Bookend to a Great Season

Bookend to a Great Season

Coming into the 2011 I had my goals set high.  I was racing a full season as a Pro and was looking for some top ten finishes in some big races throughout the year.  I was using this year as a building block and stepping stone to elevate my competition level for the years to come.

The season started out great with a win at 24 Hours of Old Pueblo on a 5 person Coed team and then a top ten at Voodoo Fire in Pueblo, CO.  After some good training time, I earned some more great finishes at the Bailey Hundo, Firecracker 50, Breck 100, Steamboat Stinger and Laramie Enduro.  This was a big block of racing and I managed to find out a lot about what works best for me in my racing and training and it showed in the results.

In August I had decided to back down a little on the racing and set some time aside for some fun riding and just enjoying summer, but I had also schemed up the idea of racing in two National Championships in 2 weeks in Sept.  

The first stop of National Championships was in Bend for the Marathon National Championships. My good buddy Dax Massey and I had come up with the idea to drive to Interbike and spend a couple days at the show and then drive to Bend and see how we faired in the race.

Driving that many hours, having a little Vegas time and driving some more was probably not the best thing for the legs or body.  The body just didn’t respond well and my back and hip was killing me the whole race.  I can’t say it was a loss though as I managed 27^th out of 41 finishers.  Not great, but not as bad as I felt and in retrospect I would probably not have done it any other way.  The show was well worth the stop and then Bend was a great experience!

With the first National Championship under the belt it was time to concentrate on the 24 Hour National Championships.  Dax and I had assembled a very worthy 35+ four-man team of solid racers consisting of, myself, Dax Massey, Thane Wright and Jeff Zurakowski.

We were all pumped at racing for a National Championships and we had some great support with KOA Dave heading up the support as Director Sportif.  This guy is amazing!  Not only did he bring a 30 foot RV, but full on dining tent, tables, chairs, industrial cook station and more.  Thanks Dave!

We also had a full entourage of support crew, Nate Bird was lead mechanic, Jeff Gleaton (Dax’s Cousin) helped with charging and lights and then we had a crew of ladies (so many I could not count) that were the best.  From the “Go Hard” sign (use your imagination) to the cheering entourage on every lap transition, we had the competition jealous to say the least.  Thanks to the “Entourage” you all are the best!

When the racing started we were all a little bit unsure of the course. We had tried to pre ride the night before, but the course markings were not all up. I usually would not point thumbs, but the last two USA Cycling events I had raced in, had serious organization problems. Come on, we are talking National Championships! 

We had decided Dax was going race first and then I would go out second.  I knew Dax would throw down a fast first lap and I made my way to the timing tent at fifty minutes.  The first racers came in around fifty-five minutes and I was anxiously waiting to get out on my lap.  A few minutes ticked by and I started to get the feeling something bad happened out there.  A few more minutes ticked by and now I was getting worried that our National Championship hopes were in jeopardy.  Then relief came over me as I saw Dax speeding toward the timing tent, at a little over an hour.

Getting out on your first lap of a 24 Hour event is I always a relief; there is a lot of energy and anxiety ready to be released and if you didn’t dial in the course on the pre-ride you might have to wing it. In this case we had missed a section in the pre-ride and as I turned into an unknown section I was geared wrong for a steep uphill and had to jump off and shift into a more reasonable gear.  This was a slight waste of time and momentum and really spikes the heart rate and I found myself struggling to recover as the lap wore on. This course had lots of twists and turns with short little climbs right around each corner. I remember thinking that is was a great course to break a chain, a thought that would come back to haunt us in the next lap.

Between laps at a 24 Hour event you get back to camp, change out of your chamois, clean your bike up, eat a little and think of how your teammate is doing out there.  Once you get through your team’s first laps everything seems to calm down and you just get down to business. However, in this situation, already being down four minutes on the first lap from a mechanical made waiting for next lap a little unnerving.  

Everyone was feeling pressure and hoping our National Championships was still in play and we all made our way to the timing tent to see Jeff off and Thane come in.  As we waited we all started to get a little uneasy as the time was well past and hour and then five.  Just as we were getting a little worried, there was Thane. After handing off to Jeff, Thane immediately looked disappointed, and soon explained that he had broke a chain.  The lost time wasn’t so bad and we were all happy because it could have been worse, but we were only fourteen minutes down and still in the hunt.

