6th Annual Methow Cycle & Sport Mountain Challenge at Loup Loup

Julie Grialou:

The pre-cursor to the race started for me with a Wednesday team ride of the course. As my bike was in the shop, I was using a borrowed hardtail and borrowed pedals. I felt very awkward on the ride, missing some switchbacks and other technical sections that I would have expected to clean. I also was having a hard time getting out of one of my pedals. On the downhill, I felt like I was bouncing all over the place.

The night before the race, I had some odd dreams. In one of them, it was race morning and my car, with the bike on top, got stolen. I was frantically trying to get another bike to borrow, but the pedals were all in little pieces, and I was struggling to get them together. The dreams reminded me of the missed-my final-exam dreams that I, and I think many others, have had in college.

On race day, I was glad to have my own bike back and was looking forward to the fun and challenging singletrack on the race course. I got up to the race course in late morning – great race weather and a vibrant venue.

Joseph Weaver, from Methow Recycling (one of our team’s sponsors) had just entered his first mountain bike race, doing the Beginner’s course, and had come in first. Go Joseph!

I proceeded to do my warm-up and noticed my front brake was rubbing pretty badly. Lucky for me, there was a Kona mechanic on site, and he fixed me up. I never got his name, but thank you, whoever you are! For the race, I decided to head out with the Open Women (I think my pace is generally somewhere between the Expert and Open racers). Three of the four other women went out together and FAST. Too fast for me, so I ended up being on my own for a while, eventually going back and forth with a few men. I felt good on the whole first lap. But unfortunately, I faded on the second lap. On the technical downhill on the Bear Mountain Trail, I did pass the woman who was in third place. Unfortunately, she passed me later on the climbs and I couldn’t get up the energy to push past her. She ended up about 30 seconds ahead of me. All the team’s juniors had great racers – congrats. Overall, a great course and a fun time.


Solomon Woras:

The Joy

Such a great weekend of racing last weekend. It was so wonderful to see the community that has developed around this team in action. Between Meg and Dan serving up smooth shots, rocking horse's delicious baked goods, Kona, Methow recycles, Shimano, Methow Cycle and sport, and all the great volunteers, it is so fun to see all of these great companies and people come together to make such a fun event happen. We all owe a great thank you to Joe and Julie for all of their hard work and passion, making all of this stuff happen. I'm sure I left out someone but to you all. Thanks!

Really, that was the theme of the weekend for me. I have been working way to much and riding way to little lately so rediscovering the joy and pleasure that a weekend of racing can bring was critical. It was just one of those days where you are so happy to have to opportunity to be doing what you are doing that you feel no pain, just the pleasure and freedom of being on a bike. There have been times in my life where riding a bike was my job, and unfortunately it became just that, (a job). Sometimes we forget why we do this, we get wrapped up in how much work we put in, training, racing, planing events, organizing volunteers, building trail, and we loose sight of the enjoyment it brings. For me, racing my bike has now become a purely indulgent act, one of the few things in my life right now that I do entirely for my self, and I can't think of a better way to indulge than to feel that wind through my helmet my hands on the bars, and my mind clear of everything but the trail and the next rider on the road ahead.

So thank you all for making it possible for my self and so many others indulge.
Solomon

Jake Harrop:

The race on saturday was really fun and i thought it was going to be a little bit more technical than i could handle but in the end i conquered the course and loved it. there was a good turn out and the course was in good riding condition. At the beginning of the race i sprinted ahead with Cole Paton of Wenatchee to try and get seated in a good spot, i held my spot in second and through the whole race i felt great. there was some spots in the race where i had to get off my bike due to slower racers in rough spots of the course or technical uphills.
Jake

Cody Cupp:

For me, this year’s Methoww race was fantastic. I felt really good and raced better than I ever have! The course was a ton of fun and I think all of Joe’s hard work on the course really paid off.

I took 1st and junior expert and placed 4th overall in open expert. On the last descent of the race I managed to catch Solomon and we rode tire to tire for about the last 10 minutes then sprinted it out for the finish line. It was a very exciting and fun way to end a race.

A few days before the race I put new Shimano XT shifters, derailleurs, and a new crankset onto my bike, along with a nice pair of Easton Haven wheels. The new gear worked perfectly and I was pleasantly surprised how much better than my old set up it was! The combination of the new gear, Joe’s hard work on the trails, and the training plan Solomon has set up for me gave me a great race!

