Back to BCBR

Q: How do you know if someone's doing the BC Bike Race? A: Just wait. They'll tell you.

It's hard not to bring up this thing that takes up so much of your time, money, and daily strategizing, so I can't dispute that punch line. But I've tried to keep it to a dull roar so as to be a little more respectful of my friends' and family's attention spans now that we're two years deep into project "Cross the Finish Line in Whistler."

Before I say anything else I want to say thank you to my coach Richard La China, my husband Gerhard, my mom and dad, Gerhard's mom and dad, my friends and riding buddies who hear about almost nothing but, and Dr. Tony Hagner who helped me over my last hurdle. Honestly, if you find yourself standing on the start line of BC Bike Race, with all the stars and luck having aligned to get you that far, pat yourself on the back. You've done a great job. The hardest part is over. The rest is just riding your bike.

BC Bike Race, here we come! 

I left SoCal on Monday, had a lovely dinner in Calgary with my friend Aoife who got me drunk on peach sangria and sirloin Alberta beef steak before putting me back on the plane. Next stop, Comox, to stay with Gerhard's parents for a few days and check out Cumberland, which is only a short ride away from their back yard.

One last shot of my long hair (read on!) ... and mounting the derailleur

Special shout out to the team at Thule who have made a bike bag that is an absolute joy to travel with. And extra thanks to WestJet who handled it with kid gloves apparently -- it emerged without a scratch, scuff, or even a spec of dust, and when it was time to build my bike, it was literally 15 minutes start to finish, thanks to a handy built-in work stand. The bike goes in vertically, rather than the traditional clam-shell style, with plenty of room for wheels on either side of the frame, neatly housed in their own special bags.

Step one ... remove all the foam! 

15 minutes later it's pretty much done!!

I will bring my bike everywhere now that I know it's that easy. Blaize at RIDE Cyclery did an awesome job checking that last tune and packing it up for me so all I had to do was unwrap some foam, throw on my pedals, reattach the derailleur, and re mount the handlebar (not even the stem!).

Rocky Mountain Thunderbolt 770 MSL - Just add wheels

I took a brief break to go get my hair cut because I figure I could knock off another couple of ounces by taming my unruly mane. I wouldn't normally mention my hair cut, but it was done by this fellow Jason, at Roots in Courtenay, who is amazing. He is a professional yo-yo-er, flies kites (in preparation for kite surfing lessons this year), dance instructor, dad, park rollerblader, mountain biker (hardtail ... in Cumberland ...) and some other stuff I can't remember now (there was so much!). But he pretty much 100% embodied the "NFG" attitude that makes people amazing, authentic humans.

Quick bathroom selfie
before I ruin my new haircut

After that experience, my mother-in-law Christine and I headed to Broken Spoke -- a coffee shop and bike shop in one! -- where we sipped lattes and slayed the crossword puzzle. Pretty sweet.

Then it was time to ride. I'd been putting it off to be honest. I was nervous because for the last month, I've been dealing with a SURPRISE injury to my left leg that has apparently been lurking for quite some time but reached full painful potential a month before the race. Because of course. Unable to pedal my bike for most of the last few weeks, I have been a little dark-of-spirit.

Fast forward through plenty of stretching, icing, warming, arnica-ing, painful therapy, whining, and finally, a gentle return to the bike, and you can imagine my trepidation, I'm sure. I'm very happy to report that Dr. Hagner is in fact some kind of wizard, and has seemingly brought my leg back to life. My ride was awesome.

The famous Syke's Bridge

Stopped at two more bike shops for the fun of it (Trail Bicycles in Courtenay ... one of my favorite shops in the world, and Dodge City Cycles in Cumberland, which is pretty much exactly as good and just as friendly). Then hit the trails. My ride was basically a preview of the second loop's downhill single track, but instead of preriding the fireroad, Chris at DCC helped me pick a more fun way up that included "Cimax" -- a new "up" trail that is meant to help keep people from climbing Thirsty Beaver (a "down" trail ... don't do that). It was the rowdiest climb ever and I loved it.

