6 Hours of Warrior Creek Race Report

Another beautiful weekend for racing!

I think that this will be the last time I do back to back endurance races.  I suppose I forgot the last time (Cohutta 100 and Dirt, Sweat, and Gears 12 Hour in 2008).  Well, let me tell you.  Last weekend brought those memories back ... quickly and painfully.

I was racing my single speed as this was the perfect course for one gear (minus the start on the campground road).  I was able to get a good starting position, 2nd row.  However, I was soon moving backwards as dozens passed me on the flat portion of the campground loop.  After what seemed like an eternity, the road turned up.  At last, I could start to make up some lost ground.  My legs begged to differ and went on strike.  Apparently there was some lingering Ouachita Challenge fatigue that decided to rear its ugly head.

All I could do was settle into a sustainable rhythm and hope that they would come around.  The trains of racers on the first lap kept a governor on my engine and kept me from "going Greyhound."  After the first lap, which was 2 miles longer due to the parade lap, my legs came to life.  I became reacquainted with all 2,346 berms and felt the flow of this awesome trail.

For those of you who are not familiar with this trail, it is 12.5 miles of fast hardpack with huge berms to help you carry your momentum through the turns (think pump track).  There are a few short rock gardens to keep you honest.  There is about 1000 feet of climbing per lap, nothing longer than 0.1 miles.  The downside to that is that you are constantly on the gas!

Even the bridges are contoured!

After the first lap, I began to slowly pull away from the women.  The field was stacked this year, with several contenders that pushed me to the very end.  My lap times were pretty consistent, all within 1-2 minutes of each other.

Lap 2:  I rode the chicane so fast that as I crested the short hill at the end, I experienced vertigo.  Zeke, I feel for ya!  Dizziness + trail riding at speed = disaster potential.

Lap 3:  A solo male racer rode behind me for awhile.  As he passed, he said that he enjoyed reading my blog.  Cool!

Lap 4:  Just a couple minutes off the previous laps due to two reasons.  #1:  I attempted to guzzle an 8 ounce Red Bull.  Hmmm ... how much caffeine can be absorbed by lung tissue?  #2:  With 2 miles to go, I heard the dreaded "Psssssss."  And then I saw Stan's on my knee!  Miraculously, the puncture sealed before I could get my bike stopped.  I immediately went in to the "Oh, crap!" mode.  With only minimal tire pressure lost and not finding the puncture, I motored on, thinking that at any time, the Stan's would let go and the tire would go flat.  I began weighing my options the final two miles:  plug it, throw a tube in, change bikes, change wheels.  The last two miles took FOREVER!  Stopping at my pit, I checked my tire.  The Stan's was doing its job!  Wow!  This was a first for me in all my years of racing.  Now what do I do?  Continue on or change bikes?  I decided to stay on my Niner A9C and go for it.  If it was going to go flat, it would not be from that puncture 2 miles ago.  Even so, I rode like a nervous bunny for the next few miles.  Hop ... hop ... sniff ... sniff.  With 8 miles to go on that final lap, I brought it back up to race pace.

I crossed the finish line at 5:56 with 5 laps, winning the women's open.  Once again, the podium schwag was in great quantity and high quality.  The best thing was the mug.

 I must commend BMCC.  They are trail building/maintaining fiends!  Even though it rained 1- 1/2 inches 36 hours before the race, the trail was completely dry and tacky!  Volunteers were actually out there the day before raking leaves off the trail.  Unbelievable!

Congrats to Ursula for winning what she calls the "Old Ladies Category."  Whatever!  She also finished with 5 laps.

Thank goodness this is a rest week.

Ouachita Challenge Race Report

I never know what to expect from the competition any time I head west of the Mississippi.  I had looked at the start list and other than Andrea Wilson, everyone else was a mystery.  Well, Andrea was too!  I hadn't raced her since the 2010 OC and I knew that with her tackling the NUE, she was only getting stronger and stronger.

No sense in worrying about what I cannot control.  I knew I was dialed, my bike was dialed, the weather was looking super hot (which is good for me), and the course would be brutal for all!  I had pre-ridden Blowout Mountain and Gaston Mountain on Friday and Saturday.  Thank goodness I had remembered to pack my Pisgah legs.

