Whoa, that’s seriously impressive. Well done, Tyrone.
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Whoa, that’s seriously impressive. Well done, Tyrone.
Wow Tyrone that's hudge!
Congrats!
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That's what she said!Quote:
Originally Posted by Whiteroom_Guardian
That's a big win! You must've been cranking!
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Very impressive.
Nice work!
After a bunch of years of dragging my heals, I signed up for the Merritt Crown https://merritt-crown.mailchimpsites.com/ race after I found out a couple of guys i know here in Squamish had signed up too. Course stats are 117km, just over 3000m of climbing, and all in 1 big f'ing loop. https://www.trailforks.com/route/mer...wn-2023-46964/
Well, Saturday was the big day and wow what an event! I put in the miles early season this year, half a dozen or so 100+km road rides, and some 40-60km mtb rides, albeit coastal so imo, a much harder earned type of mileage, but ultimately have never done a race that long with that much climbing on my mountain bike. While there was certainly a bunch of paved, gravel, and doubletrack along the way, there were some absolutely great trails, from hyper tech jank, to flowy banked corners, grasslands meadows, and some of the steepest shale chute surfing I've done this side of Dirt Diggler. The most unexpected for most of us was the big lake/grasslands section which had some incredible rolling loamy tech xc for a couple hours. Reminded me a lot of the Chilcotins, but without having to go over 2200m passes.
On the back half about 5.5 hours in we turned back towards town and into the most vicious sustained cross-headwind I've ever ridden in, probably 40+ km/h, even with a pace line of 4 guys most of the time you were still not getting a break, even once back on trail on the side of the mountain I thought we'd get a break, NOPE, around a corner? headwind. downhill? headwind. uphill? headwind. The final climb from the 96km aid station on paper was a nice paved grade for 15+km to the last set of trails, what should've been a casual pedal was face on the stem, screaming at the incessant hammering wind, I swore at it and got emotional with it, but eventually got to the top and cruised the final descent and drawn out meandering climb back to the finish for a time of 9h7m in 22nd place out of 72 starters.
Originally I had a totally uninformed goal of 8 hours, take out a 4km wrong turn mistake, and maybe turn the wind down by half, and maaaaaybe that's possible. Guess I have a goal now! Final stats were 120km and 3359m of climbing. My buddy finished 3 minutes up on me, about how much extra time I took at the last aid station compared to him. In the end though I didn't have any mechanicals, my legs and body felt solid and I didn't have any cramping all day. Was super cool to do such a small town event, and be able to see some much of an area in one loop, and ride so many unique and diverse trails, it definitely exceeded my expectations and now I'm keen for some more stupid big events!
7am start line
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big lake trail
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flowy trail on the 'scenic traverse', not shown, headwind
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never ending final climb
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fin
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Well done Todd. Merritt is so underrated. Looking at that map it's 3 days of riding you all did in one day
cheers, lee! had a been there a couple years ago, but didn't resonate quite as much, probably the company I was with too! haha! Thought about the ill fated Shulaps attempt a few times riding into that headwind too!Quote:
Originally Posted by LeeLau
Well done Todd! That's a big ass ride.
I raced NAEC on Sat and Sunday. Practice Friday with some kids about 15 years younger than me and holy shit that was fun. I realized I still knew how to shred. Definitely burned too much energy riding with those kids and on the big 5 stage day on Saturday I was pretty tired lol. 30 some odd miles of racing and 5000'+ of climbing on the big 37/38 pound hog. I have ridden that place a bunch and this was the best conditions I have ever seen. The place is all roots/off camber and in the wet it is pure hell. Only a bit of rain Friday night and Sat was mostly hero dirt. Got caught by a few wet roots and had some minor lay downs the first few stages on Sat. By Stage 4 I was in the zone. Serious fresh cut steeps (like you couldn't walk back up if you wanted to) with zero margin for error or you drift off track and end up many feet down the hill. 5 I rode all my lines but was just mentally/physically smoked by then.
Sunday was one big 19+ minute stage from the summit. 3400 foot descent. It was in the 40s and windy up top while waiting to drop so everyone started cold. Around 15 minutes in you are wondering if you can get to the bottom in one piece. By 17-18 minutes you are reaching enlightenment as you have pushed your body through new boundaries and you enter flow state and are ripping. Uncontrollable "woo-hoos!" start to happen. I had the same experience on day 4 of Transierra Norte in 2021 which was the last race I was in.
Honestly due to PT for the shoulder and lifting regularly with the Cannondale Farm guys I felt stronger than I ever have. My cardio is coming back but I should have spent more time on the trainer this winter and less time skiing blower. Oh well lol.
