2014 Pow Wow Race Reports

Ha ha...I did it last year and laughed at all you fools for taking the long way around (in a playful manner) but was busted by Erik B/WS (he's the one on the moto). I just giggled - hey I'll cut it again it I do VQ next year, the long way around just bites!!!

 

EB/WS was not on the moto , Erik was at the top of the MW last year as he was this year. That was probably Switchback Tim. The G out "short cut" does not give you any significant time save, maybe 30 seconds and that's if you sling shot up it and not have to dismount and now walk up the steeper side. I've also heard of people thinking about cutting up Upper Joplin. You do that and you WILL get a DNF because you'll miss a check point at the peak.

 

Not trying to be a rabble-rouser here, but have you considered that you could temporarily hire someone (I'm sure someone from this board would do it, or has a teenager who'd love to do it for ~minimum wage [great college application resume stacking, given the nonprofit status]) to periodically handle the list swapouts and payment acceptance for something like 2 hours each Saturday during a two month period. I'm sure the number of people swapping in and out would net a profit that could go straight to the charity, while not creating any increased headache for the WS members.

 

Sounds like riders discretion then. To me, it would have been worth it. Noted for next year.

 

I would never cut UHJ, that's the payoff and fun after all that climbing!!

 

Not Upper Holy Jim.....the single track in the saddle that takes you to the backside of the Peak.

Like Gene said....you would miss the checkpoint at the Peak....resulting in a DNF.

 

Yes, Gene I totally understand where you're coming from. I was just throwing out the suggestion, trying to explore a solution that doesn't add much overhead to what the WS already needs to do for the event. Whether this is what MojoCP is recommending, or checking to see if Active.com already administers this, or other. If there was an efficient solution, it could raise money and actual participation. If the determination is that it's not worth it, that's okay too.

 

DNS's...
Help Fund the Race
Less People on the Course
More People Below me on The Results
I don't see a problem

Oh ... and may all course cutters burn in sidewall cut H3LL!

 

We have already determined that it is not worth it....therefore we don't do/allow transfers.

I have said said it before....one year handling the wait list....with nearly 200 on each event....is a major hassle. It was the year that it seemed as though everyone was sick. Calling/emailing everyone if those on the wait list was a major pain in the ass. First, they were hard to get ahold of. Then wanted time to think about it, or never responded. Many were on both lists, but when a CC spot opened, they didn't want it, holding out for a VQ spot. Then getting the registration/waivers filled out and returned. It is like to herd cats.

Like Gene said in an earlier post...we even started charging for transfers and that didn't seem to slow anyone down. Many of the sellers charged the buyers the $25.

The events would sell out in minutes....because people would panic buy a spot then decide later if they really wanted to do the event or not. Now with no transfers/refunds...the people that sign up are much more serious about it...no one wants to throw $140 away because they "might" wanna do the event. This is also why the event does not sell out in 5 mins anymore. 9 out of the 10 people I know that wanted to ride in the events were able to get in without any trouble....and signed up himself and logged back in and signed up his girlfriend. Everyone had fair warning as to when registration would open up.

So we have determined that the system works as is. If you would like to do it a different way.....feel free to start your own event.

Have be we beaten this dead horse enough?

 

sounds like the G-out is NOT part of the course. Don't cut the course cheaters!

 

It's funny because all they're doing is cheating themselves. People, gotta love em! Wait, no I don't!

 

Warrior Society:

This year was my third CC (in a row) and I felt the trails were in the best shape this year. I did not train on the course, but heard from numerous people that both Motorway and UHJ were in rough shape prior to race day, so I assume you guys put in a tremendous amount of work and I appreciate it. Thank you again for organizing a great event!

 

Oooo, Steve!!...too bad I don't believe in hell. You cut it by 50yrds?...BFD!!!
I still had to dismount but it beat avoiding the big ass ruts....give me a ****ing break.

 

wow a post by ridinrox with no mention of gas or taking a dump trail side. just about fell out of my chair.

 

I see the opportunity for meaningful communication, coming from this page.

 

1) Not just referring to that 50 yard section. I have competed in close to 100+ Races over the years of various types and seen all sort of "rationalized" behavior ... my real lack of respect is with people that are "racing" and using it to advantage not just folks "participating"... and since when did a rut deter/derail Rox

2) While we are at it I have the same level disrespect towards racers that throw / drop their GU packs on the trails far as I am concerned they should be DQ'd too and I find it entirely hypocritical with respect to the ethos of the race. Thank gosh the Warriors go out and clean up after them. I put my money where my mouth is on this and ran a Trash for Cash contest out of my own pocket / organization for sever years. Maybe it is time to bring it back.

