RR: "12 Hours Of Temecula" Final Update/Merged Threads

GREAT event!!!!
huge thanks to jason and his crew. this series is seriously the best thing in socal.

our team did well. not sure were we ended up yesterday but we took 2nd for the 3 person open overall series.

report and pics soon.

 

HA! I'm suffering because I did make it out (at least for a few laps...)

Great Event! Fun course and awesome competitors. Can't wait for the next one. (Actually, I could use a couple extra months to train, but you know what I mean.)

 

big thanks to all of the STR support out there...it was great to have everyone cheering me on!! definitely brings back the old school STR family feel when you've got a cool group in your corner!

congrats to everyone who raced!!

now back to drinking the beer that i was too destroyed to drink last night!

 

cool race!! I was out there for my first 12 hour of Temecula race w/ Team High Gear. Competition was fierce, I was up for lap 1 and people were moving!! On one of the ridgline drops my front tire slid into a rut and I thought I was a goner, just barely averted a crash, then wiens flies past me!! I spent the rest of the lap trying to catch him (no luck) that is quite a pace for a solo rider, amazing!!

 

mod edit: made this thread a RR and moved to Trail Talk.

 

RR: 12 Hours of Temecula

Thanks to Jason Ranoa and his team for putting on a stellar event! Congrats to everyone who raced...it wasn't an easy course!

Now on to the RR...

Team Jack, Queen, King, Ace consisted of me, Dan (Man blong Gaua), Darryl (jonathan_sykes), and Mark (OffRoadie)...we went into it with the idea of having a competitive team, and boy did we ride our little hearts out! We had a great time and did our best! :bang:

Our pit-mates were Sean (GP_pilot), Evan (evdog), and Mark (sladnas). Huge, huge thanks to Sean for bringing out the camper, setting up a kick @$$ camp/pit, organizing the food, and generally running the ship:clap: You made the event go so smoothly, and we are very appreciative.

GP_pilot setting up camp


We had a great site right on the final paved approach to the timing tent...right at the sharp left corner and could see a nice view of the sand pit and steep run up as well as the fire road approach to the Damn Climb. If we looked really carefully, we could see riders waaaay up on the Damn Climb...cool to see at night!

Our view


Heading down to register


We started out by registering and bumping into a lot of familiar faces...

Dan and StevieB (props to him for doing it solo)


Willie, shudder, and lukewiens


The STR pits hadn't fired up yet


Luke's steed carried him to an enormous finish


Got back up to camp and figured out the order: Darryl lead off on his rigid ss...and got a smoking fast lap time. Dan went 2nd and just about matched Darryl's time. The temps were climbing and the wind was really picking up. In retrospect, I maybe should have chosen to go earlier in the rotation! Mark went out 3rd, and then I was 4th.

jonathan_sykes (Darryl) gets ready for lap #1

GP_pilot also getting ready


Got Hydration?


Fast guys coming through on the parade lap


Uh, Darryl, where are you going?! (forgot his bottle)


Our view of lap 1...if you look closely, you can see StevieB in the white jersey


Hop on the train...(click for a better view...it's pretty impressive)


Mark and Evan document the craziness


Dan wrenching on his brakes


My first lap was terrible. I had a headache before the lap even started (even though I hydrated very well, took my Endurolytes, etc). I couldn't find my rhythm on the approach to the Damn Climb. Once I got to the top, the wind was horrible. The ridgeline was really sketchy with the gusting wind. I was not shifting wisely. I felt pretty slow (ended up being 1:13). I came in determined to do a faster lap.

Me at the end of lap 1


Not so happy with lap 1


Mark enjoying some pasta salad lunch


Everyone got faster on lap #2...Darryl and Mark really pushed it. Dan turned our fastest team lap time with a 52 min! :clap: Soon it was my turn to go out...I set my watch right as I left the oak tree and never looked at it until I finished. I rode as hard as I could and didn't waste any time. The wind had died down, and it was dusk. Great conditions! I was pleased to finish with a lap time that was (unofficially) under 59 minutes!

