Sponsors for 2012 MTB season and schedule

Sponsors for the 2012 MTB race season are getting locked in! I am pleased to be racing for Team Marin for the 2nd year now as they have provided me with more support than I had imagined.

Sponsors for 2012 are:

Marin Bikes- Team Ti 29er, Rift Zone Carbon 29er FS

Lazer- Helmets

WTB - Tires and Saddles

Whiskey Parts- Handlebars/ Stem / Seatpost

Northwave- Shoes

Formula- Brakes

Chamois Butt'r- ass cream

GU-Nutrition

Here is my schedule so far:

5 MBAA races throughout the 2012 season

Jan

12hrs Papago Solo

Feb

24hrs Old Pueblo 4man SS

SSAZ

March

3rd Fat Tire 40

PRO XCT Bonelli Park, CA

12hrs Dawn till Dusk Gallup, NM Solo

April

Sea Otter SS

Whiskey 50

June

BarnBurner 104 (Leadville Qualifier)

TEVA Games Vail, CO All Mtn Catagory- XC MTB, 10 trail run, SUP, Road TT

July

14th PRO XCT Mizula, MT

23rd Galina Grinder Ketchum, ID

Larimie Enduro 100

August

18th PRO XCT Mt Morris, WI Subaru Cup

October

24 hours of Fury Solo

December

Dawn till Dusk 24hr Solo

24hrs of Fury Single Speed Solo

Really, kinda off the couch. After the Speedgoat 50k trail race in Alta, UT, I had a couple tradeshows and 11 days in Vegas and only rode a handful of times before the Barnburner 104 I did on the Marin Cortina SSCX bike. After that I rode a couple "no drop" rides with the Bicycle Vibe riders, a handful of 2 hr trainer sessions watching Europtrip and other funny-ass movies. Two weeks ago I rode about 4 hours of BCT (blackcanyontrail.com) with Mike Melley (24hrs of Old Pueblo SS Solo winner). This was the first time in several months that I rode the Marin Team Ti as a singlespeed. You see that's the beauty of the Team Ti, you can put gears on it if you want to spin a couple sessions of singletrack. Then I pre rode the course doing about four laps some of which I walked sections I thought may be challenging and slow me down at night. I wanted to aver age 1:06 per lap.

I solicited David Claffy from Trailhead Bike Cafe to be my pit man. David is 17 but has a good head on his shoulders and a good wrench.

It had rained the day before the race making the Competitive Loops at McDowell Mtn Park tacky and the temps for the race were about 60 degrees during the day down to about 40 degrees at night. With Tinker leading the charge for the geared solo field, I traded spots with 3rd and 4th through the evening.

The only real failure I had was staying down too long. I jumped in the back of the VW wagon about 9pm for no other reason besides I just wanted to stop. I had a strong stomach (thanks Infinit Nutrition), good legs (thanks Xtreme Endurance) and good energy. I just wanted to stop. I had planned on staying down for the amount of time to average out my laps to 1:06. I had David calculate on the white board my average laps and how much time I had to spare. I had been turning sub 1hr laps since 10am so I had banked some serious time. Again, David is a great pit man but the only thing he lacks is knowing how to kick a grown man's ass into gear when the time is right. He opened the car door every 20 min or so and gave me reports but I sent him away each time until finally I asked that he come back at 4am, I was out. Since I had no real problems with riding other than lack of motivation, he should have told me to get my ass out there!

I got up on my own at 2:30 and changed into some warm clothes and wrote David a note on the whiteboard, "out at 3:04am". I was just heading on course when I saw Tinker getting a pit and I said "come on, let's do this." I could see by the light behind me that he had started out with me. The light faded then back on me then back for a while. About halfway though, I let him pass and he asked if I was sure and then politely said "thanks".

If you have ever done a 24hr race, solo or other wise, you KNOW that the Glory Lap is the best. When you are riding and sometime during your lap, the sun rises. It is truly amazing how energizing this can be. It warms you up mentally and physically. When I came in during this lighted lap, David had finally gotten up and back to the camp. We spent some time going over the results and where I was standing. I was in 4th but pretty sure the guys I was chasing were out on laps. It's funny how in a 24hr race you can lose it by not paying attention to the racers around you. I went out and rode a couple more laps finishing up at 9:30am before the 10am cut off.

