Race Report: Winter Park Valley Point to Point

The flat tire black cloud is still following me around. Two flats last race, two flats riding friday, and tore a knob off at Winter Park. In an insane effort hoping that the flat would seal I used two CO2 cartridges, which left me with nothing to inflate a tube. And to add insult to injury I lost my quick release nut for about ten minutes. I nursed the 10psi tire to the next aid station where my parents and Susan picked me up.

The rest of the day was awesome as I finished up a great vacation with my family. Headed up to Rocky Mountain National Forest, toured the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, and finished up with dinner in Boulder. Good Times were had by all.

FireCracker 50: Race Report

Dave Weins: Hi Shawn, we are going to rip your legs off, and leave you for dead.
Shawn: No way dude, I'm going to crash going up hill on a dirt road, then get two flat tires!

In no way did this conversation actually happen, but I was able to crash up hill on a gravel road and get two flat tires.

The crash: The pro field split pretty early with the top 10 RFG's taking off, and me picking up the stragglers. This was actually working pretty well as I picked up 4-5 guys, and we choo-chood up the hill. I don't know if I have felt as good as I did up that climb as I have all season. But never the less, I had my hands in the mtb aero position, when I hit a pot hole, and went off the bike. Handle bars were at 90 degrees, saddle askew, and I was pretty shaken. I left quite a bit of elbow skin down there. After a few moments collecting myself, I realized how shattered the pro field was, and I was still in a descent position. So I got my head together, and started working it again.

All went pretty well until mile 18ish? I got a flat going down a gulch I knew I was going to get a flat in. I was running pretty low tire pressure in the rear, and knew if I got even an inch off the line, the show was over. So naturally I got about a foot of the line and flatted. Put in a tube, and I'm back off. However, I was able to flat one more time on the final dirt road descent.

Oh well, I hope I have that out of my system for the rest of the season.

WinterPark Super Loop: Race Report

Ahhh, sweet redemption after last weekends DNF and Crested Butte. Last weekend the rain, mud, rocks and roots took its toll on me, and I dropped out after 2 of 3 laps. I think it was a good decision as was either going to break something on my bike or something on me.

This Saturday was the WinterPark SuperLoop race. I tried something different for this race, and did not look at my heart rate. My theory was that every time I saw my threshold in previous races I would back off too much. Well my theory was right as I was able to average a higher heart rate than usual. This was a shorter race so I was able to push it to the limit the entire race.

