2011 CTR Planning

[bartspedden]

Thanks for the update trailrider11!  Too bad on the bike build.  The older I get the more I'm amazed at how emotional I can get about bikes, skis, gear...  I think there's some sort of bond that happens with the machines we use to move around this planet on and a problematic bike build sucks donkey balls  It's tough learning about all the ins and outs of bikes because they are reasonably complex, not space shuttle complex, but anyone who's tried building a bike from scratch knows the nuances never end.  I'm no bike mechanic, though I know a couple, so if you have any questions, post them, and I'll do my best.  I don't know much about Indiana, but I respect anyone that wants to come and give the CTR a shot!  Getting the bike dialed to a point where you stop thinking about the bike is key for me.  I stress over the bike during the winter when I'm skimo racing (drives my wife nuts!!!) and then during the warmer months I stress over the ski gear.  It keeps me balanced.  Do whatever it takes to get your bike solid in your mind, and then be flexible and deal with whatever happens.  I bailed last year because I stopped having fun after I couldn't sit on my seat any more.  I just didn't want it bad enough.  I had no issues with the bike or gear, and I still felt really strong even though I wasn't eating particularly well. The truth hurts sometimes.  Completing the colorado trail can be a huge, monumental, life changing event.  Stack all the odds in your favor and hone your bike, day by day, until you stop thinking about it.  When it's solid, you'll know, because it won't be on your mind.  And then you can deal with the much bigger task of your own mind/spirit.  This trail will definitely challenge your gear.  No doubt.  And getting it "perfect" on the first effort is not probable, that's why folks keep doing this thing!  It sticks with you throughout the year.  You keep thinking about different ways to do things, with your gear, with training, with your mind.  A little fire is stoked inside and it just keeps growing and growing, and I'll never even come close to folks at the front of the pack!  It's a powerful, humbling experience.  The thing that always runs through my head is just how privileged I am to have the opportunity to do this stuff.  It's a huge blessing and I don't take it for granted.

My point is this:
   - dial your bike
   - keep an open mind
   - be flexible
   - get ready for a powerful experience!!!!   

On a totally different topic...
My father-in-law lives in the mojave desert and rides in the desert.  When I first picked up his front wheel up on his xc bike my mind literally farted! It was so heavy I didn't understand what was going on. It was almost as heavy as a DH wheel.  It turns out that in the desert there's lots of sharp things, so tuffy strips and tons of slime in the tubes is the norm.  So it quite possible that tubeless wouldn't be a good choice there.  But here it really has been a blessing for me.  Last year, in my first week of riding in the spring, I had 3 flats    WTF!  Somewhere between XC and DH I lost all my style and was just ploughing through stuff and blowing up my wheels.  So I went gehtto and stopped the insanity.  Sure I would burp some air here and there, but no big deal.  At a race in Nathrop, CO I went OTB and landed in a cactus patch after (being rude) and trying to pass on the downhill.  Cactus was all over my arms, etc so I picked out what I could, got back on the bike, and finished.  Later that day I realized I had cactus in my front tire, but the Stan's kept it sealed.  As soon as I pulled the cactus out the tire deflated.  If would of had tubes it's likely that I would needed to change a tube.  One the colorado trail, I would just put a tube in and keep riding. At the next town I might pull the tube. 

[trailrider11]

Great Info Bart I will definitely take this feeling in and enjoy training up to the race, because i know it will be worth it.
A little background on me to help you understand the whole Indiana "thing." My name is Luke by the way. I have lived in Indiana my whole life but took a trip to Colorado this last summer and loved every minute of it. We did some downhill mountain biking while there and ever since then i have been hooked! I am graduating from high school this spring and was looking at schools out west and landed a good scholarship in Ogden Utah, Weber State U. So im headed to Utah right after the race! What originally took my interest was the Great Divide Race and I planned to do it summer 2012 and still am. While looking for long distance multi day races, i came across the CTR and said hell yea to myself. There is something about multiday racing that has me obsessed, especialy the Iditarod (not biking but running dogs), CTR, and GDMBR, etc.
On the topic of training, i would like to here some tips on your part. Since I am new to the whole thing i will be training mainly long distances on out local bike paths, which are great because they can add up to 40 miles in one loop. We also have a pretty good single track course right by my house and it is around 10 miles in total length. we just need 11,000 feet of elevation!
This is what i plan to do: April will consist of mainly road until the track opens up and is cleared off debris. 50 miles 5 days a week to and from school. plus sunday rides of 50+ miles or more. coming out to around 100 miles a week.
May: Same sort of setup as the last but adding at least 10-20 miles of single track before road riding of 50 + miles. Around 150 miles a week
June: This is where it will get tough. Without focusing on speed my main goal is to spend at least 10 + hours in the saddle on sundays with a mixture of single track and road. on the other days 30- 40 miles will be a norm day on our city path ways around 250 miles a week. Prolly some singletrack mixed in as well, to work on my maneuvering skills.
July: up to the 21st it all about long days in the saddle eating consistently every 2-3 hours and keeping hydrated. Speed is nothing important here, just getting used to sitting in the saddle will be the hardest part in my opinion. 350 + a week.
July 23rd i leave and will head to Utah to acclimate to higher elevations, take it easy, and get ready to race.
Any questions? sorry it was long.
ALong with all of this, being comfortable with my gear and bike will make training and prepping easier, so that what I am hoping for!

