Marathon Challenge Race #3 Report

This is not so much a race report as it is a report on what I did (ate) before and after the race. Really, once you scroll down you'll see not one single bicycling photograph as it relates to my race. Let's be honest, I don't race for the sake of racing . . . I race for the sake of eating my face off.

Big ass snapping turtle on the road that we had to shush off. Was our meeting some foreshadowing of the race to come?

Headed out of town Saturday afternoon with the Vegan Vagabond and Disco Stu in tow. My bike bra ('skirt' according to the Empire) developed a window in it - which will hopefully be replaced soon with a new prettier skirt.

Stopped at the Kawartha Lakes Dairy just outside of Bancroft on the way to my mother-in-law's place where we would crash for the night. Terminator Moose in Bancroft have ice cream dispensers built into their arse. Wondering if I have a fetish for moose?

If I see one goose, I call it a 'goose'. If I see two or more, I call them 'geese'. Why is it that if I see more than one moose they're not called 'meese'?

Pre-race ice creams. Seems like all we do is eat on race road trips.

As per the race . . . it was aprox 79 km in length and took part in the Ganaraska Forest. This is the location of Paul's Dirty Enduro race - which by the way is my favourite race of the year. Dan of Substance Projects made excellent use of the primo single track that is littered everywhere through the forest. Apparently the course was 50% single track and 50% double track - if felt to me it was more like 75% single track.

I struggled through the first 50 or so kms of the race, waiting for my legs to show up. I usually take a while to get warmed up, and start firing at 30-35 km into an event. I kept looking down hoping that they'd start feeling good . . . . they did, but it wasn't until the last 28 kms - better late than never.

A lot of the issues that I was having was with my stomach. Every now and then when I race my stomach goes into digestive distress - sometimes it's nerves (not so much anymore), sometimes I go out too hard too early, sometimes it's what I put into my pie hole minutes before the race (ie. caffeinated gels - which I've stopped doing). This time it was stupidity. Last race you may remember I was experimenting with coconut water, which I felt really worked for me warding off the cramps. I went a wee bit too far this time when I added some E-Load to the mix. It made two of my bottles too sweet and every time I drank my tummy didn't like it. It would take me five to ten minutes to start feeling better after every time I took a swig. Maybe my belly was sucking too much blood away from my legs trying to digest the sweetness. I don't know - that's my excuse anyway.

Other than that, the race was pretty uneventful. I found my pace, saw the same riders throughout most of the race when I wasn't riding alone. I ran a 34 x 19 gearing which seemed pretty much bang on. My legs were wishing for a bigger rear cog on some of the climbing (which there seemed to be a lot of), but I managed all but four or five of the climbs. A lot of the single track was over grown and eye'ing the trail was difficult at times. Often, at the last possible second, a log would appear across the trail in front of you which made for some Star Trek-like evasive maneuvers. No crashes, no cramping. I did catch handfuls of salad from all the overgrowth between my fist and bar ends - a few occasions I thought it was going to through me down as I pinched off entire leafy sections to small trees and bushes lining the course.

Single speed podium.
I've got more podium shots, which I am sending to Dan. Hopefully he'll fire his web guy, get a new one and get some of the photos from all three races up on his site.

Race organizers messed up on this, as I came in third. As I crossed the line they were looking the other way and I had to get their attention so that they'd know I finished. I haven't seen the results yet, here's hoping that they at least got my time right. I don't much mind not being on the podium but I do hope my time is recorded correctly - for posterity sake. I was even glad to see Tom up there in third - he missed a turn in the last race and DNF'd, getting to stand on the box must have been some sweet payback - looked good on him. Only problem is now that he's got a taste of victory he'll be that much faster next race! Great to see more single speeders out - more competition, more racing . . . less podiuming? Meh.

Vegan Vagabond also had some stomach issues which may have slowed her down - despite feeling 'crappy', she still pulled off a second place finish. Whoot! Disco Stu had derailleur issues the entire race which held him back from placing higher than he could have. All in all, I think that we were all pleased as punch with the course. Great to see Mari there racing the half marathon - hopefully she'll be able to drag some of the True North team to the rest of the races. Always nice to see Mari! Spak, not so much. Brahahah, couldn't resist - his report here.

On the drive back to Jeannie Beanie's we had to stop at a store for some nutrition - if you call chips nutrition. I polished off this bag in under five minutes. Yes, that is a big bag of chips. No, I did not share them. No, I did not even offer anyone some. Yes, I am a pig.

But not nearly as much of a pig as Stu.

The guy weighs as much as a chicken but eats ten times his body weight without gaining an ounce. He had within the four hour period after the race: two recovery shakes, a Clif Bar, a half bag (a big bag) of chips, french fries, a bowl of pasta, two large bowls of salad, 1/4 of a baguette, a big ass ice cream with two rows of chocolate chip cookies, and to top it all off a Baconator combo meal at Wendy's. His eating skills impress me way more than his riding skills. He is my new hero.

VV seemed to bounce back from her digestive issues to eat some vegan crappy 'iced treat'. She kept making the mistake of calling it 'ice cream'. Her 'iced treat' came from a bean. If it doesn't come from a cow's teat, it ain't ice cream!