February test time

I have a loop that I started doing last year that is on the forest service roads around the house. It takes me over three pretty good climbs and is all dirt roads, my favorite stuff to ride.

I starting using it as somewhat of a fitness test mostly due to the fact that since I tend to ride by my lonesome more often than not I don't have a real good way to gauge my fitness if there is a long gap between races.

I do it on my single speed mtn. bike which helps eliminate variables. Same bike, same gear so equipment gets thrown out of the equation. Since most of the loop is through the forest the wind is a non factor. The only real difference is the condition of the roads, when it is super dry I can go uphill faster but have to be a bit more cautious on the downhills. When they are tacky I usually have to grind a bit more on the climbs but can rip it going down. So a pretty good trade off though I prefer dry as the climbs are hard enough.



Last year my best time on this loop was 1:48, it came after I had done a half dozen or so mtn. bike races and I was just about to start my training for the coming cross season. I recall feeling pretty good that day and it beat my previous fastest time by almost 5 min. Needless to say I was pretty happy with the effort.
I hadn't done one yet this year, mostly due to not being motivated to suffer for almost 2 hours.

This week I finally found myself with the desire to give it a go and though I was ready for the effort I wasn't expecting great results. One thing in my favor at least was I was getting to ride in shorts for the first time in quite a while, that always helps make you feel faster.

Once I leave the short paved stretch the timer starts, the first bit is slightly rolling then it goes to a long false flat. After 7 or 8 min. you hit the start of the real climb. The first of the 3 is by far the steepest and the ramp to get it started pegs the hr right off the bat. From this point to the top is mostly out of the saddle climbing with only a few short stretches where you can sit and recover slightly. The whole way up I felt like I was moving pretty slow but I stayed on it in hopes that I would hit the top in under 25 min. I think the fastest I have gotten there is just under 23 min. so I at least would have some idea how things were going when I made it there. When I rolled under the parkway I looked at the watch and to my surprise 21 min. and some change.

Well now I was really motivated because I might actually post a pretty good time. A nice long downhill to the Mills River camp ground and the start of climb #2. This one starts out pretty steady and stays a good constant grade most of the way to the top. A couple of steeper pitches which require an out of the saddle effort but the majority of it is done seated. Probably my favorite of the three, the gear just seems to be right and you can get in a good rhythm. Goal to the top of this one is to be there in under an hour and upon hitting the top I was well under 1 hour so I was still going pretty good.

Another quick drop before climb # 3, which is also the easiest. Long false flat stretch followed by a short steep bit then it stays steady all the way to the top. The grade is such that I almost get a bit spun on the single speed. As I made my way to the top I felt as though I was really turning the pedals over quickly, nice feeling and I knew once I was there it was the last fast downhill back to the pavement. At the bottom of the hill it flattens out just enough that I spend the last few minutes doing plenty of high rpm's and getting into my "aero" tuck. There is one last short steep little grinder to make the legs ache but by the time you hit it you are focused on getting to the finish so you are over it in no time.

As I am coming to the pavement and spinning like a mad man I am hoping that I at least managed a sub 1:55. As I hit the line I check the watch, 1:41 and a few seconds. I did a quick double take to make sure I read it right and then a quick grin. I didn't expect that I would have gone that quick but I was stoked. I guess I could chalk it up to left over fitness from cross season or maybe it is due to riding my single speed cross bike quite a bit the last couple of months. That bike has a much bigger gear and I ride it on most of the same stuff but just have to really push and grind my way to the top of the climbs. Either way it bodes well for the coming mtn. bike season.

At least I was riding outside?

As I headed out for my ride yesterday I had intentions of doing 3 hours and riding a couple of the dirt roads and hitting two of the nice long climbs. It was a bit cold at the start but as I spun along I began to warm up and by the time I hit some of the less travelled roads everything was going as planned. About 45 min. into the ride it started to snow a bit, pretty light and I was still enjoying the fact that I wasn't on the trainer.



With the snow came a bit more wind and that is when I started to notice then temp. was dropping. Everything was staying pretty warm with the exception of my hands.Every time my hands or feet start to get cold I think of one of my good friends EJ. He constantly complains about the cold and has the most impressive arsenal of gloves and footwear you have ever seen. More so when you consider he lives in Texas.



