Pinnacle Bar Cam from colin reuter on Vimeo.
Look to the right while still in the field. I passed him just so I could be famous on the internet. Colin, if you didn't know, is King of the Internet.
Results
The Scott Pro Mountain Bike Team is an East Coast based Pro/Am Mountain Bike Team.
June 26, 2011
Finally
Last weekend I finally had a respectable finish in an Elite field, 14th out of 25 starters. EFTA's "The Pinnacle" is a race I've wanted to do for a while, but I always had final exams get in the way. This year I got to race and everything was perfect. The weather (sunny, 70s, low humidity) was great and my bike and body cooperated. The big climb was over before I knew it and the decent was AWESOME. When you are having fun, you forget how much pain you are in and just keep going. No pictures have surfaced, however, I did pass Colin Reuter at the start and he got it on video.
Look to the right while still in the field. I passed him just so I could be famous on the internet. Colin, if you didn't know, is King of the Internet.
Results
Look to the right while still in the field. I passed him just so I could be famous on the internet. Colin, if you didn't know, is King of the Internet.
Results
June 22, 2011
Guy's Neshaminy Classic 2011
Overall a great race for Scott RC mountain bike team... We had 3 riders in the top 5 (in the elite category)... Jeff Dickey was 5th, Cam Dodge 3rd and Aron Snyder 2nd.
June 08, 2011
My First Road Race (sort of)
EFTA's Big Ring Rumpus is a crit on dirt. 100% fire road, almost no elevation change, 7 4 mile laps...it is a road crit...but it's on dirt.
I figured this race would be good exercise, it is a pure fitness course - there is no hiding.
I was the only Junior and I was staged with my two friends, Nate and Fred, who were the only 19-29'ers. I dropped both of them by the end of the first lap. The 30-39 group started 2 minutes back, but there were a lot of them and they were working together. They split into two main groups. The first group went right through me. They went by so fast, I did not even consider joining. Rick Nelson was in that group, but got dropped. We rode alone together for maybe two laps. I pulled him, he was tired. I was cool with that, I was pretty honored to race with him. He thanked me for my help.
And then the second group caught us. I didn't think I would be able to hang on, but Rick went with the group, so I figured I had better as well if I wanted any chance of doing well at the race. Group riding was absolutely critical since speeds were 18 mph average for Cat.1 and 20 mph for the Elites. It was a struggle at times, but the group was pretty well matched for me.
I was pretty happy to be able to ride in this group. At the end of a lap with this group, a rider in front of me stacked it in a tight, CX style turn. I was right on his wheel, I couldn't stop quickly enough, so I kind of sort of rode over his front wheel. This person very likely was Chandler Delinks. He kept racing, and from what I heard, his stem was out of alignment slightly but his wheel was okay. We had a 5 or 6 person group and most people took helpful pulls. I took a few long pulls and even broke away from the group on the last lap, but I decided to wait for everyone because I knew I would be caught and I would not be able to make up the two minute difference (from the start) in a 12 minute lap. On the last lap, everyone was going balls to the wall. Out of the saddle attacks were launched, tires were rubbed, swears could be heard, etc...basically it got sketchy. To make matters worse, just as we were coming into the finishing chicanes with the aforementioned CX style single file turns, the Elites caught our group and so did another Cat.1 group. At this point, there were 20 guys fighting for a 90 degree left turn at 20+ mph. The Elites were fighting for cash, and the fastest Cat.1 got $200. Money was on the line and everyone was caught up in the heat of the moment. I survived the madness, but people did go down. Since I was the only Junior and everyone in all three groups was technically ahead of me, I didn't go crazy. If someone wanted to get by, I was more than willing to give an inch more so than some others.
I finished 17th overall, but times were very tight, given the nature of the course. A few madmen finished an astounding six minutes up from me, but most who finished ahead of me were
I enjoyed this race. It was completely different than anything I have ever done before and it caters to my strengths. I work well when I can keep momentum and don't have to do crazy climbs. I got a good workout and got to see what road tactics are like. Thanks to the promoters, it was fun!
I saw a bunch of people with cameras, but no pictures of me just yet. So, here is a picture of my dusty bike.
I figured this race would be good exercise, it is a pure fitness course - there is no hiding.
I was the only Junior and I was staged with my two friends, Nate and Fred, who were the only 19-29'ers. I dropped both of them by the end of the first lap. The 30-39 group started 2 minutes back, but there were a lot of them and they were working together. They split into two main groups. The first group went right through me. They went by so fast, I did not even consider joining. Rick Nelson was in that group, but got dropped. We rode alone together for maybe two laps. I pulled him, he was tired. I was cool with that, I was pretty honored to race with him. He thanked me for my help.
