Race Report 2011 Vision Quest/Counting Coup reports

Discussion in 'Racing and Training' started by MojoCP, Apr 2, 2011.

  1. genusmtbkr5

    genusmtbkr5 STR Moderator

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  2. MojoCP

    MojoCP New Member

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    Nice going, Mark. Just think about how much faster you'd be with a 26" wheel bike!
     
  3. pachaven

    pachaven Member

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    Loved my two9er!
     
  4. OMR

    OMR Old Man Riding...

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    Interesting how many 29ers there were in this year's event compared to last year' event ... I seem to remember when many said the 29er was just a fad or passing fancy... hmmmmm...
     
  5. Waldo

    Waldo Lebowski Urban Achiever

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    I just read the last 6 pages of this thread, and as in the past couple years, reading all of your RR's left me stoked and inspired. I've been on injured reserve for the past few months and have just started physical therapy this week. But now it's not physical therapy any more - I'm in training for next year!
    Congrats to all, and see you in 2012!
     
  6. singlespeedrider

    singlespeedrider Member

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    A few days have passed and I am ready to sign up for next year.

    Bring on Rwanda and the Traverse!!!!
     
  7. mtnbikej

    mtnbikej Well-Known Member

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    Ahhhhh.....how quickly the body forgets.
     
  8. KonaDupee

    KonaDupee Soon to be Konaless Dupee

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    I ran a 32-20 on my 29er.
     
  9. singlespeedrider

    singlespeedrider Member

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    32:22 on my 29er
     
  10. deja vu

    deja vu done dirt cheap!

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    OK, my turn......hard to make it short as so much goes on...I love that everyone has a real story to tell after this race!

    Here is my CC report:

    The drums were thumping. The sage was burning..........and then just like that we were off.

    One thing is certain, it is dark out at 5:30 in the morning. But there we were….. hundreds of us in the complete darkness…… with small commuter lights…….going as fast as we possibly could.

    It was freaky to see how fast the front pack was moving…consisting of mainly hardcore VQ guys. They quickly split off and flew up the first switchbacks like turbo charged fire flies and did not reduce the pace even slightly, truly amazing to see.

    When I got further up I looked back to see the surrealistic vision of a train of light moving its way up Blackstar Canyon, snaking it’s way upwards through the darkness. I gave out a big yell at the sharp right where you get the first good look back, don't ask me why but it's something I have done every year (going on 8 now, 4 VQ, 4CC)

    When I got to Hidden Valley it was foggy and my headlight reflected back making it tough to see. I was in front of a pack of three and almost rode into a big gap where the road is washed out….close call. We hopped off our bikes, walked over the small bridge and proceeded to hammer towards Beeks Place.

    The sky started to lighten at Beeks as the sun slowly rose in a kaleidoscope of colors. We continued our journey to the Motorway. I didn’t push my pace as I was making my times and knew I had some significant climbing ahead. I was amazed (as usual) at the strong single speed riders dropping me. Mutants!

    I took my time down the Motorway and it paid off…no crashes, flats or sidewall damage to my tire. Not the case with others from what I heard!

    I got to the bottom and looked for my cooler…..they had moved the aid station location from previous years and it totally threw me off. A guy was yelling at me that the aid station was up the road. I scanned the roadside looking for my cooler and proceeded up the road to the first aid station. I quickly looked around, didn’t see my cooler, completely panicked, refilled my two water bottles and headed up Maple Springs. I had two GU packs on me and figured it would hold me to the finish in a pinch. It would turn out later my cooler was there (but my brain wasn't!)

    At one of the stream crossing I slowed down to avoid two hikers…….right then a rider flies by me to the right. Whoa! I catch up, wait a minute I recognize this rider….."Hey Heidi, is that you?" A big smile confirmed that indeed Heidi was IN this race. This is the girl that set the female record for the course last year…..OK, it is ON! :)

    I ramp up my pace and get past her. My heart rate is good so I continue. I build up a gap. Sweet! I feel pretty good, better than last year for sure. I am hoping that I can stay ahead. Not so fast bucko….

    She doesn’t pass me for a while. I didn’t even see it coming…….but then it does. A train of three, her, Eric on his 18 pound 29’r, (who winds up 4th in CC) and someone else I don’t recognize. Damn!! They are holding a pace I do not want to keep so I am forced to let them go. I keep them in sight for a while but by the time I get to Four Corners they are gone.

    Four Corners turns out to be a life saver. They have some extra food so I grab a strawberry munch bar. I take off and eat half of it instantly. Aaaah, food! A couple people I have passed return the favor as I get myself back in the saddle, but I feel start to feel better and get past them shortly after. Time to push to Santiago Peak.

    I proceed onwards and upwards. A downward grade towards Joplin brings a short lived respite from the relentless grind towards the peak. I pound it and head into the final ascent. Wait a minute…yes…there she is a little ways ahead…I almost can’t believe it!

    But first I must take in the panorama from the last switchback to the summit. This is one of my favorite parts of the ride. A cloud layer lies far below with just the high points peaking through. Is that a peak on San Clemente Island? I think it is!!

    OK, back to business. I accelerate, my heart rate is good. I close the gap and get past her and a couple other riders. I am just another guy in a sho-air jersey so pretty sure I am under the radar. I keep the pace to the Peak and start dropping down the back side.