I started to think about cutting the ride short knowing that the dirt roads I planned to hit would be well shaded and even colder. By the time I had made my decision and turned around and started back to home my hands were frozen. I tried to shake them, kept my fingers clinched, anything to get them to warm up. I upped the pace in an attempt to generate more body heat and tried to think of something other than my hands.



Once I got home I headed up from the garage and promptly plopped down in the big chair in the living room. Ellie Paige, my 4 year old daughter made every attempt to warm me up. Got me a big fuzzy blanket as well as a big comfy pillow that she put behind my head. As the blood made it's way back to my fingers I was in agony, all I could manage was to just sit there and try to let it pass. Seems like as I have gotten older it has gotten worse, maybe my circulation isn't as good as it once was or maybe it is due to the fact that I have broken both my wrists but either way not a fun experience.



Today the tips of my fingers are still a bit numb and sensitive and I am thinking that maybe the trainer isn't so bad after all.

This is my single speed cross bike, it is near and dear to my heart due to the fact that I helped make it with my own two grubby mitts. I have raced it a few times this Fall as well as put a bunch of miles on it riding the forest service roads around the house.


I decided that I would race it this past weekend at the Southern Cross race in Ellijay, GA. The race was patterned after the Three Peaks / Iron Cross race. Basically an endurance "cross" race of sorts. They had a single speed class and since I had the bike and had always wanted to do a race of this type I jumped at the chance.


The race was at Mulberry Gap, which is a really nice camping area complete with killer cabins. We started with a short lap around the property and then headed out on a big loop that was primarily forest service dirt roads. About 12 miles into the loop there was a nice long climb that from reports took anywhere from an hour to an hour and a half to make it to the top. Once you topped out you went along a ridge before dropping down a long fast switch back downhill. From the bottom of the hill you had just a few miles of rolling terrain and then you were back at Mulberry Gap. We did the same basic loop though with an added 200 yard "run up" that was about a 45% grade. A quick drop through the woods and then a short paved climb to the finish.


The race started and was more casual than a typical cross race, but I guess the fact that it was three hours long rather than 1 might of had something to do with that. After the quick lap around the campground we all started the big loop mostly as one big group. From here the dirt road was mostly flat to downhill until we reached a short paved stretch. I was surprised that once we hit the paved section and there were only three of us together. One guy with gears and Mark Hekman. http://wherethehekismarkman.blogspot.com/


I tagged him as my main competition in the single speed class and knew it was going to be a fun day. Of course with me riding a 39X17 and Mark on a 39X20 we weren't going to put time into anyone riding behind us so it wasn't long until we were caught by a group of 7 or 8 others. We kinda got into a pace line though I stayed at the back spinning and hanging on and glad for the fact that we were going into a pretty good headwind. Just as we were heading off the pavement another group of 10 or so caught us but it was just before the climb started as well as being back on the dirt for good.


The first part of the climb was a pretty shallow grade and the gear I had was perfect. In pretty short order Mark, myself and the eventual overall winner were away from the group. We settled into a comfortable rhythm and worked our way towards the top. About half way up it started to get steeper and my gear started to get tougher. More out of the saddle climbing and the effort level was ramped up noticeably. Mark and I were more or less in the same boat though his slightly easier gear had him spinning in the saddle a bit more than me. A few times I thought we might of had the guy with gears in trouble but as it got steeper he was able to get in a more appropriate gear and it wasn't long until he was setting the pace.


This is where the real pain for me started, I was really having to mash my gear and spend a bunch of time out of the saddle. I also knew that we had a plenty still in front of us and it only got steeper. Mark and the other guy gaped me a bit and I tried to settle into a pace that would get me to the top and hopefully not loose much time.


The higher we went and the steeper it got the softer the road was. So not only was the grade getting to you but you were plowing a nice two inch deep rut through what had been ice and snow covered road the day before. We hit the first aid station and made a hard hairpin turn and it got really steep and muddy, which also started the get of the bike and run / walk time for me. I could see Mark in front of me also off his bike and I closed the gap up to him. We rode together for the next 20 minutes or so and were in the same predicament, grind for as long as you could then get off the bike and push. As we got nearer to the top it started to fog up a bit as well, the visibility was down to about a hundred yards. On one of the many times I was jumping back on the bike I looked back to see where Mark was and couldn't see him. Normally you would think pour it on and try to really put time into someone but I just kept plowing along.

