Do you know the Mt Man?
Another Mt Man in the book. Came up with the perfect solution to this year's slug-o-thon training of which i'm lead participant.
I'd do it as a relay! So I ask my kid a couple weeks back, and he said yes. He's been running XC at school, and improving his times.
Little did i know he was stressing about it, and how he'd perform in an "adult" race. I assured him that he would be mid-pack running, and
we would do fine. pre-ran/rode last saturday - all good.
He's 5'7" and 12yo (youngest participant).... Just starting to get some strength and endurance to match his size. Hormones are a wonderful thing.
We discussed strategy, and that there would be a clog at the beginning of the single track - just go with it, pass when you can, be polite.
he ran his regular XC pace, on a harder course. Good job there.
My turn on the bike. with all the people picking their lines through the roots and rocks on the climb out over the stream, i made a couple passes where i could. its about 1.3 miles to the single track, and i want to get into it before the clog. Two guys get in before me, with a little gap, so i think i'm ok. will try to catch them by the parking lot and ask to pass. No luck, catch them at the first turn of the downhill. Every time there is a little up, the lead guy pedals hard, and puts a little gap on. every time there is a downhill, we are on top of him. This is a problem for me, cause i use the dh to set up some of the short climbs. This fella is not hitting the downhills hard, then waiting for the bike to slow enough to start pedaling again. So i ask him not to brake on the simple lines, and to hit it at the bottom of the ups and just carry momentum. He does this, i'm happier, as is the other fellow with us. So basically i can't get by this guy cause he would just catch me on the climbs. so the plan is to go a little harder and beat him into the single track on the second lap. And of course, right near the top of climb on the next lap he goes by me into the ST, in front of a group of 4. I'm the caboose, cause i couldn't pass this group before the top of the climb. They were right on his ass, but he wasn't going to yield his spot. i'm not sure if anyone asked to pass, but here we go. we pick up another fellow behind me, and he asks to pass me. so i let him go, figured, maybe he'd shake things up. he doesn't.
I need a plan. If you'd ridden LM through the back parking lot down to the stream, there is a switchback trail over a bridge. There is a switchback to align the trail with the bridge, and a line through the water. I'm at the caboose of 5 other riders. I'd time an attack at the bridge, and take the line through the water. Fella in front sees me, decides he should try to hold me off. I'm going to turn myself inside out on the next climb, and then lose them all on the downhill....well that is the plan. after the bridge is a log-over. the log is flat on the trail, and goes up off the ground to each side, so he pushes me off to the side. it might be 14" of over - no biggie. i'm going to tap it with my front wheel, and clear it with the back. we are side-by-side, i hit the log and something isn't right. i forgot to unlock my fork from the climb - and didn't notice cause we were going dh so slowly. F! i'm kinda pivoting over now and think i've got it but go down tires are also wet from the stream.... the other fellows ask if i'm ok, and i am.
I get up, straighten my bars that went about 45deg out of kilter, and hit the next climb. The group i was behind is now spread out. I catch two before the next downhill section. Catch two more on the next uphill, they let me through when i asked, and made contact with the lead guy who held me off into the final section of single track. once again, he isn't going to let me through, and i mention that i'm back....so i out sprinted him on the fire road into transition, which made me feel better. between the crash and riding behind people on the dh, alot of time was left on the course. guess if i was faster going up it wouldn't be a problem...yeah, i know....
My kid is happy to see me, cause there are still quite a few bikes out on the course - more than half of them. And off he goes. back in about 20 minutes later....he out-sprints two guys to the finish line from about 100yards out.
He looks at me and says - i went the wrong way! Ran over the bridge, and didn't go into the ST. Added about 1/4 mile to his run (he stravas) ..I laughed, and joked about being
O2 deprived. He got over quickly enough. Grabbed some grub, drank a beer (me not him, he did the luke rootbeer thing). Chatted with some of the team. In the end, we were 3rd of 6. our efforts putting us 2 minutes ahead of 4th place. 1st place had a ringer on the bike, and second place had a ringer on the run...congrats to them - we'll get them next year!
It must be the timing of this race - i start thinking about food about half way through the second lap. right around 12:00! should put a samich in the bag as motivation to get back.
Nice seeing Alex, Megan, Steve, Joy, Kris out there competing (who did i miss?) - Along with the Paramount teammates (Judith, Dan, Diane, Ron), and a friend from high school (Bill).
Big thanks to Stephanie for stopping in to cheer us on. Only caught Alex wrapping it up.
Sweathshirts were nice this year.
And for reaching the podium...
Participation is falling - with 70 individuals, and 6 teams - way down from just a handful of years ago. It is a fun event. If you are looking to do something with a kid or SO, or have friends that need an event to get them motivated - this is one that is hard enough to feel the accomplishment, but within reach of a few months of training. Pass the word. Maybe some advertising at the warrior dash would help....thank you Chris for keeping it going.....
