5 in 11.. or 6 in14

There has been lots of racing going on lately contrary to what I expected. It has been a wait and see game with Andrew, and he is now at home under hospice care, which has been much more peaceful for my sister and her family. While we did not expect him to last this long, he still continues to have some happy times and that strong cardiovascular system has kept him going.

Why so much racing? Well, I am home here in the Cities waiting for the inevitable, so I might as well race. It clears my mind.
This has ended up being a strenous stretch, maybe my toughest yet quantity wise, and it is not over. I did 6 mtbk races in the past 14 days. For the most part, none of them had drafting, coasting, or tactics involves...it was go from the gun and rest when you are done. I mentioned Elk River and the Andrew Morris Benefit Race at Buck Hill already. In addition I have hit Time Trials at Murphy Hanrehan (a 10 mile singletrack course <8 miles from my house) and the MNMBS up at Lester Park.
The Murphy TT's have been great, but I am perplexed on how to break 38 minutes out there. The twisty single track has been the limiter, not legs and lungs. Freewheel puts on a great show with a kids TT and food and drinks after the adult TT. There is one left next week so come on out!
Lester Park is a true gem of a race (or just ride) course...much like Maplelag with rocks, roots, steep ups, bridges, etc. It is a must ride for any midwest mountain biker if you find yourself in Duluth. I would suggest printing off a map prior to riding, as it can be confusing when it isn't marked for racing.

Next up, maybe some endurance racing this weekend...
It looks like I will miss the Border Battle unfortunately, as we will likely be headed to Janesville next weekend to see Andrew and Family.

Thank You MN Mountain Bikers

Thank you again for all the support at the Andrew Morris benefit at Buck Hill this past Thursday. Also a super special thanks goes to Dawn and Pat, who orchestrated this event. Over $3000 was raised for my sister's family. While the generous donations will not heal Andrew, it will ease the stress on the family, and I am hoping help pay for a family healing vacation after all this is done.

We sure had a great time Thursday, and the adult race on kids bikes was harder on me (especially my calves) than the adult race I think! Even worse, I suffered a demoralizing defeat to a trash talking Tyson Meyer riding a pink bike. My manhood definitely took a hit from that=)

I will leave you with this (I didn't want to be long winded on Thursday and it can be tough to hear): Andrew's favorite past time during the past weeks has been walks with his daddy, Joe. ~10 miles of it per day! Well, last week, he just got fed up with walks on pavement, and now DEMANDS all walks be on dirt and wooded singletrack=)

Friends

The outpouring of support for Andrew and his family has been unreal. Thank you all so much.

Andrew continues to worsen and is now on a pretty heavy constant drip of morphine. That said, his waking hours are pleasant for the most part with long walks, swinging, and playing cars. He is on a steady diet of cake and fried food...that is what the little man wants so that is what he gets!

For those that haven't heard, this Thursday night's Buck Hill race is a benefit for Andrew and his family. I hope to see you all out there, as we celebrate his short life.

Finally, some of you may have heard Jenn tell Andrew's story on 98.5 KTIS this past week. It was followed by the heart wrenching song, "He's My Son" by Mark Schultz. Powerful.

Sunday I won a tough one for you Andrew....

Heavy Heart

If I looked like I was suffering at last Sundays race, I was...in more that one way.

I will make this brief. My Sister and Brother inlaw's son, Andrew Morris, was diagnosed with terminal cancer (sarcoma) this past Friday evening. What makes this so tough is that only 3 weeks ago this wonderful little rambunctious 2.5 year old had no sypmtoms and was living a normal life. At that point he developed a bump on his head. He did bump it and it just looked like a normal "egg" bruise. It didn't go away and 2 doctors visits later, he was given a blood test (about 10 days ago) that showed very low platelets. Since then it has a blur of tests and doctors visits. Thursday I got a call right after the Buck Hill race informing me that he had cancer. Friday, they were planning Chemo, and by Friday night, it was determined that it had spread too far and there was no chance for treatment. Now he has only weeks left...Andrew was born the same week Jen and I lost Ty.

I am putting this on my blog so you can pray for Andrew, his parents Bri and Joe, and his 4 year old sister Aubrey. Please pray for minimal suffering for Andrew and strength for his family.

