BC Bike Race recap, Episode 3: Day 1, Cumberland

Race Ready with my Rocky Mountain Thunderbolt 770 MSL and brand new AMAZING custom kit from Eliel Cycling

Day 1 – Cumberland
Course info found HERE. 

This stage was important for the race because it would decide your start wave for the week. It was important for me because I love riding in Cumberland, and knew I had my best chances for good racing since I was most familiar with this course. I used the ride from Courtenay to Cumberland as a warm up and a moment to get centered. Even with the Day -1 debacle, my knee seemed to be okay, bike was perfect, and I was raring to go. It was awesome to take a minute on the way to the start line to do some big deep breaths, and reflect gratefully on all the people, miles, and work it took to get to this place. Honestly, just making it to the start of the race feels like an achievement to me. There is so much that goes into an event like BCBR, and then on top of that you also need to hope for a little good luck. 

Learn more about the Cultural Undertones of the BC Bike Race in Cumberland here

Racers were rolling up Dunsmuir already getting into the start gates so I joined them, quickly finding Bjorn (the athlete I coached to get him ready for this event) and his partner Eric in the 3.5hrs wave. I had to work really hard not to get swept up in the pre-race festivities because I knew if I started chatting and commenting on all the interesting things happening, I'd lose some focus and I was determined to be 100% "on" this time (lest I wipe out chit chatting on a trail as per last year). And there were festivities! A beautiful "owl" and "raven" danced in the store windows (we later saw them on course as well) and the Comox valley poet laureate, Kevin Flesher delivered an amazing poem, "I am a Mountain Biker," that had us all grinning. 

Later, when I was speaking with course designer Jeremy Grasby about the stage, he told me that Flesher came to a few Cumberland events to help immerse himself in our MTB culture before he wrote this masterpiece. He nailed it, so obviously he is a worthy man for the title of Poet Laureate. Check it out (kudos to Step Carruthers for uploading this awesome memory!): 

During his performance, I was nervous but not nervous. Excited maybe is the better word. I felt like even though there was the surprise heat, I had a good race in me and was eager to get through the weird energy at the beginning of the BCBR, when everyone is gnawing on fears of the unknown, and move into the "in progress" stage of the ultimate singletrack experience. 

On "go," I had some ground to make up to get to the front of the wave and hopefully cut down on the dust inhalation. I skirted the pack up the side, and got into the fireroad near the front. Gave it some gas before settling in to the first big climb of the day … about 45 minutes to the top, with plenty of it exposed under the hot sun. 

The start of the start of the ultimate singletrack experience.

I remember last year the first singletrack was tough as it was technical, uphill, and wet from the morning dew. This year, there was no morning dew. It was bone dry, I had a different bike much better equipped to handle the technical roots and drops and I was rolling really well. Nothing to do but pedal. 

I made great time on the climb, and lost none in the singletrack. Thank goodness for the women of the Wednesday night ride for showing me some of the opening sections, including Blockhead, Bucket of Blood, and Bear Buns. I was able to coach a rider through some of the sections to prevent any impediment to my own progress, and nailed a few lines I was too shy to hit the week previous, including a gnarly drop, the likes of which are not normally in my bag of tricks. Before I knew it, we were beginning the second loop. It was tough to go through camp … and lots of people opted not to finish the stage, that’s how hot it was. 

Next up was the Trent Main ascending to Thirsty Beaver. I got some serious work done passing another three women in my category suffering on the climb. This is where living in SoCal I think gave me an edge. I was working, but I never crossed the line into "suffering" until the final few meters. I could just "set and forget" at lactic threshold and diesel my way up like I was back on my old dump climb at La Costa. I LOVE Thirsty Beaver, had practiced it, and nailed all the cleanest lines. Powered to the day’s feature trail, Blue Collar, and shredded the hell out of that too. It's always awesome when a rider gets on your wheel, you ask if they want by, and they say "no way, you're ripping" -- so I was stoked. 

Crossed the line super happy with my ride, confidence, and focus, and was even happier to find out it was good enough for5th place. I juggled my delicious daily dose of GU Recovery Brew (in hard-to-find chocolate, thanks to Yuri!!), Coke, and as many potato chips as I could cram in my face. 

Results:

Day 1: Cumberland presented by BC Ferries from BC Bike Race on Vimeo.

