That's it.

Sunday was a bright and early morning as my race start was 9 am and I had and hour and a half drive ahead of me to get to Dark Mountain.  I got there a little later than I wanted, and the conditions looked curious at best.

I was greeted by the other racers in my class as I had been MIA for a while now.  It was great catching up with them, but that of course ate into what little time I had before the start.  I got a quick warm up in and the course looked great, and dry.  Even the little run off that goes through the start area was dry!  Before the start all the fog burned off - conditions were great!

Having ridden here last week with the 18 (not race pace) I figured I'd be solid with the 20.  Maybe I would have, had my legs not exploded.

I don't know what happened.  Was it the fact that I destroyed my legs at the gym?  I went for a ride Saturday, but it wasn't anything demanding?  Maybe I shouldn't have stayed on the wheel of the guy in front of me off the start and let them go through the flatter stuff ahead of me?  Or maybe, just maybe, I've lost some from not racing in a bit?

Who knows what exactly attributed to it.  But all I can say is I didn't have it.

It wasn't until the second climb that my legs came back and I felt like I could put anything into them, or even stand and push on climbs.  By then it was too late.  The guys in the wave behind me were already catching me so I pulled off to let them go... and got stuck letting them all go as I didn't have time to get back and up to speed before the next guy - so I did a little running in the gaps.

There had been talk of a beer at the top of Snake... if there was beer, I was stopping to have one as this "race" was over for me.  (There was no beer...)  I rode the trail, had some fun, but wasn't able to keep pushing it like I should have been during a race.

So that's a wrap for the season.  It's also probably a wrap for racing for Blood Sweat Gears.  My buddy Sean (my connection to the shop) is out of racing for the foreseeable future due to an overuse injury to his hip.  He was ordered off the bike for over 2 months and is now only getting the ok to leisurely ride - but is told he won't be able to race again.  And Denver is just too far for me to maintain a relationship with the shop.  Of course I'll wear the kit out and about, but I think I'll be racing for someone else (myself) next season.

Some random thoughts about this season:
I need to ride more.
I need to do more focused training.
I don't get nervous at the start anymore because I've come to realize that I really am just racing myself.
Confirmed once again, mountain bikers (as a whole) are good people.
If your race involves a free t-shirt, I will most likely be there!

Oh, and I did manage to finish 5th in the season standings... so that's something I suppose.            

only rain?

I raced on Sunday.

Saturday called for rain in the good old city of Charlotte... well, so does the rest of the damn week...  but what would that mean for Columbia SC, the site of my race on Sunday?  Utilizing the technologies I had at hand, or IN my hand, I surmised that rain would start a bit later there - starting in the overnight and pretty much raining throughout the race.  I've pre-registered, so I'm in.

Somehow I turned off my alarm Sunday morning, randomly I woke up and thought to myself "it's a bit too light out to be too far before my alarm."  So I check my alarm/phone and I have about 10 minutes to spare before my planned departure.  10 minutes won't do, so I end up leaving about 15- 20 minutes late.  That ended up ok as I got into Harbison State Forest at around 9 (with a 10 am start).  Prior to departure I checked the local weather for Columbia... chance of thunderstorms at start time and throughout the race... so.... how will I find out if they cancel??  I pull up a few pages on the intelligent phone so that I can periodically check as I get closer to the race - it's decided, I'm going anyway.

When I arrive it's steady raining, but not super hard... I have a water proof jacket I could wear, but I know that I will overheat with it on... do I warm up with it on to stay warm before the start??  Nope, time was short as it was, so I finally get everything in order and get out on the bike in a short sleeve jersey and bibs.  Once I'm in the woods the falling rain isn't an issue... it's the trails.  Standing water down the middle of some parts, and it's just a sandy/muddy mess that is constantly thrown up by my front tire - not to mention the rear tire of anyone you are following.

Vision will be an issue, but I'm not about to battle the flying water/mud with just my eyes.

Finishing visibility

For probably the last 2-3 miles vision was pretty much shot.  There was no more picking lines, I was just riding and keeping my front wheel as light as possible.  On forest road climbs I pulled my glasses down to prevent fogging, and of course, to get a better view of what was going on.  By this point I was in no man's land anyway.  

