Heading North

In the next few days i will be heading north up into Canada.  I will be competing in the Furious 3 (Fernie)  3-day mtb stage race.  This is one of 2 races I am peaking for this season and I feel as though my fitness is right where I want it to be.  Fernie is a super cool town and the singletrack there is epic.  I have ridden there once when i competed in the Trans Rockies TR3 race a few years ago.

The 3-series Furious 3 events was initially supposed to consist of 3-day races in Fernie, Whistler, and Moab.  Unfortunately, there were not enough entrants for the Whistler race and it was cancelled.  They seem to have dialed in the stage race format, linking all 3 days of racing back to the starting town, making it easy logistically to set up camp (ie: hotel).  Each days' racing will consist of mostly singletrack, designed to cater to the racers.

Since I have been preparing and tapering for this race, I had to skip the Pickett's Charge XC race that happened this past weekend.  It's one of the local favorite's as it includes Funner and Tiddlewinks trails.  Sunnyside Sports puts the race on and does a great job every year making the race fun for all.  This year Ryan Trebon took top honors as he bested Brennan Wodtli and Brett Nichols with a time of 1:36 over the course of 25 miles.  Recent rain I'm sure made the course conditions the best they have been since the race moved to the new trails.

Here are the bikes I am bringing to the Furious 3 event...Kona Hei Hei Supreme and Kona King Kahuna.

                 King Kahuna                                                                                                              Hei Hei Supreme

I will be bringing my helmet camera so will be posting daily footage from the event along with a race recap after each stage.  Stay tunes for some footage from Canada.  Hope you enjoy, ehh.

Test of Endurance 50

This past weekend was the TOE 50 race over in Blodgett, OR.  I haven't done this race in over 5 years so it was nice to be able to fit it into the schedule this year.  I have to say that any race/event that is well known by it's acronym is a pretty damn good event.  The Test of Endurance 50/100 is better-known to racers as the TOE 50/100.  You have the option of completing either 50-miles or 100-miles.

The 50-milers do 2 laps on a designed course, and the 100-miles do 4 laps on the same course.  If you are familiar at all with Blodgett, OR (near Corvaillis) you know that there is lots of forest land; which means dark, lush, muddy trails.  This year, however, the weather leading up to the event and during the event was very nice (although pretty humid and muggy this year) keeping the trails in excellent condition.  There were only a few sections on the course where there was some wet dirt.

I opted for the 50-miler.  My days of riding, yet alone racing, for more than 4 hours are over.  I've come to realize that over the years, my mind begins to drift as I reach the 3-4 hour range on the bike.  No longer am I able to stay focused enough to push my body hard beyond the 4-hour mark.

The TOE 50/100 is a Mudslinger Events event; which if you are familiar with that name then you know the race Director is Mike Ripley.  By far the best race director in Oregon, he always puts on the best events and offers the best swag post-race.  He definitely puts on races for the racers.  Some other mudslinger events include the High Cascades 100 (now part of the NUE Series), the High Cascades 24-Hour, and the Mudslinger (an all-out mud fest every year).

The TOE 50/100 course consisted of many miles of steep fireroad climbs and tight singletrack.  There were definitely more fireroad climbing on the course than I remember.   I opted to bring the full-suspension bike which turned out to be the wrong decision.  The climbs no doubt took some energy out of me during the 2nd lap, and slugging a 27 lb bike rather than my 22 lb hardtail didn't make things easier.  Knowing that I would be at a disadvantage on the climbs, I knew I would have to really let it loose on the rolling singletrack and descents.

After a few miles of a neutral roll-out the race began on doubletrack.  Around mile 4, I realized I had lost a bottle that had fallen out of my rear-post cage.  I knew this wasn't going to be good considering the warm temperatures.   I upped the pace and quickly began to open a gap.  I was joined by about 6 other riders and continued to set a tempo pace.