Soon it came down to a game of #s. We were doing really well but would all have to turn in solid sub-hour times if there would be hope of me going out on a 3rd lap. In the end, it wasn't meant to be, but I think we had a really respectable performance. We celebrated in true camp fashion...lots of grilled ribs and s'mores for dessert!

Chili pepper decorations


Cool shot from this morning


Thanks to my biggest cheerleader


We had a great time! I am looking forward to next year...solo sport women

 

I had a great time. After my first lap I was much better, my rear derailleur was ghost shifting through the whole last half of my first lap

But I got it fixed and was off! The next two laps where much better. What a great event, everyone was so cool. I really need to invest in an XC bike though...

 

C'mon folks...I know there were lots of STR'ers out there...what did you think of the race?! Fill us in

 

I knew that I'd regret not going out there to cheer you all on. Looks as if it was a fantastic event! I'll have to make it out for the next one.......perhaps as a participant! Congrats to all the racers on a job well done :clap:

 

Hey Steph,

Race wise our crew did fantastic. Lots of first timers, and lots of guys finishing off their first season, lots of new personal records under Neil and Traci's helpful guidance.

Unfortunately lots of racers and the amazong support folks were under a lot of distress as fires were breaking out at home.. I'm sure they'll post up soon.

 

solo or on a team?
i'm trying to convince myself that doing the January one would be better than racing SRC that day. Not sure if I want to do it solo or not. :-s

I'm waiting to hear from Jay/duke777/graves.z/jox2
were they out there? how'd they do? :bang:

Thanks for the pics stephanie, i'll live vicariously through those until more are posted!

 

The race overall was another great experience from the June race. I went out there with a goal in my head 7 laps. After 2 laps I was feeling great, then went out for my third, as I was coming up Ambulance Climb and I could start to feel a cramp creeping up on me on my inner thigh groin region. I had to get off and stretch it out. That cramp would haunt me the rest of the day, it continued to come back, even after drinking a ton of pickle juice and rubbing it out with Carl's massage stick. After doing 4 laps it was only 3pm I still had 6 hours to do 3 laps. When I went out for the 5th lap I started talking myself into considering 1 more lap. That would be 8 laps. I came and refueled and went out for 6 I told my wife, if I come in with time to do another lap, make me go out. I came in with 7 laps and had 1 hour and 40mins to do another lap. my lap times all day were 1:15-1:20 mins a lap. So there I went out for 1 more, it was dark, windy and I was exhausted, I told my legs we have to do 1 more guys, 1 more, just get this done and I will feed you carna Asada and Salmon.
So I came in with 8 laps at 8:40 :clap::bang:

I have allot of Thanks to do,

First off, gotta thank my wife for being my support and ensuring I was eating and drinking. (and for keeping a dirty secrete all day)

next, Neil and Traci who again are awesome lets allot of us share their campsite and many other things it would take too long to list. I really want to thank them they have vast amounts of knowledge of the bike race world and they are more than willing to share it.

I have to thank Wayland and Carl for coming. Their support and motivation pushed me even more.

and I have to thank Allison, on lap 7 and 8 she happened to pass me, both times I realized I need to try to keep up with her and keep myself moving, we talked a little bit and on her 9th I asked her are you going for 10 and she said either I go out for 10 or someone else does so its going to be me, when she said that I knew I had to go for 8.

So back to my wifes little secrete. All day she knew that our condo was in danger of the fire's, I didn't even know there were fires going on. Our community was voluntary evacuated. We live in Anaheim hills near Serrano and Weir Canyon. So all day, she did not tell me because she knew it would have killed my concentration. There are other fire stories but I will let those people tell their own stories.

Oh, I forgot to say, I took 2nd Place, but I think I took 1st, then in the overall for the year, I took 3rd, Carl and Wayland took 1st and 2nd for overall for the year.

 

way to go to everyone that raced... conditions were...... interesting to say the least. rr to come

 

Thanks for the RR Trizz and great riding yesterday. By the way, I've been thinking about the results, I believe not only do you need a first place for November's race (beginners category). I believe we need to trade 2008 series medals with you as you did the same # laps as me in less time dude. I think it was really close by my math.