[bartspedden]

I can guarantee you that your training schedule is tougher than mine!  Nice work.  About the only thing that comes to mind is maybe adding a couple days of core strengthening in there.  You will be pushing your fully loaded bike up a lot of really steep trail and it can take it's toll on you if your core isn't strong.  I also add a little upper body strengthening too, but that's because my shoulders and chest seem to melt away if I don't, and then I more injured in wrecks.  I would also consider a couple of over nighters too to get the camping gear dialed too, plus it's fun!

Good luck at school!  Utah is an amazing place with a ton to do!

[trailrider11]

Upper body strength is my main strength with the sports i play. Bench pressing around 230 is nice but without my legs its useless unless i walk the CTR with my bike.   
With such a nice schedule set in place, it is all subject to change with work though.
i plan to do a few overnighters with a friend this summer and that should give me some experience.

I have a few more questions:
Bike shoes, clipless pedals, what do you think about going without them on the CTR? I am trying to budget the most important items needed for the race.
Also, I am still a little uncertain with getting a ride to the trail head in the morning, do you know of a good way or anybody offering rides? I have a few people who said possibly but its still fuzzy....
Thanks

[bartspedden]

I have never benched 230 and at this point never will.    I'm fine doing sets of half that!

I think you will find folks being successful with everything from flats to clips with carbon shoes.  I also think you will lots of sad stories with the extremes, even though guys like Ethan kill it with fully rigid shoes.  

Jeff Kerkove has a great write up on his effort last year here where he shows some gruesome pictures of feet and shoes (hope it's ok that I'm directing folks to your blog Jeff?): http://www.jeffkerkove.net/2010/08/race-report-colorado-trail-race_06.html

I like clips with semi-rigid shoes.  Having shoes that hike well and  bike well is what I look for because I know I'll be hiking sections like this:


Not sure what to do about getting the trail head.  Lots of folks get dropped off by friends/family, but I also heard of some people riding to the start the day before and camping there.  I also saw a taxi last year too.

[Done]

Luke,

Those are some great miles! But be careful--although you are young and will recover/heal quickly, you don't want to get sidelined by an overuse injury. As the saying goes, it's better to show up slightly under-trained than injured!

On the topic of your bike, it's good that you are learning how to maintain it yourself. In my opinion, bike shops are often unreliable when it comes to prepping and fixing bikes--they just have too many bikes to fix, and too little time. Many mechanics never even receive any formal training. If you have any mechanical inclination, learning to do your own maintenance will make your rides a lot more fun!

Shoes and pedals. Yep, you can wear just about anything on the CTR. But make sure that can walk in whatever you choose. Blisters, numb toes, trashed soles, etc. are pretty common out there. Your feet will probably swell from the elevation too, so skin-tight shoes might be a bad idea.

[Marshal]

July: up to the 21st it all about long days in the saddle eating consistently every 2-3 hours and keeping hydrated. Speed is nothing important here, just getting used to sitting in the saddle will be the hardest part in my opinion. 350 + a week.

--when your reach this point--the real training starts----once you have your strong base--per your prior planned hours/miles imo you should focus on the 'multi-day-self supported' aspects. 

Things like: hours riding with your a fully loaded bike-all day-into the night-till you are a bit past your limit-followed by 2-6 hrs of sleep on the hard cold ground-followed by an other hard day.  It is this type of 'training' that will truly prepare your gear, body and most of all your mind for a CTR effort.

