I took 12th and Namrita 5th. It was one of my best hundies though a broken chain set me back a little. Still I felt great and rode strong one. I’ll write the novel when I get home on Tuesday. 12 hours of driving tomorrow which begins at 5 am, so off to bed.
Brown Santa brought a lot of goodies yesterday:
Lots of Topeak goodies.
Pumps, Mini Pro 20 and Rescue Boxes
My favorite, the Tool Stick 11
Possible TNGA kit?
The dogs are not as excited as I am.
I’ll add more as I find them…..
Thunder, lighting, rain, wind and 100 miles of dirt. The Cohutta 100 deserved the epic moniker that is given to all too many mountain bike races. We arrived to the venue at about 6:20 AM already dressed to ride, took about 10 minutes to take care of the rest of the prerace details, then I spent 25 minutes warming up. At the last minute I ditched my jacket and leg warmers knowing I’d be warm enough soon (as long of the predicted monsoon did not come during the race).
I was a late to the starting line. It seemed that I needed to be up there 15 minutes earlier to get near the front, but it was too cold and wet for that. I edged my way in near the front, but was going to have to merge once they said go. They said “go” and the chaos ensued for 20 seconds as we merged to squeeze through the starting gate, but once on the other side surge at the front kept the complaints to a minimum. I tucked into the back of the lead group and tried to find a wheel that was not going to get shelled as soon as the first climb came. There’s nothing like drafting off of someone going backwards and realizing it too late to make the jump back to the group….or even worse, jumping to someone else how is going backward. It’s like climbing a falling rope.
The guy that got shelled was almost me, but the peak came just in time for me to get back into the group before I was left behind. I wanted to be in this group to be sure I got into the single track in front of most of the traffic. In past editions of this race I was more conservative at the start and it cost me time & energy as I tried to pick my way through riders. Today’s theme was going to be an effective use of efficiency.
The first 9-10 miles were uneventful; though this is the first time I’ve done this race and not felt like I was going to lose my breakfast at this point. I let the group pull away some as we rose to Boyd Gap, but closed the distance in the descent. On Old Copper Rd I let them go again, knowing that rocky, rooty mess was coming. It’s only 50-60 yards long, but on a good day I can pass a lot of riders here and it was a good day. It’s hard to say how many I passed, 5 maybe 6, because I was too busy staying up right. There are decent lines on the sides of this old road bed, but the middle is a mess of thick tree roots and sharp edged rocks. The only place to pass is right down the middle. I accelerated and hoped for the best and it worked nicely. Of course most of these guys were going to pass me back on the next climb, but it was glorious while it lasted.
Up to the first SAG I was in a good group and figured they would be the ones to work with once we were on the forest services roads that make up the middle 70 miles of this course. This group included Andy Applegate, Garth Prosser, and 3-4 guys I didn’t know. That did not play out at all. Rather than working together through this relatively flat section, one after the other took off in search of next guy up the road. I held my pace. I know this course and I knew my limits. I have not done anything over 5 hours & 15 minutes this year and a good day for me at the Cohutta is 7 hours plus. Now was not the time to get on the gas….not yet.
I did get a chance to jump on Ernie‘s wheel through the flattest part on the eastside of the course, which was nice. Since this course mostly dirt roads it’s good to have a draft when on the flats. As soon as the road went up, Ernie rode away. Still I was content to keep my pace. I ditched two bottles and took my bottle & gel at the second SAG. One bottle only because it’s a long steep climb up to SAG 3 at Potato Patch. There is a descent long enough to recover on just past SAG 2 so picked up the pace and even passed one guy in the descent.
The climb that follows is a soul crusher. From the Jack’s River camp ground up past the Mountaintown Creek trail head and finally up to Potato Patch is mean. It’s also where a good bit of the race is decided. Some will go too hard heading into it and suffer a miserable, tortuous morning; some will meter their efforts perfectly and cruise to the top and I was going to come into is a little fresh because I was not going to be one of the former. I did not take long before I was both catching people and being caught. I fought the urge to race anyone and kept my pace steady. I talked to a few of those around me just assure myself I was going easy enough to still do it.
