ATB XTERRA MTB Race #6

No music for this one. Yes, lazy.

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2010 Brian Kullman Memorial CX Race

2010 Deadtgoat ‘Giver8er’ 8 Hour Enduro MTB Race

Trans Stony Superhero Challenge 6 Hour Enduro MTB Race

Trans Stony Superhero Challenge 6 Hour Enduro MTB Race from Thomas Yip on Vimeo.

Cyclocross Provincials & the season ender.

Yesterday was the 2009 Cyclocross Provincial Championships hosted by Speed Theory.  Keith Bayly designed a really nice course with lots of off camber climbing and descending, a 40 stair run-up and plenty of hairpin loop-de-loops. The day started off with blue sky, and a crisp but not cold morning air. SOme of the best conditions we’ve had so far this cx season. Just before the women’s race a massive wind storm blew into the school yard and almost decimated some parts of the course; tearing ribbon and breaking stakes. The volunteers got out on course and sorted all the carnage out in time for the womens start.

I was unsure of how I would perform at Provincials. I had fairly low expectations after last weekends “Beans & Barley” cx race. I really thought I felt good until I went anaerobic in the first 500m. I never came back down from red line and subsequently had to really lay off the gas leaving me in 19th place overall.  I was super sick on Monday after that race, so I wasn’t sure if I would be well enough for Provincials.  As the week progressed towards the Provincial race I was beginning to feel pretty good and figured I could give it a go.

I took it fairly easy at the beginning of the race. I was a bit afraid to redline too early and not be able to recover like the weekend prior. The strategy worked pretty good. As I eased into my pace the guys who were keen for the victory and well out of my ability took off and began their own race. I settled in ahead of most of my main competitors and then let the suffering begin.

Once we hit the stair run up I was holding a pretty goo position in about 5th or 6th. I soon realized that the stairs were to be a menace for this race. Just before the stairs was a winding snaking section where you got a bit of recovery. So what do you do when you get some recovery you hammer it. So just as I would come up to the stairs I would be feeling a bit better then would sprint as fast as I could to the top. Then wham the wall would hit every time at the top. It would take so long to recovery from the stair efforts that I would eventually get passed by 2 or 3 guys.

I ended up battling out the last 2 laps with  another guy. We ended up in a sprint finish where I nudged him out for a top 10 result…well 10th to be exact. Not to bad,  I’m pretty happy to end my season off with a top 10 at cx provincials. Cheers to 2009; a great season of racing!

Photo of me suffering on the stairs

More photos by Keith Studios

Stage 2 – Wheeler Mountain

Today’s stage was tough. I’m not sure if it was so tough because of it’s nasty temperatures or steep single track climbs or if its the build up of stage race fatigue (yeah it’s only day 2….omg).

The initial climb was insanely steep for that early in the morning. I found myself walking up a few sections as the match book was burnt; mostly from the blazing sun. Thye death march began and then the trail funneled down into some singletrack, piggybacking steep climbs one after another. I was starting to feel a bit ill by about km 20. I wasn’t sure why but I figured I should drink some water. Warming up here in these tempratures is very foreign to me. back home warming up actually is a physical warming up. But when the temparature is already super high and you are sweating while standing still it brings new meaning and I think physiology to the warm up. the trail dipped into the forest after the first feed station which was a welcomed change in terrain. More like back home and much cooler in the shade. The next 20 or so km of climb and descent was relatively enjoyable. The next section after the forest spits oyu back out into the desert was to be very painful. As the heat started to dig deep into my core my fluids were running out the sun was getting higher and the feed station was not insight. Enter stage right….the bonk. I rarely bonk wean riding or racing but when the fluids are running low it is very hard to get a gel or bar down. Not to mention neither digest very well without water. So I began going backwards so it seemed. When feed station 2 arrived I had a brief showering from the water guys whichs was ultra refreshing. I slammed back 1.5 bottles of water recharge the camel and bottle and ate half a raw bar then took off for the final 10 km. Just around that mountain the feed station volunteer said. In my head I was thinking you have no idea what 10km  of ” Just around that mountain” feels like. My back was killing me I was a hungry and the sun was still weighing down heavy. I just put my nose down and granny geared it the next 10km up and around the mountain.

Today was very hard, my back took a beating as did my constitution. Tomorrows 85km stage is looking to be a bit of a relief. A relief only because the 35km climb is supposed to be in tree cover. Im looking forward to the shade. The descent though should be an interesting 35km too.

Stage 1 – Bachelor Burner

Hell of the Desert

Drove to kamloops this morning for the intermontane challenge that starts Monday. Once I got to revelstoke the temperature was significantly higher. The remainder of the drive was hellishly hot. I sweatted my way to Kamloops for the 7 hour duration splitting duty between air  conditioning and 4 windows open at120km/h to cool the heat. Got setup at the Thompson River University (HQ for Intermontane). I was pretty much the only person around the entire campus except for the check-in desk and a maintenace guy. This guy told me I’m the first looking biker to arrive who does’t look underweight. I’m not sure if that was a compliment or not but i’m guessing some of the pros have already arrived.  I’m in a pretty nice room that has 4 bedrooms. So far I have met Glen from Hinton and Tanya from Ottawa who are sharing the suite.

After I finally got settled in I realized it was about 5:00pm Calgary time and I hadn’t really ate since breakfast. I popped open “urban Spoon” on the ol’IPhone and searched mexican  and vegetarian in Kamloops. Up came a sweet little spot called “Hot house Bistro”. So I GPS/Google mapped it and got some directions from my current location. A short 5  minute drive and I was at the stylish little restaurant. I ordered up a Dos Equis Amber, a glass of water and the “California Style Burrito…veggies and bean variety”. It was amazing. great food nice atmosphere and on a smartphones recommendation to boot.

On the way back to TRU I stopped at Superstore to grab some water and juice, when low an behold it started to spit a little rain. As I pulled into the TRU parking lot a full blown huricane seemed to of had blown in. Kamloops dissappeared into a dust storm.

A bit dusty here...

Then the most wonderful thing happened. The rain came down… Very nice way to cool off the blazing inferno and keep some of that dust out of the air.  As you can see in the pic there is some nice looking elevation to be gained. Intermontane is looking to be a great event on some unique and challenging terrain.

Thirsty beaver and a bowl of fruit

Banff Bike Fest 2009

What a great event. Great organization, great course’s, great vibe. Excellent all round. Not to mention some pretty good results, but even without those it was still a great time and a wonderful way to spend an entire Saturday. I even got to see a Grizzly (actually 2 of them) about 300 yards off of the ITT course. Amazing to spectacle and much respect. Banff is definitely wild and beautiful country.

Cat4 – ITT – 2nd 30:49:95 for the 21km course. That’s 41kph average!…PB
Cat4 – Crit – 3rd

Photo courtesy of Trev Williams