Thursday, October 6, 2022

2022 Enduro Racing!


As the days are getting shorter and outrageous Summer temperatures are dropping (very slowly), October is upon us.  This usually means the race season is coming to an end, and one of my favorite ways to close another chapter between the tape, is among the trees of Ashland, Oregon.  But first let's rewind to the start of the California Enduro Series, deep within the high speed and rugged terrain of Georgetown OHV.  Until this point, I had hardly any intentions of racing throughout the Summer.  A mix of XC races in early Winter/Spring served purpose for my constant desire to race, but I needed to get back to full send mode.  I hadn't followed a series, or one discipline of racing in recent years, so I did not want to get caught up in anything too seriously.  The CES events were some of my first tastes of lining up against the clock, as well as the cycling community which has helped build me over the years.  It's a blast being out there and I figured it would be fun to compete "just for fun."  However; trying to be competitive in the Pro field has had its ups and downs over the years...so wasn't too sure what to expect.  But hey, I can ride a bike pretty decent, so why not give it a shot! 


This venue was a hit in my opinion, reigning in the true spirit of enduro. A big day on the rigs was on tap, without any bike lifts, and the perfect mix of physical yet rowdy stages.  I have a twisted joy in riding smaller travel bikes more so than most probably would, and the 130mm Specialized Stumpjumper is always one of my favorites. The SJ Evo would be a perfect bike for most of these events, but I like to bring out the inner XC legs when I can.  A few stages were a little sketchy but I was having a blast and not even worried about the results.  After 5 stages and 4ish hours on the bike, the results nailed me down in 7th place for Pro Men.  I was stoked!  That excitement came back which I felt started to disappear in recent years, so heck, let's get out to the next one.



Round two was hosted at Mammoth Bar OHV in Auburn.  I've spent much more time around these trails in recent months, so this felt like one of those hometown races.  Being familiar with the trails you're racing is always a benefit, but also came with added pressure from myself to leave it all out there.  For one of the smaller venues of the season, the hills of gold country were filled with NorCal's finest racers.  Looking at the podium photo and landing myself in 5th, each of the 4 guys ahead are of a speedy and talented crew.  Evan Geankoplis, Marco Osborne, Jake Keller, and Duncan Nason have tackled the world stage for years (although Jake's first year racing overseas, he helped bring home the Stars and Stripes for Trophy of Nations recently, becoming a World Champ for '22)!  I finally felt I was figuring out more of the raw speed needed to place well this year, and gaining the confidence to know I should be in the mix. 


So here we are, two races down and what should have been the end to my short enduro season.  Summer was in full swing, and I knew with a handful of work duties and travel, it wouldn't be easy to commit to racing as I would like to.  If I can't prepare how I know I should, I'd rather not go out and half ass it, as I've done too many times before.  But this felt different, I was enjoying being at events more again and finally proving to myself that I can be competitive...so why pull in the reigns?  Let's give it a shot! Next on the radar was a classic of the series, known as China Peak.  In the southern end of the Sierras, among many gorgeous lakes, this smaller ski resort has been a staple of demanding tracks since the beginning.


  Combine altitude, toasty temps, a mix of flat/physical trails with also the infamous stage 5 near death sentence, and you got a rowdy weekend on tap. I've had a few highs here in the past, decent stage results but never putting together a strong overall since the Expert days.  Going off the past two rounds, I felt strong coming into the day but quickly found myself falling off the back of what I knew I am capable of. Sometimes it clicks, and sometimes you're left wondering how you can feel so disconnected from a bike you ride almost everyday.  14th on the day was not the valuable points I was after, but got me fired up to get back on track.  

With a month until the next round, I put together a game plan as best I could for how I would tackle training and working on skills that would be important for the next rounds.  The blown out CA bike parks have not always been my strong suit, I seem to favor the more natural, long days of OG enduro events...but this was the perfect time to focus on getting more of that downhill speed.  




The final weekend of July was in the heat of California's atrocious heat wave...pun intended. 100-110 degree days for the next couple weeks was just about the worse thing ever for outdoor activities.  There were many things I could think of that sounded fun besides doing intervals on the road bike after work, or pounding out park laps, or 6am gym...but racing is where the fun all ties together.  Mount Shasta was so HOT. What looked like an easier weekend on paper due to the short stages and lift only transfers, proved to be harder than I expected.  After being in Oregon for a trip Monday thru Thursday before practice starting Friday, I was smoked.  My OCD came in handy the week prior, making sure I had everything organized and prepped for the week, which logistically always adds to some mental fatigue making sure it all works out.  Starting day 1 of racing Saturday, my legs were feeling the 18hrs of driving and 4 days of riding prior, but my goal was to get in the zone and focus purely on giving it all I had.  Immediately, I was down in the dirt, if you could even call this dirt.  Every single section of the mountain was the deepest sand, silt, whatever you want to call it.  Just making it out of the corners with any speed and feet on the pedals was a success.  3 crashes later down the first stage and I was pretty flustered on figuring this place out.  Sitting close to last, consistency would be key.  The next 5 stages across the weekend I found somewhat of a groove, enough to grab a few 5ths and 6ths to climb back up to 9th overall.  In the moment, this was damage control but I needed to get back on that podium. 


