CarboRocket Sponsorship Support

I received some very exciting news lately that CarboRocket will be providing me some hefty support for the 2011 season!  I'm currently receiving tons of support from my Rocky Mountain Racing team who are amped for the upcoming season and set a great pace on Saturday with a team ride from White Ranch to Golden Gate Canyon and back. See Garmin stats here.  Also contributing major support has been the Golden Bike Shop who have a killer shop staffed with fantasic people. I honestly don't know what I'd do without them.

Before we get into the meat of the season, I do have to thank Brad and the folks at CarboRocket for this opportunity and their support to fuel my goals and dreams for this season.  After first experimenting with the Half Evil 333, I was hooked and knew that I couldn't dare go this season without it.  Also, thanks to fellow enduro rider, Ben Welnak, for kicking off this opportunity for getting me in contact with them.  Here's to a great season!

The ultimate recipe: I've done my fair share of research for endurance racing and training nutrition.  Supposedly, my body should be able to digest 76 grams of carbohydrates per hour so CarboRocket Half Evil 333 is right on the money.  Also, I've tried almost every nutrition product for endurance training and haven't seen anything that compares to all five electrolyte levels that CR provides in a single formula

My first order of CR with another order already in mind!

See you on the trails,

Tim

Dawn 'til Dusk Recap

Last Saturday began the first race of the season for Brett and I who traveled the nine hours to Gallup, New Mexico for the Dawn 'til Dusk, a 12 hour solo race.  For the week leading up to the event, the weather forecast grew increasingly more intimidating but at the same time, hilarious. Fortunately, I typically appreciate training in the challenges of battling the elements.  If you're going to race in it, you better train in it!

Like other racers can imagine, I was hyper as hell once arriving to the first race of the season.  Brett and I scoped out the course which was absolutely gorgeous comprised of nearly 100% singletrack, beautiful rock formations, punchy climbs, some technical and sketchy sections, and descents that never got stale. Even after eight laps, not a single section of the course lost its flavor.

The race began brilliantly in great weather with a dirt road section that lasted for a few miles to string out riders and avoid bottlenecking at the singletrack entry.  I spent lap 1 and 2 assessing how my legs were feeling and tried to find my rhythm. Lap 3 is when the lovely and promised weather began showing itself on 20+ degree climbs with punchy winds that were so strong that I had been pushed off the trail and into rock wall formations on several occasions.  By Lap 5, the sun was shining and along with some serious winds, the moisture on the trails evaporated while riders packed down the soil composed of clay.  This made for some seriously fast laps until Lap 7 began.  I remember undressing down to a jersey, arm, and knee warmers since the precipitation looked like it would subside for a bit.  The next thing I know, it starts snowing. Upon lapping through, the race organizers announced to riders that the race was cut to ten hours.  My 8th and final lap was a bit tricky since the clay was full of moisture and therefore would either stick to your frame and tires or would act as a slippery surface like a skating rink. Good thing the race organizers made the call when they did! I was bummed at first about the news of a shortened race since I was pacing very well for the anticipated twelve hours, but due to safety concerns, it had to be done.

In the end, I finished in 4th place out of all 76 geared riders and 2nd in my age category.  Not a bad way to start the season!

Supposedly, a few riders suffered from hypothermic conditions and here I am riding the last two laps with a single jersey layer.  Still very focused on the seventh lap and wanting more.


 

I never realized how cold I was until I ultimately crossed the finish line.

Ah yes, the tempermental weather conditions.  Too bad my Garmin doesn't measure the 40+ mph wind gusts, rainfall, and snowfall.

Hmmm....What's in the bottles you ask? Carborocket Half Evil 333, maybe? : )  I almost feel like I'm cheating.

Showing the guns.  I swear this gas station is the inspiration for The Villa level on Call of Duty.

Yes, the trails were this gorgeous on every section of the course.

My very own Navajo Kachina doll for 2nd place in my age category.

Brett and I not so serious about our course recon...

...but very serious about our well deserved post ride pizza. 

Thanks Lindsay and company for organizing a helluva race and making the most important decision of the event when it was most necessary! See you next year!

Mountain Flyer Magazine race recap

See you on the trails,
Tim

A Long Time Coming

While on Lair O' The Bear singletrack the other day I had a great moment when banking one of the trail's super flowy corners.  For all the days piled up like the bricks in my legs when fear strikes that I may never be a better rider or racer, there's always those opposing days to compete for the truth. In greatly executing the hard corner, something struck me so deeply that I eventually got choked up a few corners later.  I understood that the days I've dreamed of are being realized.