Slowly myself and 2 other riders (Will Sullivan and John Merrill) pulled away from the rest of the group.  At the start of the 2nd lap we had roughly a 4 -min lead.  Merrill made his move around mile 30,  attacking on one of the fireroad climbs.  I wasn't able to match the acceleration and continued to settle into my high tempo pace with Sullivan on my wheel.  Shortly before the Aid Station Sullivan had fallen off my pace and I was now trying to chase down Merrill

I could feel my energy beginning to get low and was starting to struggle up some of the steeper sections.  Fortunately, with having lost one of my bottle on lap 1 (and lap 2) I wasn't cramping at all.  The humidity was climbing along with the temperatures and making some of the exposed fireroad climbing difficult.

I was eventually caught by John Weathers a the start of the final descent down Panama Canal.  After the sweet 4 mile singletrack section we had the final 2-mile gravel road to the finish.  In classic Ripley style, he added an extra bit of excitement by adding in a timed .1 stretch to the finish.  The fastest timed speed would win you a Garmin GPS.  The winning time was clocked at 22mph, pretty impressive.  I couldn't out-sprint John to the finish and ended up taking 3rd place with a time of 4:02.  Merrill won with a time of 3:58.  The course record is still held by Carl Decker at 3:38.

After the race there were huge-ass burritos waiting for all racers to fill their empty stomach's with.  Ohhhh did it taste so good.  After hanging out watching some of the other racers finish, they did the awards and then the swag raffle.  They were even raffling off a brand new Specialized bike (valued at $2500).  Just about everyone who stuck around walked away with some sort of swag.

Full results here

Fitness site

For those of you who have not yet visited my Fitness Blog, Fitness Training by Sloane, I highly suggest you do so now.  Here are some of the topics I Blog about...

1.  General exercises - aka: Weekend Workouts
2.  Smoothie recipes
3.  Core conditioning exercises
4.  Fitness Challenges - to really test your fitness level
5.  Health Questionnaires - to test your knowledge
6.  Quotes - aka: Weekly Wednesday Quotavation
7.  Other health -related topics

Feel free to leave a comment in the "Comment" section below each post and share some feedback.

Bikes and Beers

Quickly becoming a "classic event in Bend...

Now in it's 3rd year, (I believe) the Blitz to the Barrel race is one of the raddest races in Bend, yet alone in the USA. I have yet to partake, always have other commitments, but the talent is some of the best around. Local boys Craig, Trebon, Wicks, Sheppard, and Decker as well as some Super D studs from other parts of the country come out to see who can race down Tiddlewinks (a sweet trail), Storm King, across a golf course (yep you heard me right a golf course...with many large drop-offs, and finishing at a Brewery to pound a pint of beer. Ahhh, I'm getting tired just writing this while thinking about that.

 Adam Craig won last year's event followed by Sheppard, Decker and Trebon. The most impressive statistic of the event in my mind was how Trebon polished off his pint...watch the whole video and you'll see what I mean.

Adam Craig getting some big air

photo by Brad Cockman

This year's race was once again won by none other than Adam Craig. With his descending skills and endurance he is one of the premier riders in the world. Let's hope that he can make the 2012 Olympic team again. The rider known as "Wick-Nasty (aka: Barry Wicks) finished 2nd. He continues to have one of his best seasons to date. Trebon rounded out the podium with a 3rd place finish. Not sure how he did with the pint glass this year.

Product reviews

I've been wanting to post about this now for several weeks, so I am finally getting around to doing so.  I have a couple pieces of equipment that I would like to share some of my thoughts and experiences with in case you may be in the market for any of these.

The products I am going to give brief reviews on are the following:
Laser helmet
Oakley glasses
Revelate Designs handlebar bag
Enve 29er clincher wheels
Garmin Edge 500
ATB chain lube

Laser Genesis Helmet
This is the first season that I am riding with a Laser helmet.  I can't believe I waited so long to make the switch. The Genesis model is one of the best helmets I have ever used.  The sleek design offers 18 ventilation holes for good breathability and a snug fit.  The tensioning turn-knob on the top of the helmet is very easy to adjust while riding, and gives plenty of adjustability.  The helmet comes with extra padding (as do other manufacturers).  the price point is very impressive at $175.  It's big brother (Helium) is a bit more expensive at $230.
The only negative thing I can say is that the vents are a little narrow and make it a bit difficult to get fingers in the holes to scratch your head, or remove bugs from.