At this point, I was sitting about 6th for season points.  My goal was to get into that coveted top 5, something I've wanted to do since my last full season back in 2018, but finally I knew it was possible.  Round five, Northstar Resort in Truckee, with enough gnarly terrain to put both bike and body to the test.  Putting together a solid weekend here requires a bit more than just speed and fitness, maybe a little luck too.  Every part of a bike can get destroyed among these trails, keeping your wheels and tires together is a win in itself.  Time to break out the 170mm Enduro, alloy wheels, and DH casing rubber.  After spending a few full days on the mountain recently, the trails weren't as foreign at race pace as they have been in prior years.  A mix of all the classic trails the mountain has to offer made for some exciting tracks, and closer times than I expected.  Each stage was a personal best for me, comparing past times and race runs, which I was happy with no matter the result.  Finally, I was pushing it how I knew I was capable of and it felt good...those moments where you're fatigued but feel that sense of speed and control is hard to beat.  Coming into the final stages, I was sitting 6th, and all I wanted was to step on that podium.  Final track on tap was one of the best, and longest.  



Dropping in off the top of Vista onto Flameout, led into Karpiel, before finishing on lower Sticks N Stones at the base of the mountain. This would deprive the legs of all power as well as the mental state to nail your lines on Karp/Sticks to carry momentum and not let the rocks eat you up.  Off the start, things were rolling, I knew I had the legs for the few flat sprints, and felt confident in my speed.  However; half way down, it felt as if I was about to blow it.  I smacked my pedal/crank arm on a massive rock which is always terrifying.  Managed to keep it on two wheels, but immediately felt something wrong...I could barely clip in and when I could, it felt like I was pedaling sideways.  Was my crank broken? Pedal broken?  Is my foot going to blow off the bike?  With a hefty fire road sprint ahead, I was bummed I wouldn't be able to smash it how I planned to.  But the bike seemed to be working, so let's at least try.  Full sprint, head down, left leg putting down the power while the right was just trying to stay on top of a broken pedal.  Crossing the line, I figured I had just lost out on a podium I knew I had...but somehow that final effort was good enough to jump up to 4th! I was pumped, this was my best result of the year, especially knowing I had more to give on that last run.  We're finally figuring this racing thing out again.



Closing in on this story brings us back to October.  Fall colors, wet dirt, cool weather, all it should be when heading up to Ashland, OR this time of year.  But it's still Summer across the west coast and let's not kid ourselves, why change up the season of dry dirt just yet?  This race has always been a favorite of mine.  It represents the true spirit of enduro with big climbs, long stages, and speeds on trails that can cause some heavy consequences.  No matter the results, the trails of Ashland make for a rad day on the bike, combined with miles anybody can feel good about completing.  Being the final race of the year, the stoke is high, something that always brings me back for more.  The cycling community is one of the best out there, the number of people that show up to these events, giving it their all, it something that can motivate us all.  For myself, this place is always stacked. I had my first pro podium here back in '18, and ever since then have been excited whenever I can get back on these trails.  We had a small yet solid crew for Specialized with Cody Kelley and Tanner Kietzman.  I love being able to learn and listen while able to follow Cody for laps as well as the good times and tech help from Tanner.  


Before race day, I was sitting in 3rd overall.  We would finish off the year today, and that #3 spot is where I hoped to be.  With Evan leading and Todd Renwick in 2nd, it would be an accomplishment to get up there.  Another five stages brought us back to the finish in Lithia Park about 4 hours later. Yet again, going into the final stage I was sitting in 6th place, just a few short seconds off the box.  It's funny how each podium spot I've had this year has come down to the last stage, but maybe I do better under pressure?  As the dust settled, and lactic acid calmed within the legs, my name would get called up to the 5th place spot on the day.  This podium is probably one I'm most proud of, along with Auburn, both of these were the top guys that I've been trying to get in touch with for a long time, and I feel I've begun to put those pieces of the puzzle together.  



The final podium of the evening was for the series overall, and standing on it for the first time in the Pro category felt pretty dang good.  After not knowing what I would be up to this year in terms of racing, I'm stoked to have finished it off like this.  There's a spark I haven't had in a few years since taking some time off from following any exact racing goals, and that spark is getting lit again.  I'm not sure yet, but I feel like 2023 could be the perfect time to try and keep this ball rolling.  One of my favorite quotes is by Frank Ocean, "work hard in silence, let success make the noise." It might be time to give this racing thing one more shot...


If you've somehow been intrigued enough to make it this far through my thoughts, I appreciate you reading and look forward to seeing ya out on the trails!

Thank you to those who support the journey:
    
Specialized Bicycles
Crankbrothers
Hammer Nutrition
100%
Dialed Health
Praxis Works
Maxima Oils
ODI Grips
Krawl Clothing