Limb from Limb

The 2008 version of the 12-hours of Mesa Verde is complete! Whew what a day. Good thing I had Jeni there to keep me going. If anything went right, it was the pit exchanges and she kept me rolling despite my best efforts to derail the whole thing.
Last year, the race was in it's first year and Jens Nielsen took 1st over all, and I took 1st singlespeed and 2nd overall. It was a great showing for Big Wheel Racing. But the race was relatively small with about 80 people.

Word quickly got out about this race and this year the field expanded to 220-people, with some heavy hitters now in the mix. I had heard from Dave Harris that he might show up to contest the singlespeed race but then never heard back from him....that is until he tapped me on the shoulder at the start line. Doh! I knew right then that there was gonna be a battle, or at least a flogging!

Lap 1 went great, I did the jog around for the LeMans and started out with El Freako and Donnie. All three of us rocking BWR gear on the singlespeeds. BWR had quite a team showing with Lenny, Chris, Donnie, Jeff, and myself in the solo singlespeed category, and Mike M in the solo geared. Jens came back, but was representing his new team, I believe they are called Mounting Tops or something like that. Good to see the Great Dane and he was looking as strong as ever. Lap 1 was good for me and I ended up being the first singlespeed in, with El Freak hot on my tail.

Usually, my plan for these is to go hard for a few hours and then settle into an endurance pace. Jeff taught me that last year. The Garmin helps me keep track of this and a "good" race will yield somewhere between 1.5 hour to 2 hours in Zone 4. I got some Zone 4 in Lap 1, but then lap 2 came and a few miles into the race, my left calf locked up in a horrible spasm. Damn. Don't know what I did, but I was dehydrated way too early. Perhaps the 6 beers Thursday night at 1$ pint night, and the 2 big bowls of Raisin Bran the morning of the race (damn I knew better - Hammer even tells you no fiber the day of the race - sucks moisture). Anyway, it took a few precious seconds to have the spasm disappear and then I chugged my water and popped 4 electrolyte tabs. Why, I dunno? 2 would have been fine.

So from here on out it changed my strategy. No more Zone 4 fast pace to get some seperation from others and I had to settle into the easier enduro pace much sooner, and no big hill pushes for a few laps. The plan worked, but it meant that Harris caught me sooner than I expected - on Lap 3. I was thinking he'd catch me on 4 or 5 and I'd figure out a plan then. No go here. So after not having seen Dave for over a year, we talked quite a bit while racing and rode together with me in front while we chatted.. NOT a good choice at Phil's World because on Ellah I took a stout limb right into my limb - err right arm. Knocked me silly and upside down off the side of the trail. Dave freaked - with his history of shoulder injuries he thought for sure I broke something. I knew better it was limb on muscle so nothing more than a very painful bruise. I told Dave to go on and not worry - my problem and he did. It took a while to shake things off and then I saw that my handlebars were crooked.

Decision time - fix the handlebars or ride crooked for the rest of the race? I rode crooked and just decided to not look at the bars the entire time. Plan worked, no issues and I didn't have to adjust anything.

Later on, I found out there was another singlespeeder in front of me. Hmmmm...he must have passed me on the cramp/spasm injury. Or at least on the 4 times after that I had to stop on pee because I drank so much liquid after that!

Anyway I caught him and we leapfrogged for a while and then he settled on my rear wheel. I debated whether I should tell him that Harris was the leader and not me, but decided to keep it a secret. Not sure if he knew, but it was funny how he kept locked on my wheel like it was the TDF. The guy was strong and a better descender than me, but eventually I got some separation with the help from Jeni and a few choice climbs along the way.

But my race gremlins continued as I hit the dirt 3 more times in just clumsy slow motion moves. Good thing I landed on dirt these times and not the hard rock that is everywhere out here. In everyone of these I had trouble getting my cleat out of the pedal - might have to actually do some maintenance on the Candys.

Harris was just too strong this day and he won the singlespeed crown with 8 laps. I did 8 laps myself for 2nd place singlespeed and 5th place overall. Dave finished much faster than me, however. I did the math and figured he had no chance for 9 laps, but turns out he was 10-mins short of having that opportunity.

I would have liked to have retained the title, but Dave was the stronger rider. I would have needed a mistake free race on my part and a gremlin or two in his to have had a chance. But things do happen, so you got to keep on plugging. Jens took the overall crown again with Harris only a few mins behind him. Great effort by the both of them.

All in all, a lot of little frustrations along the way, but a good exercise in keeping ones head about themselves. I never really did get pissed or think about bailing which was good. Sometimes the mind can shut down the body with stupid thoughts.

The good news was that the Ergons are just doing the trick for me now. I took a new plan of middle finger braking from Sue, which is the first time I've not used 2 fingers ever. My trusty King Cages kept in my Nuun and Hammer bottles flawlessly.

Time to retire the helmet, but it was a nice last ride with that lid, one that served me well. Can't wait to try the new Specialized one from High Desert Bicycles!