26er or 29er? The Time Has Come.

Gotta have the white one!

The unthinkable has happened.  I have a crack in my beautiful Soul Cycles Hooligan.  It is not a big crack, and it is not in a catastrophic area (where the upper rear triangle meets the seat tube), but it has increased slightly.  So now the question.  Do I stick with a 26er or go with a 29er?  If I was ever going to get a 29er, now would be the time.  Chad B., owner of Soul Cycles is going to warranty the frame and send me a new 16" Dillinger in white (26" is no longer being made).  I just need a fork, wheelset and tires; all other parts will be swapped over from my Hooligan.

To help make the "29er transition", Matt R. hooked my up with his buddy Alex who runs www.29eronline.com.  Alex is going to allow me to demo a few bikes in return for honest reviews, and I get the experience of riding a 29er on real trails.  The first bike I tried was a Specialized Camber Elite.  This is a 30+lb. Full suspension 29er in a size large.  When I first sat on it and rode around the parking lot at San Lee I thought, "Don't like it...too big, too bulky etc."  Interestingly, about 1/3 through the ride, I was sold.  I was clearing all the rocky areas and even clearing tight switchbacks (up and down hill).  Naturally, this bike had no problem sticking to a line so downhills were bombin' fun!  Next up, Specialized Epic Carbon!

Also a big thanks to Kelly and Vanessa for letting me borrow one of their 29ers.  Kelly and I spent some time making Vanessa's geared Salsa El Mariachi into a Single Speed that I could use for a few weeks.  the 15.5 inch frame is a bit tight, but I will just put on a setback post and a longer stem (70mm to 100mm) and it will be nice.  Also, before I knew I was getting a warrantied frame, several riders (Dave and Nate to name a few) have offered to let me Demo there bikes to give me a solid 29er feel, very cool, thanks guys; beer is on me.

Mmmm, looks delicious!

I was given a lot of crap from my friends for riding a 26er.  And I gave a lot back by defending 26ers.  I still feel like I don't need a 29er, I have done well on my 26er, but I must admit that I have experienced the advantages (better rolling/traction...); and the so-called disadvantages (handling/turning...) turned out to be irrelevant.  Guess I might have to change my blog and email to get rid of the "26".  I will get to that right after I finish eating some crow.

Riding Again After the Burn, And Other Thoughts.

My first ride after the Burn24 was four days later at Harris Lake.  Sure was nice to ride trails that were not going to kick my butt.  Still, like a totaly newb I show up without gloves...legs were still tired, but after 4 or 5 miles it was my hands that had had enough.  I rode one lap of the Burn without gloves and it sucked.  I was quickly reminded of the soft spots still on my hands, so after one loop (9 miles), I had enough and wrapped my sore mitts around a cold beer (thanks Andy).
The next ride came a few days later at Creedmore.  Jeff (who took first at the Burn and 3rd at Warrior Creek (to name a couple of his many accomplishments)) was there to push the pace along with Jim, Jay L (my PMBAR partner) and Bobby.  Jeff and Bobby led this ride and set a pretty tough pace of ~9mph for the first several miles.  We ended up with 24 miles, but the first 7 or 8, while not quite XC pace, were certainly faster than 6hr pace.  Now all these riders are interesting characters, but Bobby deserves special mention for three reasons: One, he is a bit like me, and two he brought Power Aid and Klondike bars to share with everyone...in honor of our Burn24 success he said.  

The Klondike Bars were soft but delicious.  Thanks Bobby!

So, how is Bobby like me?  Not by looks...there he is the opposite of me (short, bald and handsome), but I remember he started getting serious about riding shortly after I did.  I had some initial success winning* the TORC XC Series (*35+ division), then taking 2nd in the Endurance Series (Single Speed Class).  While I was content to bask in my weekend warrior success, Bobby continued to ride more and more, getting better and better.  Then wouldn't you know it, he kicked my butt in the 6BC six-hour race at Briar Chapel late last year.  Shortly after, he suffered a nasty injury but has come back strong...it just serves as a positive reminder that I ride with guys all the time that don't always race, but that kick (my) butt if/when they do.  Really, the only props I deserve is that I show up, and hopefully I ride hard when I do.  I know as well as anyone that I only make a podium if certain people don't show up.  And you know what?  (short pause for you to say, "What?")  I am o.k. with that.

Oh, that 3rd reason Bobby deserves special mention...he said he reads the blog, so this is to find out if he is telling the truth or not. :)

2011 Burn 24: Un-F’n-believeable!

Put on Schwalbes just for the Burn. :)

As some of you know, I came into this Burn without a lot of confidence thanks to an injury DNF at PMBAR a few weeks before (sorry partner (Jay)), followed by pink-eye and a throat virus.  My only real goal was to ride, ride, ride for 24hrs, resting only when necessary.  I thought I was logistically prepared as I arrived early and secured a good pit-spot near the start/finish for myself, Mike and Andie (riding as a coed duo) and Brandon.  I had 6 hrs of Perpetuem ready in bottles, as well as 4 hrs of Hi-Fi 4:1 mix, two gel flasks, an assortment of bars, as well as Enduralites, water and Nuun tablets.  I also brought precooked bacon, cookies and some other food, but the ants enjoyed them before I could--damn those buggers!  Also, my Soul Cycles Hooligan single-speed had a crack at the weld where the rear stays meet the seat tube.  I was told it was not in a catastrophic area and I was unlikely to end up with aluminum shards in my spine, so I brought a back-up bike just in case, and off I went. 

The first few laps were pretty uneventful.  The trail was slick do to all the rain, but because I took my time with the LeMans start, I never felt stuck behind anyone.  There were spots on the trail where I was forced to get off my bike and walk because others had stopped in front of me, but I found out in the ensuing laps that I would likely be walking a few of those spots often.

