Boom, Chequamegon 08

I love it. Its the race that tests your mind over physical strength. Its the race that you plan your season around and you hope lucks on your side. Luck plays a part each year...it either your day or its not. Simple as that. Nothing you can do about it.

Friday morning I awoke at 5:00 am and was at the start putting my bike up at the start at 5:15 am. Six rows back, best start position yet and for some reason I'm left thinking this frantic part of the race is part psych and really has no merit in where you finish.

The cannon went off at 10:00 am and we were off. Destination Mount Telemark, 40 miles out. This year was the fastest roll out yet. The leaders were clocking in at 33 + mph and I imagine I had to be somewhere in the mid to upper twenties. I hit Rosie's Field able to avoid to crashes on 77 all while feeling good about where I was at. The Birkie section came up fast and before we new it we were flying over rollers and onto the fire roads in no time.

At OO my legs were feeling great and with a full water bottle from my wife I was off hoping to dominate the second half and ride to another personal best. I was about eight minutes off of being in the top 100 and so I new I had to kick it in. Problem was the second half is the toughest part.

Onto Bodecker Rd and around the lakes I was in with a group of eight riders working a bit to gobble up riders ahead of us and spit them out on the back. Things were going smoothly as we hit the Firetower Hill. My goal was to climb on top of the bike and ride the pain down the other side. I succeeded in making the climb on my bike, but at the very top the overall fourth place chick decided to bail out and crossed my line, cutting me off and forcing me to unclip out of my pedal and peg-legging it for a split second. The minute my toe hit the ground my left calf seized up on me and cramped up.

Locked in pain, I rode my first cramp out on the other side of Firetower hill. It's interesting because once one cramp comes on, you know the rest of your body is on the edge, with all extremities ready to do the same. I knew I had the hardest section left with the major climb on the Birkie trail. I relaxed a bit hoping to avoid the cramps on the final Birkie section and having enough in the tank to finish strong. Well, it wasn't meant to be because my legs seized up on me the very next hill and I finished the final eight miles with a cramp on my right thigh, then a cramp on my right calf, then a cramp on my left thigh...well you get the picture. I had to back off big time just to have a strong finish.

In the end I bettered my best Fatty time by a minute and a half and took 227th place. I didn't reach the goal I made at the start of the season but hey...I'm already shooting for next years.

Great job to Nate for a top 500 finish in his first Fat Tire. Great ride and he sounded strong and looked strong at the finish. Great race man.

Check this out for more pics. So there it is, another great year with friends, family and an occasional post race beer! Cheers.

My structured season is done now and I've stayed off the bike for this week. Over the course of the next two months I will get on the bike when I have time but will definitely get in the gym and on the roller skis. Hey, first ski race is just over three months away. Plus Nikole and I have some projects around the house that needs our attention. Something about a baby room...

Thanks for all your support this season. Couldn't have had a season without all the encouragement.

I wonder what Deuce is doing right now...

Sturgie

Click...

It's like a roller coaster.  You slowly climb to the highpoint before you let loose and let all hand out.  That what this weekend is.  The season was hell bent on climbing to the top so that when the big one arrives you can let it loose and hang on.

Rode the course twice on labor day weekend just to mentally fine tune things.  Last two weeks have been spent tapering so that when tomorrows race begins my legs are fresh and have some pop in them.

Lot of folks will be out tomorrow including Nikole who has yet to experience the fat tire. Rumor has it the Armstrong might show, although to much of the attention all predictions of his whereabouts in Hayward were retracted.  Oh well...it would have made for quite a circus.

I'm ready but it all boils down to race day and who can turn the pain switch off.  

See you on the flip side of the 40,

Single Swizzle,

Sturgie

Click...

Redemption through practice. After my stint at Buck Hill two weeks past, I found my confidence vacillating like the Wisconsin temps. You rip off day after day, feeding the addiction and telling yourself the soul of one wins out in the end. So you tell yourself...

The Pre Fat race is just that. Its a well timed race that leaves driveling for the big one or cramming more practice just to revel in the finish. I needed a good pre fat so to permanently file away the Buck Hill as just one bad day on the bike.

From the horn at the start to rubber time pad at the finish the legs were clicking like legs that have six months of practice in them. The roll out was smooth and controlled. When we hit the gravel rode I was surprisingly 5 seconds back of the leader. Lap one through the single track was hard but by lap two I punched it a bit and the legs responded.

I would have to say that a majority of the race I found myself in no mans land with no man, or woman, around. Being alone can be good but can get lonely as quick as the pace. With four miles left I jumped on to Ryan Lee's wheel and with a group of about three we rode to a pretty solid finish.

This years Pre Fat was my best by far. I took ten minutes off from my last years ride and I jumped twenty some spots to a 33rd finish. The legs feel ready and the weeks to come are meant for perfecting the psych and the condition. Thanks to my family and Nikole for the support and pre race food. Ya keep me wanting....

I'm off to meet Nikole for our 20 week sonic gram thingy at the doctor' office today. You know, he thing that takes pictures and takes a look at the little human growing in your wife's belly. We are not going to find out but I'm going to try myself to look for a little weenie. As the weeks move forward we get more excited for this! Thanks for all your support as well!

Single Swizzle

Sturgie

Who's Cup

After my previous race excursion, A bike diet was in order. Sleep, weddings, and hockey was in order for the weekend.
Pre-Fat this weekend. A roll of the dice and lets see how my legs respond!

Single Swizzle

Sturgie