It's hot down here

Last weekend was the Cowbell Challenge, which was the 4th stop on the Kenda Cup east calendar. The weekend offered both a marathon and xc race. I figured my chances were better in the marathon, and since having previously decided that longer races would be my focus this year, I signed up for that one.

We started at 10:00 and it was already probably 85 degrees. The race started downtown so we went on a nice group ride on pavement for the first 20 minutes or so. Some dude on the Jittery Joe's U25 team took off on us. Nobody really felt like chasing. Then Harlen started to go. I felt like chasing. He sat up, I kept going figuring it might be worth the extra effort to get into the woods alone rather that with a big and potentially dangerous group.



I was right. About halfway through the first lap Harlan caught me. I rode his wheel and by the end of the lap we caught the Jittery Joe's guy. We rode together. My cleat came loose. I picked up hay in my cassette and had to stop to pull it out. I caught back on. I felt really good on Harlan's wheel. After two laps he caught a root and fell down. I kept going.



Because I had burned a few matches to catch back on after my mishaps, I figured it was only fair to make them work a little. After a lap Harlan caught back on, without the company of the Jittery Joe's guy. We rode together for another lap. I fell down. He kept going. I caught back up just in time to start cramping. I realized that it was over 100 degrees and I hadn't been drinking enough. I averaged two bottles per 40 minute lap. I stopped sweating. I felt bad. I went slow. The Jittery Joe's guy blew past me like I was having a bad day. I was, for a little while.




I started going a little faster. After 4.5 hours I was the third person to cross the finish line for the last time. Not too bad all things considered. Also I learned a few things, one is that I can ride with those famous guys that do this more or less full time. Secondly, slow and steady does not win the race, but fast and steady does.



Cycling News

Another 100 miles

My third ever 100 mile mountain bike race was significantly more competitive than the others.

Here's a brief take on my race last Saturday.

I rode from the hotel to the start as a warm up. From the start I decided to go for the $200 preme at the top of the steep hill just past the start. One other kid apparently had the same idea. I sat on his wheel as we rode away from everyone up the hill. As we get to the top of the hill maybe 50 yards from the line I start setting up to come around him and then notice Schalk killing it from over my left shoulder. He goes much faster than we do. Now my legs hurt.



In damage control mode I file into the single track in about 20th spot. Apparently a lead group of 6 riders (including tinker and schalk) ride away from everyone at some point in the first 20 miles of single track. I realized I'm on the back of what I later learn is chase group 2. After about 40 minutes my legs have recovered enough that I can start passing these guys. One at a time I pass the 10 or so guys in the single track and then ride up to what I discover is chase group 1. I gather this based on the presence of Harlan, Eatough, Beck and some other famous kids. Ok now I can relax a little bit.

I relaxed a little too much and crashed on a rocky section I didn't see because I was riding too close to the person in front of me. No worries, the bike's ok and I hop back on. Chase group one splits and a few people pop off the back, Chris Eatough, Rob Lichenwalner, and some others. I'm still in it and feeling pretty good. Then I notice I'm riding on my rim. I pull over to blast a CO2 in to my back tire and hope the thing seals up so I don't have to stop again and put in a tube. I waved bye to chase group one.




Then I rode by myself for about an hour. I noticed two dudes catching me on the pavement so I allowed this to happen so I could start drafting and work in with them. It was Rob and Eatough. We rode together for a few hours. I asked Chris if he felt these races were more competitive this year than say last year. The answer was yes, about 3 times as competitive and he looked at his garmin gps thingy and said something to the effect of if he were having the same ride he was having today last year, he would be sitting in the top 3 rather than in 12th. Bummer.



Then we heard some brakes behind us and gathered that the front part of chase group one must have taken a wrong turn and was now catching up. This was true. Harlan proceed to push the pace and destroy chase group one. I was one of the first casualties. I waved bye to the cool kids again. I rode alone for a long time, thought about quitting bike racing, ate some hohos and other junk food items. Then after the last aid station I started to feel good again, probably due to the reappearance of single track, or caffeine. I went really fast and passed a few people that had also been shelled off of the chase group. I finished after 15 others with a time somewhere around 7:40.







The end.

Here's someone else's take on this story.
http://cyclingnews.com/mtb.php?id=mtb/2009/may09/mohican100_09