And then the second group caught us. I didn't think I would be able to hang on, but Rick went with the group, so I figured I had better as well if I wanted any chance of doing well at the race. Group riding was absolutely critical since speeds were 18 mph average for Cat.1 and 20 mph for the Elites. It was a struggle at times, but the group was pretty well matched for me.
The group (why am I not in the picture???) Photo credit: Rick Nelson.
I was pretty happy to be able to ride in this group. At the end of a lap with this group, a rider in front of me stacked it in a tight, CX style turn. I was right on his wheel, I couldn't stop quickly enough, so I kind of sort of rode over his front wheel. This person very likely was Chandler Delinks. He kept racing, and from what I heard, his stem was out of alignment slightly but his wheel was okay. We had a 5 or 6 person group and most people took helpful pulls. I took a few long pulls and even broke away from the group on the last lap, but I decided to wait for everyone because I knew I would be caught and I would not be able to make up the two minute difference (from the start) in a 12 minute lap. On the last lap, everyone was going balls to the wall. Out of the saddle attacks were launched, tires were rubbed, swears could be heard, etc...basically it got sketchy. To make matters worse, just as we were coming into the finishing chicanes with the aforementioned CX style single file turns, the Elites caught our group and so did another Cat.1 group. At this point, there were 20 guys fighting for a 90 degree left turn at 20+ mph. The Elites were fighting for cash, and the fastest Cat.1 got $200. Money was on the line and everyone was caught up in the heat of the moment. I survived the madness, but people did go down. Since I was the only Junior and everyone in all three groups was technically ahead of me, I didn't go crazy. If someone wanted to get by, I was more than willing to give an inch more so than some others.
I finished 17th overall, but times were very tight, given the nature of the course. A few madmen finished an astounding six minutes up from me, but most who finished ahead of me were
I enjoyed this race. It was completely different than anything I have ever done before and it caters to my strengths. I work well when I can keep momentum and don't have to do crazy climbs. I got a good workout and got to see what road tactics are like. Thanks to the promoters, it was fun!
I saw a bunch of people with cameras, but no pictures of me just yet. So, here is a picture of my dusty bike.
May 30, 2011
Catching Up
How about some race summaries??? Sure!
Fat Tire Classic: Well, it was going really well until I randomly flatted. On the start of my second lap, on a smooth section, I managed to slice a sidewall. How, I have no clue. Wizards??? I ran light tires because Winding Trails is smooth and fast, but there was nothing on the trail that should have caused me to flat. I didn't panic too much because I had already built a 4+ minute gap on second and I had an awesome CO2 inflator. The cut eventually sealed, so I started riding again, but the hole ruptured. Ehhh, that was a bummer, especially since it is a 3 hour drive each way, but at least I got a really good lap in.
JPow!, Seamus Powell, Johnny Bold, Justin Lindine, the usual...
Weeping Willow: This is my "home course." I can ride to it in 45 minutes and I enjoy the trails. I wanted to do well this year. Last year was great and I wanted to repeat that success. I decided to stick with Cat.1 in hopes of having a stellar race. The pros were doing an extra 8 miles, which just seemed like too much. The juniors were staged with the 19-29 group.
I went full gas until the finish. I won by 14 minutes and got 25th out of 108 Cat.1 men. I'm pretty happy about that result. I had fun and it sounds like everyone else did too.
Coyote Hill Classic: This was my third time doing Coyote Hill. It is a small race in the middle of nowhere. Mapquest doesn't recognize the town as existing, GPS units don't work and cell phones don't always work either. Welcome to Vermont! I have fond memories of the venue, but the course itself doesn't really suit me...soft loam, tight turns, muddy grass, short steep climbs with wet roots and some slick rock gardens. Each six mile lap has a decent amount of climbing. It is always wet for whatever reason. The course got changed since the last time I raced it (2009) and more loam and more rain made it slower than ever. Keeping momentum is not easy on this course. My legs were sore before the race even started, it was a long drive and, honestly, I wasn't too excited about racing my bike. This was also the first warm, summerlike race...80 degrees, 70% humidity! The other juniors were both Vermont-ers who knew the course better than I did, so I told them I'd hang out behind them on the first lap. Zeb led Matt and I through the first lap at a casual race pace. He got something in his derailleur, and as nice a kid as he is, this is bike racing, so I gunned it. Sorry! Matt hung on for a while, but eventually faded. Zeb came back on the last lap, casually saying "Hey Nathaniel!" through the switchbacks. I freaked out because I thought he was right behind me. Turns out he was actually about 5 minutes back. Those switchbacks are deceptive! So, I won, but it was not easy at all. I struggled. I could not ride my bike for the life of me. Chain suck was a persistent problem with everyone. I ran probably a quarter of the race (no joke).
