would help in preparation for the Laramie race. I probably sat around a little bit more than I should have, but when it was all said and done I did 5 laps (roughly 1000 ft of climbing per lap), one less than I had hoped to do. The good news is that my nutrition plan worked great, and unlike in the past, after the race was over I was cogent and ready to eat the free hamburgers and hot dogs provided by the Cycleworks folks. As usual Tom got some great pictures. Here are a couple, check out his site for the rest.



Two weeks later Robb and I headed out for a long ride up to Branched Oak. I have always wanted to ride out that way, and I wasn't disappointed. Heading east-west by the lake, the hills were much bigger than what I was riding east of Lincoln. Very fun, and an area that I will be exploring much more often in the near future.

Psycowpath #2 - Postponed

Bummer. The Swanson race has been postponed until Sunday due to rain. Beginners go off at noon, so it looks like I won't be racing this week, as I am playing drums in our church's praise band. The earliest I would be able to get to Omaha is 12:30 pm, and even that would be pushing it. I might head out there in the afternoon anyway just to get some miles in and hang out.

The Psycowpath series only counts 5 of 7 races, so I will need to make it to every race from here on out since I had hoped to be able to drop the first race. No more freebies for me.

Who knows, maybe it will rain enough that they will have to postpone the race again. That would be great, for me anyway.

ThursdayNightRide

Headed up to Swanson tonight for the MTB OMAHA TNR. A little last minute recon before the race on Saturday. I tried to no avail to find someone to drive up with me, and as soon as I was on the interstate I was questioning my decision to go solo. I stuck it out however, and ended up having a great time.

I didn't know a single person that was going to be there, other than in the "I read your blog" sense, so when I showed up and got ready, I kinda stayed on the fringes of the group. The people I recognized I knew were really fast, and seeing how I had never ridden that trail before, I stayed toward the back of the group when the ride began. The course was quite different than I expected, so I wasn't able to ride very fast at the beginning, and therefore quickly lost contact with the guys in front of me. Too many roots and tight turns. After dropping into the "Gully" and walking out, I ended up following a nice woman named Ann(ie?) for the rest of the lap. This was great, I got to learn the trail from a local who was riding the same pace as I was.

At the end of the lap, I said thank you, and headed out for another. This lap was much better, and I was pleased to find that I remembered most of the sections that I needed to remember. Back in the parking lot, as I was getting ready to pack up my bike, a couple of the BMCC guys came over. One of them, Tim W., had some nice things to say about my bike, and was super helpful answering a bunch of questions I had about raceday at Swanson. Thanks Tim!

It was mentioned that part of the TNR involves getting food afterward, but I needed to head back to Lincoln. Overall, a really fun night, on a cool trail. I hope to make it back up for another TNR.

Just a couple of notes about the course:

• Tim indicated that in the past the "Gully" had been taped off for the race. I'm kind of hoping thats true for Saturday, because I can just imagine the potential carnage.
• This course requires absolute focus. Some of the corners would be downright dangerous if you were to blow through them. There's one particular downhill switchback that is really easy to carry too much speed into.
  
• If you've never been there before it will definitely be worth your time to get there early on Saturday to do a pre-ride. In my opinion, bike handling will be just as important as fitness for this race. Plus, it will help to close the gap on all the Omaha racers riding their 'home' course.
• Some of the newer sections are really bumpy. My hands and arms were feeling it by the end of the night. I even ended up with a blister on my left hand. I'm still learning how to ride this rigid bike on rough terrain.
  

I could say more, but I won't. See you at the race.

The Limits of Traction

Headed out to Wilderness Park after work today. I was hoping to make it all the way through the park and back, but the low spots south of Old Cheney were as marshy as ever. So I ended up turning around and just riding laps on the drier track on the north end. On the way back I rode some on the hiker trail; my first time on those trails. It was really fun, and there was no wetness anywhere on that side. You just have to be more careful about using your trail bell, and I always gave any hikers a wide berth and a friendly hello, since technically I shouldn't have been riding over there.

The goal was to remember how to ride my bike on tight, twisty trail before the race this weekend. It seems to me, based on what I have heard and on the trail map, that Swanson is a race that will be won and lost based on speed through the turns. Is that a wrong assumption? Anyway, I was really pushing the corners tonight, and managed to cross over the line from traction to washout on a tight right hand turn. Its alright though, no harm done, and I needed to experience that so I know what my current skill level and tire selection can handle.

Change of Plans

One of the races I am planning to do this year is the 12 Hour Mountain Bike Relay at Branched Oak State Park. I did this race last year on a two person team with my buddy Sam and had a good time even though we were not competitive in the least.

This year, the plan is to attack the course with a three person team minimum. In the past this race has been run at Area 1 and has been an overnight race, from 6 pm to 6 am, which is a really fun and interesting time to be riding bikes. Apparently, the promoters thought the race needed a shakeup because this year the race is being held from 10 am to 10 pm at Area 7. To me, this has both advantages and disadvantages.

Pros:

• No need to procure expensive light systems to race all night. We will only be racing the final hour or two in the dusk/dark.
• Won't throw off sleep schedules and generally consume two days of the three day Memorial Day weekend.
• Easier for friends and family to come out and enjoy the race.
• Since the race is during the daytime, some of the shenanigans that happen when you put a bunch of wacky mountain bikers together in the middle of the night won't be happening during the cruel light of day.

Cons:

• Since the race is during the daytime, some of the shenanigans that happen when you put a bunch of wacky mountain bikers together in the middle of the night won't be happening during the cruel light of day. This one cuts both ways.
  
