3..2..1..GO!
At the start I began passing people but immediately made the executive decision not to go to 11,000 rpm and keep up with the geared guys. I tucked in behind a few and just generally tried to conserve as much power as I could for later. We hit the sandy soil for the real racing to begin. When you’re a singlespeeder, you have to do a few things like staying off the brakes, conserving momentum, etc. One thing I always while racing is my Derailleur Check. I look for evidence of a derailleur to determine if another racer is in my class or not.
I'm passing other racers relentlessly, and for the first hour everything is going perfect aside from a little crash in the same sand pit I crash in every year (Yes, I really have crashed here four consecutive years). Despite Slow SingleTrack Guy being there to lower my average speed (apparently you have to go even higher than Wave 8 to find riders who don’t freak out when the trail stops being straight) average speed was more than good enough for a sub 2 hour race. I’m even making good tactical decisions like saving energy wherever possible. I'm taking in the right amount of fluid, and EFS gel whenever its convenient, grabbing water at the aid station. Life is great! Racing is awesome! Yay for America! And then it all went wrong again.
At the start I began passing people but immediately made the executive decision not to go to 11,000 rpm and keep up with the geared guys. I tucked in behind a few and just generally tried to conserve as much power as I could for later. We hit the sandy soil for the real racing to begin. When you’re a singlespeeder, you have to do a few things like staying off the brakes, conserving momentum, etc. One thing I always while racing is my Derailleur Check. I look for evidence of a derailleur to determine if another racer is in my class or not.
I'm passing other racers relentlessly, and for the first hour everything is going perfect aside from a little crash in the same sand pit I crash in every year (Yes, I really have crashed here four consecutive years). Despite Slow SingleTrack Guy being there to lower my average speed (apparently you have to go even higher than Wave 8 to find riders who don’t freak out when the trail stops being straight) average speed was more than good enough for a sub 2 hour race. I’m even making good tactical decisions like saving energy wherever possible. I'm taking in the right amount of fluid, and EFS gel whenever its convenient, grabbing water at the aid station. Life is great! Racing is awesome! Yay for America! And then it all went wrong again.
Crossing Williamsburg Rd, up the steep hill, really cranking it out and Pat is there cheering me on by name. Can't beat that. I let out a war cry and listen to the deafening roar of my fans.
I draft and then pass another rider on a nice wide gravel road. I’m feeling great! When I try to spit all my stomach comes out at once. The eggs, Luna bar, EFS gel, water, everything comes out at once. I didn't break stride, but now had the problem of racing 10 more miles with NOTHING in my stomach and a queasy feeling preventing me from eating anything else. Never did it occur to me that a person four days removed from the worst flu I can ever remember having probably shouldn't be eating acidic foods before a major, stomach shaking, race. Idiot. My whole plan I'd been saving myself for was a major push with about 4 mi to go and now that's shot completely out the window.
I continue on at what is still a good pace, but not what I'd wanted. I wish I had a camera to document all the amazing passes I had to make to stick it to the geared guys. I was really really on my game, especially on the descents or techy singletrack. I’m always amazed at how lazy some geared riders can be. I passed dozens of geared guys on downhills or uphills simply by conserving momentum wherever possible, and surging ahead of them. It really is true that SingleSpeed riding makes you a better rider. I am worlds better than I was when it took me 27 gears to ride down a trail.
On an uphill I noticed a guy on a white Gary Fisher SingleSpeed. My usual Derailleur Check is negative so I’m racing this guy. I catch him and notice how hard he’s working on the uphills. Really, he’s using about 30% more energy than I am to go about 2% faster. I’ll let him go and then reel him in when the time’s right.
After puking up the contents of all the EFS gel I’d eaten I had no power from about 9 miles out from the finish. let alone 4. Uphills are a beautiful struggle with one gear (you have to love the work, and I love the work), but whereas prior hills had me attacking from the apex all the way down, now I’m woozy at the top and barely definitely slowing once I begin descending. for the first time in twenty miles I'm unable to attack and am merely holding on by a thread.