There is a donation account set up for those that want (please don't feel obligate, money will be used for mounting medical bills beyond what insurance covers along with funeral expenses):

Ways to Donate:

1) Cash or Checks made out to: Andrew Morris Fund (mail to: Becca Moore 626 East State Street, #1505 Milwaukee, WI 53202)

2) Donate via PayPal

3) Stop at any Associated Bank and let the teller know you would like to make a donation to the Andrew Morris Fund

If you don't see me at the races, it is because I am tending to this devastating situation.

Hug those that are close to you, especially your kids if you have them, extra tight tonite....

12 laps

Between the Thurs night series and the Sunday race it was 12 laps for me at out "new style world cup" course here in the Twin Cities. The temps were warm in the low 90s, but the real suffering came from the 75 degree dew points which pushed the heat index way up. I like warm weather racing, but I don't remember suffering from heat like that in a while.
From the gun I made sure I got through the sandy uphill start near the front. I pushed it but not so much that I was going to blow like I did a few weeks ago racing w/ Jack and Jeff Hall. Jeff was on my wheel going into lap two (of 6) but constant pressure had him slowly falling back. Laps 3-5 were lessons in the art of passing. Everyone was great out there, and a little give and take allowed me to get by without impacting those that I was lapping too much.
The short 1:10 race was plenty for me given the conditions, and I didn't stop sweating until we went inside around 6pm (the kids and pool time at our house was on order as soon as we got home=)

As is typical from a really hot race, my stomach is was a little screwed up through Monday. I am ashamed to say that I couldn't even finish my Qdoba burrito at lunch Monday. I didn't give up however, and a late afternoon effort got me through the remainder of the big white turd.

Du Lac is on tap this coming weekend. I am going to take my Remedy up and try the DH race on Saturday and follow with the XC on Sunday. Jen and I are going SANS kids to camp somewhere Sat night and then have a hotel near Canal Park for 2 nights. We are definitely looking forward to a little time to ourselves=)

Stuff I like...

I have been meaning to do a somewhat random honest list of bike stuff I like independent of sponsorships and obligations.

I like:

• Technical trails - why I started mountain biking a lot more than road biking
• Technical races - makes racing way more fun
• Road biking in Wisconsin - best roads I have ridden, period
• Road biking for recovery - nothing finer than an easy'ish spin on a nice hot day
• Really sweet road bikes - My new Madone 6.9 ssl is off the charts awesome.
• Off road time trials - super painful but just you vs. trail
• Technical climbs - sometimes I can even forget that I am climbing (like Stairway at Red Wing)
• Moab, Utah - the town, the people... oh, and the trails.
• Trying new kinds tires - most important part of a mountain bike and so many great options
• Bell Helmets - the Volt just fits me... I forget I am wearing it
• 1 by 10 (or 9) - less is more...simpler is better
• Reliable hubs - in my experience, DT Swiss are the best out there
• Stiff and light wheels - Of course right? But at least there are options out there now (see my last post)
• Dual suspension - why would you want to get kicked around by a hardtail? I stand by the Top Fuel as being the best I have ridden.
• Disc brakes - have you tried a bike with canti's lately? How did we ever survive on those
• 6" trail bikes - if you haven't ridden the latest generation of 6" bikes, you are missing out. They pedal well and are a joy to ride. Every brand has one now, but I prefer the Trek Remedy.
• 24 hour team races - yeah they hurt, but it is fun to experience a team competition with the mountain biking world
• Tacky trails - not dusty dry, just that perfect tack (some in MN call this wet) that you get about 8 hours after a light rain.
• Riding with my son - so fun now that he is on 2 wheels. He keeps asking when he gets his first dual suspension...
• Camping and Riding vacations - I don't fit them in often, but vaca's don't get any better than that
• Bontrager shoes - For my feet they are the best I have tried.
• UST Tubeless system - I burped the stans rims, a lot, the UST is just safer and more reliable
• Sram XX cassette - awesome engineering and craftsmanship
• XTR brakes (the new ones) - tiny little levers with so much power
• XTR shifters (all of them) - they are just buttery smooth
• Aluminum cranksets - Shimano has this down...this is a place on the bike where Al just makes more sense than carbon
• Carbon frames - this is a place where carbon makes more sense than Al
• Fat bikes - snow bikes are so fun...I heard Surly is making an even fatter 4.5" tire (vs current 3.8"), WOW!
• Riser bars - better than a skinny flat bar w/ bar ends for most types of trails and riding
• Gu and Gu Brew - about the only thing my stomach can take no matter the conditions
• Tray mount hitch rack - I have a Cycle On Pro and LOVE it.
• Craftsman C3 Pump - Not intended to be a bike tool but fills tires up fast and reads out to the nearest .1 PSI
• Egg Beater pedals - been on em for a long time..the lightest and easiest to clip in. The new ones have better shoe lug engagement too.
• Fox RP23 shock and RLC fork - set it and forget it....none of that lockout stuff
• Carbon fiber rims - I used to think it was silly until I tried them. They are more durable than Al (downside is that if you do break them, they are more expensive to replace).
• Gadget free mountain bike handlebars - no computers, just a front brake rear brake, and rear shifter
• Compact road bars - I am not super flexible so the compact reach makes the drops more comfortable.
• Trunk and rack for bike commuting - gets everything off my back
• Commuting on a mtbk - when road construction season hits I am ready, when snow hits I am ready. For the other 3 days of the year, road bikes are better for commuting.
• Clear or white water bottles in the summer, black ones in teh winter - if you don't know why buy the dummy's guide to basic physics
• White or mostly white helmets - again, the physics thing
• Oakley Jaw Bones - Jen hates em, I love em. We have agreed to disagree.
• Watching downhillers - they have bigger ones that me
• Watching trials riders - looks like so much fun...I wish I could do that. They too have bigger ones.
• Bike shops run by people who ride bikes - those that ride and ride hard really know what you need
• Bike shops with mechanics who mountain bike - mountain bikes need a special kind of love
• Bontrager Saddles - I switched from Selle after I was encouraged to try them...I won't go back
• Mt. Borah pro bibs - they make our team gear, but my family members buy their standard bibs too because they are reasonably priced, very comfortable and last a long time
• MNMBS vibe - good competition, dedicated series officials, tough courses, and just the right level of intensity...everyone is having a good time
• Weekday races - keeps me fit and makes summer a race and recover (on casual rides) cycle
• Having a timing chip on the back of the number plate - no ankle bracelet but still automated timing
• Good quality unbiased comparative bike and component testing - gotta have the Gage R&R, test setup/equipement, and test procedure (including sample size) listed though... I almost never find this stuff.