3) You don't have to believe in hell ... but we all know sidewall cuts are real...its a Karma thing

Overall I am a pretty easy going non-judgmental guy (believe it or not) lack of consideration, ethics, integrity, self centered view of the world in others... still a weakness I am working on.

 

Wishing bad upon someone got my goat. I don't see it as cheating just another way around. There's another section on MD that has two options as well.

VQ/CC is not a race but a journey inside one's self ... I'm proud of that accomplishment even if I took a different option...it wasn't roped/coned off.

Carry on....

 

That section is FUN........why I do it...always have.........always will.

pssst.......I also drafted off of a few riders going up Black Star

 

My 2014 VQ

And now, ladies and gentlemen, back to your regularly scheduled ride reports!

Several days after the event I’m finally getting around to putting a few of my thoughts and recollections down, not only from the event, but from the months leading up to the day of the Pow Wow.

I think mtnbikej said it in his writeup; I felt like a kid on Christmas Eve in the few days leading up to the ride. On Wednesday and Thursday, I was pumped and ready to ride. On Friday, I got started on final prep for a very early morning as I was planning to start the VQ early at 4:30am (there is no longer an early start option available to the field and by mentioning that I hope to avoid another discussion ala the DNS issue). I had already dialed the bike in on Monday (or so I thought, more on this later) with oversight from Tim at Switchback. I would be riding my 2013 Stumpjumper HT 29er, set up 1x9.

Last fall, I began quizzing Tim about what things I could do to better prepare for VQ. My previous 2 efforts had been respectable for a weekend warrior but I was really dead by the time I hit the Trabuco singletrack and lost too much time from there to the finish. I don’t and won’t ride road because I enjoy being alive, and I wasn’t ready to sit on a trainer in my garage for hours on end because I ride MTB to get outside in the first place. But the realities of working a full time job, being a husband and travel softball dad, etc. present some very real constraints as most of you know firsthand. Tim worked with me and we came up with a very reasonable plan that consisted of some different off-the-bike work as well as some different things on the bike that I hadn’t done in previous years. I actually did fewer rides in training than past years, but after the first of the year, I started making sure that either Saturday or Sunday, I was doing rides in the Santa Anas that I would launch from my house and eventually topped 60 miles / 10,000’ of climbing / 7-8 hours of saddle time. Other than occasionally being joined mid-route by jbh65, I did all of these rides solo because I don’t like being restricted to anyone else’s pace, mechanicals, cramps, etc. I’m training after all! Most of the time I was lucky if I got another shorter ride in during the week; usually I was running, doing stair jumps, one-legged squats, stretching, etc. On those big rides I would hit a big climb, usually Harding, and do intervals the whole way up, the rest of the ride I was trying to maintain a reasonable pace like I would on VQ and make sure that I hit WHT with a lot of miles already under my belt. Years past I would just ride up Trabuco Creek Road and hit WHT fresh, but that’s the opposite of how you feel when you get there on VQ! I think my approach paid off because the Trabuco-WHT loop was the strongest part of my day this year.

On VQ morning, like most others, I probably got 2 hours of real sleep. Even though I started my race day prep earlier that week and devoted all of Friday to it, I still found myself scrambling around Friday evening (why is it always that way?) when I wanted to be unwinding and trying to get myself to fall asleep early. I opened my eyes before the appointed hour of 2:30am, ate a breakfast consisting of 2 Eggo waffles, a bowl of oatmeal, a banana, a Powerbar, and a big homebrewed Americano. Oh and washed all of that down with a Powerade. Big breakfast eh? It was (more on this later). I was already 99% packed up and drove over to the finish line at Parker Ranch, and rode my bike out to the beginning of Trabuco Creek Road where my regular drinking/riding/golfing buddy and support guru extraodinaire, jbh65, was waiting to drive me over to the start. Once there, jbh65 started assisting with check in and I did some stretching and sprinting to get ready to start the course at 4:30am sharp. Gene rolled up and we both took off on time. Immediately I knew I had eaten too much; my gut was churning trying to digest what I’d put in my system while my blood-starved legs were trying to pull me up Blackstar. Tim and the moto support crew passed me on the way to Beeks and in an uneventful first leg, I made my first split a minute faster than projected. Good start. About halfway to Motorway, 2 things happened…1 good and 1 bad. My stomach was feeling better because I was finally digesting that colossal breakfast, but decending the steeper parts of MD were painfully slow due to both the darkness and the fog that was rolling over the ridge. The fog was causing my light to reflect right back at me, so that I only had about 5 yards of visibility in front. I knew this was going to kill my next split because I wasn’t carrying the momentum I needed to into each climb. Then, something else started occurring that I knew wasn’t good. That bike that was fine-tuned earlier in the week? With the last 2 major climbs to go before Motorway, I started experiencing an annoying “click” with each pedal stroke. I thought maybe I could play with the rear derr barrel adjuster and straighten it out, but to no avail. Near the top of MW, it seemed to become less bothersome, and by the time I reached Aid #1 and all of the ensuing hoopla, I had forgotten all about it (more on this in a minute). It’s funny being the first one in to the Aid Station because most people think I’m leading the event. My buddies knew I was starting early, and Andy quickly let everyone within earshot know that I was not the first place rider. Jbh65 was there dutifully waiting with my bottle changeout, and after giving him my light, I clicked back in and only got through half of my pedal stroke. We’ve all broken a chain, right? That’s exactly what it felt like…only it was much worse:



Right away I thought “This is what it feels like to DNF….really???” I swear I put an allen wrench on those bolts when I was giving the bike the once-over in Tim’s shop the week before. Regardless of what happened, one, then two, then three of those bolts loosened up on MD and fell out…when the ring fell off my bike onto the Maple Springs pavement, there was only one bolt remaining! I had even thought to myself earlier about how much good fortune I’ve had with respect to mechanicals; in 2 previous VQs and 2 CCs, never so much as a flat! My good run had come to an end and I was going to DNF.

But, not so fast…Andy came over and asked if he found someone with a spare size S single speed, would I ride (That’s only partially true; someone did offer me a size S singlespeed, but Andy was genuinely trying to help). Little did I know he had Bud Light on him at the time, I could have used one at this point. Fortunately, my day was about to be saved in the biggest way. Suzanne Martin, wife of mtnbikej, stepped forward and offered me her 32T Salsa ring from her singlespeed. 4 bolt design; looks compatible with Shimano…sweet! The G2 guys (thanks AJ and Ted!) swapped the ring and got me going again…equal parts relief, adrenaline rush, and unbelief). While all of this was going on, the leaders including Joel Titius, Danny Munoz, and whoever else had already blazed by. I got quite a ways up Maple Springs before Dana Weber and Ryan Clark, both in their matching Stage 21 kits, came churning by. These guys are buds and were obviously working together very well, but I remember thinking they seemed quite a ways back of the leaders already. Shame on me for not recognizing at the time that these guys are endurance veterans and knew exactly what they were doing, as they would prove with their convincing #1 and #2 finishes later in the morning. Ryan even flatted at the Peak or the finish between those two may have been more interesting.

At this point I’m feeling pretty good physically, and it occurred to me that I needed to get my mental game in focus quickly. After the mechanical, there would be no sub-7 VQ on this day. I was nearly 30 minutes behind my projected split at the Peak, but I was really happy with my ride times and thought I could threaten my previous PR, 7:37. From that point on, that became my focus. I decended from the Peak to Aid #2 as fast as I dared to go, and made it down in around 41 minutes. At Aid #2, would you guess who was there ready with water and a banana? Suzanne Martin, of course. (Mark Cluttey was also there and made a wisecrack about me not wanting his banana. Sorry Mark.). I thanked her again for saving my race, gave her a hug, and took off up Trabuco fireroad. This part of the course passed quickly and I felt good up the singletrack. I dismounted the techier, looser parts to save energy for the rest of the loop and it proved a good strategy. On the WHT HAB, I had good energy and even jogged the less steep, north-facing stretches. At the top I grabbed a cup of HEED, Brian Ephraim gave me a couple sips of Coke (awesome!), I took my shoe off to shake a rock out, and took off. I made it over to top of Trabuco in good time and was so stoked to hit the downhill…again, I rode as fast as I dared knowing a crash or flat would dash my hopes of beating my PR. At times I thought I was going to have a chance, other times I thought no, you’re going to miss it by 3-5 minutes. I just focused on getting to the finish line as fast as I safely could. Once I was directed off the road and onto the Parker property, shades of the 2011 finish through the creekbed came to my mind. How much extra is this bumpy finish costing me? But, it was actually over really fast and I loved the new finish. Once through, I could hardly believe my result 7:37…crazy. I managed to post a ride time of 6:59:57 so in addition to not taking a DNF, this was another silver lining.

I always learn so much every year and am already looking forward to applying these lessons in 2015. Many thanks to my wife and daughter for their support of my training, jbh65 for the event support, and Suzanne for the chainring! Without all of you, I wouldn’t have made across the finish line. For the rest of 2014, I am looking forward to more backcountry adventure riding, Gooseberry Mesa trips, and trailwork.

Until next year, ya ta hey!

 

Rox, I assure you... your goat is safe