Wooing the BC Bike Race

2008-10-25T09:34:00.000-07:00

reunion at interbike

2008-09-25T11:35:00.000-07:00

At the Kona booth with Wendy Simms, Barry Wicks

aloha from mountain man

2008-08-09T14:48:00.000-07:00

The bike and run took place where they film Lost.

The Special Sauce

2008-07-03T17:50:00.000-07:00

Along with electrolyte capsules, this has been the key to my racing. (Turns out Flight Centre also uses Accelerade as well)

Stage 5 - Sechelt to Langdale

2008-07-02T23:30:00.000-07:00

Today we were determined to get to our start area early to avoid doing any extra work. To our surprise we were no longer in the B group but the A group. We were stoked getting to line up with all the top teams and not having to battle for position from the start. Stage 5 was another rollout on town roads before hitting singletrack and double track uphills. There was a significant amount of climbing but also featured some amazing singletrack. After getting through some of the tough sections we hit what was probably a good 45 minutes of the best single track I've ever experienced with bermed corners and fun and challenging bridges(although some were just to risky for us to take). Again, we built an early lead after the opening climbs. Deadgoat and North of Here both caught and passed us as we remained challenged through the technical singletrack. Jo's legs were still fatigued and I tried to help return the favor of a few days back by pushing her when I could. The hardest part of the day had to be the singletrack climb leading to the Aid Station 2. Already spent from working another technical singletrack the aid station couldn't come soon enough. We made another quick transition despite the need to rest. I filled up my camelbak with some Accelerade powder and topped off my waterbottle. It was bit more climbing before we hit another sweet section of fast singletrack under lush canopy. Then Jo ate it hard off a log. My heart skipped a beat fearing the worse but thankfully she was just a shaken up with a few more bruises. It was all downhill from there to the finish at the ferry terminal in Langdale. It was another consistent and fun day for us and to our surprise, while we did lose some time to a couple groups in front of us, it was not much and we made a large chunk up time on the 5th place Kopek team. Again, 7th on the day. Still in 7th with 5th in reach.

Almost immediately after the race our bikes were put in a truck and we walked onto another ferry in Langdale to Horseshoe Bay where buses waited for us to take us to Squamish, known as the "adventure capital of the world."

Tomorrow is going to be another fun ride, but supposedly tough and long. Luckily we start and finish in Squamish at the Brennan Park Rec Centre where will be staying two nights. It's absolutely gorgeous here. Sounds like we might get rain tomorrow though...

Post Race stop for grub with Grant and Scott (Bike RX) at Horseshoe Bay

Race Village in Squamish

Stage 4 - Happy Canada Day

2008-07-01T21:47:00.000-07:00

It was a super early start. We had a 4:30am wakeup call in order to load buses that would take us to the first of two ferries we would catch to make it to the start of Stage 4. It was actually nice to have breakfast at 7am and have a full 4 hours to digest before race time. We also got a great chance to take in the beautiful ocean and mountain backdrop that we otherwise wouldn't enjoy while riding. The race literally started right at the terminal in Earl's Cove. As soon as we stepped off the boat, it was not even 50 meters to the start area. Jo and I didn't get in the lineup queue until the B group was already half full. Luckily with a 10K rollout on roads we were able to move up with most of the top teams before the singletrack. Minutes after unloading the ferry we were racing.

From the get go, we knew we would have to take it easy. Jo's legs were fatigued from the efforts of the first three days. Mine were surprisingly good. They had been really tight the day before. Sherry, my massage therapist for the week, has been doing a great job. The day was a bit of a blur for both of us but some of the things we remembered:

Jo taking a nasty spill on a beginning of a short descent, rattling her a bit for the rest of the ride
Passing Spike Shooters (Mark and Katie Compton) as they once again fixed a flat. And then them blowing past us a little while later (once again)
Riding most of the day with our closest competition proving that steady climbs were our strength while the technical singletrack is something we need to improve upon. Teams Deadgoat, North of Here, and Kopeks have superior technical skills.
Catching up with Flight Centre's Nick and James and stopping to give them a tube for their flat tire (no one else offered to help them)
Botching the stage's final 10K of singletrack, crashing at least 3 times.
Loving the final 2K of nice smooth and tacky singletrack

Overall, it was another good team day for us. For the second straight day I've been an adequate partner riding stronger and keep my body from overheating. While we were unable to protect our early lead from a few of the mixed teams we have to be happy about being consistent. We finished 7th and remained in 7th overall.

aboard BC Ferries

Earl's Cove:Race start of Stage 3

Flight Centre preparing to unload and race

A little PR for Sportgenic...