When the final results were posted, I had slipped back to 6th! WTF! As David and I were checking them out, the guy that passed me for 5th by only 2 min 38sec was over my shoulder and told me how he did it. He said I passed him and his buddy on the last lap and since he was on the lookout for me, #18, his buddy told him "that's your guy to beat". They casually passed me and finished just ahead of me.

The take h0me is...race through the night and race each lap like you mean it.

MoVember is on the way

I have started getting ready to raise some money for MoVember. Just going into the month of MoVember I have $120 in the Mustchafia Team. We are looking to raise $1000 if you have interest in men's health issues, please go to my page http://mobro.co/travismcmaster1and donate what you can. I hope that by the end of the month, I have a full stache like I had in August.

Thanks!

Barn Burner 104mi MTB race on a SingleSpeed Cyclocross bike

So I am going to put to rest all the questions about whether or not a cyclocross bike is a fast situation at the Barn Burner 104 in Flagstaff, AZ.....it's not. But.....I had my Cortina custom painted and rocked some White Industries ENO hubs to convert it to a singlespeed. WTB shot me down a pair of their MTN Drop bars, thanks Mike. And I actually used the Freedom Ryder tire on the rear (zero flats) and a different tire on the front, non WTB(7 flats). I rolled up to Flagstaff the day before the race and visited Cosmic Cycles, a Marin dealer, and then to the camping area. I made some final adjustments and tested out a couple tire options on course before deciding on what I used. As I rode around the campground that evening, I could feel eyes on me and whispers that I was crazy.

The race morning came and I staged the bike at the end of the run as I could run through a crowd faster than pushing my bike through. I had a good start and rolled the first 2 laps (52 miles) without incident. I kept thinking in my head that I was Rock Jedi as I finessed the bike down the tech sections without fail. It wasn't until the 3rd lap that I started getting some flats....like 3 flats. I had enough CO2, 1 tube and many patches. I was close enough on the 3nd flat that I ran the bike in (1/4 mile) to the finish like a true CX racer. The 4th and final lap came and so did the rain. It actually felt good but on the tech sections the rocks began to get slippery. I took it easy but still kept a good pace. The last decent was super fast and knew that my slow leak wouldn't be safe. Knowing that I was going to make the 9hr cutoff for the "big belt buckle" I sill made the decision to stop and fix it to be safe. I ended up having 4 flats on the final lap and had to patch 2 of them ultimately running into the finish again from 1/4 mile out. All in all a 9:14 in a 104mi MTB race on a SSCX bike isn't all that bad. As you can see in the picture, my triceps were as tight as guitar strings. I will race this same set up next year, bring it!

Hoka line up for S12

I am feeling anxious about Spring 2012. Kind of an excitement mixed with a little "wholly crap" hang on!

Below are the S12 Hoka shoes. Please use these images coupled with the spreadsheet I have emailed you to make an educated decision on what to bring into the store for Spring 2012 from Hoka. The line has tightened up and basically consists of: Mafate (Trail Runner), Bondi B (Road), Stinson B Evo (fast and racing trail), and
the Stinson (full 40mm EVA mid-sole of the Mafate but upper of Bondi).

Oh and at the bottom are the new Injinji colors for S12...:)

Here are some images:

Speedgoat 50k 2011 Snowbird, UT the toughest 50k in the US

July 29^th Dave Griebling and I left Park City, UT headed for Snowbird to get a steak and good nights sleep before racing the Speedgoat 50k. Speedgoat 50k, that’s a funny name huh? Well about 3/4 way through the race I laughed out loud as the namesake hit me like a ton of bricks because I felt like a mountain goat and I was going as fast as my body would take me. Here is the topo map. Looks flat because you are looking at a computer screen but take a look at the left column where the elevation starts at 8000ft! 90% of the race is performed above 9200ft; maxing out at 11115ft at the top of Mt Baldy…a couple of times.