The mud left three options: 1) Cross chain big-big, no chain suck, but say hello to CRAMPS!, 2) Spin in the small chainring and get chainsuck every 4 pedal strokes (also no joke), 3) RUN! (or walk...).
Yay bike racing!
King of Burlingame MTB Time Trial: This was the first race of the season. It was short (30 min) and technical. I was the only junior in the Expert / Po class, but overall I was about midpack. Pre-riding the course would have been helpful, but doing it blind was fun. It was a good way to start the season. My bike stayed together and so did I!
Fat Tire Classic: Well, it was going really well until I randomly flatted. On the start of my second lap, on a smooth section, I managed to slice a sidewall. How, I have no clue. Wizards??? I ran light tires because Winding Trails is smooth and fast, but there was nothing on the trail that should have caused me to flat. I didn't panic too much because I had already built a 4+ minute gap on second and I had an awesome CO2 inflator. The cut eventually sealed, so I started riding again, but the hole ruptured. Ehhh, that was a bummer, especially since it is a 3 hour drive each way, but at least I got a really good lap in.
Massasoit Lung Opener: Based on how well I WAS doing at the FTC, I decided to do the Pro/Open race. Guess what? There were at least three fellow racers in the Open race who had been to either the CX or MTB Word Championships. One of those guys was...Jeremy Powers!
JPow!, Seamus Powell, Johnny Bold, Justin Lindine, the usual...
It was pouring and 40 degrees at the start. My first lap was decent, not too far back from the lower 50%. Then, halfway through the second lap my rear brake stopped working. Not having a rear brake kind of stinks because you can't stop (duh)...so I crashed into a tree on a downhill...which stopped me better than my failed rear brake did. I snapped the trunk of the tree in the process (it was LOUD!) and banged my head into something. The crash broke my front shifter's barrel adjuster, which forced me into the 26t chainring for the last lap.That was okay, though, because I really couldn't pedal at that point anyway. My head was okay thanks to my Limar helmet. I'm pretty sure I saw SNOW sometime during the race, maybe it was hail. Either way, there was stuff falling from the sky, and it was cold. My vision was horrible because of the mud being flung into my eyes. AND THEN I FINISHED! I was delirious towards the end of the last lap. I was totally trashed. It took me several hours to get warm again and I kept shoving food in my mouth until it was time to sleep. It was HARD. Was it fun? Maybe...
Weeping Willow: This is my "home course." I can ride to it in 45 minutes and I enjoy the trails. I wanted to do well this year. Last year was great and I wanted to repeat that success. I decided to stick with Cat.1 in hopes of having a stellar race. The pros were doing an extra 8 miles, which just seemed like too much. The juniors were staged with the 19-29 group.
I led for the first mile, which was entirely fireroad. One junior and an "adult" squeezed in front right before the singletrack - no big deal though. We quickly caught the HUGE singlespeed field and passing was nearly impossible. The guy behind me was having a temper tantrum, swearing and rubbing my wheel, but I had nowhere to go and neither did he. I ignored him and luckily I never saw him again. I passed the junior and once I had some open trails to work with, I drilled it to get a gap. I began to cramp halfway through the race, not because of dehydration; I was just pushing myself to go fast.
I went full gas until the finish. I won by 14 minutes and got 25th out of 108 Cat.1 men. I'm pretty happy about that result. I had fun and it sounds like everyone else did too.
Coyote Hill Classic: This was my third time doing Coyote Hill. It is a small race in the middle of nowhere. Mapquest doesn't recognize the town as existing, GPS units don't work and cell phones don't always work either. Welcome to Vermont! I have fond memories of the venue, but the course itself doesn't really suit me...soft loam, tight turns, muddy grass, short steep climbs with wet roots and some slick rock gardens. Each six mile lap has a decent amount of climbing. It is always wet for whatever reason. The course got changed since the last time I raced it (2009) and more loam and more rain made it slower than ever. Keeping momentum is not easy on this course. My legs were sore before the race even started, it was a long drive and, honestly, I wasn't too excited about racing my bike. This was also the first warm, summerlike race...80 degrees, 70% humidity! The other juniors were both Vermont-ers who knew the course better than I did, so I told them I'd hang out behind them on the first lap. Zeb led Matt and I through the first lap at a casual race pace. He got something in his derailleur, and as nice a kid as he is, this is bike racing, so I gunned it. Sorry! Matt hung on for a while, but eventually faded. Zeb came back on the last lap, casually saying "Hey Nathaniel!" through the switchbacks. I freaked out because I thought he was right behind me. Turns out he was actually about 5 minutes back. Those switchbacks are deceptive! So, I won, but it was not easy at all. I struggled. I could not ride my bike for the life of me. Chain suck was a persistent problem with everyone. I ran probably a quarter of the race (no joke).