Keelan Christensen:

Our home course at the Loup is a unique race as it consists of two 13 mile loops on some steep single-track climbs, previously built by our team. It seemed the weather could not make up its mind the morning before the race, but it turned out to be a fairly warm day. My Kona King Kahuna felt great on this course, with Shwalbe Racing Ralph tires that felt like Velcro on the ground. The first lap felt pretty good for me, until about 10 miles in where I got a side ache. Still, I managed to push through it, still holding 2^nd place in my category. I managed to ride the entire course with no putting my foot down or crashes, so I was feeling confident. However, on the second lap, I cramped up in my hamstrings on the final climb of the race. I knew that the 3^rd place kid was a long ways behind me, but I still managed to finish strong on the climb and finished with a respectable 2^nd place finish. Overall, I am mostly satisfied with the race, but I would like to shrink the time between me and Cody. After the Criterium State Championships in Bellingham, the next race for me Nationals in Sun Valley, so my life is full of hard training until then.


Jake Whipple:

It's easy to get sucked into the selfish world of training, racing, and recovery and forget about the efforts of others that make these events happen.  As I drove into the venue on Saturday at the Loup, I was instantly reminded of that as I watched all the hard work of Joe, Julie, and the many volunteers transform the Loup into the Methow Cycle & Sport Mountain Challenge.  What a great event.  Great sponsors, great trails, and people.   Sitting here now, sick as a dog, I'm struck with this thought, "...time to shift my focus..."  This team has put a face to cyclists in the Methow, but that is only a small part of the story.  With the incredible support of all of the sponsors, volunteers, and riders I hope we continue to grow cycling here into what it can be; a center for riding trails and roads with fun races and events for everyone to share their experiences through.  Saturday, for me, was a struggle.  Feeling the effects of being sick, I watched folks just ride away from me and there was nothing I could do!  I've been lucky the last few years and avoided many mishaps, including sickness, in all of my races.  Saturday was a great reminder of why it is I ride.  It's fun.  That's it, really.  It doesn't matter that I was sick, I was still able to ride and for that I am grateful.  Thanks to all our sponsors for continuing to help make this happen. 

 

Pics from the 6th Annual Methow Cycle & Sport Mountain Challenge at Loup Loup

Images by Stephen Mitchell

Echo Ridge 30/60 Mountain Bike Race June 11th

Joseph Brown:

On Saturday June 11th, four Methow Cycle & Sport - Blue Star Cycling riders tackled the Echo Ridge 30/60 mtb race held near Chelan, WA. I was registered for the 60 mile event which was decidedly further than what I was prepared for! With our own mtb race coming up, preparation was certainly not happening adequately. On Friday,  the day prior to the race Kona called and asked if I wanted to ride a 2012 prototype carbon 29er. I of course agreed and the bike was delivered late Friday night. After a few minor adjustments, the bike was ready to roll, much more than I was.

When I woke up on race day morning, I felt surprisingly good. Jake Whipple and I carpooled down to the race venue and were greeted by Meg and Dan from Blue Star Coffee Roasters, who were already pulling beautiful shots for racers. It was really great to see them with the La Marzzocho GS3 at a race, producing great espresso. After the typical frantic equipment and food organizing, we rolled up to the pre-race meeting.

As the gun went off, I was bombarded with questions of why I was doing this and how I would do. The first part of the course was a 2.5 mile climb on a service road and since it was a long race, the pace was nice and relaxed. I couldn't believe how well my legs and body felt. I wanted to go harder but knew it was a long day so was content to relax a little.

On one of the first stair step sections, I shifted down to the small chainring and "Pow!!!!" the chain was lodged above the chainstay! Unfortunately, there was nothing that I could do but turn around and roll down to the start in search of an 8mm hex wrench so that I could remove the crankset and ultimately free the chain. Needless to say, my race was over. One thing is for sure, the Kona Carbon 29er for 2012 is going to be amazing!

Jake Whipple:

The Echo Ridge 30/60 in Chelan was the first major event for me this year.  Coming in at 60 miles, it was a good tune up for some of the longer, more difficult races that are to come for me later this summer.  Of most remarkable note on the day was the weather!  After many days of training in the cold, wet Spring we've been having here in the Methow, the sunny and warm conditions that greeted everyone felt fantastic.  The course was fast, rolling, and non-technical.  Consisting of four laps of 15 miles each, there was somewhere around 8000 feet of climbing total. 

