Cohutta 100, April 24, 2010; open men, 4th place; 7h09h54s, Christian Tanguy

It was time give the bike and the legs a good test at the Cohutta 100.  This was my first race of the year and I did not expect a great finish.  I just wanted to sample the fitness gap separating me from the top riders, so my strategy was to stay at the front as long as possible instead of riding at my own rhythm.

The day of registration, the weather was beautiful with warm temperatures. I was still hoping that the rain scheduled for the race day was going to miss our area.  At 7:00am, we were all lined up at the Ocoee Whitewater Center. The  ground was slightly humid, the temperature fair and although the sky was mostly overcast, it seemed it would clear up.  At the sign of the race organizer, we left at a good pace, up the paved road. Once we reached the single track, I was well positioned just 4 or 5 bikes behind the leader. The slick turns kept the speed at a reasonable level and it was just a good warm up. As we came back to the Ocoee Whitewater Center, few riders went down on the humid roots creating a small gap with the front. Few minutes later, the group reformed and we stayed together thru aid station #1.

We were now on the dirt roads. The speed greatly increased under the control of Jeff Schalk, Josh Tostado and Mike Simonson. Right then, I should have slowed down to prevent hitting the wall later into the race. However, I decided to follow my original idea and buried myself as the pain in the legs rapidly increased. Eventually, the group had shrunk as we approached aid station #2 but I was still there...

By aid station #2, I could have use a refill of my water bottles but instead I rode thru the aid station following Jeff Schalk. Instantly, the 6-7 men strong lead group shrunk in half: Jeff and I who skipped the feed and Mike Simonson whose wife handed him a fresh Camelbag without stopping.

I was over my head for over 3 hours and on an uphill section I let Jeff and Mike roll away. I possibly could have given another big push in an attempt to crest the mountain gap with them but it would just have delayed my demise jeopardizing even more an eventual recovery.  Within a few pedal strokes, I went from 10 mph to 6 mph. I was in damage control slowly moving forward. I don't really remember much about the trail or the weather conditions. I was just wondering when I would be passed by the racers that stopped at aid #2. Chris Peariso was the first one to ride by me; it did even cross my mind to try to get on his wheel...

Slowly, I felt some signs of life in my legs again; but I could also hear some noise behind me. Josh Tostado was 30 yards behind but I would not make it too easy to bridge back. I accelerated a bit and he rapidly disappeared in the fog he came from. 

By now, skipping aid station #2 felt like a real bad idea as I ran out of food and water. How much longer to aid #3? After a much needed stop at aid #3, Josh was back (he did not stop at #3) and we rode a little bit together. Somewhere in the mountains, Josh slowed down a bit and I was riding by myself until I saw Mike Simonson on the side of the road.  He just finished fixing his tire. I rode behind him for a couple of minutes before he started to distance himself at the front. However, I reached aid station #4 ahead of Mike since his first tire fix was not good and had to stop again.

Eventually, Mike rode by me somewhere between aid #4 and #5. It also started to rain constantly and the lightning was striking on the nearby mountain tops making the thunder echoed in the valleys. I pushed hard on the climbs and went extra conservative in the downhill as I could barely see anything behind my mud tainted glasses.

After aid #5, I really felt better and I was able to up the pace. I used extreme caution in the last downhill to the finish and crossed the line in 4th place.

This is an unexpected result as I was almost wondering if I had enough strength to ride for 100 miles. I hope that next time; my legs will be able to endure the pace of the lead group a little longer. You can count on me: I will give my best shot at it.

My Cohutta Race: How to retire and go faster

Team CF had a great showing at the first NUE 100 mile mountain bike race of the year. Dr. Jim was third in Masters, Cheryl snagged a 2nd amongst the women and Christian Tanguy and myself (Harlan) placed 4th in open men and 1st in the single-speed categories (respectively).

I’m not sure about everyone else’s races but I had a great time, despite it being my first 100 miler on a one geared bike. If you don’t know it, I consider myself retired from competitive racing. In order to enforce this lifestyle change I plan to race the single speed more. Strangely enough, I can’t seem to shake the “eye of the tiger” and when I get on course it’s time to suffer. That being said I don’t understand exactly how I managed to go faster this time at Cohutta than the previous two attempts when I had gears. Plus the weather was about as bad as it gets.