If you can set out a local route(s) that take you out of your normal riding areas that is even better--it will add all sorts of mental stress-nav questions, re-supply questions etc that have a telling effect on the tired body/mind--dealing with stress is a huge factor for new multi-day racers.  maybe set a mock race route and then try to hit pre-planned goals to simulate a race--ie: dont just go bikebacking--you need some 'push' to put you under some pressure

Cheers &  best of luck!!

[Done]

+1 on Marshall's (trail717) comments. While physical conditioning is indeed very important, the CTR mostly is a mind game. I managed to finish it despite being relatively weak and not a great technical rider (at least compared to most of the other riders out there!) because I've spent a lot of time in the mountains over the years. Definitely follow Marshall's advice and learn how to stay positive, productive, and safe while suffering!

[gregclimbs]

Well, elsewhere I have said it but here I will again.

I am committed to CTR this year.

I bought a one way plane ticket from dur->den ($87!) to get back to my car.  Calendar is loaded with prep events, trail guides are ordered and gear obsession has begun full swing.

Most of what I want to replace is ordered, and some of it has already arrived.

New frame bags are in process (by me!) and I should have them done in a week or two.

g

p.s. trailrider11 - if you can get out here to ut sooner (I am in slc) you should try and hit: http://www.tusharcrusher.com/ (I am) seems like perfect prep/final event before aug 1st start.  Oh, yeah, and if you are going to be in Ogden, we should carpool to Den.

[trailrider11]

While all of this training is true, i see what you guys mean by being mentally tough. The main reason i want to do these long grueling races is because i like to challenge my mental and physical toughness, with beautiful country as a + (which is why i am moving out West)! . I typically work 30-40 hours a week while in high school, getting 4-6 hours of sleep is not much of a big deal anymore, but does wear on me after a few weeks. I'm am certainly not saying this will prepare me for a 6+ day race and beyond, but i like the grueling lifestyle, it seems to suit me.  
trail717: awesome advice and i plan to pull a few allnighters at work then head out on the trail the next day(which i did this last monday while on spring break, 36 hours straight).One thing i realized while staying awake so long is to keep moving and it isnt that bad at all, in fact i noticed very little difference in strength, except that i consumed massive amounts of food. The reason I do this is because i live inner city and then the suburbs surround us, and so on. Trying to do multiday training rides is something i will have to try right in my own backyard. Like riding 60 miles or so, camping for 6 hours then going out again, all without showering and the comfort of being in a bed. I do have the option out where my uncle lives but i have to figure in the route and camping etc.
All in all, I am looking most forward to camping in the mountains and the scenery. If things dont pan out too well and my body is not responding positively, i will take more time and finish it, rather than race myself to injury.
Bart: I plan to go with flats, but am open to a change as long as i have time to adjust to clipless by the race start.

Gregclimbs: awesome man, I will be there on the 24th hopefully, and we will plan this out as time goes. My Email is Strikethree07@live.com or just PM.
Thanks for the race suggestion, it is doubtfull i will get there that soon, but hey, you never know!

[gdillon]

awesome advice and i plan to pull a few allnighters at work then head out on the trail the next day(which i did this last monday while on spring break, 36 hours straight

This is similar to my plan this summer:  heading out after work on Friday, riding until a few hours past dark, even midnight or later, sleeping, and putting in a solid day on Saturday.  The into-the-night effort will be key for me to get far away from civilization (try out lighting, finding sleeping spots in the dark, when to eat before settling in) so the next day is a challenge (50-70 miles).

Last summer, for one reason or another, I found myself close to 'striking distance' on my 1 and 2 night efforts.  That is, I covered more distance than I thought I could in a day, and my vehicle/home was within a couple of hours of riding and I decided to end the trips earlier than expected.  For me, these experiences speak to the mental toughness needed for these types of efforts.  Your position on the trail can work for you or against you; you can be motivated to press on to achieve a goal and you can also be tempted to quit because creature comforts are near. 

It sounds like you have the time and desire to complete this journey.  Stay strong and, as posted before, stay healthy... there's nothing like recovering from saddle sores three weeks before the event!

July: up to the 21st it all about long days

Definitely put in the time, but plan your bike overhaul to give yourself enough time to make sure everything is dialed:  chain, cassette, brake pads, tires, spoke tension, cables, grips, sealed wheel bearings, suspension, etc.

[Stefan_G]

Greetings CTR Planners!

As most of you already know, I became "obsessed" with the CT in 2005 or so, and apparently it is extremely contagious! 

