Whiskey Off Road Part End

Before I tell you about the end of the Whiskey off road, a moment of even further introspection.  (actually, this blog is pretty much all introspection and some amount of chest thumping, but you knew that already if you've read this far)

I have not posted in over a month.  Never got around to finishing the Whiskey ride report, never posted about the Moab Trip...and have not said anything about training, eating, kids, etc. for about 6 weeks.

Why?  Why?  riding and writing about it on this blog seem to be a lot of fun for me.  Why would I cut out part of it?  Was not work or personal stress, it was total self consciousness.  Silliness.  Time to face it head on and get back to having a little fun.

So here's the facing into it.

There are a bunch of true athletes here in the valley that i have much respect for.  All of them deride the self-indulgent blogs, BragBook postings, and generally schmoes like me talking about our "big" accomplishments.  And....they have a point.  I was cowed into not writing about one of the things I truly love to do, because I was worried about what others may think of my accomplishments, and my writing.  Damn.  I was right back in that place that made me miserable all those years ago and rears it's ugly head every once in a while for all of us.  Self doubt and self consciousness all rolled up into a nice tidy package.  

In the overall grand scheme of life, I know my accomplishments on the race course are nothing.  I overcome no physical, emotional, or major life hurdles.  I'm a regular guy with a loving family and great friends who likes to turn the cranks as often as I can.  Nothing to see here...move along.   On the writing front I have 110 problems.  Style is inconsistent, I never edit anything, and I use way to many ellipses.  

As often happens, I thought back to riding, and racing.  And the Whiskey.  (really, it's all coming full circle).  I posted a bunch of pics on FB about the nasty weather.  

This post ensued:

•  Why on earth is it snowing somewhere in the end of April? And pray why did you decide to voluntarily ride through it??? Geez things we do for a kick!!

  April 27 at 1:54pm · Unlike · 1
• 

  Rohit Bery why? that's a question a few folks have been trying to answer for a while. Suman may join you in this pondering.

  April 27 at 2:33pm · Like · 1
• 

  Rohit Bery there's so little where you really get to prove yourself...be a little tougher than you think you might be, by some objective measure say you might be a little tougher than the next guy. I won't be on a podium unless i keep doing this until i'm like 65 or so and there's only 3 of us in the race, so in the meantime, i'm happy to finish out of the bottom quartile, shoot for the top quartile, and on days like this, look at the DNFs and say..."not me"

  April 27 at 2:35pm · Like · 3

So there's my answer.  I look at the DNFs and I say "not me"

Which brings us to...

Whiskey Off Road -- the final 25 miles

Up up and more up from Skull Valley to the Sierra Pieretta overlook.  This is the climb that defines the Whiskey.  2 years ago I ended this climb curled up on the side of the road, needing some serious help to get moving again. This year, I pointed the bike uphill, and started cranking.  

A I climbed (and it was definitely "I" at this point...the fast guys were long gone, and about 1/2 way up I saw the last of the people still descending), the temperature started to drop again and there was the occasional snow flurry or rain drop.  The climb is incredible because unlike most bike courses, you can look up and see the peak you are going for. 

It was shrouded in clouds and mist.  Some bizarre juxtaposition of The Hobbit and Raising Arizona.

The climb hurt.  When it started to hurt, it got steeper, so it hurt more.  Then it got steeper again.  and it hurt more.  Then, out of nowhere...the aid station that signals about 2/3 of the way up.  I stopped to refill the camelback and try to eat something.  everything tasted awful and threatened to come back, so I sucked down some water, and started up and up again.  

As the road went into the tall pines, there was a great little memorial to the Granite Mountain Hot Shots. I was alone, it was quiet, the pines muffled the wind...another one of those moments.

About 2 miles before the overlook, the road makes a sharp left hand turn.  this is where we usually find the insane party of the Whiskey 50 beginning.  Not so much today.  It was darn cold again.  There were 5 guys around a fire giving high fives and the occasional push...and they rocked.  

On the final steep road to the overlook i got passed by the women's single speed leader.  I thought to myself "damn, how'd you stay in front of the women's single speed leader this long?"  The race marshal and forest ranger manning the mini aid station at the overlook gave me the once-over, asked if i was OK (not in the head...they must have known i was so NOT Ok in the head if I was still out there) and waved me on.  That's when I noticed the mini bus FULL of riders waiting to be sagged down the mountain.  