I’ll attribute the race to two things. One was the great people I had too hang out with before the race and the other was Charles who came up to me in the early morning dawn to say how cool it was to have us out there bringing awareness to CF. It’s one thing to have your friends tell you “it’s cool, or great”, but to have a stranger who is affected by the issue come and express their gratitude has a whole other depth. It helped me keep my heart light for the day, no matter how close the lightning felt.

That flash from the heavens was close enough to make me tingle as we trucked through the midday rains towards the finish. The race weather had been threatening for days and we all expected to be starting in the rain. Instead, we were greeted by mild temperatures and fog as the heaviest type of precipitation. Many of us jumped on the start line after some last minute shedding of extra layers. Besides an under-tee I was in short sleeves and bibs. For some reason I decided to keep my vest in my pocket, but within the first hour I was scheming to ditch it at an aid station. For some reason I never dumped it and that ended up being a happy accident when all hell broke loose late in the day.

For most of the first half of the race I managed to ride with the two other top single speeders of the day. Mathew Ferrari and Gerry Pflug. Pflug had won last year so I was keep an eye on him to learn a few things. At one point I heard PFlug and Ferrari discussing gear choices and got a little intimidated when they went on and on about choosing the right softer gear. As a single speeder you are stuck with one gear for the day, so proper gear choice is very important. If it’s a hilly course you want to be able to climb, if it’s a flat course you want a harder gear to go fast with. From the opening miles I had already decided I had too big of a gear on my bike and wasn’t sure how I could manage.

“For you non-single speed savvy folks. My gear was a 32/18. That means the front ring was a 32 and the rear cog was a 18. 32 is probably what your middle ring is on your triple crankset. Pflug and Ferrari were running 32/19 or 20. “

Anyways…. My gear must have been okay. After aid station two or about the 40 mile mark Pflug and I managed to drop Ferrari. Using one gear all day has an element of hard manual labor to it. Sort of like digging ditches all day. You get into a rhythm swinging the tool and just chug along. I kept visualizing the bike tours I’ve done where you have to push through a 100 mile day with 60lbs of gear on your bike. I took the time to look around. In the past I had never noticed the incredible views from the heights we managed in the Cohutta race. This year I got to look out over some broad valleys.

After moving on from Pflug and company I managed to start catching some of the lead group. I saw up ahead in the mist two riders and slowly crept up on David Wood and Sam Koerber. We rode together for a while, then it was just me and David, who came along at the perfect time to help me get through some of the flat spots. Thanks David! Eventually when the course started going uphill again, David disappeared to the rears and I motored on like the little engine that could. Before aid station 5 the weather started turning sour and lightning rolled over us with it’s backup band of thunder. Fortunately I had my Team CF Vest! That kept my temperature just right. Through the rain I started to catch a glimpse of a fit looking rider and it became apparent pretty soon that I was seeing another 100 miler. If I passed him that would put me in 5th, overall, which was one spot better than I had ever done. Needless to say I was pretty motivated, and I tried to pass that motivation on to the 65 milers we had started to mingle with as our courses joined back together. After aid station six we hit trail again and I was starting to feel a bonk coming on. I was cold, wet and feeling a little disoriented. I made sure I drank the rest of my fluids, and ate some food. About the time I was pulling myself to together David Wood comes ripping past me looking pretty fresh. I figured my dreams of a 5th overall were over, but I got back on the bike and wondered how many more were going to catch me. Fortunately I managed to have a pretty quick recovery and caught David about 15 minutes later. It turns out he was getting too cold on the downhill’s to go fast If only he had my magic TeamCF vest.

By the time I got to the bottom of the downhill we only had about a mile to go. I was well ahead of David, but the last mile was torture since the rain was coming down steadily and had to finish in a full on 20+mph headwind.

Really it was an epic day on the bike and I’m surprised I had such a good time. Thanks to Team CF and the Charles for giving me some good mojo to finish out strong. And thanks to Marcee, Ricky and all for the good weekend company!"

Cohutta 100

The U.S. National Ultra Endurance (NUE) series kicked off in Tennessee last weekend with the Cohutta 100.  Last year I did not attend, but in 2008 I had.  I remembered that although this race is considered the easiest of the NUE races due to it having less singletrack and more roads, it still packed a punch with 12,000 feet of relentless climbing.  It was not going to be a picnic.  As usual racing 100 miles is always a great idea until the night before.  The idea turns even darker when forcasts call for severe thunder storms and rain.  Regardless the show must go on.  And it sure did at the Cohutta 100. 