This is what I see when I enter "the pain cave."

One too many trips to the bathroom on race morning put me in the middle of the pack at the start.  On top of that I could not get my heart rate monitor to pick up.  The guys around me probably got some enjoyment watching me fiddle with my bra/boobage trying to get my heart rate strap to work.  It is a pretty important tool for me on race day.  My heart rate keeps me from not blowing up as well as not getting to pacified.

Mid-pack was not a good place for me to be as I had wanted to get into the first or second groups for the 9 mile pavement/gravel section up to Brushy Mountain.  Instead I had to slowly pace myself back up to the front over the next 5 miles all the while keeping my "feelers" out for those who are not as experienced racing in tight packs on loose gravel.

With about a mile to go before I hit the first single track, I caught up to Andrea and another woman (I suppose Jessica Rawlins).  Jessica was in a train with her team mates.  Wow!  I need that kind of support.  Andrea was in the near vicinity.  As I passed her I said, "Keep the rubber side down!"  Ummm, I think I jinxed her as she had a bad crash on the Womble.  Sorry, Andrea.

I passed several guys on the last climb leading to Brushy.  Funny, several of them dug really deep to pass me back so they would not get "stuck" behind a girl on the single track.  Needless to say, I eventually passed most of them back.

My race was almost over before it had really begun.  Just as I entered the single track, my bike chain-sucked BIG TIME!  Luckily I did not try to pedal through it as that would probably have cost me a broken chain.  It took me several minutes to work it out from between the big ring and the chain stay.  I was sweating bullets!  I had never had this happen to me where I could not back pedal out of it. (This chain suck happened as I was shifting the rear derailleur to an easier gear, the shifting was a bit slow to respond, and my shock was compressing at the same time too.  If anyone out in cyberspace has any advice, I'll take it!)

After fixing my bike, I settled into a comfortable rhythm, passing many a poor racer, who was on the side of the trail fixing a flat ... 9 to be exact, and that was just on Brushy!  After seeing this I took it a bit easier on the descents.  I would rather be a couple minutes slower than on the side of the trail throwing a tube in.

Coming down into the Big Brushy aid station, I was greeted with what seemed like hundreds of screams and well wishes.  By far the largest crowd that has been there since I started doing the race in 2006 ... a real motivator!

Photo by Suzanne Henne

Blowout Mountain was its usual toughness with an added element of "slicker n snot" rocks because of the heavy dew the night before.  No cleaning this trail at race pace today!  All the guys that I was among were off their bikes too.  Faster and safer to run the rock slide sections, for sure.

Chalybeate (pronounced Cleebit) Mountain was by far the tamest.  The hardest part was the initial climb, steep enough that at times I was wishing for a 24 x 36 instead of my 26 x 36.  All the tourists the day before kind of "horsed it up" with their hike-a-biking.  This is where I started to see some racers blow up.  I passed about 5 guys on this section.

The 8 mile gravel road/pavement section that takes you from the Ouachita Trail to the Womble trail was no man's land for me today.  With no one in sight I was on my own.  In previous races, I was able to hook up with a group, take my share of pulls, and then tuck in behind and coast.  Today was just all about putting my head down, getting as aero as one can on a Niner Jet 9 RDO, and focusing on pedal stroke.

The 5 guys I had passed on Chalybeate eventually caught me with about 1 mile to go, so I got a brief respite.  I stopped at the Hwy 298 aid station, refilled my Camelbak and gel flask, and listened to the volunteer giving stats.  First woman, 25 minutes behind leaders, x miles to next aid station, x miles to first zip-tie check, and x miles to finish.  I told him he had obviously done his home work.  These volunteers were in their finest today!

I got my second wind on the Womble and slowly reeled in one racer after another.  Each was a grape and I, the hungry fox!  Thirsty, too, as the temps were now in the mid-80's!  I chain sucked bad one more time.  Same thing:  slow up-shift in the rear with shock compression.  Arghhh!  Another few minutes stuck on the side of the trail.  After the second time, I had to rethink my whole shifting thing and unfortunately that slowed me down a bit.  Although in hindsight that may have been a good thing as I never once had any inklings of cramping.