The team was with me, and after grabbing a quick shower at the race -- which was 100%, all-the-way-over cold -- we were off to Courtenay and then the ferry, ready for Powell River. I did some more interviews on the boat and then we got to walk off and enjoy the amazing hospitality of the town as they welcomed us with drums, pipes, and crowds. We felt like rock stars.

Welcome to the Powell Riviera! A warm welcome from the community. 

The first time I've ever been piped in anywhere! So awesome. 

BCBR Recap, Episode 2: Day 0

Rocky Mountain Thunderbolt 770 MSL, ready to race

Day 0 – Vancouver

Day 0 of the BC Bike Race is Safety Meeting Day. We learn about course markings, race protocols, how to take care of ourselves and each other and other important info. It’s also the first time everyone is in the same room together.

I cabbed over while Mom, Dad and Thunderbolt got packed up and ready to head over to Courtenay on the ferry.

BCBR Class of 2015

Ninja Spotting! Me and Benjamin

Once our meeting was finished … details you can catch in my Day 0 coverage of Safety Director Brooks for Bike Mag (be sure to click because those photos are way better than mine!) … we loaded into the buses and headed to the ferry terminal at Horseshoe Bay. I rode with Benjamin, a fellow Ninja from the Bay Area. We marveled at what “Drought” looks like in BC vs California. Everything was still so green and lush compared to home. It was also awesome to see the Sea to Sky from the perspective of someone seeing it for the first time.

From online to real life! This is @_krisgross make sure to follow her stories I promise you wont regret #bcbr2015 pic.twitter.com/AF9JEzoCT0

— Norma Ibarra (@LaPir0) June 27, 2015

At the ferry terminal, we had a wait, so I did some writing, sitting in the shade, and visiting. I met Mark, a fellow with a cast, and I asked what happened – he’d had a crash preriding in North Van and broken his wrist. He wouldn’t be starting the race. My heart broke for him and I tried to offer some encouraging words to travel with the race, and come back to do it again once he’d seen it all. I hope he does but I didn’t see him again during the week.

Hard at work.
Clayton (Mountain Bike Action) and me (Bike Mag)

On board the boat, Clayton and I made use of the business cubbies and sat quietly together writing. We had a good laugh at the interview I’d snagged with Brooks … the parts I can’t publish that is … and before we knew it, we were in Nanaimo boarding the next set of school buses.

I rode with another social-media-turned-real friend Mike Sarnecki. And none other than Brett Tippie sat down behind us. The trip to Naniamo included a Tarzan joke, and a long riff about enemas.

Tippie and I en route to Cumberland 

Cumberland was the hottest I’d ever experienced in BC when we arrived. The grass was crunchy, the heat oppressive, and the splash park full of adults … including two guys in stars and barsspeedos. My first glimpse of some other Bike Mag profiles I did during theweek.

Gerhard and Reinholt picked me up and we spent the evening in Cumberland celebrating Dad’s 60^th birthday together with Gerhard’s family and mine. I also put the final touches on race preparation. 

BC Bike Race had arrived. 

A few more photos from Day 0: 

Good morning BCBR!

Wild beasts among us

The race about to offload in Nanaimo

The happiest place in Cumberland: splash park 

Happy Birthday dinner at the Gross home in Courtenay

Race Report | US Cup 3: Bonelli HC

Kathy Burcham photo.

Back to Bonelli for US Cup number three this past weekend, and what a change from our first visit. Most notably, the temperature was much more hospitable. Coming a close second on the list of positive changes was the course. Though it still had a heck of a lot of climbing (362') crammed into such a short loop (2.6 miles), it was definitely more flowy, and the added technical sections were of my favorite variety: log overs!

Morning of, I arrived nice and early, got registered and then headed out with a teammate to walk the course and see it for the first time. At first look, the log and rock features were definitely intimidating. But I decided to include a lap as part of my warm up, and that took care of that.

Although we've had plenty more time together since the last visit to Bonelli, my Rocky Mountain Vertex is still "new" and these were actually the first log overs I'd tried with it. Verdict? I felt like I was cheating. The bike has so much clearance I didn't need to worry about hitting the chainring, and it felt like it just wanted to get over stuff. That must be the magic of 29ers I've been hearing about. Super stable through the whole maneuver, and the wide handle bars really gave me the control I needed to get over smoothly.