I think there must be hidden power in those fart vibrating balls of yours.

C

 

No way in hell I could do it solo. I'd drop dead a quarter of the way in it:lol:

I too am curious to hear what they had to say as well.......

 

well i showed up just a little after the race started and about an hour later Traci got a call from gary (mudman) to tell them that there is a fire very close to their neighborhood... of course this puts Traci into immediate panic mode. So the rest of the day was really interesting since we had to make sure the racers were ok and taken care of and Amanda (trizz's wife) and Traci had to hold back from telling the guys about the fires.. As the day went on, the temps rose and the wind started to really pick up. People were crashing left and right and there was a lot of traffic out on the trails.. It was good to see the new guys dig deep and crank out the 7-8 laps that they did. Allison killed it by cranking out 10 laps even though she may have not been mentally ready to do it. Neil came by from his 6th lap just beaten down.. he could barely walk and breathe, thinking he may have cracked a few ribs.. he had some road rash on his arms, legs and hip and could not hold onto the handlebars since he jammed his palms into the ground.. however, he did not want to forfeit the lap so i had to use all his energy to finish the lap... he rode when he could, but could barely walk up and down the hills since his left calf had completely locked up and he could not put any weight on his left leg. He rarely crashes and i've never seen the guy so beat up.. he came in saying he was done, he could not go out and do any more laps.. Traci and I looked at eachother and knew that no matter what, he had 4 hours to do one more lap. He had worked way too hard to just give it up because of a crash. About 15 minutes later he was standing up and limping around, i handed him the bike and he set off... I have no idea how, but i think he came back in about an hour and was just spent.... i don't know how the hell he did it, but that guy is tough... this was when traci decided to drop the bomb to him about the fires....it was a crazy night that was for sure...

in other news, Mario and Heidi were coined to take 1st for the race and overall, but Mario found himself up front on the first lap and accidently cut the course and his first lap was forfeited. After hearing about the loss of a lap, they just decided to have fun since there was no way they could make up a lap. They did manage to take 1st place overall in pro 2 man/woman

the 3 stooges killed it today, well except for Carl who was always laying down or eating when i saw him. Weyland and Troy were duking it out for beginner men's solo and there may have been an error in the timing since Troy was the only one to do 8 laps, but somehow they had another guy take 1st place. Troy took 2nd place and weyland came in 3rd. Overall they swept it with Weyland taking 1st overall and bringing home the trophy. Carl and Troy followed taking 2nd and 3rd. Allison napped 1st place pro womans for the race and 3rd place pro overall.

The slacker team seemed to have fun, donny was killing it with sub hour laps, with the rest of the guys coming in slightly after an hour.. they seemed in good spirits and donny went out with jojo on his last lap to keep him company. i'm not sure how he crashed, but he came back without a saddle shell, but the rails! he was given a rag so he had something to cushion the buttocks at least

on to the pics

chris says its never too early for a beer



Traci and Toby



Duke777 telling everyone about how big Springrubber's balls are



Traci drops the bomb about the fire to Neil



Neil gets his medal for the race



hugging the competition and enjoying only the finest of beer



what? $250 gift certificate for racing next year?



Dubjay gets his trophy and medal



phro'dup gets his medal for overall



troyboy gets some more bling



the three sandbaggers

 

i had a great time... it's been a while since i've done xc stuff. i really suffered on the climb since i only found out i was doing 4 days before and was TOTALLY under prepared. i was on a three person team that lost their third person at the last minute so i was really uncomfortable about ruining it for them... I had no idea how I would be able to do. I knew they had been training for a while for this and i, well, i've pretty much been a downhiller enjoying the relaxing ways of shuttling and hurling myself off things I probably shouldn't be. The last thing I wanted was to screw someone else's race up. I didn't even have my XC bike together when I found out about the race!

I thought the coarse was super fun. I really wish I had a chance to have pre-rode it just to get an idea of what to expect instead of the first lap being my learning lap. One of the guys snapped a chain so my expected fourth lap was a no-go (thank God), but it was fun to be out in an XC scene again. nice work to those who were out there!