Another Mt Man in the book. Came up with the perfect solution to this year's slug-o-thon training of which i'm lead participant.
I'd do it as a relay! So I ask my kid a couple weeks back, and he said yes. He's been running XC at school, and improving his times.
Little did i know he was stressing about it, and how he'd perform in an "adult" race. I assured him that he would be mid-pack running, and
we would do fine. pre-ran/rode last saturday - all good.
He's 5'7" and 12yo (youngest participant).... Just starting to get some strength and endurance to match his size. Hormones are a wonderful thing.
We discussed strategy, and that there would be a clog at the beginning of the single track - just go with it, pass when you can, be polite.
he ran his regular XC pace, on a harder course. Good job there.
My turn on the bike. with all the people picking their lines through the roots and rocks on the climb out over the stream, i made a couple passes where i could. its about 1.3 miles to the single track, and i want to get into it before the clog. Two guys get in before me, with a little gap, so i think i'm ok. will try to catch them by the parking lot and ask to pass. No luck, catch them at the first turn of the downhill. Every time there is a little up, the lead guy pedals hard, and puts a little gap on. every time there is a downhill, we are on top of him. This is a problem for me, cause i use the dh to set up some of the short climbs. This fella is not hitting the downhills hard, then waiting for the bike to slow enough to start pedaling again. So i ask him not to brake on the simple lines, and to hit it at the bottom of the ups and just carry momentum. He does this, i'm happier, as is the other fellow with us. So basically i can't get by this guy cause he would just catch me on the climbs. so the plan is to go a little harder and beat him into the single track on the second lap. And of course, right near the top of climb on the next lap he goes by me into the ST, in front of a group of 4. I'm the caboose, cause i couldn't pass this group before the top of the climb. They were right on his ass, but he wasn't going to yield his spot. i'm not sure if anyone asked to pass, but here we go. we pick up another fellow behind me, and he asks to pass me. so i let him go, figured, maybe he'd shake things up. he doesn't.
I need a plan. If you'd ridden LM through the back parking lot down to the stream, there is a switchback trail over a bridge. There is a switchback to align the trail with the bridge, and a line through the water. I'm at the caboose of 5 other riders. I'd time an attack at the bridge, and take the line through the water. Fella in front sees me, decides he should try to hold me off. I'm going to turn myself inside out on the next climb, and then lose them all on the downhill....well that is the plan. after the bridge is a log-over. the log is flat on the trail, and goes up off the ground to each side, so he pushes me off to the side. it might be 14" of over - no biggie. i'm going to tap it with my front wheel, and clear it with the back. we are side-by-side, i hit the log and something isn't right. i forgot to unlock my fork from the climb - and didn't notice cause we were going dh so slowly. F! i'm kinda pivoting over now and think i've got it but go down tires are also wet from the stream.... the other fellows ask if i'm ok, and i am.
I get up, straighten my bars that went about 45deg out of kilter, and hit the next climb. The group i was behind is now spread out. I catch two before the next downhill section. Catch two more on the next uphill, they let me through when i asked, and made contact with the lead guy who held me off into the final section of single track. once again, he isn't going to let me through, and i mention that i'm back....so i out sprinted him on the fire road into transition, which made me feel better. between the crash and riding behind people on the dh, alot of time was left on the course. guess if i was faster going up it wouldn't be a problem...yeah, i know....
My kid is happy to see me, cause there are still quite a few bikes out on the course - more than half of them. And off he goes. back in about 20 minutes later....he out-sprints two guys to the finish line from about 100yards out.
He looks at me and says - i went the wrong way! Ran over the bridge, and didn't go into the ST. Added about 1/4 mile to his run (he stravas) ..I laughed, and joked about being
O2 deprived. He got over quickly enough. Grabbed some grub, drank a beer (me not him, he did the luke rootbeer thing). Chatted with some of the team. In the end, we were 3rd of 6. our efforts putting us 2 minutes ahead of 4th place. 1st place had a ringer on the bike, and second place had a ringer on the run...congrats to them - we'll get them next year!
It must be the timing of this race - i start thinking about food about half way through the second lap. right around 12:00! should put a samich in the bag as motivation to get back.
Nice seeing Alex, Megan, Steve, Joy, Kris out there competing (who did i miss?) - Along with the Paramount teammates (Judith, Dan, Diane, Ron), and a friend from high school (Bill).
Big thanks to Stephanie for stopping in to cheer us on. Only caught Alex wrapping it up.
Sweathshirts were nice this year.
And for reaching the podium...
Participation is falling - with 70 individuals, and 6 teams - way down from just a handful of years ago. It is a fun event. If you are looking to do something with a kid or SO, or have friends that need an event to get them motivated - this is one that is hard enough to feel the accomplishment, but within reach of a few months of training. Pass the word. Maybe some advertising at the warrior dash would help....thank you Chris for keeping it going.....