2008-06-30T19:27:00.000-07:00

Along with Jo's husband Tim, we also made it on the front of today's Sports Page...

Stage 3 - Port Alberni to Cumberland

2008-06-30T17:23:00.000-07:00

I am happy to report today was a good day. Well, better at least. I woke up this morning with my legs tight from quads to calves. I was feeling pretty wrecked and uncertain if i would be able to make the two big climbs of the day without much trouble. The earlier start and the promise of a cooler day was what i needed. It has been so hot even though the night. It seemed Jo was also looking for an easier day as well. Near the end of yesterday's stage she actually said she was getting tired! (Oh that's right, she pushed me up a couple climbs and dragged my ass the past couple days.) Our plan was to sit in and ride the climbs at a conservative pace.
From the start, we moved up into a position to right behind the A group to hit the singletrack with the lead mixed teams. Sure enough the trail jammed up. Then we started climbing double track.
Right with us was the German team. The steep pitches were surprisingly feeling ok on the legs. The descent was fast and by the bottom we had collected a small group that included a few me our close competitors as well as our friends Scott and Grant of BikeRX. The next several k's were flat followed by a slight incline. No one seemed to want to work. I took the front to lead the group but without expending much effort. The pace, while not blistering, unhitched a couple of the teams. After nearly overshooting the turn, we made it to the creek crossing where teams were queued up. The cold water felt great on the legs. we made a fast aid station transition as the German team decided to ride through. After another grinder we found ourselves alone with just Scott and Grant. It would stay that way for the next 40k. Working well and making sure we kept everyone together, we began riding away from the other mixed teams and gained on teams falling off the back of the front groups. Little did we know but at the time we we're 3rd on the stage. Only one team caught us as we made it to the top of the last big climb - US champ Katie Compton and her husband. We we're determined to make it to the singletrack and final 15k ahead of all other teams. A little confusion among our group on whether it was 80k to the finish or the final aid station. At 66k, we hit the aid station and were told 18k to go. While i took down an extra gel, i made the mistake of not topping off my water bottle.
Again making quick work of the aid station we continue our escape. The road pitched up with the sun finally upon us. It was the first time i started feeling weak while Jo seemed to gain strength. As we crested the hill we looked back to see no one in sight. We entered the singletrack with a huge lead...
We let the Bike RX guys lead and they quickly disappeared as they blazed the bumpy twisty and technical track with ease - at least compared to us. Both tired, the singletrack began to beat us up and with every mistake we grew weaker and more sloppy. I must have hit my privates no fewer than three times and both me us falling seemingly every 25 meters. Two men's team passed us and let us know a mixed team was gaining on us. who? We had a huge lead. Surely the would have the same difficulties. Nearing the bottom half of the first singletrack section we almost overshot another turn. "Quick! Before they see us!" i told Jo as we turn around to make the nearly hidden turn. We could hear them behind us apparently missing the turn slightly. This bought us some time but Jo was cooked. Team DeadGoat ripped past us convincingly. Struggling to hold it together we hit a dirt road with the Kopek team right behind us. Using our climbing strength we pushed the 2k climb to get out of sight and out me mind to build us a buffer for the final 2k of downhill singletrack. Having run out of water i was getting dehydrated and starting to bonk. Using every muscle to power through and maintain balance we finally broke out onto the dirt road. We crossed the finish uncontested in 4:51, good for 5th on the day. We stayed at 7th overall but made ground on the team in front of us. It was a good day for us as a team. We figured if we could breeze the singletrack like the Bike RX guys we might have had a chance a a podium.
Fusion Sport teammate Geoff Luttrell and his teammate did a good team ride as well as they figured out a pace that they could do as a team.
What was the difference today? I would say it was the cooler conditions and the shaded climbs. Let's hope it stays that way.
Tuesday's stage is an early bus and two ferries off Vancouver Island and back on the mainland for an 11 am start.

The shower trailer provided necessary shade.