Todd Henne gave me a good ice cold water dousing at the intersection of the Womble and FS 922. Thank you!  The remainder of the Womble was Happy!Happy!Joy! Joy! as the flow was just phenomenal.

The last gravel road climb back up to the final aid station was a kick in the behind as the sun just baked my backside.  Talk about HOT!  Once I crested the hill, it was mostly down hill with a nice tail wind.  I settled into a time trial pace.

Smelling the barn! (Photo by Suzanne Henne)

Instead of finishing up the pavement to the school, they made you grind up a steep grassy climb.  I imagined myself cramping with only yards to the finish a midst a hundred + spectators.  But that was not meant to be.  I crossed the line with a time of 5:33:46.

First place netted me some cash and an Ellsworth wheelset.  No waiting on podiums at the OC.  As you cross the line, they hand you your winnings.  Sweet!

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Zeke thought that the OC was not challenge enough on gears, so this time (his 7th) he raced his single speed.  He finished 10th out of 26 in the SS category and 103rd overall (260 starters).  Not bad for an old dawg!

Zeke crushed it today!

Then he drove for 11 hours to get me home in time to pull a 10 hour work day.  Now I call that a Weekend Warrior Triathlon.

Kudos to the amazing managment of this race and all the wonderful volunteers.  You Arkansans rock!

Granite Grinder 6 Hour Race Report

Stop two on the Chainbuster Series was in Conyers, Georgia.  Zeke and I were both single speeding again, he is the SS class and I in the open women's field.

I had headed down to Atlanta a couple day's prior to be Wobble-naught fitted by Eddie O'Dea of 55nine Performance.  I was not too far off my "blueprint," as I had been fitted a few years back.  Eddie moved my saddle forward and a tad bit higher.  I am hoping that this will help with some IT band issues I have been having.

Preparing to be "one" with the bike!

I was fortunate enough to spend the night with the O'Dea's.  My accommodations were awesome.  My bed was in the bike room.  Bikes, parts, and accessories everywhere!  It was a maze to get to the bathroom.  The room smelled like rubber and lube.  And I had the best sleep ever!

Back to the race ...

Gearing was a hard choice for this one.  A lot of flat sections + several steep grunty climbs = difficult decision.  I chose to go for a slightly easier gear, as I would rather carry a high cadence on the flats and be able to clean the climbs.

The start was a never ending flat gravel section.  I was in the first row, but soon got shuttled back to what seemed like DFL by the time we hit the single track.  Oh well, at least I was not going to blow up on the first lap!

It is nice to have all body and bike parts working and flowing together.  Eddie's slight adjustments made my IT band issues all but disappear.  He also gave me pedal stroke advice from which I created several mantras I used during the race.

The first 6 laps flew by effortlessly.  Oh, yeah.  On the first lap I had to throw in a little effort to get up the red clay punchy climb followed by the fresh cut trail climb after some dildo scrubbed ALL my speed when he rubbed my rear wheel for what seemed like a solid two feet.  I can't remember what I shouted, but I think it caught those behind me off guard!

Top of the clay climb ... think ski slope steep!

Must of been the first lap adrenaline that got me to the top!  Funny thing, the dude who scrubbed me got funneled back.  The next guy that was on my wheel immediately said, "That wasn't me!"

On the third lap, I caught up with first place.  At the time, I really did not know where I was in relation to my competition, the downside of racing against "gearies."  Whenever I am unsure who my competition is, I pass with gas, get a gap, and then settle back in to my rhythm.

Those climbs on the last 3 laps began to sting.  I never had to push, but my cadence was dangerously close to track standing in a couple of steep pitches.  I was also doing the math in my head on those last few laps to see how hard I was gonna need to go to get those laps in before the 4pm cut off.

My can of Red Bull gave me wings for that last lap.  Catching up to one of my friends that was doing the 9 hour also helped to make it one of my fastest.

I was pleasantly pleased with my performance as well as with my Niner AC9 ... with the Niner RDO seat post.  In the past I have been a faithful Thomson follower, but on the singlespeed, the RDO carbon takes the "sting" out of the bumps.  There is a slight weight penalty, but I will gladly take it to avoid getting my spine jacked!  BTW, I am still running my Thomson Masterpiece on my geared bike.

