Clean Start
- Thread starter Patrick
- Start date
i dont believe in holding my breath anyway.
pass ont he wheels, tubular is dumb for my use case, and i have no interest in racing CX
pass ont he wheels, tubular is dumb for my use case, and i have no interest in racing CX
Woohoo! it is April and the 1 year anniversary of my hospital stay.
The beauty of it is, the intestinal pain returned a couple months ago, and is still there - set on 1, out of 10.
But it was time to race - I mean, challenge myself.
While I've had a crappy last couple weeks, the overall last few months have been good - on the bike, on the run, even did some indoor stuff.
So figured why not do something different. I've got no experience, no go-long training, but need an excuse to ride my bike for 5ish hours
on a Sunday - so old-people endurance it is.
Nothing new on race day: except
Otherwise:
got up early - wasn't a problem, felt great.
Drove up, parked, p/u number, met @terrabike01 in the next parking spot - saw a bunch of the team, @AL., my recruit @Raf, others.
Grabbed my number (I'm sorry i didn't recognize MB. aka Ms. @pooriggy - please pass a hello and appreciation)
Now i've never done an endurance race, even one this short - this would be the longest time i've ever spent on a mountain bike
(i think) At least trying to keep moving on a predetermined path with ups-and-downs. I have a cooler, some bike supplies, and a pump.
i've got no idea where to put them, so i park them on the climb up the road. @MadisonDan flagged me down and said there is a pit,
so everything is contained. good save there.
So I decide 5 laps is the target, with lap 3 starting right behind cat 1, and lap 5 starting right behind cat 2 - should avoid some traffic that way.
@capedoc is funnelling music through the sound system
, @MissJR mentions that shorts were the right choice, but only the two of us
were donning them. I agree, but my race starts in 30 minutes. Say hello to @thegock, do other things, and get suited up. I had no idea
about the temp - it seemed coolcold. So i threw on a beanie to cover my ears, and an over-sized long sleeve jersey over the top of the regular one.
@Norm gives instructions, which were minimal, cause what is he going to say? sends off the young studs, then us old geezers, then the women.
we go up the road together, and file into the ST. work the climb a bit, and i'm not feeling strong, but i do feel good. it was weird - almost like this
was going to be my max HR, and speed today.
make it through the first water crossing ok. Get to the second water crossing, and i decide to ride the rocks just like
the day before. I'm off the bike......I'm off the bike happens a lot on the first lap. I'm dreading the decision to go 29r over b+.
Damn, they look narrow.
All three athletes from the Women's endurance catch me about a mile in. I try to hang for a bit, but it isn't happening.
Trouble staying on the bike through the rocks is everywhere. The downhills are taken cautiously the first time through.
Hit the pit, have a bite of sandwich, some perpetuem, swig of water, drop the beanie, and the long sleeve jersey.
@1sh0t1b33r gives me grief for a 5 minute pit stop! no worries.
Magically, in the second lap i'm staying on the bike. Think I rode everything cleanly, and started feeling it on the downhills.
Well, as much as i can.
Thanks @soundz !
'
Fast forward (punny!) through lap 3, i'm feeling good. The cat 1 lap traffic is going to come through quickly while out on lap 4, so i'm prepared to get out of the way.
Riding slower - like the auto-pause is triggered while i'm still pedaling!. Making some mistakes, but managing.
Watching the lines some of the Cat1 riders were taking was a great learning experience.
Setting up an angle, hitting the first rock and powering through. Cramps are starting to creep into the picture. 5 Laps is in jeopardy.
Hit the pit a few minutes after cat 2 goes off. Chat up @Santapez a bit (BTW - his new team shirt is the nicest one) - i'm seriously thinking about stopping.
Mancusco rolls through, grabs some water, and heads back out. Look over at Steve, and agree that I have to go back out. Down 2 laps, sounds much better than down 3,
so i'm off. Couple other endurance people pass me on their 6th lap - they are suffering, just faster. we are closing in on the 4 hour mark.