I pitted after three laps (more Perpetuem and water) and then again after my fifth lap.  I was averaging my goal of about a lap an hour and felt pretty good all things considered.  I decided to start pitting every other lap in order to ensure I was giving myself time to eat and drink properly and to not overdo it.  When the night laps started I was pretty excited to try out my new BikeRay III light on my handlebars.   I went with an XML torch on my helmet (throws 300 lumen which was plenty of light) and used the BikeRay on low (300 floody lumen) for the climbs and on high (amazing 1000 floody lumens) for the descents.  Unfortunately, the BikeRay rotated often on the bars due to the rooty, bouncy trail and I found myself readjusting it constantly.  I think constantly readjusting my light while bouncing down the trail on my 26" hardtail helped keep my alert (how did I not totally bite it?).  Anyway, I had plenty of light and there were no other light related issues.

My 10^th and 11^th laps were hell.  I had no strength and little energy.  I began walking areas that I would normally ride.  I was having a tough time eating (nauseous) and was throwing down Hammer Gel to try and survive.  I was not going very fast at all, and felt that my level of heart rate and massive perspiration far exceeded my output.  I came into the pit at ~12:30, finished, done.  My plan was to ride for 24 hrs.  And as I said before, to quote the great Mike Tyson, "Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth."  I was just punched in the mouth, hard.  

I was sweating, but shivering with teeth chattering.  Luckily for me Brandon was there as was Andie and Mike.  Andie told me to put on some dry clothes and wrapped me in a blanket and towel while I sat in a camping chair (leave it to a woman to be nurturing).  I felt too nauseous to eat so Brandon gave me a cold coke to help settle my stomach.  I started falling asleep in the chair and woke up to find I had dropped the coke.  Andy figured I was starving and gave me one of Brandon’s store bought roast beef sandwiches.  She was right, I was starving.  I ate most of the sandwich (ah, real food), had another coke, and started to feel a little better.  I was told I was in 4^th or 5^th at that time.  I did not care.  I just kept running scenarios through my head; like if I slept for 4 or 5 hours, I could still get up and finish four more laps to get the 15 that I had already told everyone I thought I could do.  I also knew there was the possibility that If I went to sleep, my race was over at 11 laps.  At 1:53 a.m. I decided to take of my skirt and put back on my man pants. O.k., I really put on new bibs, shirt and socks and headed out.  I was amazed at how much better I felt, kinda like I did during laps 4 and 5 (cramping and tired, but o.k.).  I went for two laps before pitting again.  Swapped batteries for my bar light, ate some energy bar (don’t remember which), grabbed some gummy gel things and off I went to get my last two laps in.  I struggled hard through laps 14 and 15.  Again, I started walking several sections and began feeling like I should not be out there.  I started to question my sanity.  I thought of the Albert Einstein quote, "Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results".  But I was getting different results (more laps) so I was sane, yes! When I finally came in, I went straight to the standings and saw I was in….2^nd!  Are you serious?  I was ~20 minutes ahead of 3^rd and about 3 laps ahead of 4^th (who obviously slept for the night).  I did not even go to my tent.  I just turned around and punched out lap 16.  I was hating life.  My legs kept cramping, forcing me off the bike.  My left forearm would lock up, forcing me off the bike.  Still, I was going to finish 16 laps, and maybe, just maybe, I might hold on for a podium spot; that is what drove me.

When I came in from lap 16 I was spent.  It was 7:23 a.m.  I told my fellow pitters I was done and going to sleep.  Mike asked if he should wake me at a certain time.  I said not to worry about it.  I would set my alarm for a few hours and see if I had another lap in me before it was over.  I went into the tent, laid down on the comfortable mattress, and realized I left my phone/alarm in my car.  I did not care, I fell asleep.  When I woke up, it was bright, hot, and loud.  I had no idea how long I had slept, so I forced myself up and out of the smoldering tent.  I looked at my bike computer, it was 9:30 a.m., I slept for almost two hours.  I swallowed down some power aid and walked over to view the scores.  With my 16 laps, I was now in 3rd, and the guy in 2^nd (Lamar) was out riding.  I said out loud, “Well, looks like I might get 3^rd”.  A guy standing there said that he was pitting with the 4^th place guy and that he planned on doing 18.  If he did 17 he was going to knock me off the podium.  Crap!  I went back to the tent and conjured up the remains of that magical elixer (coke, and the remaining roast beef sandwich) and changed my clothes.  I had to do one more lap.

As I took off, I felt achy and stiff, but I felt some strength in my legs and a burning desire to make the podium in my first ever 24 solo.  I walked in some of the usual places and surprised myself by clearing many spots I was walking earlier.  I figured this was my last lap, so go all out.  When I came in, I felt comfortable that I had secured 3^rd as the guy in 4^th I found was not punching out the same fast laps he had in the first 12 hours.  I also saw that I was only 25 minutes behind Lamar in 2^nd before I started that lap, but my last lap was about 15 minutes faster than his last lap.  I actually had a chance to catch him if I did one more lap.  Without hesitation I was off, pedaling as hard as I could.  I had to catch Lamar!  I went through the first set of climbs and no Lamar.  I hit the first downhill section (with the tight switchbacks) as fast as I could, still no Lamar.  I started the 2^nd series of climbs after the river and began muscling up sections, desperate to chase down 2^nd place.  Then there he was.  I caught up to him at the 2nd to last switch-back before the aid station.  He was walking.  I called out to him, “Come on buddy, this is the last one…let’s ride it together and see what we have left.”  He made a motion and said something, but he was not getting back on his bike.  I started pushing harder than I thought possible.  A combination of competitiveness, fear and vanity drove me.   I was working hard, steadily repeating, "Go, go, go, go, go..." with every pedal stroke.  I only looked back once I hit the grass, no Lamar (thank god!).  I cruised in for what turned out to be my fastest lap time of the race.  My fingers had cramped onto my bar, my left forearm was cramped, my legs spent, my ass sore, but I did it.  The longest (by ~50 miles), most difficult event I have ever done; yes, I threw up, and it was awesome!