My most prized possession at the top of Climax

Once I'd maxed out Climax, I was on the course for BCBR so I followed that to Upper Thirsty Beaver, over to Blue Collar, then Railroad, Crafty Butcher, Double Pumper, 50:1--where I met my new friend Sean--and then we closed by exploring the new Josh's (very new ... very raw ... very awesome) and then out the rest of Josh's. So. Rad. Leg did great, bike did great, and I was grinning like an idiot as I rode past Riding Fool hostel on my way back to Courtenay. (Ohhh, now I get it.)

Gerhard's mom and dad took me out for dinner to this lovely little place called Kingfisher and I had an awesome meal of Ling Cod, Pork Belly, and some delicious veggies and then it was home to bed. A terrific first day!

The view from the Kingfisher: Powell River in the distance!

Why The Rocky Mountain Thunderbolt Is My Bike Of Choice For The 2015 BCBike Race

Up

The coveted BCBR Belt Buckle

Update: First Impressions post now up! 

After dashing last year's hopes for a shiny BC Bike Race belt buckle in a dismal example of why you should always keep the chit chat to a minimum and watch where you're going (or else risk falling on your face, and breaking your hand), I have rallied, my support crew has rallied, and we are going back to [hopefully] finish this thing.

We learned a lot from our maiden voyage and this year's campaign will be even better than before. Mom has already started booking our campsites, Dad picked out an RV that is bigger and badder than last year's rig, and Gerhard is putting up with an absentee wife while I am busy logging those base miles.

But I think the thing I am most excited about for the 2015 BCBR, is getting to ride it on the 2015 Rocky Mountain Thunderbolt MSL 770.  The decision has been made, the order is on the books, and this red rocket will be here in just three short months.

Thunderbolt MSL 770 on the Interbike floor, where we first met. Jon Grinney photo

For those of you wondering what bike to choose for the "Ultimate Singletrack Experience," here are the six things that tipped the scales for me. And believe me ... I did not make this decision lightly. My coach and I carefully evaluated the geometry and specs of about six frontrunners on the short list. When we put all the data into an elaborate excel spreadsheet, the Thunderbolt was the clear winner.

GEOMETRY

When picking a bike out, there are two schools of thought: play to your strengths, or play to your weaknesses. Last year, I chose my Trek Top Fuel over a loaner Juliana Furtado because when it comes to BC single track, my strength is climbing, and I didn't want to bring the extra weight of the Furtado. The Top Fuel is a pure XC race machine ... which for me, I discovered, is not the bike for the BCBR.

Ride-9 chip. Jon Grinney photo.

The Thunderbolt's geometry is almost purpose-built for this race. I'm getting a slacker head tube angle so technical descents and rough trail will be more manageable, but not so slack that I'm sacrificing on the climbs.  And with Rocky Mountain's Ride-9 technology, you can actually change the geometry to match the stage you're on. Genius. The chip has nine different settings that move the shock mount-point into different configurations: Forward = Aggressive, Back = Efficient, Up = Lightweight Riders, Down = Heavyweight Riders.



The RIDE-9™ System Explained from Rocky Mountain Bicycles on Vimeo.


It also comes shod with 27.5-inch wheels, which are a great choice for demanding trails, especially for riders of my stature. Basically, choosing the Thunderbolt means I don't have to play to either my strengths or weaknesses ... it's almost like magic how much capability is packed into this one frame.

SUSPENSION

My Top Fuel gave me 100mm in the front and back and to be honest, I didn't feel like I was coming up short in this area in last year's race. But, more is always nice, so the 120mm that comes with the Thunderbolt is a welcome addition. Rocky Mountain also thoughtfully included a remote for the rear shock -- for me, that's a critical feature that will ensure I make use of the shock's settings, even on the fly.

The suspension is also the feature that put the 770 MSL past the BC Edition of the Thunderbolt. For me, at 125 lbs race weight, a 130mm Rockshox Pike is a bit much ... though dang, that bike was a close second. If you're a guy reading this, I think that's what I would recommend. For us lighter-weight riders, we can get away with less.

DROPPER POST 

I think one of the biggest lessons I learned (the hard way) at the race last year is that a dropper post is mandatory. There is just so much technical descending, a little help getting your seat out of the way is a no-brainer. The Thunderbolt comes spec'd with the one I'd choose: the RockShox Reverb Stealth. I like that it's the most reliable one I've tried, and you can drop/raise it to whatever height you like, rather than pre-set levels.