In 2004, I suddenly was devastated by an unknown illness that broke me down so substantially that I had lost 60 lbs in three weeks.  Luckily I was a basketball player then and weighed a healthy 40 lbs. more than I do now.  I remember at the peak of my illness, clutching my mother for fear of the mystery consuming my body and of the psychotic dreams from sleep deprivation amongst every other symptom in the book.  With the strength of my mother's nurturing when things were amuck, I vowed that if I ever made it, I'd go wherever I thought I should be.  That place was Colorado.  I had never been there and didn't know a soul in the state, but there were so many arrows pointing me in that direction like a compass of life.

That summer, I arrived in Denver and I cleaned off the spider webs from my brother's mountain bike and took it for a spin up White Ranch.  It was the first time in months that my heart had experienced more than 120 beats per minute.  I was in such fragile shape and during the ride, I felt like a 300 lb. human was stepping on my chest with high heels while I gasped for thin air through a paper bag.  I quit the ride after half a mile.  Frustrated by defeat, I went home damaged, but like all endurance athletes, there was something that spoke and told me to go back for more.  That voice still exists, but is only louder, clearer, and sometimes obnoxious and relentless but necessary.

Back at Lair O' the Bear the other day, all this was pondered within a few corners.  I realized that since overcoming the sickest of days, things are not only coming together, but I'm just getting started.  From the half mile sufferfest at White Ranch to my most recent Front Range Superloop I will never forget where it all started.  Thank you mom for giving me the strength to keep going!

Here are some pics that make all of the pain well worth it....

Thanks for reading and see you on the trails,

Tim

Summer Theme Song

Every time I hear this song, I either want to race or train if I'm not already. Nine days and counting until the first race of the season. Until then...

Blogette: Awkward Phone Call

I recently received a call from my favorite bike shop in the world, Golden Bike Shop.  If I had the conversation on speakerphone, it could have gotten real awkward, real fast with my coworkers....

GBS: "G'afternoon Tim."
Me: "Howdy GBS."
GBS: "Your red nipples are ready."
Me: "Oh my, I couldn't wait so I got silver ones installed."
GBS: "Oh I see, thanks and take care."
Me: "Thanks, see ya."

Blizzard Ride

Last Thursday, I was able to catch up with Epic Endurance riders Ben Welnak and Jeff Higham. It was quite the memorable ride that began in gorgeous 60 degree temps, but in the last 1.5  hours nearing midnight, we rode in blizzard like conditions.  According to the snow accumulation on my handlebar, snowing was coming down at a half inch per hour. I've wondered how a white fork would like on my Jet...

I need my Rocky Mountain Racing kit!  In trying to keep unglued on the climbs, I was constantly reminded of the Epic Endurance sponsorships while I'm still giving Mountain Dew free ad time.

The first climb in Ken Caryl was dubbed "Bitch Hill" by Ben which I soon found out why.  The second climb is Mount Falcon which luckily we didn't have to descend in the snow.  Toward the end of the 5.5 hour ride, our lights lit an infinite dirt path toward darkness which I thought had no end.  The tremendous amounts of snow blinding my vision made me feel like I was in hyperspace on the Millenium Falcon...

'Twas a great ride and looking forward to spending more Thursday nights with these guys!  Also, thanks Amy for the banana bread at the end of the ride, much appreciated!

Questions Answered

Right now, I'm not sure how, but I know when the time comes, I'll find a way.  In regards to mountain biking, there's nothing that excites me more nowadays than to work towards that discovery.  In preparing my body and more importantly, my mind, I've learned that my body is conditioned to the point that if I take care of my mind, my body will follow.  Out of the long, grueling winter workouts I've spent on the  bike, I don't remember the last time I've actually felt a muscle cramp, unless you're counting the brain, then yes I have.  During countless workouts, I've trained myself to agree that my training officially begins when the desire to quit entires my mind.  I can remember every deep moment of suffering I've charged into because ever since, let's just say the start of the year, I've laughed every time.  Maybe it's the endorphins, maybe it's the caffeine, maybe it's because there's a mild sense of comfort when I look down and see numbers that reflect how tremendously busy my heart is, maybe it's knowing that I'll live and for me, I've discovered there's not too many other ways to do just that.  So during the races, when my mind wants to become a spectator, I have no idea how I'll pedal another 29er tire revolution never mind another mile right now, but nothing excites me more than the mystery of answering the question of how to keep the mind rolling when I want to "pump the brakes" (thanks Jeff!) and sleep off the anguish.  I've been there before and I've promised myself to do everything I can to avoid reliving that experience.  What happens in Snowmass, stays in Snowmass! I've also learned from a post by super enduro rider Ben Welnak, that I must stay grounded and not allow myself to become an anxious racer and instead to "be in the mile" so to speak.  These are the locations and times of the questions and hopefully, Brett Ebben and I can start the season by finding the answers at the first race of the season and beyond:

April 9: 12 Hours of Dawn 'til Dusk

May 29: Original Growler (68 miles)

June 18: Bailey Hundo (waiting for acceptance...nervous!)

