Rocking The Ridge 2012 Manitoba Provincial MTB Championships

 

Bottom of fast straight down section (photo cred: Dave Bell) just before this killer climb video lovingly named "Welcome to hell".

Well I finally did it.. I won a race at Falcon Ridge Trails, Falcon Lake MB.  To make the win a little more sweet the race was the provincial championships.  

View 2012 Manitoba provincial mountain bike championships course Falcon Ridge Trails, Falcon Lake MB in a larger map

I've come in last place or very close to last place in previous races out here.  For Manitoba this is our most technical course and would still hold its own against challenging courses out of province.

Two years ago after coming in near dead last again in a race out here I vowed to win at Falcon.  Someone accross the parking lot heard me say that and quipped, "what.. in Citizen category?. ha ha!"

For those who don't know, Citizen category is an introductory category with reduced distance and technical challenge that is for those who have never raced before and are interested trying mountain bike racing without jumping to a full-blown race category and buying the $100ish race license.

Training on the race course

That comment, meant in jest I'm sure, fueled the fire that much more.  After multiple tanks of gas transporting my environmentally friendly mountain bike 300ish kilometers back and fourth from Winnipeg to Falcon Lake nearly every weekend I finally developed the skill to ride everything at Falcon.  Well.. everything on XC race courses.. there are still a few features I haven't ridden yet.. but I'll get those this year before the snow flies.

If I were to use a swear jar I would have busted at least a dozen Culligan refills worth swearing up a storm for all the times I jammed a knee into a rock, handle bar into a tree, or failed a technical section.  Being a major chicken didn't help either.  You can't be half committed and choke when trying to clean stuff out here.

Overcoming fear was and still is my greatest challenge. 

I love racing at Falcon.  This years course was the best ever.  I'll disclose that is a little self-serving as I put a lot of hours into cleaning up the trails, taking out rocks, roots, and branches that seemed to always be in the way of a good (and safe) line. I'm not the only one though, Dave Dorning and Seema Saini put in over 60 hours of work designing and grooming the course.  Rob Brigdon, Paul Seire, Robert Champagne, Bill Algeo, and a bunch of other people I've forgotten or didn't know about have also put a lot of work into making these trails better, with Bill Benson being the original trail blazer out here.. but for sure.. this course was in the best shape ever.

There are also sections of trail that the Gords Cycle Club have built out here that are more of an all-mountain technical challenge that deserve mention.

I think Falcon over-all is our best or tied for our best mountain bike trail system in the province.  We should have more races out here and do more development.  I know I'll keep working on the trails.

For those who feel the trails are too technical to race on.. it's true that for the entry level rider many lines are too hard.. we need to develop more "B" lines and need to clean up more of the rocks that ruin a perfectly good line.  Consider this though.. If a fear hindered X-rodie sport level rider like me can progress from dead last to winning out here, anyone can do it. With more trail and rider development, and the annual 24 Hours of Falcon race, and hopefully annual cup races, the trails out here will only get better. Riding well at Falcon will help someone ride well pretty much anywhere!. . .

Training on the race course. Click here for video clip

Anyway.. back to the race..

Within the first few pedal strokes of my warm up lap I knew it was going to be a good day.  I had fresh legs and good "snap". I owe part of this to my recovery taper, but also to Bryan Cobb, massage therapist who worked over my quads a couple times before provincials. Brian made a huge difference in my performance for this race. Visit Bryan's website Muscle Pain Clinic

The section known as the A-B line had been a problem for me this year.  I rode it in training last year without trouble.  This spring I entered too hot and my line was pretty sketchy.. holding on for dear life I made it through but was spooked and didn't try again the whole year. It gave me some solace hearing that others had the same experience but overcame the fear and cleaned it again.

Here's a video clip of Dave Dorning, Rob Brigdon, and Ron Kaulins riding the "A" line, and I demonstrate the "B" line.  I'm the guy riding in the background.. I start first, but the B line is longer and slower so I come out last. Someone needed to demo the B line and it had to me because on this day I was too chicken to do the A line..Video 

I knew I would make it today with race adrenaline pumping, but wanted to get it over with before the race started.  I cleaned it twice and felt satisfied.  I thought I had a realistic chance of winning gold but had some tough competition to fight off.  My main competitor was out with an injured ankle so that was a downer not being able to race against him.

Hard starts usually work for me but lately had been causing me to blow up.  This race has some long technical sections where passing is difficult so I thought it was best to enter those sections first if possible, so I gassed it at the start and had a good lead on the pack heading into the technical.

After racing against the same people for a while you get to know their sounds.  I could hear the breathing patterns of Paul Seier and Jason Howden on my wheel, but nobody else.  Without looking I knew I was in a three way race with these two, but only sort of.  Paul was racing 50+ and was doing two laps.  Jason and myself were in a three lap race, and Jason was in the age category down from me, 30+.  So really we were each in first place for our respective categories.  I didn't hear any other bike or breathing noises back there so took some comfort in knowing we had a half decent lead.

I also knew that there were two more laps and anything could happen.  Anything happened and Jason took a spill on some baby-head rocks.. he was ok but his seat broke off and the race was over for him.  That sucks because it was going to be a good battle with Jason..

I slowed a bit on my second lap to reduce risk of blowing up or taking a bad line.  I couldn't see or hear anyone behind me so I knew I had at least 20 seconds on the next guy behind me.. A good buffer to win if I could keep the gap.

I felt the onset of cramping but it wasn't that bad yet.  If I backed off on climbs I should be able to make it. I also had some pickle juice with me.  A recent study suggested pickle juice may be effective at stopping cramps.  No really.. here's an article on the study.

I downed the pickle juice and holly crap!  That is the most revolting substance I have ever imbibed. It was putrid. Disgusting. So I drank the rest of it. It made me hack and gag.  I thought I was going to hurl.  I'm sure the rider behind me thought the same thing.  Did it work?  I don't know..  I didn't cramp but I also backed off on effort a little.  Was it the backing off or the vile juice?  Maybe a bit of both.  I would usually have to back off a lot more to prevent cramping.  I was able to to continue at 8/10 effort.

I had to clean the A-B line one more time before the finish line.  I took a bad line.  The same line that spooked me earlier in the year.  This time was different though. Instead of panicking my brain and body seemed to respond automatically and I corrected my line without a problem and rolled it out. As riders get to know each others sounds, race officials get know riders and where they usually finish. When I crossed the finish line the commissar asked, "are you finished?"  asked with an "are you sure you're finished?" tone..  "Yes, that's three laps", I said.  Sheesh.. Looks like I have to podium in more races to clean up my record :-).

L-R Dave Dorning (race organizer), Rob Friesen (Silver), me, Garry Bistyak (Bronze) men's sport 40-49

Paul Seier and I. Both won Gold.  This felt extra good as I coach Paul :-)

As usual I look stiff as a board in a photo and Paul is relaxed and cool..

I'll add an unapologetic shout out to Team Woodcock..
Rob Brigdon won bronze in Open Elite with a couple flat tires, Jackson Locken won Gold in Senior Sport, I won gold in Master B sport (age 40-49).. ahem.. I also won overall in men's sport beating the 20 and 30 somethings :-), and Dave Dorning was the race organizer. Dave gave up racing provincials to put on the race