Oakley Glasses
Split jacket
Not only are these glasses appealing to look at, they are also very comfortable to wear.  A few years ago in the Pro tour peloton just about every rider was wearing these glasses making them become very popular with us mear mortals.  If nothing else, you have to look good riding your bike, right?
The lenses seem extremely clear and UV protectant, I have been wearing them for 4 months now and do NOT have any scratches on the lenses.  The frame seem very durable, and the carrying case they come in is bombproof (I highly recommend keeping your glasses in the case when not being worn.  They also come with extra lenses (clear), an extra set of nose pads, and a lens cleaner.  The lenses have small little holes on top and bottom of each lens that help minimize/eliminate any fogging.  I haven't had an issue with that yet.
Radar
I opted for these glasses to to use mainly while road bike riding, and the occasional casual wearing.  These frames seem a bit more sturdy than the Split Jackets and offer an even more snug feeling; especially around the eyes.  The lenses are extremely clear and have not yet scratched.
They too come with a nice sturdy carrying case and extra nose pads and a lens cleaner.

Revelate Designs Mountain Feedbag
I opted to buy these bags (got 2) to use while doing long training rides; especially in the cold weather.  I do not like to stuff my jersey pockets with a bunch of crap, and when it's cold it's a pain in the ass to try and get food or anything else out of your pockets.  I also had in mind to use these while competing in backcountry races where being self-sufficient was a necessity.
the bags are large enough to store a tube, mini-pump, CO2 cartridge, a Park multi-tool, and 3 energy bars.  That is a lot of things in a tiny bag that is easy to access.  The internal compartment is waterproof and the out materials are water-resistant.  They have a draw string so you can keep everything secure and enclosed in case it is raining.  They bare easy to attach to your handlebar...a strap that goes around the handlebar, a strap that goes around the stem, and a clip that you can wrap around the head tube.  Trust me, the bag will NOT move at all, I have put these to the test and have ridden some super technical/bumpy trails and they have stayed perfectly still and nothing fell out.
Then only drawback to loading everything up on your handlebar in these bags is that it will make the front end of your bike much heavier, so clearing objects and climbing steep technical sections becomes that much harder.

Enve 29er Clincher MTB Wheels
What can I say about these wheels other than they are extremely light, fast, and stiff.  Then perfect combination for XC racing.  At 1430g (with DT 240 hubs) these are extremely light for even a 26" wheel, yet alone a 29er.  I am using these wheels on my Kona hardtail and make for a super quick accelerating bike.  I've logged about 350 miles on them so far and they are still perfectly true.
The rims are tubeless compatible; I had a little trouble getting the tires to seal the first time installing them, but after adding more Stan's they were very easy to inflate and seal.
I've ridden on various terrain (smooth, rocky, rooty) and have not had any issues with durability, they seem to be very durable.

Garmin Edge 500
I have the HR option along with the normal cyclometer functions.  The Edge 500 does not have maps features, so if you prefer to have that you will need to upgrade to the 800 model.  The Edge 500 comes in 3 different colors and each are pretty cool looking.  It's designed to fit on the stem and the mounting system they have is great.  Easy to install, and putting on and taking off are very easy.  You just have to rotate the Edge 90 degree to do wither and it comes right off.  It secures solid and haven;t have any trouble with it moving during riding.  The numbers are all very easy to read, even while riding, you can adjust the setting so that you display whatever you choose to.
The only negative comment would be that the buttons are a little stiff and make it hard to change from one screen to the next when riding.  I haven't had to do that yet, but ion case you are one that likes to do that while riding you may have some difficulty.  Plenty of data storage and memory.  You can also use this model with any ANT+ device, which I have the Joule so I use the HR Strap and can utilize HR and calories burned.  The nice thing is that unlike other Garmin products, the Edge is small in size (much like a normal cyclometer).

A.T.B Chain Lube
ATB - Absolutely The Best uses a special blended petroleum compound along with a premium grade oil help to keep chains lasting longer, and have less noise while riding.  I usually lube my chain after each ride and let the lubricant soak in overnight.  I've used the lube in dry and wet conditions and it seems to be just as effective in both conditions.  It also acts as a chain cleaner too.  Don't remember how much I paid, but wasn't any more than your regular lube brands (Tri Flow, etc).