Anyhoo….Dave and I checked into the Cliffs Hotel at Snowbird and I spread out all my gear and food making different bags and planning out nutrition, etc. I got breakfast ready to eat in the bathroom as not to wake Dave up at 3:30am. I wanted to get up early to get some serious calories on board several hours before the race started going straight up the mountain.

Soon after getting the gear set up we went down to get some beta on the course. We ran into a couple fellas in the hall that looked like they were trail runners and proceeded to ask them about the course and joked about the “hand drawn” topo map…..turns out we were talking to Karl Meltzer, the race director, the guy who ran the Pony Express trail, the Red Bull athlete…the Legend! Nothing like getting beta from the guy that set the course! Next was a quick hot tub where I met up with another local athlete that had raced the year before. He ended up 7hours 7min this year!!! Nice work mandango! As Dave and I walked to the Steak Pit for dinner we ran into a guy with an IRun t-shirt. I guessed this was Jay Danek the guy I tried to meet at the WMRC trail run in Phoenix. I showed up to meet him but he didn’t make it that day. Yep, it was Jay. We talked for a moment and parted ways until the race day. After that encounter Dave and I put down a couple 7oz steaks, thanks again Dave. Then to bed.It’s now 6:00 in the morning and breakfast has long been digested and Dave and I are in the parking lot near the race start watching and joking that the start of an Ultra race may look like a slow-mo movie…. next was the race meeting then the starting line, GO!

It wasn’t so much of a slow-mo start but everyone was very relaxed and there was some chit-chat from some that had altitude-developed lungs. I was about 163bpm from the start and settled in to about 154bpm and as low as 125bpom at the low point of the race, mentally. Not much excitement till we hit snow near the top of Mt Baldy, where there was 500ft of rope straight up the snow chute t0 the top.

We weren't post-holing but there were defiantly kick steps and we needed the rope. I was greeted by a big grin from Dave at the top of Mt Baldy. I took a seat as he filled my Camelbak with more Infinit nutrition and handed me Pringles.

The next section was not quite as DOWN as the hand drawn topo had suggested but there was a cool section with ropes and scree. Then a long decent to the mine down a long ATV, dry creek, baby-head strewn area that wasn’t as flowy as it looked on the hand drawn topo map. Toward the bottom of this gnar, I ran upon a woman I parked next to before the race. I ran by shouting ‘ whazzz up!” I quickly realized she was sobbing when she told me she had potentially torn her meniscus on the run down and was upset that the point we were heading toward was a “no stopping point as it was difficult to evacuate athletes”. I offered Advil and told her to keep moving forward and I would notify the officials of her predicament. I believe it was here that I got a flat tire on my right shoe. I have been running and representing Hoka shoes the past year and absolutely love them but I bottomed out the sole and it flattened out at about mile 16 of 31…

After the mine comfort station, about ½ way though the race, I felt like a CHAMP! It was the first time I hit the Coke and got a little PBJ in me. Things were really clicking. The tunes on my Ipod were turning me into a running-dance machine! I was hitting up a little “air-dj”, a little robot arm and some break dance arm moves I hadn't seen since ’85! Then the crash. I guess I could’ve seen it coming as I was feeling SO good. This was the low point of the day about mile 18 going back up to the top of Mt Baldy. My heart rate hit 130bpm and the guys I was dancing by, started passing me. I stayed with one guy and he told me a story of his wife getting her stomach banded and all the weight she lost and how he and she had done some trail running/ walking recently and it was ok that I was walking so much during this race. I really appreciated his story telling at this point and finally got my legs again near the top. Thanks guy.

Fast forward past the tunnel and back to the top of Mt Baldy about mile 25.5. Although I looked sluggish getting up to Dave and his grin, I felt better when I got some more solids and more Infinit.

