Stage One is DONE.

Stage 1 -  Fun, Hard, and Hot.

Well, glad to get stage one out of the way!  I got the first obligatory crash out of the way early too.  Not as early as the two riders that crashed at about 25 MPH on the road leading out of town.  Anyway, a rider in front of me on a Bronson slipped while crossing a wet wood bridge.  Instinctively, I jumped on the brakes and slipped also, and then went down.  I jokingly told the guy I was trying to make him feel better by crashing too.

After some bad cramping, riding the top tube down a rocky descent, dabbing over wet roots, and two missed trails, I ended the day in 31^st overall with a finishing time of 3:15.  I was the sixth finisher from the U.S.  I really don’t have a goal for a finishing position, but a top 30 would be nice.  I ended up finishing 24th in the Enduro stage.

Trail conditions were wet, despite no rain in a few days.  The weather is warm and humid.  As the day heats up, you can feel the moisture coming out of the mud.  Oh, and the trails are ridiculously awesome.

Enduro!!  I think most riders agreed these sections were much rowdier than expected.  To compare, some sections were like a wet T&A (the trail you perverts).  The first one was particularly tough.  I felt better on this one and didn’t have many riders in front of me.  Without knowing the lines and riding it blind, I took some lines and drops that probably would void my warranty.  Go figure.  All said, the Epic took it!  Oh, and I missed a trail during the Enduro.  Lastly, way more climbing during the Enduro sections than I was expecting..

We’re off to Campbell River for stage two in the morning.  I’m trying to recover here by sitting in the shade and propping my legs up.  

For stage 1, I figured I'd wear a jersey from the bike shop where it all started for me -  The Bike Haven in McHenry, IL.  It's now owned by an old friend of mine!

And we're off....  If look closely, you can see me.  = )

The "after" photo from stage 1.  Hot and muddy!

Tent City - our home away from home for the next 6 days. 

The Bike

Here's for all the bike nerds like myself..

The best part of signing-up for a race like this -  a perfectly legitimate reason to buy a new bike!  I made this proclamation to Jannice just moments after I hit the "submit" button on the registration.  Her response was "oh great". 

I had two mountain bikes when I registered a year ago -  a 2011 Specialized Enduro and Chinese carbon hardtail 29er.  Both are great bikes, but neither was really fit for a race like the BCBR.  The Enduro was too heavy and not efficient enough, and I'd probably have a broken back riding the hardtail for seven days straight on the rough BC trails.

I started my search for bike that would be super efficient but also very capable of handling rougher terrain.  I researched many forums on the race and different bikes.  Knowing the rough terrain, the bike was definitely going to have 29 inch wagon wheels (clown bike for you 26er die hards!). I considered the Santa Cruz Tallboy, Salsa Spearfish, Specialized Camber, Specialized Epic and Rocky Mountain Element 970 BC Edition.  I was able to do a parking lot test ride on the Spearfish and Camber, but wasn't able to ride the others except the Epic.  I demoed an Epic on a trip to Noble Canyon a few months prior.  I remembered loving the speed and efficiency of the Epic.  It was a totally different kind of fast fun (not just descending).  After close comparisons of the different bikes, I decided on building up a custom Epic.  My intent was to build a bike that would be light and efficient enough to race in local XC races, but also to make it more "trail" worthy with my build.  After riding this bike for 9 months, I'm really loving it.  It truly is great for "epic" long rides!

Dorky Bike Build Details:

• 2012 S-Works Epic Frameset
• Rock Shox SID converted to 110mm Travel
• S-Works Crankset (2x10 - 38T, 24T)
• XTR Derailleurs - Shadow+ Rear
• XTR Shifters
• XTR Cassette 11-36T
• XTR Chain
• XTR Pedals
• Roval Control SL Wheels
• XTR Trail Brakeset with Magura Storm SL Rotors (shown above with Kettle Cycles SFL Carbon Rotors)
• S-Works Flat bars 720mm Width
• Ritchey Trail Stem 60mm
• Specialized Blacklite Command Post
• Specialized Henge Expert Saddle
• Schwalbe Racing Ralphs 2.25 (Snakeskin rear)
• Oury Lock-on Grips

Built as listed above it weighs 24.3lbs.  Built with the carbon rotors and lighter tires it was around 23.6lbs.  

Lastly, I tested numerous tires in the last year.  After all was said and done, I settled on the Racing Ralphs for BC as they offer a good balance of speed, weight, and grip...

Next up training...slightly less exciting.

The Woman Behind the Man

The Woman Beside the Man.

They say behind every good man is an even better woman ... at least that’s what I’d like to believe. Though for the next week, I will literally be ahead rather than behind my man.

Just a couple of weeks ago, I made an impassioned decision to go “all-in” in supporting my husband – rather than meeting him at the finish and lounging for a week after the race, I signed up to be with him in his epic journey as a support crew volunteer. I figured I can step-up to the multi-tasking challenge of handing out bacon strips(?!) while ringing my cowbell for every mud-covered racer. And if I’m lucky, Jeff might actually remember to give me a kiss this time as he exits the aid station! So I signed up and got more than I bargained for – the only volunteer spot left is on the Tent Crew. I’ll be packing away and setting up tents for the entire week, with a smile of course!  Here’s a little taste of the exciting days that lay ahead of me (courtesy of the Tent City Manager):

"On Tent Crew we rise at dawn when the rooster crows, smiling like sunny-side eggs. In synchronized ballet, we take down a field full of some two hundred tents. Like circus clowns we then jaunt over to the ferry for a beauticious channel crossing, traverse to the next scenic Coastal destination, and immediately set those BC Bike Rider's tents up again. Duties elegantly, possibly sweaty, performed, we cheer bikers to the finish line and socially mingle with the throngs of like-minded positive, upbeat BCBR personages!!"