Something new

There has been many of these popping up around the US, and are already VERY popular in Europe.  I am referring to Gran Fondo's.  On June 3rd I am going to partake in the Oregon Gran Fondo.  The route, which begins and ends in Cottage Grove, OR, looks to be quite scenic and remote.  There are several route options depending on how many miles you want to ride  (117, 71, and 31.2 miles).

Gran Fondo is Italian for "big ride", and refers to the public being invited to ride a stage from one of the major Grand Tours in Italy (Giro d' Italia) and France (Tour de France).  Chris Horner and Lei Leipheimer are a few American Pro Tour cyclists who organize their own Gran Fondo's.  Horners happens to be in Oregon and Leipheimer's is in California.

I will be using the full Gran Fondo route of 117 miles for training in preparation for some upcoming longer distance events. The event uses timing chips, and there are two categories (competitive and non-competitive).  I am planning to ride at a solid pace and not just an easy day in the saddle.  So if you are reading this and are also doing the Gran route, I hope to see you out there.  Let's hope that the weather cooperates, anything is possible over on the west side of the mountains.

Sisters Stampede

A last minute change in my training plan had me heading over to Sisters, OR (25 min from Bend) to compete in the Sisters Stampede XC race.  The event was established 3 years ago in 2010 and has become one of the most popular (in  number of competitors) XC race in Oregon.  It draws riders from Portland, Grants Pass, Hood River, Bend, and some from out of state.

Decker leading a group of 7 of us

The course follows the popular Petersen Ridge Trail; which is a combination of singletrack, fireroads, some rock gardens, and constant turns.  With the recent rain, the trails were in perfect condition and made for very fast times.  We covered the 26 mile course in 1:30.  Without many long climbs (or many at all for that matter), and  constant rolling terrain it was a course to put it in the big ring and keep it there.  This also didn't allow for much recovery or time to coast, just constant pedaling the whole time.

With the usual leadout from a cowboy on a horse we were off to a fun day of racing.  A group of 7 of us were immediately separated from the rest of the field, and it would stay this way for about 30 min.  Thompson did the pacing on the first fireroad and upper singletrck section. Then once we hit the only significant climb on the
course, Sheppard made his signature move and attacked...nobody could follow.  The climb separated the group, with Sheppard off solo, Decker myself and Wodtli, then Thompson and Brandt.  The 3 of us exchanged pulls on the longest fireroad section of the course, and after about 20 min Decker and Wodtli began to open a gap on me.  I stayed within sight for most of the remainder of the race.  On the final two miles to the finish I was closing the gap a little on Wodtli but ran out of time to catch him.

Results:  PRO MEN

1.  Chris Sheppard                    1:26:43
2.  Carl Decker                         1:29:29
3.  Brennan Wodtli                    1:30:23
4.  Sloane Anderson                 1:30:42
5.  Ben Thompson                    1:31:39
6.  Brig Brandt                          1:32:52
7.  William Sullivan                    1:32:54
8.  Ross Brody                         1:32:55
9.  Matt Russell                        1:33:58
10.  James Williams                 1:34:06
11.  Cody Peterson                  1:34:11
12.  Marcus Benton                 1:34:18
13.  Nelson Snyder                  1:34:33
14.  Cary Miller                        1:36:43
15.  Bear Perrin                       1:38:31
16.  Timmy Evans                    1:38:40

ChainBreaker...Race Report

I think I should start personally calling this race the LegBreaker.  This is always one of my hardest races on my schedule each year.  This year I had a pretty hard week of training leading up the the event, so at the ,midway point of the race my legs just about fell off.   The constant undulating and rough terrain got the best of my legs, and along with the accumulation of training it just wasn't my day.  Plus, I ran waaaay to much tire pressure than I should have.  Going with the hardtail Kona, I ran 35psi titre pressure and should have stuck with around 28psi instead.   I was getting bucked around too much on the saddle and it seemed to also zap a little energy from my legs,.