Not me.  Not DNF.  Not today

so up the (really) steep short single track climb to start the long (mostly) descent to Whiskey Row.  My watch came back on briefly.  I was up at the peak at about 5:00.  This means I had climbed the Skull Valley to Sierra Pieretta in about 2 hours!  This was awesome. This was uplifting.  this made me go "YEAH!"

45 minutes later, 2 bacon hand ups, 2 insane downhills, one uphill (cramp hill) that I did not cramp on by did have to walk, 3 stream crossings and a ripping down Thumb Butte road and I was crossing the line on Whiskey Row.

I rode the 2nd 25 miles in exactly the time I was looking for.  I finished strong, I did not DNF, and I got myself another pint glass.

Overall, a great day on the bike

Whiskey Off Road 2014 part 2

Yes indeed, that steady rain was turning white, and as I made the right turn after the start line, it was snowing. 

The route has a lot of everything ... paved road, single track, dirt road, woods, desert.  To help with pacing and all I had the race ahead split into 6 parts.

1. Road climb out from the start. This is a 4.2 mile pavement climb.  It's pretty steep in spots. Key here is to go fast so you are not bottle necked on...
2. Forest single track. About 7 miles, mostly up. Top out around 6800'
3. Descent on trail 220 and forest road connector to copper basin road. Wicked downhill followed by a moderate climb before taking a left onto...
4. 9 mile descent to skull valley. It's great because you know you get to turn around and...
5. 11 mile HC climb to Sierra Pieretta overlook. Pain. 
6. Last 14 miles. Mostly descent from Sierra Pieretta, plus "cramp hill", water crossings and the road home.

I entered this race intending to go fast.  My previous 2 attempts were DNF.  Well, one "full" DNF with a busted derailleur hangar, and one "soft" DNF where I took a lot of aid on course from a marshall and a draft off of a 4-wheeler (I might have grabbed on a few times) to make it up the climb from Skull Valley.  That was 30 lbs ago...

I came in wanting to not only finish by perform.  Sub 5-hours, and hopefully sub 4:30.  The plan was to hammer the first climb full out, and pass as many people as I could.  The single track is always slow, with back ups from the technical sections, so there would be time to recover.  Keep pace through the single track climbs and downhill, then turn the gas on again from the bottom of trail 220 to the Copper Basin Road.  Assess the water situation, stop if needed, and drop the hammer for the descent.  

This plan would put me at the 25-mile turn around in 1:45-2:00.  I'd stop for water, then push hard for the 1:45-2:00 climb up to Sierra Pieretta.  From there, it's 14 fast miles to the finish, with only one 265' climb affectionately called "cramp hill" as an obstacle.  This section should take no more than 45 minutes.  Add it all up, and having a good day I'm home in 4:15.

While I figured I was not going to make my times in the weather, I still planned on a pretty good race.  It had been a tough couple weeks at work, and I had not been sleeping as much as I needed, but I still felt like I should do well.

With that in mind, I made the first turn about 100m from the start, and started passing people.  Despite the driving rain/snow the legs were responding, and I was indeed passing lots of people as we wound through a few neighborhood streets before the longish climb up the road before the real mountain biking began.  The road was quite slick, so I went into the corner very slowly, stayed upright and started climbing again.  Still feeling pretty good, I went for a bigger gear, and decided to stand up or really turn on the power for a minute or so at a time.  I flicked the lever adding a few gears looked down at the watch to check the HR, and....nothing.  Watch was dead.  Evidently it's water proof, but not very cold proof.  The temperature was dropping, I could see my breath and lots of steam coming off riders as the ground up the hill.  My watch was done.  No time, no HR, no speed for me.  Oh well, old school it was...

As I climbed, the rain turned to more snow and sleet with occasional hail. So that was cool.  I made it about 3/4 of the way up the climb really going for it, then had to back off.  The cold was taking it's toll, and I was starting to feel all over tired.  Shivering despite the goretex and the effort I was putting out, I sat up a bit as I hit the dirt road just before the start of the single track, knowing I would only pass one or two more folks before passing became impossible.