Hmm... that is all for now. Have a great 4th!

RW

MNMBS visited the nice river town of Red Wing Sunday. This may be my favorite MNMBS course, and even if you don't race it should be at the top of your list for a weekend mtbking visit! The singletrack is twisty with plenty of technical stuff to keep you on your toes. That got topped off with running us on the a downhill course (SO SWEET!) and the gnarl of the Stairway to Heaven climb.

As an aside, I missed out on the Pro XCT over in Wisco due to the required Friday registration requirement (Pros had to be present by 5:30 Fri, which wasn't in the cards this year work and family wise). I likely would have raced if I could have cruised over there Sat AM, done the race, and headed home. It sounded like a good time other than the token bottle necks at the start. I have fond memories of that course for sure!

Back to Red Wing...I fought "it" (my body) for the first 2 laps but was able to pull a gap despite laying the bike over once and a bobble on the Stairway climb. The course was mostly super grippy tack, but the first lap had a few surprise slick corners along w/ the aforementioned downhill course that needed exploring. By the 3rd lap I got in my groove and even felt like I was going good for a while. I didn't cramp, which in the high humidity is always key to success. By the end I pulled a pretty good gap for the win.

Equipment wise, I had a new secret weapon...EC90 XC wheels. Thanks Easton and Freewheel! The dang things are slightly less than 1300 grams but w/ out the compromises in stiffeness and durability that you get w/ other lightweight wheels. They are made to be ridden hard every day not just raced on occasionally and delicately!
Also, the top fuel was awesome. I have the suspension fully dialed at this point. I use very close to the Trek recommended air pressure. I run the new Kashima RP23 on full platform, then I lockout out the Fox RLC fork but turn the compression damping and lockout threshold as low as they go. This provides for a firm and balanced (front to rear) racing platform but allows for sufficient bump compliance when the trail gets rough.

While there is no racing planned for me this weekend, my family is collecting at my parents house. Ben will be there so I will probably come out of the weekend w/ enhanced fitness.

To that end, Ben raced this past weekend up at Crested Butte. The course, part of the MSC series, was a 1 lap 38 mile beast...mountain bike racing in its most raw form. I think they should do a world cup on a course like that!