The mud left three options: 1) Cross chain big-big, no chain suck, but say hello to CRAMPS!, 2) Spin in the small chainring and get chainsuck every 4 pedal strokes (also no joke), 3) RUN! (or walk...).
This was definitely the hardest race of the season so far and the hardest race I can remember from last year. Talking with others led me to the conclusion that EVERYONE basically had the same problems I did. Chainsuck was the name of the game. It is no wonder why the singlespeeders absolutely destroyed everyone. No opportunities for chain issues and no place for mud to accumulate.
Yay bike racing!
May 04, 2011
Rude Awakenings....
Alright, lets see, the last time I posted on the site it was the middle of a winter I couldn't forget about fast enough. Now it's the beginning of May and the harsh reality of what I thought was "intensity" training over the winter is starting to show it true side. There is no training like racing. This adage has been said to me over the years more than I can recall. How true it is. So now with three races into 2011 I am starting to see how the guys in the rest of the Elite field spent their winter.
The first race of the season was the M.A.S.S opener at Fairhill. It's a race that has become an early season institution. The start is a who's who of East Coast's finest racers. Pro road riders show up as well as the course itself isn't super technical or hilly. This year we had Aaron Snyder, Brandon Draugelis, Weston Schemp, Nick Waite, Chris Beck and Jeff Shalk towing the line with the rest of us. As you can probably surmise by now that was your front group of the race. I was not so lucky to make that group or the chase group, but followed up in the third group chasing them down. I can thank that to an absolutely horrible start where I could not get into my pedal. Once in though it was a chasing game for the 3 lap race. I moved into the top 20 and just tried to steadly make my way foward. After all was said and done I finished with a 19th place. Not bad considering the start and my goal was to finish in the top 20. I felt strong the whole race and when it was over I felt I could go another lap or two. Objective one down. Objective two practice my starts.
Race two saw me skip the Tour De Tykes due to scheduling conflict with a duathalon I had promised a friend I would do with him. The duathalon was a run-bike-run affair with the run being a 2 mile trail run followed by a 10 mile mountain bike race followed up by another 2 mile run. After showing up late and by late I mean the run had already started when we pulled into the parking log my teamate came through in about 12 position. I made my way through the transition zone and it was game on. Not knowing who I was racing and already being in 12th place on the bike I just tried to pass as many people as I could. When I came through the first lap I was with two other riders. I heard the announcer say "here is your 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place riders." Thinking I was in one of the top 3 positions I knew I had to try and catch the first place rider. Just out of the start/finish area I saw a rider twisting through the singletrack. I put in a massive effort and pulled him in in no time. After passing him I kept the gas on. When I finished and my runner started his second lap I knew we were in good position to maybe win this thing. With less than half a mile to go in the run my friend was passed by the guy I had beat in the bike leg. Damn. We lost the overall by 25 seconds, but did win the team classification by about 3 minutes. Not bad for my first duathalon.
Race number 3 was just this past weekend and it was the third race in the M.A.S.S series. Escape from Gragonue is definately a classic. The race itself is going on 10 years old (if not older). There is a Cyclocross race at the same location in December that attracts a huge crowd as well. The course is on private land owned by one of the Dupont's. It's completely closed off to riding throughout the year except for the 2 days they allow the races to run. The course is best described as a mix of classic East Coast riding conditions. A mix of mud, roots, rocks and everything else you can imagine in a 7 mile lap. We did 3 laps and couldn't ask for better weather. Adding to the fun of this course was having Jeff and Mike from the team come up from Virginia and Maryland to take part.