So part 1 went kind if as planned, but being really wet and shivering drained the energy. 

Part 2 was all about not dying.  Not running of the trail and down a cliff, not missing a turn and clobbering a rock face, not stopping and letting creeping hypothermia take over...and most important, not letting all the people I saw dropping out, huddling under space blankets, turning down road crossings to get home get to me.  

The snow was coming down hard, and ice was built up on the bars, down tube and rear triangle. I thought about taking a picture or two, but couldn't bring myself to drag the camera out...lots of steep ups with water bars to clear that are hard enough on a dry day...simply not possible for me in the ice and snow. 

There was an awesome moment where some folks had set up at some steep switchbacks. One of the people at the bottom would ask your name, then call up to their friends further up the slope. I got personalized cheers "go ro!" as I worked up the hill. 

Part 2 took a while. No idea how long because the watch was dead. 

Part 3 started when I crested the pass (which by the way is where I broke my hangar last year) and put my face right into a 30-40 mph wind with driving snow. 

Fortunately I was going down. 

Unfortunately it was narrow single track, my hands were frozen so it was tough to brake, and the wind kept trying to blow me off the trail.  

The descent wa a bit slow both from the weather and some significant traffic from other riders also trying Not To Die. 

As we descended, the snow turned to rain, and all the ice and snow on me melted...and I was just wet. 

The decent bottomed out where a forest road intersected the trail.  Some volunteers had started a large bonfire there, and lots of people were pulling over to warm up. I felt ok, so slugged down some food and drink, and kept the pedals turning towards Copper Basin Road. 

This is the only part of the race where I began to dispair. I did not have any pop in the legs to push up the moderate climb, my hands hurt, and my watch had come back  on. The watch said 2:10. I was behind my turn around time already, and I was 11 miles from the turn around!  Ugh. I felt like a turtle. I was passing people again, which gave me a little boost, but I started to hope that after the 1/2 mile steep climb to the road, I would find the coconino county sherif telling us the race was shortened...and I could just turn the pedals and be done in 90 more minutes. I was pretty done. As I climbed up to the road, the snow started again, and the wind kicked up. Pretty much the definition of suffering. 

Much to my simultaneous elation and disappointment the course was open, I had plenty of water, and I turned left towards Skull Valley for part 4...

9 miles down. Average 6% grade, sometimes as much as 15%. Talk about a speed fest!  Unless there's a 40mph headwind. And hail. And the wind is picking up the dirt from the road and throwing it in your face. 

Yes, it was hailing dirt. 

As I rolled downhill picking up speed wherever I could, I was literally being blown around the road. About 1/2 way down the leaders appeared on the left side of the road making their way up the climb from the turn around. My spirits were lifted a bit, as 2 years ago I had seen the leaders much earlier in the ride...even though I felt slow, I was still doing ok I figured 

About a mile from the turn around, the sun came out. Now it was bright and sunny...Arizona sun heating up my cold, wet self. 

At the turn around, an awesome volunteer filled my camelbak as my hands were too numb to open the thing. I asked her what time it was. 1030. Damn. 3 hours. I wanted to be here in 1:45-2:00. So the finish time goal was out of the question...but I decided to finish strong. The legs were coming back, and I could feel my hands again. It had to get better...besides being able to feel my hands and legs, what else did I want?  Only 25 miles to go!  

I downed a couple gels and some water, and started up part 5. 

11 mile 6% average 15% In places 3700' Hors Categorie climb. 

Believe it or not, this is where everything got much, much better. 

Whiskey Off Road 2014

Fair warning. I'm feeling like I've lost my Mojo. 3 races gone by and no real report. I love riding, racing, and writing about it. And yet, 3 races and no report. I'm even slipping on the training rides. 

(Actually, I know where my Mojo is. It is in the garage, hanging upside down waiting to be turned into a singlespeed or a gravel grinder once I decide to drop some more cash at the Flat Tire. But that's a totally different post indnt it?). 

So where was I...lost my mojo. I'm getting it back. I'm getting it back by imposing a Whiskey Off Road race report on you that tells you just how awesome it was.

Some background.

