I Don’t Consider Myself Much of A Technical Rider
However, I have successfully completed all 3 of my 3 attempts in El Paso, at The Puzzler.
This is one of my favorite races. It always has been, always will be.
It’s held in the Franklin Mountains. It’s my favorite, why?
Because the Franklin Mountains are harsh, unforgiving, relentless. If you’re not careful out there, they will eat you alive. Or at least your tires, and your morale.
My 1st attempt: I participated in the Puzzler it was 2010. I was living in Texas. I ran gears, and did the full Marathon. It was part of the TMBRA (Texas Mountain Bike Racing Association) Marathon Series. I managed the 50 miles in 7:57:10. This may not have been the the performance I was capable of, I was bit by a rattler on the way down Mundy’s Gap. At the time, I didn’t realize it, I was just bleeding, and it had felt like I had been stabbed by an ice pick. That made for a very slow, confused, and cold existence on the back side of the mountain. I was later informed that it was a bite of a 5 to 6 foot pit viper, and 10 days later I had the leg infection to prove it.
My 2nd attempt: I was living in Albuquerque, and was training for the Silver Rush 50 Mile Run in Leadville, Colorado, so I signed up for the 35 and ran a 33 x 18, my purpose was solely to get better at walking/running steep climbs. I finished in 5:52:15
My 3rd Attempt: 2016, the 50 Mile course on Single Speed. My time was 7:34:38.
I wanted to compare my time to my last SS attempt, so at the 50k mark, I was at 5:30.
Coming into 2016 was very interesting. I hadn’t really been on the bike since 1.1.2016 I was on gears, I was in LA, and we rode 40 miles with 4k in climbing. Good times. But lacking that much in training…who cares. HAHA! Right?!
My training was also derailed because of bitter cold temperatures, snow storms, and yes, even being sick a week upon my return from LA.
Between New Year’s Day and 1.17 I had one week of being totally off. Ouch.
My original plan was to race the 32 x 18. Again to train strength, on and off the bike, and hills.
My internal dialogue went something like this:
Oh, no, I’m not going to do it. It’s cold, I don’t want to be cold, and I have missed so much training. Oh look, it’s going to be 60 degrees on race day…I can do 60!
I’ve been a little bit of a cold wimp after spending the last 2 winters in Minnesota and the our unseasonably, record breaking cold, we’re having here in New Mexico.
That went into…Oh, I can’t miss the Puzzler, my favorite race, seeing clients, seeing friends, and meeting new people. I will race it on gears…Yea, gears.
To Don’t be a pussy. You said Single Speed, you want to do it on Single Speed, it’s important to do it on Single Speed for other events in the summer. I’ll put a bigger cog on the back. What you may or may not know about me is I hate, I mean, loathe a 32 x 21. That 21…I despise, so I went with a 20.
Caveman was going to head down from Durango and we would car pool from here. Caveman and I go way back. To a point, I don’t even think I was in my 40’s yet. HAHA!
Here we are in 2008 at the Storm Miles of Dis-Comfort. Pretty sure we knew each other a year, at least, before that too!
I’m in no racing condition. I’m going to ride as long and as hard as I can. I have faith in myself, and I know, and trust in the Theory of Muscle Memory. This was such a ‘non race’ race I opted to not clean my bike, run a camelbak, and carry everything I needed for what could very easily be 8 hours. So that’s what I did, I packed for 8 hours, 100 ounce bladder, and 2 Zoefitness water bottles. 1 quad espresso, 2 magic potions 3-4 bars, 2 Epic Bars with one in my pack…you know, just in case.
The very 1st step of every epic mountain adventure is to make peace with the mountains. Dawn Patrol was beautiful, breathtaking…everything I would expect the Franklin’s to be.
Everything was perfect.
I staged myself in the back. And here we go.
I won’t talk about how annoying roll out is on SS! About as annoying as Leadville 100 roll out on a 1 x 11!
The 1st big climb…discouraging to say the least. I had to stop 6 times…yes 6 times to let the group of 15 to 20 male riders get ahead of me. UGH. Major pain in the ass. There was no way I could ask so many of them to yield to me. Although, I wanted nothing more than to do just that. I would just stop, make sure no one caught up to me from behind, let the group get a ways in front of them, catch them, stop, let them get in front of me X 6.
So double UGH. The back side of that climb. They would not, would not let me get through. I know, I’m a pain in the ass. I got through most of them, and most of them polite. There were a couple of trouble makers. One guy I must have spent 15 minutes trying to pass him and he would not yield. We have a way of talking about dudes like this. Although, I’m not going to create that energy around it. Finally, I was yelling;
For the LOVE OF GOD, please for the LOVE OF GOD, let me pass. FINALLY….Geeze.