My start to the race was not my best and it took a bit for me to fall into my normal pace.  Once I did I felt much better and began to make some time on the course.   Despite my optimism that we lucked out with the 20% chance that there would be no rain or thunderstorms, the winds picked up , the sky rumbled and the rain fell.  This slowed things a little bit and made it quite the sufferfest.  Fortunately for me I prevailed and was able to come from a 4th place position into a second place win for the day.  My Gary Fisher Superfly 100 was superb in the mud and yuck.  It sailed through the last 10 miles of muddy single track as though it were on auto pilot.

Again I am humbled by the number of people our team is touching.  At each event I am approached by others who are thankful for our efforts.  I am proud to be a part of Team CF and take pride in performing to make a difference in the lives of those affected by CF.

Cohutta, The Master perspective

The Masters class was flush with the regulars from last year as well as a new class of "young ones". Jim took advantage of the good conditions in the early part of the race by keeping a moderate pace through the single track and staying hydrated and fueled with product from Team CF's sponsor Infinit Nutrition. He turned up the heat on the major climb that began at mile 25 and passed some competitors. The rest of the race went well despite the storm that blew in around mile 35 except for some mild hypothermia on the long descent and mud induced chain suck. Jim finished 5th overall enjoying the day in the muck and the outstanding results from the mountain bike team!  A great way for the national MTB community to be introduced to Team CF.

Singlespeedapalooza by Nikki

Kristin and I headed up to Singlespeedapalooza in New Windsor, NY to compete in the open women's 25 mile race. We awoke Sunday morning to pouring rain and we knew we were in for a muddy day in the saddle. We headed to the start line with less than an ideal warm up but took the lead of the women's race as we headed up the first fire road. The course was muddy and slick, with some rocks and slippery roots. We stuck together for the first lap, working through the men's field as we went, until Kristin flatted early in the second lap. The rain stopped during the second lap, leaving the trails to deteriorate into peanutbutter mud. We finished the race with myself in first, and scoring the fastest female of the day award and Kristin finisihing second, even after having to change flat.

El Reto De Los Volcanes by Harlan

"Race in Costa Rica is over. I managed an 8th place overall. It was a great event and I hope to go back. If you ever want to do a cool, low-key stage race consider El Reto De Los Volcanes. Thanks to my sponsors for the support. My Fisher HiFi Pro rode great!"  http://www.libertysportsmag.com/?p=1349

Bakers Dozen

Leesburg Bakers Dozen Race Report by Selene
This weekend, I packed up the family and we headed to Leesburg, Virginia for the Bakers Dozen, a 13-hour mountain bike enduro race held on a beautiful, bucolic, privately owned farm. Dave and I raced co-ed duo, which I playfully deemed TeamCF/BFF. For me, this was a fun event where I could fine-tune my race nutrition while putting in some solid, race pace laps. My goal was to get in at least 11 laps (about 88 to 90 miles) in my 6 1/2 hour pull. I’m happy to say, I had a great day.
      The course was awesome, simply awesome. Blazingly, big ring fast. Perfect dirt. Sweeping, swooping, superbly groomed trails. A few log piles and rock outcroppings made it just technical enough to satisfy a mountain biker’s desire for challenge without making it too difficult for even the most green beginner to enjoy. In short, it was a perfect day. I felt happy; my legs felt light; my bike disappeared beneath me, and I couldn’t stop smiling.
      Those 11 laps seemed to fly by nearly effortlessly. Just before 4 p.m., with my pull complete, I handed Dave our timing chip and sent him on his way. The Baker’s Dozen course rewards diesel riders, of which Dave is one, so it crossed my mind that we could pull down a good result. The day continued to go swimmingly well as Dave tore through his first four laps. He’d hoped to pull 10 laps, but a late night flat tire stalled his progress. He rolled in just after 10 p.m., grabbed a cheeseburger and put it, bun and all, between two slices of pizza (no, I’m not kidding), poured a beer and declared the day a success. We’d ended up in a very respectable 4^th place.
      On a team note, I had two racers approach me to thank me personally for racing for CF. One had just lost a family member to CF; the other lives with the condition. Throughout the race, various riders and spectators commented on the team and how they’d seen various pictures and stories or had met other racers and riders. In a short time, we’re making a big impression.