I was ready to crush this last part of the race. It was all downhill from here, literally. I started off and hit the snow chute with the ropes going back down. I took my bandana off my wrist and tied it around my hand to hold the rope as I glissaded down the chute…wheeeeeeeee! It felt so good to go so fast and get my bum and legs cold! Now I was cruising about 7 min miles, making up time on Jay Danek the other Phoenician I met up with the night before. Dave said he was about an hour ahead of me at the top of Mt Baldy; I finished within 45min of him. BUT not so fast….just after the snow glissade I was running with a woman and another guy cruising until…..woooosh, I slipped on a small stream crossing….sliding on my hands and scraped my knee and splattering mud everywhere. I really didn't check myself out but just got up and started running again. The two runners I was with asked me several times if I was ok…yes…YES I’m good, let’s rock this! Actually in my head I was like ‘ F man, what the hell, chill, you have like 5 miles left, relax!!! Things really were downhill like the topo map said and it felt sooooo good to run so freely after the mountain was getting the best of me all day. I owned this last 10k!

As I got to the finish line I stopped just short of it and made like I was driving a bus. Keeping my hand on the imaginary wheel, I reached over with my right hand and pretended to open the bus door. I told Karl and Dave to GET ON THE BUS!

They got on behind me and we cruised across the finish line together.Karl had and injury and was excited that he got to run that day albeit 5ft. A quick PBR, pizza and spray shower in the parking lot as I changed cloths and the day was done.

Thanks Dave. Thanks Karl. I’ll be back.

I couldn't have done this race with the little training I did without this list of gear. This gear got me through injury free:

CW-X Pro Short, Revolution Calf Sleeve, Web Top / Injinji Light Weight sock AND Original Weight sock / Camelbak- Octane LR / HOKA Mafate / Infinit custom TMac Endurance Run formula / Rooly sunglasses

I will be traveling to Park City, UT for the next few weeks after a brief stint in Las Vegas (hopefully I will be able to get a run in with Josh Brimhall, a sic ultra runner in Vegas). The trip to Park City will be both work and play related. I am sharing a house with a couple good friends/industry reps and working the Louis Garneau booth at Dealer Camp.

The Saturday after Dealer Camp I am racing the Speedgoat50k, put on by Karl Meltzer( ya the guy that ran the Pony Express Trail last year!) I love a race that has a hand-drawn topo map--

I have been running consistently and recently purchased an EMS device that shocks your muscles for excellerated recovery and O2 flow to damaged muscles. Also I have been back and forth on my sock selection. Ya that's right, I am fretting over my sock selection. See I have been having some issues and discovered that the Injinji lightweight sock is the best with my foot in the Hoka Mafate shoe I am rockin. I am glad to have such an assortment of socks at my disposal like the Injinji Midweight, Original weight and lightweight. As an athlete, you should have an arsenal of socks at your disposal....well do you?

Louis Garneau the biggest small company Tour de France leader video

I have been a part of the Louis Garneau family for a couple years now and couldn't be prouder. Last summer I was apart of a photo shoot with Chris Legh, Pierre Peron and friend Shawn O'Connell. At Interbike, a cycling industry convention in Vegas...save that one for another blog... I grabbed a copy of Decline Magazine and Garneau had used my idea of a lifestyle shot for a full pager! In the ensuing weeks, I was in a couple downhill specific shops and bosted that I had a full page in Decline. I knew the questions would range---"What race?" "What sic move were you doing?" "WTF, you?!" I am proud of my AD. So I am a cross country racer, Marin has DH bikes they will let me ride! Garneau also has supported my efforts in starting a National Cyclocross Team with riders ranging from Anna Young (Junior National Champion) to Nat Ross (friend and 24hr solo National Champion and MTB Hall of Famer). Together with Garneau, partner Dave Griebling and Pioneer S-M....

Recently, I was fortunate to spend time in Newport, VT the US HQ and really saw how this great company makes many of their products in the US! The point of all this is culminated in the video below. The current leader in the Tour de France is Thomas Voeckler of Team Europcar which is a new team to the Tour and Garneau is the Quartz helmet, X-Lite shoe, sunglasses AND Mondo Bib and jersey custom apparel sponsor. The time that Voeckler has spent in the "yellow jersey" has been done so in special yellow items that are hand sewn and painted especially for him by Garneau workers. The Garneau office actually had a "wear yellow office day" last week!