When organizing the 1st CTR in 2007, I have to admit that it was primarily for the very selfish goal of seeing how fast I could ride it.  And, IMO, the best motivation is some good competition. Since then, my reasons for regularly organizing this thing have continually evolved, but by far the most rewarding reason is seeing the motivation and excitement among so many of you to go out and push yourselves to accomplish something that, perhaps, a year ago seemed borderline impossible!  I know exactly how all-consuming the prep and training for this race can be, especially the first time around, and I honestly miss this wonderful state-of-mind.  Enjoy and relish it!

So, in the spirit of somehow helping you all plan for the race, here are what I deem the top 3 criteria for finishing.

1. Mental fitness
2. Rain gear
3. Everything else

This theme seems to echo was most veterans have been posting:     While some rookies may be thinking:   

#1 is obvious - the CTR can be an emotional, psychological and physiological roller coaster of epic proportions.  Without a committed, and strong-willed state of mind, you may not even make it through the first (and far more civilized) half of the race.

#2 and #3 may seem flip-flopped, but unless there is a perfect weather window AND you are fast enough to ride the entire trail during said weather window, I can assure you that your physical fitness and fancy shoes and extra tubes, brake pads, chain links, etc. will all be meaningless when you are soaking wet and shivering in the middle of the night hours away from any respite...

And want to finish as fast as you can?  Just follow this 1 simple guideline at all times:  Ride, Eat, Sleep - pick 1 

Looking forward to seeing ya'll in August!

-Stefan

[bartspedden]

Stefan, without even knowing me, described my experiences to a T. In 2009 (a very wet summer) I rode the CT with car support for fun and basically road in between rainy sections. I did get caught out in a couple of storms, but I also got to go back to a nice big tent at the end of the day with nearly all the comforts of home to get warm and dry.  So, I tried the CTR in 2010, and got mentally trashed from getting saddle soars on the first day from being constantly wet from the rain.  I dropped out the second day in Frisco.  This year I seem to want it more mentally and emotionally.  I can feel the drive inside gaining focus... force. I also have a different packing strategy -- much less weight on the back pack and more on the frame -- to help prevent saddle soars, but the rain gear is clearly more important to me.

Thanks for the insights Stefan!

Bart

[gregclimbs]

Thanks Stefan...

2. Rain gear

This I think I have sorted out.  Still pondering gloves.  But footwear has me in a tizzy.  I want to be prepared to finish happy even if it is a deluge like last year.  I vacillate on regular shoes (d2 custom - so comfy) and carrying waterproof shoe covers.  Or going another route like PI goretex shoes from the word go (with maybe a gaiter to prevent h2o entrance).

Still vacillating...

Just follow this 1 simple guideline at all times:  Ride, Eat, Sleep - pick 1 

Excellent advice.  And I am taking DH's advice and bringing my alcohol stove and a single pot.

And bringing along charbucks via as a compromise coffee solution.

-g

[jp3d]

But footwear has me in a tizzy.  I want to be prepared to finish happy even if it is a deluge like last year.  I vacillate on regular shoes (d2 custom - so comfy) and carrying waterproof shoe covers.  Or going another route like PI goretex shoes from the word go (with maybe a gaiter to prevent h2o entrance).

I've been considering this as well. Seems to me it would make sense to use the same strategy to keep your feet dry as the rest of your body: add a waterproof layer over the top when it is raining (which will inevitably trap some degree of sweat against your body while you are wearing it) and then remove that layer when it's dry to give maximum breathability to dry out again. I've never worn goretex/event shoes so I'm not sure if breathability is really a problem or if they are fine to wear all day on warmish days.

Mountain Laurel Designs' eVENT Rain Mitts seem like the perfect solution to simply pop over the top of your riding gloves when it starts raining (or gets cold) - again keeping with the same strategy as rain jacket/pants.

[gregclimbs]

I've been considering this as well. Seems to me it would make sense to use the same strategy to keep your feet dry as the rest of your body: add a waterproof layer over the top when it is raining (which will inevitably trap some degree of sweat against your body while you are wearing it) and then remove that layer when it's dry to give maximum breathability to dry out again.

Yeah, but difficult to find non-insulated shoe covers (read: "heavy") - best bet I have found is the gore bike "city" model - will check them out.

I've never worn goretex/event shoes so I'm not sure if breathability is really a problem or if they are fine to wear all day on warmish days.

I can get the PI ones really cheap - I might just get them and try them out in july and see how uncomfortable they become.