 The Whiskey is simply an amazing event. 3 days for those who can swing it of partying, pro goggling and racing.  Bands, bikes, beer, a race course with an HC climb and white knuckle descents. Blazing fast forest single track to desert rocks to rock gardens nasty enough the top pros can't navigate them.  Bacon, whiskey, and donut hand-ups from screaming supporters even for us scmhos... A laid back vibe that somehow manages to generate intense competition all at the same time.  The Whiskey is as close to the perfect bike race as is put on. Full Stoke. Plus, it's in Prescott, AZ in April, so it's always 70 degrees and sunny...

Racing Day

With the Backyardigans as my soundtrack I got my coffee and toast, checked the somewhat unnerving weather reports again, and threw all the clothes I wore for iceman on for the 90 minute drive to Prescott.

As I gained elevation and lattitude, the temperature came down steadily. 79 when I left Scottsdale, 34 by the time I rolled down Montezuma street. And it was raining. Hard.  Like fast wipers hard. It was weather even racers at Iceman don't look forward to...

Being my 3rd year, I had my Whiskey routine down to a science. Wake up at 4:15am, leave by 4:45 or 5:00, get there by 6:15am, park in the structure behind Gurley street. get the race number, set up the bike, pee, get in line by 7:00 for the 7:30 start. Now, the folks at Epic Rides make it pretty explicit you're supposed to pick up your packet on Friday night, but that's a bit of a drive (90 min each way), seems wasteful on the gas, and would mean another missed dinner and bedtime for the kiddos.  The past 2 years it had been no issue whatsoever to get the number on Saturday morning... Not so this year pardner!  

Perhaps the weather, perhaps a rocking party on Friday night, but there was no one handing out race numbers around 630.  Quite a few of us waiting, but no numbers. So, I ran back to the car, got the bike out, peed, and went back to check about my race packet. 

Still raining. 

Luckily, the Epic Rides staffer came by, gave me a good and well deserved scolding for not picking up on Friday, handed me a number and wished me luck. She also made it clear that next year, it's Friday. Got it...but now it's time to race. 

Number now tied on, dressed for November in Michigan up I got myself into a gap in the fence and jumped in line about 1/2 way up the field. I took stock of my fellow insane racers under the sign marked "faster than most of my friends". Must say we looked a sorry lot. I was pretty well
prepped...proper gore jacket (though I could have done with my rain jacket), thermal bibs, gloves. I was just a little cold in the stiff wind and steady rain...which is exactly how I like to feel temperature wise before a long race. After all soon, I would be charging up a cat 2 climb, passing as many as possible to avoid bottlenecks in the singletrack. 

Around me was quite the cast of characters. A few in full Rapha cold and wet race kit -- ready for Paris-Roubaix or Milan-San Romeo by their look -- more than a few in garbage bags, shower caps, nitrile gloves...and a few other in summer race kit and rain cape. seriously?  Had theae people never rudder a bike in weather?  Did they not read a weather report?  Did they think they were tour riders needing to show off their sponsor logos?  I guffawed. I sniffed at their silliness!  Actually, I coughed and sniffled the stuff coming out of my nose. 

There was a bit of a fire-up from the PA before the shotgun blast (a real one!) set us off and racing.

Just as the snow started. 

We'll pick up there next time. 

Food

I was asked to write a post about what I eat. I get asked what I eat a lot. Really, I think the requests are from people who must be a bit delusional to think that I have good advice, perhaps it's all the time they spend in a hypoxic state from too much excercise or screaming at the kids (actually, I have no idea if they scream at their kids but I digress). 

There's a bunch of theory behin all this I picked up from mom (the registered dietician), "feed zone portables" by Allen Lim and my trainer at lifetime. Basically it's all about replacing what the body burns through...and it burns through a lot when you ask it to do something silly like propel a bicycle across the Sonoran desert or over a mountain pass. 

I figure I can make this useful for myself, as this post will know provide a nice checklist for rides and races. So, here goes. 

What I eat during a race or long rides starts a few days in advance. It's not so much what I eat as what I drink. And that's water. A lot of it. Like one of those little 10oz bottles every hour I'm awake. This also means I pee a lot. It is a fact. 

I also take a calcium-magnesium-zinc supplement every day, and try (often not very successfully) to get most of my calories from protein and veggies, and some fruit, limiting carb intake as much as possible without being a lunatic who eats nothing by dried mastodon meat and pine nuts. 