Never expected this outcome. Suhweet!

The Triangle Riders Represent!  

• My buddy Jeff D. who also races for TFKT (Trips For Kids-Triangle) finished 19 laps by 10 a.m. and decided to relax as he had 1^st sewn up (must be nice). 

• Andie and Mike (besides working a miracle by bringing me back from the dead) were going back and forth between 3^rd and 4^th all race before pulling out 3^rd with a strong finish. 

• Debbie H took 2^nd in the female class with 12 strong laps. Like me, her last lap was her fastest. :)

• Kip P. and Alex H. took 2^nd in the male duo.  30 Laps, wow!  That would have won it last year.

•  Camye’s team took 1^st in the 3-5 female division, way to go gals.

• I also saw Terry Kolb was on a 1^st place team (shocking).

Way to represent everyone!

Final Note: 

Mountain Bikers are awesome, and I love events like this that bring them together.

Every lap friends and strangers alike were cheering me and all the other riders along, very motivating.

Friday night I hung out with Chris Danz and the Performance crew, those guys are a hoot and rang a cow bell every time I rode by.  Chris also came up behind me for my 16 lap and actually pushed me through the wet mucky mud on to the finish...he is one hell of a guy.

During the race Camye brings me over to her pit (REI tent) to get me some real food to keep me going (Chocolate milk and fancy trail mix...) and plenty of encouragement, thank you Camye.

Andy, Mike and Brandon could not have been more supportive...they saved my arse at midnight when I was a zombie.  I could not have made 15, let alone 18 without them.

Then having guys like Kelly Klett calling wishing me luck before the race (while he is in the midst of his own Trans-Sylvania stage race).  Meeting guys like Mark Sackett and Eric Hagerty, Joel Watson...and them coming up and offering congratulations along with other studs like Jeff Dennison, Kip Porterfield, Alex Hawking and so many others riders I know and respect of all levels and abilities.  That is what makes this sport so amazing.  Full of great guys and gals of all ages (some studs, some weekend warriors like myself) that are happy to see others out taking part in events like the Burn24 that put money back into the trails so we all can continue to enjoy the sport we love.  End of PSA.

Good Times.

Pink Eye, Just Great!

So, my youngest daughter gets pink eye, my older daughter then gets it, and well you know how it works, Sh%# rolls up hill and I end up sick as dog (though I rarely see a sick dog...but I am moping around with a wet nose and drooling a bit, kinda like an aging Basset Hound).  If you have never had pink eye, it is a wierd sensation waking up and not being able to open your eyes because they are glued shut with eye boogers that must be wiped and/or crumbled apart in order to see.  Good Stuff.  Well, hopefully the ribs I have consumed will make up for my lack of training.



Me, a week before my first solo 24.

 I will be riding my first ever solo 24 hr race this weekend (5/26-27) at the Burn 24.  Honestly, I felt over prepared for this event, and that just would not be fair to my fellow competitors.  For this reason, I decided to get injured during PMBAR to justify taking a week off the bike (to help level the playing field).  After one ride I still felt too strong, so I decided to contract pink-eye and a nasty throat virus to keep me off the bike for another week. will try a ride tonight, but because I don't want to embarrass anyone out there, I will follow it up with a rack of ribs and some beer.
Over the three weeks leading up to this ride, I will have had more racks of ribs than rides.  Now that is how you train for the Burn. 

 

NOTE:
Oh yeah, The blog name has changed from Old, Short, Fat Bald Single-Speeder, as it has been pointed out that I am no longer considered "fat".  Thought about going with "Phat", but I am not hip enough to pull it off.  Now this does allow me to go with a cool Acronym (I just love C.A's...cool Acronyms), but I could not decide between B.O.S.S. (Bald, Old, Short, Single-speeder) or S.O.B. (Short, Old, Bald).  Fortunately, after a short poll of my inner circle, it was made clear that I am more of an S.O.B than a BOSS, so there ya go. More changes to come to keep things fresh...or is it now "phresh"??? 

On the Road Again, and Trail!

Single speed commuter

After more than a week off due to injury, on Monday, I finally hit the road for my first ride to test the knee.  My ride consisted of an 8 mile commute to work (IRO Mark V single speed), and then a 13 mile commute home.  Felt fine other than a little interior soreness, almost as if the inner scar/scab is causing some discomfort, but I can live with it.  Decided to hit the trails on Tuesday, but as I go for my bike (which has been sitting dormant since I returned from Pisgah), I found the left side of my bottom bracket seized as well as the upper bearing on my headset.  Bummer!  So I grabbed the Motobecane Fantom Team off the wall, removed my wifes seatpost/seat combo and slid on my Seatpost/seat combo and I was off to ORC.  This ride made me realize how much I now dislike riding a full suspension bike.  Am I in the right gear? Do I sit and spin? Do I stand?  What is all that noise?  Strange, that two years ago I won the Triangle XC Series on this bike* and now it only gets ridden by my wife or when the SS is in need of repair.  I had planned on riding 2 laps (24 miles) but instead rode one frustrating lap, then 5 miles of fire road before calling it a night.  When I returned home I disassembled and cleaned the bottom bracket shell and and the eccentric bottom bracket, then threw on an XT bottom bracket I had lying around.  Next, I took apart the Motobecanes headset and swapped over the bearings I needed (before ordering another set).  This weekend I am definitely back on the Single Speed with one week left before the Burn 24...YeeHah!

Val, showing off what will eventually be her full-suspension ride.

                  

PMBAR 2011 Experience: First Ever DNF!

