Race Day - Post #2

As the race start time gets near, the rain slows and the temps rise quickly.  My arm warmers are peeled off before we go.  There are costumes all over... from funny, to bizarre, to wtf...  it is all here.

The attitude from the start is great.  The crowd is here to have a good time and 95% of the group knows they won't win - they are just here to challenge themselves.  We are instructed to drop our bikes in a roped off area and directed to head over to the side for the race start....

My strategy - just enjoy the course, ride what I can, and stay out of the way... MY bike is in the back of this pack.  The "running" start I took way easy and got to my bike in roughly the back 1/3.  I start nice and easy knowing it would be a long race.  Right from the start you could tell it would be a lot of give and take.  Wet conditions and 300 riders starting at the same time...  when the fire road narrowed to single track, we were queued up just trying to get a spot.  Everyone worked together and we all got through, but everyone's time was affected.  Luckily, the group was laughing and joking... none of us were gonna win and we were there for the good time, everyone was focused on the good time.

As we got to the single track, it was extremely slick.  Those who lacked some bike handling skills would bottle everyone up as they made mistake after mistake.  Again... good attitudes prevailed and we soldiered on.

The first part of the first lap was about survival.  Just get through it and the group will thin out.  This happened when we got to the "climb" toward the gondola... we were headed straight up the mountain.  It was a death march of sorts.  I was geared too high to pedal it and it was such a long climb, my calves burned as I pushed the bike.  I would ride to relieve my legs from walking, then walk to relieve my legs from riding.  It was a balance that I was struggling with, but as you looked up and down the mountain, so was everyone else.  But again - great attitudes and smiles made it not only bearable, but oddly fun.

Got a few pictures on the way up...

Some suffered more than others.....

As we reached the Gondola, it was time for "the fun part" - descending.  I took a second to kinda relax, then off I went...

There were two times I laid the bike on its side... not really a crash in that I was on my feet both times - however the conditions were kinda nasty at I started riding more cautiously - at that just made things harder.  I passed a dozen or so racers and got passed by three on the way down.  Everyone was courteous and all passes were non-dramatic.  I just kept the bike moving forward and kept my best attitude I could at the time.

I start the second lap with a water break - and I see some familiar faces.  Cjell lapped me just before the water break and Dylan lapped me shortly there after.  I shout some encouragement and cheered them on.  They were on a mission to do well, I was on a mission to just enjoy the course... and I did.

On the second lap, the course was much less slick? Seems backward to what I was expecting.  The truly sketchy areas from earlier are now tacky and the bike is actually sticking.  I continue on the course with two others - we chat and laugh and continue on.  We stop for a beer break where the second lap split from the route of the first lap.  Cheers - one beer = 1 chug per person and we roll.  Oddly - after a few hours of suffering, this was the best tasting miller lite in history!  We continue...

This section of the course I had pre-ridden the day before.  But in these conditions, things I rode yesterday were just too nasty to clear today.  With my conscious effort to stay out of the way, when I got bogged down, I pushed up the hills as fast as I could or just pulled my bike off the course to let others pass by.

Finally - the last hour or so I leap frog with "Rayden" or Chinaman or whatever his costume was.  We did not speak a common language, but we looked out for each other and made it to the finish together... maybe not the "finish" but the start line, where we were told we missed the cutoff, so ride over.

I felt conflicted - I wanted to finish and I wanted to quit...  but ultimately it was not my decision.  I can live with it.  Mission accomplished - ride somewhere new with new people and have fun.  Aside from the death march to the top of the hill (which oddly was entertaining) I had a blast.

Race Day - Post #1

There was a nice dinner/get together the night before.  I hung out for the first bit, but bailed early to head back and relax at the hotel.  I called and talked to Megan and Emily and then just laid down.  While the party was probably a blast, I needed sleep.  I woke up in the morning to RAIN!

Not a hard driving rain, but a steady dose of water.  The ground was saturated and I could only imagine how bad the course was going to be.  I sat and ate a bagel with some coffee and just watched the rain fall.  It was still a couple hours from the race, so I sat there hoping it would stop.