Then I made it to the East Cowpen Trailhead and swung left into a nice 16% grade. The fog did a good job of hiding the pain that lay ahead: 4.6 miles of these steep steps up to Potato Patch and SAG 3. A group of 4 of us had formed here and went to the front. Now it was time to spend some of the energy I was banking. I didn’t accelerate, but I didn’t slow down at all either. First the twin single speeders fell back (they had the same kit on), then another single speeder, and then it was just me another guy (this one with gears). We passed 2 or 3 more as we clawed up the mountain, but each would hang on for a minute or two and then go back to their pace. Finally out of the fog I could see the sign for FS 68, aka Potato Patch (named for the big rocks that look like giant potatoes sticking up out of the ground). I rolled up to SAG 3 with two other guys, one stopped and the other kept going. I stopped long enough to get my two bottles, gel products and caffeine source, and then I was off again. It was way too cold up there to hang out. (I found out later that the ladies from Mulberry Gap were cheering for me).
I bombed the descent that followed and saw the guy that didn’t stop at the SAG. His name was Drew, but wouldn’t find that out until the day after the race when I saw the results. He’ll play a role later in this story. Anyway I eventually catch Drew and another rider before descending FS 17. On paper this is a 12 mile drop from the mountain tops to the valley floor. In reality there is a lot of climbing in that descent. The first 4 miles are just fast. The mud was slick, but aside from a few switch backs there is little to brake for at all. Then the punchy little rollers start. You climbs a hundred yards and then descent a half mile and repeat and repeat and repeat….
Finally the slope becomes more gradual and then just after SAG 4 it’s just flat. Luckily I passed Tim Finkel (whom I met that the 6 hours of Warrior Creek a few weeks before) and his teammate (Robert, I think). I saw them coming from behind and let them come up to me, then it was a pace line for the next several miles. A few times I considered dropping off because the pace was just a little higher than I wanted at the moment, but stuck it out. They both seemed strong. After the race I found out we all had the same thought as some point during that part. The flat parts never last long and we made the right hander that will eventually bring us back up to the Ocoee Whitewater Center. The first pitch is steep and it took me a few minutes to make the transition from fast and flat to slow and up. Tim rode away and Robert fell back.
I have this last part memorized, maybe not as well at the Conyers course, but close. From that flat section it’s a steep, stepped climb, then fast rollers, then the winding descent to SAG 5. There is a SAG for the 65 milers in there too and someone handed me Coke. It was much appreciated. As I was dropping into the holler where SAG 5 was, I heard some riders approaching from behind rather fast. For just a minute I thought I’d let them go and just grind out the last 25-30 miles on my own. Then I saw it was Dan Larocque and Drew. Dan and I finished very close together at the Ouchita Challenge, I may have been 10 seconds up on him. He said something to the effect of “yo dude, want to have a drag race to the end?” Maybe it was not so many words, but I knew what he meant.
Just after they caught me we entered The Three Steps. This one climb has both made and broke my race in the past. We rode the first one eyeing each other, Dan, Drew and I. I threw in a few accelerations, Drew stayed to my left and Dan was right on my wheel. I preferred to set the pace and ramped it up between each step to keep the pressure on. At one point Drew asked if we (Dan and I) had some rivalry going on. Dan replied no, but I knew better. When we crested the top of the steps I accelerated again trying to use the descents to gain an advantage. They were not long enough to get away, but I was able to stay steady on the ensuing climb while Dan & Drew played catch up. We hit the last rolling section fast and I continued to try to make a separation, but they were glued to me.
I almost didn’t recognize the last climb back to the WWC because of the fog/low hanging clouds. We were nearly at the top when I saw a trailhead sign for the Big Frog Wilderness area. I took a quick assessment and then gunned it over the top and down. I made the wide lefthander toward the final SAG and back into the single track. I looked back to see at least a 5 second gap. I knew the single track would be a sloppy mess with a good 12 hours of rain and most of the 65 mile racers already having been through. I stayed on the gas into the last forest road descent. I passed Tim Finkel again and kept on going. I wanted as much time as possible.