Team CF came out in force Sunday at the Fair Hill Mid-Atlantic Super Series opener in Maryland--a wide open, blistering fast course with a few obstacles, but very little to slow you down. Towing the line in the women's elite field were Cheryl Sornson, Kristin Gavin, Nikki Thiemann and Selene Yeager. The gun went off and away we went. Cheryl tore off like a rocket. With Kristin right behind her. As the pack ripped up the rocky fireroad into the woods, Selene took the lead for a stretch, leading a small train of racers through the woods. A short stretch later, Cheryl came tearing around, leaving a small pack that included all of Team CF out front for most of the day. For the first two laps it looked like Team CF would have a podium sweep. But Selene, who had raced (and won) out at the Michaux Mash the day before didn't have the top end power to hold off Molly Throdahl who had been hanging less than a minute back all day. Nikki worked hard to both close the gap that Molly Throdahl created during the first lap during laps two and three but couldn't make it happen. At the end of the day, the elite CF women ruled the day, sweeping up 4 of the top 5 positions.

Meanwhile, in the men's field...Team CF was represented in the expert Men's division by Jim Wilson in the 50+ group. The first race of the year always draws a large showing in this group that includes the regulars who compete thoughout the MASS season in the XC series as well as a group of roadies who come out for their one time/season MTB race on this fast largely non-technical course. The race started with about 10 to 12 50+ guys which broke out into a lead group of three with the rest left to chase. Jim stayed in the middle group ultimately finishing 6th overall based on interim race results. It was great to see the train of Team CF women come roaring through the bulk of the 50+ men which they wasted no time in doing.

All in all, it was a solid season opener for the team.

Selene wins Michaux Mash

Saturday was the Michaux Mash, an early season “opener” designed with everything a cross-country racer could ask for: endless climbing, rivers of rocks, ripping descents and miles of sweet, technical singletrack. The race is a four-hour enduro, with the goal being to crank out as many nine-mile laps as you can before the 1 p.m. cutoff. It’s not a priority-A race, but I knew there would be some strong racers out there tuning up for the NUE and other endurance series. I wanted to do well. I’ve been training my arse off since Santos, and I wanted to see some payoff.

Mashed Michaux!

Because of the terrain, racing Michaux is always hard. Rocky, technical, unforgiving. Saturday was no different, except it was also cold. After a week of unseasonable warmth, including a day that saw temps kiss 90, Saturday morning was a February-like 40-something degrees. We all warmed up, but no one was warm. The race director said, “Go!” and a hundred shivering bike racers threw it into high gear and started motoring up the fire road. The Clif Notes version: I found myself with the lead group of seven to 10 riders up the first big climb. I thought there was some lightning-fast girl ahead of me, but it was actually a guy. I raced nearly 40 very hard mountain bike miles—including four trips up the giant climb—thinking I was chasing the bionic woman and gunning for second place, when I’d actually won. Very happy surprise!

Day One for Harlan

"Day one is in the bag at El Reto De los Volcanoes. It was a monster of a day with 5,000+ feet of climbing in 38 miles. I'm pretty sure I placed top ten with the Fisher HiFi Pro. The almost 2hr long climb payed big when I got to point the full suspension downhill through the farms on the side of the Irazu` volcano. Really a great day on the bike. Read my "stage race tutorial" over atLiberty Sports Magazine."

http://www.libertysportsmag.com/?p=1308

Thanks all!
Harlan

Harlan racing El Reto De Los Volcanes

"Hey all. I'm here in Costa Rica getting ready for a three day stage race called El Reto De Los Volcanes. We'll be climbing five volcanoes surrounding San Jose. I'm posting a series over at Liberty Sports Magazine about getting ready for a stage race and describing my adventure. Check it out!"

http://www.retodelosvolcanes.com/english/index.cfm?subpage=abouttherace


http://www.libertysportsmag.com/?p=1294

Dragons Tale Race report

Here it is.  I learned something new!  Click above.

Dragons Tale

The first race of the year in the books. It was done on a last minute decision, and it took a lot of effort to get to and then even more to complete, but well worth it. It was a great day, maybe a bit on the hot side, but dry and lots of traction. The climbs were soul crushing, but the downside quickly refilled your soul with joy and purpose. On my new super bike I enjoyed being able to climb more steeps than I thought possible and then on the flip swoop down each ridge at top speed smoothly. Check out the race report and results at cycling news. I tried to attach the link, but I am new to this and I just can't quite get it right. I'll work on it. Oh and when you look at the results notice that I was 11th overall! Sweet. Pictures are linked from our twitter account found on our home page.

This is a must race to attend at least once. The ridge trails are dialed and amazing to ride.

Churtle