So my massive fire-bombing attack got delayed until my energy came back spontaneously with about 2km to go...and when I went for it, I really went for it...and slowed down immediately by Slow Singletrack Guy’s extreme lack of technical skills. The trail finally opened up and I finally passed Red Bike Guy and White Gary Fisher Guy for good. That last pass was particularly brilliant, I drafted him all the way to his back wheel, pulled around at the last second, called my pass then dove down into the corner and stood up to firebomb the final straight with a great war-cry for no real reason at all. I crossed the finish line at about 1,147 rpm at 18mph with a furious final kick. Go big or go home right?
Post-Race was typical misery. I never thought to bring a few bucks with me for food so I had to take the shuttle bus back to Kalkaska and buy some food. So I missed the chance to watch my teammates come in. Then, later, whilst riding my bike back to the Farm down the road from the ski area, I totally missed Rasho Rd and ended up with about a 5 mile cool down loop. Great. Just what I need. So I missed the pros finish, but did get to see the podium ceremony.
I’m always a little depressed this time of year. I’ve spent all year training, and racing whenever I could since March. The last three months prior to this one were focused exclusively on this one race. There are no more races to train for, or obsess over. The year is done.
On the upside, my 2012 begins tomorrow...
I draft and then pass another rider on a nice wide gravel road. I’m feeling great! When I try to spit all my stomach comes out at once. The eggs, Luna bar, EFS gel, water, everything comes out at once. I didn't break stride, but now had the problem of racing 10 more miles with NOTHING in my stomach and a queasy feeling preventing me from eating anything else. Never did it occur to me that a person four days removed from the worst flu I can ever remember having probably shouldn't be eating acidic foods before a major, stomach shaking, race. Idiot. My whole plan I'd been saving myself for was a major push with about 4 mi to go and now that's shot completely out the window.
I continue on at what is still a good pace, but not what I'd wanted. I wish I had a camera to document all the amazing passes I had to make to stick it to the geared guys. I was really really on my game, especially on the descents or techy singletrack. I’m always amazed at how lazy some geared riders can be. I passed dozens of geared guys on downhills or uphills simply by conserving momentum wherever possible, and surging ahead of them. It really is true that SingleSpeed riding makes you a better rider. I am worlds better than I was when it took me 27 gears to ride down a trail.
On an uphill I noticed a guy on a white Gary Fisher SingleSpeed. My usual Derailleur Check is negative so I’m racing this guy. I catch him and notice how hard he’s working on the uphills. Really, he’s using about 30% more energy than I am to go about 2% faster. I’ll let him go and then reel him in when the time’s right.
After puking up the contents of all the EFS gel I’d eaten I had no power from about 9 miles out from the finish. let alone 4. Uphills are a beautiful struggle with one gear (you have to love the work, and I love the work), but whereas prior hills had me attacking from the apex all the way down, now I’m woozy at the top and barely definitely slowing once I begin descending. for the first time in twenty miles I'm unable to attack and am merely holding on by a thread.
So my massive fire-bombing attack got delayed until my energy came back spontaneously with about 2km to go...and when I went for it, I really went for it...and slowed down immediately by Slow Singletrack Guy’s extreme lack of technical skills. The trail finally opened up and I finally passed Red Bike Guy and White Gary Fisher Guy for good. That last pass was particularly brilliant, I drafted him all the way to his back wheel, pulled around at the last second, called my pass then dove down into the corner and stood up to firebomb the final straight with a great war-cry for no real reason at all. I crossed the finish line at about 1,147 rpm at 18mph with a furious final kick. Go big or go home right?
Post-Race was typical misery. I never thought to bring a few bucks with me for food so I had to take the shuttle bus back to Kalkaska and buy some food. So I missed the chance to watch my teammates come in. Then, later, whilst riding my bike back to the Farm down the road from the ski area, I totally missed Rasho Rd and ended up with about a 5 mile cool down loop. Great. Just what I need. So I missed the pros finish, but did get to see the podium ceremony.
I’m always a little depressed this time of year. I’ve spent all year training, and racing whenever I could since March. The last three months prior to this one were focused exclusively on this one race. There are no more races to train for, or obsess over. The year is done.
On the upside, my 2012 begins tomorrow...
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