As the others we getting up, we all a bit excited, but worried about conditions.

Once were we all ready, we slow rolled to the race start...

Yup conditions were perfect.

SSWC 2014 Weekend.

Saturday morning rolled around and we headed to Iwatake to preride sections of the course.

The weather was great and everyone was in good spirits.  Chris broke out his camera and captured some action shots...

The trails we fun but a bit tough.  I was feeling my 33x22 combo might be a bit steep, but figured race day adrenaline would get me by.

Chuck and I took a break to 'refresh' and heckle other riders... overall a great pre-ride.

We headed back to the hotel after some social time and most seemed confident in the race set up....



Than came the rain.

Picked up some "out of towners" and showed them around...

Being the week of SSWC - Chris and Shanna flew in and crashed at my place.
After a day or so to adjust - it was time to give a trail tour of the area.
Ben came along and we rode Morito, did a little hike-a-bike and then headed back through the fun section of Ghost Town.

Of course we took a pit stop -

A nice little tune up and a chance to show off some of the local offerings.

Tune up ride - and some site seeing...

My buddy Alex came down from Tokyo yesterday to meet up and play on some trails that I have only ridden once before.  There trails are much less technical than what I normally ride, however there are some moments of flow and some that require you to point the bike and close your eyes.  I kid - but in a serious way...
The trail head if roughly 4 miles from my house and had just enough uphill for the legs to get worked in before the first second on dirt.

Once in the woods - all is better.  Just being in the middle of nowhere is good for the soul.  Alex is especially appreciating being out of Tokyo.  We just cruise along checking out the scenery as we go.

In the haze, you can see Fuji-san.  Always a great site.  3/4 of the year you can not see Fuji due to humidity.  As Winter comes along, the air dries out and the views get to be amazing.

After a quick breather, we roll out and head toward Takatoriyama.
In this area, the rocks were chiseled away to build the moat for the imperial palace in Tokyo.

It is now a recreational area that people come to hike, run, rock climb, etc... The view is not bad either...

Some of the fun of riding in this area is the hidden treasures and you approach the area.

Overall the ride was fun.  We got to get out and have some views of the area.
I rarely thought about being on a Singlespeed.  Overall - I was able to navigate everything on this trail - Up & Down with the 33x22 ratio.  Just hope that is the case next week.

A little over a week away...

I have a ride planned for Saturday and hope to get some miles in on the Soma.
I just replaced the saddle this week as the old one was leather and falling apart from the wet rides and my lack of taking care of it.  So I need that sorted out.  Bled the brakes and still not 100% satisfied but they are working well... it is just a feel thing, I want less free play.

Next week Shanna and Chris will be here as we get in the SS spirit...

On Facebook, seeing friends and random people getting prepared to travel has me pretty stoked.

Looking forward to hitting a trail on Saturday.

175km of Road Riding this week in two very different fashions....

It is Silver Week in Japan so many of my friends had Wednesday off.

A group of buddies headed down from Tokyo and I met them in Kamakura for a tour of my local roads.  The point of the ride was about miles, not speed.  Get everyone out and have fun while checking out the local scenery.

We did just that - hit up all the side roads we could find and spend  lot of time on the coast or finding our way to the top of a bluff or two for a view of the coast.  The Miura peninsula is beautiful and at times, while trying to get in the miles, it is easy to forget to look around.... not this ride!

Ira took a million photos you can check out here if you like.... Linky-Poo

-----------------------
Ride #2 was a different experience.
We headed out this morning and the pace was brisk...  Usually we average a nice manageable 21mph - but today we were rolling between 24 & 26.  I personally feel I ride a nomal ride at 80% effort - not today.  80% would have had me dropped in the first 10 minutes.  Today was catch and wheel and hang on.  Jump out front to do your part when need be and recover in the draft...

On strava, I set 22PRs on this route.  The weather was much cooler than normal and everyone was amped.

Luckily - we got one picture of the group at the turn around point in Odawara and one picture of Fuji-san.