The finish site in Cumberland

Stage 2 - a freaking hot one

2008-06-29T23:13:00.000-07:00

It was another tough day as I struggled again with the heat. Temps were well over 90 f and if that wasn't enough, the distance was killer at 125k.
It was a neutralized start as the police escorted us out of town. Jo and i placed high enough overall to be seeded in the B group start area allowing a closer glimpse at the front. We entered the day in 9th in mixed team category. The first 20k was like a road race. In fact the whole day would be like that. We were in a huge pack with all the top teams. The first hill splintered the pack. Jo and i worked a bit to catch back on and cruised into aid station 1 easily with the draft of the peloton. Then all hell broke loose as everyone bottlenecked into the mandatory rider check. A short bit of panick as Jo couldn't find me as i totally blew past it to fill up water. We were quickly on our way but chasing riders already up the road making it through the checkpoint line ahead of us. The chase group got larger and faster but our efforts were fruitless. I blew up and got shelled, barely able to turn over the pedals. The heat was getting to me again. Jo once again bailed me out pulling me and even pushing me up a couple hills. I was so overheated and wanted to stop so badly just to get my heart rate and core body temp down. We hung tough battling it out with two mixed teams, dropping a German pair. The other team, Team Kopek in 4th place, dropped us. We pressed on to the only singletrack of the day where we caught up to the Kopeks and the Bike RX guys only after they missed a turn and had to double back. It was futile trying to hang as we couldn't match their speed. We were pretty dead. We hung tough and came in about 5:10, good enough for 6th on the day. Overall we moved up into 7th.
Jo's husband Tim and his partner Adrian won the day ahead of Trek and Kona. James and Nick also of Flight Centre did well in finishing 7th.
I was so happy just to finish. The legs have tightened up quite a bit and i'm working hard to refuel and rest for Stage 3 and the early start.
Tim and Adrian are the winners of Stage 3.

Stage 1 - It's official...

2008-06-28T18:04:00.000-07:00

... my teammate Jo is a super stud! I mean total machine. What was a tough day for me seemed like a Sunday stroll for her.
Stage 1 was crazy. The start was two laps around Shawnigan Lake School. Both laps saw half the field pulling grass out of their derailleurs after each pass though an unmowed field. The Trek team broke two derailleurs. Because we were the lucky ones, Jo and I hit the single track ahead of a lot the top teams- ones that included Katie Compton, Tinker Juarez, Tim and AJ, and even Barry Wicks. It was crazy.
The single track was epic and challenging. So challenging that i endo'd and unknowingly lost my bottle of Accelerade and electrolyte pills. So much for my race nutrition plan. The day would get tougher as i struggled to properly hydrate and fight off cramps. It was ultra frustrating being such a weak link. The day was extremely hot. Jo was the hero today. After the screaming descent off the mountain unaffected by the heat she set tempo and pulled the final 20k. We or i should say she mowed down team after team. It was so impressive that a guy from a men's team hanging onto us asked her "who are you?" I was so hurting the last 5k just hanging on for dear life. I think i had the face of death. We finished respectably in 5:54. We think that might be top ten. Time to eat and recover. Tomorrow is a long day at 125k.

From CyclingNews.com, the caption read "Some riders chose to walk this section." And there is Jo and I walking among those "some riders." Call me a wuss, but it was actually lot steeper than it looks from the pic and there was no benefit to riding it -other than to show off - riders were off their bikes at the bottom and clogging the singletrack. Photo by David Silver.

stage 1 start

2008-06-28T08:46:00.000-07:00

All smiles at the start of stage 1. We plan to keep them at the end!

Race Prep (Day Zero)

2008-06-27T23:44:00.000-07:00

I finally got some good sleep. Maybe 8 hours. It had been while and I needed it. Today we registered, prepped our bikes and gear, and went to the racers meeting. I practically worked most of the morning - it was a bit stressful trying to wrap things up at work knowing I had to prepare for a major race. At race meeting and reg site I got a chance to catch up with some friends including fusion sport mate Geoff Luttrell, Dr. Bob Forster (Forster PT/Phase IV), Tom Hayes (Jim Long's Cape Epic '07 teammate), and Barry who gave me a lift. Jo's husband Tim points out to me that's Barry Wicks. Ok, so I'm not good at recognizing pros in street clothes but I do feel a bit of a jackass especially since I've seen him at the local cross races and I should know who he is. Oh well.

So race starts tomorrow at 9am. Lots of fun singletrack. I'm excited.

AJ and Tim picking up schwag

Me, Tim, Jo, James, and Nick under the start banner

Race Meeting at Shawnigan Lake School

Jo posing with "Randy" (inside joke)

Arriving in Victoria

2008-06-27T23:19:00.000-07:00

It was an interesting trip up to BC. Flying into Victoria without any pre-arranged transportation to the race town. Luckily I met this cool guy Barry from Santa Cruz who's also doing the race whose buddy picked us up and was nice enough to drop me off at the ferry to Mill Bay. Once on the ferry I met another cyclist who had a car across the way and offered to give me a lift to Rosebank Cottages where I would meet Jo and her Aussie crew. There we would stay for the first two nights. It actually wasn't too far from the ferry but not close enough to walk. My bike box and bag were massively heavy. With no cabs to be found I was pretty lucky. I have no idea how I would have got there outside of taking a massively expensive cab ride.