Fun's over

Broke my hand about 30-35km into day 2 after the front skewer came loose and I went over the bars on a downhill. Still managed to ride the last 80km and finished top 30 in the men's for day 2. It's a real bummer as Blair and I were starting to hit our stride after finishing 14th on day 1 so by the end of day 2 we were in 18th. Blair is still riding to be an official finisher and doing well. Since he no longer has a partner he must start at the very back in the last block so it was extremely impressive that he finished day 3 13th in the GC. It was his type of course that day, a road day...the type a former pro road racer loves!

Lou and Eric are doing well in the mixed, Trevor & his partner are riding strong in the master's category and Christina B. & her teammate are making the podium every day.

I think I'll take up shuffleboard for awhile. =)

Let the fun begin

My legs are feeling much better than they were on Wednesday after the loooong flight. Been out for a spin with Blair, Lou and Eric a couple of times. The roads here aren't very bike friendly and it definitely takes some getting used to riding on the left side of the road. Lou was almost taken out by an SUV driving on the wrong side of the dirt road yesterday...not good.

Anyway, the CE bags are smaller than the TA & TR bags so we may have to get a little creative with packing. Besides that I just have to tweak the bike a little and rest up for tomorrow. It's supposed to rain for the first two stages but I'm sure it's nothing like Costa Rica--we're ready.

Updates should be posted here.

Out for a spin...

Last minute advice

I asked Lou for some input for this race since she's done several muldi-day team races:

1) Watch my fueling & pacing
2) Communicate with my partner to
- see if he's doing ok
- let him know if I'm getting torched

Most importantly, NO RACING YOUR PARTNER!

All set...almost

Went for my last rode bike ride yesterday and got the last few things on my gear list, like a new sleeping bag that compresses to almost nothing. I didn't really need that for this event, but I will for the Ironbike since the amout of gear racers take from stage to stage is less. I'll be testing it out. I've used the extra space for my drink mixes and other powders--I ran out at the Transalp so I'm taking more this time. Everything is packed and ready to go so the only thing to do now is find a good book to read.

Spent a good hour in the Barnes on the Promenade in Santa Monica and didn't find squat besides a lot of strange people. I used to hang out in Santa Monica and the beach back in the day but I don't remember all the strangeness--strange even for California.

Anyway, thought about getting something on South Africa but that's mostly a history of conquest--pass. There was Tsotsi but that'll be on DVD soon so I'll wait for that. No technical, scientific or work related stuff so that ruled out the majority of the second floor except for books on grilling. Born to grill. Sounded interesting but what can I not grill? I've never tried BBQing a whole turkey, doesn't sound too tasty. I'd probably try deep frying one of those birds first just for the hell of it. Now Barbecue Sauces, Rubs and Marinades is something I could get into but I'd be thinking of food too much so no go. Third floor... Battle was ruled out because it weighs about 7 lbs. This would pickup where the Superfriends left off and provide some closure, but I wouldn't get any rest on the plane! Needless to say, all I left with was a mocha. Hopefully, I can find something in the LAX bookstore before heading out. If not the movie selection for both legs looks decent.

I don't have a place to stay in George yet but I'm going to wing it...all part of the adventure.

Transrockies Tip

So you've decided to register for the re-opened Transrockies Race. Don't forget to get your transfer from Calgary to Fernie (or whatever start town). If you don't know anyone that can give you a ride, don't want to spend the $80 or so and you have a little extra time then you can get to the start town for free. How you ask? That info will cost you a case of tasty brew, no watered down stuff and no Duff.

Actually, I'll throw this one out for free since I can't claim it; I learned about it last year from my bud Louise. Call up or email Aaron, the race director, and tell him you're available to drive one of the RVs from Calgary to the start town. Simple as that. Well, the paperwork takes a little while. Make sure you get detailed directions or a map as you might need it. I was supposed to follow Eric & Lou to Fernie, but my paperwork was taking too long so I ended up going it alone. I'm fairly decent with directions, but I got lost. I eventually picked up a hitchhiker as a navigator. It was a fair trade, directions for a ride and I got plenty of good stories about the places along the way.

Eric, Lou and our host "crepe dude" (R to L) in Calgary

If you have the luxury package I'd be surprised if you can't pick up your RV (like the one below) immediately so you can pack it full before the race.