Steam Room

The course and terrain at Afton Alps, site of MNMBS #3, is tough. Throw in 80 degrees with STEAMY conditions - not just humid, straight up water evaporating out of the ground into your face steamy - and you have a tough day in the saddle. Usually at Afton I enter the pain cave at the start and don't come out for a couple days.
From what I hear, our course was right on about 5000 feet of climbing in 4 laps, and the rain the day before left the course slower but not muddy other than a few puddles. TJ Woodruff showed up and really rocked it from the start. Not only is he looking fit, but he is riding very fast. With a good starting position and home course advantage, he should have a strong result at next weekends ProXCT/Subaru Cup. I know he has been priming for it.
Given the warmth, I set my own pace, and for once, didn't pay attention to where anyone was in the race. I just rode the speed that was comfortably hard, and it made the race more fun for me. Jesse and I trade spots a couple times on the first lap, but he too settled into his own pace quickly. The fact that I only had a 42 tooth chain ring up front (I run a 1x10 gearing setup) kept me honest on the hills. Given a smaller chainring, I probably would have dogged it a little more.
Anyway, I held the gap up to TJ at a solid 20-30 seconds for 3 laps, but I faded the last lap with some cramping and lost about a minute I think. Almost 1/4 of the Elite field DNF'd, so that is an indication of how hard it was out there for all of us.
My legs weren't great yesterday, but they certainly weren't horrible. I was pleased with my performance given some lack of motivation (that I mentioned last post) and the difficult nature of the course. As noted above, I did cramped a little but Gu Brew is amazing stuff. I would feel the cramps coming on, down a couple big mouth fulls, and less than 5min later the pings would dissipate.

Equipment note: I ran the Bonti XR3 tires and they hooked up like velcro. The XR3 not a great hard pack tire mind you (taller knobs lay over a little kind of like a Rocket Ron), but in soft conditions they rock! Sara KJ ran the XR2s and TJ was on the XDX. They both said that they were hooking up well too.

We followed up the race with a father's day neighborhood bonfire at my house last night. I managed to drink half a beer before my stomach decide it didn't want any more. Next I tried a light mixed drink. That worked ok...

Thanks to my dad for the hand-ups and never ending support, Jay Richards for the bone chilling water on my back, skinny ski for the pic shown and cool video, and the spectators around the course for all the words of encouragement. Oh, and how could I forget the dude at the water hand up station that kept throwing water in my face rather than on my back, thanks man;)

Now, back to crawling out of that pain cave. I just ate a huge burrito and I am still hungry...

P.S. did any of your see Kevin Ishaug's thumb after the race? What a mangled mess. I think that was harder on my stomach than the race.

Rough 1

I made the decision to take a 10 day break from racing with my return being last night at Buck. Basically, it came down to the facts that I had a lightly strained back from playing with my kids after Mankato (they won that wrestling match) and that I did something like 7 mtbk races in 30 days to start the season. It was the right decision, but comes at a cost, which is the very high end fitness.
I slipped a pedal at the start last night but recovered to get a quick gap on the field. The start hurt like more than it should have. I should have taken it easier, and starting in lap 2 Jack, Jeff (yeah, the Hall one, he is still fast and could probably win most any Midwest race he wanted if he put his mind to it) and Jesse were slipping away. I sat up a little to recover and lost some time, probably 30-40s, but before I knew it we were going into the last lap and I caught Jesse with Jeff and Jack only 15 s up on the top pavement climb. I knew that with lapped traffic we would never close it down so I just followed Jesse hoping to do a fun sprint for 3rd. Well, about 1 min from the finish, a lapped rider did a yard sale in front of me. So I stopped, let him get up, and told him it was no big deal. I cruised in softly from there.
So, the fitness is not all gone but some of the high end is, I felt stronger as the race when on. The motivation to suffer, well that is lacking for sure right now. There is never a day I don't want to ride, but many that I would rather not race. Going into Afton, it feels good not to be the favorite. I can mark Jesse, TJ, and Jack and just see how it goes.

Cheers!

Mid week bike demo

I just got word on this: http://freewheelbike.com/about/daily-news-feed-upcoming-events-ride-info-pg634.htm

They have top of the line stuff you can reserve and try on the trails out at Murphy each week. I would suggest calling and reserving the Fuel Ex or Top Fuel... but I am partial to 26" wheels=)

And ouch! Apparently they got a few chuckles over me and my Salem-mud-modified bike. Thanks for documenting things Tyson and thanks for the weight reduction tips Chris.