Keweenaw Chain Drive

Every year the Keweenaw Chain Drive appeals more and more to me.  It's not the smoothest of races nor is it the bumpiest but it carries a decent rhythm that I enjoy. Ask anyone though and most likely their first response is, it's hard.  It's a race that pounds you which is weird to say about a course with some rhythm.  Could it be this relentless profile?

I've had a small chip on my shoulder with this race and I wanted to get rid of it this year.  2 years ago I crashed near the end which resulted in a nasty hazy eyed bonking finish knocking me 1 spot from the podium.  Last year I made the lead group up cemetery hill only to clip a branch resulting in a fall and losing my water bottles.  That fall was proceeded by me clipping a handlebar of a racer I tried to pass which resulted in a fall.  I missed the lead group and rode solo to another 6th place.  Learning experiences for sure but I was ready to avenge my mishaps.

The race begins with a laid back 3 mile roll out so the “race” starts at Cemetery Hill.  I kept a steady pace up the sometimes 15% grade hill making sure never to be more than 2nd or 3rd wheel.  At the top is a $50 KOM and no one had gone yet and I wasn't feeling bad so I tried but B. Matter responded and took the money.  He sat up to let it regroup so I took advantage and jumped to the front to lead out the first single track.

Having the lead into the single track I wanted to set a pace I could maintain early but ride hard enough to keep the 4 man split you see in the picture.  The split happened quite early leaving me, Anderson, Braun, and Matter.  Knowing I now created a small gap I took every hill with more effort to keep my lead up front but also to deter any chasers of trying to join.  I was feeling good on the front so I didn’t want to give it away to the strong behind.  About 55 min into the race I grabbed my first bottle in the feed zone.  Anderson rotated to the front and had one goal, go hard.  This was at mile 15.  If you look at the above profile mile 15-20 is not easy.  Add Anderson’s hard effort and it became extremely difficult.  I would be gapped in the technical stuff and bring it back on the hills.  After doing this 3-4 times I was gassed and they slowly rode away.  I seen them all again in the twisty Drunken Sailor trail and it was all split up, each one on their own.  Anderson only had about 10 seconds on me and for a moment I thought I could bring him back and maybe work together to bring back Braun.  He recovered well and went back it and I never caught him.  This left me solo in 4^th place.  This was good for me because I have to learn to ride on my own at a hard pace and not rely on others to push me.  The rest of the race I challenged my skills and fitness to continue hard on my own.  I felt good at the end of the long race and finished 4^th overall.  I finally got on that pesky podium.

B. Matter, D. Braun, M. Anderson, T. McFadden and all the others that travel quite a ways to make it to the UP, thank you.  It’s awesome to see the UP races getting such solid competition.  If more see the excitement and quality in UP races maybe WORS will have a UP race someday!     


Team Notes:  Glen Lerlie had one of his strongest results of the year riding to a 23rd place overall in a very good field of riders.  He looked good early climbing Cemetery Hill with the leaders and then continued his solid pace through.  Congrats Glen.  

WORS Wausau Start Picture

This is a pretty sweet picture.  It really shows the popularity of the WORS Series both in spectators and participants.  Take a look at the amount of spectators at the start line.  Also take note at the incredibly large field of riders  (I'm 2nd in from the left.).

This picture is being used from Nathan Guerra's blog courtesy of Amy Dykema.

WORS #3 Wausau Big Ring Classic

Usually I put together a pretty detailed race report but this one just might lack that detail.  Why? I didn't have the legs on Sunday to make my bike go which can cause a lack of excitement in a race.

I didn't have much energy all week.  The prior week I put in a hard week of training and group riding.  I've also been keeping my hours up to continue to work on my endurance.  All of this must of really pushed me to the edge because rolling into Monday I was down and out.  I hadn't went over yet but I was close.  I continued on with the training but my coach and I changed some things up to catch up on rest.  I just attributed the fatigue to an awesome block getting close to the end.  As the week rolled along the rest never caught up with my body and as Saturday approached I was feeling a bit better but after the pre-ride things were not clicking.  I did complete my warm-up not feeling all that bad so I had a bit of optimism on the start line.