July 3: Breckenridge Firecracker 50

July 16: Breck 100

July 30: Winter Park Crankworx XC (20+ miles)

September 3: PCP2P (70 something miles)

October 1 & 2: 24 Hours of Colorado Springs Nat'l Championships

November 5 & 6: 25 Hours in Frog Hollow

*going lone ranger style in all races

See you on the trails,

Tim

Taking The Bite....

...out of my piriformis muscle, or as I feel I've aptly named it the praying mantis.  It's been a chronic inflammation that literally has been a pain in my ass.  It's taken a bite out of many of my rides and races for years and like the praying mantis, it's camouflaged and hides under more muscle, nibbling away at my body and mind.  Thus far, it seems that I've finally discovered the correct physical therapy, stretching and Hot Yoga (!), and especially core exercises.  I've been thrilled that the praying mantis hasn't been rearing its head and allowing me to find a home in the big ring for the first time.  It also feels like it's slingshot my training and headspace evidenced by yesterday's spectacular ride!

Between Ward and Nederland, happiness and elation.

Starting at the Centennial Park Trailhead in Boulder, I climbed Sunshine Canyon, descended Poorman onto Four Mile Canyon, then Boulder Canyon to Nederland's stellar Buffalo Bill's coffee shop.  It's a caboose turned coffee shop serving great espresso and warm welcomes.  What I love about Colorado is that there's so many that share the same outdoor interests like those that I met at the end of the caboose.  After regrouping from sub 20 degree temps and 30 mph winds in the face, I felt much better and headed out to climb Peak to Peak to Gold Hill to descend Sawmill (quite the descent!) and then Four Mile Canyon to set myself up for the notorious and killer climb of Lickskillet that I kept hearing about.  Possibly the steepest climb I've ever suffered through, along with the 12 Hours of Snowmass's brutal initial and only climb.  So steep that I don't remember using my granny gear for several weeks until then.  It's the kind of climb where if you're not going forward, you're going backward.  I then climbed Gold Hill, descended Peak to Peak and back for another double shot of espresso at Buffalo Bill's and more conversation with the good fella in the back of the caboose.  I then somehow had better climbing legs after this visit (about 5 hours in) than I had earlier.  I then climbed out of Nederland with an uncourteous wheels sucker that I unknowingly towed up the climb until realizing he was wheelsucking on his rode bike and me on my mountain bike.  I nearly turned left into him not knowing he was there!  I then descended Magnolia to Boulder Canyon to Four Mile, climbed the last climb (unrecorded by imapmyride.com since my cell phone died trying to keep up) of Poorman then descended Sunshine Canyon back to the trailhead.  I was uber excited about my results since my chronic issues didn't rear their heads even with a 15 lb. pack on and still plenty of climbing and miles left in my legs but no more sunlight to lead the way.  I can't wait to head down with Brett Ebben to Dawn 'til Dusk, come April!

The day's cockpit.

Gold Hill

Canyon Fires

Without debate, it's been ultra cold and much worse, windy.  Some cycling and snowshoeing days have been feeling like this....

....but with plenty of motivation and inspiration, I've still managed lots of this...

This photo is special to me since it signifies gratitude for what I have instead of what I want. This photo was taken high up on Sunshine Canyon Road which I was finally able to see for myself.  I squeezed in 7000+ feet of climbing on a 5 hour ride prior to work and couldn't have spent my morning a better way.  The destruction that was caused last fall due to the canyon fires was unexpectedly moving.  The damage incurred in the area was visible everywhere I looked and even if you closed your eyes, the carbon smell was so prominent that you could sense the grief, suffered by many, in the air.  I did manage to shed a few tears despite pushing a subthreshold heart rate which added thoughts to an already busy mind.  I finished this ride knowing I'll return shortly to be grounded and to remind my climbing legs to wake up and smell the coffee instead of the roses.

See you on the trails,
Tim