Everything in this baby started to shake really bad when I got it up to 95

I just realized that you probably don't have access to Aaron so an email to the Transrockies "info" address is the next best thing.

Roundup, the edge & changes

Looks like a number of SoCal riders did well at Sea Otter. It's always good to see a strong showing of local riders. My teammate Leslie did a nice job on the 29SS. Checkout a pic of her crossing the finish line on this thread. Actually, a large number of racers that I know have already been on the podium. It's shaping up to be a good year for everyone. Speaking of shaping up, this month's daily distractions is starting out nicely...

I passed on the Otter for local riding and a play. The latter is Monica's attempt at broadening my horizons. One thing I've learned from a year of going to the theatre is that there's no middle ground. A play is good or it's a polished turd and it only takes 15 minutes to determine what the night has in store. The latter type of play must be "painful" for an actor, not unlike a racer who's bonked in a race and is struggling to get to that next aid station. But unlike the racer, who can quit at anytime, an actor can't really walk off the stage until the very end...they have to stick it out. Well, technically I suppose they could walk out but it's not likely.

Anyway, one line from last night's play at SCR stuck with me: "The edge is the only place where anything worthwhile happens." That sounded like something from Eddie Merckx. The EDGE...gotta explore more of that this year.

Just another day at the office for The Cannibal

On a different note, I made a few changes to the blog--deleted a few links and added these:
UltraRob's RAAM Adventure - The name says it all
Cyclelicious - "Wondericiously full of bicycles"
The OC Cycling Dude - This guy has so many links. Curiously, I didn't see one for drunkcyclist. Maybe I should inform him of such a glaring omission! Yeah, so what? I read it for the articles. :-)

Wristbands, gear and limited space

I've decided to keep the bar-ends on after all. In the worst case, they provide extra had positions. I had forgotten that using the funky aerobars comes at a price...very sore forearms. Arm warmers provide some cushion but it's probably going to be in the 70's down in South Africa so I can't count on using them everyday. What I can use is one of the many gifts I received from the Mighty Minis (Louise Kobin & Marg Fedyna) after the Transalp race last year. Addidas gave them so much stuff; some of it was the wrong size and they tossed it my way. There was also plenty of things they didn't want and I was happy to take it off their hands. One of the items that fell into the latter category was a pair of 70's style wristbands. Guess what I'll be wearing everyday? They're perfect! Not exactly a fashion statement and sure I might look like some Saturday morning cartoon character, but they'll save my forearms.

Are these styling or what?

This time it only took me about an hour and a half to get my gear together. I still have to pack it but I'll do that next Sunday; it'll only take 15 minutes. Here's the clothes I'll be using and the three vacuum bags I picked up at REI. These things are extremely useful as there's no way I could fit everything I take with me in either my suitcase or in the race bag that every Cape Epic (or Transalp & Transrockies) participant is given. They're also an extra layer of protection for your gear in case your race bag gets left out in the rain for a few hours.

I decided to go with 5 days of clothes instead of 4.

Got my tools, creams, flasks, powders (not shown), bars and various pills all set. I keep the majority of stuff in a plastic container so everything is easy to find.

Hopefully breakfast at the CE is much better than at the Transalp or I'll be eating my oatmeal. Yum yum!

Everything you'll need for the race will have to fit in a bag like the black Transalp bag shown below. Anything that doesn't fit isn't going with you from stage to stage. Last year at the Transrockies a much bigger bag was given out but I don't know anyone that really liked it. It was poor quality (ripped easily & wasn't water resistant) and it didn't have the two end compartments like the traditional TR/CE/TA bags which are handy for stuff you need to access often. Note that if you signed up for the luxury package where you'll get your own RV then you don't need to worry about cramming all your stuff in one bag, you've got the whole RV! =)

The race bag fits a lot of stuff but you have to be selective about your gear.

Pleased to meet ya!

Introducing the new sweetness:

Well, it's about 95% new; I kept a few parts from the old S-works. I finally got with the program and stepped up to disc brakes--the Magura Marta SLs. Thanks to the great guys at The Path Bike Shop for getting it race ready: Brandi, Mondo and the rest of Tani's crew.

Here are the funky looking aerobars. I think I'm going to take off the bar-ends. I'll make my final decision after today's ride then I'll be set.



A different angle. These bars are heavier than they look and definitely heavier than the old set I used to have, but these are slightly more adjustable than the old ones. Overall, the gain in speed is worth a little extra weight.

