gmo

If you don't already know I am not sponsored by any company or bike shop for the free shwag or bike discounts. I ride for the First Descents cancer charity to try, however small it may be, to raise awareness for the organization. The one sentence description of FD is that it is a one week camp for young adults with cancer that helps them learn through extreme adventure (whitewater kayaking) that they are not as fragile as cancer may make them believe, giving them a fresh outlook on life while also developing a strong support group. It's now about one week prior to the Leadville 100. I haven't trained as hard as prior years. Not really training much at all. But over the past couple of months, through races and group rides, I've picked up the intensity and I'm feeling like I'm in pretty good shape. Normally I'd start my taper by now, but it was hard to turn down the Cranky Monkey race at Shaeffer Farms today, as it's practically in my back yard and o...

A friend sent me a link to thought provoking article on single speeding, seen here . My thoughts I felt are worth blogging. The article pissed me off.. then it didn't.. then it did... MTBers differentiate themselves, and part of the perverse joy we get out of biking is the pain, and the feeling of accomplishment once the ride is over. Singlespeeders have a higher scale for pain. Why does a rigid fork go with a singlespeed bike? Few can give a reasonably good explanation for this. It makes them feel like a badass in a way that they cannot portray on an ordinary day on the street. It's a way to differentiate oneself in a different world. The world of mountain biking. The lalaland away from the daily grind. Singlespeeders aren't better because they ride singlespeed. They're better because the singlespeed fits how they ride. I ride a singlespeed, but i'm not a singlespeeder. It's the difference between a guy with a tatoo on his arm and a guy with one on hi...

Tonight's race was important because it's a good litmus test for what kind of race shape I'm in, and it helps to shape my expectations for future events. I had several podiums in sport (Cat2) last year and started the season early January with a podium at Snotcycle. So my goal for the day is to win the race and advance to expert (Cat1). I really didn't feel well today. Totally sluggish all day. Devoid of all energy. Could not concentrate at work. Not sure what's going on. Sleep deprived? One day i'll run out of excuses. The temp on the car read 103 degrees. Accurate considering the traffic around me and heat coming off the pavement. Tricky because its a short (50 minute) sprint race, so I don't carry water. Camelback's are too heavy and unwieldy, and moving too fast to get the bottle. I pre-ride the starting hill. Its got a new coating of deep gravel. I need to pick a right-hand line to not sink in. Given how I'm feeling and the heat, i...

This is a "weather be damned" rain, sleet, the nastier the better kinda race. The trails are ready and the snow is holding off until just the right time – Friday night!! Should be another perfectly frozen snowy race!! The second annual Snotcycle was held on the beautiful Rockland Farm just on the Virginia side of Whites Ferry. Both years now have been snowfests. This year it looked like we were going to get a dusting, or the bigger snow would come after the race ended. The ferry was closed due to river flooding, so i headed out to go the long way. The weather was clear and i left my summer tires on the bike. During the course of the 35 minute drive, the weather turned from clear, to slight flurries, to downright nasty snow. I arrived at 10:30, one hour before the race began. I was not too worried about the snow, thinking there wouldn't be enough time for it to stick too bad and effect traction. Man was I wrong! Last year I raced singlespeed. It's better for t...

Mountain Bike racing in all disciplines is growing in popularity, and this means more people challenging you for the top positions. Cross-country races are still the most prevalent mountain bike race format in the United States. These tips are designed for the sixty-minute or less cross-country format race, and may be just the edge that you need to meet your goals for the season. You’ll see your stronger training buddy wondering why you’re the one on the podium, when he recently smoked you on your regular training hill. Use these tips to help you advance, whether it is from the back of the pack to the middle, or from the middle to the front. Go For Pole Position As Mountain Bikers, we are generally passive non-confrontational people. It goes against our grain to be overly aggressive. You are probably thinking you can start the race at a moderate pace, and if you feel strong, then pass. Unless you know that even at your best you are a bottom 75th percentile finisher, then start clo...