The start for me this time was much better that the Fairhill race. I won't lie, I practiced. The start was fast and I got into the top 10 into the single track. Then the dicing began. I had a guy chopping my lines and diving to the inside corners on all turns and I was on the inside already. I figured, after I put a wheel wrong and fell, I had to pass this guy in order to make up some time on the leaders. We came out to a freshly plowed false flat type of field section where I made my move and took care of the line chopper for the rest of the race. I passed 2 more guys and eventually finished up for the day in 7th. Gunnar on our team finished up 8th. Jeff pulled a top 5 finishing in 4th and Mike finished in 15th. A good day all around.
Next up on my agenda will be the Greenbrier Classic in Hagerstown, Md. It's a race I look foward to not just for the great course, but seeing the friends I don't get to see on a regular weekend basis. It's also a qualifer for the National Championships. So hopefully it will be a win-win weekend. So, until that post with stories from the trenches keep the rubber side down and be safe....Scottie
March 27, 2011
Ready to Go!
Race season starts next week and my bike is ready! Not much has changed since last year, but below are a few key points I'm excited about.
Cranskins to protect the finish on our Sram XX crank arms.
Maxxis IKON tires. EXO sidewall protection will be great for rocky New England racing. This will be my second year on the Stan's 355 29er rims. They have been holding up great. Together, rotational weight is kept to a minimum.
My clever (I think so) use of two ByKyle straps. I dislike saddle bags; I like to have everything be easily accessible. I don't like putting things into a jersey pocket because it is easy to forget things and whatever might be in a jersey pocket could come out during a crash or a not so smooth bunny-hop. I have a multi-tool and a chain tool held securely in place. The chain tool has a Sram quick link inside. That stuff won't be going anywhere.
Color matching, duh. It makes you go faster...
Genuine Innovations Big Air inflator. I hate flats (who doesn't), but I feel confident that should I rip a sidewall or ride over a bed of thorns, I can get back rolling in no time. GI has the best heads; I've tried a Planet Bike and Bontrager inflator. Both, quite frankly suck (harsh, but true) because they are not controllable and are a lot more fragile. With GI, you twist on the cartridge and push the head onto the valve, it is spring loaded. If you don't need to use your whole cartridge, just take the inflator off the valve (but don't unscrew the cartridge!). It won't keep spitting out the gas, it will stop. It is not rocket science for GI, but for other companies' inflators, it is. The Big Air comes with a sweet seatpost attachment that secures the system in place. Rubber band not included, I just like to be extra safe.
Quality parts means one can focus on riding and racing!
March 22, 2011
Crankskins Video - 2011 Products
Here's a video from one of our awesome sponsors, EJ at Crankskins. If you're looking to protect your bike from paint wear, to add some color to your bike (he can turn out custom sticker kits for you in a heartbeat), team banners, or pretty much anything you can think of (he made some cool custom Nalgene bottle samples for us last year), check out his site at:
www.crankskins.com
And, use this discount code to get a special deal on your order:
- Jeff
www.crankskins.com
And, use this discount code to get a special deal on your order:
- Jeff
March 18, 2011
Shootout on Angler's Ridge - Race Report
What: Shootout on Angler's Ridge Cross Country; Wicked Witch Time Trial
Where: Danville, VA
When: March 12/13
Who: Aaron and Jeff
Conditions: Perfect spring weather - dry and sunny and in the mid-60s to mid-70s
Results: Time trial - Aaron 2nd, Jeff 5th; Cross-country - Aaron 4th, Jeff 7th
I headed south last weekend to Danville, VA with Laura to the Shootout on Angler's Ridge to meet up with Aaron and Jen (who were driving north from Key West) for a great weekend of racing. The Southern Virginia Mountain Bike Association was hosting a time trial Saturday afternoon, a movie (Ride the Divide with multi-time Divide Race winner Matt Lee in attendance) and a cross-country on Sunday. The weather couldn't have been better and the turnout was enormous. Plus, I haven't seen a prize list like the one offered there in quite a long time (not insignificant cash prizes for the Sport categories, as well as large cash prizes the Expert and Pro categories (male and female))
On Saturday morning the town of Danville held a trail running race on some of the mtb trails (Laura won her age group in the half marathon and was the second woman overall). Laura reported back that the trails had some very steep, but short climbs and the course had no flat sections at all.
A nice warm-up on the trails showed them to be in top condition - it's evident that the local organization has done a tremendous job in upkeep of their trails. They showed almost no sign of the torrential rains earlier in the week. I confirmed Laura's trail info - very short and steep hills.
The time trial was one lap around the shortened cross-country course and featured punchy climbs and just about 100% singletrack that was a blast to ride. The time trial was open for all and paid $500 for the winner, with cash back to 10th (or 15th) place. Aaron turned in a fast ride to finish a close second and I came in 5th. That was my first hard effort of the year and it was a rude awakening for my legs. That hurt!
