TDR and other ultra racing problems, especially issues that caused you to stop

[Foster]

Also I am wondering who I rode with after the knee dislocation and who I was staying with in the cabin later that night.  I don't remember anyone except for Rich Wolf because he stayed in the cabin later longer the next morning.  Wondering if anyone can fill in any gaps for me because the pain killers erased lots of my memory that night.

[THE LONG RANGER]

Damn Foster, that's nuts. While on route, I heard you finished the race (to the border) in like day 16 or 19 or something and thought, "Well, obviously". A KNEE dislocation is totally crazy.

[Foster]

Damn Foster, that's nuts. While on route, I heard you finished the race (to the border) in like day 16 or 19 or something and thought, "Well, obviously". A KNEE dislocation is totally crazy.

Haha, I wish I had finished.  I'm not that big of a freak to go through that and finish in 19 days, but maybe 40 days

[aaron w]

Foster, that was me who you rode with after your accident.  It was apparent you were in a lot of pain.  I couldn't really understand how you were riding at all.  Wish I could have helped but obviously there wasn't much I could do....

[the tortoise]

Foster,

Aaron and Phillip and myself are the only ones I know of for sure. Hey I asked you for some of those magic pills but you refused to part with them! Ha ha! Scary time but it is funny how soon you forget that and plow ahead. Glad you made the decision to not continue on. It would have cost me another place and I was handing those out like candy at the end!

I think I am going to bug you about showing me around Flagstaff. Hopefully your knee is still messed up so I can hang with you!

[Foster]

Haha, yeah I'm not surprised that I was being stingy with those things. If you are in Flagstaff let me know, we can go ride some of the good trails around here.

[phil_rad]

Foster when you came into the cabin that night you were looking pretty loaded (from the pain killers) your eyeys were seriously dialated. I remember that we were all takling about you and worrying where you were in that crap weather, and then you came throught the door! It was was way cramped in there and then it got really hot. Robin B. was heading out the door to sleep outside, then we just opened the door and left it open for a while. I was amazed that you continued on after Eureka with your knee, thought for sure you'd stop there. Hat's off to you dude for solidering on!
That cabin saved our assses! Eh Rich?

Phil

[Blackhound]

I finished the tour in 2011 but a couple of times I thought I would fail.  Getting food down me was difficult, particularly early morning and energy levels suffered majorly.

Which of the following reasons helped me to finish I can't be certain but:
- I got a bike fit for £100 (~$150) from former TdF rider Adrian Timmis (Cadence Sport for interested UK riders) to ensure position was correct.  This got me insoles as well as a longer stem recommendation and revised saddle height.  I realised position would be key and £100 was a small price to pay compared to the whole TD investment.
- Regular rides, back to back in final 10 weeks, with full TD kit meant legs were OK.
- I used chamois cream and Penaten (A&D type) cream daily.
- 2 excellent pairs of Etxeondo shorts which were not washed as regularly as I would have liked. And one pair still as good as new.
- I carried a vitamin, pro-biotic and Glucosamine (for joints) pills.
- Shoes and pedals were a few years old and well run in, both now dumped.  Shoes were a Specialized BG Sport version so not out-and-out race version and fine for walking in.  Good job the amount I did!

Other then extreme tiredness some days my only issue from about day 3/4 was a numb left hand which took some months to clear up.  I have massive achilles / calf issues whenever I try to run but no issues on TD.

Might be back in 2014....

[Blackhound]

One other thing; For the 9 months before and during the race I stretched a lot per advice from my osteopath and also did some work to strengthen my core.  Again.can never be sure how much this helped.

[febikes]

I highly recommend saving your medications from other injuries to take on these events, they are worth bringing and weigh nothing.

That is a good idea but I think if a rider finds they have to take something that is on the IOC banned substances list they should call in and switch from "race" mode to "tour" mode.  Even though TDR is an epic rather then a race it would be a good idea to avoid the impression that riders are taking dope. 

This would not apply as an issue in your case because clearly you were in injury and survival mode and not in race mode.  Good job with getting through the injury.

[Foster]

That is a good idea but I think if a rider finds they have to take something that is on the IOC banned substances list they should call in and switch from "race" mode to "tour" mode.  Even though TDR is an epic rather then a race it would be a good idea to avoid the impression that riders are taking dope. 

This would not apply as an issue in your case because clearly you were in injury and survival mode and not in race mode.  Good job with getting through the injury.

I certainly agree with what you say, it definitely makes sense. The idea of bringing medications is really only for getting yourself out of bad situations and rare circumstances IMO. And if you have them with you, they can really save your ass.  Clearly I could not have taken pain medication throughout the entire race just so i could have finished, it was merely to get myself out of a bad situation.  I was hoping that the pain would slowly subside to where I could stop taking medication but that didn't happen and I didn't want to ride the entire divide on narcotics, it would have been foolish.

[Foster]

Foster when you came into the cabin that night you were looking pretty loaded (from the pain killers) your eyeys were seriously dialated. I remember that we were all takling about you and worrying where you were in that crap weather, and then you came throught the door! It was was way cramped in there and then it got really hot. Robin B. was heading out the door to sleep outside, then we just opened the door and left it open for a while. I was amazed that you continued on after Eureka with your knee, thought for sure you'd stop there. Hat's off to you dude for solidering on!
That cabin saved our assses! Eh Rich?

Phil

Any chance you might give it another go next year?  I sure am!  I want to go back and ride the thing pain free this time.

[phil_rad]

Any chance you might give it another go next year?  I sure am!  I want to go back and ride the thing pain free this time.

No, not next year. I want to do a couple of events in Europe; like the Grenzsteintrophy or Trans Hellas. Maybe even an unsupported trans alp trip. I think that eventually I'll be back though. I'm sure you'll make it next year Foster. 

[wunnspeed]

I, strangely, made it all the way to the CTR section outside of Silver City before my knee gave me any problems (the first time in 15 years of singlespeeding). I'm sure spinning all the way to the border at 13-14 mph didn't make it any happier. The only foot issues that I had came after the long stretches of walking across snow where my shoes flexed just enough in the cleat location to irritate my foot and caused it to swell. FYI - I tried the new Specialized Rime shoes which, in my opinion, would be perfect SS shoes if they were an 8 on the stiffness scale and they made the tread a bid deeper so that the cleat didn't scrape the ground/asphalt/gravel and wear down at an astounding rate (I went through 3 sets of cleats).

As fair as taint issues, I had one tough day in after the long asphalt/dirt day somewhere in the middle and then about half way through the run to the border from Silver City I could only sit for a matter of about a half mile before having to stand to relieve the pressure. Weird. Other than that, a good cleaning most nights, a bit of Desitin followed by Euro formula Chamois Butter and I was good for the day.

My hands were good for the most part. I use a Groovy Luv Handle bar with ESI grips (no Aero bars). My normal riding position in "road" situations is pretty relaxed and I ride/steer with the flats of my hands on the grips. Occasionally, I would change positions to a normal gripping position and then back again. After 2 weeks the very tip of a couple of fingers kind of tingles, but it's far less than I actually expected given all the problems people seem to have.

Really, given that this was my first bikepacking event and by far the longest event I've ever participated in, I have to say that I'm super surprised that I seemed to have nailed most of the fit issues that plague most people. Thanks to Phil and you guys for letting me pick your brains. The fact that I've been racing for almost 20 years, mostly SS and endurance probably helps as well, I guess.

Foster... I agree.... you get the SUPER BAD ASS award from me as well.