My fav part! Thanks to the cheering section! Michelle Allen photo.

Though there were about six log/rock overs total on course, the section that attracted the most blood-thirsty spectators had a set of two large obstacles: The first was all logs, and the second was of similar shape but made of rocks, and only a few pedal strokes away on a slight uphill. Momentum is your friend.

On my first attempt in warm up, I balked and had to redo. I realized I was looking at them as a set so I decided to just concentrate on the first one first, and then work on the second. A quick refocus and it was up and over, no problem. My third attempt I threw in the second feature, and rode away with fresh confidence. It was a great reminder that when you're working on skills, progression is key. Start small, then work your way up, and you'll be amazed at what becomes "easy." (PS: Here's more info on log overs from my fellow coaches at Ninja Mountain Bike Skills!)


Once I'd lapped the course once, I took the rest of my warm up to the road and the start loop. I love these moments before the race when it's still anybody's day. The energy is electric. When it was time for staging, we all gathered under the limited shade near the start line. I was in a gaggle with the US national champion, current US Cup points leader, Swedish national champion, and the World Champion, listening to them joke with each other and offering up my own comments from the peanut gallery. Young girls came up to have their picture taken, and the media was around snapping photos as well like paparazzi, calling out "Hi Catharine; Oh hi Georgia; Lea, over here ..."

http://www.toxxxik.com/ninja/index.html

I knew I wanted to do better at getting off the start so I selected a "go" gear and got ready to mash it out for position. I think everyone must have had the same idea because it didn't feel like an option for me to skirt around the pack. The opposite seemed to be happening as my lungs began to burn and my HR shot up, and 37 tigresses surged off the line.The start lap had me dogging it, but once we hit the steep climb, I was back in the mix.

On my first lap through the logs, I reminded myself to be calm and smooth. But I forgot there would be spectators! If I fell on my face, there would be an audience for it, at least. The girls in front of me got hung up, so I slowed momentarily so they could clear the way. The Vertex flew up and over both without a problem, and I pedaled away relieved. With every lap I gained more confidence, until by the end, I could hardly wait to hit those big log overs.

I raced back and forth with a girl I don't know except by her blond, curly pony tail. We seem to often be racing near each other so I focused on catching her. As the course doubled back on itself, I realized our time was running out: The front of the race was quickly coming at us from behind, with Emily Batty and Catharine Pendrel in a tight fight for the lead, which they maintained right to the wire. (Emily took the win by less than half a second.)

Emily Batty 1, Catharine Pendrel 2 after a really impressive, tight race.

With only one single track left I heard them charging up the climb so I pulled off just before the entrance to let them through. Since they were alone ... and I was alone ... I then quickly jumped on their wheels for the fun descent and tried to hold on. It was like going for a drive in a friend's sports car. I flew through the section, pulled along by their jet stream, and then jumped on the pedals to try and stay with them. They were in the heat of battle, so it lasted maybe all of 7 seconds but it is not every day I'm hanging on to Canadian MTB Queens' lead group. So thanks for the ride, ladies!

Of course, once the leaders go by you, you can be assured you will be pulled thanks to the UCI's 80% rule, so that was my grand finale. I was happy with how it all turned out: I rode every part of the course smoothly without incident, I worked hard, and I got in one more lap than I did at the first Bonelli to finish just one lap down from the leaders. Good enough for 29th place, and putting me in 31st in the overall ranking.

Looking forward to Sea Otter this weekend for the final round of the US Cup that I'll be racing, on a course that I think is absolutely perfect for the Vertex. Not to mention beautiful!

Rocky Mountain's Raphael Gagne finished second to Schurter

Big thanks goes out to Rocky Mountain for the race rig; and congrats to Rocky Mountain's Raphael Gagne (also on a Vertex) for taking second to current world champion Nino Schurter's win in the pro men's race. Thank you GU Energy for the shout out before the start, and for all the goodies I so happily received last week! Team Ninja, you guys are my favorite. It was so fun to see all of you and cheer on our riders together. Thanks to Brigid as well for being an awesome help with carpooling and hangtime. Can't wait for Sea Otter and beyond! RIDE Cyclery, I can't do it without you! Thank you so much for helping me with all the little things (like how DO you quickly, easily, and bloodlessly change your pedals?) and for being the awesome community of riders you are. Eliel, the kit is amazing. It breaks my heart every time they make us put safety pin holes in it for number pinning. And thanks ZOIC Clothing for all your support!! Thank you thank you thank you. Next stop? Sea Otter!! Can't wait to see everyone there!

