Thursday, August 11, 2011

24 Hours of Adrenalin, Canmore Canada Race Recap



Last year I decided to start training for a big race in Canada. The race was part of the 24 hours of adrenalin series, and the race would be held in Canmore, Canada. The race is not like races around Texas, it is a big production and has a ton of people attending. My coach and friend Shaun Taylor lived in Calgary (about 1 hour from the race site) and invited me to come stay with him for a week and play with the big boys of the 24 hour race scene (he has since moved to Rossland B.C.). For the entire past year all the races I have done and all the riding I have done were in preparation for this race. I laid all the cards on the table for this one. I packed up my car and drove up to Canada not knowing what to expect…..

When I left, I thought the trip would be simple, only about racing. I had simple thoughts, simple plans and wanted to do nothing but eat, sleep, train and race. I had visions about the movie Rocky 4, when Sylvester went to Russia and got ready for battle in some rudimentary way, lifting logs and running through snow. Mentally, I was ready to do battle and I had a year of hard training to back me up. I left on a Saturday morning and drove through Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho and Washington before crossing over into Canada. It took me about 35 hours to get there. When I arrived I saw my coach sitting in front of a coffee shop reading a paper and smiling some kind of devilish smile. I didn’t know him other than our email exchanges. Up until this moment my two+ year relationship with him was completely virtual. I did not know what to expect from him, but I knew I liked him. I looked to him as almost a father figure, a giant walking among men. I knew something good would come of our meeting.

The day I settled in Rossland, I was shell shocked from 3 days of travel but excited to get to know my coach, his family and the Canadian way of life. I went riding. That is when it all changed. I was blown away with the trails. Straight up, straight down, no middle ground. Not like Texas. The dirt was amazing, fibrous as a friend of mine put it. It was loam from heaven meant to stick to tires like almond butter on sprouted bread. My first ride had me worried because it was about 15 minutes long and it had me hurting. The next day we did not get to ride. We talked about race strategy, nutrition, bike setup, etc. I learned so many things about what I was doing wrong I could not believe it. I also learned what not to eat before a race, and saw the crazy level of preparation he puts in before a race. I won’t get into here, but let’s just say all bases are covered and all situations are controlled.

On the third day Shaun and I went riding on some of the trails around Rossland. I felt better this day and was very excited to play. Riding in those trails was amazing. It had been raining the entire day before, but the dirt was perfect. The trails were just amazing, and the views even better. It was about a 2 hour ride, and I think we covered some pretty cool trails along the way. Shaun wore his GoPro camera and did some filming as we tore around the trails. We were taking it pretty easy because it was just days before the 24 hour race in Canmore. We didn’t want to risk injury so close to race day. The clip here shows a little of what it is like there, but the camera really does not do the trails justice. This stuff is steep, and the penalty for a mistake is big.


I was in Rossland hanging with Shaun, Doreen, Evan and Keegan Monday – Friday. It was an amazing experience for me, like I was part of the family. We had breakfast, lunch and dinner together and any spare time not spent eating, talking, lounging and laughing was spent riding those trails or if you know me adjusting my saddle and stem (I do that a ton). The boys were kind enough to offer me a bed in their room. I would wake up every morning with Keegan standing over me smiling, excited to start his day of pure awesomeness.

Evan and Keegan
Keegan and Evan turned out to be a highlight of the trip for me. Being around them reminded me of how awesome it is to be a kid and play. Shaun and Doreen are awesome hosts, but even better parents and these boys will be growing up in an outdoor playground like no other.

Friday morning we packed up our car and started our 7-8 hour drive to Calgary for the race. On the trip I had the chance to see the Canadian countryside. I was shocked at how green everything was and how nice everyone was to each other. We stopped at a cherry farm and loaded up on some rainier cherries and of all things a garlic sausage from a butcher shop in some small town we passed. Shaun and I ate and talked the entire trip and shared music. I had a blast that day and I will never forget it.

Saturday morning is when the business end of the trip started. We woke up early and drove over to Canmore. I was blown away by the mountains there. It was surreal to roll up on that. This pic is from the highway leading to the race.


I was very nervous, but I also knew I was ready to do this. I had no chance to ride the course before the race so the first lap of the race would be the first time I would experience the trail. The weatherman gave us a good forecast for race day, sunny and cool during the day and pretty cold for this Texas boy at night. He got it wrong. At the start of the race it was raining and I saw some guys come off the trails and it looked like they were spray painted with dirt. It was about to get sloppy. The race organization was amazing. There were thousands of people out there, and the spectators were loud and friendly. Before the race they announced and asked the crowd to give extra cheer to the folks who had numbers starting at 50 or lower because we were all solo riders. It was all surreal to me at the start with the music, the crowd and the mountains. I always love standing at the start line of a race, but this race was different. I had traveled across America by myself to get here. I had come a long way and it was finally happening. When the gun went off, the only thing I could do was smile.

The first lap of the race shocked me. The course was all climbing for the first 30+ minutes. I remember saying to myself, this is going to be impossible do to for 24 hours. The first 30 minutes would be like riding the hill of life here in Austin over and over. To make matters worse, it was mud soup poured out over wet roots. After the first 30 minutes of constant climbing it started to get fun with some descents and punchy climbs thrown in. I was learning the course on the first lap and realized it was going to be a long day. I was having fun, settling in and enjoying myself. I had the chance to ride a while with my coach and I was just loving every second of being on the bike. I was not stopping in the pits and Doreen would hand me my bottles between each lap with a calm smile to keep me going. I had to share a pit with Shaun because I didn’t have a cover for my stuff and it was raining. The first 8 hours passed and I was still feeling good, but started making a few mistakes in the pit area, losing some time. Every person I rode by or that rode by me would say “way to go solo”. The racers were all super nice and supportive. I could not believe the crowd support and the shared respect everyone on the course had for each other. I have not experienced this in a race before.