Blair's thoughts on multi-day racing

Blair raced the Transrockies Challenge in 2005 with friend Marg Fedyna (2005 WSC Champ). I asked him some of his views on this type of racing.

M: What do you look for in a partner for multiday races?
Blair: Compatibility. Camaraderie. Reliability.

M: What was your favorite day in TR?
Blair: Every day except for day 4, where we lost the jersey in the mud, and day 6 where we missed a turn and went an extra 30k, essentially adding another mountain pass to our race.
The downhills on day 5 was the most thrilling, and without a dual suspension you wouldn't have been able to experience it.

M: What's the main challenge when racing with a partner?
Blair: Being in sync with everything from energy level to moving through a crowd.

M: Any advice on choosing a partner?
Blair: They are few and far between, because the sport is relatively extreme, so if you have a shot at a good one take advantage of the opportunity.

M: Do you think multidays are more fun that 100 milers, 12 hours and 24 hour races?
Blair: Both have their merits. You wouldn't be able to have a 100 miler in a stage race, so they each have their place.

M: Any tips for racers? Do's and dont's?
Blair: Do train intelligently and consistently. Do go for it once in a while. Do add variety to your schedule for longevity and interests sake. Do rest and recover as well as you train. Do have fun at it!

M: How important is recovery? massages--good, bad, a must have?
Blair: As important as training itself. My wife is a professional massage therapist so we are both big believers in its recovery benefits. Not a must have, but a must have to optimize your recovery.

M: How do you balance racing strengths? Climbing, technical, super fast descending?
Blair: Good question. Armstrong fits this description. Us mere mortals need to keep practicing and aspire to these qualities. Also, for me, I'm convinced the only way I can be a very good descender and technical rider on the mtb, is on a dual suspension.

M: What's the pace strategy for a 7-8 day race?
Blair: Patience, patience, patience. One of those I always have to work on, as my killer instinct sometimes comes back to bite me in the you-know-what sometimes. Above all efficiency. I always want to take advantage of a group situation wherever possible. And if the group isn't working together well, I don't mind giving a quick demo to get the group rotating, sharing the work load evenly. There is strength in numbers, and 10 heads are always better than 2. Also, unlike road racing you never really have to worry about dragging the other teams to the line for a sprint, because these races are usually decided by minutes not split seconds.

M: What do you do if your partner is "off" or having a bad day or bad couple of days?
Blair: Assess the situation and help according to the need. Bonking - apply gue and fluids, followed by something more substantial, back off the pace. Cramps - hopefully if caught at the first sign, apply fluids with salt supplements - back off the pace. If really bad, apply pressure to the area. Weaker - do all the pulling, push where possible, use bungy cord where possible. Morale issues - apply encouragement, tell stories.

M: What's different about a mixed team than a men's team?
Blair: Good question. You have a better opportunity of placing well in a mixed team, but as its even harder to find a good woman mountain biker it's a numbers game. The pace is a bit slower in some spots where you might be used to cranking up the intensity which allows you to recover more. With the smoothening out of intensity, this allows you to pull and push more where necessary. I was in the fortunate situation where my mixed partner gave me many windows of opportunity to open it up full bore, and we remained in tact (many a time I was on her wheel up hill). A pure men’s team intensity can be matched and therefore it’s important to spread this out over the course of the day and stage race.

Blair's Costa Rican Experience

I introduced Blair, my Cape Epic partner, in this post. Here are some of his thoughts on the epic Costa Rican race. You can read his 2004 La Ruta race report here. (Who's that guy in the Clif jersey crossing on the RR tracks on page four? Hmmm... )

M: Why did you decide to do La Ruta?
Blair: Because it was dubbed as the toughest mtb race in the world, and because my friend Lindsay who was 56 at the time was doing it. I thought I should be able to.

M: What years did you do La Ruta? Does it get any easier? Did you finish all of them?
Blair: I've done it only once in 2004 and yup I finished it, but not as high up as I could have been. If it weren't for 2 untimely flats on the last day...

M: What tires do you like for CR?
Blair: I've had the best luck with Pythons the last 4 years.