//////

Watch the whole race, announced by legends Bob Roll and Christian Vande Velde as well as US Cup stalwart, Colt McElwaine, for both pro women and men (you can see my pink shorts off the start and for a little cameo at about 1:23:52) 




And here's a a few more photos:

Super proud of my coached Cat 3 athlete Bjorn, here on the third step at only his second race ever! Congrats! #BCBR2015, look out for this ripper!

Pro Men's field gets ready to launch, including reigning World Champion, Nino Schurter

Future World Cup course? Bonelli Park. Michelle Allen photo.

Loving the Bonelli course! Michelle Allen photo.

Something is New at GU!

This morning an exciting email arrived in my inbox! GU Energy, the sports nutrition company I'm proud to be working with this season, has officially launched their brand new look and a website that is simply gorgeous: modern, functional, dynamic. That means that the communications/writer side of me is just as excited to be part of the #GUCrew as the rider part of me! Happy Day!

Gonna need a bigger treat jar!

My sneak preview logo cap, at #24HOP

As an athlete with allergies, you could say GU came to my rescue. Many gels and potions used to help fuel training and recovery contain ingredients that cause me to break out in hives, inflammation and upset tummy. When I was introduced to GU, I felt like a weight was lifted. Not only does a Salted Caramel gel bring a smile to my face through even the darkest of struggles, it works for me, and I can almost feel the energy come coursing through my veins, or imagine the video game version of myself's "health bar" fill up.

I'm super grateful for the support of GU this season as I chase down some big goals, like the BC Bike Race, and for all the training along the way. My favs: Salted Caramel (duh), Caramel Macchiato (we have a theme!) and if you haven't tried the root beer, get on it! When I get home, Chocolate Recovery Drink Mix has been a god-send, especially since I'm always trying to pack so much into a day--it's grab-and-go goodness.

So yes, gone is the old GU "splat," and we're saying a warm hello to the new, bold, "building block" hex. It's lined in three colors, representing the three needs athletes have for nutrition: hydration, energy, and recovery--the GU Nutrition Matrix.You'll see me (and others ... and you!) using the tag #GUForIt because no matter what you're doing to chase down your dreams, live your passion, or reach for your goals, there's a GU for it. And it's delicious.

New packaging shows key info clearly

The re-brand is much more than a new logo. New packaging includes ultra-clear communications (my favorite) so you can see immediately which key ingredients are in each just from the front panel (e.g. amount of caffeine, or sodium). GUs are now vegan!! And they are still gluten-free, which is one of the many reasons I'm happy to be part of this awesome group. Bonus: The packaging has moved to more sustainable materials, such as recycled cartons, and they're using the Terracycle packet recycling program.

GU is all about assisting, educating, and inspiring people to reach their highest athletic potential. And starting today, they're taking their next steps into an bold/beautiful future for the brand that as an athlete and communicator I find equally exciting.

Check out this video that does a way better job of explaining what they're all about ... and that might just inspire you in your chosen activity today!

 
 


GU Anthem from GU Energy Labs on Vimeo.

About GU

In 1993 GU was born as a solution to the real challenges faced by Laura Vaughan who needed easy to digest and compact energy for ultra endurance training and racing. Over twenty some years, it has grown into an energy gel and performance nutrition leader that truly cares about its community of athletes and its impact on the planet. At the dawn of 2015, it aims to be known for its passionate commitment to sport, as leaders in all forms of performance nutrition, as well as the source for nutrition planning and training expertise. Its bold new logo, clarified product naming and creative look and feel is engineered to express more fully who they are today, who they aim to be tomorrow and allow athletes to easily combine their products into superior nutrition plans. 

Follow GU

#GUCrew, #GUForIt, #SaltedCaramel

@GUEnergyLabs @RoctaneUltra @saltytheyeti 

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RACE REPORT: 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo with Wolf Pack Cycling

It has been over a week since I rolled through the exchange tent for the last time at the 2015 #24HOP. And yet, every morning, I’m still blowing desert out of my nose, and coughing it out of my lungs.