PRO MEN - Cross Country Super Loop - June 27, 2009

Place	Number	Name	Age	Sponsor or Hometown	Time	Pace	Sex	Overall
1	1033	JEREMY HORGAN KOBELSKI	31	SUBARU / GARY FISHER	1:18:49.4	4:35.0	1	1
2	1050	COLIN CARES	22	KENDA / TOMAC / HAYER	1:22:14.7	4:46.9	2	2
3	1013	SCOTT TIETZEL	25	DLP RACING	1:26:36.3	5:02.1	3	3
4	135	CODY WAITE	31	EPCMULTISPORT.COM	1:27:14.5	5:04.3	4	4
5	1053	ZACK VESTAL	34	HONEY STINGER / TREK	1:27:14.8	5:04.3	5	5
6	1024	COLBY PEARCE	37	MICHELOB ULTRA/ BIG SHARK	1:28:17.1	5:08.0	6	6
7	113	MATT SIMMONS	34	PRO CYCLING	1:28:36.6	5:09.1	7	7
8	1051	JAN KOLES	31	MAFIA RACING	1:28:58.6	5:10.4	8	8
9	1026	KALAN BEISEL	28	PROCYCLING/CTS	1:29:01.7	5:10.6	9	9
10	111	CHRIS PHENICIE	41	GREEN MTN SPORTS VELO	1:29:08.4	5:11.0	10	10
11	1037	CHRISTIAN MCCARTHY	39	NATURAL GROCERS	1:29:31.0	5:12.3	11	11
12	1022	MIKE HOGAN	45	CHIPOTLE / TITUS	1:29:37.1	5:12.6	12	12
13	125	MICAH JOSEPH	31	BIKEPARTS.COM	1:30:11.6	5:14.6	13	13
14	115	MATT UNGER	33	BIKEPARTS.COM	1:30:22.5	5:15.3	14	14
15	1029	BRADEN KAPPIUS	22	CLIF BAR	1:30:24.2	5:15.4	15	15
16	1016	SHAWN MEREDITH	32	ALL MTN RACING	1:30:27.3	5:15.5	16	16
17	1032	ROB SOUSA	34	COMOTION SPORTS/YETI	1:30:30.3	5:15.7	17	17
18	1034	HEATHER IRMIGER	30	SUBARU / GARY FISHER	1:30:41.4	5:16.4	18	18
19	107	ANTHONY IANNACITO	33	ROCKY MOUNTAIN RACING	1:31:00.2	5:17.5	19	19
20	106	DEREK HENDERSON	35	ROCKY MOUNTAIN RACING	1:31:03.1	5:17.6	20	20
21	122	MATT PACOCHA	30	VELO NEWS	1:31:28.7	5:19.1	21	21
22	101	WARD BAKER	39	ROCKY MOUNTS / IZZE RACING	1:31:39.9	5:19.8	22	22
23	116	SKYLER TRUJILLO	17	THE CYCOLOGIST/NINER	1:31:53.9	5:20.6	23	23
24	133	LUCAS PEREZ	19	ROTOR BIKE COMPONENTS	1:31:56.9	5:20.8	24	24
25	105	HEATH GARVEY	36	FORT COLLINS CYCLING TEAM	1:33:01.5	5:24.5	25	25
26	1043	CHRIS BADDICK	21	UNIVERSITY OF BATH	1:33:44.9	5:27.0	26	26
27	1023	TOMAS ADAMEC	40	RMECF-WESTSIDE	1:34:03.3	5:28.1	28	28
28	110	DAVE MUSCIANISI	39	FUNK CYCLES	1:34:08.0	5:28.4	30	30
29	120	MIGUEL ARIAS	34	WALT WORKS/FUENTES DESIGN	1:34:09.8	5:28.5	31	31
30	132	DR WUSS	32	FCCT	1:34:10.3	5:28.5	32	32
31	1038	ANDY LULL	36	BOULDER, CO	1:34:18.2	5:29.0	33	33
32	127	JEREMY TORRES	34	ROCKY MOUNTAIN RACING	1:34:25.6	5:29.4	35	35
33	1042	AARON SMALL	38	GREEN MTN SPORTS	1:35:09.6	5:32.0	36	36
34	1030	JON WATT	33	BIKEPARTS.COM	1:36:09.3	5:35.4	40	40
35	108	MICHAEL MATHERS	32	ROCKY MOUNTAIN RACING	1:36:14.4	5:35.7	41	41
36	1020	KATL STATMAN	23	TRANSPARENT RACING	1:36:56.5	5:38.2	43	43
37	117	PATRICK GALLEGOS	39	8 SIXTEEN RACING TEAM	1:37:00.0	5:38.4	45	45
38	1036	RON CHAVEZ	39	TEAM BODY SYNC	1:37:23.3	5:39.7	46	46
39	112	AARON POTTS	33	CYCOLOGIST	1:37:50.0	5:41.3	53	53
40	1039	JOSEPH SAPERSTEIN	27	TEAM RIO GRANDE	1:37:50.3	5:41.3	54	54
41	103	KENNY DEEMER	33	MFK RACING/SLAP-CHOP	1:38:51.8	5:44.9	62	63
42	1015	SEAN MADSEN	37	FEEDBACK SPORTS	1:40:35.1	5:50.9	78	79
43	104	CHAD EDWARDS	35	TWIN PEAKS RACING	1:41:08.4	5:52.8	85	87
44	118	SCOTT FORREST	41	GOLDEN BIKE SHOP/ VC GRAPHIX.	1:46:28.0	6:11.4	133	138
45	1040	SHAWN HARSHMAN	38	HARSHMAN WEALTH CX TEAM	1:46:37.9	6:12.0	136	141
46	136	TATE GRAVES	36	BIKEPARTS.COM	2:01:29.8	7:03.8	290	305
47	1027	CODY COX	18	PRO CYCLING	2:39:37.9	9:16.9	403	458