Jeff is always super-consistent and I had a feeling we were through the tough part and now it was time to get to business putting down safe fast laps. Jeff as expected rode a fast and safe lap and sent Dax out for his second lap that ate four or so minutes into the lead, then I went out for my lap knowing the course a little better and put down a fifty-eight minute lap, which also took four or so minutes out of the lead. Thane got redemption and put a solid lap in that took another minute out of the lead and now we rolling as night approached.

Night riding can intimidate some people, but for me I feel as though I tend to get more focused on the course in front of me and find the good lines.  Of course it doesn’t hurt when you are running best lights in the business, two Light and Motion Seca 1400’s. We were racing for Light and Motion and showing off their lights as we blazed through the night scaring people with all the light the Seca 1400’s were putting out.

As the time came for my second night lap I found myself with a four-minute deficit on the leaders and I went out to catch my competition.  My second night lap is usually my favorite as the course’s lines are getting obvious and your memory of the course is fresh. As I came up a rise there was my competition, he had just pulled over and was working on fixing a flat.  Now I was pumped, not only had I brought back the four minute lead, now I had a chance to put some serious time into our competition and I drilled it to the finish and ended up with a fourteen-minute lead.

Now with a solid lead we just needed to ride consistent and safe and as we came out of the night we were up a solid twenty minutes. Thanks to our Director Sportif, KOA Dave’s instructions, we “kept the ball on the ground” and rode safe consistent laps to capture the 35+ 4 Man 24 Hour National Championships.  This was a first for all of us except Dax and I can’t tell you how pumped we all were.  After having two devastating laps in the early going we pulled it together and reeled our competition back in and then took a commanding lead.  That’s a great feeling and this was a great team victory.  Thanks Dax Massey, Thane Wright and Jeff Zurakowski, we killed it out there!

After such a great victory it feels great to leave this as my last race of the 2011 season.  What a better way to cap off a surprising and successful season.  I really could not have done it without my sponsors for 2011.  Thanks Santa Cruz Bikes, Light and Motion, Kep’s Pollen Balls, Honey Stinger, Stan’s NoTubes, Formula Brakes, Infinit Nutrition and Schwalbe Tires!!!

Catching Up

It’s been some time since I last wrote about my racing experiences this summer.  With a busy work load and a little vacation mixed in it has been tough to fit it all in.

After the last race report I submitted for the Breckenridge 100 I was fortunate to race a new marathon event here in Colorado, The Steamboat Stinger. This race was contested on a majority of single track and put on by my good friends from Honey Stinger. This was one fun race with tons of twists and turns on some A+ single track.  I can’t say I had my best race of the season, but I managed a decent result of 12^th Overall.

The next stop on the Calendar was the Laramie Enduro. This was one of my highlight races from 2010 and I had been looking forward to going back and competing at the event.  My goal was to try to get in the first group and hold on as long as I could.  As it turned out I managed to get in the first selection but soon found myself having to back it down a bit, to be able to finish without hitting the wall.

For much of the race I was in 5^th place and felt pretty good, but feeling good can be a bad thing in marathon cross country racing; that is usually when you forget to eat. Sure enough now I was feeling pretty bad and loosing ground and I looked back to see if anyone was coming. There were a couple friends from the Honey Stinger Team (Dan Matheny and Peter Kalmes) hot on my tail.  On a good side note, Dan and Pete later told me that they were talking as they were catching me and Peter had said he had caught me the previous year in the same exact spot. (I remember that well) Guess if I do this race again, I better remember to eat for that section. I managed to finish 7^th overall and was happy about that even with loosing a couple spots. Good job Dan and Peter!

From the Laramie Enduro I took off for a little road trip to Montana, Washington State and Oregon, to see family go to wedding and really just enjoy some summer.  It is always amazes me how busy summer gets with working, training and racing. It is real easy to forget to enjoy some of the other pleasures of summer. 

Getting back to work after a vacation is always tough, there just seems like endless things to catch up on. I felt like I needed a little catching up to do on the bike too, but jumped right into a local series race and managed a 3^rd and 6^th overall. Not so bad!