I took a bottle a SAG 6 from Zeke without stopping and ripped down the Westfork trail. It bottomed with a switchback and I could see Tim and Dan about 15 seconds back. I motored as best I could up the climb. It was a steady grade which helped me since my legs were screaming at this point. I remembered to drink some while climbing since there would be little chance from here out. I crested the top and they had closed the gap. Dan came in on my wheel with Tim on his.
I nearly lost it heading into the Quartz Loop. I hit some mud and my back wheel came around, but I managed to correct it, get clipped back and retain my spot on the front. I offered to let them come around before the trail got tight, but they declined. We crawled around the Quartz Loop. It rolls up and down for a mile then descends (mostly) yet some how finishes where it began. Once again I right before the descent. It was muddy and loose, but kept the front wheel in control while the back wheel seemed to do what it pleased. I made the turn out of the Quartz Loop and down to the Chestnut Trail and didn’t see anyone behind. I felt like that gap was going to stick.
The last 4 miles or so was scary. I elected to run the Conti Race Kings over the Mountain Kings for speed out on the forest roads. If I could have swapped wheels at the last SAG for something with a big knob I may have had some blood in my knuckles for this last bit. The trail rolls up and down on side hill trail with slick roots. Whenever I felt it was safe I’d look back over my shoulder, but still no one was there. Each steep pitch pushed me every closer to the cramps I had been fighting for the last 30 minutes. I tried unsuccessfully to use the granny gear, but there was too much mud and debris in there. I ground out each one trying not slip and each slip giving me panic that Dan and/or Tim would come up behind me any second.
Just as I hit what I knew was the last little climb on Chestnut, I heard the brakes squealing behind me. Not the slow moving brakes of the 65 milers I had passed, but the fast moving brakes of someone on a mission. I dug deep and crested the hill entering the Thunder Rocks trail and the final descent. Looking back I saw…..Drew. For real? Yup, he didn’t play the attack game and just stayed steady. Now he was passing me. I don’t generally get passed in a descent, so that stung a bit. On the other hand I was pretty wrecked and I’ve seen a few ugly crashes on this trail. I had to let him go and focus on staying up right and limiting my losses. When I made the last turn out of the single track I didn’t see him, I rounded the turn on to the pavement and didn’t see him, then I saw him making the right turn for that last flat mile and half back to the finish. He had about 15 seconds.
I tucked my head down and just focused on my pedaling. For the first half of a mile I didn’t seem to make any gains, then slowly, but surely I was drawing closer. We hit the parking lot and luckily no one alerted him to my presence and fell in behind a 65 miler heading for the finish. I assumed he cracked. Why would he slow up like that? So I came right up behind and then jumped around. He surprised me with his response. He came right around me and began the sprint for home. We made the right turn on to the bridge over the Ocoee with me on his wheel. Then I messed up. I went wide and he went wider….pushing me out the edge of the road. I had to brake to avoid a sign post, but I sprinted hard again. I gained. I made up 2/3rds of a bike length, but then the line came. Drew got it by a nose. I still had not caught my breath when Tim and soon after Dan rolled in.
I love racing. Just when you think you are at your absolute limit…..
Pictures to follow.
The official report is here. My recollection is below:
The 6 Hours of Warrior Creek rocked! Plain and simple. Bum and the guys from BMCC put on some great events (they took over the BURN 24 from me) and this was not exception. Namrita & I raced the duo co-ed category, but really we were after the duo overall class. Also as is the norm in these relay races I was after the fastest lap of the day while still being able to maintain a fast pace throughout.
The plan was for me to start, gain a lead and put some traffic between myself and anyone else in our category. Then Namrita would come out and either maintain the lead or extend it. We didn’t get in early enough to pre-ride the course on Friday, so I did what I could while warming up. I decided to focus on the starting parade loop and then figure the rest out as I went. The parade loop consisted of 1 mile of pavement and then 1/2 of dirt before hitting the single track. That meant just enough room to thin the group before hitting the trail.
