TD'12 Race Discussion

[mikepro]

Is posting the above pedantic and not worthy of posting?  I find routing 'variations' interesting but I won't post them if it is immaterial.

I, for one, appreciate these types of posts since I don't have the time (unfortunately) to track 95 individual variations.

[ridingman1]

Looks like veteran rider Phillip Fogg missed the turn at Stemple pass and rode into Helena the back way and is holding up in a motel. I hope he is Okay and keeps going despite the nav error.

[mbeardsl]

Ollie's spot is 34 minutes older than Craig's.  I'd wait for the next update before speculating anything other than Ollie still being a few miles ahead.

[multisportscott]

What fun is there in not speculating??

[patrickTsai]

i rode with phil quite a bit through the first half of montana in 2010, and have kept up with him on facebook. a great guy, and someone to root for. stay humble and push till the end brother.

[Boney]

Is posting the above pedantic and not worthy of posting?  I find routing 'variations' interesting but I won't post them if it is immaterial.

Please keep posting them! Definitely some of the more enjoyable observations to read, especially the ones where I can actually recall the turn.

[montanakb]

Just met Al Gilmour while out for a ride.  He said his spot has stopped working and shows him about 50 miles north of Lincoln.  He's actually about six miles south of Helena.

[JayP]

What happened today, Ollie wait for Craig? Thought there was a break...

[Marshal]

Been away from the computer all day and getting caught up—so I will put all my catch up cents here--

Limit electronics as much as possible if you be racing-- for the best time Lithium batteries are the way to go. (For touring style TDR- recharging would probably be the way to go.  note: yes I know JN would  probably disagree bout that)

GPS is now the undisputed/proven nav std.

Per the TDR rules Smart Phones are Not Cheating.  imo they have little impact vs “other ways” of getting info. And as anyone can bring one-- “fairness” has absolutely nothing to do with it.

In a race this long-- a break basically means getting at least 1 mountain pass between you and the other guy

You are physically trained to a sufficient TDR race level when:
You can ride COMFORTABLY all day long at your best/personal sustainable pace, several days in a row after sleeping in the dirt each night.

Once you are trained to a sufficient level--know that trumping all that training is this:
1) No matter how well trained or long you ride you can not make up for a lack of inherent VO2 max
2) No matter how well trained or high your inherent VO2 max is you have to be willing to ride long to win

Also you have to be willing to suffer but “toughness” is a bit of a misconception—good preparation=TDR style toughness.  Or in other words the better prepared you are- the less you have to suffer—but by multi-day racing definition--you will suffer, hee hee hee

Re-supplying on the route is critically important in terms of where, when, time taken, how much etc.  The term Junk Food however is sort of a religious expression, not a scientific one.   In other words the food “quality” available along the route is more than adequate for racing.  At it’s most basic level,  during the TDR, food is simply fuel.

Altitude is miss understood, in most cases it’s not adaptation to the lack of oxygen at higher elevations that’s the BIG factor—rather it’s trying to use the wrong (to high) pace for that elevation—ie: true adaptation=correct pace.  And correct pace is easy as pie, it’s simply slowing down as your body dictates.  Everyone has to slow down (per their inherent VO2 capabilities) at higher elevations.  (of course I live at 8300 feet so maybe I have a warped point of view)

Humm, ok, what did I miss?  

Anyway--time to move on and check Trackleader for the important stuff……….

[mbeardsl]

Is Cjell Money going to pass Fixie Dave tonight? 
Dave said he was shooting for "Kremling maybe further" but he's been there for awhile now.  Maybe just resupplying.
I'm sure Cjell could use some company so he can stop crying so much (his calls are hilarious!).
Not sure they could really ride too muhc together given the different styles (big ring fixie vs gears)?

[JayP]

front boys are in a famous BEAR country area...remember following the tracks in the snow, which were following the tracks of Plesko and Kurt...many of stories up there...

[SlowDave]

Speaking of Fixie Dave, I could have sworn I saw him here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=hWf0qWNevXE

!  In a leopord print maybe?

[ride MT]

interesting to compare this race with the thru-hiker experience on the big trails. my dad has done the AT and the PCT and I have followed both closely. those guys live on "junk" food and sleep on the ground for most of a week at a time without any hotel or whatnot. they sometimes also really push to make a certain place at a certain time. dad's crew did 25 miles a day average for the last month of his hike to make the end of the PCT on time. curious if any racers have been thru-hikers before. if they had i am sure it would be a huge advantage logistics and planning wise.

[bikpdlr]

At 9:45pm TD time...

Ollie and Craig have 105 miles to Pinedale with 6,500 feet of climbing and 8,500 feet of descending in between.

Do they push on and ride thru the night and into Pinedale early in the morning or do they get some rest at some point (and if so, where?)

The forecast is for 8-12 mph tailwinds for the next 48 hours across the basin and a 30% chance of isolated thunderstorms late tomorrow afternoon.

So I'm guessing that their timing is working out great for crossing the basin... right?

[Climb On]

I just saw the men's record splits at the bottom of the Leaderboard. Interestingly, Ollie Whalley was behind record pace for most of the first checkpoints but he has now come in ahead of record pace for 2 checkpoints in a row. Wow!  

[metalartgate]

If you have had a testicle removed is one reason.

Is there a reason for a Dr to prescribe anyone a testosterone patch? Apart from the fact that you are getting old? I'm serious here.

[mikepro]

curious if any racers have been thru-hikers before. if they had i am sure it would be a huge advantage logistics and planning wise.

Not sure about this year's riders, but I'm both a vet PCT thru-hiker and TD thru-racer, if you will.  Logistics and planning are vastly different IMHO between the 2 adventures even though it might seem similar.  Simply put: PCT ~4 months, re-supply every 3rd to 7th day or more; TD ~3weeks, re-supply every day or even multiple times a day + WAY more access to civilization.  But the benefits (purposely not calling in 'advantages') I gained from prior PCT experience were INVALUABLE in so many other ways.

[ride MT]

Not sure about this year's riders, but I'm both a vet PCT thru-hiker and TD thru-racer, if you will.  Logistics and planning are vastly different IMHO between the 2 adventures even though it might seem similar.  Simply put: PCT ~4 months, re-supply every 3rd to 7th day or more; TD ~3weeks, re-supply every day or even multiple times a day + WAY more access to civilization.  But the benefits (purposely not calling in 'advantages') I gained from prior PCT experience were INVALUABLE in so many other ways.

Cool. This is exactly what I was talking about. It's like a sprint compared to a thru-hike. Interesting.

[mikepro]

Leaders are moving at a fast clip along Brooks Lake Rd, so doesn't seem likely that there's snow there.  I hesitate to think that they'll pull all the way to Pinedale without resting tonight prior to cresting Union Pass.

[mtbcast]

Calls tonight: Tim Zawislak called in from Wise River. He’s got an achilles and is headed back to Butte to assess. Kurt and Caroline called in from Lima. They’re doing well and battling the terrain. Mark Farnsworth called in leaving Butte, not Billings. Having a great time with the animals. Phillip Fogg called in from Helena. He’s OUT! Having numb hand and feet issues and doesn’t want to cause permanent damage. Jarrod Dellamarta called in to say he’s OUT! Achilles and ankle are pretty swollen, so is pulling the plug. Max Morris called in from Basin after one heck of a hike-a-bike. Was a little discouraged earlier, but is in much better spirits after arriving in Basin. Hoping to pick up his pace again soon.

Not summary show tonight as I just got back to the hotel.