The next race stop was the 24 Hours in the Sage. This year I got invited to be on a “Dream Team” of some of my best 24-Hour racing buddies (Dax Massey, Jordan Williford and Jeff Zurakowksi).  We had been asked by KOA Dave to come down and win the thing.  Dave was putting us up in the “Grizz”, a thirty-foot RV right at the start/finish. KOA Dave hooked us up with everything you could need at a 24-hour race, massages and food to name a few.  Team KOA threw down some hot laps and took home the win! That was amazing getting taken care of so well at a 24-Hour event.  Thanks KOA Dave!

Coming home from that adventure put a little confidence in the legs and I was starting to feel good on the bike again. I put in a couple of solid weeks of training in with my next goal set on PV Cycle Derby; the last race in the Rocky Mountain Endurance Series.  I was currently in 2^nd Overall in the Pro Open category and wanted to go get a good result and see if I could put a little pressure on the series leader (Brady Kappius).

The PV Cycle Derby was one of the best surprises of the summer; the venue was great and course even better!  I would highly recommend checking this race out next year; it just is needs more folks to show up to make this and event to not be missed!

With the lack of racers, the Pro field was not a deep as you would like to see, but with ten or eleven guys and some good talent like Colin Cares, Brady Kappius, Taylor Sheldon, Rob Sousa and Russell Kappius the competition would turn out to be a good test.

At the start no one wanted to push the pace, mostly because only a couple of us knew anything about the course.  I had ridden a short section of the beginning of the course and I decided to push the pace to the first section of single track. When I emerged from the singletrack, I looked back to see who was there.  Colin, Brady, Taylor and Rob were close and I waited for them to work together in the next couple miles of prairie roads and singletrack. 

Through the next fifteen or so miles we would stay together, each of us missing a few turns on the way and changing as the leader.  This was by far some of the most fun I have had racing this season.  There is nothing like riding fast with a group of talented mountain bike racers, ripping a course and putting time into your competition. 

At about mile seventeen Brady put in a little attack and we were all able to regroup. Then Colin put in a vicious attack on a bumpy section of singletrack that only Brady could follow.  From then on I was racing alone and was just trying to keep a solid pace.  Taylor had a small mechanical before Colin’s attack and he came flying by me at aid station one.  I briefly tried to keep him in sight, but he was flying. 

The next lap and half were a little lonely but I managed to keep a good pace and hold off any rivals.  I felt very satisfied with a 4^th place finish and a great first lap hanging in the lead group mixing it up. I had wrapped up 2^nd overall in the Series and one more successful race for the 2011 season.

Now on to Marathon Nationals and 24-Hour Nationals!

I want to thank all my sponsors who without them I could not have had as successful a season.  Thanks to Santa Cruz Bikes, Honey Stinger, Kep’s Pollen Balls, Infinit, Stan’s NoTubes, Schwalbe Tires, Light and Motion and Formula Brakes.

Summer Revelation

The last month has been quite an adventure here; with my business picking up, the trails drying, big races back to back, then throw in a new bike and wow, it was quite a month.

After a good finish at the Bailey Hundo I tried to back it up with a 40 miler in Crested Butte. After a not so restful week with a local series race on Wednesday, I learned a lesson. Now I know I don’t bounce back to peak intensity after only a few days of rest, at least not enough to do well.

The week after the Crested Butte race was going to be a rest week, it also so happened that my new bike was arriving and that meant a bike build.  Not really the best thing for a restful week, but it was going to be exciting.

I had picked up a new sponsor (Santa Cruz) in the spring and had been waiting for their new Hardtail 29er (the Highball).  I was excited about the prospect of a new bike for quite a few reasons.  First, big wheels; 29ers are what everyone is talking about in the racing world and it made sense to me.  Second, I was getting a bike that looked on paper to fit me better and my riding style.

The fit turned out to be much better and that has made so much difference in every aspect of my riding and especially racing.  For me the 29-inch wheels just compliment my riding style.  The cornering, the way the bike rolls, and the comfort are all amazing attributes. I don’t see one drawback in their climbing ability. In fact the traction is better and the big wheels track amazingly well on steep climbs.  Needless to say I am hooked! I have to acknowledge that they are not for everyone and their riding styles, just so happens they are for me.

The revelation of my new 29er came just in time for the Firecracker 50.  I found myself rested and with a few days on the new bike. I had found the right position on the bike and got it running smoothly. Now I was ready to race!

Right off the start of the Firecracker 50 I found myself in the second group chasing the lead group and feeling good. I soon found the only flaw in my new bike, the lower Bottom Bracket height. A little clip of a pedal and I was flying into the pines. A lesson learned with a few more rides on the new machine!