Me, racing the 2014 BCBR, stage 1, North Vancouver
Margus Riga photo

2X 

It's not that I have anything against a 1X system ... but for this race--with 29,000 feet of climbing--I'm a fan of keeping a smaller chain ring. Shimano's XT has always been my go-to for its low-maintenance, reliable, takes-all-of-my-abuse capabilities. With Rocky's add of the XTR rear derailleur 'great' just got better. For me, a less-cluttered cockpit is a big price to pay for the tendonitis I'd get from rifling through my gears up and down, rather than a single left-hand shift. I like gears. I use all of them.

PAINT

It's red. Red is fast. And it's also the color of my very first "real" mountain bike. The one I got because I wanted something "cool" to ride when my Raleigh Tarantula was stolen--my gateway into the sport. It was a Rocky Mountain, too. A Fusion to be exact, with a RockShox Judy fork. I loved that bike and the places it took me. I get nostalgic thinking about it, so for me, the paint comes with some very good vibrations.

RED hot. Jon Grinney photo.

IT'S CANADIAN 

Rocky Mountain is an awesome Canadian brand that's now in its 30s. But more than that, it's British Columbian. These guys build bikes they'd want to ride in their back yard. Which happens to be where the BC Bike Race takes place. So for me, there's an extra level of confidence that comes from knowing that the bike I chose has been tested and tried against the very terrain waiting for me and 599 other racers this July.

***

The BC Bike Race is a "cross country" event, but it's a little more than that. The enduro sections are challenging, the single track is technical and though you'll want to bring an XC racer's fitness to the start line, you'll also benefit from a downhiller's technical skills. That's why when choosing a bike for the BC Bike Race, you need a little more than a cross country bike. The Thunderbolt is the perfect amount of "more."

But wait, there's more more! When I let Rocky Mountain know I was totally enamoured with their new Thunderbolt--in carbon this year for the first time--they were stoked too and made me an official ambassador. That's why in 2015, not only am I thrilled that a Thunderbolt will be taking up residence with me, but also a Vertex, their 29er hardtail, for all the racing leading up to BCBR.

More on that beauty later, but before we get another minute into 2015, I wanted to share this most exciting news for the upcoming year. Thank you so much, Rocky Mountain!

Over the coming weeks, I'll be sharing even more news like this welcoming all of the amazing support that has come to the table in 2015 so stay tuned. It's going to be an awesome year. Love the ride!!

What Happened?

Since the day I signed up a year ago, i have done something every day to get ready for the BC Bike Race. i was already starting to feel sad for this goal's exit from my life since it has all been so rewarding and i've met so many great people along the way. especially the ninjas!

so on the bright side, the goal has not exited from my life. we are leaning towards making a return campaign for 2015 and though i'm very sad 2014 did not turn out at all as planned, i'm already excited to use the lessons i've learned and another year of training to make 2015 even better.

it's hard for me to type so i'll keep this short but here's my version of events.

I woke up day 3 feeling a bit flat and decided to give myself permission to just do as the body wanted as the juices started flowing (or not flowing, depending). i did an abbreviated version of my daily warm up then got into the gates. i managed to sneak up a bit to grab a better position off the line since on the opening climbs, i was making good time. and wouldn't you know it, fitness kicked in and not even five minutes off the gun, i was ready to rock. had an awesome climb to the singletrack and then found a great group of kiwis to ride with.

til this day, singletrack was making me a bit trepidatious. so steep and gnarly, i was wondering if i was a mtb-er afterall. but powell river was my course. i passed a lot of people in the start wave ahead of me and i wasn't losing any time in the trails either. my bike was perfect for the terrain, and i was in that shit-eating grin state of mind. i was gleefully licking my lips at the results sheet i was confident would see me move up the standings.

our group began swallowing some riders off the back of the group ahead and it was my turn to find a chance to pass. the rider up asked if i'd like by and so i looked up to assess my answer. i was in the middle of saying not yet, i'll let you know when my front wheel found a wet root hiding in the loam. it happened so fast i had no choice but to accept a tumble. but on the way down, i saw my crash zone was already occupied by a large, hard tree stump. i knew my head was in danger and my hand came out reflexively to protect my face. it got stuck on some part of the stump or a branch ... not sure, but ......warning: cringe worthy ....... i felt all of my fingers fold back on my hand and get stuck there while my head continued its -- now slower -- trajectory to the stump. i head butted it ever so softly, but i knew it was at the expense of broken bones.