M: Hardtail or Suspension?
Blair: Suspension changed the sport for me. I can do so many more things that I couldn't do on a hardtail. I highly recommend it. Its kind of like a wet suit benefits a poorer swimmer than a good swimmer. However, since CE isn't technical the pure liveliness and response from a hardtail could be beneficial so I'm leaning hard tail for the first time in a mtb stage race

M: The finish rate at CR is about 2/3 to 3/4. What do you think is the most important determinant for a first timer finishing? No mechanicals, a little luck, fitness, no crashes,etc...?
Blair: Luck is when preparation meets opportunity. Preparation #1, then race day maturity, patience and toughness. These are good combinations for attempting something dubbed as "the hardest mtb race in the world"

Blair and Lindsay at La Ruta

M: What does it take to put together 3 good days?
Blair: Consistency, patience, planning, experience and race background.

M: How did you train differently for this race?
Blair: I started training longer miles much, much earlier, all the way back into x-cross season. 3 hours on the road bike, 1 on the mountain bike, followed by 1 hour cross practice was an example of a long day for me.

M: What 5 items are the most important to take with you to the race in general & each day?
Blair: Camelbak, grapes, cliff shot, power bar, and endura lite.

M: How do you deal with cramps down in CR?
Blair: Drink, drink, drink, use something like endura lite, and plan out the race effort vs the heat.

M: What's your favorite thing about La Ruta/Costa Rica?
Blair: Accomplishment of a tough race. The volcano. The 3rd day since the climbs let you roll with the race giving riders other than the pure climbers a shot.

M: Which year was the hardest?
Blair: Dunno, but 2004 was the only year in 16 where it didn't rain at the top, so I guess we got off easy.

M: How do you deal with the mud down there?
Blair: 2004 had only soupy mud the first day and the last day we were able to grind out the wet mud without too many mechanicals.

M: What races are you doing this year?
Blair: I like to have one main goal to shoot for in a year to test myself on and keep me honest with my fitness. This year it is Cape Epic. I'll do the other big races on the east coast given the opportunity including the Shanendoah 100. I'll do my share of cat 1 / pro crits too, as I love to red line feeling they give and the crowds. I'll do the district road racing in the middle as well, as that's my background.

My Cape Epic teammate, Blair Saunders

I met Blair down in Costa Rica in '04, La Ruta. The thing I remember about Blair in that race was that he was off the front with the lead group and out of sight pretty quick. Unfortunately, he had some bike issues and that cost him time. He's still blazing fast, covered 101 miles in 4:40 on the MTB just the other day. Ya think I have my work cut out for me? =)

M: When did you start riding?
Blair: I started road racing in 1982, at the tour de Kelvin (my highschool in Winnipeg, Manitoba). I was already touring around the province putting on some good miles for a non-racer and thought I'd test myself in competition.

M: Why TT rather than something else?
Blair: Actually, I much prefer(ed) TTT (Team Time Trial), as I like the top end for 30 seconds, then recover and sustain a high intensity for 2 hours (100km)

M: How did you get into mountain biking?
Blair: I started mountain biking in around 1986, when mountain bikes were first made widely available, mostly for off season training and end of road season competition. I started doing Mountain Bike stage racing under the influence of my good friend and bike shop owner, Lindsay Gauld. Once I got used to jumping logs and negotiating single track I liked the diversion and different challenge - similar to what cross country skiing provided me while enjoying the nice Canadian winters.

M: What was your best day on the bike?
Blair: Probably winning the Olympic Road Trials (top Canadian) race #2 in 92, assuring me a spot on the Road Team, albeit 1st alternate.

M: Worst day on a bike? (both road and mountain)
Blair: Road - probably getting peltered down on rain in a 14 day German stage race when the temperature was hovering around freezing, while trying to hang on in the gutter at 50k/hour.
Mountain Bike - Probably missing that turn on day 6 at TR costing us an extra 30k of riding and then hailing on us as we came back to get back on course.

M: Have you always had aerobars on your MTB?
Blair: No, it doesn't make sense to use them on technical courses. I used them on day 3 at CR, and a couple of the roadie days (2 and 3) at TR. I liked the scott rakes because they get me into that crit position, and makes me feel at home when there is some pavement to jam on. This year I'm trying more of the traditional TT bars that are seen in draft legal triathlons/duathlons.

Core Multi-day Gear List

I have to start getting all my gear together now that there are only two weeks left before I leave for South Africa. I usually start forming a couple of piles in my "office" around now with the following gear. It's not a complete list, but it has about 95% of what I'll be taking. Also note that I don't list regular everyday clothes for after the race or things like toiletries.