The first lap was over before I knew it and now I was heading out for the second lap. In years past I have dreaded the second lap up Boreas Pass.  This 6 or so miles of paved and dirt road seems to go on forever and usually makes me wonder why I am out for a second lap.  This year it was a different story!  After getting a coke and some bottles from my good buddy Dax we headed up the dirt section and found another friend Dan. From there we rode together for most of lap two.  On the final climb up Sally Barber I decided to push hard to the finish and I rode myself into 12^th place overall in the Firecracker 50, with a time of 4:20.  That turned out to be my best finish ever with longer course. 

The next two weeks I was planning on getting comfortable on the new bike and resting up for the Breck 100.  The Breck 100 would be a new race for me and I was hoping to do well.  With all the trails in my backyard I was looking forward to some home field advantage.

The first loop of the Breck 100 had me a little worried with the talk of snowfields, but the descent on the backside of Wheeler was what I was most concerned about.  This section is super steep and has a few technical sections. I just wanted to ride clean!

The snowfields turned out to be no big thing and I kept it clean on the descent.  As I rolled in from the first lap I heard the announcer tell me that I was in 8^th place and there was a tight race for sixth, seventh and eighth. I was feeling a little behind in my fueling, so when I got to Sally Barber I made sure to eat plenty to catch up.

The next challenging section was up Little French, which is always a grind. This section you have to just settle in and climb at a good pace. Once you get up Little French the rest is really just gravy. I can’t say I felt great on West Ridge climb, but I was just putting down a good pace and towards the top I got a glimpse of a racer. I thought about putting in an effort to catch him, but in long races sometimes it is better to fuel and catch your competition later. Sure enough after the West Ridge descent I found the racer and passed him on the way to the end of lap 2.

Lap 3 on the Breck 100 is a sleeper the descents seem faster than they actually are. Climbing up the Blue River trail I passed the rider I had caught on the end of lap 2, finally for good.  Now I was headed to one of my favorite climbs in the county.  I can’t tell exactly why I love this climb, maybe it’s the red dirt or maybe it’s how shaded it is, I just have always liked it. This is another climb where it is best to settle in and climb steadily to the top. As I reached the top I was right on my time goals for a 9-hour finish.  Now on to the long descent!

The Gold Dust trail is a hidden gem just over Boreas Pass in Park County.  The first sections are ripping fast and have some super fun flume sections.  The problem is, toward the end the trail gets bumpy and has some short little climbs which hurt.  The trail seems to go on forever!  I always seem to forget this and my projections were going to be cutting it close.

The last section up North Tarryall Creek and then over Boreas Pass also lasts longer than you think. With the new 29er, the road climb was much more enjoyable. A half-mile or so before cresting the top of Boreas, I got a glimpse of my number six-racer.  Looking at my watch I really didn’t see that I had a shot of beating nine hours, but I was going to try.  I hammered down Boreas to try and get as close to the nine-hour mark as I could. As I approached the short little climb to Bakers Tank, I was surprised to see my number six-racer.  I doubt either of us had seen anyone for a couple hours and he shouted out a “Yeah” as I climbed after him. On the couple of short climbs left I could see that I was spinning up the climbs better than him. I ended up passing him just before the final descent.  I really couldn’t believe I actually found another rider on the way to the finish.

I was happy to finish 6^th Overall, with a time of 9:10.  Pretty dam close to my goal, got to be happy about that in my back yard!

Thanks to my sponsors once again, Santa Cruz Bikes, Infinit Nutrition, Kep’s Pollen Balls, Honey Stinger, Light and Motion and Stan’s NoTubes.

Bailey Hundo Buildup

In the past month or so I haven’t posted a blog about racing or riding; the truth is I was a bit disappointed in my racing and training.

I had high expectations for the Gunnison Growler and found myself really just on a bike ride, with no race in the legs or heart.  I ended up finishing with a better time and place than last year, but only by a spot and a minute.

After the disappointment I felt really drained and decided to stick around home to try and recharge the batteries. It’s not like I had been racing or riding too much, I just had not been able to enjoy time at home riding locally and having some chill time off.

The trails in Summit County were finally starting to dry out and the bike path had opened all the way to Vail; this gave some good riding opportunities on my home turf and I was looking forward to it.