It's always frustrating to not be your best at a local event, but I just have to keep focused on the bigger picture with more priority races later in the season.  Barry Wicks won the event, and I would have to say this is the best form I have seen from him in recent years.   He has already racked up some impressive results this season.

The temps were pretty warm on race day, and the dust (oh yeah the dust) was brutal as always.  By the end of the "starter" loop, my throat was coated with dust.  By the end of lap 1 I think I had enough dust on my face to act as 75 proof sunblock.

'Til next season, the Chainbreaker wins again.

Up next on the radar

One of my favorite local races, the Cascade Chainbreaker, is next on tap this weekend.  This race is put on by WebCyclery and is one of the best events in town.  There is usually a great turnout of competitors, it's always held on Mother's Day, and for most part, the weather is always ideal for racing.

Although this race is one of my favorites, it always seems to be one of my hardest races.  The race takes around 3-3.5 hrs (38 miles).  Its mostly a rolling course with only 1 very short steep climb, but the majority of the course is on gradual undulating terrain.  there is never a time to relax, it's almost full-on the entire time.

Should be perfect weather come Sunday, so another great day to race my bike and compete against friends.

Report and (hopefully) photos to follow.

Whiskey Off-Road 50 XC

Sunday's 50 mile race was the official start to my season.  With a start list that looked very reminiscent of Sea Otter, it was surely going to be anything but a "fun" race.   Don't get me wrong, I am always racing my bike to have fun, this IS why I continue to compete, all I am saying is that there was definitely some suffering involved.

The race begins with a "neutral" rollout on pavement, mostly uphill for 4 miles.  The road gets quite steep towards the top and gets close to 20% at one point.  While riding in the middle of the pack, I rubbed handlebars with another rider and wouldn't you know it we both hit the deck and crashed.  Not even 2 miles into the race and I am on the ground.  After a few quick words exchanged we were back on our bikes chasing to catch back onto the pack.  After increasing my HR up to near max, I was back on and able to settle in just long enough before everyone began to jockey for position as we entered the beginning of the singletrack section.

photo by Zazoosh.com

This is where the "fun"  began as the course it pretty sweet...lots of rocks, tight switchbacks, and fast rolling terrain.  There was much more climbing than I recall the last time I did this race.  The first 12 miles seemed to be nothing but climbing.  Once we did begin to descend, it was well worth the effort that I had just put in.  The singletrack descent was lots of banked corners and many water-bar drop offs (some close to 2 feet).  This lasted a few miles before reaching the fireroad that lead down to Skull Valley.  We descended down to Skull Valley just to turn around and begin a 16 mile climb to the top of the road.  I was hoping to have power in my legs on this climb than I did.  The majority of the climbing was on an 8% grade, and I had hoped to make up some time on other riders here. Unfortunately, I only had 1 speed in my legs and wasn't able to make up much time.  No one passed me and I only passed 2 riders the whole climb.  The climb was exposed to the sun the entire time, and I don;t remember the altitude we reached but it was relatively high (although not by Colorado standards, and there were many CO riders competing).  I would say that I suffered on this climb more than I thought I would.

photo by Zazoosh.com

Once I reached the summit and entered the last section of singletrack, I was reminded just how "fun" this race was.  This section of singletrack  (roughly 9 miles) was probably the most enjoyable.  However, along this section I must have nicked my tire on a rock because I could hear some Stan's oozing out.  I kept on riding hoping that the sealant would seal the tire, however, it got too low so I stopped to change the flat, a few riders had passed by.  There were spectators watching the race at various points along this section of the course.  It was nice to hear the cheers to provide that extra bit of encouragement and help block out the pain.  There was one creek crossing that was somewhat challenging with lots of rocks, and there were lots of people there cheering.  From there the trail meandered along a river (dried up mostly) before popping back out onto pavement for the final 4 miles to the finish.   It's mostly downhill but it certainly wasn't easy.
Making the final turn to the finish, many kids were reaching out to get a high-five.  Giving a few high fives was a great way to end 3 hours and 20 min. in the saddle.

Click HERE for cyclingnews.com's full report