Mich-OUCH!

Did you see that? I totally used a play on words in my title. I. Am. So. Clever.

Anyway, aside from pandering myself (and check in that box), as Tim said, we have not updated because we are lazy. As, a matter of fact I actually have TWO race updates.

Numero 1: Greenbrier Challenge

Warm, overcast 60 degree conditions, with my father there to give me bottles; this race was setting up to be ideal. There were only three starters in the 19-24 Cat 1's, so they started us with the 25-29 cat 1's. Things went off without a hitch, the three of us quickly rode away from the other category. I got the hole shot. Got passed by the other two on the first climb, closed down any sort of gap and passed 2nd on the first descent. Things were looking swell until I noticed my rear rim banging off rocks and spewing Stan's Solution Sealant through a tear on the sidewall. I threw in a tube, but flatted less than 100 yards later (apparently tubes don't like to be ridden with holes in tires)....and my day was done.

Number Deux : Michaux Maximus

Two things lead to super successful races: a supreme lack of sleep and a 20 degree spike in temperature. Both of these things happened for me at Michaux.

The race started off as Tim said, with me hammering, and him settling into a rythm. Shortly thereafter I knew it was going to be a horrible day as I felt like complete and utter crap from getting little sleep due to final projects/exams the week before and the temperature being in the mid-80's with high humidity, but hoped my legs would turn around.....

....They never did. At this point, I pulled of the side of the trail, relieved myself, watched Tim ride by (admiring how well he was riding and, of course, heckling him) and settled back in for a long ride of suck for the rest of day. The funny part was, I really really contemplated dropping out at the first aid station at mile 12, but just decided to keep plodding along. I do have to say, the trails in Michaux are AWESOME. On the longer, technically fun descents full of classic Pee-Yay mountain laurel, I was able to thoroughly enjoy myself, even being completely drained.

Again, I have say how well Tim was riding. Had it not been for the cramps, he would have had a very good result. So, I give Tim a tip of the hat for his riding and a wag of the finger to his cramps.

Oh, Michaux!

We here at TBS Racing Inc. enjoy taking our time when reporting our racing experiences. It isn't that we don't want you to be up to date, it's just that we're pretty lazy sometimes. But alas, we have been racing! Here is a picture to prove that Denny and I [Tim] at least started the Michaux Maximus this past weekend:

This picture is a good representation of our different racing styles. Denny likes to hammer from the gun, I prefer to go all Zen on long events.

Now if you are unfamiliar with Michaux, let me bring you up to date with a quick synopsis of the events and area. Michaux is a mountain biker's race. Now, I don't just mean that you race Michaux on a mountain bike, but rather it takes a true mountain biker to genuinely enjoy the event. The trails are about the toughest you will find across the country, and the unforgiving undulations and geographic qualities of the area create many casualties of both flesh and metal alike. Forty miles of Michaux is guaranteed to beat you up proper, regardless of how your legs are feeling. 

So, blah blah blah, these trails are freaking tough. You get the point? Good. Let's move on.

For the first time this year, I opted for a camelbak to accommodate my hydration needs. Denny made the same choice, though I poked fun at the obscene size of his camelbak by stuffing a crankset and bottom bracket in the back pocket before the race, "just in case." Little did I know, the joke would be on me later in the race. The temperature was supposed to reach 85 degrees that day, so our warm-up strategy was to drink a bottle of water and sit around until the race started. We knew it would be a long day on the bike, and the start of the race would do little to determine our finishing places, so warming up was decidedly overrated. 

The race commences, and I casually move up the field as Denny hammers his way towards the front. I let him go after a few minutes, and would catch up with him shortly after as he stood on the side of the trail yelling some obscenities about how the race sucked. And it did. The first hour was brutal with the high temperatures, and the trails just kept shooting up and down the slopes of hills. I kept muscling along at a decent pace, and eventually made it to the first water station (approximately 10-ish miles into the race). 

I took my time at the station; I had no idea where I was in the field of riders, and I wanted to make sure to refuel correctly before moving on. I felt fantastic leaving the water station, and proceeded to move at a good pace up some technical rollers/climbs. After that, we hit a fun [read: sketchy with loose rocks] descent which rattled me up, but I was still able to gain some time on riders. Unfortunately, one loose rock decided on a trajectory aimed at my crankset, and hit with enough force to snap the ring at the bolts and bend half of the ring at a 40 degree angle. I wasn't depending on the big ring for much in that event, but those parts are not cheap to replace. Even so, I was in a fantastic mood; the trails were amazing, and I was riding well. No complaints, yet. 

I spent less time at the second water station, stopping only for a bottle refill and a banana. I learned that I was actually doing quite well in comparison to the riders in my field. In hindsight, it may have been better not to know his information, but the ego boost was helpful. I moved on through to the next section of trail only to be rewarded by an incredible ridge trail with a breathtaking view. From there, we cut into some fresh trail that quickly worked its way into my favorites. The leaves and ferns created an almost eerie green aura that immersed you as you hit a rocky, switchback trail descent. The atmosphere, along with the quality of trail, will stick in my mind for years to come. Unfortunately, I started to feel sluggish at the bottom of the descent, and realized I would have to lower my pace if I wanted to finish. Too little too late. I cramped hard toward the end of the single track. 

Now, when I get cramps, they are no insignificant ordeal. My cramps are the ones that seize the entire leg in a death grip, immobilizing you for minutes at a time. Luckily, we were almost at a road section. Unluckily, this road section was a large climb that I was unable to ride due to the cramps. Even when the road leveled off, I was unable to push the pedal around without my muscles flaring up in anger. After a while of hiking up the road, Denny caught up and tried to offer some assistance, but there was little to be done at this point. We were told at the second aid station that the next water station was only nine miles ahead. According to my math, I should have reached the water station somewhere towards the top of this climb. I told Denny to go on ahead, and I continued my sluggish climb up the road. When nearing the top, I was greeted by a gentlemen with a radio informing me the next water station was another 8 miles ahead... or so. This distance was a severe miscalculation by the race promoters, and meant that the final water station came only three miles from the finish line. I couldn't pedal, and I lost an incredible amount of time walking up the climb. There was no way I was going to walk another 8 miles; my race was over. I waited for the sag wagon to pick me up, and returned to the registration area to shed the chamoix and relax before Denny finished his ride. 

I spent a brief amount of time calculating my estimated finish position (had I not cramped of course). Based on the people I was riding with, and my initial pacing, it looked as if I could have put in a sub-five hour time. Man, that would have been awesome! Denny ended up coming in around 5 hours and 40 minutes, which is no small feat for how tough the course is, and how bad he was feeling. So, damn good job Denny! 

Despite not finishing the race, I had an incredible time riding those trails and walked away with a smile [and a new T-shirt]. Back to regularly scheduled training for the month of May, as the Trans-Sylvania Epic is getting closer and closer by the day! 

adieu.