With the trails drying out, I was going to have an opportunity to ride my mountain bike locally; something I had not been able to even think about. This was leaving me without good mountain bike training time, which can leave you a little behind in your handling skills and out of touch with comfort and power on your machine.  There is nothing like riding your home trails daily after work to get in touch with your machine and yourself.

Over the couple weeks at home I made some changes to the bike, I have been waiting on a new bike and was putting some things off. I finally decided to just get’er done.  The big problem is that I have been riding a bike that is too small for me and my saddle height was not optimal; so I made the change and got a longer seat post.  What a difference that made!  I recommend getting bike fit and riding the right saddle height.  The power difference was noticeable!

With all these changes going into the Bailey Hundo, I was not sure how I would feel. Change can sometimes be bad on bike, especially right before a hundred mile bike race.

The night before I met up with my friend Thane to go to the Romer Ranch for some BBQ and check out the ranch.  The food was good, but let me tell you and tell Chris Romer, BBQ is not the right pre race meal.  Thanks though!

I woke up at 4am with what felt like a log in the stomach, never a good idea when you need to breathe. As we went off hard for the first 6 or so miles of dirt road I could feel that log dragging me down.  I kept up the pace and hung with the lead group, although once again off the back a little.

As we entered the single track I was in a comfortable position, my buddy Dax was on my wheel and Mark Thompson right in front of me.  These guys bring the best out of each other on their single speeds and I was happy to be riding with them for a short time.

The log was still dragging me down, but I was slowly feeling better and reeling a few riders in on the singletrack.  The climbs were feeling decent and the descents were ripping. At about mile 15 or 20, the log seemed to disappear and I was feeling good and catching who ever I could. 

One short lapse of concentration found me in the wrong gear and torquing my chain up a short steep uphill; not a good thing in a hundred mile race.  The chain was fine but in the process I tweaked something either in the cables or derailleur hanger and now my bike was ghost shifting.  I backed the pace down and started trying to find a sweat spot with my barrel adjuster.  After finding a reasonable setting I got back into reeling in the competition.

Rolling out of the single track to a double track, I was feeling good and promptly passed 3 or 4 riders.  Found Mark Thompson and Dax and kept rolling, hoping they would grab a wheel. As I hit the next singletrack section up the Green Mountain climb, Dax and Mark were there. What a blast crushing some gears with some good friends in the middle of a race. The Green Mountain climb was relentless, but I was feeling great and the legs were feeling awesome. My fueling was going great, using Honey Stinger gels, Kep’s Pollen Balls and Infinit Endurance Formula. My goal this race was to stuff as much food and water down as possible and it was seriously helping me.  Every chance I got I was either eating or drinking.

The exception which came back to haunt me was the long descent to the South Platte River.  It must have been a half hour or more and this gave me no chance to eat.  As I rolled into the aid and grabbed more fuel and water and rolled out to ride the pavement for a few miles, the power was gone.  Too much time off without fuel left me in a deficit.

As I rolled the pavement trying to snap out of the deficit I lost a few places to a group that was rolling fast in a pace line that I just could not jump on.  Bummer! 

The next section up to Cheeseman  I was passed by one last person, but also managed to catch a rider or two.

I stopped at the next aid grabbed some more water and ate some Endurolytes.  As I rolled through the next section up Stoney Pass I started to feel better.  I had noticed a rider had been gaining ground earlier up the steep climb to Cheeseman, but now I was putting time on him and with a couple of look backs I found no one on any of the snaking switchbacks in sight.

This will put a little wind in your sails; seeing it unfold as you put time into your rivals, is pretty nice in racing.  It tells you that you are doing something right. 

As I came to the top of the last climb of the day and took the right hand turn to head down to Sawmill, I looked at my watch and saw that I had a chance to make my goal of 7 hours and 30 minutes, from there I drilled it to the finish with a time of 7:30.27.  Pretty dam close and 13^th Overall.

For a frustrating early season, this race gave me some great motivation for the next big races on the calendar.

Thanks to all my help!  Honey Stinger, Kep’s Pollen Balls, Infinit, NoTubes, Light and Motion, Breck Velo, Schwalbe and Formula Brakes.

Steamboat Stinger

 This is going to be one sweet new race in Colorado.  Check it out!