I lined up in the second row and as we started I did a quick assessment of who really surged liked they wanted to lead this thing. After about 200 yards we hit a steep hill which lasted another 50 yards. I continued to follow wheels at this point. There was a little shuffling and coasted 10 feet or so. That put me in the back of the lead group of 10-12 that just formed over the hill. I took 3 good pedal strokes, tucked into an aero position and coasted right into 3rd position. I swung wide left and made a smooth arc into the right hand turn and into 2nd place. 50 yards into another right hander and then down hill. I made the turn and tucked again. I buzzed past the lead guy and kept going….without even a pedal stroke. The road twisted through a camp ground and then did a 180* and climbed back out. I had about 3 seconds as I began to climb again. I settled into a rhythm expecting someone to jump off the front (only to blow up 300 yards up the climb). No one did, they were content for the moment. I waited until about 100 yards from the last right turn before we descended into the dirt and stood into a sprint. I made the turn in the lead and never looked back.
Not pre-riding is not the best practice, but I got lucky this time. The trails are so predictable and smooth that I simply just “knew” what was coming next. I do not often find myself leading out a race, so I was going to enjoy this opportunity or blow up trying. I did look back occasionally to see the results of my accelerations and about half through the group had been cut to 6. Someone asked from behind who was on a team (and implied who was solo), I was the only team guy. I knew then that they would let me lead to the finish, since I was stopping after this lap and they were not.
I stayed focused on my form and on picking good lines. It was not technical in the rocks and roots sense, but every turn was bermed (a curving slope). If you stayed off the brakes and used the berm to control the turn and your speed you can really carry a lot of momentum through the turns. The climbs were never steady, but instead broken into little bits with dips to gain more momentum. The course required many bursts of power and very few sections where you needed to stay on the gas for long. Perfect for me to just get after it.
Mile 10 hurt….. a lot. Thankfully the miles were marked, so I knew I only had a couple of miles left and some of that was a descent. The guy behind me, Tim Finkel, mentioned a “nasty rock garden” coming up soon. Having just returned from the Ouachita Challenge in Arkansas, I had no fear of rocks. Namrita pre-rode it before the race and told me not to worry about it. I trusted her and gunned it into the final descent. At this point there were only 3 guys left behind me. I hit the rocks with speed and the hill dipped steeply downward. I flowed over the first set quite well if I do say so myself. Then trail dipped even steeper, though smoothly and then shot back up for a second before making sharp left hander. Then the “gnarly” part came. I could still hear the others behind me at this point, so I accelerated and hoped for the best. The line was not clear, but it was there and momentum was my friend. I cleared the rocks without pause and accelerated again once I was clear. I made a sharp switchback which lead me under rock garden above and could see that I had at least a 10 second gap. I accelerated again because I could hear the finish.
I surprised Namrita. Maybe it was because I was first out or because I was a good 8 minutes ahead of schedule. We had a long transition area to make the hand off and I set her rolling with a clear trail ahead. And then she crushed it, adding more minutes to the lead.
Then my head felt like it was going to explode, my lungs hurt and my legs ached…..but I was done for an hour. Namrita did her part in adding to the lead from there and I continued to turn myself inside out on each lap. It was great to be able to go full gas instead of holding back because I have 5 more hours to ride.
Namrita did the last lap and we finished with a healthy lead. We cleaned up our pit, let the dogs swim some and then headed to the awards ceremony up the road (no alcohol in the park). We hung with the Faster Mustache crew, had BBQ & beers then headed off for a relaxing evening of sitting next to a campfire. What a great weekend.
They are not a big departure from recent years and that’s OK, because I’m quite used to the Euro fashion we have donned in the past:
2010 Topeak-Ergon Racing Team Jersey
SRAM has signed on as a sponsor of the Topeak-Ergon team for 2010. I’m stoked to try out the XX group. From all that I have seen, heard and touched (the latter only at trade shows) it’s lighter, smoother, more simple to operate and just makes sense.
