The night before the race checking out the times of the previous year winners for solo women Grace noticed she needed 6 laps to win. The pre-ride the night before was awesome but we only rode half the course not the crazy downhill which we soon learned about in the race. The race started at 10am and it was an all out sprint to take your place in line. The course was awesome lots of challenging logs to go over and some crazy downhills as we both almost launched into a ditch.
With no support and just a car to go back to – to switch out packs and get food there left little reason not to keep riding. Grace was in the lead for women’s solo early in the race and really didn’t want to do a 6th lap but knew that 6th lap would mean 1st place. Phil had a mechanical on lap 5 as his brake pads went into his router, not so good when the rest of the lap is all downhill but he made it to the end safely and in time to convince Grace to do that 6th lap. An awesome race and we will probably go back next year. See you at Pedal by the Puddle
Here are some pictures that Grace and I took at the Race the Ranch Downhill Race this past weekend. It was a beautiful day for the race. There were 358 riders taking part in the race. Grace and I volunteered to help out with the timing for them however before we got started Grace and I snuck off and got some pictures of the racers pre riding the course. I would have loved to get photos of them while they were racing but it was very busy around the timing tent and no time for running off to pretend to be a pro photographer. Maybe next time there is a race in town I will try and get on as a photographer instead. Anyways hope you guys enjoy the pictures.
Intermontane Challenge – 5 day mtn bike race – Kamloops, BC
What at great adventure to ride 5 days in the beautiful trails of Kamloops BC. We knew it would be an adventure before we started we expected it to be hot but maybe not that hot. Phil and I didn’t get a lot of time training in the heat as it was a cold start to the summer in Calgary.
Day one started out with nerves going crazy as the start of any race for us but we know we had a slow police escort and intro parade through downtown Kamloops. Quickly we found ourselves climbing up the hills to the North shore of Kamloops where you are very exposed to the sun. With the sun beating down at 9am we knew it was going to be a hot day. We started popping salt pills before we left the start but soon found out that was not going to be enough. The long climb on a double track took us to the first aid station we were making good time a quick stop for more water and Fubar and then off we went finding ourselves on an awesome single track trail that looped us back to the first aid station where we refueled again. Next part was a long uphill ride it seemed like it took forever as the heat beat down on us soon to turn off onto a treed trail which took us across to some great single track by this time we had run out of water wishing we were at aid station 3 so we could refuel. 1 hour later thank god there it was Phil had the water guy spray him down and we drank a ton of liquid and loaded our packs with extra water and Fubar. The next part of the trail was some more great single track and then exiting the north shore on the trail started on. Reaching the last checkpoint about 3km before the end we found ourselves de-hydrated beyond repair the great people at the checkpoint gave us ice, water and grape juice without that I think we would have passed out. We found ourselves walking our bikes for next km bonked beyond repair and not sure if we were going to make it or not. Finally we reached the top of the hill and we got back on our bikes and coasted another piece of great single track it’s too bad we couldn’t have enjoyed it we just survived it. At last the paved road and only a few minutes left to the finish for the day Grace pounded out the road after the last 4 hours of having leg cramps what did I have to lose. Crossing the finish line and falling to the ground we were so glad to be out of the sun for once today. Graciously they had a big cold tub we could crawl into to cool ourselves down. A hard day but we dug deep to get it finished.
The evening of day one was horrible we couldn’t eat we couldn’t drink we felt ill so what were we going to do for day 2. Neither of us wanted to take the day off….
Day 2 we still felt pretty ill we got up and ate some food but nothing was very appealing and we still weren’t sure if we wanted to ride or not. I tried to convince Phil that we could ride but Phil the smart one was thinking that was a bad idea so we went back up to our room and we felt really sick in the elevator and then I thought of how much refueling we did from yesterday and that was almost nothing so that was it we would take the day off and eat and drink as much salt as possible so we could ride days 3-5. Day 2 was going back over to the North Shore and was supposed to have less shade then Day 1 notr sure how that would be possible. We spent the day touring around Kamloops and found ourselves buying a lot of electrolytes from the running store. Finally about 5pm we were feeling much better and ready to ride day 3.