I knew that is was unlikely that I was going to catch the leader but I also hoped that I could get a good gap on everyone behind me before we started the downhill. About a mile or two before the top of the ridge I was caught by one guy with gears. He was able to ride where I had to push, found out after the race he had a 34X28 on his cross bike. I knew he was a pro roadie so I wasn't hanging my head when he went by. I kept up the pace and was trying to stay focused until I go to start the downhill. There were a few times that I thought thank goodness we are heading down only to see the road climb in front of me again. The section along the top of the ridge went further than I expected. Just as the fog seemed to start to lift I started down the long switchback downhill.

For the next few miles it was time to let it rip. I would spin as fast as I could then hang on as I flew down the hill. I was hoping to close the gap on second place overall and about half way down I started to get sight of him in the 180 corners. Most of the road was fast and smooth but every once in a while you would hit a nasty wash board section that had you hanging on and wishing you were on a mtn. bike. By the bottom I had gotten to within about 5-10 seconds of the second place guy but he looked back and saw me coming and ramped it up on the mostly flat road back to the camp. When we would hit an uphill grade I was able to get closer but then we would go over the top and he would open it up again.

As we made the left turn back into Mulberry Gap you were face to face with the killer "runup", definitely not UCI legal. Luckily there were small steps cut into the hill and it was muddy or I am not sure we would have made it to the top. From there it was a short rip through the woods then a couple of quick dismounts and a short steep paved climb to the finish. I was happy to finish third overall and first single speed.

Fun day at the races and the promoters did a great job! Killer chili after the race, homemade cookies, good coffee, free beer and plenty of swag. I will definitely go back.

This Saturday is the Southern Cross, kinda part cross race part dirt road race. From what I can gather from the flyer we are doing a fairly standard cross lap here.
http://www.mulberrygap.com/

Then we head out for a big loop on the forest service roads.
http://www.mapmyride.com/route/us/ga/ellijay/486209563805

I am going to do it on my single speed cross bike and because of what looks like a fairly stout climb I switched out the 42 front ring for a 39. Not really much difference but if I didn't switch it out I would be second guessing myself the entire race. Either way it should be a good time and I am really looking forward to it.

I did a cross race a couple of weekends ago on the single speed and the muddy conditions had me grinding along in the 42X17 at about 40-50 rpms the entire race.
It has taken up till now to recover from it. The combination of the cold weather and the pushing and pulling on the pedals had my legs sore in places they hadn't been all year. It wasn't' until about two or three laps to go until I finally got in a groove and felt fast. I was able to open up a good gap on the rest of the field and was able to preserve my perfect record this year on the single speed, 5 races 5 wins.

This time of year is always tough. I have been focused and training for cyclocross and then almost as fast as the season started it is over. I seem to have a hard time every year getting back at it. The rides feel harder and the legs just don't want to spin the pedals as easily.

The season went really well and I felt like I was back to my old self this year. I won the North Carolina series, the State Championship, and a few bigger Masters races. I raced with the Elites at the NCGP UCI weekend and had a good time. I was really happy to be competitive with them and it made me think that maybe next year I will race with the Elite guys a bit more. The last several years I haven't due to the rules regarding being able to go to Masters Cross Worlds. They don't want Elite guys sandbagging the race so basically if you are ranked that year with any UCI points it prevents you from being able to race.

I asked for NORBA to give me back my Pro license and they did. Kind of a good thing bad thing deal. Really I am excited about the challenge and hope I can be competitive at the big mtn. bike races. I feel like I should have a good year at least once I can get the spark back and start pushing the pedals in anger once again. With the move from Texas to Asheville, NC. I rediscovered my passion for the mtn. bike. I spent more time in the dirt last year than the last 5 in Texas.

I made it to a few local races last year and at most of them was able to ride in the Pro open class, so I got to test the waters a bit against the fast guys. To my surprise I was able to do pretty well. I think the combination of the new terrain to ride on, and the switch to riding a single speed had allowed me to have fun but also get out for some quality rides that had me fit with out doing what I would consider "real" training. Not sure it is wise to mess with what worked last year so I plan on not doing anything much differently this year. Ride my bike because it is fun, go hard on the hills when I feel like it and race my mtn. bike when time and Family allows. Besides I have to keep fresh for when the "real" season starts, Cross will be here before you know it.