Wednesday, May 23, 2007

7:29:05 of Tsali Report

This would be my second time at Tsali and the second time racing the 12hr of Tsali. As the title reads 7:29:05 was my Timex stopwatch reading as I completed my 7th and final lap. I was done, the conditions were dry as a bone and very dusty. With ideal temps and course conditions were stupid fast, and many of the southeast's up and coming endurance freaks were out to show off there fitness. Something that I seem to be lacking.

The race started in typical Lemans fashion with the dreaded uphill run. This brisk 2 minute jog seems like 10; but is needed to spread the mass of riders out. Managed to jump many spots on the county line road to the the first single track section. All was well and I seemed to be riding within my range. My lack of fitness would soon show. Around lap three I was flat, no energy, burning quads and fighting the dust. Pulled into my pit spot and sat down pondering what to eat. About a 5 minute pit and I was back out on the trail at a more training ride pace. For me the racing part of the race was over. This needed to become a training ride. With my longest ride of 4 hours and 70mi on the road (last weekend). There had to be something good come from this - "I'm here and I need to make the best of this situation".

So now the training ride side of things, could I complete 9 laps for the century? Do I want to ride 6 more laps? That lake sure looks pretty! I kept finding myself drifting off looking at Lake Fontana. Quickly focusing back onto the trail before I hurt myself. Swimming and beer kept popping to mind.

No more boring training ride story, I did manage 7 laps some 84 miles of off-road goodness. I was even coherent enough to drive the 4 hours back to Cola town. I had another night paid in full at the Freeman motel, but I just didn't want to stay there another night. I took a quick shower and hopped on 74 heading to I40. On the road about 10 minutes, I was popped by the NCHP just outside of Bryson City. Well finally this weekend I was going to fast, to bad the bikes were in the car.

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Catchin Up

It's now Tuesday May 15th, and it's been awhile since my last post. So here is the 411 on PalmettoSolo.
May 6 - The StumpJump XC race allegedly the S.C. State Championships. Raced in the Expert field and landed myself in 5th place. The first from the state, so does that make me the Unoffical State Champ, I like to to tell myself so. I had decicded to race the expert field in fear of no one showing for the SS class. To my surprise they had 7-9 riders. Oh well back to the expert race, I was on my SS 29er for 36mi or 4 muddy laps. A real kick in the beans. I started out hot, finishing the first lap in 2nd place. There on I would slip a place per lap and managing to hold it all together and finish up strong. (5th of 12 / 36mi 3:03)

May 8th - So from here I needed to decide on the Tsali 12hr race in two weeks. The week progressed with plenty of work at work and little bike riding after work. The Team HBW trainning ride was to follow the next Saturday. Having not put in a heck of miles on the road bike, I really wasn't pumped about it. I needed the miles no matter what. So forcing myself to work with the my road bike and try to tune the fit as much as possible. I went for a planned 2.5 hr. ride down south of town. Up to speed and cruising along not realizing the tailwind I had. Now an hour down the road and about 30 minutes of daylight left in the sky. I turn back north into the now 20mph headwind. This would be a problem. I had to make it up highway 321 which is a four lane road linking several smaller towns to the down town area. Little traffic at the time but I had no red blinky light or anything for that matter. With only two more big rollers to go I hit a pot hole and PSSSSSSSSSSSssssssssssssssssssssssss. The rear tire goes so now I'm in the grass grinding up the climb to the safe spot change the tube and cussing the whole way. Change the tube - oh no it's a hybird tube. Ah s#*&@ i cut the tube installing it. How in the hell am I to get home from here it's now 8:45pm and i'm 5-7 miles from my truck. Luckily my brother-in-law was in the area and by 9:30 I was loading bike ride in his truck.

May 11 - So friday(overtime) at work out in BFE, I had a run in with some devil's whip. It caught me right in the knuckle of a previously injuried finger. Big pain, felling concerned I went to the urgent care that afternoon. Three aggrevating hours later I had a very sore hand and a decision to make, go to the mountains on an uncomfy ride road bike for 6 hours or take some pain killers and sleep in. Yeah sleep.

May 12 - Having overslept till sometime into the morning, I needed to get in some miles this weekend. Packed my bag and headed to Lexington to ride around my old stompin' grounds. These roads out by my folks house were the very roads I started on back in '92. These road are a great way for me to clear my thoughts and ride without traffic. To make this experience even better I took out my hybird for a the 4 hour ride. A planned 3 hour ride would turn into 4 beacuse I was having such a great time. Finishing the ride with 70 miles, on a comfy hybird. Trainning secret of mine riding on 700x38c. tires.

Hopefully now this past weekend was a turnning point for me and seals my decision for this weekend's race in Tsali. Now it's down to planning and packing. Well I need to get back to work, thanks for reading along.