Our group was a bit smaller than I anticipated, we had 9 at the start.  We got warnings about wet bridges, and to ride careful and slow (in a race) and then we were sent off.  Off the start is a gravel road climb, and we all stuck together so I didn't have to push too hard.  I was 4th going into the woods and I was right on the wheel of the rider in front of me when he missed a sharp left.  He went straight around a tree to renter the trail and I followed.  A branch popped up as he went over it and as it landed back down my front wheel caught it at a funny angle and I went down.  HARD.  It was in this instance that I was thankful that the ground was saturated as my left shoulder was driven into the ground.  The pine needles and softened earth provided for a nice crashing experience.  My bike, on the other hand, did not come out so coddled.

 My handlebars were spun backwards as I regained my feet.  I had to physically force them back straight as my shifter/brake gouged my frame.  I lost 2 or 3 spots - apparently the front had put in some space on the rear of the group.  I hopped back on and everything seemed to be fine so I took off and quickly re-passed one rider and followed another for a bit until I could pass him on a climb.  He stuck with my for a little bit but I was able to put some distance on him when another rider came up behind looking to get by.  We yo-yoed a bit before he left me as we came out of a grinding climb and I couldn't grab his wheel.

Luckily for me, a fast rider from the 40+ group came by a few seconds later and I was able to grab onto his wheel to get me back up into the singletrack.  He started pulling away and I was alone.  I kept looking ahead for riders, and looking back for challengers... but there was nothing.  I could feel my pace slowing as I no longer felt the urgency of the race.  I tried to focus on my tempo to keep my cadence up to push the speed and get myself back up into a respectable gear.

Then I saw it.  A jersey through the trees as the trail started into a quick switchback section up a short hill.  Instantly the energy returned to my legs.  From the color of his jersey I didn't suspect he was in my age group, but it didn't matter - it was someone to catch.  I lost sight of him and wondered if there had been a rider in front of me.  I exited the singletrack onto another forest road climb and I saw him again at the top of the climb.  I push it up the climb but have a feeling we are toward the end.  I keep looking back as I reach the top of the climb to make sure no one is trying to put a late push on me.  I'm in the clear.  The trail is now speckled with spectators, I MUST be near the end.  I push it hard where I can, but this section is tight and rooty.

Soon the trail open into the grass finish and I cross.  I got 5th.  Did the crash hurt my chances??  Probably not.

I was 2 minutes off 4th... so ultimately I probably would have finished closer to him, but I don't know if I would have had it to finish ahead of him as I know he is a strong rider.  So I'm pretty happy with the race - minus the crash.  I still need to work on the mental game of not losing it in no man's land, but overall I'm pretty pleased with where I am at this point in the season.  Do I need to continue working harder, sure!  But I'm getting there!!


I was one dirty MFer at the end of the race.

I found a nice scrape on my leg to match the gouge on my
frame when I rinsed off the grime.

I think that about sums up the grime I was facing all race.

Oh, you think that is the end?  I've got more to come tomorrow.

Who does #2 work for?

This Sunday marks race number 2 for the season for me.  I'm headed down to Spartanburg SC (about 1:30 from me) for what looks like it's shaping up to be a fast race.  I've scouted through the internets minefield to gather some key information.

Here is the map provided by the Stump Jump site.  Cat3 rides the blue loop shown below.  Cat2 and above ride a longer loop that extends into the trails to the east (past G).

The course should be similar to that of last year, although I know the start will be slightly different but I'm not sure that will be that huge of a change.  Looking at the strava data you can see from the elevation and speed that it looks like it's going to be a fast one.  

From some videos I've found it looks like the (significant) climbs are wide open so it should be easy to get around slower climbers (or move over for faster riders) if necessary.  Here's a little recap from the 2011 Cat3 race - again no sure how close the course will be to this years, but it gives a sense of the terrain.

Looking at the results from last year it looks like I'll be aiming for sub 28 minute laps (26.5 if I'm looking for the win).  From the strava data it would appear 30 minute laps would do the trick...  Cross referencing my data I see that the number 2 spot on the strava list finished in 8th in the Cat3 race.  So 28 sounds like a good aim and we'll see if I have a little extra to lay out there and finish quicker.  In reality I need to try to get off with the front group and just hang on.  If I get stuck too far back I fear I'll settle in with a slower pace, leaving too large of a gap to the front group.  