The start wasn't too bad for me but I played it safe and sat about 5-8 deep taking the draft in the 2 mile lead out.  I knew where I wanted to make position and I went for it and no sooner did I stand I sat back down.  I instantly knew the legs didn't have what it took to be where I wanted to be.  A racer can tell pretty darn quick, usually within the first 5 minutes, of what kind of legs they're going to have that day.  Mine were telling me, "no."  The first lap mission was to maintain a pace I could sustain and stay calm.  I did this for 2 laps and I hurt the whole time.  I just couldn't find an ounce of energy to go.  The start of the 3rd lap my brother handed me an ice cold water and I dumped it over my head.  Not soon after that I found a second wind and at least now could salvage the time I had lost.  I'm not sure if it was the water that cooled my core temp or just the legs kicking in but I was happy to at least be able to move.  To make up for a lost time and to work out the frustration I built up I went on the attack for the last 2 laps.  With every opportunity I went hard out of the single track and even harder up hill.  I was able to leave a couple riders on the 3rd lap and bridge up to 2 more.  I then attacked hard enough to bring that down to 2 of us.  On the 4th lap a group of guys came back to us and I wanted nothing to do with it so I sat in before the Ho Che Min climb and from 4th position attacked.  I was able to gap the group a bit making them work hard behind me.  2 were able to bridge up and I never stopped attacking after that.  I guess I had to prove to myself I could still ride.  I finished 2nd in the 3 man sprint for 11th place overall.

11th place, it is just out side of my season goals but the good thing is I was able to have a good placing after not having the legs.  I've learned that all races have days like these and it's not about how many you have but what you can do with them when you have them.  I'm learning to accept the day as it is and make the best race out of it.

Tour Divide - Danny Hill

Today is the official departure for Danny Hill in the Tour Divide.  My nerves shake in anticipation and excitement for him as I type this.  For those of you that do not know or have not heard of the Tour Divide I'll explain below.

Tour Divide
They call it, "The Grand tour of MTB."  It is a trip on mountain bike form Banff, Ab CA down to Antelope Wells, NM USA.  This one stage ride/race is self-supported racing traveling 2,745 mi or 4,418 km.  Either way you look at it it's a long way.

Decidedly not for sprinters, this battle royale braves mountain passes and windswept valleys of the Continental Divide from hinterlands of the Canadian Rockies to badlands of the Mexican Plateau.

This is the worlds longest off-pavement cycling route.  The route is highlighted by long dirt roads and jeep trails that wind their way through forgotten passes of the Continental Divide.  It travels through Canadian provinces of Alberta and British Columbia, and the Unites States of Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico.  By route's end a thru-rider will climb nearly 200,000 vertical feet.  (Equivalent to summiting Mount Everest from sea-level 7 times)

Divide races must not only be conditioned to endure weeks of consecutive 16 + hour days in the saddle, they need to bring other skills to the trail.  The route is unmarked and circuitous, requiring navigational acumen.  It travels through remote back country owned by the Grizzly and Mount Lions.  Intervals between services are frequently 100 + miles and demand calculated food/water resupply.  Riders mus also find shelter each night whether be near by shelter or trail side tent.

                                                                                                                                                                     


Now that you have an idea of what the Tour Divide race is you know what is in store for Danny in the coming weeks.  I will be posting regular updates via the blog, our Facebook page (Culvers Racing p/b Meyer Family Vision), and twitter (@culversracing).  Please follow along in the next couple of weeks.  Post encouraging words to Danny on our FB page as he will need everyone's love each and every day.  You can also follow his progress via these sources:

www.tourdivide.com/leaderboard
www.bikepacking.net

Danny's rig .

View from his starting point in Banff, AB

Injury Report

I've been part of sports my entire life.  The long list includes football, baseball, wrestling, basketball, golf, skiing, snowboarding, XC skiing, Crossfit, and Cycling.  With such a long list you would think that injury would be a common topic in my discussions but I have been very fortunate that it has not.  I've spent 1,000's of hours playing and training.  With so many hours of activity I've been very fortunate to stay away form serious injury.  I've had my nicks and bruises but the worst I have suffered in sport is tendinitis in my foot.  It seems I have avoided the big one again and I can add another one to the list of nicks and bruises.  

This past weekend I was on a training ride doing some Ore 2 Shore recon.  During my recon I take lines that I think will be the fastest giving me the slightest advantage I can get.  On a downhill line I missed my spot by an inch or two and hit a 4-wheeler rut sending my front wheel sideways which violently crushed me against the ground dragging me for 10 feet.  My first response is always to look over my bike and besides a ripped grip all seemed to be good.  I then analysed the body in which was covered in mud and blood but the shoulder was really aching.  After some moving around I knew it wasn't broke which relieved me completely but it did not take away the pain.  Being 40 min into my 3 hour ride I wasn't about to bag the ride.  I continued on for another 2 hours bearing the discomfort.  It wasn't terrible but the pain was noticeable   