Jay and I at the end of last years PMBAR

Un-#%@-believable.  Last year Jay and I had a great 1st PMBAR.  We worked through adversity, we made some good strategic decisions, and we finished the event on our single-speeds with four checkpoints in eleven and a half hours.  Neither of us knew the trails that first PMBAR but after the first checkpoint we caught up to another team (Camye's) and she let us follow her as long as we could keep up.  This year Jay and I studied the trails, studied previous checkpoints, studied which trails were better in which direction...heck, I even made a small map (which I left in the campsite, but it did not matter).  We were ready to go at it.  We were given the passport, read some funky rules like no Black Mtn start/return, turn in a wooden nickle and no out-and-back on Pilot, then we were off.
Checkpoint one: Thrift> Black> Maxwell> Clawhammer> Buckhorn> S Mills>Squirrel.  We were rolling fast and passing a lot of geared teams on the climbs.

Checkpoint two: Squirrel>Mullinax>S Mills>Bradley Creek (yes, we should have taken Horse Gap to Cantrell to save a few minutes, but we went the way we knew for sure). Arrived at 11:58. I Had a cookie, a donut, two pieces of bacon and we were off with ~ three other teams.

Taken 4 hours later at Davidson

Checkpoint three: I am feeling pretty good at this point...even better than a couple hours ago.  The plan was for Bradly Creek>1206>Yellow Gap>Trace Ridge.  After that we would back track to 1206, up Laurel Mtn to Pilot for #4 and down Pilot, Down S Mills to Buckhorn Gap and retrace our path to the finish.  Unfortunately ~5 miles up Bradley Creek I was carrying my bike across maybe the 6th river crossing when I took a bad step on a large slippery rock and went down hard.  Don't know what happened really, other than I banged my knee on my bike and it felt like I was hit with a ball-peen hammer.  As I started writhing in pain, I noticed  chunks of white flesh dangling from my knee.  I limp out of the water with my bike and instantly my lower leg is a sheet of red and the pain is immense.  The next river crossing was only 30 ft away so I limped to it to wash off my knee, hoping I could walk this off.  I went into the river gingerly, it was hard to walk.  I could still see the pieces of flesh dangling around in the water.  As I exited the river, the blood again began to flow freely.  And while the cold water certainly helped a bit, I was hurtin' for certain.  As Jay is getting out his first aid kit to patch me up, another team comes up behind me and asks to take a look.  Of all the people who could come up right behind us, I get a guy who works in an ER.  He tells me to sit down and assists in stopping the bleeding.  He just happens to have some prescription strength Liquid Stitches which he proceeds to apply to my leg after a bit of applied pressure slowed the bleeding.  He gave me instructions to sit there for a few minutes to let it dry, then it should be good even through the river crossings.  He said to expect some seepage due to the movement, but I should be good.  He was right.  As his team went forward, Jay and I knew our race was done, but our adventure was not over.  We still had over 5 miles and several river crossings to get back to the last checkpoint near Turkey Pen.  The stitches held up great, and I ended up riding with my right leg dangling and my left leg peddling as hard as it could all the way back (with some limp-a-bike mixed in).  We eventually made it back, and one of the guys at the checkpoint was going to give me a ride back, but he could not fit both of us in his car.  Fortunately, I had met a nice couple at the bottom of Turkey Pen as I waited for Jay who went up to the parking lot to catch the guy.  They were just finishing fishing for the day and offered to throw our bikes in the back of their truck and get us back to the start.  They even offered to push my bike up the hill for me, though I declined, because I did not need them to, and because it served as a crutch while I was walking.  After Jay rode down the hill, I ended up riding up to the parking lot with him (using only me left leg).  When the couple arrived, they gave Jay and me beer while we waited for them to get out of their fishing gear.  They got us back to the start where we told Eric about our DNF, but considering what had happened, I still had plenty to be thankful for.  This was my first ever DNF and I felt really bad for Jay; but he was a fantastic PMBAR partner (and an all around good guy) and he was great through the whole ordeal.  Heck, by the time it was over we still had ~40 miles of Pisgah.

Felt like a bad son & husband for being gone on Mothers Day.

The best part of the trip was the riding, the hanging out with all the other riders before, during and after the event; convincing Eric to give an inebriated Rich Dillen a seat for a prize (like that guy needs more free stuff), and hanging out with fellow like-minded mountain bikers.  Jay, campground crasher Camye and I also really enjoyed spending meals with Jeff, Kelly K. and Kelly's family (Dad, Mom, wife, mom-in-law).  Good peeps, good times.  The worst part of the trip: listening to all the darn 26" jokes (there were plenty, too many really), and naturally many focused on how I would not have gotten injured if only I rode a big-kids bike (lame).  Still, a PMBAR to remember (the scars will ensure that).  Pisgah, you may have gotten the better of me this time...next year just may have to be the tie breaker.

Note:  I had a close-up pic of my knee posted, complete with oozing puss and blood, but the wife insisted that no one wanted to see that...so I switched it with a couple of bad sons and a bad husband.  Though luckily I still made it home in time to have dinner with my wife and mother, so all is good on the homefront, surely earning me positive points toward another mtb weekend hall-pass. 

Pisgah PMBAR Map

So, in an effort to not get lost for this upcoming PMBAR, I have taken the large Pisgah map and attempted to recreate it on a standard sheet of paper to carry with me.  Naturally the trails are not to scale, and I still will not know which trails are better in which direction, but I wasn't going to know that anyway (other than for a few trails).  I am still researching trails and hope to add notes on the backside of the map.  I know just creating this map (twice, messed up once), was a help in learning the large network of trails.  Of course now I learn there is a new map with better/more information, but what can you do?  Hopefully this map will be the key to a successful race...or at least the key to not spending the night in the woods.   Well, if anything, it will shave some grams off the original map. :)  And yes, I changed my font...whatchagonnadoaboutit?