First time racing on the GG and I was really happy. A more playful bike suited me well. I felt it was much easier to pull for doubles or gap over root clusters than when I was on the SB150. The bike also handled the gnar no problem. Having a fork that worked really well made a big difference.
The fire is back. Ready to jump right back into training and find some more races to enter. BME Big Sky in August is on, but I need to find one or two more before then.
Was happy mid pack in 30-49 Expert and I think with some cleaner runs and a bit more pedal fitness I could have cracked top 5 for sure.
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19 minute stage!!! that's awesome, my favourite enduros have stupid long stages!
Nice work Mike! I’m glad the fork is working for ya.
And yep, a 19 min stage is fucking awesome. That’s some proper good old timey enduro.
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9 hours of crushing headwinds
19 minute long transcendental descents
You guys are putting up inspirational numbers here
Said no one ever.Quote:
Originally Posted by Whiteroom_Guardian
Great job, Glad you're feeling it.
Nice work, Whiteroom!
FIFY. No Dark Hollow Super D this year, which is a major bummer.Quote:
Originally Posted by joetron
Point of order. Super D is generally a one run race. Also, Super D is best served with a mass start, Le Mans or otherwise.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dantheman
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1 day/1 stage makes it Super D-esque, and Super D is way more old timey than anything Enduro. Also, for as long as I can remember the Utah gravity series has eschewed that mass start nonsense and used proper staggered starts.Quote:
Originally Posted by joetron
The top to bottom lap at silver at race pace is fucking brutal.
Over the years, they've run enduro races, downhill races, and super-D races down that same basic course. So you can kinda call it whatever you want at this point.
Nice work WRG - sounds like it was a good one this year. Prime conditions at Silver are always a treat.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Whiteroom_Guardian
love this foto, dood
fuckn Shredley McStache
DEPLOY MUSTACHE INTO ATTACK POSITION
Sport Mode
Traction Control: Off
Does that mean you switched back to the old Zeb Select?Quote:
Originally Posted by Whiteroom_Guardian
I created an Enduro race here in Los Alamos a few years back and was contemplating an approx 24 minute stage on a very fast and rocky trail.
I rode it at race pace and crashed 4 times.
Decided against getting someone killed. :eek:
Haha actually no. The GG with the new Zeb was the most traction I have ever experienced on a bike, but I was swinging off the back and letting her slide into turns more than ever.Quote:
Originally Posted by toast2266
The SB150 was a great bike, but I was just a passenger on that thing and the GG I can really control ride more.
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Right. But this was in a stage race.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dantheman
Back in the early enduro days -2011/12/13, longer stages were a lot more common than they are now and it was dope. Enchilada Enduro, CB BME, DGO BME and the first couple WP enduros.
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TyroneShoelaces and I found ourselves in Finland for SBT Gravel's newest vowel lacking race FNLD GRVL.
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He was on a single-speed mountain bike - likely the only one in the group who embraced that level of suffering.
I came into this event on the tail-end of Trans-Portugal (and then COVID), so I didn't get too much training in. My mindset was very much about having a great guided tour of Finland, albeit in a very large group. At one point, we were ahead of eventual race-winner Toms Skujins of Trek-Segafredo.
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Rolling out of the Lahti Waterfront, we made our way past the eventual finish, the Lahti winter sports complex, on manicured nordic ski trails.
(Pictures taken during pre-ride, not the event)
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I didn't expect that the rolling hills on smooth trails 10km into the day would ultimately be the decisive moment in my race - but it was in a very unexpected way.
There are two types of gravel riders: Those whom can ride a bike - who often find the sport from mountain biking - and those who'd be safer inside on the trainer.
Because I was afraid of the second type crashing and taking me out on the fast gravel descents, I decided the best course of action was to go HAM from the gun until things cleared out.
The race begins and the chaos ensues. The one early paved climb that could have thinned the field, had a neutral start car slowing the pace. When we hit the trails, I was cruising... or I thought I was until Tyrone blew by me on a climb yelling out to me as he lunged his way forward at 50rpm.
When we broke out onto the road, I landed in a group of 20? including the top female riders... and Tyrone whom I'm now realizing is a beast on the SS.
We settle in, taking pulls, and moving at pretty quick pace. Fast enough that I didn't want to get dropped out of it and left to fend for myself. This was the mindset of the female riders as well - and let me tell you - they hang onto wheels with a tenacity that I don't have and their little elbows are quite pointy. I was spending my time with my head down pushing and trying to protect my line to not get pushed into the gutter, instead of enjoying Finland and the glorious gravel. As you'll notice, there are no pictures during this time!