I go off at 9:30... meaning an early morning for me to get up and out there.  Although the weather looks fine for race day, looks like they'll be getting rain out there Friday.  Someone posted up that the trails don't drain all that well out there, so we'll see how that might effect conditions.

I'm excited for the race.  Not sure who else from the team is going to be there.  I do know that my buddy Sean won't be there - doctor ordered him off the bike for a month due to some back issues - brutal...  With the second race in the books I'll be "in" race season and I just might have to start paying attention/planning my rides a little more appropriately for race preparation.  Although, the pace of the "social" ride is a nice kick in the pants at times - when we aren't standing around and talking on the trail that is.

Well, I'll be back next week with a race recap and other assorted stories.

4th and goal

Sunday was my first race of the season in the Southern Classic Series, Bouldergeist III.  This course, held at San-Lee Park, had it all.  Tight switchbacks, fast trails, a jump line, nice berms, and of course rocks.  Rocks strewn throughout the trail, big boulders to roll, and even a nice climbing rock garden.  Oh yeah, there were roots too.  And I loved every minute of it.

This was such a departure from the winter short track series (just pounding as hard as you can go over smooth trail) and really reminded me of why I love XC racing.  Sure I was sore and tired by the end of it, wondering where the trail would pop out so I could climb back up the start hill to the finish line.  But that's the glory of it, to ride your hardest on a trail that is challenging.

I must say, for having never ridden the trail before I was very proud of my performance on the technical sections.  Pre-riding probably would have helped my speed through some of the faster sections, but over all I was happy with my performance.

Before the race I did ride the intro section of the course up to "bouldergeist."  There was a tight steep switchback leading up to the big rock roller and I knew that would be a place that either I or other riders would get hung up.  Then into the fun.  The roller wasn't bad, it was making sure you were in line for the sharp left that quickly followed was the key to riding this section.  There seemed to be two lines.  The quick hard left utilizing a nice "rock berm" that was in the middle of the trail, or go wide around it. I rolled up right at it to look at the lines.  The outside was clearly chewed up with dragging wheels as riders grabbed fistfuls of breaks... didn't look like the line I wanted.  If you went too wide you'd be down in the creek.  There was a guy setting up the sponsor banners and I commented that it looked like the inside was the way to go.  He concurred.  He also gave me a little hint as to where to come off the roller to be set up perfectly for it.  It was a great hint indeed.

When race time came around I took full advantage of my "insider" knowledge and cleaned the section flawlessly.  Well, THAT section at least.  Remember, I hadn't actually ridden the rock berm and down across the creek crossing.

The approach

Headed right for "dismount"

Off and clear

Lining up to utilize the rock berm

getting it

cleared

what's that guy over there on the left of the trail doing?

Yup, as I was headed to ride the rocks built over the creek bed I made the mistake of looking at the guy standing with his bike off to the side of the trail.  What happened next?  Over the bars I went as I crossed the rocks.  Luckily I rolled free and into the trail, my bike was fine, but launched my water bottle.  I got up quickly, grabbing my bottle and stuffing it back in it's cage, and I was back and riding.  Only problem was that now the rider in front had put in a gap.  And, of course, confidence was a bit shaken for a while...

The race was long, but this post doesn't have to be... so I'll get the rest of the story and results to you tomorrow... unless, of course, you are a detective.  Then you likely already know the results.    

*Thanks go out to my teammate Sean for the pictures

Ready...Set...

It starts (for me) this weekend, the Southern Classic Series.

From what my teammate Keith tells me, it's a rocky one.  

photos from the facebook

I'm ok with that as I'm not one to shy away from the rocks.  I miss the rocks.  Well, I say that now, but we'll see what this course is like come race day.  If it is that rocky, that will likely mean speeds will be down.  So it will come down to actual mountain biking and not just a mashfest like the winter short track series - so that is good!    

I'm excited, but since starting the new job it feels like I haven't ridden in forever!!  The winter series seems so far off... it will be interesting to see just where I am fitness wise for this race.  As I'm settling into the new job hopefully I can get some sort of riding schedule fit in there somewhere.  But what better way to start the year off then to just jump in feet first?  