A small price to pay if you ask me.

With the cost of admission, you get Arizona sunsets and sunrises, the warmth of the mountain biking community, singletrack galore on the famous course, drum circles, beer gardens, The Whisky Tree, the camaraderie of your team, and as much cholla as you, um, want.

Thanks go out to Dee who first alerted me to the idea – I hadn’t heard of the event before, but now that it’s behind me, I know I’ll never forget it. Sort of a mini Burning Man meets Mountain Bike Race, all orchestrated by the fine people of Epic Rides (who you may know from such events as the Whisky 50 or the Grand Junction Off Road).

I was very happy that the four strangers Dee put me in touch with turned out to be an awesome group of dudes, racing for Wolf Pack Cycling. For this weekend, they let a Ninja tag along, and it was truly Epic, just as advertised!

Wolf Pack + Ninja. Eric, Travis, Stan, Jimmy, and me.

So my biggest thanks go to these gentlemen—Travis, Stan, Eric, and Jimmy—for hammering out a stellar performance. We had consistent laps, we stuck to our order, helped each other stay focused and stoked, and it was all good enough to put us on the podium in third place.

GETTING THERE

A fly joins us on the Queen Mary's rearview camera

The adventure started early the Thursday before when I was introduced to our rolling palace, the Queen Mary (a.k.a. Travis’s luxurious RV). We had a mainly uneventful trip to the venue, with only a couple good blows climbing the mountains on the 8, and let’s not even get into the parking situation at 24 Hour Town. I’ll just say, 38’, pitch black, and not much room for maneuvering. Our apologies again to the cactus we smooshed. But huge kudos to Travis for wrangling all of this [while I cowered in the back].

Most amazing parking spot EVER.

When the sun rose in AZ glory the next morning, I couldn’t believe our spot. STEPS from the action. SECONDS from the exchange tent. What luck! Because lord knows we didn’t do it on purpose. We spent the day getting familiar with the layout of the temporary metropolis that was home to 4,000 people over the weekend before it changed back into its true form as a remote cattle ranch, a 25 minute, dusty drive from the nearest paved road. We spun a couple of laps to get acquainted with the course, and its “Seven Bitches”—a deceivingly difficult section punctuated with extremely high potential speeds over loose/rutted terrain, followed by punchy climbs. And repeat.

ON THE EVE OF BATTLE

Sunset on our preride

The rest of the gang arrived that evening, and we took one last spin of the course together, enjoying those AZ sunsets before digging into a team dinner back on board the Queen Mary. We decided our race order, got to know one another, and snacked on Bliss and Baker’s delicious, custom, salted-caramel rice crispy treats. Then I got my brand spanking new super hero costume all laid out, and made plans to spend some time TLC-ing the bike with WD-40 Bike’s goodies both to help calm pre-race jitters and make sure my girl was absolutely ready to rip. Huge thanks to Eliel for the amazing kits in our respective versions. Wolf Pack’s looks ferocious, and my Ninja edition is actually the nicest kit I have seen or imagined. I love it.

Thank you WD-40!!

Later that evening, Regina and Vanessa, a.k.a. Team Va-Gina, stopped by to share in the pre-race excitement as the drum circle got going nearby. The sounds of celebrations continued long into the night, but I was passed out in queen-size glory, “roughing it” in the desert.

24 HOURS IN THE OLD PUEBLO

For the uninitiated, a 24 Hour Mountain Bike Race is exactly how it sounds, and yes, some people are nuts enough to do it solo. But for those of us slightly less masochistic, you can join a team. The object of the game is to see how many laps you can squeeze into a 24-hour period on the 17+ mile course.

The insanity in motion!!

Eric bravely volunteered to lead us out, including the #24HOP’s famous Le Mans-style start, featuring a [really long] run [if you’re wearing a helmet and MTB shoes]. He was a champ, got out in what we estimate was the top 20, and banged out one of the top lap times of the race. Our hero!

Stan was our “two-seat,” continuing our momentum. I was number three, passing the baton to Jimmy, who waved on Travis, rounding out a full rotation. By the time we all had a lap in, we were sitting pretty in fifth place, but only minutes out of fourth, which was separated from third by only 60 seconds. The Wolves were hungry.