Mileage!

Holy Smokes.  I just added up my riding mileage and realized I have been putting in more miles than I though (for a guy who only rides his mtb twice a week).
Here are the stats:
January: SSmtb=211, SSrd=119 Total=330
February: SSmtb=302, SSrd=121 Total=423
March: SSmtb=331, SSrd=127, Grd (gears)=15 Total=473
April: SSmtb=327, SSrd=117, Total=444
Cummulative Totals: SSmtb= 1,171, SSrd=484 Total=1655
Yikes, that puts me on pace for over 6k miles.  I would like to ask how I continue to stay fat with all this riding, but the nachos, rack of ribs and multiple beverages I consumed yesterday may have an answer.
One would also think I would be a kick-a$$ rider.  I should be keeping up with Dickey, Kelly and Jeff (Mr. Podium at Warrior Creek), but hey, I like to do my thing, so I am not out doing intervals, worrying about power wattage and hear rate stuff.  I just try to ride lots.  With PMBAR in a week, then the Burn24 a few weeks later, this could be a big month.
I will definitely slow it down over the summer as I will not be commuting to work, I will be in California for a month, and though I will ride more frequently on the SSmtb, my rides will be shorter in duration.
I am also proud to report that over the last few months, in an attempt to get a stronger upper body and core, I have begun the habit of doing a push-up/sit-up routine ~every two days.  Would like to do this every day, or at least every other day, but my joints (and lack of muscle) just can't take it.  I have begun working in curls (for the girls) but my strained bicep, while healing, keeps me from doing them too often.  Sadly, I do not look that strong, and as strong as I do look, I am not even that strong; so hopefully this is the start of (in Austrian accent) getting pumped up!

2011 North Cackalacki Caddywompus Single Speed Rally

Yes!  That time of year when single speeders (over 21 of course) from around the county (and state) come together to enjoy some fellowship, Single-Speed Mtb style. The days events started with meeting near an Ale house (important for post ride grub), getting our 6 pack entry fee ready, then riding along a highway to get to the trail.  Yeah, a bunch of single-speeders spinning along a highway, dressed like we were going to a frat party...we turned our share of heads.  Interestingly, when we arrived near the trail, rather than riding down to the trail head and riding to the gathering spot, we followed our fearless leader (let's call him Banjo) into the woods as he decided to braid/bushwhack a path through the woods, over vines and sticks, and dodging fallen brush and dead trees until we eventually came to part of the actual trail that got us close to where we were going, just so we could bushwhack again.  There at the gathering spot was a strategic hole in the ground with bags of ice awaiting the 6 pack offering that we were all carrying (This was prepped ahead of time by another one of the leaders/organizers...let's call him Karate Monkey).  For the record, I only brought 5 beverages, but 4 were Guinness 14.9 ouncers (the other was an Amstel Light...maybe I shouldn't have mentioned that).  Anyway, there was plenty of PBR thanks to the organizers, but I stuck to the Guinness and the Chubs (darn good beverages).  At this point, I could go on, but I think it is best if I just say that everyone left the woods safely and we had one heck of a good time. To many details would just ruin the mystique of the event...some pictures, however, would add to that mystique, so here they are (I only wish I had taken more).

 

Getting ready...this should be the first pic.

Scary man exiting the woods.

Uh-oh, I think he spotted me!

Feeling Fatigue--Need More Rest?

Notice the small slobber spot? Rest is good. 

So the last month or so I have not felt that great.  It started a week before Warrior Creek and has lasted up to this very day.  My energy seems high, but my strength seems low.  I just do not have that extra pep in my legs that usually exists after a climb...it's as if I'm not recovering well from the exertion.  It seems my muscles just do not want to do the work that they once did.  Is it over-training?  I doubt this as I only ride my Single Speed mtb twice a week (though I do ride my Single Speed road bike twice a week also).  I do average ~420 miles a month, total so I think I will take it a bit easier over the next two weeks.  Could it be (as a friend suggested) parvovirus B-19 (fifths disease)?  I suppose that is possible as there was an outbreak at school, but for this long? Could it be the 6 hours sleep I get a night (yawwwn)?  Regardless, I am going to keep on riding.  Really, felt like crap this last weekend when I struggled through the end of a 286-Rocky Road-286 ride.  Normally a 30 mile single track ride like this would not be a problem, but my legs were struggling and I started cramping toward the end of the ride (and that usually doesn't happen until 40+miles).

Today I rode an easy 40 through Umstead and felt o.k..  With PMBAR and the Burn24 coming up, I NEED MORE POWER!!!  Hopefully all will be well soon.  Ready or not, here I ride!

Note: On the plus side, my sore bicep tendon (that has plagued me for the last several months) has not been aggravated in some time and seems to be on the mend.  Though it still lets me know it is there, I am able to ride and even clear logs (and the 286 rock) again without pain (yeah!).

Do I Need a Heart Monitor?

I bought one, but after a couple of uses I decided to sell it on tmtb.  Another rider (for the sake of anonymity, let's call him Carter) tried to talk me out of selling the monitor.  His post is below:

"FWIW.

You really ought to think about keeping that.  As much as you train, I think you'd find that it would help-a lot!  When I was halfway serious about riding, I used one to keep from riding too hard all the time.  It was astonishing how much better I rode when I wasn't overtrained."

Here is my response: 

Ha, I am glad some people think I actually train hard, but honestly I don't train as much as you think.  In fact, I don't train at all really; I just ride once mid-week and once on the weekend.  I guess I don't care much about my heart rate zones, power usage, intervals, diet or whatever really good riders do to improve performance.   I suppose that if I started with my diet and got my weight down, then started seeing improvements in strength and endurance, I might think, “Hey, what else can I do to get better?”  But how much better can I really get given my schedule?  Maybe I go from top 15 in a race like Warrior Creek (>40 or SS) to top 10?  I think I will probably take the top 15 (or 20) and still be able to drink New Castle, Oatmeal Porters and other fine Brown Ales.   I also must accept that I am not really a gadget/data guy (though I wish I had the patience for it).  Plus, no one can accuse me of riding too hard all the time, just ask any of the guys I have ridden with and they will surely agree that I do alright for an old, short, fat, bald single-speeder, but working 'hard enough' is more like it, definitely not too hard. 