fortunately, i had the good sense to crash in front of a doctor. thank you so much Ian for your optimism, and initial exam. once rider patrol caught up, we let Ian go to carry on his race. and i tried to ride out. strike one: i couldn't get my index finger to brake. who needs your rear brake anyway? i thought. strike two was shifting. i like this gear anyway, i told myself. but strike three? i could no longer climb, so i tearfully had to let my bcbr go for this year. when i made it close to the road, i was met by the med team who are amazing, paramedics, trauma docs and mtb lovers. they were willing to let me continue, to their credit, fully understanding that its hard for any racer to give up the ghost. with a steep enduro to come, and strong broken bones suspicions, i figured i would just get something else broken. you can't imagine how hard it is to get in the waiting pick up. true empathizers, they had a cup of scotch waiting for me too.

then it was off to the hospital. xrays. fractures to metacarpal (across the joint, sadly) and scaphoid. cast applied to keep it immobilized until they can xray again in ten days. full damage will/should be visible then. probably off the bike for awhile, which is a bummer because i also just got my usac pro upgrade.

the support team has been amazing and at first i was really sad i'd let them down, but when i needed them more than ever they were/are here and now we get to spend more time together anyway. would love to share more ... especially thank yous to the race, the crew, Team Kris and everyone who has sent messages but i'm still getting used to being a lefty so that's all for now.

thanks for following ...

breakfast on my last day with the cheerleaders

the best campsite so far - willingdon beach

pre race yoga

my view from the gates

my injured paw and some amazing artwork by bcbr volunteer Jen who drove me to the horse pistol

getting my fibreglass fitted

goodnight bcbr. see you next year. 

BC Bike Race By The Numbers

Just sitting here working on clearing the decks of work so I can focus on BC Bike Race and got distracted by ... you guessed it ... BC Bike Race.

The latest newsletter let us racers know that the daily handbooks are now available online. Since I am a total glutton for all things organizational (just ask "Team Kris" about the ten Detailed Itineraries they received a couple weeks ago ... thank you Premier's Office advance for teaching me about those), I could hardly wait to open each one and scour them for info about the event. Day Zero has a little "by the numbers" I thought I would share -- kind of interesting. Check it out:

For my American friends, 10,000m of climbing is 32,808' and 310km is 193 miles. 600 participants is still 600 participants ;) and I think we all understand what 75% singletrack means!! Holy Hannah! 

A lot of friends and teammates have told me that the BC Bike Race is a bucket-list item for them too, so make sure if you were one of those people, you note the Early Bird pricing sell-out times -- I wish I had been that organized, haha. But if you are, you could save up to $1,000 off your entry fee if I'm not mistaken. Registration opens for 2015 on July 7 at 10pm and this is probably a link you'll want to bookmark: http://www.bcbikerace.com/registration 

I can hardly believe it but one week from right now, this is what I'll be doing! 

Okay! Back to work :) 

BC Bike Race Reconnaissance

Gerhard on "Tea Pot" 

Usually when we come to see my in-laws (though after a certain Christmas tree debacle, I think I’ll start calling them the “out-laws”) we make a point of heading over to Mount Washington to get some holiday turns in. But with warmer than usual weather on Canada’s west coast … or at least Vancouver Island … we have found activities even more to my liking!

With base miles season wrapping up, I am determined to cram in as many as possible. So I borrowed my mother-in-law’s grocery getter and took myself on a little tour (photos below!). It’s a Norco “Wolverine” circa 2002ish with a super-riser bar and a side-view mirror. It did a fantastic job and it made me smile like crazy, especially when waving to "real" mountain bikers getting ready at the many trail heads I passed.