I'm ready.

Oh, I also got my new team kit - so I'll look legit and flashy for the race.  It's race cut (ordered club fit) so I'm glad I've dropped a couple pounds...

My bad

I forgot to post yesterday, sorry.  All Monday evening I thought about just sitting down to write, but I didn't - figuring I would just write the next morning.  Clearly that didn't happen.  Today I will write about what I was going to write about yesterday, but with an extra bonus.  So, maybe it was worth the wait?  Probably not, but let's go with that.

SO, it's already time to get into the nitty gritty of race season.  Yeah, the Southern Classic starts in March.  Like, the very beginning of March.

March 3, 2013, Killer 3 MTB Race Sumter, SC racedirector@mtpleasantvelo.org www.mtpleasantvelo.org

March 17, 2013, San Lee Park Sanford, NC Storm Racing Team 910/603-0406 stormracingteam@gmail.com

April 7, 2013 SERC AMBC Tsali Knobscorcher, Bryson City, NC                                     http://www.goneriding.com/ Gone Riding, 352/873-9279

April 21, 2013, Stump Jump AMBC Spartanburg, SC www.stumpjump.org

April 28 , 2013 Harbison State Forest Mountain Bike Trail Columbia, SC www.cyclecenter.com

May 19, 2013, Catawba Riverfront Classic US Whitewater Center Charlotte, NC 704/503-0138, www.charlottemtnbike.com

June 2, 2013 Uwharrie Troy , NC Storm Racing Team 910/603-0406 stormracingteam@gmail.com

June 9 , 2013, Hobby Park Winston-Salem , NC http://www.paulscyclingfitness.com Paul's Cycling & Fitness

June 23, 2013, SERC AMBC Tiger Rag Clemson, SC http://www.goneriding.com/ Gone Riding, 352/873-9279

July 7, 2013, SERC AMBC SERC #8 Woolwine , VA http://www.goneriding.com/ Gone Riding, 352/873-9279

July 14, 2013, Battle of the Bikes at Country Park Greensboro, NC www.racinginthewoods.com David Harlowe

August 3 & 4, 2013, SERC AMBC (DH/ST/XC)        Fontana Village http://www.goneriding.com/ Gone Riding, 352/873-9279

August 11, 2013, Sizzler Greensboro, NC http://greensborofattire.org Greensboro Fat Tire Society

August 25, 2013, Dark Mountain (SCS Finals) North Wilkesboro , NC www.bmcc.us  Jim Smalley, NCBikingJim@yahoo.com

Because of the fact that that is WICKED early for a race season to start for my New England bones, I'm definitely not racing in the first race.  I need some "time off" so to speak.  Annie needs some time off, you should have seen her face when I told her the series started on March 3.  She assumed the worst and imagined that meant that I would continue to race every weekend.  I assured her it was much more on pace with what she was used to, typically twice a month at max.  

I'm assuming all of you have been boning up on your Da Vinci Code and were able to decipher the clues I left you on the series calendar, notifying you of which I intend to race.  The way I choose my races was pretty damn simple.  I started with the fact that 9 races out of a possible 14 would count towards your overall points.  Thus, I needed a minimum of 9 races.  Cool.  Then I utilized good old google's maps in order to figure out how far I'd be driving to the various courses.  Gone are the days of being able to utilize my parent's house to cut down on race day travel... so all driving would be prior to the race = shortest drive times possible.  So that was easy, automatic entries included anything under 2 hours.  That left me one short of the necessary 9.  

It also left me without a race in March... which was ok considering March is an ungodly early month to start a summer series and the fact that the first race is mere weeks away.  The second race in that month being held the day after St. Patrick's Day (anyone who knows me that I am rarely in tip top shape the day after St. Patrick's Day).  What, with all the revelry with the green solo cups and tupperware (for my snacks dude) how can I be expected to make great bike race?  

*edit: OR, the day OF St. Patrick's Day.... duh

Anyway, it left me short.  I decided: it's legit, I live in NC so I have to start racing like I live here.  So pick up a race in March I did.  And from what I've heard from teammates, I picked a gnarly one.  Good, let's get on to some mountain biking with some actual technical features and not a dirt roadies wet dream of a course.  It it about a 2 hour and 20 minute drive, so it's not that bad.  