That’s the hard thing about racing, is not being able to have your own ride.
I do the best that I can when I’m on Single Speed, I know it’s a major pain, faster on the climbs, some floundering on technical stuff on climbs, with a larger cog on the back. I know, I know, it’s a great lesson in life. I did the best that I could to communicate with people, letting them by when they wanted, etc.
The thing about a non race-race is I had 2 tubes, 6 C02 cartridges, and a hand pump. So I was asking everyone if they wanted help. A friends teammate was down with a flat, I asked if he needed anything he said a C02. I told him I wasn’t coming back, and threw him one. Lost some places and some time. Sometimes if you can help someone finish a race, when yours isn’t super important is the best Mojo out there. Everyone that was stopped I asked, yielded, I was prepared to help with what supplies I could. Hence, the whole, the Franklin Mountains will eat you…your tires…
I have always gone to a heavier tire, a Maxxis Tire Ardent at the Puzzler. This year, I rolled with the Maxxis Ikons. I knew the lighter weight tire was going to be good. I have run the Ikons on every kind of terrain out there, and never, ever had a problem. They are amazing! And, to be expected, not a single problem!
There was a lot of floundering going on by me. I fell in line at the chairlift twice… And I tip toed through the tulips so much I have a huge bruise on my butt where my saddle was hitting me all day.
I was going back and forth with Sara all day. I would get way out in front of her, and then, we would hit a downhill section leading into technical, and she would catch me, then, it would open up and turn to climbing…and this went on all day.
The last 15…I was in front, way in front, I caught her, and it was my kinda trail, wide open fast. Well, that didn’t last long. The final descent. She caught me. I thought it was going to open up so took the lead, the 1st incline that it was going to be some major floundering, I let her by. After all, she’s much better than me on these sections. So, flounder I did. It wasn’t until the last couple of miles I was really able to drop the hammer. I just had no power left, I was thinking, that damn 21 would be perfect here! Never caught her. Proud of her! She knew she had to boogy since I had just given her my weakness which was her strength.
She worked her ass off. And I’m proud!
Caveman and I awaiting awards:
2nd Place Single Speed Dudes:
Caveman sandwich I would call that, sandwich between the 2 locals, you know, the guys who run the race. Now that’s a pretty damn good place to be! That guy is fast, even testing his own theory of muscle memory, and riding blind on the Puzzler course for the 1st time.
I want to make sure our Single Speeders get some cash next time, and times in the future. These guys work their asses off.
My awards were a little more interesting,
I’m 3rd,
No, I’m 4th,
Here I am sharing 3rd place with Sara C
No, I’m Single Speed,
I winZ…HAHA!
I wasn’t sure if I was going to get place with Open SS or with the Girls. All the girls were put in one category.
What do I have to do to get more girls out there!?!?! Must have more girls racing! Period. Why do girls quit racing bikes? I’m working on coming up with plan to hopefully get more girls out there. Challenging themselves, embracing the challenge of a real ass kicker.
I’m definitely pleased with my improvement.
To take 30 minutes off my last SS attempt, and to come in about 25 minutes faster than my 2010 time on gears.
I was glad I felt strong the whole race, I did not get bit by a 5 to 6 foot pit viper this time. The weather was perfect. The course was perfect.
I do, I did, really enjoy the course in reverse of years past. I preferred being a little closer to transition on those last 15 miles. Plus, it really suited SS.
I’m glad I showed, up.
I’m glad that I held true to my heart and rode SS. I felt like I had something to prove to myself.
I love the Franklin Mountains. I will come for many more years to get my ass handed to me.
Thank you to the Borderland Mountain Biking Association for the continued offering of such a fantastic event.
The aftermath:
Sexy, I know. No snake bite. Just the teeth of the Franklin Mountains. Thank God, I didn’t fall!
I could only make it a day before shaving, and that was pretty interesting.
It was like tracing the constellations in the night sky.
Who knows how long it will take to heal. Who cares.
The memory of the experience, the joys of meeting new people, and seeing old friends, makes it all worth it.
Most folks know the reason I love endurance racing is the quad espresso I have with 5 teaspoons of sugar.
This time around, I came to the conclusion my favoritest part is losing my frosting,
And then spending the next 3 to 4 days regaining my frosting.
I kinda like having a little extra energy that comes and goes for the long stuff.
Thanks for checking in.
Until Next time.
Coach Zoe