Saturday night was a pasta dinner put on by the race organizers, and featured Sierra Nevada beer plus a movie on a large screen in the Danville town community center (a converted train depot). A very fun way to spend the evening!
Day two was very warm and the races were delayed for nearly an hour becuase of the high numbers of people registering. The race sold out in full. I haven't seen that happen in years in a mtb race and it speaks well to how much fun this race was - everyone wanted to join in, especially on such a sunny day. After the 6 hour endurance race got under way, the pro race started 30 minutes later (they started the pro field plus all of the multiple expert fields at once).
Someone went down in the pro category just after the start, taking down a number of other people and bringing Aaron to a dead stop. A bike flew up and whacked my rear derailleur, throwing it out of alignment. But, I was able to get through the carnage and followed Nick Waite into the singletrack where a group of 6 formed.
About 1/3 of the way through the first lap, I was about to blow up due to the high pace and finally Aaron caught back onto the main group. As soon as that happened, I dropped back to try and recover at my own pace. Boy, was I glad to be riding my Scott Spark RC. Its 110mm of travel smoothed out all of the roots that crossed the trail and helped me speed up on all the downhills and weighing only 21 pounds helped me up any hill in my way.
The trails were tons of fun and all of the other riders were very polite and accommodating given the tight passing areas. Lots of "can I pass on your left" and pleases and thank yous went a long way to getting around slower riders very easily.
On lap #2, I grabbed a bottle of Tri-Berry nuun for some electrolytes. The day was much warmer than I'd anticipated and I was sweating out a lot of salt. Given the short steep hills, it was a recipe for cramping. I started to pick up the pace and felt better and better.
By the end of the second lap, I'd made up some time and was ready to go for lap #3. I grabbed my favorite type of electrolyte drink, nuun's Kona Cola (caffeinated - it tastes somewhat like Coke and gives the energy that Coke gives at the end of a race, but without the carbonation so it's exceptionally easy to drink and doesn't upset my stomach) and roared out for my last lap. I
passed four riders who had been ahead of me for most of the day and just ran out of time to catch two more who were almost in reach by the time I hit the finish to get 7th. The result wasn't the best, but it felt like my form was coming around and I felt better at the finish than at the start - that's a good feeling!
I was very impressed by one rider, Dylan Johnson, a 16 year old who raced in the 19-29 year old Category 2 race. He rode a singlespeed and beat all of his competitors. If he'd been in the open singlespeed category, he probably would have won that race too. I remember seeing Dylan in the Shenandoah 100 last fall where he finished 4th place in the singlespeed category against some top riders. Watch out for him in the future - this kid is fast!
After a bit of a wait for results - the wait was made much easier by tons of BBQ from Checkered Pig BBQ - we hit the road back to DC to close out on an awesome weekend. A great sunny race weekend - finally warm enough to wear my SOLE Sport Flips - it could be the reason I felt so good this weekend was becuase my feet were happy!
Results are here.
I'd highly recommend this race to anyone next year. The course was tons of fun, the event with its two day format, plus a social event, made for a great time and the prize lists were phenomenal. This was as much fun as I'd had at some great events last summer like the Massanutten Hoo-Ha, the Leadville 100 or Shenandoah 100.
Next up for me are two circuit races in Maryland this weekend, then a crit and the Jefferson Cup road race next weekend in Charlottesville, VA.
- Jeff
Where: Danville, VA
When: March 12/13
Who: Aaron and Jeff
Conditions: Perfect spring weather - dry and sunny and in the mid-60s to mid-70s
Results: Time trial - Aaron 2nd, Jeff 5th; Cross-country - Aaron 4th, Jeff 7th
I headed south last weekend to Danville, VA with Laura to the Shootout on Angler's Ridge to meet up with Aaron and Jen (who were driving north from Key West) for a great weekend of racing. The Southern Virginia Mountain Bike Association was hosting a time trial Saturday afternoon, a movie (Ride the Divide with multi-time Divide Race winner Matt Lee in attendance) and a cross-country on Sunday. The weather couldn't have been better and the turnout was enormous. Plus, I haven't seen a prize list like the one offered there in quite a long time (not insignificant cash prizes for the Sport categories, as well as large cash prizes the Expert and Pro categories (male and female))
On Saturday morning the town of Danville held a trail running race on some of the mtb trails (Laura won her age group in the half marathon and was the second woman overall). Laura reported back that the trails had some very steep, but short climbs and the course had no flat sections at all.
