Raced the Test of Metal today. Sweet race. You and 799 of your best firends. Well things started out really well considering that it was pissing. I got into the start corall in pretty good position, but not amazing. I was able to move up really easy up the paved climb. I passed a ton of people and had good to great legs today. After talking to Ronsonic and getting the recon I deceided to take it chill on the descent that takes you to jacks trail. It goes flat after that and you can catch up. Tons of guys make daring passes and get flats, for nothing, I managed to pass everyone who went by me back. So did I mention that it was raining? Anyways, I got to the runup called roller coaster in a bit under an hour. Not sure if that is fast, but I was riding with strong guys so I think so? Was I Ron? Well after that there are 2 sections that have a ton of turns. At the end of the second set....I broke my chain. Damn! Well, I crossed chained it and with all the mud on it was a bad combo. On the good side it took me a limited amount of time to fix it. I had a sram connector pin taped to my chain tool. This allows you to re attatch your chain quickly and without a tool, pretty pro eh! Well, I got it going again and it was good, but I was bymyself. I got passed by 2 waves, 40 to 50 people I would say. I caught the second wave by the feed zone, then I caught the rest half way up 9 mile hill. I was climbing well. Middle except for one savage, savage steep part. After you turn off the gravel fire road your climb some rockysingle track. I wanted to beg the granny ring there, but it would not shift. At the very top of 9 mile it was freaking cold and just pissing. I had heat balm on my legs and my arms. I did not cramp on the climb at all. I drilled it down to the ring creek rip but my brakes were not working well, it was getting tough to control. What happened is i burned off all the pads on one side of the disk brake caliper so what happens is that only one side of the disk caliper is ppushing in. After I rode one of the harder fast descents I could pull the lever almost to the bar, not good.
Next is Powerhouse Plunge. In the dry I can ride it from top to bottom and it is techincal. In the rain, it is something else. I can't describe it at all. I started to ride the top part really well, then the guy in front of me biffed. I have to stop. Can't get going. Try again, but it is steep rock and root. not the place to get going so I get off and run it. Then I hop back on, then I come up to someone else, they dab, then me too. Off again. It sounds like my brakes are metal on metal. I have no real brake power. I try to ride one steep drop and come into it way too hot and get bounced around, kind of like riding a bull. I don't go down, but it is close and kind of scary. I cannot get on the ribbon and get some flow. I arried at the Plunge at 2:45 into the race. That is not too bad, but it took me a while to get out. I end up running a lot of it and it just seemed more consistant. I think only 2 people rode by me. I passed a few guys. I would say I ran thirty % of the plunge and that is not great. Ah well, at least I get on and off fast. Some people are a little on the slow side on the remount, however others don't need to practice romounting as they never come off. Anyway, I have to ride crumpet woods, pure rolling single track that was rim deep mud. I cleaned the whole thing and did not cramp I had 0 brakes so it was tough. Doubt I lost a ton of time as it is mostly up and I rode everything, all in my middle ring as I still could not get my front shifter to drop. Oh I almost forgot, I had a biff in the plunge. I am running and I hit my foot on a rised root and I am running my foot got caught and down I went. bike ended up on top of me. Jeeezzzzus.
After I get through Crumpet that seemed to take forever it is to some really fast single track. wide open with gradual turns so I don't have to brake much. Then it is too the finish. I finished in aabout 335-340 my fastest time in the bone dry was 320.
things that went well; the long climbs, the start, crumpet woods because I did not blow a quad or a hamstring.
things that went bad; the weather, the plunge, my brakes. I won't put my chain in there because having that conex link was genius....
I had to stop while driving home, I was in downtown and I started cramping in my ankle, ham, and quad, actually had to pull over and was in my car screaming.
Good thing it is fathers day tomorrow as I will be useless.
3 comments:
You did a lot better than my hubby. He had a rough time and didn't finish til 5:48. I did laundry the minute I got home but I can't get the mud off his microft jacket. Time for a new one.
Didja notice the shit show at the top of Lava Flow hill (right before the start of the Rip)? Corsa Dave and I, spancered generously by Spring Pale Ale, were doing a bit of pushing, handing out water, Coke, gels. Rode out on the Rip at the end (but not totally ripped). Didn't notice you though in the steady stream of mud-caked faces.
rocketron
sounds to me like you need a new helmet and a set of purple anodized bar ends! hey, you been to the bar, enns? hellyeah!!!!! congrats on a fine performance. what's next?
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