My legs are nearing vapor lock, as cramps come and go. I have to walk quite a bit of uphill, and stop to stretch. Strange thing is i'm doing ok in the rocks.
Hit ice cream, and get a bit of an adrenaline surge. No more big climbs. The cramps are still there, but I'll be down and into the short track section in no time.
Cautiously ride the upper section, and zip through the lakeside - actually passing someone! I see @xc62701 on his fattie somewhere in there, and i'm wondering if i can make it home before he catches me. I know the cheering section at the switchbacks will provide some juice. Through the switchbacks, i've spent my last bit of energy, and Ryan
goes zipping by. Finish up with some non-verbal grunt to @jimvreeland taking pictures, and roll through the finish.
5 laps, 26 miles, 3,300' climbing 4.5 hours moving, just under 5 hours total. Search and rescue team not needed.
A good time was had. The energy expended was way more than the metric HTT or HOH. there is no recovery on the downhills.
I'd do it again. Hopefully a bit lighter, fitter, and the intestinal issues cleared. Should be a good summer!
Photo: Ms @moose35 ???
The beauty of it is, the intestinal pain returned a couple months ago, and is still there - set on 1, out of 10.
But it was time to race - I mean, challenge myself.
While I've had a crappy last couple weeks, the overall last few months have been good - on the bike, on the run, even did some indoor stuff.
So figured why not do something different. I've got no experience, no go-long training, but need an excuse to ride my bike for 5ish hours
on a Sunday - so old-people endurance it is.
Nothing new on race day: except
- switching the bike from b+ to 29r
- switching brake levers
- putting on a 2.1" ignitor in the back - the xking(?) 2.4 up front worked great
Otherwise:
got up early - wasn't a problem, felt great.
Drove up, parked, p/u number, met @terrabike01 in the next parking spot - saw a bunch of the team, @AL., my recruit @Raf, others.
Grabbed my number (I'm sorry i didn't recognize MB. aka Ms. @pooriggy - please pass a hello and appreciation)
Now i've never done an endurance race, even one this short - this would be the longest time i've ever spent on a mountain bike
(i think) At least trying to keep moving on a predetermined path with ups-and-downs. I have a cooler, some bike supplies, and a pump.
i've got no idea where to put them, so i park them on the climb up the road. @MadisonDan flagged me down and said there is a pit,
so everything is contained. good save there.
So I decide 5 laps is the target, with lap 3 starting right behind cat 1, and lap 5 starting right behind cat 2 - should avoid some traffic that way.
@capedoc is funnelling music through the sound system
, @MissJR mentions that shorts were the right choice, but only the two of uswere donning them. I agree, but my race starts in 30 minutes. Say hello to @thegock, do other things, and get suited up. I had no idea
about the temp - it seemed cool
@Norm gives instructions, which were minimal, cause what is he going to say? sends off the young studs, then us old geezers, then the women.
we go up the road together, and file into the ST. work the climb a bit, and i'm not feeling strong, but i do feel good. it was weird - almost like this
was going to be my max HR, and speed today.
make it through the first water crossing ok. Get to the second water crossing, and i decide to ride the rocks just like
the day before. I'm off the bike......I'm off the bike happens a lot on the first lap. I'm dreading the decision to go 29r over b+.
Damn, they look narrow.
All three athletes from the Women's endurance catch me about a mile in. I try to hang for a bit, but it isn't happening.
Trouble staying on the bike through the rocks is everywhere. The downhills are taken cautiously the first time through.
Hit the pit, have a bite of sandwich, some perpetuem, swig of water, drop the beanie, and the long sleeve jersey.
@1sh0t1b33r gives me grief for a 5 minute pit stop! no worries.
Magically, in the second lap i'm staying on the bike. Think I rode everything cleanly, and started feeling it on the downhills.
Well, as much as i can.
Thanks @soundz !
Fast forward (punny!) through lap 3, i'm feeling good. The cat 1 lap traffic is going to come through quickly while out on lap 4, so i'm prepared to get out of the way.
Riding slower - like the auto-pause is triggered while i'm still pedaling!. Making some mistakes, but managing.