Two hours in, I realized I wasn't having fun. This was how that first 10k was decisive, I made the decision to go hard for the first hour to avoid potential carnage and that put me into a group that wasn't aligned with the experience that I wanted to have. I was faced with a decision, I could do this for 5 more hours or I could ride back to the hotel and go paddling boarding with my kids.
It was an easy decision and so I peeled off the group and watched them ride away as I plotted a new course back to town. To be honest, I felt a joy that I've rarely felt. The ride back to the hotel was the best miles I've done in Finland - I hope the land owners didn't mind me plotting my own path...
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So that's that. Tyrone was more successful than me and had a great finish time - nevermind the fact he did it on the singlespeed (beast!).
The event was great, the gravel was borderline perfect, the weather was excellent. It was an absolutely terrific experience. Maybe next time I'll make the decision to finish it!
I was right there with you in the same category. What an epic race. Hero dirt! Happy with 8th place in 2 of 6 stages. The pedaling in stage 4 was brutal eh?Quote:
Originally Posted by Whiteroom_Guardian
I’m signed up for BME purgatory and then big sky - see ya there?
Funny looking back at pics. I remember this exact tree…barely missed it and took some dancing to stay upright!
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Oh yeah, and how can I forget… the Mrs crushed it out there.
4th at tiger mountain CDC (two weeks ago), 2nd at NAEC this weekend!
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Ah. I talked to you in the bar.Quote:
Originally Posted by thefortrees
Congrats again to the Mrs.
Hoping they host the Super Duper D at Sun Valley this year. Full pull from the top of Bald Mountain Mayday Chair to Apple's Bar and Grill - descending 3250' over 10 miles.
Sick! I'll see you at Big Sky for sure. No Purg for me as of now. Thinking of doing CES Shasta and/or MES Helena.Quote:
Originally Posted by thefortrees
Congrats to Jamal on a big result yesterday. I won't dox him by posting the details. But it was a stellar performance in super hot conditions. I'm sure he will post the details once he recovers.
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hey thanks. yeah, so, did butte 100, got 2nd. it was hot, and i still feel pretty bad and wonder why i bother doing that kind of shit. Last 20mi I didn't really want to be there any more and my legs barely worked. I was kind of surprised to only be like 8min slower over the last 4 hours compared to last year.
Damn dude. Nice work!Quote:
Originally Posted by jamal
Can't even imagine going race pace for that long, especially when it's friggin hot out.
Yeah that's just insane. Good work.
Holy shit Jamal, just to finish the 100 on a day like yesterday is a feat. 2nd????? You are a badass.
Well done Jamal! Great job pushing through the pain and getting on the podium!
Big Sky BME was......wild. Take some of the steepest/rowdiest tracks in North America and cover them with peanut butter/actual flowing rivers. The most continuous rain I have ever seen in the mountains this time of year in SWMT. Super fun time shredding with maggot thefortrees! We were back and forth on stage times much of the weekend. I actually BROKE MY FUCKING CHAINRING FROM PEDALING. Insanity. I was in a super heavy gear pedaling into the start of stage 5 and next thing I know I'm lawn darting off the trail. Yard sale, broken hand guard, broken dropper lever, couldn't figure out what the fuck happened. Not sure I even broke the plane of the start timing equipment. They voided my time luckily. Scrambled to put the cockpit back together and then about to drop in and some other racer was like, "Dude your chain is off..." Look down and my chainring is broken in half. No damage to the teeth. I hadn't hit it on anything all weekend so I somehow just broke it from watts I guess lol.
I had to run a pretty long stage chainless which was fun and frustrating because there was quite a bit of pedaling on the stage. I lost a solid 2-3 minutes because of it. Down in the pits there were actually a couple guys who said they had bent their chainrings from pedaling but never completely broken. The guys in the Shimano tent hooked me up with a new chainring and chain and it was back to racing. Stages 6, 7, 8 I did really well on. Without the chainring explosion and chainless stage I could have been close to a top 10 in expert 21-39........which is a stupid huge category with too many damn kids in it lol. I would have been 3rd in 40-49. Next year finally I won't have to race children who have had sick modern bikes their entire lives lol.
Anyway racing is the fucking best.
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Wish I had more pics, it was an epic race! Had a blast ripping around on Thur/Fri practice and sat/sun race days with WRG.
Conditions went from Hero dirt to full on mud-luge between stages. So god damn fun…
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^^ adult slip and slides with trees everywhere. Good times.
Anyone know of other enduro races later into the fall? Whitefish is this weekend and I'd end up single if I went to that one last minute. Jackson is over Labor Day and I will be in Colorado. Ashland for CES is the same weekend I will be in Sedona. One of the CDC races in Mid/Late Sept???