My training/racing partner, Zeke, who is also sometimes mistaken for my husband and/or father.

My good friend, Ursula, placed 3rd, in the 6 Hour Solo.  She was "singling" it as well.  Zeke finished 4th in the SS class ... out of 13!  Hoo-rah!  If he didn't stop to make a wheat bread and Hammer Gel sandwich every lap, who knows where he might have finished!

Next up for me is The Ouachita Challenge.  Time for gears!

Faith

Today was my first ride aboard the Niner Jet 9 RDO.  I chose Chilhowee as there is a little bit of everything:  from tight twisty rocky single track to fast and flowy double track.  Every time when Zeke and I ride this trail system, we stop at our trail side sanctuary, add a rock, and say a prayer.  Need less to say, I have been the one in need on many an occasion.

Note the cross Zeke made from sticks and leather cord to the left of the rocks.

We have been doing this since 2007.  We have some pretty big slabs on the bottom, but our rocks seem to be getting smaller and smaller.  If our rides continue we may have to get a BOB trailer to bring in more base rocks!

The climb up to this spot is about 25 minutes long.  Today I thought a lot about what has transpired over the past year.  It has not been an easy road to hoe and I have had to rely on family, friends, and my spirituality.  Simply stated, I have had to "let go" and lean on others.  I've had to have faith that I was making the right decisions; everything from changing to a different bike manufacturer to going gluten free to deciding to have surgery to several other challenges I choose not to go into on this blog.

If you know me, I like the tangible.  I like to be able to hold it in my hands.  Faith is not easy for me, but I have learned that it is good for me.  Faith helps in lifting those heavy burdens from my shoulders.

Testing grounds

And that is how the Niner double squishy rocket machine got her name.  Faith is what helped to get me through last year and now the "tangible" Faith will help me to get to the finish line this year!

There was no transition, no "getting used to"; I hopped aboard and immediately felt at home.  It was like I was riding my Era, only with 29" wheels.  The 100mm of travel is there when you need it and easily turned off when you don't.  As light as I am, most of the time I did not need to engage the lock out up front and Pro Pedal in the rear.  But it was easy to do so when necessary.  The climbing was most enjoyable, especially when it got technical.

I am currently running a 39 x 26 with an 11-36 cassette.  I had no trouble today and only used the 36 cog a couple times, but I don't know if I will have enough on the lower end to get me up and over the mountains at The Ouachita Challenge and The Pisgah 111.

Cleaned the Naked Widow ... both ways.

The biggest thing I realized is just how those big wheels like to keep rolling once you get them up to speed.  Today's small rollers seemed like I was on the flats.  And my Stan's Race Wheels are only 100 grams heavier than my superlight 26" Stan's Alpine wheels.  They are just as easy to accelerate as my little wheels.

I am so glad I made the transition from Specialized to Niner.  Had I been riding an S-Works Epic 29'r, this post would probably have been the same, for Specialized does make awesome bikes as well.  But ... I was unable to purchase an S-Works model from my LBS, an authorized Specialized dealer.  Bruce would have had to have purchased "X" number of S-Works and in a town of 13,000 I am the only one who would ride that high end model.  98% of the bikes Bruce sells are less than $800.  So I would have had to buy an S-Works from another dealer.  Being a loyal customer for 12+ years, I refused to go there.  So ... Specialized lost a customer and Niner gained two (Zeke is a Ninerd, too).

Niner supports the little guys like The Outdoor Store and for that I am grateful.  I also like the 5 year warranty on their carbon fiber frames.  And I love the color!  And I love the "hike-a-bike carrying handle."  And the list goes on and on!

This will come in handy at The Pisgah 111!

If you really want to know how I felt aboard faith on her virgin ride, just watch the video from time 1:20 - 3:00.  Bugs Bunny paints a very clear picture of my first impression.

Snake Creek TT Finale Race Report

NWGA SORBA outdid themselves on this one!