So, there you have it.  My race schedule in a loose nut shell.  

The added bonus for waiting around for my post?  I'm sorry to say it isn't so exciting.  

Yesterday while on the trainer I decided that since the season is creeping up quickly that it's time to get off the trainer schedule and get back to grabbing some real life miles out there.  Well, I decided it and google couldn't back me up or contradict me in any manner so I'm going with it.  My thinking is that I need to get the miles back into my legs since I've just finished a short track series... which didn't include a lot of miles.  My bigger thinking is that I need to initiate "winter training" earlier in the year, PRIOR to the winter short track series.  Race the series WHILE working on base miles and then be fully on for the season.  This season I'm just doing it as it comes which is totally fine cause I'm just a meager Cat 3 racer.  Maybe one day when I grow up big and strong and I am Cat 2 some solid semblance of a routine will come into effect... although, probably the routine before the cat-ing up.  

Overall I'm pretty excited about the series.  I'm happy with the schedule (1 race/month 2 races/month on and off) which should allow plenty of growth throughout the season.  And by growth I mean (fingers crossed) improvement.  

it's done

The Winter Short Track Series is over.  And what a way to finish!

Snow (real, legit, snowball making snow) hit Charlotte the evening before the race which meant the race would a cold muddy mess of a fun time!

Snowballs being caught, and sometimes eaten, by the dogs.

My brother happened to be out on the roads as the snow started coming down and he was confused as to whether other drivers were going fast because they were just going home from work or because they were freaking out from the weather?

Or maybe they needed precious supplies before they got snowed in?

Before the finale I got a little something in the mail.  On top of uploading my ride data to the garmins site, Strava, Singletracks (manually - although sometimes I get to upload gxp data to share trails and whatnot), I also upload my data to Plus3.  Garmins and Strava are my data examining sites, Singletracks was the first (when I was just using a cateye with no gps to log my rides) and I've just maintained loyalty, but Plus3 is my altruistic site.  Every activity you log (mountain biking, road riding, spinning, hitting the gym, walking the dog, hiking, canoeing, etc.) earns your charity money at a set rate per activity (could be time based or distance based).    So, I am getting paid - which is then donated - to do what I do.  It's a pretty cool deal, and pretty effortless on my part, since I'm uploading my data anyway.  Since I've joined the site I've always been linked with the IMBA charity.  So far through my efforts I have raised $175.  The site, and all it's members, has moved a total of $776,175.35 to all of it's sponsored charities.  Pretty damn sweet.  Check it out, help out some great charities, and get paid to ride like me!!

Ok, to the race!  Annie and Andrew (my brother) braved the cold temperatures to cheer me on in the final race.  Andrew got some great pictures as well!  The course was a slick muddy mess... during my pre-ride some of the berms were a chopped up mess, but by race time things had settled down and they were pretty stiff.  The real issue was the damn grass section.  Last time the weather was crappy it was a suck fest, Sunday would be no different.  As you entered the "grass" it was a mud field, at first I wondered if I had mistakenly entered a cross race.  The "line" was to the inside, straight through a number of puddles.  Once you hit the short up there was a more "established" line through some more mud... but at least the grass had been cleared away, right?  It sucked.  It sucked so bad they removed it from the course after our race, THANKS!

The field was much smaller today, just 12 riders.  Off the start I missed my pedal (numerous times) and ended up slamming my shin with it, fun.  Suffice it to say, I speed up to catch the back of the pack going into the woods.  Of course I would have liked to be up a few spots going in... but what can you do.  Before the start finish I had regained 3 spots.

Look how clean I was on lap 2

I had moved my way up to 8th

Finishing strong, and dirty

a mess

who wants to ride?

Mud was everywhere.  I ate mud on every lap.  I had mud all over my face.  It was fun, but it was slower out there due to the field.  I broke the top 10 (which had been my goal after last week's performance) with a 9th place finish, so I guess that's good.

Now it's on to the Southern Classic Series which kicks off March 3rd!!!  No rest for the racers.  I'll explore my schedule with you tomorrow.  But before that, I still have to clean my bike!