Watching the lines some of the Cat1 riders were taking was a great learning experience.
Setting up an angle, hitting the first rock and powering through. Cramps are starting to creep into the picture. 5 Laps is in jeopardy.
Hit the pit a few minutes after cat 2 goes off. Chat up @Santapez a bit (BTW - his new team shirt is the nicest one) - i'm seriously thinking about stopping.
Mancusco rolls through, grabs some water, and heads back out. Look over at Steve, and agree that I have to go back out. Down 2 laps, sounds much better than down 3,
so i'm off. Couple other endurance people pass me on their 6th lap - they are suffering, just faster. we are closing in on the 4 hour mark.
My legs are nearing vapor lock, as cramps come and go. I have to walk quite a bit of uphill, and stop to stretch. Strange thing is i'm doing ok in the rocks.
Hit ice cream, and get a bit of an adrenaline surge. No more big climbs. The cramps are still there, but I'll be down and into the short track section in no time.
Cautiously ride the upper section, and zip through the lakeside - actually passing someone! I see @xc62701 on his fattie somewhere in there, and i'm wondering if i can make it home before he catches me. I know the cheering section at the switchbacks will provide some juice. Through the switchbacks, i've spent my last bit of energy, and Ryan
goes zipping by. Finish up with some non-verbal grunt to @jimvreeland taking pictures, and roll through the finish.
5 laps, 26 miles, 3,300' climbing 4.5 hours moving, just under 5 hours total. Search and rescue team not needed.
A good time was had. The energy expended was way more than the metric HTT or HOH. there is no recovery on the downhills.
I'd do it again. Hopefully a bit lighter, fitter, and the intestinal issues cleared. Should be a good summer!
Photo: Ms @moose35 ???
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Great job out there Pat! Makes me wanna go back out with the b+ tires and give it a go. And yeah, zero recovery to be had on the downhills.
xc62701
Well-Known Member
I don't know about the B+ tires but the fatty was great for everything but the downs. The front end was washing out and sketchy in a few places. I would have rather had my 29 for that.
It was good to see you out there. I didn't realize it was you when I passed. I heard someone say my name and I wasn't sure who it was. That's a lot of great pedaling time in a fun spot. Well worth the effort!
It was good to see you out there. I didn't realize it was you when I passed. I heard someone say my name and I wasn't sure who it was. That's a lot of great pedaling time in a fun spot. Well worth the effort!
So it seems like my abdominal pain is subsiding. This is good. Still aware of the area, but "reading time" is getting better.
I just love rolling fat around the farm and jeep roads around here. There are plenty of connections to the power line service
roads, and old rail beds.
i found this dump of skulls.
and figured it is what happened to the previous group that rode their bikes through here.
last year was some sort of bumper crop of pumpkins - i guess they don't plow them under? or perhaps this is what was
left in the farm stand???
Also made it back to the old Central NJ Rail bed between hillsborough and Neshanic Station. if you've ever been on pleasant run
road, and gone by that old mill converted to a house, next to a missing train bridge - that is the old line (the old station is now a house near
the post office.) the rail bed continues to old york road in three bridges.
there are some spots where is doesn't drain - but the puddles are over cinder.
It would be nice to have this as the 'boro-Nesh connector trail. The hillsboro side isn't far from
YMCA, and there is a bike lane - where it seems they are restoring the old belle mead depot branch into the new
mountain view park. I'll post some pics of that soon.
I just love rolling fat around the farm and jeep roads around here. There are plenty of connections to the power line service
roads, and old rail beds.
i found this dump of skulls.
and figured it is what happened to the previous group that rode their bikes through here.
last year was some sort of bumper crop of pumpkins - i guess they don't plow them under? or perhaps this is what was
left in the farm stand???
Also made it back to the old Central NJ Rail bed between hillsborough and Neshanic Station. if you've ever been on pleasant run
road, and gone by that old mill converted to a house, next to a missing train bridge - that is the old line (the old station is now a house near
the post office.) the rail bed continues to old york road in three bridges.
there are some spots where is doesn't drain - but the puddles are over cinder.