OVERVIEW:
Like many of you, we've been awed and inspired by some of the great experiential races out there. Events like the Firecracker 50, the Gunnison Growler and the Laramie Enduro provide both a stout challenge and feature the singletrack and scenery we all crave as mountain bikers.

Honey Stinger was born and bred in Steamboat Springs, home to some of the highest quality riding in the Rockies. For years we've been talking about a backcountry race that showcases our world-class riding and our terrific community.

And so after a lot of late-night planning sessions (and some last-minute scrambling), we're pleased to announce The Steamboat Stinger ™ - a 50-mile singletrack-a-palooza with amazing riding and a race vibe that's distinctly Steamboat.

THE COURSE:
You can expect singletrack…lots of it. Beginning at the Howelson Hill Ski Area right in the heart of Steamboat, the course takes an extended detour deep into the beautiful backcountry of Routt County before returning to the transition/finish area. Racers will wind through open meadows, narrow aspen-lined Colorado loam just begging for you to lean it hard, and wild sage gardens offering incredible views of the surrounding peaks and valleys. It's a 50-mile race composed of two 25-mile loops that are 90% singletrack. Head to the event webpage for a written description. Maps and elevation profile coming soon.

http://www.prerace.com/races/event/26507/The-Steamboat-Stinger-MTB-Race-Steamboat%20Springs-CO

Trials of the Front Range 60

 

 

Trials of the Front Range 60

By Ezekiel Hersh

This early season has been a strange one in Colorado, especially up here in the high country
where I'm writing now; watching it snow again.

As I prepared for the Front Range 60 Marathon, I imagined racing with temperatures in the 80's was going to be a treat. It would be great to ride without arm warmers, knee warmers or a jacket. I also knew that a highlander like me would have to deal with "hot" temperatures - yes 80's is hot for us mountain folk!

The racecourse consisted of super fast single track with short grunty climbs, power sections and fast descents - a great early season training ground. 

From the gun the pace was fast and I found myself a little off the back. I had managed to stay in the top 20 and as I settled in, I tried to pick off a few more riders or grab a wheel.  On the approach of the Mount Carbon climb I was caught and passed by a friend Tony who was climbing great and looked comfortable.  I tried to grab his wheel but my legs and mind didn't want anything to do with that. Climbing has been a little hard to come by up here in the mountains. I guess I have something work on!

For much of the race I tried to keep my friend in sight; he would pull away on the climbs and descents, and then I would make up some time on the flats and power sections.  Today the descents seemed a little alien; I was consistently checking my speed, sliding around corners and losing time. Nothing like a little race pace to expose some rust; better get out and ride some more dirt!

Even though the form and skills seemed a little off, I was happy with my lap times and my pace, which kept me pushing as hard as I could. I was consistently in the 38-minute range and my goal of a sub four-hour race was still attainable. 

As the laps wore on, the temperature began to rise. I stopped for some endurolytes before going out on lap five. It was hot and cramps are always on the mind this late in a race. Endurance events of this length are when your training counts; the heart and legs are pushing as hard as they can and it takes a little extra concentration to keep your mind focused on the race at hand and the intensity of race pace.

As I rolled through the start finish area to go out on lap 6, I grabbed a water bottle and hoped it would be enough.  I definitely wasn't feeling my best but I figured I might catch a few people who were feeling worse. I had been told once that "no matter how bad you feel, everyone else is feeling just as bad or worse". That thought kept me pushing as hard as I could and hoping for a catch or two. As I made my way through the course, that advice came true. I was happy to get back a spot or two before I rolled to the finish.

Hitting the finish line always feels good, with the sense of accomplishment and reward of reaching your goals. This race had drained me quite a bit more than Voodoo Fire. Maybe it was the heat or lack of early season form; but once again, I had a blast suffering through the ups and downs of a mountain bike race!

Ezekiel Hersh, Rider and Racer 

Bike to Work Month

May in the Colorado high country can be a trying time for a cyclist, let alone a cyclist running a small business.  In most places, April showers bring May flowers; for us it seems that April snow showers can sometimes bring more May snow showers.  

This means biking to work can be risky business!  Now I know the weather will get much better as the month of May wears on, I also know, that in years past we have received a foot of snow on the fourth of July; that would not have been a fun day to ride home from work.