Day 3 was hoped to be 80km but with some course logistics and some local claiming a trail on crown land it was quickly changed with a later start time. This day we headed south of Kamloops where we were told there would be more trees yeah!! A quick climb out of Kamloops lead us to a maze of trails near Ink Lakes. The only way to get to some great downhill single track is to climb so that is what we found ourselves doing on a gravel road we climbed for 9km it was very hot and when the lady showed up with a cold water sponge that was the best part of the climb. At the top was the second water station where we fueled up with extra water and Fubar and headed down some wicked single track it was awesome what a wicked ride. We got to a section where you had to use your mantracker skills but after a minute we had it figured out and off we went down some more great single track chasing down our friends from Vancouver another mixed team. We caught them at water station 3 where we started out riding together and then we hit a gravel road and we hammered and they didn’t although they beat us on the technical riding – road was not there strong area. After much hard work on day 3 trying to re-route the course a lot of people still got lost so the day wasn’t counted for times. What a great day!!
Day 4 this was the biggest day of the race posted at 80km turned into about 100km depending on your km tracking device. Whatever the distance was it was a great ride we went to this race to ride our bike so if it’s 80 or 100km it’s still going to be a blast. We left on the same route as day 3 all the way to the first water station then we turned left off the trail and headed out a long way along gravel roads and some double track finally coming out at Stake lakes for a loop around the lake where the trail turned a little more technical then what we could ride our mixed team friends were close behind us but I think they were riding a lot more of this trail then we did it was even sketchy to walk over the big rocky area. At last onto some easy double track where we cruised to the next water station where we enjoyed the company of the volunteers ate some food and headed on our way. The next part of the trail was some crazy singletrack some it rideable for us some of it not so much but a great trail none the less. The Suzuki trail a trail to be remembered we got some great video here and the sun was still shining and it was still very hot but after enjoying the trail we ended up at water station 4 just the last section to do the same as we did on day 3 so it was hammer time on the road again back to Kamloops. The last bit of riding for the day was a ride through Kenna Cartwright Park what a great time some crazy fast winding switchback single track cruising down to the TRU to the finish line. Wow that was a rush of a day.
Day 5 The time trial the day we have all been waiting for a 30km ride through Kenna Cartwright Park and of course we started with a long climb but it all paid off with some switchback single track. I tried to ride something I probably shouldn’t have but it’s race day and I didn’t want to get off of my bike. Down the hill I rode and sure enough I go off the trail into a stump as I jump through the air all I can think of is I hope my other foot clips out and sure enough my foot comes through and I land on my feet and run down the hill what a rush and I’m okay. Surprised but not as lucky for my bike a bent my rear derailleur hanger so later in ride I jammed my chain and then my derailleur wasn’t working so well which was kind of disappointing. I made due with the limited gears and still had a great ride and finished the day in about 3 hours.
After 4 out of 5 days of riding we had a great time and the race was awesome the trails were in great condition and the heat was a little too extreme for us be we will definitely go back to this race as the set up of staying at TRU was great. It was nice to stay in air conditioned rooms after a day of riding in the heat. We didn’t go for the food supplied by the race but we heard it was great everyday we did our own food thing of course. I would definitely recommend this race to anyone who wants to try a 5 day stage race with the convenience of staying in town or the veteran stage racer to give it a try and maybe bring the whole family for a week of awesome weather.
As with every endurance race it started off with lots of waiting around and unsettled nerves. There was no shade to be found in our pit area and it was the hottest day we had seen since last summer. People were trying everything to get out of the sun as we all knew that once the gun went off at noon there would be no hiding from the heat.
12:00 and the gun went off. Being in the states they use a real gun, just with blanks, one of the loudest things I have ever had the misfortune of being less than 5 feet away from. And we’re off and running. Hundreds of racers all running up a single track trail and back down the other side. All the spectators chearing us on. After a quick ½ mile run, the game is to find your bike and get on with the race as quickly as possible.
The first lap is always very busy and congested. Grace got off to a blistering fast start and got ahead of most of the people that could not ride the technical sections. I however got stuck behind a lot of them and therefore had to walk some of the sections I would never of dreamed of having to walk.
Very quickly I realized that the heat was going to be a problem. As I got going fast through some of the single track the sweat blowing out of my helmet felt like somebody was shooting me with a water pistol. Grace and I were each carrying about 1 litre of my home made electrolyte drink per lap and 3 energy balls each.
Grace and I played cat and mouse for the first 3 laps usually I would get into the pits and see Colin for a refuel of drink and food just as Grace was getting ready to leave. On our fourth lap I started having stomach issues. This seems to always be a problem for me. By the end of the fourth lap I had figured it out and fixed my issues, the sun was also going away which helped as it was now not as hot and I no longer felt like a pizza in a brick oven.