SRAM
In a nut shell it has been slow going. I started working in the gym back in Oct after a week or so of recover at the end of the 2009 campaign. Working with Kyle from Continuum Sports Solution has been fantastic. He’s put together a strength program that focuses on the what I need to build power and fight off fatigue in the long races (ie, upper back, shoulders and neck). Next week we’ll be moving into the explosive power phase of the program. This portion of my 2010 prep has been going very well…..because it’s done inside.
The weather this winter has been rough. Yesterday was the first day over 40 in a month and really the first non-freezing day in weeks. I’m not one of the hard as nails northerners that can ride outside even when it’s -8*. That’s why I live in the south. I heard it even snowed in Naples, FL last week! So I have put in some time on the trainer, some time on the rollers and have done way more running than usual. There have been some rides, but they have been bitter cold.
Today’s high is going to be in the high 50s, so no more whining it’s time to go ride!
So here is the official version and I’ll add in a few notes in italics…..
Snake Creek Gap Time Trial #1
01.03.10
To bring in the new year, Eddie and Namrita O’Dea from Georgia rode in the first of three Snake Creek off-road Time Trial races. Over 300 riders registered and most of them braved the day’s below freezing temperatures. The O’Deas competed in the 34 mile race. Around the first mile marker, there is a knee-deep creek crossing that all the 34-mile racers needed to negotiate.
Namrita chose to ride it and Eddie chose to walk it with bare feet and legs. Both were successful. After that, the next several miles are rolling singletrack and doubletrack with some steep ups and downs and many rocks littering the trail. Because the ground was frozen, the trail was pretty fast riding.
Namrita and I started separately, so I missed her successful crossing. I did witness 2 or 3 others not make it across and get soaked. I decided to keep the shoes dry due to the 19* temps. Not the boldest decision I’ve very made but neither my feet nor my drivetrain froze later.
However, because it was so cold outside, riders were dealing with frozen drinks, drivetrains, brakes, and limbs. The last five miles of the trail are very technically demanding with steep pitches and many technical rock gardens. Eddie got a flat tire and had some trouble changing it. Thanks to the help of a fellow (Ergon-sponsored) Faster Mustache Team rider he was off rolling again. Eddie caught up to Namrita after the singletrack and both rode into the Finish Line together.
I forgot to go by the shop and pick up tubes. Dumb, dumb, dumb move. So over course I flat. Someone gives me a tube (and they flat just before the finish), but I can’t the tire off the rim because it’s so cold it’s much tighter than usual. Someone gives me a lever. Then I’m messing with the Co2 to refill it and the valve keeps freezing. I try 3 Co2s, but only manage about 15lbs of pressure. I carry on riding up the climbs but walking anything rocking on the descents which is everything on this trail. After a 1/2 mile of this slow crawl someone loans me a pump and I’m on my way. Can you say unprepared?
Race times, in general, were longer than expected for most racers. Namrita finished in 1st place in her class and Eddie, even with his flat tire troubles, finished in 8th place.
I was doing the post-race math and I would have been only an hour back on winner, Thomas Turner. I’m never fast in the winter, but wow, this is a new low. I have much work to do.
The race and volunteer support was excellent, as was the competition in all classes. There are two more Time Trial races left on February 6 and March 6, 2010.
This is all true. A very well run event and I have a chance to redeem myself.
Join Ergon and 55nine Performance for an Endurance Race Clinic (that’s Klinik in German!). Now that the race season prep is upon us, join Team Topeak-Ergon riders Eddie and Namrita O’Dea as they share their valuable tips, insights, and secrets for success in the sport of endurance mountain bike racing. Topics will include off-season base training techniques, nutrition strategy for on and off the bike, tips for efficient pit stops and transitions, and equipment choices. There will also be time for a Q&A session so you can get specific answers to all your racing questions.
Tuesday, December 22, 6 pm
Rochester Bike Shop
426 South Main St., Rochester, MI
(248) 652-6376
http://www.rbs-cyclingteam.com
Saturday, December 26, 3 pm
Velo City Cycles
77 E 8th St., Holland, MI
(616) 355-2000
http://www.velo-citycycles.com