There's a bunch of research as to why the protein emphasis. Mostly it's about having protein to rebuild the muscles I guess, and getting the body excited about the carbs I provide on the rides. Something about being more efficient at turning sugar into glycogen which is what the muscles use to go when your brain says "pedal NOW!"  

Since 95% of my rides are in the wee hours, including the races, I have the following pre-ride nutrition almost always:

- 8oz coffee with a splash of milk (why 8oz?  That's how big the cups at home are)

- tortilla (small) or 1 slice of toast with almond butter and ginger jelly (never tried ginger jelly?  I think you're missing out...to me ginger jelly says "time to ride"!!  or sometimes chocolate almond butter

- 50g Karbolyn (200cal worth) in 24oz water. Karbolyn is a "super carb" made by all American efx. Whatever stuff is in there (all natural!) there's no carb crash...My trainer at lifetime turned me on to it a a pre-workout neccesity, and I'm a believer 

If the ride is under 2 hours, I take water. 1 big bottle per hour. That is all

If over 2 hours...

- 24oz (big bottle) with 1 scoop of carborocket half-evil per hour. 1st half of ride non-caffeinated. 2nd half, caffeine. Carborocket half-evil is 111cal of carbs per scoop (they recommend 3 scoops for 333 cal..half evil...get it?), plus electrolytes, and amino acids

- 1 roctane gel at hour 1

-1 gu/cliff/other 40 min later

- roctane 40 min later 

Continue pattern...

If out for more than 4 hours, I try to have a waffle (Belgian cookie...because, cycling) or another tortilla or similar every 2 hours to give my stomach something to do. 

I'm trying to consume about 300cal and 24oz of water each hour...the assumption is I have the hammer down. If I'm spinning on glass pedals, I'll reduce calorie intake

Post ride, 200cal protein shake with glutamine added.  Also make sure to take my supps and fish oil post-ride. 

I think I'd like to switch to more real food instead of gels but the gels are convenient. The concept of making my own awesomely perfect baked goods for rides is a cool. Practically...it ain't happening. 

I have no idea if this schedule of eating will work for anyone else. You may try it and puke your guts out, or cramp, or you may have the best day ever on a bike.  Roctane and carborocket may make you gag...maybe ginger jelly is the nastiest flavor you can imagine. Who knows??  One of the guys I met eats slices of ham wrapped around a stick of parmesean...another eats Oreos...another subway ham sandwiches....whatever it takes to get the sugar, salt, and aminos to replace what you used up. 

Do remember pro endurance athletes have stomachs that are as finely tuned as their legs and arms. Where I can eat 350cal/hour of excercise before I hit gastric distress, pros can put down 500-600cal...

Anyway it turns out, be sure to think of me chugging along behind you imploring you to HTFU or wait up...I'm likely to do both. 

Fat Tire 40ish Pics

Race report is coming...in the meantime pics before and after the crashes

Photogs that make me look fast are my heroes

Hammering Home

"Rohit Bery earning his glass....crumpled number and soil samples, but he brought it home.  The Keg is tapped Rohit"

Good announcer

As requested...

The essay that was used to get me into Leadville this year.  

The requirements for the essay were:

Submit a two- to three-paragraph essay or a video that includes the following:

• A summary of your biking credentials
• Your home club and how long you have been a member
• A brief story about why you should be chosen to represent your Life Time destination at the 2014 LT100
• Your kit size (please indicate bib shorts and jersey sizes; click here for a size chart and note that these kits are a snug, race fit)
• The address to which you would like the kit to be mailed

By "winning" I get to pay the entry fee and buy a Lifetime Cycle Kit, which I have to wear on race day.  I guess they also get to use this essay for whatever marketing purposes they want, but that's all cool.  There's not much truth stretching in here, and certainly no blatant lies.  The 30lb drop was measured post race....so, ahhh, some of it has come back :)

Summer of 2011.  An overweight, overstressed father, husband, brother, friend and IT exec moves his family from New Jersey to Scottsdale, AZ in pursuit of a better lifestyle, a shorter commute and a pool in the backyard. Two and a half years later, thanks in large part to the team at Lifetime Scottsdale, that guy dropped 30+ lbs, regained his place as “fast guy on the bike” (among his buddies), saw his wife regain her confidence and fitness, his three children turn into budding athletes (as well as all around rockstars) and his mother be excited by what he was doing (besides creating 3 of her grand-daughters)!