I was lucky and had none of the mechanical problems that plagued Joe (another benefit of riding with one gear) and had a mostly smooth race.  The weather did play a factor for me though.  I am often challenged by leg cramps in longer races if I'm not paying close enough attention to my hydration and, sure enough, come lap four the warm weather had it's way with my legs.  The heat and the distracting gorgeous scenery were a great recipe for dehydration.  Debilitating leg cramps are a strange event.  One second your feeling grand, pedaling along, enjoying the view and then the next you feel that small twinge that for tells of impending doom!  Moments later, everything starts to spasm and you can either ignore it and force yourself to pedal through, or get off your bike which, for me, makes it 10 times worse.  All I could do was pretend it wasn't happening (yea, right...) and slam electrolytes and water.  I made it through to 29th overall, and promised myself that next time I wouldn't ignore the advice that so many have given me time and time again: "Drink before your thirsty, and often!"

It was great to see Blue Star with the GS3 right next to the sign-in tent pulling fabulous shots and putting smiles on the faces of the racers!  Thank You!  One other note - I usually get soar feet after riding over 5 hours on trails.  This year I am riding in a pair of Shimano M-315 shoes and they are amazing.  Very stiff, and fit like slippers.  Really.  They're that good! 

Next week it's to Oregon for the Test of Endurance 50 mile.  Thanks for reading!   -Jake Whipple

Julie Grialou:

I was one of 4 team riders who raced at Echo Valley last weekend.  Karla and I were signed up for the 30 mile race, with Jake and Joe being crazy enough to sign up for the 60 miler.  We got to the venue in plenty of time to warm up and check out the scene.  I was psyched to see a fair number of other women warming up – I’m the kind of racer who really enjoys the challenge and camaraderie of having others at my level to compete with.   Meg was there making Blue Star coffee drinks – unfortunately, I was having a bit of a nervous stomach so I chose not to take advantage of a pre-race caffeine fix.

The race was a mass start of about 100 riders.  At the beginning, I got squeezed between two riders and came close to falling.  Made for a bit of a nervous start.  Anyway, my plan was to keep track of the top women, but also not go out too fast.  Heading up the 2-mile gravel road at the beginning of the race, it was clear that one woman was going to be able to hold a faster pace than me.  I settled in with a few men and one other woman (Leah Stralka).  As we got into the single and double track, I kept trading places within this group of riders.  I was feeling good.  At the end of the first lap, a woman rider came out of nowhere and passed us.  She was going strong!  I rode the first half of the second lap with Leah Stralka, and was appreciating having someone to work with and also someone to help keep me focused.  I did start to get cramps in my calf, which was a real bummer.  About half way through the second lap, I pulled away on downhill – I really appreciated my new Schawlbe tires – they held really well in the corners.  That gave me the confidence to let ‘er rip on the ensuing big downhill section in the latter part of the lap.  After one last climb and a not-so-fun uphill gravel road section, the race was over.   Good enough for 3^rd place and a cool bike chain bottle opener.

Karla Segale:

Bruised (figuratively) by my turn mishap from the State TT, and literally from mud-wrestling my mountain bike on a training ride earlier in the week with teammate Julie Grialou, my confidence is shaken but not my resolve as I head to the Echo Lake 30 miler.  This is my first 30 mile mountain bike race. 

A big fan of endurance suffer-fests, I am actually looking forward to the race.  The bar is set reasonably low for my performance expectations, so I come into the race eager for the experience and excited that I will have some good practicing time to hone the skills Julie taught me earlier in the week.  (As it turns out, I will have a VERY LONG time to practice).

The 60-milers have already been out for a half hour as we toe the line.  Men and women start and race together for this event, and there seems like quite a lot of us.  As the gun goes off, we head up a 2 ½ mile climb. “Up” being the operative word here.  I come in to the race sleep-deprived and feeling a little off my game.  This is confirmed by my heart rate, which skyrockets to near max in the first ½ mile.  I back off and watch the ladies fade away, and I settle into a still blistering but more manageable pace.

