2009 Vision Quest/Counting Coup - March 7th, 2009

[kev]

I'm in for the VQ. Anybody else doing it on a Singlespeed?

[tortoise]

Can anyone offer any training advice for the CC, I have never done this ride but have always wanted too. The Toad Festival is the biggest ride I have ever done, and that took me 5hrs. (with no training).

[ocrider]

Originally Posted by tortoise

Can anyone offer any training advice for the CC, I have never done this ride but have always wanted too. The Toad Festival is the biggest ride I have ever done, and that took me 5hrs. (with no training).

it depends on whether or not your training to race it or finish it. If I were training to finish it, I would start riding up blackstar to beeks and getting comfortable with that. And climbing maple springs to 4 corners or modjeska peak. WHen you get comfortable with, try riding blackstar to the motorway and maple springs to holy jim. The toad course is a good training ride 2. After New years I would do a 30 plus miles ride(with alot of climbing) every week untill 2 weeks before race day. Make sure to mix in fun rides recovery days and work on technical skills. Good luck and have fun!!

ps keep in mind that maple and the motorway r still closed

[ODB]

Originally Posted by ocrider

it depends on whether or not your training to race it or finish it. If I were training to finish it, I would start riding up blackstar to beeks and getting comfortable with that. And climbing maple springs to 4 corners or modjeska peak. WHen you get comfortable with, try riding blackstar to the motorway and maple springs to holy jim. The toad course is a good training ride 2. After New years I would do a 30 plus miles ride(with alot of climbing) every week untill 2 weeks before race day. Make sure to mix in fun rides recovery days and work on technical skills. Good luck and have fun!!

ps keep in mind that maple and the motorway r still closed

One training ride I did for my CC six years ago was up San Juan, around the lollipop and down Chiquito, up the highway to Blue Jay, then back down San Juan. Didn't track the stats, but i'd say it's about 6,000 feet of climbing and 30-plus miles. Helps break up all the boring fire road training.

[jbh65]

that's because of the heat and the goofy climb from the motor way to FC's.

I'm not much of a singletrack rider, so the more fire road the better for me.

[OMR]

Originally Posted by genusmtbkr5

Don't over train as I did last year, by the time the VQ came around, my knees were toast. This year I will NOT do as many training rides, but the quality of training rides will be plenty.

I did the Traverse as well and that heat made that event tougher than the VQ IMHO. I was way more spent!

I'd suggest staying off that darn single speed .... ... I'll be cheering you on from a comfortable chair, complete with cool beverage at one of the stations, my friend!

[Sebastian]

Originally Posted by OMR

I'd suggest staying off that darn single speed .... ... I'll be cheering you on from a comfortable chair, complete with cool beverage at one of the stations, my friend!

All I can remember from that race was nearing the end when I was spent, hearing my name being called f\by OMR & Wrecker. That was the coolest thing in the world. I didnt know anyone and wasnt expecting it at all. Just that lifted my spirits so much.

Nice Job!

[maxwell]

Originally Posted by Wrecker

You're not a true masochist until you complete the second one

I've got two VQ's & one and a half CC's under my belt.
The two VQ's were on my own, and the two CC's were with Lacey. She missed the cut-off her first year (when she was 12) by a half hour. The second time around (she was 13) she finished! She's still the youngest female finisher ever!
Don't think I'll be paying to ride that much fireroad again any time soon.

Originally Posted by sdyeti

I dunno...I think I'm a masochist for skipping CC and going right for VQ

That's exactly what I did. I said screw the CC, and went straight to the death march!

Finished both times. I didn't finish fast, but I did finish!

Originally Posted by Pho'dUp

Thinking of cruising the CC on a AM rig. But dam, can we get some Burrittos at the finish?

Carl, when I rode the CC with Lacey I did it on my 35 lb Kona Coiler. It makes all the climbing a little more FUN!!

Good luck to all of you that sign up. You'll really learn alot about yourself durring these rides!

[TrojanInsomniac]

Originally Posted by maxwell

Don't think I'll be paying to ride that much fireroad again any time soon.

Come on, Darin! Even my sorry @$$ is going to attempt the CC.......perhaps the VQ, if I'm really feeling ambitious on signup day

[BrewMaster]

Originally Posted by genusmtbkr5

Don't over train as I did last year, by the time the VQ came around, my knees were toast. This year I will NOT do as many training rides, but the quality of training rides will be plenty.

I did the Traverse as well and that heat made that event tougher than the VQ IMHO. I was way more spent!

Some of us need to start training now for your training rides Gene!

[sdyeti]

That was a dark, dark time during my ride. Ugh.

Originally Posted by reflux

In my opinion, this was the worst part of the entire ride, and not by a slim margin.

Rock on Lacey!

Yeah, I made the decision to ride my own ride. I committed to not trying to stick with anyone. Once I didn't have to chase anyone down or hold anyone else's pace, I was good.

Originally Posted by maxwell

The two VQ's were on my own, and the two CC's were with Lacey. She missed the cut-off her first year (when she was 12) by a half hour. The second time around (she was 13) she finished! She's still the youngest female finisher ever!


Finished both times. I didn't finish fast, but I did finish!

[Zippo]

Originally Posted by kev

I'm in for the VC. Anybody else doing it on a Singlespeed?

Hey Kev, I'll be ss'ing the VQ...probably go with front suspension as my wrists were pretty cooked riding the Traverse rigid.

Clark

[sdyeti]

My knee cartilage hurts just thinking about that

Originally Posted by kev

I'm in for the VQ. Anybody else doing it on a Singlespeed?

[maxwell]

Originally Posted by Pho'dUp

Don't forget about the pavement climb up Maple Springs.

Originally Posted by sdyeti

That was a dark, dark time during my ride. Ugh!

While I was riding with Lacey durring her 2nd attempt at the CC, and she had made the cut-off, we started the pavement climb up Maple Springs.........

She had just mentioned how hard it was getting, and that she was getting a little tired.
Just about that time one, then two, rider's came riding past us heading back down the hill.
She asked why they were heading down already.
I told her that if they were heading down from here, that for some reason, whatever it may be, they were not going to finish. They were deciding not to finish the ride. I told her that she had made her only cut-off, and all she had to do was make her mind up that she wanted to finish it, and we would.
She told me, "I'm not giving up, I'm finishing"!
I said, "that's my girl"!
And off over the peak we went!

[kev]

Originally Posted by Zippo

Hey Kev, I'll be ss'ing the VQ...probably go with front suspension as my wrists were pretty cooked riding the Traverse rigid.

Clark

Cool, going rigid again myself. I think I might have been riding with you at the start of the Traverse.

[ocrider]

At my first VQ I was eating burgers on horse theif so long that the trail sweeps caught up with me lol.