In my local community I am hoping to get a couple of days riding to work, watching the weather; of course. I plan on bringing my bike to work; trying to run as many errands and business tasks by bike; as well as getting some good after work training rides in.  For me, this time of year is “Bike from Work Month”; so in my own way I plan on raising awareness of “Bike to or from Work Month”.  My hope is; by just being on my bike, I might motivate more people to get there bikes out of the garage and go for a ride; weather to work or after work. Riding to work or running a few errands should save you a few dollars and will sure make you feel good! Just be sure and watch the weather!

Ezekiel Hersh

Voodoo Fire Race Report

Voodoo Fire

The first stop on the Rocky Mountain Endurance Series was held at a new venue, Lake Pueblo State Park.  With its large singletrack trail system, no major climbs and just pure fun singletrack, this was a great first race of the season.

At registration Friday evening, a little monkey wrench was thrown into the mix. There was a last minute problem with a permit issue and the course had to be changed.  Instead of two 35 mile loops, we would have three 23 mile loops.  These last minute issues can be tough, but the race crew put together one sweet course without any issues.

The race started with a good uphill pavement section, which thinned out the group before entering the singletrack.  I managed to hang in the top twenty. It would been nice to be in the top ten, but the legs wouldn’t cooperate that early in the race.

The first section of singletrack brought us to a little climb that bogged up the race, not a bad section, but a slip by one rider and everyone was walking. This section seemed to put most people in recovery mode. On the earlier road section I may not have had legs but they came around now, and it was time to make some moves and put the power to the pedals. Now let the passing begin!

Passing was not easy early in the race; you had to make a commitment to pass in the “rhubarb”, as a friend likes to say.  This was power zapping and it took some time to recover after each pass, but you needed to keep pushing the power out for the next catch and to make sure you weren’t getting passed back.

Managing to keep catching riders, I soon found myself in the top ten or fifteen.  The legs felt good, the bike was working great and I was having fun!  This being the first race in quite some time, I found myself making a few mistakes, but riding solid.

As I came into the Aid at the end of the first lap I had worked a pebble into my shoe. I stopped, took a seat and fixed the issue. I took this opportunity to grab some Infinit and a Kep’s Pollen Ball then headed back out for lap 2.

Lap 2 was sweet and super fast as the traffic had eased.  More and more riders were getting passed and many were fixing flats.  This course was not technical by any means, but had lots of mean shale rocks strewn all over the trail.  They were taking their toll on many racers’ lightweight race tires.  I had opted for Schwalbe’s Racing Ralph in Double Defense; with their thicker casing I was having no troubles and loving it ripping the corners.

At the start of the third lap, I really had no idea of where I was sitting, but knew I had been having a great race.  This is when fatigue hit and I had to really think about hydration and fueling.  At my drop bag a rider passed me; I quickly went out to try and catch him. This guy (Kevin Thomas) was fast and on a single speed.  Kevin was crushing it and at that point I was just reminding myself to keep the power to the pedals, drink and try to keep Kevin in sight.

The first section of the course was super fun and fast, but after the first Aid Station there was a section that just beat you up with its bumpy, lumpy singletrack. Everyone was talking about this section after the race and on this final lap it seemed to last forever.  In the previous laps, I had some company to ride with, but this time all I could do is watch Kevin up the trail and look forward to this section’s end.  It couldn’t come fast enough on this last lap!

Starting to feel the hurt, I finally got to the second Aid Station. At this point I knew the end was near.  I was really trying to push, but there was not much to push with.  A rider caught me in Rock Canyon, he had legs and I tried to match it but only managed to stay close.  We rode the last couple of miles to the finish thirty seconds apart.

Rolling into the finish, I was surprised to hear the announcer say that I had finished in the top ten.  Wow was I surprised!  This was the first big race of the year and I was really hoping for an outside shot at a top twenty.  I ended up 9^th overall and 5^th in my age group.  Guess the winter skate skiing, trainer sessions and cold road bike rides paid off.

I want to thank all of my sponsors for help in my training and racing.  Thanks to Kep’s Pollen Balls, Infinit and Honey Stinger for fuel!  Thanks to No Tubes for fast rolling Wheels! Thanks to Breck Velo for tech support! Thanks to Schwalbe for some sweet tough tires, Formula for brakes to slow me down when I need to, Light and Motion for keeping the lights on when I ride in the dark and New Sponsor Santa Cruz for getting me sweet rides to Cruz on!

Thanks!

Looking forward to the next race!

Ezekiel Hersh