During the day the trails got better and the riding was fun. Some places were still a little muddy but the roots were dry and descents were fast. When it started to get dark outside, the trails started to change. It got muddy and super slick again. At times it was just dangerous with all the wet roots and low visibility of it being night. Somewhere around the 9.5 hour mark Shaun had a fall and hurt his wrist. He was ahead of me when this happened and when I came into the pits I saw him standing there with a splint covering his arm. I was sad because I knew he was about to start crushing everyone with his Viking battle axe as he puts it. He was racing on a single speed, and this course is not super single speed friendly if you know what I mean.


Shaun Taylor
 He is a super strong rider and I was feeling terrible that he had to sit this one out. He told me a thousand times “It’s a 24, anything can happen” and already he was right. I kept on going with a little help from Doreen. It was getting close to midnight and I was getting tired and having cramps. I remember crossing the start line for another lap feeling wasted and the guy said to me “only 12.5 hours to go solo!”. I wanted to punch him when I heard that…


The late night/early morning of the race is the tough part. The first 12 hours are hard, but everything turns dark 16 hours into a race this hard. I was feeling bad, no energy and cramping all over, especially in my arms from all the gnarly wet rooty descents. I was looking for a way to get out, almost hoping lighting would strike me or something and take me out of my misery. Shaun turned into coach mode now that he was no longer racing was helping me, along with some of the other athletes he had racing. I came in late at night dying and looking terrible and before I could even talk he said no, no no, I see your face and you are doing good. I need you to drink this, go back out there and don’t stop riding until the sun comes up….we can reassess you once the sun is up. I needed to hear that, and that is what I did. I clipped in and would not stop again until the morning.

I never knew where I really stood in the race. I never look at 24’s as a race against someone, I look at it as a race against myself and how far I can push it. This has worked for me up until now, but this race in Canada was coming down to the wire and there were three of us fighting for the podium. I was riding my 14th lap and doing the math in my head. I calculated I could finish the 14th and the 15th lap would be my last. It’s funny what your mind will do to you when u think the end is near. The 15th lap was the hardest lap of the race for me. I knew it was my last lap and I was ready to be done. As I came into the pit, I learned I had the time wrong and it was only 11:30 am. As I rolled up, Shaun ran out with a bottle and a plan. I thought I was done, but he said you are possibly in third and I need you to drink this, dig deep and ride the fastest lap you can, much faster than the lap you just did. I started to revolt and he said, clip in, ride and dig deep. You didn’t come this far to stop now and you will be very disappointed if you do. I don’t really remember what I said, but it was something like Yes sir…. I hopped on my bike, talked to my Mom and Dad in my head for a bit and took off. I felt pressure. I had never had to race the final lap of a 24 hour race, much less a race I had so much on the line for. I shut my mind off and started riding and something magical happened. My cramps went away, my legs felt fresh and my mind became 100% positive. I kept thinking of my Mother and the battle she is fighting and telling myself if Sandy CAN , dammit I can. I came rolling into the pits and had to sprint for the finish line knowing I was done. I had no clue where I stood, but I know I left nothing on the course and my last lap was the second fastest lap of the race for me. I felt awesome and I earned the “atta boy” from my coach (he doesn’t give them out to just anyone:))  Here is a pic snapped at the finish, 24 hours later.


I learned that I ended up placing second overall in the Solo division at Canmore which is one of the largest 24 hour races around. This blew my mind, and I was super excited my trip was a success. I had a chance to stand on the podium with two other amazing riders and hear the cheer of the crowd as they announced the results. My coach, Doreen and the boys were there and took this photo.


Here are the official results, with lap times.

Results with Laptimes

This trip for me was a game changer. I thought it would be about the race, but it was really about the journey. I left Texas with an open mind, all alone looking for a solo trip to race a solo race. I left Canada with some new lifelong friends, a head full of amazing memories and a satisfied feeling of accomplishment. I was humbled by how amazing folks are around this world, and I have a new found love for Canada, bikes, living, beer, coffee, kids, family and friendship. I can’t explain how it is possible that a bike can change your life, but It has changed mine in so many ways and I feel so lucky.

This was not a solo trip by any stretch of the imagination, and the race was not a solo effort. I had a team of amazing people and it would not have been possible to do this without them. I am deeply thankful to have had this amazing opportunity and I want to thank you Shaun, Doreen (and your father), Evan and Keegan for letting me come to your country and stay in your home and be part of your family for one of the best weeks of my life.

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

A few things I learned while in Canada



Canadians are super cool people, eh
The Taylors have a ton of info to teach the world, not just cyclists and not just about cycling
Canadian “loam” has special pixie dust in it that grabs hold of your tires
Sprouted bread can change your life
Rossland trails go to a 13 on a 10 point scale…trust me
Almond butter, not Peanut butter
Buy local
Pour over coffee is good
Sugar is white death
I love muffins and cherries
24 hours is a long time to ride uphill in the mud
Having your legs, arms and private region go numb and spit up bloody lung butter is totally “normal” dude
Beer is expensive in Canada, but worth every penny
Patchouli still smells good to me and I love Vans slippers
I want to live in Rossland
I don’t want to move to Okotoks
Shaun Taylor is an intense competitor
I love noodles
You can learn a ton from 6 and 7 year old boys
Sometimes Dead goats move really fast… no joke
Dirt don’t hurt cuz god made dirt…..