    Upper Holy Jim goes like clockwork, even with some guy doing a full OTB in front of me. My pre-ride earlier in the week is paying off. I pass several people and pray they are a bottle neck to you know who behind me. I get to the bottom and head over to Holy Jim.

    I am starting to feel a little light headed by the time I get to Holy Jim. The two gel packs and half a bar have been burned through apparently, and I am feeling the effects. I risk crashing or losing time if I try to eat the other half so I continue on, blazing down Holy Jim. That’s when it happens.

    It went well in the pre-ride….a rocky elbow with consequences on the down side. If you roll it just right it’s over in two seconds. Not this time. I am too clunky and I come to a dead stop in the crook and topple towards my left…..bouncing off the rock face towards the bottom.

    I am pinned upside down underneath my bike at the bottom. Sweet? I unclip and get myself upright. I try to crawl out……the rock has been worn smooth by the creek that flows through and is too slippery to get out easily with my bike. I continue to try but nada.

    Shortly after another racer stops and asks if I am OK and offers to help (who ever that was THANKS!). I lift my bike overhead, he grabs the handlebar and pulls it onto the trail. With both hands freed I can now crawl out. I may have lost a position as racers pass me, so I hop back on my rig and continue the adventure.

    Slightly shaken from my off trail adventure I continue my descent. After a few minutes I begin to regain some confidence. There are many hikers and bikers coming up the trail so it is a bit sketchy. They are all extremely cooperative and encouraging and I am thankful that we have so many good people in the world.

    Further down I find the creek crossing are higher this year. Not quite Sagebrush Safari levels but 2-3 feet deep in places easy. I have lost all ‘smoothnicity’ I may possess and am not having an easy time. I think I almost submerged myself once or twice. Finally I am out to the road and almost finished with the race. Thank god I am not doing Vision Quest this year. I will be lucky to make it out from here!

    I pound Trabuco Creek road out. It has been recently graded so it is very smooth and fast, nice. I pass a few off road vehicles and make good time towards the finish. In my delirium I fail to notice a pothole, hit it hard, my hand flies off the handlebar and I almost eat it at 25 MPH. That gets my attention and I do everything I can to make it out in one piece from there.

    When I get to the end of the road I am not sure what to do. "Follow the orange cones" they tell me. The orange cones go through an untamed riverbed….crazy! I manage to pedal through it and was happy to clean it. Then a steep up to the road and out onto Live Oak. A little further….further…follow the signs…a hard left….. and then just like that it is over.

    I am amazed with my time; my best case scenario was at least 5 minutes slower, with the original finish line (this course added a mile…I think at least 3 minutes longer). Heidi comes in less than a minute behind me, wow is she a tough cookie!! She completely smashes her old record, wild. Mario wins the Coup (big surprise?) and I think may have set a course record if the finish line hadn't moved.

    I head over and immediately start ingesting as much sugar as I can find, I down two sodas right away and start feeling better, needed some calories for sure. Then it was time to hang out and cheer the other racers on as they finished.

    The VQ racers start coming in less than a half hour behind us, amazing, inspiring, and freaky all at the same time!!

    pretty cool local race!!
     
  11. iPhrankie

    iPhrankie New Member

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    Thanks Eric for posting your photos.

    Anyone have info on the other photographers that were out there?
     
  12. Rumpled

    Rumpled Longtime Newb

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    So, I only rode part of the course to encourage a friend in.
    But, I now have some PO on my legs from the Trabuco Trail.
    Anyone else?
     
  13. Jens

    Jens New Member

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    Hello Dudes and Dudets

    Just posted a report on www.MTBRacenews.com with input from Nate Whitman, Doug Andrews, Guy Sutton and Tinker.

    Also, thank you for letting me use some of your pictures!

    Jens
     
  14. genusmtbkr5

    genusmtbkr5 STR Moderator

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    Very nice report Jens. Thank you.

     
  15. pinnacle10

    pinnacle10 Member

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  16. MojoCP

    MojoCP New Member

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    I was going too fast in the last 1/4 of the race to really pay attention (and trying not to crash, basically), but did anyone see if any of those leafy greens protruding all over the place in Lower Holy happened to be poison oak? I'm talking about once you start the stream crossings.

    When I get it, it takes 7+ days to break out, but when it does - all HELL breaks looks. I just kept telling myself that I would have heard about it from a pre-race ride report... but that wasnt exactly true when I got it after last year's Traverse.


    [-o-][-o-][-o-]
     
  17. iPhrankie

    iPhrankie New Member

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    I would say it's most likely there was poison oak around and after the stream crossing on LHJ. It's pretty common to see it there.

    A few spots of PO have started to appear on my legs. However, the gnat bites are proving to be the most troublesome. I didn't realize how badly I was bitten until after the race.
     
  18. bvader

    bvader Long Live The Gorn!

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    So where is your feather?

    So the fun, pain, excitement are fading .....one last question

    So where is your feather?

    Mine somehow followed me to work (the rest are at home), and is quietly hanging where I can look at it and remind myself of lots of hard and satisfying work by me and lots of other folks.
     
  19. singlespeedrider

    singlespeedrider Member

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    I handed mine to my two and a half year old daughter soon after the race and lets say the feather part has seen better days. I could get upset over that but it reminds me that she was there at the finish and at the bottom of Motorway to cheer me on. Now it is hanging by my desk.
     
  20. pachaven

    pachaven Member

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    Bummer!!! I just started on my Medrol Dose Pak :( PO SUCKS!!!!!!
     

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