Mountain Laurel Designs' eVENT Rain Mitts seem like the perfect solution to simply pop over the top of your riding gloves when it starts raining (or gets cold) - again keeping with the same strategy as rain jacket/pants.

Those are perfect...if they were gloves not mitts... :/

[jp3d]

Those are perfect...if they were gloves not mitts... :/

I actually just got a pair, but haven't really tested them much yet. They are just a thin shell, so you still have basically the same dexterity as you would with a glove (possibly even better than bulky goretex winter gloves). I can grip the bar, use the brake lever with one or two fingers, and pick stuff up ok with them on.

[Marshal]

my 2 c’s—There is no particular brand rain gear that will keep a multi-day self supported bike racer truly dry

If it rains ‘hard’ and for a ‘sustained’ period of time your hands and feet will get wet.  In fact between the rain and body sweat your entire body will eventually be wet.  And chances are ALL your GEAR will be wet to some degree. Regardless of any and all clothing/gear choices—period –end- of -story.

Choosing gear to stay ‘dry’ misses the point imo.  It’s not how ‘dry’ you stay but rather how functional you can remain in hard sustained rain. 

For feet (and to a lesser degree your hands -and as pointed out also your bum) it’s a matter of dealing with ‘rub’ 1st and then warmth 2nd.  IE: How can one keep their feet happy and functional—not dry because that’s a losing proposition.  I think this is the ‘trickiest’ one to solve as feet take a lot of abuse and are hard to protect and keep functional in long term wet conditions.  No easy one size fits most solution for this one

Hands are simple/easy—a shell over a dry riding glove will keep the wind off and ‘delay’ the wet -- this combo is good for many.  Or for a bit more warmth just exchange the shell for a ex-large wind/waterproof over-glove to slip over your regular glove.  However-if you ‘wait’ till your hands are cold and the reg gloves soaked you can not then make it up by slipping on a shell or a over-glove. Ie: you lose and now have cold semi-functional hands that take forever to re-warm.

Um --the wet bum rub type saddle sores are very much a matter of repeat applications of a good water/sweat resistant grease/lubrication.  This is not a dry or warm issue but a pure friction issue for most.  Many expensive bike specific chamois lubs do not hold up in wet multi-day environments.  The more ‘grease like’ type creams hold up best in the long and wet

For body core warmth is # 1—the be all end all to staying functional (and alive bty)—and this is the easiest for all (yet hardest for some) imo.  ANY good set of rain gear will provide the ‘wind’ protection necessary to keep you plenty warm—usually too warm—as long as you have food going in and physical effort to keep burning the cals.  With a typical bike type rain jacket/pant combo the trick to staying warm is not the gear brand but what you are or are not ‘doing’.  If you are slow and tired and can no longer maintain a high effort level—guess what—you will soon be cold.  Regardless of the particular brand or type of rain jacket etc.  In short you can not buy gear that will solve this key issue—period.  But with good base fitness and good on-the-trail judgment calls you can keep the core warm--not really dry, but warm enough to remain functional

Sleep System—keep it dry till you need it—keep it mostly dry when you use it—take ‘sun time’ to dry it out as needed.  One solution is to not use it when its raining—but most of us can not (or will not) exercise this option.  So just bring a good bivy and hunt up a sheltered rest spot—or bring a tarp and hunt up a good spot etc etc.  Sort of like body warmth--this is not so much a gear choice but rather what/when you ‘do with’ your gear

[TruthRider]

Watched sunrise from the Marshall Mesa trail in Boulder this am.

CTR, bitches!!!   Bring it !!

[Done]

As most of you already know, I became "obsessed" with the CT in 2005 or so, and apparently it is extremely contagious!

No kidding. Thanks for having the vision to "organize" this race, Stefan. It was an awesome experience last year, and I'm really looking forward to getting out there again this year.

the motivation and excitement among so many of you to go out and push yourselves to accomplish something that, perhaps, a year ago seemed borderline impossible!

Thanks to those who went before me, I knew that it was humanly possible. But I didn't know if it was Toby-possible--which was a huge part of the attraction. Now that I know that it is Toby-possible, I want to find out if it's possible for Toby to go faster! But in some ways, I can't believe that I actually finished the thing in 2011 (I had dreams for weeks afterward that I never left the parking lot!)--so I still feel somewhat like a freaked-out newbie this year.

Thanks again, Stefan, for continuing to organize the CTR. I'm glad that you are able to look past the one stain from last year, and to enjoy the energy of the other riders. Hopefully we'll see you out there in 2011?