It's a Wrap!

The Bradbury 12 would be my final race this season. I really wanted to do well at this race but knew that with everything that has been going on this summer that all the pieces would need to fall just right to be victorious. With that in mind, I tried to set my expectations low, try to put together a good performance, stay positive, have fun and hope for the best. Well, mission accomplished on all those fronts!

I decided to contest the solo singlespeed division this year on my rigid El Mariachi. I had only been on it for 4 rides this summer so I was obviously a bit worried about how my legs and body would hold up to 12 hours of punishment. I had a Panaracer Rampage 2.35 on the front with a shade under 30 psi, both wheels were tubeless and I was running Ergon grips so it was about as plush as a rigid bike can get.

After last years lack of preparedness, I was much more organized this year. I was rolling without support for most of the day so I had about 10 mixed bottles and my food all set out right next to the course on a rubbermaid container and my Ergon BD1 pack all set with lights for my final lap or two.

All of the solo racers went off first and I spun like crazy in my 32x18 gear for the fast opening mile to try to stay with the geared solos. Once in the woods I settled into what I hoped would be a good pace. Before long, I found myself riding with Mad Mike (who was in the solo geared). We rode together, swapping places regularly, for 4 laps. It was good to have Mike as a pacing partner because we both made the mistake of going out too fast last year and paid the price. Mike stuck it out last year but I ending up bailing after 6.5 hours. We both wanted to learn from our mistakes. The whole time we rode together I was in first for the single speed class but Mike was allowing several solos get away hoping that his pacing plan would bring them in later on.

During those first laps, the second place ss would occasionally catch us, follow us to the pits and then disappear because I was running such quick pit transitions. Each lap I'd grab 1 or 2 bottles, havesomething to eat (mini snickers or a can of ready to eat soup which I could suck down in 30 seconds). Those first few laps I also had to make some mechanical fixes in the pits. The first lap I had to add air to the rear tire since I hadn't checked it before the race and I was bottoming out constantly (thank god for tubeless!). It turns out I only has 18 psi in so I jacked it up close to 30 and was on my way.

These three photos courtesy of Jeff Scher.

Things were going pretty smoothly for those first few laps. I was riding well, the bike felt great and I found myself thinking that 12 hours on a rigid bike wasn't going to be so bad. Sometime in what I think was the 4th lap, Mike slipped away as I started to feel an impending bonk coming on. I tried not to panic but in the back of my mind I knew this was the same scenario as last year. To fight the bonk I slowed my pace a bit and ate (gummi bears!) and drank (Heed and Perpetuem) whenever there was a smooth spot on the trail (of which there aren't many). Once back at the pits I was greeted by Marcy and Brynna cheering me on. I was psyched to see them there but unfortunately I was descending into a bonk and my general racer mindset kept me from being cordial which I'm super bummed about. It was awesome to have them there cheering me on and helping out but I go to a different place when I race and can barely function on a social level. That is one thing I definitely need to work on.

B's portrait of mommy.

Back on the trail I nursed the bonk for the next lap and a half and finally came out of it sometime in my 6th lap. Unfortunately, that was also when my low back and hands really started to hurt. Both pains were expected considering I was coming off a season of full suspension geared racing and jumping feet first, totally unprepared, into rigid single speeding but I was still concerned since I still had 6 hours to go. Thankfully, before Marcy had to leave with B she had informed me that I had an 18 minute gap to second place after lap 4. I had no idea if I had lost some of that lead mid-bonk but I hoped that I still had a good cushion.

Laps 7 and 8 went really well considering my body felt like somebody had worked me over with a 2x4 and I was starting to feel like I was back in the game. Unfortunately, that feeling was short lived. By the end of lap 8 I was ready to be done. I still had some energy but my body was frickin beat and I didn't want to see another rock or root for the rest of my life! I risked a quick run over to the placing tent to check where I was and was suprised to see that I was a lap up on the whole ss field. My brain was pretty fried though so I didn't trust that I was reading it right so back out on my ninth lap a Bikeman peep, Bill, caught me and I asked him if he could check my standings when he got it (he was on a 4-man and would surely beat me in). By the time I bounced my way through the lap, Bill confirmed that it did look like I had it in the bag. Another teammate, Bikeman employee and fellow Winter XC'er, Steve also came over and gave me the good news.

I guess, technically, I could have stopped there since there wasn't time left for anybody else to pull off two laps but I came into the race wanting to complete it so I started to mount up my lights for a final lap. That didn't go too well. I got my helmet light mounted but couldn't find the pieces for my bar light (even though it was all right where it was supposed to be!) and I was ready to say f to the bar light and go with my puny 10w halogen for the lap but Andrew essentially slapped me in the head and told me I had to have both lights and he would McGuyver the bar light on. A little velcro and some duct tape later and I was on my way with two lights.

The 10th and final lap was slow and methodical. I knew I had a good lead so I just took it easy and tried not to brain myself since the rocks and roots were getting slick with dew. Early in the lap I was caught by a single speeder who seemed mighty fresh. We chatted for a bit and he assured me that although he didn't know what lap he was on that he wasn't a threat. I wasn't sure if I believed him or not so I stayed with him just in case. Unfortunately, once the dark really set in my bar light started to shut off when I'd hit bumps (awesome!) so I was running solely on a 6yr old 10w halogen which is sort of like trying to put together a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle by the light of one candle, it's doable but mind numbingly slow. Which is exactly how the last part of my final lap went, slllllllloooooooowwwwwww.

As I crossed the finish line there was no victory salute or even a smile, I simply climbed off the bike, walked it about 30 feet, found some buddies and chatted while hunched over my bike since my back and neck were so sore that I couldn't stand up straight. I was so spent that Mike (who had put in an awesome ride and came in 2nd geared solo), Andrew (who's two man team with Mr. Burns won the two man) and Andrew's father had to load all of my gear into the car. If it wasn't for those guys I'd probably still be there today.

Mike rolling after a pit stop.

Overall, the day wen't pretty damn well for Bikeman and friends. Andrew and John won their race, Mike came in second and Steve's team won the two person co-ed and Steve even got an extra $50 for having the days fastest lap time. Not bad for a guy who suffered like a dog in the Winter XC last winter. When he told me he wasn't messing around anymore I guess he meant it!

For me, I got a sweet Carver frame (which I hope to trade towards a snow bike frame!), a sweet pilsner glass and enough aches and pains to last a lifetime. Here's a question for you, have you ever hurt so bad after a race that both of your thumb nails hurt? I can honestly say that mine both hurt like hell despite never crashing and smacking them.

Rating: 10 enthusiastic squirrels.