A nice warm-up on the trails showed them to be in top condition - it's evident that the local organization has done a tremendous job in upkeep of their trails. They showed almost no sign of the torrential rains earlier in the week. I confirmed Laura's trail info - very short and steep hills.
 |
| Time Trial Start |
 |
| Heading down the road and into the woods on the TT course |
 |
| Sprinting for the finish in the TT |
Day two was very warm and the races were delayed for nearly an hour becuase of the high numbers of people registering. The race sold out in full. I haven't seen that happen in years in a mtb race and it speaks well to how much fun this race was - everyone wanted to join in, especially on such a sunny day. After the 6 hour endurance race got under way, the pro race started 30 minutes later (they started the pro field plus all of the multiple expert fields at once).
 |
| Before the start |
 |
| On the starting line |
 |
| Aaron chasing back to the leaders after the start line carnage |
The trails were tons of fun and all of the other riders were very polite and accommodating given the tight passing areas. Lots of "can I pass on your left" and pleases and thank yous went a long way to getting around slower riders very easily.
On lap #2, I grabbed a bottle of Tri-Berry nuun for some electrolytes. The day was much warmer than I'd anticipated and I was sweating out a lot of salt. Given the short steep hills, it was a recipe for cramping. I started to pick up the pace and felt better and better.
By the end of the second lap, I'd made up some time and was ready to go for lap #3. I grabbed my favorite type of electrolyte drink, nuun's Kona Cola (caffeinated - it tastes somewhat like Coke and gives the energy that Coke gives at the end of a race, but without the carbonation so it's exceptionally easy to drink and doesn't upset my stomach) and roared out for my last lap. I
passed four riders who had been ahead of me for most of the day and just ran out of time to catch two more who were almost in reach by the time I hit the finish to get 7th. The result wasn't the best, but it felt like my form was coming around and I felt better at the finish than at the start - that's a good feeling!
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| Post-race salt deposits on my face - nuun prevented any cramping from dehydration! |
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| Aaron in 4th - rocking his new SOLE Casual Flips |
After a bit of a wait for results - the wait was made much easier by tons of BBQ from Checkered Pig BBQ - we hit the road back to DC to close out on an awesome weekend. A great sunny race weekend - finally warm enough to wear my SOLE Sport Flips - it could be the reason I felt so good this weekend was becuase my feet were happy!
Results are here.
I'd highly recommend this race to anyone next year. The course was tons of fun, the event with its two day format, plus a social event, made for a great time and the prize lists were phenomenal. This was as much fun as I'd had at some great events last summer like the Massanutten Hoo-Ha, the Leadville 100 or Shenandoah 100.
Next up for me are two circuit races in Maryland this weekend, then a crit and the Jefferson Cup road race next weekend in Charlottesville, VA.
- Jeff
March 15, 2011
new sunglasses!
Optic nerve sent some shades for 2011...Their otto syte sunglasses are my favorite... I lost the pair i had last year and had been missing them.
March 10, 2011
California Training
I went to California recently on my annual pilgrimage to somewhere warm, sunny and green to fight off the end of winter doldrums and to get a solid week of road riding miles into my legs. Like last year, I headed to Los Olivos, CA, just outside of Santa Barbara. Los Olivos is home to the Santa Ynez round of the US Cup mountain bike series, and even more appropriate for a week's vacation, multiple high quality vineyards and lots of climbing on quiet roads.
This year I headed to CA to ride with my girlfriend, Laura, and three teammates from my National Capital Velo Club road team, Tom, Rob and Rob, and Rob girlfriend (and my realtor), Tiffany. As we drove north from LAX to Los Olivos, it started raining and the weather report was for snow in the mountains surrounding the valley. I thought it never snowed in Southern California!
Our first day of riding, we set out for a 100 mile loop that took us up and over two significant climbs. We could see the snow off in the distance on the descent from this 15 kilometer climb:
Having been stuck in the snowy and cold East Coast for the winter, a 5+ hour day to start the week was a shock to the system, but I was happy to have finished off the ride not completely bonked. I must still have some residual long-distance endurance left over from my fall of adventure racing. As the test-piece mountain in the area, Mt. Figueroa was still snowed in on our second day of riding, we headed out for another 80+ mile ride through the local canyons. Some viciously steep climbs, but thankfully, they were no longer than 10-15 minutes each (with the exception of the hour+ long drag up Foxen Canyon).