I will say that I do have a plan to get rid of my gut, though I am currently experiencing a set back thanks to two days in a row of “Eat All You Can” (or All You Can Eat…same thing) Restaurants last week, plus an end of the week work gathering that basically involves sitting around drinking, eating and complaining.  Think of it as an 'eat, drink and complain all you can' event.

Somehow, I think I have digressed... and now, for some reason, I am suddenly hungry…what were we talking about again?

Reminiscing, My First Race

1st ever race...and winning!

 After my finish at Warrior Creek last week, I was recently reminiscing about my first real race, a race I surely will never forget.  While the January Mountain bike Marathon was my first mtb event.  The XC race at Little River in 2009 (part of the Triangle XC Series) was my first official race.  Naturally, I was so nervous the night before, I had a tough time sleeping.  Plus it had rained pretty good the day and night before the event so many thought it might be canceled.  Still, I got up early and drove out to the trials (north of Durham) to see what I could do.  I remember registering and seeing that the 'Beginner >35" was the largest category.  Great!  More of a chance to embarrass myself.  I actually inquired about dropping down to the <35 category, as there were only ~8, and an 8th place finish sounded a lot better than 17th.  Well, Andy Etters (who put on the event) convinced me to stay in my category, which I did.  Being my first race, it was nice to see so many loose riders at the start, it helped calm the nerves...a little.  And We're Off!  Man, people jumped out of the gate fast.  I had a tough time clipping in, and the next thing I know, most of the riders are ahead of me, and flying!  I knew I could not keep up with that pace so I accepted that I would plug along and just do the best I can.  Funny, but it only took the first log crossing to catch up to several riders.  Someone stopped for it and created a back log.  Next thing I know I am passing some guys...then as I continue, I began passing a few more guys who obviously went out too fast...I was relieved that I did not try to stay with them, or that could have been me struggling for air as we work up a steady climb.  By the time the first lap was over, I realized that if I could just keep my pace, I would finish in the top half, and thus not embarrass myself, sweet!  As the second lap began I passed another couple riders and then found I was riding by myself.  I eventually passed one more rider who was stopped by the side of the trail, seemingly messing with their helmet?!?  No time to stop and chat...I started pushing as hard as I could knowing that this was it!  I came up on the heels of another rider, with maybe a mile or less left.  He asked what category I was in.  Turns out he was in a category that started a minute or two ahead of mine.  He said, "I think you are in first, no one else has passed me in >35".  Upon hearing that, a surge joy came through me.  I passed him and hammered it to the line as hard as I could.
Unbelievable.  The first race I had ever entered, I had won.  I was dumbfounded, but little did I know, it would be the last race I would ever win.
The guy I passed on my final lap (messing with his helmet), Kurt Dressler (one heck of a nice guy), would beat me in the next two races (Tarwheel & Huck a Buck).  I would then cross ahead of him at Harris Lake where we both moved up to Sport, just for fun...it helped that he got caught up in a misdirection mishap early in the race.  And then he beat me at the Championship race at Beaver Dam...but in my defense, I was coming off not riding for a couple weeks thanks to the Swine Flu and ended up 4th.  Still, nothing can take away that first race and that only victory.  Something I will never forget. 

Warrior Creek, 2011

Yeah, I got in!  I Think they sold out in a day or so?!? 
I decided to race Warrior Creek because I heard it is a fantastic event (and I can confirm that); however, the weather leading up to the race (mucho rain) was pretty daunting.  I decided not to go with my faster rolling wheels (WTB Wolverine/Maxxis Larsen combo), and instead go with Nevegals (front and back), which ended up being a good choice.  I was not going to let being sick all week with a cold (stuffed up, cough...) keep me from this event so off I went.  We arrived in the area on Friday and rode a small section of the course and it was a bit slick, but tacky and not bad.  It then poured that night (making for a bad nights sleep...in a tent...cold...raining...coughing...forgot my memory foam pillow...geese mating or fighting right outside) anyway, I was pretty happy to have some good gripping, mud-slingin' tires (and a 32:18 gear ratio).
Lap One:
The first lap of the race was a mess for your weekend warrior, types.  The start took us for ~1.5 miles on paved road through the campsite to help spread out the riders.  While this was better than nothing, so many racers ended up stuck on each others tires for miles.  Stop and go/walk and go was the theme for lap one.  Plus, being on a single-speed and being stuck behind geared bikes made it tough trying to keep momentum up hills while gearies are letting their bikes slow to match their gear choice.  After about 8-9 miles I found myself with a decent group that would keep me from blowing up and I ended up riding with them until one of the guys in front took another guy out by wrecking in the rocks past mile 11. If I had been following too closely I would have been in a 3 bike pile up, as it was, I cleared them and found some space for the start of lap 2.
Lap Two
Wow, I just went from major traffic to trail Nirvanah!  The temp. had risen and the trail was already in better shape.  I found myself riding all alone for almost 3 miles (or at least not inhibited).  I passed a few riders and really began enjoying the stress free environment.  Eventually some guys did come up behind me, and I stuck with them as long as I dared, but my goal was to ride consistently for at least three laps and then see what was left in the tank/legs.  So I kept to riding within myself and eventually hooked up with another rider that was going my pace.
Lap Three
I had finished my bottle of Perpetuem and a bottle of NUUN and our wonderful pit crew (Vanessa) handed me off some more NUUN.  By mile 2 I started to feel sick...like "I need to puke" sick.  I sipped on my water when I had the chance and kept going...feeling like if I did throw up, it would not affect my legs, and maybe help me in the long run (errr, ride).  Did not end up puking, but the stomach issues stayed with me even for a bit after the race.  I felt like I was going pretty good this lap.  The trail was even more improved, and I was making it up sections that earlier were to muddy and causing me to spin out.  Then it happened.  Just past mile 9 I started to feel the onset of cramps.  I did what I could to fight them off, but I had to get off the bike twice over the last two miles (to push up a switchback climb) as my left leg was quivering.  Still, I had plenty of energy and could spin well, I just couldn't work too hard mashing up a climb...so bring on lap 4.
Lap Four
Grabbed a bottle of 4:1 Energy for my last lap to help with the cramping, but unfortunately they were not getting any better.  I rode as fast as I could where the trail dictated it, and rather than working hard up hills, I would grind up them, using just my body weight on the pedals to inch up (still faster then pushing) but I did get off the bike (a lot) to keep from locking up.  I counted over the 12 miles of the final lap, getting off the bike exactly 12 times.  By the time I hit the 9th mile marker I was fight cramps in both legs, and in various areas of each leg.  Still, I could fly on the downhill berms and clear the rocks cleanly so I worked as hard as I could to get that last lap in, but finished at 5:40...ten minutes too late to go out for a 5th lap.