 

neil does his best heisman trophy pose



willie, shudder's son who topped his previous best of 4 laps by busting out 6 laps solo! he won overall juniors and is only 12 years old... he has a bright future for sure



mario and heidi taking 1st overall pro 2 man team... i'm not sure who it was, but they were getting heckled at the awards ceremony.. they were called sandbaggers and told to move up :?: :lol:



traci posting on str



back at base camp



on the 91W heading back home



the view from their front door, the house with the blue truck in front is Traci's brothers house that burned down.



helicopters were still doing water drops over in CHSP

 

Dam straight you should be spent. Especially after you nearly ran me off the course in the afternoon b/c you were haul'in ass. Congrats Luke, I was glad to see you podium dude.

Dam straight again. I'm going on the cheeseburger and cakester diet this winter so I can race Clydes next January. I intend to carry the torch for Neil and be that guy Eric (on the Ellsworth's) new nemesis. Hopefully I'll be riding an Intense. <<< Thanks Jason Ranoa!

Any updates on the racers who had the ambulance trip. I hope that girl who went down wasn't the girl with the switchback stickers on her bike. I never saw her after lap#2.

 

what a great event! this was such a great way to end the racing season.
my race report is bits taken from an email to some of my teammates who have raced there before, but were not there yesterday. it might explain too much for those of you there, but for those that were not, it might give you an idea of what went down:

the race was huge. over 100 solo riders. tons of teams. lots of vendors/demos going on too. i got there at 6:30 am and was the first trouper to arrive, so i got parked and started unloading and carrying stuff to our pits - the same spot as last time.

we got set up, and i was super hungry so ben went out 1st, then amanda, then me. laps were going good. there was one really hard technical dh that was causing some issues. it was steep, loose, and even had a rock jetting out of it about 1/2 down. there was a small crowd at the bottom of people watching the wrecks. during my 1st lap came into it, spotted the rock and aimed right for it and popped a nice little air off it, landed and kept riding. i got a "yeah!!!" and "NICE" from the fans at the bottom. later at 2:30ish pm, they took that section out because it was getting sketchy.

my 3rd lap in the dark, i came up on a guy who was sitting on the trail with his rear wheel off. so i stopped and asked if he needed help. he had a flat and needed a pump/co2. so i started to get out a co2 for him. the zipper in my saddle pack was stuck so i spent a few more minutes then i wanted to, but at least he wasnt stuck in the dark. a few minutes later on a dh section my front wheel washed out and i crashed. not over the bars, but just slid. scraped my elbow pretty good. so i got back to the pits and cleaned it up (brave soldier crash pack to the rescue!). we did the math and realized it was possible for me to do 1 more if ben came in off his 4th with a good time. so i ate just a little and got ready to go back one more time for my 4th. ben came in at 7:59, so we knew mine had to be good. no room for errors. i was the 2nd to last rider to leave for the night.

i put it in the big ring and ripped up the fireroad along the lake to the bottom of the long climb. from there i just paced myself and tried to keep it in the middle ring as much a possible. it hurt, but at the same time, it felt great. there was no one else around and i sort of zen'ed out for a bit and just pushed. everything went good. no crashes, but i did opt to run up some of the sandy short climbs cyclocross style.

the end of the course brought you though a portion of the campground where other teams were camped and using that as their pit. so my last 1/4 mile i had some of the teams cheering "you got it! you got it!". i pulled my earphones out so i could here the timers counting down the seconds until it finished. i was again in the big ring and just flying through the campground. out of the saddle sprinting as often as i could. i came in with a little crowd of people cheering with just over 1 minute to spare! i was pure spent. that was one of the hardest laps (4th of the day), somewhere in the mid to low 50 minute range.

not sure where we ended up for that race in the 3 person, but we took 2nd overall for the series. we finished somewhere in the top ten, and considering there were 28 3 man teams, thats not too bad.

i'll have a few photos soon.

jason, heather and the rest of the 12hr crew - thanks again for putting on our favorite event of the year! we cant wait to come back.