T.H.E!  Conditions, both the trail and the body, made this one The Hardest Ever for moi.  2-3" rain on the first section the night before made the first half of the race a mud fest.  I was glad I had put the mud fender on because it kept the mud and horse poo off my glasses and face.

Silly me thought that I could pull off a sub-3:30 after succumbing to an upper respiratory infection in the week leading up to the race.  My gracious co-workers, who seem to always be sick, left me "gifts" on the phones, door knobs, computers, etc.  Side note:  Those who are always "sick" ought to be made, by law, to eat healthy, rest well, and get plenty of exercise, so that those who actually give a damn about their bodies, don't have to be constantly exposed to the weaklings' germs!

Anyway, any positive thoughts of being able to win this thing were quickly bashed within the first mile.  I tried to get up to speed, but with the mud and my inability to get my RDA of oxygen, I was fighting a losing battle.  Yeah, I was mad, frustrated, and feeling sorry, but quickly reminded myself that I was out here doing what I love.  Dang it if I was going to let the conditions dictate my state of mind!  I immediately decided that if I could not race, then at least I would have a good training ride.

I slogged through the first half, practicing my surfing skills through the muddy descents and my smooth pedaling cadence through the muddy climbs.  My legs actually felt pretty good; might of had something to do with not riding much the week prior.  They wanted to go go go, but my lungs said no no no.  The cobwebs of mucous in the back of my throat made oxygen transference most difficult.  I had enough "snot rockets" to take out a small country.

I rolled through the 1/2 way point 4 minutes slower than January's time.  I opted not to swap out Camelbak's but do a partial refill at the last water stop just before entering the final section of single track.  It was nice not having a full Camelbak on me up the next two climbs.  I seemed to feel better, especially after noticing just how dry the second half was!  It was like night and day as compared to the first half.  If only I had known, I may have just ridden the 17 miler.

The first half of the second half went by quickly.  My legs finally seemed to be getting some oxygen, so I was able to stand and hammer up some of the short kickers.  I had a good climb up to the final aid station, got a bit of water, and motored on.  Normally I enjoy the last hour of the race, picking my way through the bouldery sections, nailing the descents and usually climbing at least 1/2 of  "The Wall."  As I entered the first tricky section, I could tell I was REALLY tired.  I felt like a pinball and my little wheels constantly found those "26 inch holes."  It seemed I was off the bike more than on.  The Wall was ominous today and I scuttled up most of it ... probably faster than I could have ridden it anyway.

Instead of laying it down on the road descent, I coasted in to the finish, with a blazing time of 3:45.  I definitely got my money's worth today.  Fortunately, my January time was good enough for 2nd.  That $500 will go towards my 29'r rocket ship, which right now weighs less than my Specialized S-Works Era!

2013 Snake Creek Steed!

There was no "Easy Button" for today's race ... err, ride.  Sometimes you learn a lot more about yourself when you are at your lowest.  I managed to finish with a smile and no broken bones or bike parts.

Kudos to Pro Gold's Extreme Lube.  No chain suck and it was quiet all day!

The podium was empty save for Rachel and I.

Ergon Gloves HA2 Review

I have been wearing the Ergon full fingered HA2 gloves for about 2 months now.   They have 2 races (SSAZ and Taco Stand Classic) and multiple training rides in them.  They have been washed and dried at least 4 times.

The fit is spot on.  I wear a men's Medium in Specialized and Pearl Izumi.  The medium fit me perfectly. There was just enough wiggle room in the tips that when I flexed my fingers the tips of the gloves were not jammed up against my finger nails. The seams are so minimal and smooth that I can not feel them.  Even after multiple washings/dryings they did not shrink.

There is just enough ulnar padding to keep my nerves happy, yet it does not take away from my bike's feel.  I love the seam-free cuff ... there is no constriction.

I have worn these gloves in temperatures ranging from 45-70 degrees in dry conditions. Even though I have Reynaud's disease, my fingers stayed comfortably warm.

During racing, I never even thought twice about my gloves.  It felt like I was wearing nothing at all.  The last thing you want to happen during a race is to have a nagging issue with your equipment, i.e. pebble in your shoe, migrating chamois, noisy suspension.