It would be nice to have this as the 'boro-Nesh connector trail. The hillsboro side isn't far from
YMCA, and there is a bike lane - where it seems they are restoring the old belle mead depot branch into the new
mountain view park. I'll post some pics of that soon.
My grandmother lived in Three Bridges for a few years after my grandfather lost his job. They took the train from Elizabeth and ended up in Three Bridges to stay with family for the summer. Pretty sure she passed the same trees you did today. I think this was in the late 1930s. I'll have to ask.
After doing the Monday fat gravel ride with the Hb crew out of Bedminster as a trail friendly alternative,
I realized that the gatorskins were still on the roadie from HOH. This led to taking a few alternate roads, the reward was this view.
I realized that the gatorskins were still on the roadie from HOH. This led to taking a few alternate roads, the reward was this view.
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StayHydrated
Swedish Chef
Good dirt
One of my long-time friends suggested participating in a couple of charity runs this summer.
Sunday was our first, and it benefited The Watershed Institute. I've never heard of it, even though
I may have biked by it in the past. It's on the Hopewell-Pennington boarder, and has a nice property,
with learning center. Worth a trip with the pre-teen crowd. On a normal day, there are some field-side
paths to hike, with some sculptures, and good views.
The run offered 5k & 10k options. Couple of us went for the 10km, the others for 5km. Nice thing about this one,
it was starting at 12:30! Perfect for the spouse and kid + 2 other couples to meet-up, run, then grab some food.
So this is not a normal day - it is following a week of rain. At check-in, we were warned of muddy conditions up to 6" deep.
no biggie. People were switching from the 10km->5km run, to cut down the slog-fest. Nah.
And the horn goes off. 100yds from the start is the first puddle. People are trying to go around it. We run through it.
There is going to be a very limited amount of dry ground from there until the end. Everything from soft grass, to full-on
mud pits, and large puddles. It was work! Hard work. Many of the steps were greeted with a nice sideways slide, or
unexpected squish!
It hurt! A lot. About 90 seconds per mile pace slower than my last 10k about a month back, and I definitely worked harder.
In the end, I finished 32 of 136 participants in the 10k, 7 of 24 in age group. 20 of 73 in age graded results.
Time: 1:02:27.
I'm number 609 - the others did the 5km. so i guess it was muddier on the far loop.
Sunday was our first, and it benefited The Watershed Institute. I've never heard of it, even though
I may have biked by it in the past. It's on the Hopewell-Pennington boarder, and has a nice property,
with learning center. Worth a trip with the pre-teen crowd. On a normal day, there are some field-side
paths to hike, with some sculptures, and good views.
The run offered 5k & 10k options. Couple of us went for the 10km, the others for 5km. Nice thing about this one,
it was starting at 12:30! Perfect for the spouse and kid + 2 other couples to meet-up, run, then grab some food.
So this is not a normal day - it is following a week of rain. At check-in, we were warned of muddy conditions up to 6" deep.
no biggie. People were switching from the 10km->5km run, to cut down the slog-fest. Nah.
And the horn goes off. 100yds from the start is the first puddle. People are trying to go around it. We run through it.
There is going to be a very limited amount of dry ground from there until the end. Everything from soft grass, to full-on
mud pits, and large puddles. It was work! Hard work. Many of the steps were greeted with a nice sideways slide, or
unexpected squish!
It hurt! A lot. About 90 seconds per mile pace slower than my last 10k about a month back, and I definitely worked harder.
In the end, I finished 32 of 136 participants in the 10k, 7 of 24 in age group. 20 of 73 in age graded results.
Time: 1:02:27.
I'm number 609 - the others did the 5km. so i guess it was muddier on the far loop.
rick81721
Lothar
Pffft you call that mud? I was worse than that after an earlier spring sourlands recon run. And it's no fun climbing that 400 ft mountain with water logged/muddy shoes, then running on boulders all the way down!
rick81721
Lothar
i looked for you, but you didn't show up....
Too muddy!
Rick is afraid of mud