General Gear
Bike
Tools
Tubes, tire levers, Co2
Pump, shock pump
Camelbak
Water bottles x 3
Flasks x 3
MP3 player
GPS
Helmet
Heart rate monitor
Shoes x 2
Glasses x 2
Extra tire x 2
Sleeping bag
Thermarest

Cycling Clothes
Jerseys x 4
Shorts x 4
Base long sleeve x 2
Long sleeve x 1
Knickers
Arm warmers
Leg warmers
Skull cap
Cold weather gloves
Regular gloves
Vest
Shell
Reg socks x 2
Thick socks x 4

Nutrition
Cytomax
Perpeteum
Acclerade
Endurox
Gu/Hammer Gel
Clif Bars

Misc.
Petzel Light
Zip ties
Duct tape
Alarm clock
Cleaning rags
Latex gloves
Super glue
Loc tite
Lube
Mixing container
Ear plugs
Ziplock Bags Lg & Med.
Batteries
Underwrap
Sports Tape
Scissors
Pill containers

Creams & Pills
Butt’r
Tylenol
Tylenol PM
Advil
Vitamins
Thermotabs
Endurolytes
Bag Balm

Other Required Gear
Check race website

Ready to race

I just finished up a good week of training and I'm ready for this:

First time at La Ruta

I thought it would be interesting to ask a first time La Ruta participant what he thought of the race. Tim Zandbergen is a local SoCal racer and captain for the Velosport Mountain Bike Team. Here are his thoughts on his first La Ruta (2005):

M: What attracted you to La Ruta?
Tim: I was looking for a good challenge. It was something I have never done. The attraction increased when it was hosted in a 3rd world country. I knew that there would be no luxuries.

M: What tires's did you take to CR and what would you recommend?
Tim: I used the Kenda Karama (no flats). I recommend a tire that is as narrow and not too aggressive. The first day has a lot of mud so you don't want the tire to hold on to it. It is also rocky so you want a tire that is tough.

M: Hardtail or Suspension?
Tim: I rode a specialized epic. It was the perfect bike. [I have to agree with Tim on that one...3 La Ruta's and a Specialized every time!]

M: The finish rate at CR is about 2/3 to 3/4. What do you think is the most important determinant for a first timer finishing? No mechanicals, a little luck, fitness, no crashes,etc...?
Tim: To finish you need fitness and determination. The first day was 8:45 minutes. You have to train your body to go and go and go.

M: What does it take to put together 3 good days?
Tim: Training. Any rider can finish the race. But you need to finish it within the cutoff times and be ready to do it again the next day.

M: Being your first multiday race how did you train for it?
Tim: I would train hard one day and ride easier the next day for 4 plus hours. I also did hill repeats in a big gear to help with producing power. Next time, I would train harder both days. Example would to do the Vision Quest one day and the Counting Coup the next.

M: What 5 items are the most important to take with you to the race in general & each day?
Tim: Bring all the supplements you would need; ie: Cytomax. They have food but your body is not use to using it as fuel. Bring what your use to using. Bring clean cloths.

M: Did you get bad cramps? If so, how do you deal with cramps down there?
Tim: No cramps at all. I used Hammer Heed mixed with Sustained Energy. It was the perfect combination.

M: What's your favorite thing about La Ruta/Costa Rica?
Tim: Finishing. Comradery with the other riders. The sights. The course.

M: How do you deal with the mud down there?
Tim: Just deal with it. Don't get frustrated. Train knowing that you will have to do a lot of steep slippery hike-a-bike with a really heavy bike on you back.

M: My first time at La Ruta I was 2 hours into the race and I was asking myself why the hell did I decide to ever do such a race. Was there any point where you felt like that?
Tim: About 3 hours into it I had an atomic bonk. I was literately suicidal for what seemed forever. Once I recovered, I was fine. That feeling tainted my experience. The main memory from the 3 days is how bad I felt on the first day for that short time.

M: What do you normally carry every day?
Tim: Spare tube.

M: Any tips for racers? Do's and dont's?
Tim: Do train, train, and train. Do hydrate, hydrate, and hydrate. Do eat, eat, and eat.

M: What are some of the races are you doing this year?
Tim: I will be competing in the NORBA National marathons along with some epic century road rides that include over 10,000 ft of climbing.