Returning home the pain grew with every hour.  The stubbornness in me ignored it but then on my way to the store I ran across my friend and sponsor Dr. Tim Palomaki from Palomaki Family Chiropractic.  DAMN NEAR PERFECT TIMING.  He invited me to the clinic and sure enough after some adjustments he diagnosed it with a minor dislocation of the shoulder.  He popped me here and popped me there and then add some tape to hold things together.  Although not pain free the adjustments relieved a lot of pressure.  I told him this before but i will say it again for everyone else.  If a cyclist (anybody in this case) must have one sponsor, one doctor, or one friend than make sure it is a Chiropractor.  Dr. Palomaki does more than straighten spines he creates a healthy bod and has helped me countless of times.

It's been 3 days since the injury and although still soar it is feeling incredibly well considering the discomfort I had the last 2 days.  I've been forced to the road bike for awhile but at least it won't affect my training all that much.  I can't really pull up with the arm so I'm going to stay off the MTB until I can.  Until then I'll rest the arm on the flats of the road bike.

           

WORS #2 Crystal Lake/Rhinelander Pictures

All pictures are courtesy of Amber Gauthier of Straight A Photography.  Thank you for the awesome action shots.  

Race recap in the post below. 

WORS #2 Crystal Lake/Rhinelander

Rhinelander feels like a home course for me.  Instead of the usual 4-6 hour drive to any other WORS event a 2 1/2 drive felt like my back yard.  The rain moved in Saturday afternoon and I was just arriving at the venue as it started.  Not wanting to get wet I figured I would wait it out at the hotel.  Finally after 2 hours and it not letting up my wife forced me to go pre-ride and I thank her for that because it was worth it.  The trail was slick and muddy but it wasn't as bad as I expected.  I played with my PSI a bit and ended up feeling comfortable on the track.  Even though I rolled in covered in mud and soaking wet I built a bit of confidence knowing I could handle the slick conditions.

The Saturday pre ride felt good and I knew I had the chance to have some good legs.  Regardless though I was going to give every ounce of effort to be in the top at the start.  The start this year really had the set up to yo yo fast.  The good thing was is after the first effort to get with the front group I was feeling good and was settled into 7th going into the single track.

A group of 8 of us strung a long through the first half of the course as Nathan Guerra set the pace up front for the group.  A small washout by Braun caused a small split but Mike Anderson did a good job keeping it close by the time we exited the first lap of single track.  3 riders including Matter, Schouten, and Guerra had a small 10 second gap  near the end of lap 1.  Going up a hill I noticed I was still feeling good even after the fast pace and felt like there was a chance I could reconnect to that group.  Sharing pulls with Ben Koenig we bridged the gap to the 3 leaders by the end of the two track on lap 2.  Riding as a 5 man lead group now I saw Matter peak back and knew something was going to explode.  Gassed by my effort to bridge I knew if things picked up it was going to get messy.  Sure enough Matter pounded the pedals and I was quickly left as the 5th man riding solo from the front group.  I rode the rest of the 2nd lap as hard as I could not to let that gap get to big but out of the corner of my eye I caught Peariso approaching and decided we were better off together especially with the two track approaching again.  We traded pulls on the two track starting lap 3 and we really started to move.  Starting the single track Peariso let his bike dominate the bumpy course.  His smooth pace was surely bringing back the 4th place rider.  With words of encouragement from Chris (Thanks Chris) and my desire to reach my first 5 step podium spot I stuck his wheel all the way until we got within 10 seconds of Ben and he upped the speed a touch more.  I had the legs to go with him but I didn't have the skill.  His effortless motion on the single track was testing every ounce of skill and it finally did me in.  I never caught Ben but Chris did and as soon as he did I knew the 2 of them could put time on me.

On the final lap I just wanted to minimize the damage to guys ahead and keep my 6th spot.  With any luck or a fast 4th lap maybe I could bring back that final podium spot.  I never did see those guys again but I continued to pound the hills and ride the single track with care not to cause any mistakes.  With a 1/4 lap to go the rain started and it didn't take long for the track to get extremely slick.  This slowed me down a bit but I concentrated on a mistake free ride until the finishing two track and put the hammer down to the finish.  I pulled in with 6th place.

This is my best career WORS result.  I've been in the top 10 several times but I have never had a chance at the 5 step podium before and yesterday I had a real chance at that step.  Things are starting to come together both mentally and physically.  I am extremely excited about my result but being so close to that step I desire to be higher.

Pictures from Amber/Straight A Photography to come.