The course is not technical, for which I am grateful.  And beautiful.  That I could notice this may be a tip-off.  I ride with a guy for a while, and he dutifully pulls me up to a few more racers.  Racing with men is really fun.  They are always so encouraging and polite, and this guy is no exception. 

In the middle of lap 1, I am chiding myself for not signing up for the 60-miler.  Wimp, I think to myself.  The last part of the lap is more technical, and the concentration it requires takes its toll.  On lap 2 I catch up with a woman from my former team, Group Health.  It turns out she is Izette Swan, a PT and Cat 2.  “Brutal” she says as I join her.  I don’t know Izette well, but she’s a legend on the Group Health team.  I am riding in a mountain bike race with Izette Swan.  I just caught up with Izette Swan!  Then Izette puts the pedal down and methodically feeds me my lunch, until I can no longer match either her pace or her skill.  Not this race anyway, but that’s the good thing about racing.  There’s always another day waiting for you.

Each race, I am learning more about pedaling a mountain bike.  My teammate’s words ring in my ears as I pick up speed I never imagined.  “Look way further out than you think you need to”.  “Elbows down, butt over the back of the saddle, torso low over the top tube.”  “Keep your center of gravity  low and let the bike do it’s job.  Loosen the death grip on the handle bars.” A lot to remember, but I’m amazed at how much it helps.  I finish—grateful that I only did 30 miles. I complete the race in 3:15:07.5.  Not a stellar finish, mind you, but not bad. My teammate Julie Grialou picks up third place in her division at 2:52:37.5.

I learned a ton, had a great time, and know I will be back.  Thank you Julie!

Methow Riders Take on State Time Trial Championships

Dave Acheson:

The Washington State Time Trial Championships  was my last “A” priority event for my 2011 season.  After a good month of racing in May that included my best ever effort at the Enumclaw Stage Race, my plan was to do some focused time trial training in the weeks leading up to the event.  That was the plan, and as you go through life and racing, you learn that sometime the plan doesn’t come to fruition and you just have to adapt and make do.   Life’s other commitments and responsibilities intervened and in the two weeks leading up the State Championships, I rode only twice.  I was rested for sure, but not at my best form.  On the plus side, I got to travel to the race with two of my teammates which was quite entertaining at times and definitely made the hours in the car pass quicker. 

The race was held in Tenino as it has been several times in recent years.  It’s a course that I really enjoy and most of it has been recently resurfaced which made the ride even better.  As for the race itself, it was pretty unremarkable.  I got off to a good start and settled into my pace easily.  I caught a few riders prior to the turnaround.  On the way back, I was passed by one rider, but I kept my pace high and felt strong all the way to the finish.  My time of 59:18 ended up being good enough for  7^th place in the age 40+ Category 4-5 group.  An okay result from an okay time resulting from okay form.  Hopefully, next year the plan comes to fruition and the result is a little better!

Chris Casey:

It turns out, It's all about the goats! I should probably explain that statement, considering this is a race report, but it is relevant, trust me! 

Bike racing is a mysterious pastime, some days you've got it and others you don't. This years State TT in Tenino was one of those where despite feeling good, the results on the day just weren't. The weather obliged for the first time this race season- warm, no rain, minimal breeze. The course was fairly flat (a little rolly about half way out, but not too bad if you carried some momentum) and the road surface smooth. The ride was hard, as all time trials are, and I was certainly feeling tired by the last few miles.... then I hit the last mile or so where the road turns from asphalt to chipseal and my speed dropped even more... it was clear that this was not to be my day. Final time 1hr 52 minutes and change, good for 9th place in the Masters C class, but way off the sub 1 hr goal. As my last road event this year, I am left with a disappointed sense of the season. My training was diligent (mostly), my weight was good (could have done a bit better, but not bad), but when it counted, it seemed that my 'top end' power/speed was AWOL. Too many night shifts at work? Not enough high intensity training? Training too sporadic because of my work schedule? All of the above? Certainly there is some cause for thought because there is a limit as to what I can or am willing to compromise in order to race a bike. Maybe I need to reassess why I race.... which brings me back to the goats.