Me and Jimmy between laps. Legs go up. GU goes down.

Through traffic, the constant threat of cholla cacti, headwinds, dust clouds, and fatigue, we battled. “I don’t know if I’ve got another one like that,” we all said after each and every lap. And then we went out and did it again anyway. I think our consistency was thanks to our dedication to good recovery and fueling, thanks to our shared sponsors at GU Energy Labs. It definitely helped us make our move. Because sometime in the three o’clock hour, I was roused from my light nap by Travis’s excited exclamation that we had slowly clawed our way up onto the podium.

When I woke up for my morning lap, I had to ask if it was real. I was so excited and proud of our team, I found the gas for my best lap time of the whole event. And I wasn’t the only one. Once we felt that momentum, there was no stopping us.

To seal the deal, we sent Stan out for the last lap of the race with just 10 minutes before the cut off. We followed him as a team, cheering him past the Whisky Tree, slapping his butt up the last climb, and screaming our heads off at the Rock Drop and home stretch.

 

PODIUM!!

All told, we completed 22 laps putting us at 11^th place in the overall ranking, and 3^rd in our category (5 person, coed, 200+). Check out our full results here. I was personally stoked to see that I had the 9^th and 11^th fastest female laps of the day, out of a total of 958 female laps. At night, I did a little better, claiming the 6^th and 7^th fastest female laps. I’ll dedicate those to the portable sunlight I was using, thanks to NiteRider.

HIGHLIGHTS

Besides finishing with such an awesome result, there was a lot of amazing things to note about the event. First was the great support from local bike shops. Huge thanks to them because I think I wasn’t the only one who foolishly bent their derailleur right off the bat on one of the bike racks.

SRAM was also there and we had to make a few visits to their tent where they were super understanding and generous about equipment woes. Thanks to the support of 24 Hour Town, we were able to keep our mechanical troubles relegated to base camp, rather than out on course.

The Whisky Tree is also worth shouting out again. On our sunset pre-ride, we accidentally stumbled into a Drunk Cyclist(?) party that was just getting going. A gaggle of plaid shirts, beanies and MTB shorts blocked the remote section of trail. No one was allowed to pass without a drink or a solid heckling (“STRAVA!!”). With bottles tied to its branches—and the occasional creepy character waiting in the dark with additional bottles—you could be sure to get some refreshment if you wanted it every time you passed.

Minor cholla-related surgery for Eric.

One of the most famous features of the course are the thick cholla cacti everywhere. I couldn’t figure out why they included a comb in our swag bags. Then I became educated! From now on, I will carry my comb on every desert ride. It’s the only way to remove those prickles without subjecting yourself to further prickling. Just lift them off, and tweeze as necessary. I got surprised on a pass once and wound up punching a cholla pretty good. My wedding bands still don’t go on quite right due to swelling from what I suspect is one last stowaway. Do not underestimate the value of tweezers and combs in Tucson.

24 Hour Town was also an attraction in itself. Maxxis had a “tire toss” for fun and prizes. Camelbak had a “hot tub” that was creative, but a little scary if I’m being honest. There was coffee, beer, and BBQ so pretty much every need a cyclist has was met.

All in all it was a super fun event, reminding me of all the good times had back in Ontario at the Chico Racing 24s. Mountain biking is fun, and 24-Hour events do an awesome job of capturing some of the very best parts: light-hearted good times combined with lip-smacking competition, friends supporting/heckling each other, night riding, and any excuse to consume huge amounts of calories, all sorts. Will hope to be back again. 

Keep scrolling for a few more photos from the event! 

Hi from 24 Hour Town!

24 Hour Town in the other direction (taken from on top of the Queen Mary)...most hadn't even arrived yet!

our "Before" photo

If you look really close, you can see Eric on the move.

Old School Rocky Mountain spotted in the timing tent!

About to head out on Lap numero 1.

24 Hour Town Walrus

Alice the Camel[bak]

Wolf on the Rock Drop. Are you a biker? Or are you just a Belieber?

Live by the board.

Sunrise as I get ready for my final lap

Eric bringing it home just before cut off!

#ninjaspotting: Regina ... + silly string

Home Sweet Home. "Roughing it"

The proud and magnificent Queen Mary