The Scottsdale Lifetime Fitness family has taken me on a journey from finishing rides to performing in races. From riding alone to leading friends and family on group rides and races. I made that journey on trails in Scottsdale, racecourses in Traverse City, MI (Iceman 10+ years), Flagstaff, AZ (Barn Burner 2 years), Prescott, AZ (Whiskey Off- Road, three years) and Cave Creek and Fountain Hills, AZ for local races about five times per year.  This journey also took me to Leadville, CO in 2012, where I earned a buckle from a lottery spot.   This year, I’ll go back to all those places--plus Lake Tahoe. And hopefully, I’ll go back to Leadville and represent Lifetime Scottsdale in pursuit of a Big Buckle!

* I love my Speedy Motor City Jersey...but would leave it in the bag for a Lifetime Kit at 6th and Harrison on 8/9.

But the most amazing thing about this journey is that it is not mine alone: I’ve found that my commitment to cycling and to fitness has sparked others to do the same. In the past year, my riding buddies (some of whom live 1000s of miles away...hooray for Strava, Facebook, and Twitter!) have all upped their training, my brother-in-law has bought not one but two new bikes and work colleagues have started endurance cycling. My employees and co-workers have gotten themselves in better shape. Now we even have a small team for our local races, and several have signed up for Tahoe, BarnBurner and even for Leadville.

* Barnburner 2012...put this guy in an LTF kit

People have provided me inspiration over the years--coaches, teachers, writers, friends and family, and my superb trainer at Lifetime Scottsdale, Jamie Meng, tells me it’s time to start returning those favors. Indeed, I owe it to all of them to pass the encouragement along. As a representative of Lifetime Scottsdale, I can show everyone what a person with three kids, a full-time job, and daily challenges can do.  Whether it's my friends and family, or the person at the Scottsdale club who looks over and sees someone who's wears size "L" (sometimes “M”!)  instead of "XL"--I know that by finishing Leadville in a Lifetime kit, I will be that example for every other weekend warrior who wants to make a change in their life. There’s not many 6’ tall Indian-American men putting their knobby wheel on a start line, so I know I stand out!

I'm after a Big Buckle. My Lifetime teams ensures me that with the right training, it’s possible. I know that there are some hard miles between here and central Colorado. Maybe I get one, maybe I don't. But I plan to take a lot of folks with me on this journey. I want to pass Bahram Akradi on the slopes of Columbine again and show him what his trainers can do. I want to encourage another friend or two or four to make a commitment, and allow me to take the wind or crew for them in 2015 and beyond.  And I’d love to do it all in my lifetime, wearing a Lifetime kit.

Thanks. I'll see you all at the club in Scottsdale and on the starting lines in Lake Tahoe, Flagstaff, and hopefully Leadville!

Fat Tire 40-ish

Raced today. Fat Tire-40 (a badly named race if you ask me)  Went hard, went fast.  Had a great ride, until I didn't.  Big Gunz and Momma had some good rides too.  Big Gunz figured out at mile 35 that 1 Gu pack ain't gonna feed the beast for an endurance ride.  

Me and Big Gunz

I turned in a 3:48 for a 47 mile course.  12.5 mph. Last year course was 41.2 miles, and i did a 3:51, for 10.8mph. not a bad ride today I must say. Got passed by 2 guys whilst on the trail, and 3 while i was laying in the dirt collecting soil samples. Went down hard twice. Once at about 20 mph, once at about 12. same thing happened both times. Downhill left hand corner and the front tire didn't grab, until it did, dumping me straight over the bars. The 2nd one took the fight out of me, and I limped home the last 4 miles or so. Likely could have turned in a 3:30 but for the crashes.

Note these crashes both happened after mile 40...but I'm not bitter, really I'm not.  I am in pain.

Another race where I landed in the med tent. Don't think the new hard tail is busted, but the headset may be toast. I'm a bit banged up. Right lat is definitely bruised. Need to recover quick. 

That's all for now.  Full report later