Enjoy the video:

5 hours on Carefree Highway

I woke up at 3am on Saturday June 18th, the day before Father's Day to run 30 miles. I don't know why but I have had it in my head that I want to run 30 miles and then 50 miles. I believe that the amount of miles someone runs is more mental than physical. I understand that a marathon distance is rooted in tradition and history and 30 miles isn't. That's the point. I know I'm not the first guy to run 30+ miles. Believe me I know there are runners out there that have run this distance and more on a regular basis. So I got up at 3 am to eat 2 hours before I got running so my solid food could have a chance to digest. After eating a couple waffles, a huge muffin and drinking some GU Brew with Chia seeds, I sat down to catch up on some TV and relax a little. I really didn't think about the run ahead as it really wasn't that big a deal. I got bored watching TV so I started my run a little early at 4:45am just before dawn. I new it was going to be hot so I planned for it.

Here was my plan:

I filled up my 70oz bladder in my Camelbak Octane LR , packed some salt tabs, and GU Brew portable tablets, 8 (GU gels with caffeine and without), a baggie of Chia seeds, some Advil. I put on several CW-X items including the Revolution Calf Sleeve, Pro Shorts to protect my tight hamstrings and the Ventilator short sleeved shirt to pull my shoulders back into the proper running position. I used the CW-X calf sleeves so I could use the new Injinji Midweight socks. These protected me from blistering between the toes and have a cushion on the sole for that added comfort. Last but not least, my Hoka Bondi B shoes.

Ya, that was a lot of tech huh? I remember in the late 70's and 80's my mom and dad shoe gueing their blue Adidas shoes with the yellow stripes. I have heard stories about my dad and his running partners putting opened Coke bottles in the frig so they became flat for the run the following morning. When I did my first Ironman in 2005 my dad asked me what my longest run was. He was concerned that I needed to "hit the wall" so my body could see what it felt like at a distance over 18 miles. Well as you can see by the list of technical items I used for my 30 mile run, the world is a different place that it was in 1980. Back to my premise that we can run further and be insulated from injuries more than ever.

So I started running with my Garmin 705 bike computer in my Camelbak (believe it or not I don't have a Garmin running watch). I was uber hydrated and fueled up. I know this because I stopped to pee 6 times in the first 30 minutes. I felt good about this as it was going to reach 97 degrees before the run was over. I was shooting for 30 miles in 5 hours, 10 minute miles. As I cruised along Carefree Highway, the cyclists started waking up and cruising by. Some solo, some just a few and some big packs of em. They had no idea that I was about 9 miles in my run of 30 miles. I'm sure they were thinking that I lived near by and was just out on a nice little jog, WRONG!

When I got to my turn around spot at Cave Creek Rd and Carefree Highway I watered up and checked my Garmin, 14.7 miles. CRAP! This meant that when I got back home I was going to be short of 30 miles. I would have to make up this mileage at the end of the run so I prepared for the mental anguish of running .5 more miles after I hit my doorstep. My knee was a little sore from ramping up the mileage so quickly so I went for my Advil. Nope. I think it bounced when I reached in my pocket for a GU pack. I didn't get any at this water stop but would later turn into a Circle K to get a package.

Recently, I raced a 300 mile Gran Fondo bicycle race, Tour De Kingdom, in Vermont only 2 weeks before this run so I had only put in 2-8 mile runs and 2-14 mile runs subsequent to this 30 mile endeavor. I was relying heavily on the CW-X Pro shorts, calf sleeves, Injinji socks and Hoka Bondi B shoes to get me through. And it did. I cruised back even hitting a couple runner's highs doing some "air DJ" on some great trance tunes....until about mile 27.

At mile 27 on the last hill into my hometown I got a little wobbly. I felt like Chris Legh at the Ironman in Kona. (remember the Gatorade commercial?) I know Chris and I'm sure he wouldn't mind that call it Legh legs. At the top of the hill was a cop shooting some radar on unsucpecting drivers. I was across the street from him kinda of stretching and I wondered to myself if he would let me sit in the cruiser and soak up some A/C? Probably not. I ate one last GU and walked for 5 minutes to compose myself. That hit the spot. I knew Starbucks around the corner was the last spot between me and the end so I stopped. It was about 9:30am or so and the place was crowded with weekend patrons enjoying their coffee. I kept my headphones on and walked directly to the bathroom and ran some cold water on my face and body, whew that hit the spot. I really could have used some comfort stations out there on my run with some sold sponges and EZUPs for shade. I guess that's what you get with your $100 entry fee.