But what really got me jazzed up is Jeff’s minor request – to inflate his sleeping pad and fluff his sleeping bag so he can take a nap after I massage his legs after each ride. I guess I can’t be the princess all the time.

So that’s who I am - a woman who stands beside her man. It’s both my burden and my pleasure. I'm crossing my fingers that the “positive, up-beat, great woman” in me will last a week in tent city!

The Race Itself

The BC Bike Race is a seven day stage race that starts in North Vancouver, traverses Vancouver Island, and ends in Whistler.  The total race is comprised of approximately 240 miles and 35,000 ft of ascending. This is not necessarily one of the longest stage races, but it's known as the "ultimate singletrack experience" and is more technical than most other stage races; this is precisely the reason why I chose this race.  I figured I don't have a chance racing on smooth fire roads (i.e. roadie delight), but on the BC singletrack terrain I might have a slight chance of not embarrassing myself too badly.  Plus, I figured this race would be a lot of fun no matter what happens!  If you want to see pictures from last year's race, click here.

Race Details

Here are the locations of the stages:

Full details on the stages can be found here:  http://www.bcbikerace.com/the-stages

There are a few different classes of results - Solo, Duo, Masters, and Men/Women respectively.  I'm not an old man just yet and I'm racing alone, so I'll be racing in the competitive "Solo Men" class.  There will awards each day for each stage and then the overall awards on the final night.

In addition to the overall standing, there is a special "Enduro" race within the race.  This race is comprised of timed downhill sections of the course that are more technical in nature.  This is where I'll be wishing that I was not on my XC race bike but on a more downhill oriented bike (mine will be resting peacefully in my garage).  I'm not sure how much risk I'll take in these sections, especially in the  early stages.  I have to remind myself that my goal is to finish the race and earn the belt buckle souvenir.

Accommodations

Camping!  Yes, we will be sleeping in tents.  Most riders will be sharing a tent with one other rider.  As for me, Jannice decided to volunteer so I get to share a tent with her (thank heavens!).  Jannice decided to volunteer shortly before the race and they were only looking for people help with tent setup.  Needless to say, Jannice will be a professional "tent-setter-upper" by the end of the race!  Personally, I think riding 240 miles would be easier.  = )

Food

We won't be roughing it for food.  The race organizers realize how important nutrition is to the race.  Obviously, they're are going to be a lot of hungry people.  They are seriously cooking some really good food.  The meal package was a $400 option, but not having to worry about food and the tasty menu made this decision easy.  Here's a sample of the menu:

I think that pretty much sums up the race itself...and I need to eat something after reading the menu.  Stay tuned for the next post on the gear and bike for the race.

Intro: So I decided to do a stage race...

For those who know me, I've been riding bikes since I was a kid.  During grade school we pretty much rode our BMX bikes all summer long and then to school during the school year.  At one point I even raced BMX (I took first and this trophy is still the biggest one I have!).  In high school I bought my first mountain bike.  I rode occasionally during my early college years in Normal, IL when I wasn't partying or studying (cough cough).  If you ever want to ride flat corn fields, search no further than Central Illinois.

Fast forward to 2003.  I was living in Southern California and quickly realized the popularity of mountain biking.  I kept hearing about how great the trails were in the area and my interest was revived.  After doing a little bit of research, I headed to Supergo with my good friend Russ to buy a bike.  I went home with a Cannondale Jekyll 1000 (Lefties are soooo cool!!).  My passion for cycling was officially on the burner.

Over the next several years I rode more and more slowly falling in love with the adrenaline rush, fitness, challenge, and journey that mountain biking offered.  I took many trips to popular trails throughout the West and even made it to Whistler, BC in 2011.  By 2009 I was starting to race in some different disciplines, but primarily Super D in Fontana, CA (aka Fontucky).  I quickly learned that I generally did better on technical and longer courses.  For those not familiar with Super D, it is a longer downhill race that typically requires a good level of fitness to be competitive.  Essentially, it's a race for the best all-around rider.

Sometime in 2010 I decided to sign-up for a local endurance race called the Counting Coup (44 miles with 8,200 ft ascending in the Santa Ana mountains).  This was the first time I attempted to compete in an endurance race.  I surprised myself by finishing in the top 25 out of 150+ riders.  I loved this race...  It was tough, fun, and required a certain level of mental focus that is not typically required in everyday life.  After this race, I started to believe that I had more "natural" ability to compete in longer events.

Enter the 2013 BC Bike Race...  By 2012 I was really starting to enjoy longer rides and races, and of course, riding more technical terrain.  I heard about the BC Bike Race and how it was a seven day stage race that consisted of mostly more technical singletrack trails.  After spending some time in Whistler, BC in 2011, I knew what the trails would be like and how much I would love doing this race.  Registration opened in July of 2012 and with the blessing of my boss (my supportive wife), I registered.  Originally, my good friend Russ and I were planning on racing together as a very dynamic duo, but plans changed and I'll be rolling solo.  So, this is the start of my little blog to share my little story of the 2013 BC Bike Race experience.  Race starts on 7/30/2013...stay tuned.