Realized after the race that I mixed nearly 5 hrs worth of Perpetuem in my bottle...stomach was rejecting all the concentrated protein.  Gonna try to tweak my nutrition for the next race with a lot less protein and a lot more carbs (Heed?).

I honestly believe that if the trail was in peak condition, cramps would have held off longer and the laps would have been faster...likely leading to five laps.  As it was, I rode ~49.5 miles in ~5:40 and my time was good enough for 13th in the 40+ division.  So, all my goals at the onset of this race were met: don't get hurt, don't have a race-ending mechanical issue, don't embarrass yourself.  EDIT: Just saw the final standings had me at 14th in 5:43.  Guess I should have waited to see the final results as I could have protested...the clock clearly stated 5:40 when I crossed.  Oh well, it really does not matter.  The prize for 14th is the same as the prize for 13th. :)

Looking forward to next year. 

NOTE: An amazing rider, (Kelly K.) asked me to be a part of the TFKT-Trips for Kids Team, so He, Jeff (another amazing rider) and I (not nearly as amazing) were riding with our TFKT Jerseys to represent a great cause.  Kelly ended up 5th in SS for a race that was not part of his scheduled race plan, and Jeff ended up 3rd (podium spot baby!) in the 40+ division...on his rigid single speed (and a massive wreck on lap 5).  Great Job Team!

A quick "Great Job" to Cory, who I drove up with.  He completed three laps for his first ever 6hr race.  he could have done one more but I guess he did not want to show off.  Nice effort Cory!

Your Not Hard Unless Your Rigid!

So, I guess I am no longer hard.  Does that mean I am now flacid?  Regardless, after two months, I have removed the rigid fork and reinstalled the Rock Shox Reba.  I liked the rigid fork.  The bike was so light and nimble, and it took no effort to get the front tire up over obstacles (I put a almost 600 miles on it); but I strained my right bicep tendon last winter and hey, I am in my 40's, so what am I trying to prove?  Really, I just wanted to see how I would like it, and it was fine.  For long rides, I do not feel like it inhibited me, though I would need to go slower on fast, bumpy downhills.  I definitely was not going to go rigid for the Burn24 or PMBAR, so it just made sense to make the change (a week before Warrior Creek 6 hour race).

You will be missed, my fragile friend.

Endurance Training, Is It Enough?

In order to balance being a good husband and father, I ride my mtb. only twice a week.  I get one weekday ride and one weekend ride.  The key has been making the most out of both rides.  I try to make the weekday ride 20-30 miles max with a mix of 6 hr pace and XC pace.  There are always faster riders to try and keep up with, and something about night riding makes you want to go fast anyway, so that is never a problem.
On the weekend I try to get a long 'endurance' type ride in.  40-50 miles that will hopefully increase to 6 to 8 hours of riding.  These rides are usually done at somewhat sustainable pacing.  At Umstead, a 21 mile loop, hitting all the hills can be done twice at a 11.5-12.5 average.  Throw in some single-track and the average drops.  My favorite trail off Old Reedy Creek Rd. is ~a 12 mile loop and a good endurance pace would be ~8.5mph.  Unfortunately, the poor weather, Umstead is all that I have ridden (on the weekends) for the past two or three weeks.  Hopefully this week will lead to some sweet single-track. :)
So, hopefully riding my mtb. twice a week will be enough to train for PMBAR and the Burn24.  As far as Warrior Creek is concerned, I will treat that like a 6 hour training ride and just try to enjoy myself.

Oh, I should mention that I do get to commute to work a few days a week on my SS road bike (gear ratio of 48:17).  It does give me a decent work out, and my average commute is ~17 miles (6 to work and 11 home) sometimes more, sometimes less.

Darn Burn24!

So I have commuted to work every day this week thus far (single-speed road bike) .  Monday I really did not want to ride after only five hours sleep thanks to staying up for the Super Bowl (yeah Packers!), Tuesday was fine, but Wednesday was cold (and I am getting tired of the cold).  Still, whenever I don't feel like riding, I think about the Burn24 and how I will feel at 1 or 2 a.m....guessing I probably won't feel like riding.  So, will I just stop and pack it in or will I continue to ride?  Well, if I cannot get up and ride an easy 6 miles to work after 5 hours sleep, or if I don't ride because it is too cold, I am more likely to pack it in during the Burn, or at least that is what I have convinced myself.  So, here I am, riding when I don't feel like it because it is darn good practice physically and mentally.  Hope it pays off.