• I am not nearly as big a fan of the Area 7 trails as I am of Area 1. Area 1 is a much more established (i.e. smoother) trail that I am super familiar with. Area 7 is relatively new and therefore bumpy.
• Part of the fun of doing this race was the crazy looks people gave when told that not only was I doing a 12 hour mountain bike race, but that the chosen 12 hours encompassed the entire night.
• Not really a con, but now that I won't be "required" to buy an expensive light system, I will have to find another way to stimulate the economy with my tax rebate.

Anyway should be a good time for all involved. This race has been happening every year for the past 10 years, so they must know what they are doing.

Tom posted his pictures from Saturday. He does a great job of documenting the race. Here are some of his shots.

Early in the first lap before I lost contact with the leaders.

I don't think he was impressed.

oooooh, that stings!

Robb looking fast.

Race number one in the rearview, time to look forward to whats ahead. I can't wait to get back out there.

Pic inspired by MG.

Psycowpath #1 - Maskenthine XC Classic

The first race of the year and my first XC mountain bike race ever was on Saturday at the Lake Maskenthine Recreation Area near Stanton, NE. I knew going in that I was unprepared and under trained. This condition was due to several factors, including; travel, colds, and laziness. That being said, I kept telling myself that the reason I was doing this was to get my first race jitters out of my system and learn some things that I would be able to apply to later races.

I left Lincoln at 7AM and arrived about an hour and twenty minutes before the gun. I quickly got myself and my bike ready for action. Met up with Harp, Rob, and Ryan and set off to get registered. The thinking was that by doing this now we would be saving ourselves time standing in line later. However, the whole process took much longer than expected. Afterwards we headed onto the course for a warm up lap. We completed what we thought was very near a full lap before it was time to head back to get ready for the start.

I was surprised to find my nerves to be at a manageable level while awaiting the start. The initial pace was slower than I had expected. The course begins with a climb up a gravel road before diving into the singletrack and I was in fourth at that point. From there you head downhill and into some trees where there are several log crossings of various sizes and a stone creek crossing. This part of the course was a little muddy, but I was still bummed to find that the guys in front of me were jumping off their bikes and running this section. I wanted to ride! The course then climbs out and switchbacks back and forth on an exposed hill. About halfway through this section Ryan came up behind me and shortly afterward on a tight hairpin turn I went down. I was never close to him again and he finished a strong third place in beginner open.

The rest of the course alternated between being exposed to the wind and climbing/descending in the trees. Some of these climbs were just soft enough that it really sapped your power. I was also dismayed to discover that what we thought was a nearly full lap when we were warming up was really only about half a lap. I dealt with some cramping in my calves throughout the race, but luckily not in both at the same time. The second lap went a little better than the first as my body finally realized what was going on, but at this point it was too late to make much difference.

Overall it was a good time on a great racecourse. Given another season to mature, the bumps will be smoothed out and it will be even more fun to ride. The race was well run and I have nothing but good things to say about the promoters or the race vibe.

I ended up 6th of 12 in the beginner open class. My buddy Robb raced in the beginner masters 35+ class and ended up winning the race by a couple minutes, beating all the open class racers on a singlespeed! Great job man. Hopefully some of his speed will rub off on me.

Robb and I post-race with our El Mariachis

The El Mar was rock solid during the race and responded well to my tired and ill-timed shifts on the hills. I received a lot of compliments on the bike.

Anyway, its time to start training for real. I'll post some more pictures in the coming days.

Laramie Enduro 111K

The focal point of my race season will be the Laramie Enduro. From their site:

"Situated in the Laramie Range of Southeastern Wyoming, this course covers some of the best mountain bike track in the region. The course is a fast and extremely fun loop, covering no ground twice. It includes virtually every kind of trail and surface a mountain biker is likely to encounter in the Rockies, from wildlife trails to single track to dirt roads. It is equally well suited for geared bikes and single speeds.

The course is a challenging 70+ miles which climbs over 8,600 vertical feet, all at elevations over 7,500 feet. You’ll race over high grass plains, through serene aspen and pine forests, and through the renowned rock-climbing venue of the Vedauwoo (pronounced Veda-Voo) Recreation Area. This event is not for the casual rider. You can finish this race, but don’t take it lightly."

This will definitely be a big step for me, as the longest mountain bike ride I have ever done is 40 miles, on flat terrain and at a much lower elevation. I have no delusions of grandeur, my goal this year will be to finish the race in the allotted 10 hours. I can focus on being fast next year. All the other riding and training I do this year will be in preparation for this event. I am really pumped.

The Year in Preview

This year I am planning on doing 11 mountain bike races. This is exactly 10 more mtb races than I did last year, and 11 more than any other year. The goal is to enter all of the Psycowpath series races plus the Branched Oak 12 Hour (hopefully on a 3 man team), the Cornhusker State Games, and my real goal for this year, the Laramie Enduro. More on that later. First race is a little over a month away, I guess I better start getting used to my new bike.

A Little History

The past couple years I have really enjoyed riding my bike as a pastime, both solo and with friends. Being a somewhat competitive person, this segued naturally into duathlons and adventure races. My buddy Sam, and I have done several races together, but have always struggled to find the consistent third teammate required for most of the local races. This is cause for great frustration.

Last year I really started to feel the urge to do some XC races, but scheduling conflicts and insecurity about the quality of my 10 year-old $500 hardtail held me back. Sam and I did team-up for a duo attempt at a local 12 hour race, which was a great and humbling learning experience.

This year I have a new steed, a new focus, and a desire to take this cycling thing to a new level.