This grip/glove combo has worked well for me.  It has made the bar an extension of my arms/hands. The longest period of time I have worn them is 6 hours and my hands were "happy" the whole time.

I would highly recommend them to anyone who likes a "minimalist" glove.  

Taco Stand Classic Race Report

This was the first of 6 races of the Chainbuster 9/6 Hour Series.  This is a "new to me" series that I am planning on doing as tune ups for my other adventures.  I chose to race the 6 hour on my single speed in the women's class.  9 hours would be just too much fun for me!

Guess which side is mine and which is Zeke's?

Even though this race was low-key, I was still a bundle of nervous energy, ready to go like a greyhound!  It was a mass start, not a LeMans style ... which I absolutely loved, as I am NOT a runner.

At the start.  Photo courtesy of Namrita.

 Lap 1 was your typical bottleneck.  I have learned through the years to use this lap as my warm up.  There is no sense in getting frustrated as this leads to wasted energy.  It does get quite interesting when the train of geared racers in front of me slowly spin their way up the short, grunty climbs.  Good slow cadence, track-standing practice on a SS!

Lap 2 thinned out and I was able to put in in overdrive ... until I got stuck behind a gentleman who did not want to yield to a fast chick.  Oh well, karma was with me because he and several others went the wrong way!  For a moment, I thought about not telling them of their mistake, but then did the right thing.

Lap 3 was pretty uneventful.  I spent some time riding behind Charles, until he kindly showed me just how slippery the pine needles could be.  A soft crash followed by him quickly moving off the trail so I could not use him for traction.  A super strong kid!

Lap 4  started with a Red Bull shot and a trip to the porta john.  As I pulled up to pee, there was a line of one.  He pointed out that they were out of toilet paper.  To which I replied, "Who needs that?"  I hopped in one and hopped back out ... in record time!  That load lightener made the lap so much more pleasurable!  I usually don't have to pee during a race, so kinda unusual for me.

Lap 5 I was paid the best complement ever.  I was behind a Sorella racer.  I asked to pass her, but only when she was ready and there was room.  (We were on some "snaky" downhill single track.)  I could see she was wanting to find a place to pull over, but I told her, she was racing, too.  She had as much right to the trail as I.  When I was finally able to get around her, I heard her say,  "Oh,  that's Carey Lowery!  Go, Carey, go!"  (In a very admirable tone!)  That REALLY made me feel good!

Photo courtesy of Mark Dee.

Lap 6 was spent riding behind Drake, the SS leader of the 9 hour race.  Even though he was just a pup at 20 years of age, he rode like a veteran.  Very smooth and consistent.  I enjoyed the lap chitty chatting with him.

Lap 7 I was definitely slowing down.  I had plenty of time to get it in before the 4 pm cut off.  But then Brian called me out on the second big climb.  I was just starting this agonizing hiccup in the course profile, full of roots, switchbacks, and steep pitches when I heard Brian yell, "I am gonna catch you, Carey Lowery!" Game on, big boy!  I immediately entered the pain cave, hoping that the cramp monster would not attack.  He was on a SS, too.  The whole time up that climb he was growling and groaning, but he did not catch me on the climb.  It took him about 5 minutes before he finally latched on.  But then, instead of passing me and leaving me in his dust, he continued to push me through this final lap.  That was HUGE motivation for me.  Thanks, Brian!

Awesome prize!

7 laps (56 miles) in 5:41 earned me a trip to the top of the podium.  For that I received an Invigo mattress topper.  That was ironic!  It was just last week that I threw away our previous mattress topper which had seen better days.  I also received a schwag bag which had lots of goodies, including a Maxxis 26" tire.  Ummm, the majority of bikes I see today at races are 29'rs.  Time to rethink what goes in podium bags?

Kenny put on a great event!  I am glad I decided to race this series this year.  Very low key and family oriented.  People were all very friendly and supportive.  The volunteers and neutral mechanic support were awesome. 

My only recommendation would be that the course be completely marked by 12 pm the day before.  When I pre-rode on Friday around 2 pm, I had trouble at several intersections and missed some sections.  Not a huge problem, though, as I had that first lap on race day to dial the course in.  I just heard some frustrations from 2 other riders on Friday.