However, in my Boxing Day travels, I was surprised to see signs indicating the proximity of Cumberland – home to Stage 2 of the upcoming BC Bike Race. In my mind it was some ways away, but here was this sign saying "Cumberland - 7" – and then I realized I’m back in Canada so 7 was actually kilometres, not miles. A stone’s throw! We were already planning on renting mountain bikes for the following day, but unsure how we would transport Gerhard, me and our bikes to the trail without monopolizing the family vehicle for hours (or how everything would fit, anyway).  So this was an excellent realization: We can easily access the famous trails of Cumberland by riding out of our own driveway. Cumberland, by the way, is mountain biker mecca. Just CRAWLING with riders and amenities geared for riders. I think I may have even spotted Canadian Olympian Geoff Kabush (whose hometown is Courtenay) on my little trip. Can't be sure.

So today, we headed over to the amazing Trail Bicycles shop (thank you for all your help, Ryan!) which is literally a five minute walk from the out-law’s place. I traded in my Norco Wolverine for something a little more burly, and modern: The 2014 Sight Carbon 7.1 “Killer B”. Gerhard got an enviable Trek Remedy to rip around on.

Notes on my demo Norco: It has a dropper post. I’ve never tried one before today, but after our ride, I would say they are mandatory for the riding here in BC. It also came equipped with some SRAM 1x11 (32 in the front but we were wondering if a 30 might be better … more testing required). It rode wonderfully, it’s a TON of fun, but I’m not convinced of its raciness yet. Even in carbon, I absolutely felt the added pounds over my beloved Top Fuel on the climbs, but man, it crushed the descents and floated over rocks and roots alike. I would love to have one of these in my quiver … if only my Top Fuel would fit in my camelback for the uphills. Decisions, decisions.

Our main focus for today’s ride was the “Teapot” trail which will be run as an Enduro section on race day so we did that one twice, while also checking out “Quacker,” “Truffle Shuffle,” “That Dam Trail,” “Buggered Pig,” and “Mama Bear.” It was so nice to be riding on loamy, rooty, dirty, green, rocky, flowy trails again. I was losing my mind. But that might have been the Expresso Clif Snot I inhaled before we hit our first singletrack. Check out all Cumberland has to offer by visiting cvmtb.com.

Best of all is enjoying my favourite activity with my favourite person, Gerhard. So thank to my amazing husband for suiting up and putting up with my full-on frothing all day. You guys have to see Gerhard ride to believe it. He has no business being as skilled a rider as he is for how little he does it. Technical descents? Waits for me at the bottom while I pick my way through what he describes as “like powder, in dirt.” Super long skinnies? Convinces me to try by showing me how ‘easy’ it is, first. Insanely steep and long fire road climb (which it turned out was unnecessary because I can’t read a map or follow other riders’ directions)? He cleans it then says, “that was a little tough,” like it wasn’t very tough at all.  I am so proud. Most of all, I’m super excited he’s agreed to come do it again tomorrow!

And now the pictures from yesterday and today:

Riding with a rear view.

The amazing Norco Wolverine! Gets groceries and base miles like a champ. 

Entering Cumberland! So easy! 

The most amazing fence in the world. 

Real life holly 

Downtown Cumberland

Peace on Earth (or at least on Comox Lake)

Looking out to sea

Indulging in my dirty habit with my favourite guy

Gerhard riding over Sykes Bridge

Me in my ninja position on "Tea Pot" trail

I'm IN.

I can't think of a better occasion to start up this blog again than to make this announcement. Ready? I am finally going to compete in the item that's been languishing at the top of my bucket list since they started running it: the BC Bike Race. 

The event is a seven-day stage race, starting June 28, 2014. I'll be racing in the solo/open category on a course that's been called the most marvellous on earth, if you're one for the singletrack. Which I most certainly am. So friends, mark your calendars and shine up your cowbells. It's only ten months and 12 days away. 

I'll keep this post short but close with the promise of more blogging as I prepare for what is sure to be the most challenging event of my cycling career. But in the meantime, I want to say thank you to my husband, Gerhard, who rather than balk at the crazy idea (what with the cost, the commitment, the up-in-the-airness of our lives), said "I think you'd better do it" almost before I'd got the words out of my mouth. Feeling pretty lucky these days. 

Lots to catch up on, so stay tuned. And check out the video below to get a taste of the adventure that's waiting! 

Parlez-Vous Olympics?!

I never thought I'd say this, but ... I'M GOING TO THE OLYMPICS.