Winter Park Hill Climb: Race Report

This year is off to a good start. So far I have been able to compete in 5 races with varying results:
Rabbit Valley Rally-20th
Front Range 50-6th
Gunnison Growler-15th
The Burn MTB TT- 4th
WP Hill Climb - 6th

The hill climb went well for me. My stretch goal was podium, and realistic goal was top 5. So 6th was pretty close to the mark. I took the front for the first few minutes, then backed off to get into my rhythm. By mile two I was loosing ground and was barely in the top 10, but I was pretty maxed out, so there was not much I could do about it. But the leaders started to blow up, and I was able to pick them off one by one. I was following Tony from RMR for most of the way, and was able to pass him on a smooth flattish section before the final climb. He came right back around me at the last turn, and I did not have the lungs to hang on.

Today was probably my best chance for getting on the podium, but who knows? I came into the race with pretty well worn legs. I have not taken a rest day in almost two weeks. Fitness is coming around, and with the increased trail riding this year compared to last maybe I can still get a podium...

results

2 year anniversery!

Two years ago, things got exciting!

The Burn TT Race Report

I decided to jump into this race at the last minute. I have still not recovered from last weeks Growler, as I decided to turn the week into a hard week before Susan and I move.

The course really suited me well, with a long hard dirt road climb finish, and lots of flat fast single track. I got pretty bobbled going through some of the really loose single track. I have not ridden in Buffalo Creek before, and was not expecting the loose pebble single track. I went into every turn way to fast, and was sliding through. I played cat and mouse with my 30 second man until we finally came back out to the final 8 mile climb.

In the end I finished with a surprising 4th place! What a great day.

Gunnison Growler Race Report

Attrition: \ə-ˈtri-shən, a-\,
1 [Middle English attricioun, from Medieval Latin attrition-, attritio, from Latin] : sorrow for one's sins that arises from a motive other than that of the love of God
2: the act of rubbing together : friction ; also : the act of wearing or grinding down by friction
3: the act of weakening or exhausting by constant harassment, abuse, or attack attrition>
4: a reduction in numbers usually as a result of resignation, retirement, or death attrition>

I think a combination of 3 and 4 sum of the Growler very well. 64 miles of grinding you down!

When we hit the dirt road we were greeted with about an inch and a half of mud up a climb which at one point hit 20% grade. Gears were popping, and people were droppin'. After that it was smooth sailing for quite a while. Lot's of open power sections, and fast flowy singletrack.

I hit the first techy section with my ridding buddy Derek. It was really good for me to be on his wheel through this section. He is a great tech rider, and took all the right lines. Having not pre-ridden the course, I was super pumped by how much I was able to clean.

But by the end of the first lap, it was my mtb nightmare. Lots of rocky bumpy, no rhythm climbing up a ridge. I lost tons of time and places here. I wanted to quit. I was going to quit. Until I came through the lap area. Everyone is cheering, banging cow bells, and Susan was there. I told her I was not having fun, got three bottles, and back on the bike for my 2nd lap.

The beginning of the 2nd lap was a complete kick in the nuts. 3+ hours into a race and you are facing incredibly steep granite rock. And stupid me does not have a well functioning granny gear.

Eventually I was able to catch a few more riders, when it began raining for the 3rd time that day. We got back into the open power sections, and I started to lay it down. Feeling good again, I was starting to catch Jeff Kerkove. Finally I caught up with him in the feed zone, and we played cat and mouse til' the finish line. I would get gaps on the flat sections, and he would catch me on the techy up hills. He pulled away from me on the final ascent for good.

At the end of the day I was, as I always am, happy that I decided to stay in the race. According to Susan, 3/4 of the field dropped out after the first lap. I ended up 15th place, a few minutes behind Jeff. I have not seen the official results yet.
(race photos shamelessly stolen from J.Kerkove)

EDIT: Results just came out, and not as many racers dropped out as I reported. It was still tough though!