Day three brought more clear and warm weather and we headed up Mt. Fig, a mountain that overlooks the Santa Ynez valley and the route climbs almost 4,500 feet in 15 miles. My legs were feeling pretty cooked and I wasn't able to keep up the 350 watt average that I held for the hour long climb last year, and instead enjoyed the scenery on the way up.
Unfortunately, the summit was snowed in still (lucky for me as the guys had to turn back and found me on the way back down - I'd hit a sharp rock and torn my sidewall - I was worried about a very long walk back home, but my Genuine Innovations inflator got me home - I have the Ultrainflate Plus, which is awesome for these trips because I can't always be sure which CO2 cartridges are available and it uses both threaded and unthreaded cartridges).
Day four brought an easy ride and tours of several local vineyards. We bought tons of wine to bring home and really enjoyed our visits to Alma Rosa , Sanford , Dragnonette and several others.
Day five was an epic route - huge climbing (the first one on dirt), crazy descents (one was a 10 mile dirt road descent) and incredible views. Old San Marcos Road into Painted Cave Road hurt me and it took awhile to recover, but hung on to get to the summit of the mountains overlooking Santa Barbara and the crazy descent down Arroyo Burro road to the (suspected) nudist camp and back to Los Olivos. Everyone looked a bit shelled after that 5+ hour loop.
We took one day off due to rain and got in an easy ride on day seven before heading to Los Angeles for the night and our flight out on Sunday. We went out to dinner in Santa Monica and it was very cold - the locals were saying that it was the coldest they'd seen in recent memory... Oh well, I guess it's not always warm and sunny in Southern California, but I hope to go back again in 2012.
You can check out GPS routes of our training days here on the Ride with GPS site.
I'm off to my first mountain bike race of 2011 in Danville, VA this weekend - the opener of the Virginia Off Road Series and promoted by the Southern Virginia Mountain Bike Association. It's a two day event, with time trial on day one and a cross country on day two (or an endurance race for those who are so inclined). The event also has a trail running race (Laura's joining me for this trip to do the half marathon to get ready for the Boston Marathon) and a free screening of the Ride the Divide movie about the incredible mountain bike race from Canada, through the US Rocky Mountains to the Mexico border. Ouch. I'm looking forward to seeing it!
- Jeff
This year I headed to CA to ride with my girlfriend, Laura, and three teammates from my National Capital Velo Club road team, Tom, Rob and Rob, and Rob girlfriend (and my realtor), Tiffany. As we drove north from LAX to Los Olivos, it started raining and the weather report was for snow in the mountains surrounding the valley. I thought it never snowed in Southern California!
Our first day of riding, we set out for a 100 mile loop that took us up and over two significant climbs. We could see the snow off in the distance on the descent from this 15 kilometer climb:
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| Heading down the canyon, snowy mountains in the distance |
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| Stopping for a bite to eat after summiting Drum Canyon |
Unfortunately, the summit was snowed in still (lucky for me as the guys had to turn back and found me on the way back down - I'd hit a sharp rock and torn my sidewall - I was worried about a very long walk back home, but my Genuine Innovations inflator got me home - I have the Ultrainflate Plus, which is awesome for these trips because I can't always be sure which CO2 cartridges are available and it uses both threaded and unthreaded cartridges).
 |
| Heading to Mt. Fig |
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| The start of the climb, proper |
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| Heading up to the mountain summit in the distance |
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| The descent |
Day five was an epic route - huge climbing (the first one on dirt), crazy descents (one was a 10 mile dirt road descent) and incredible views. Old San Marcos Road into Painted Cave Road hurt me and it took awhile to recover, but hung on to get to the summit of the mountains overlooking Santa Barbara and the crazy descent down Arroyo Burro road to the (suspected) nudist camp and back to Los Olivos. Everyone looked a bit shelled after that 5+ hour loop.
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| Looking back at Old San Marcos Pass road |
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| The view from the heights of Santa Barbara |
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| Descending Arroyo Burro |
You can check out GPS routes of our training days here on the Ride with GPS site.
I'm off to my first mountain bike race of 2011 in Danville, VA this weekend - the opener of the Virginia Off Road Series and promoted by the Southern Virginia Mountain Bike Association. It's a two day event, with time trial on day one and a cross country on day two (or an endurance race for those who are so inclined). The event also has a trail running race (Laura's joining me for this trip to do the half marathon to get ready for the Boston Marathon) and a free screening of the Ride the Divide movie about the incredible mountain bike race from Canada, through the US Rocky Mountains to the Mexico border. Ouch. I'm looking forward to seeing it!
- Jeff
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