Before you get too excited, let me add the caveat that I'm going as a volunteer, not an athlete. In this, I shall endeavour to represent my country proudly, speak french, and make sure that you — dear spectator — get to your seat comfortably and on time.

This is my pledge.

I have been appointed "Team Leader" at the Whistler Sliding Centre and while I'm not sure exactly what that means, I know I'll have 8-10 other volunteers to lead into service-with-a-smile glory; I know I'll be on Blackcomb Mountain; I know I'll be standing outside 8-10 hours a day; and I know I'll be wearing my crazy party pants that, yes, GLOW IN THE DARK.

Hopefully, I'll get a walkie-talkie too because that would seriously make my day. Over.

I'm so excited I could puke. Stay tuned for more updates from Krislake.blogspot.com: OLYMPIC BLOG.

I'm the hairy one in the middle, leading TEAM KRIS.

West is Best

Dont' get me wrong, I love Ontario too. But it's January ... and it's just not that awesome at the moment.

Hence, I headed west to Courtenay BC to ring in the New Year. If I could fold up my sports equipment into bite-size packages, I could have skied in the morning, then biked in the afternoon. It's winter up high, but at sea-level, it's still spring! Since both my favourite sports take up so much room in suitcases, I opted to bring out just the sticks. (And make up for the bike with my running shoes.)

I had ulterior motives as well of course -- Gerhard has left Ontario for his annual sojourn West. His parents live in Courtenay so he spends some time with them for the holidays before relocating to Squamish for the rest of the winter. I met them for the first time and was treated to warm hospitality, great walks with Max-the-dog, and some pretty amazing eats!!

I stayed a week, and it went by way too fast. Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana!

But holidays don't mean training stops ... completely: I ran my first 10 kilometres-in-a-row ... and rode my first box in the park, too. Woo hoo! Gerhard, Adlar (his brother) and I got up to Mt. Washington a couple times, and a had wonderful time both days.

Pros: some seriously fun runs (rollers! pow! park!); Beaver Tails — Killaloe FTW!; Amazing zones on the back side like a secret gully (that wasn't so secret); cool vibe including hitch hiking snowboarders, bra tree and even a Christmas Tree!; kettle chips; the Boomerang chairlift and everything it reaches; Adlar Gross's amazing kamikaze snowboard stylings (limited time only); great conditions both days, said the girl from Ontario.

Cons: Sushi Mon by the Hawk Chair for lunch was a bust -- wasted way too much time NOT shredding while waiting for crappy Raman noodles -- at least the sushi was decent (tip courtesy of an otherwise friendly hitch hiker we picked up); um ... what's with the lift-littering?; holy line-ups batman ('tis the season); bad drivers burning up their brakes on the road back down the hill (stinky!!!); sore feet from boot-breaking-in-age.

50 cm of snow fell before our second visit so it was a hard day's work on the hill skiing through all that powder. Woe is me! Alas, the sun came out and things got a little heavy, but still awesome. On top of all the other awesomeness, I was rocking my new skis and my new boots (Thanks G and Steph!!). Both get top marks!! I was a better skier instantly!

Back at Sea Level, we did a bit of one of my favourite things: picking up stuff from the beach. Much more sporting in BC because of all the amazing things that wash up! Like Turkish Towel sea weed, Bull Kelp, sea shells galore, pretty round rocks and even things you can eat! Gerhard's dad was telling me that when they went camping as a family, they never brought any food; they didn't need to because there were enough oysters and other sea food to keep everyone satisfied. Amazing.

We visited the only chocolate shop that I think might give Mill Creek a run for its money: Hot Chocolates. Their sea salt caramels are heavenly. Thank god they deliver!!

For New Year's we dined on crab and lobster with some Moet to wash it down, played a rousing game of Yahtzee then banged pots and pans at midnight to keep the ghosties away. I started 2010 rested, refreshed, and renewed.

On my last day, Gerhard and I took the ferry over to Denman Island. We walked the beach, picking up Oysters, stalking a Blue Heron (or was he stalking us?!) and exploring the sea side. We had a drink at a pub overlooking the Strait of Georgia, and learned a thing or two from CBC radio while snacking on candied salmon. It was a perfect day.

The only good thing about saying goodbye, is getting to say hello again. So ... until next time!