As the sun set and Grace and I were able to settle into the idea of 8 hours of mountain biking with artificial light, a tunnel vision of rocks and dirt. This 24 hour course is a non technical mountain bike course which is nice for the night as night riding makes everything that much more technical. By the time we did our second night lap I knew every bump and every rock. I began to feel I could ride this course with my lights out but that might have just been the heat stroke talking.
Ashlea showed up at our pits at the perfect time with our Pizza. Grace and I came in to find warm pizza and coke waiting for us. I pounded down a slice of pepperoni pizza and a can of coke and headed back out onto the course dreaming of finishing this next lap so that I could have more pizza and pop. This became one of my mental games to keep me going. If I finish a lap I am allowed 1 slice of pizza and pop.
6 am and 18 hours done, Grace and I can now remove our lights and head into the final stretch. We had 10 laps done and were on pace to finish with 13 or 14 laps. I had expected the sun to come up and start heating our cold and beaten bodies. And that is where mother nature threw us a curve ball. The sun did rise however it did not bring any heat. We sent Colin over to the espresso shack to get us both a mocha to try and heat us up from the inside out. We were wearing a lot of warm cloths but the body just wasn’t able to shake the cold. I realized as I was drinking my mocha that one of my eyes was shut and I could not get it to open. My other eye was barely open. I decided without saying anything to Grace or Colin that my best bet was to sleep for a little while until it warmed up. I rolled out of my chair and went to sleep with my face down in some cloths on a tarp. 45 minutes later I woke up and saw Grace had followed my lead and was sleeping on the ground also.
Grace and I decided we may as well go out and get at least one more lap finished. Grace went out in a blistering pace but decided to ride the last lap with Phil so she waited for Phil to catch up. It didn’t matter what time we finished the lap as we were not allowed to cross the line until noon. We rolled into our pit area 50 feet from the finish line at about 11:15am and decided that was enough pain and suffering for one day. We hung out and waited the forty-five minutes for the finishing gun to go off. We crossed the line with many other racers who were all waiting for the gun to go off. It was a very anti climatic finish to an odd race. We usually go full boar to the end however this race just did not for some unknown reason create that urgency and excitement for us this year. This may have been due to our 6am nap, which we don’t normally take when doing a 24 hour race.
All in all it was a good race and a great way to start off the season of mountain biking with a 5th place for Grace and 13th place for Phil. It reminded us that we are not invincible and that we need to do a whole lot of training in the heat so that we are ready for Intermontaine in July in Kamloops.
We have done a bunch of shopping and bought a tonne of food. Most of the food that we have bought is raw. We will see how this goes. We have some backup espresso shots and red bull just incase we need a pick me up in the middle of the night, but we will see what happens. The weather down here is hot, hot, hot. It was about 27 degrees today and not a cloud in the sky. We went for a quick 30 minute ride just to loosen up the legs and make sure the new Crank bros. pedals that we picked up from Mountain Bike City were good to go. Everything thing seems to be in order. We have 35 energy balls each and I have made about 18 litres of my new energy drink. We also have about 20 litres of fresh water to drink also. We have our Video cameras with us and a couple of still cameras aswell. Before we know it, it will be sunday at noon and we will be finished. I will post another entry about this race once all the dust settles. That one will have pictures and hopefully a video attached.
Here is a short Video we put togeather of the prolog from Canmore’s 24 Hours of Adrenalin World Solo Championships in 2008. The day was beautiful and hot to begin with. By 5pm the clouds had opened and we were covered in mud and rain. The joys of 24 hour solo mountain bike racing.
The night before the race checking out the times of the previous year winners for solo women Grace noticed she needed 6 laps to win. The pre-ride the night before was awesome but we only rode half the course not the crazy downhill which we soon learned about in the race. The race started at 10am and it was an all out sprint to take your place in line. The course was awesome lots of challenging logs to go over and some crazy downhills as we both almost launched into a ditch.
With no support and just a car to go back to – to switch out packs and get food there left little reason not to keep riding. Grace was in the lead for women’s solo early in the race and really didn’t want to do a 6th lap but knew that 6th lap would mean 1st place. Phil had a mechanical on lap 5 as his brake pads went into his router, not so good when the rest of the lap is all downhill but he made it to the end safely and in time to convince Grace to do that 6th lap. An awesome race and we will probably go back next year. See you at Pedal by the Puddle