Over the last few years of racing, one of the highlights has actually been the traveling to races (namely with Dave A) and the various conversations or experiences that have ensued on the way, during and on the way back. This race was notable because Karla Segale came with us, adding a new dimension to team travel and a vast increase in the sheer number of bags to be squeezed into the car. The highlight of this trip, occured during the drive over to Olympia. As the hunger pangs set in, we found a restaurant (via Yelp on the iphone) which was well rated, served veggie food and looked to be worth a try. It turned out to be a strange experience in more ways than one. The whole place was done up in a Tolkein-like theme (I suppose the name "Mirkwood cafe" was a first clue, the second was the tatoo place upstairs named Rivendell tatoo!) So there we were,  shaved leg bikers mixing with tattoo clad folks, listening to a lone Blues guitarist on the stage, surrounded by 'middle earth' type artwork on the walls. (Karla, It was definitely not Harry Potter!) After one song, the guitarist engaged in some banter with one of the audience who had perhaps clapped a little too enthusiastically and asked him if he played an instrument. The fellow responds, and I quote, "No, but I can eat a burger while hugging a tree.." and here is the good bit, "...and I love goats!" As far as we could tell, nobody had asked about his goat fascination, but the silence was golden as we sat mystified as to what he meant. We never found out- maybe this is a good thing- but needless to say the 'attraction' to goats was mentioned several times over the weekend, with great levity for all!

In summary, maybe it is more about the journey than the destination? However, I will be taking a closer look at what improvements can be made so that the journey and destination both rate better in the future!

Karla Segale:

Okay so I wasn’t reading Tolkein as a kid, and now I’m too old to care about Harry Potter, so I finally made it to my “tweens”.  All I know is that if it is true, as Chris says, that it is more about the journey than the destination, this season has been one heck of a ride!

I came out of retirement (literally) to join this team because I love cycling.  I didn’t think I would be racing again, let alone competing in state or national events in both road and mountain biking.  What I love about racing is that anything can, and frequently DOES happen.  If that isn’t a metaphor for life, I don’t know what is. 

You can train with utmost precision (I don’t), you can plan for every eventuality (personally, I just call Dave), you can hedge your bets with the best equipment (here’s where I excel) and still have a mechanical, a flat, or just feel FLAT! Doesn’t matter and what if it did.  You race because you have teammates that are counting on you, sponsors that believe in you and because there isn’t squat on TV anyway.  

Coming in to the Washington State TT, I had exactly one week on my new TT bike to prepare.  This is because I had only decided a week prior to that to even get a TT bike!  Joe was on it pronto, and he spent the better part of a day getting my bike to fit like a glove.  Riding a TT bike is a completely new experience for me.  The set up is designed for speed, not for comfort, which only stands to reason.  You want to pedal as fast as you can so you can get off the dang thing as quickly as possible! 

We arrive at the venue with plenty of time to drive the course.  As we do, Dave points out the various road features, wind pockets, potholes and strategic places to gear up or down.  I make a mental note of all of them. 

I started out strong, and passed several women within the first ¼ mile of the course.  My strategy was to keep my heart rate and cadence close to threshold on the way out, and punch it over the top on the ride back.  I have tested this approach in training TTs and know that I can sustain a steady pace for an hour if I stay focused.

Barreling down a straight-away,  I come upon a dog in the road, weaving in and out of two cars in front of me.  Course marshals are waving their arms frantically, and I maneuver out of their way on the right side of the road.  I am locked on to my cadence and heart rate, concerned that I may have lost tempo with all the ruckus.

I remain intent on regaining my tempo.  Funny, I think to myself, but nobody is coming the other way and they should have been at the turnaround by now. 

I feel eerily like something is amiss, but I forge ahead, concerned that I am losing ground by losing focus.  Then I come up on a road closure sign.  “Funny” I think to myself again, “ I don’t remember this in our drive this morning.  It was nice of the course marshals to close the road at the turn-around.”

Then it hits me.  I missed the turn in the midst of the dog cluster.  I maintain my pace, because I’m still out on the course, after all.  I double back, make the turn and complete the race in 1:17:10.  Dave calculates that the scenic route cost me silver in Women 35+, which wouldn’t have been half bad for 58+.  And so it goes.  Hey, there’s always next year.  And GPS!

Riders Rock the Centennial Ski to Ski!