I made it to my doorstep and checked the Garmin, yep 29.5 UGH. I dropped my Camelbak and held the Garmin in my hand and continued running. Checking every tenth of a mile until I got back home. 30.1 miles 4:49!!!! I grabbed the handle to my front door and it was locked. I was pretty exhausted so I knocked. No answer so I went through the garage. The kids were asleep still and Jodi was in a towel fresh out of the shower. Nobody missed a beat.

One of the take home's from this 30 mile run is that nobody can appreciate what you go through during your 5 hours on Carefree Highway. Not the cars passing by. Not the cyclists passing by. Not the cashier at the Circle K selling you Advil. Not the cop catching speeders. Not crowds in Starbucks. Not your kids still asleep. And not your wife. All supporting cast but none know what you went through for 5 hours on Carefree Highway that morning.

Great trail run getting ready for my 50 miler

Friday I ran from my house to the trailhead and beyond my usual stopping point. I came back and was like "huh, I still have some water and the music is still playing.." So I ran 6 extra miles totalling 13 miles. I felt great! I haven't ran 13mi for several years. I really attribute it to my CW-X Stabilyx 3/4 tights, Injinji Midweight socks and HOKA Mafate trail running shoes.

I used my Camelbak Octane LR to bring 70oz of water and great pocket to put my GU Roctane, ipod, Garmin 705 to keep track of mileage. Seriously, I have been putting in some miles but have been focusing more on the 300 miles of Vermont roads I am riding at the end of May, just before I go to Quebec.

Interview of athletes before Western States 100 running race

Here is a great interview as athletes prepare for Western States 100.

Seasoned Ultrarunners Share Advice for Surviving the Western States 100

Former Champion and Finisher Stress Preparedness and Injinji® Performance Toesocks™

SAN DIEGO, CA (May 24, 2011) – Long-distance runners in search of the ultimate ultra challenge need look no further than The Western States Endurance Run, a 100-mile trail event heralded as one of the oldest – and most challenging. Held in June, this no-holds-barred competition tests the limits of physical and mental strength, taking racers on a remote and rugged course from Squaw Valley to Auburn, CA, complete with staggering vertical climbs, steep descents and 100-plus-degree temperatures.

On June 25, hundreds of hardcore athletes will again turn out in hopes of completing the relentless race. Just how does one prepare for such a demanding course? Race veterans Anita Ortiz, 47 – the 2009 female champion (pictured right) – and Jonathan Gunderson, 33, both athletes for Injinji, the event’s official sock sponsor, offer up some personal training tips to succeed in – and survive Western States:

Q: When should you start training?

AO: I start in January, but I train for other things prior, so it all adds up!

JG: I start thinking about the race in early January and gear my racing schedule to peak near Western States in late June.

Q: How do you physically prepare?

AO: I train 4-5 hours per day, six days per week – a mix of running and cross-training. I don’t count miles; only hours.

JG: I start with a lot of cross-training, such as riding a bike on a trainer, and focus on building up my total body strength and endurance with dips, pull-ups, push-ups and core workouts with an exercise ball. To give my muscles a rest, I don’t start running until mid-January. As my running activity increases, I cut back on my gym work and train in four-week cycles that build in intensity each week. When possible, I try to run on the actual race course to get some splits on different sections and give myself a visual of what to expect on race day.

Q: How do you avoid injury during training?

AO: If it hurts for several days, take a rest day or two.

JG: Listen to your body and give it ample rest. Don’t take on the attitude that one missed day is more important than your consistent weeks of training.

Q: How do you keep your feet in prime condition?

AO: I always wear Injinji Performance Toesocks, so I never have any foot problems. From the moment I put on my first pair, I never got another blister. EVER!

JG: I check for calluses, make sure my nails are trimmed and wear Injinji Performance Toesocks. They keep my feet dry and clean.

Q: What helps you mentally prepare?