Race Schedule as of February 2011

4/2/2011         6 Hours of Warrior Creek

5/7/2011         Pisgah Mountain Bike Adventure Race (PMBAR)

5/28 & 5/29    24hr Burn, Dark Mtn. NC 

I have registered for the above three.

Hoping to do Shenandoah 100 also.

Welcome and a bit of History

Welcome...
to the blog about, well , the adventures of an old (41), short (5'8" almost), fat (fluctuated between 161 and 195 the past two years), bald (I shave what hairs I have left), rider.  I ride a 26" Single Speed and I am darn proud...in fact I get annoyed of hearing about all the advantages of a 29er...whatever!

History--Running
At one time in my life, I was a runner, and a pretty good one.  In Junior High I was undefeated in the county in the 800m at middle school track.  I ran varsity cross-country and track as a freshman peaking with a 2:03 800m, a 4:44 mile and a 10:19 two mile before I gave up running shortly after my freshman year as life became complicated.   Got Back into running as a young adult in the Air Force and ran my first half-marathon in 1:26.  Unfortunately my first Marathon was only a couple weeks after and I had a poor race (likely from running too hard in the half-marathon) and finished in 3:45.  I then started doing triathlons, but injury (two knee surgeries), school and personal life issues took over and I was out of the scene for a while.

History--Riding
Now for the important part of my life, riding.  When I started doing triathlons, I purchased a used Schwinn LeTour with downtube shifters...it was a solid bike with decent components but it was also my worst leg during triathlons.  Fortunately, everyone who passed me on the bike, I later passed on the run (and then some).  Finally ended up getting a solid bike in 2004, a Fuji Cross (I still own).  I used this mostly as a road bike, but there were some decent double track areas where I lived in California and plenty of hardpack dirt paths to ride on.  I rode inconsistently over the years with my ultimate accomplishement being the 75 mile course of "The Worlds Hardest Hundred" now called "The Auburn Century".

History--Riding in NC
After moving to Fuquay Varina in 2005 I still did some road riding, catching the Cycling Spoken Here rides out of Cary on Saturday (50+ miles) or Sunday (30+ miles).  My biggest road bike accomplishment on the road in NC was likely riding the "3 Mountain Madness" ride...unfortunately, due to a lack of hill training, my ride turned into 2.5 Mountain Madness.  It was not long after that, due to a few close calls on the road that I talked to the wife about getting a Mountain bike.  Wanting to keep her husband safe, and willing to forgo the life insurance policy for a while, she agreed.

History--My First Mountain Bike, 2008
I knew nothing, and I mean nothing about mountain bikes.  I scoured the web.  I discovered MTBR and other sites.  I looked at REI, Performance, local bike shops and Craigslist.  I finally decided that I wanted the best bike I could possibly afford as to not need to do a ton of upgrades later.  My best bang for the buck (other than used) was a Motobecane Fantom Team.  It came decked out with great components for ~$1800 shipped and advertised at 24.5 lbs for a full-suspension bike.  I put on pedals and usable tires and it was still under 27 lbs. I was pretty stoked.

History--Beginning Night Riding
As the days started getting shorter I discovered night riding.  My first ride I had not idea what to expect.  I was at a trail I did not know (Legend Park) and had two cheap lights that did not help me see.  Still, I liked the excitement and decided I had to do more of this.  After a lot of research, I decided my best bang for the buck would be some LED torches from dealextreme.com.  The batteries did not last as long as traditional bike lights (1-2 hours) but I was not riding much longer that that anyway, and if I was I would just switch out a battery.  I love night riding.  The way the trail looks different at night, the sounds...it was truly exhilarating.  If I was not hooked before, I certainly was now.  I decided to join TORC who sponsored many of the rides and I consistently began showing for at least one night ride a week.

History--First Race (sort of)--January Mountain Bike Marathon, 2009
Started riding the bike in the Summer of 2008 and I absolutely loved it.  Sure, after 8+ miles of single track, even on FS, my back was sore, my hands were sore and I was sucking wind, but I loved being on the trails.  I was hooked.  I decided to enter my first race, The January Mountain Bike Marathon (Jan. 2009, set up as more of a training ride really).  I had noticed that it was getting easier to keep up with guys that I had a tough time riding with when I first started, so why not try a race.  It is kind of a blur now, but the race invovled 6 miles of single track at Governors Creek, then ~30 road miles (much on dirt roads) and ending with 6 more miles of single track.  I ended up getting into a nice pace line on the road after working hard on the initial single track.  Unfortunately, when we started climbing up the last hill before entering the single track, I (and a couple others) started to fade back.  At about 1 mile into the single track my right leg started cramping (little did I know this was the beginning of a problem I would not get ride of).  I had never cramped before so I shifted up, started massaging the leg, drinking some water and taking it easy.  It seemed like it was feeling better so I started going harder again...then lock up.  I did not know what to do so I started pedaling with just my left leg as my right stuck out and I hoped the cramps would just go away.  Then the true nightmare began.  My left leg locked up and I had to fall over on the trail and pull my bike off the track and sit there.  After a couple minutes I was able to get up and walk...eventually I finished the race by sitting on my bike and coasting down an hill and walking up any incline.  I was able to pedal the last half mile or so without cramping by being in my highest gear.  Yeah, I learned a lot that day.  Oh did I mention it was 33 degrees at the start of the race and ~37 at the end?  Oh well. There were supposed to be prizes raffled off at the end of the race (according to the website) but many people had already left by the time I finished, and I found out prizes just weren't happening.  Oh well, I did not deserve anything anyway, so I packed it up and left...hoping not to cramp-up on the drive home.




More History is sure to come, but rather than writing my entire memoirs right here, I think I will interject some history throughout current updates whenever relevant.