Disc Burner 12 Hour
I returned home from MN on Friday at 1:00, by 2:00 we were heading out north of Knoxville, TN for the Disc Burner 12 Hour. When we arrived I was more than ready to get out a stretch my legs on the Rotwild. We kitted up and hit the trail.
Panther Creek State Park trails are fast & flowing with small punchy climbs and just enough technical bits to keep a mountain biker honest. I heard there was 900+ feet per 8.5 mile lap, but there is no big climb. Each climb was just short enough one could really peg it over the top before blowing up.
After the ride we headed to the nearest town get some dinner and supplies. So many of the races in the south are just outside of no where and this one was no exception. I was impressed with the beer selection in the local grocery and came away with a post-race sixer of New Belgium 1554.
We slept in our pit, so were immediately immersed in pre-race chores when we awoke. Coffee, breakfast, bottles, clothes, bikes, warm up, stage the bike for the running start and then get to the starting line. I forgot my tube & Co2. I job back to the pit yelling for Namrita to help me find the two. She tosses me pair, already taped together, I turn and then hear “Go” as I watch the race begin. I sprint around the timing tent into the back of the group, through a crowd and up the hill to our bikes. I grab mine and head out in 15th or so place.
The opening climb is steep and wide, so I begin leap frogging riders toward the front of the race. I crested the first hill in 5th. I had no real strategy for this race. Go fast enough to set an early lead over the other duo teams, then see what shakes out later. I passed two more racers on some punchy climbs and came up behind Andy Applegate and another guy.
Andy asked “have you ridden here?”
“Just yesterday.”
“That’s one more ride than us, you go ahead.”
And just like that I found myself leading a race.
Andy was glued to my wheel for another couple miles, but as the trail narrowed and became more technical my pre-ride knowledge became more useful and I gapped him. Since I had no traffic to contend with I decided to extend the lead as much as possible on the teams behind me and I drove the pedals harder. I came through the start/finish with a minute and a half on Andy and nearly 5 on the next duo team. We decided before the race to do two laps at a time, so headed back out and managed to hold that lead again.
After tagging out with Namrita, I began the eat, play with the dogs, eat, check the bike, eat, hand Nam a bottle, eat, relax, then warm up process until I was my turn again. The next lap was better than my first two as I became more familiar with course and how to carry my speed better. Then during my fourth lap my middle chain ring had enough. The chain would not sit on the ring under tension ie during a climb. This entirely avoidable with proper maintenance, but that was not the time to dwell on such things. I nursed the drive train through the first half of the lap which had most of the climbs, then shifted up to the big ring for the remainder of the lap. It hurt a bit more, but I could also carry more momentum too.
Back at the pit, I added find a suitable middle ring and attempt to replace mine to the between lap process. The six hour racers finished up while Namrita was out on her 4th lap and Carey Lowery offered her middle ring. I could the appropriate tools and went to work. I couldn’t figure out how to remove the XTR crank to remove the chain rings, put it all back together & returned the tool just in time to see Namrita returning from her lap. During this attempted swap I was watching our competition and thought I saw them head out with a huge lead. I took off on my lap with a mission and only the big and small ring to accomplish it.
I turned my fastest lap of the day. I recorded 38 minutes and change, about a minute and half off my best time, but was only awarded just under 40 minutes officially. I was later disappointed to not set the fastest lap of the day, but it was no matter as I was more focused on winning the race. I came through that first lap without catching the other duo team. I pushed hard again and turned my third fastest lap. I finished that lap without passing the other duo team. I was not real happy about that.
I began my in between lap process again, but added check the timing to the program. It turns out I never passed the other team because we were ahead the whole time. Namrita did a great couple of laps and held the lead by 3 minutes, then I added another 12 or so while I thought I was chasing them down. Always race like you are in second place.
We were making ourselves ready to ride when handing up bottles to each other just in case one of us needed to stop for any reason. I was there with Nam’s bottle when she came through and yelled that I needed to go, so I did. My legs were none too happy about that first climb with no warm up, but after about 10 minutes I was rolling out. I’d stand and hammer in the big ring until the steepest pitches, then sit and spin with little ring, crest the top and hammer that big ring again. I was actually going fast, which is fairly new experience for me after a few years of stretching my endurance. All the work I did this year to build up some speed was finally paying off.
Namrita went out for one more lap as my legs were no feeling great after the unscheduled lap. I loaded up on some liquids, then finished off the last two laps. Knowing we had a healthy lead I toned down the pace a little, but I also wanted to be done and drink a beer, so still kept the pace steady. I glanced at my watch about half way through that last lap and did the math…..I could make the cut off for one more lap. I eased up a bit. No need today.
We took the duo teams category and finished fifth over all, so it was a good day. We scored some gift certificates from River Sports in Knoxville. Namrita took home some new road shoes and I have some much needed new gloves. Many thanks to Dave Holmes, another racer turner direct, the volunteers, Panther Creek State Park and all of the sponsors of the Disc Burner.
Namrita posted a bunch of pictures and there should be more coming from Dave soon.
In other race news for the day the following 55nine clients cleaned house: Carey Lowery in 1st for the women’s 6 hour solo, Susan Williams in 1st for the women’s 12 hour solo, and Jarret Kinder in first for the men’s 12 hour. Andy Applegate of Velosport and fellow Wobble-Naught fitter took 1st in the 6 hour solo. Are you seeing the trend?