AO: I prepare by being prepared. If I have put in the time and done the work, that knowledge serves as my personal “mantra.”

JG: Part of the mental preparation comes from simply running long distances and giving myself the knowledge that I can and have pushed through in the past. Prayer is also important. Some of the toughest moments in a 100-mile race come when you’re struggling alone in the dark, and prayer helps keep me centered, calm and feeling like I’m never out there all alone.

Q: Any tips for handling the heat and altitude changes?

AO: Prior to race day, sit in a sauna once a day for two weeks, and stay hydrated. On race day, make sure you eat early and often so that when things get tough, you have plenty of calories on board.

JG: For the heat, I’ll use a sauna and sometimes train in quite a bit of clothing to help get accustomed. In terms of the altitude, I try to arrange my schedule so that I can be in Lake Tahoe far enough in advance so that it’s a non-factor. If that’s not possible, Aspirin can help.

Q: What gear is crucial?

AO: My Injinji Performance Toesocks, Salomon hydration pack and SaltStick electrolyte capsules.

JG: I’m loving my Injinji Compression Toesocks (pictured left), which have been a big asset on the longer races, staving off fatigue in my calves and helping with recovery after training. I also love my Brooks Racer ST 5 shoes, which fit my physical frame and running style for long trail races – even though they’re meant for the road. GU Roctane is fantastic in providing calories without stomach discomfort or energy drain.

Q: What do you eat the night before and the morning of race day?

AO: The day before, I eat a steak at the noon hour and a salad for dinner. Breakfast is usually a Pop Tart.

JG: Since the bulk of carbo-loading takes place 2-4 days prior to the race window, I try to eat light the night before – maybe whole wheat pasta with red sauce. The morning of, I sip on water with Nuun electrolytes and eat a Clif Bar and a banana.

Q: What single piece of advice would you impart on a Western States novice?

AO: Put in the time training. You can’t fake it at Western States – the elevation and heat will eat you alive. And stay cool by getting wet in every stream crossing you see!

JG: Do your homework. With the proliferation of ultramarathon information on the Internet, there’s a tremendous opportunity to be as prepared as possible. Understand the challenge and familiarize yourself with the course. Don’t underestimate how valuable that familiarity will be when you hit rough patches during the journey.

Trifest in Tucson

Well another Trifest has come and gone and a lot happened. I got there Wednesday before to clinic REI for Tifosi Sunglasses, great crew! I stayed with Billy Brenden during the week and we had a fun time. It was Nic, Billy's brother's birthday so we all went out to celebrate.

After that I made a ton of sales calls for Serfas bike products, my new line! I am telling you that if you don't own any Serfas products, you are missing out!

Late into the night, I looked at Billy's shoes. I noticed that he had been working on a fashioning a pair of casual shoes to pitch to Louis Garneau in hopes they would roll them out for their casual lineup!

On Thursday or Friday...there was a group ride up Mt Lemon. The group started out with 60+ people!! That's the only way to get motoring up Mt Lemon. Chris Brown (BMW/Litespeed) was there as were several other climbing types. I got bored as usual early on so I attacked to get things ramped up and catch some folks sleeping in the pack.

At Windy Point, after catching the fallout from the lead group, I was in 5th position yo-yoing so I stopped to stretch and wait for Billy and a couple others. We got motoring again and reached the top in like 2:05. I guess that is a pretty fast time to the top. I didn't know there was a standard!!! I wouldn't have stopped and waited...

Trifest was Saturday and there was a good amount of consumers and a TON of sic 2011 product being expod. I displayed the new Vortice helmet from Louis Garneau and the new tri apparel from CW-X.

The night went on and I won a Beer Mile. I was also on hand to receive the Vendor of the Year from Trisports on Louis Garneau's behalf! What an honor. Louis Garneau has the best fill rates, minimal mis ships and the best rep!

BCT Camping with Melley and Pettit

Here is a vid from our camping trip on BCT.

McD & BCT from Michael Melley on Vimeo.

White Tank MTB Race in AZ

I am off to another season officiating MTB races in AZ. I talked to Downhill Mike about officiating his DH races in Nevada the weekend of Old Pueblo but I was tied up racing. I think I may officiate that race next year.