Made in Methow Team Takes 1st in the High School Division

Keelan Christensen - Ski to Sea, for those of you who aren’t familiar with the race, is a 100 mile relay race with cross country skiing, downhill skiing, running, road biking, canoeing, mountain biking, and sea kayaking all in that order. I was invited to join an all high school team as the road biker to ride the 42 mile, mostly descending course. We all had very high hopes for our team, and we had every right to because many of us were very strong at the events we were selected for. 

After the xc skiing, downhill skiing, and road running, our team was in 33^rd place out of 500. Then it was my turn. Because the more professional teams were out in front of the race, almost every racer I raced with, in the top 50, were using aero bars, aero helmets and time trial bikes. I, however, was not. Therefore, I was passed by perhaps 8 racers over the hour and fourty five minute race. Still, I managed to pass four other racers with the help of another racer, who was about at the same ability as me. We took turns pulling and drafting to catch four racers, meaning I only lost four places. When I handed off to our canoe racers, out team was in 37^th place out of 500. 

Later I found out I raced the course the 66^th fastest out of 500, and if I had time trial equiptment, I see myself making the top 40 easily. Our team won the high school division by over an hour and also finished 33^rd overall. The whole experience of the weekend was a complete blast with many of my high school buddies. I’m actually writing this report from Hawaii, but once I get back its off to the USAC Junior National Development Camp in Colorado Springs!

Keelan riding the road leg

Cody Cupp - The 2011 Ski to Sea mountain bike course was a fast 20 mile course that had a lot of dirt and paved roads. The short single track sections were all super muddy and bumpy. There were also a quite a few small wooden bridges over the super muddy sections, which I managed to slip off of a couple of times. The mud was really thick and slow and all of the bumps and ruts in the trail also managed to you hold riders back a lot.

When the canoers for my team, Mark Leduc and Jacqueline O’Keefe handed off to me we were somewhere between 50^th and 55^th place overall. After I finished my leg we moved up to somewhere around 40^th so I passed somewhere around ten people. Our team won the high school division by over an hour and a half and we ended up taking 33^rd out of 500 teams overall. 

I was pretty satisfied with how I did in my leg. I had the fasted mountain bike time in the high school division and 15^th overall. I had two minor crashes and managed to find my way off the course multiple times. I underestimated the amount of water I would need and towards the end of the my leg both calves cramped up really hard but I managed to push throw and get to the end, passing one more rider right before I handed off to the sea kayaker. Despite all of the road sections the course was still pretty fun. They changed up a lot of the road this year and added a bunch of fast 90 and 180 degrees turns on the pavement. Overall, it was just a super fun day.

Soloman post muddy mountain bike leg

Soloman Woras - For those of you not familiar with the event, (aka those of you not from Bellingham where it is the center of the universe on Memorial day weekend for the last 100 years, really 100 years!!!!) Any way for those not familiar, it is a great multi sport relay race that covers 100 miles from Mt. Baker to the the Bellingham shoreline. It is a really great event. The bast part is the way the community really rallies behind it, heck even the mayor did a leg. Just like Dave in the winter tri, but without the balaclava and the moon boots. 

I participated on a team sponsored by a Bellingham local, RB Wick,( thanks to Joe for lending me a bike with gears on it.) As it turns out this was my first real race of the season after flatting out of the chain-smoker and wussing out of the Wenatchee  Omnium. As a result the legs reacted accordingly, by complaining the whole 20 miles that they wanted to go faster, while the rest of the body remained in the proverbial fetal position. No, it really wasn't too bad, I only ran into one brick wall, only fell into one swamp/creek/ditch, and only hit one small tree/bush/sapling. I should have pre-ridden the course and I should have done more full-out, hour long time-trials through suburban strip malls, swamps, and train-tracks, but all and all it was a good time. I didn't lose any places for my team, and finished 6th on my leg, right behind all the real bike racers. I even got to deploy the ever popular parking lot shower, almost as fun as the backseat diaper change. 

Other than that, it looked like the Methow was well represented with my strapping young teammates  Keelan and Cody bringing home the gold in the high-school division as members of the Made in the Methow/ Mazama store team.

An added bonus #1, the weekend doubled as our first family vacation with Zepher, (or sometimes referred to as child #2). Ya..... it has been a long winter. Added bonus #2 the pass opened two days before the trip, meaning we had a three hour car ride with the kids instead of a 5+ hour screem-athon that could have been. 

Thanks for all of your continued support!