The Jamis team showed up in full force at the White Tanks race and performed well. It was great to see the Louis Garneau TFlex 300 shoe that has yet to be released!

The AZ DEVO team did well too.

Unfortunately I was witness to yet another crack n failed Voodoo frame. This is the 2nd frame I have seen with my own eyes. The other was 2 years ago at the AZCROSS.COM race when a VooDoo cracked just below the headtube. WOW.

Oh and this maybe the first time I ever share the top step with Mike Melley. We both got first place in the "dress alike and run a mtb race" award.

Tough to spread these out but here is the video on Black Canyon Trail on the last day of 2010. I think I am still sick from the cold....burr.

BCT31DEC10 from Michael Melley on Vimeo.

2011 El Paso Puzzler MTB race with John Pettit

The video says it all. Great trip, I got 3rd and John got 2nd. E Ya!

El Paso Puzzler 50 mile MTB race Jan 2011 "go quietly into that dark night" from Travis McMaster on Vimeo.

Getting back to running with Hoka Bondi B and CW-X Ventilator tights

So I started running again....like 2 days ago. I haven't ran really since cyclocross season in November so I was excited to get running in my new Hoka Bondi B and CW-X Ventilator tights and CW-X Web Top. It is like getting a fresh haircut or riding a new bike, exciting!

Starting to run is a hard pill to swallow when distance running comes easy. I ran 22 minutes the other day! WOW! Then I ran 22 minutes the next day! The key is slow progress....but I noticed with the Hoka Bondi B road shoe and the CW-X tights, I am NOT SORE! Seriously, no shin splints or anything. I am up to 30 min now.

Take home:
If you want to return to running, GET HOKA AND CW-X stuff! It is worth it! Oh yeah the Injinji NuWool socks are sic too!

24hrs of Old Pueblo - a solo experience-singlespeed- and I was in 2nd place for first 2 laps

I feel like I have been putting this blog off until now. I have been processing what happened this past weekend in the desert of Arizona. Here is the key word buzz--wind, rain, cold, smoke, friends, GI upset next to the trail, steep SS gear, friends, support.



OK. So I attempted my first solo singlespeed 24hour race at 24hrs OP this past weekend. Got that. I felt that my age (38) and experience in endurance events, Leadville, 12hr solo races and Ironman finishes would carry me through this race. I really am not an ego guy so this wasn't an ego thing, just an eyeopener.


So I know that you can't just replentish your caloric intake 1:1 for what you burn. The human body can't process it that quickly, especially at any level of intensity. I went into the first few laps just spinning when I felt like it and coasting when I could to conserve energy. I watched my heart rate (ave164bpm) for the first few laps but the WIND was burning more calories that I realized and I got into a deficite. During my stop on the 2nd lap, I put down a couple pickles, cheese puffs, and some other solid foods. My body was wanting to replentish but the blood was in my muscles and not in my stomach to process the food. Needless to say I got bloated, cramped and had to poop during my 3rd lap. This past winter I rode with some guys that always carried toilet paper in their Camelbaks so I had some in my pack from these rides, thankfully.



The 4th lap was it. I felt like crap and was getting cold. Although I took my Garneau Seattle Jacket on that lap to protect me from the rain, I got cold. When I came around this lap, my CW-X EZ Up was folded up as was Mike Melley's (2nd place SS Solo). Bad sign of things to come. Realizing that I was not in the proper shape to be cometitive, I packed it in. Needless to say, I didn't finish last! There were several that had the same idea and packed it in for various reasons before I did."


I spent the rest of the race sleeping in my wife's smokefilled car and helping support Mike Melley on his way to 2nd place solo finish (winner of 24 OP SS Solo 2008 and 2010, not competing in 2009). This in it's self was a rewarding experience.

Hilights:

On the first lap, I was at the top of the rock drop and the racer in front of me stopped so I dab'd and couldn't regain my footing to ride down the rock pile so I ran down. I was showered by "BOOOOOOOs" so I gave them all a smile and the bird, all in friendly banter.


Although, looking at the picutre again, I think the kids got the brunt of my bird.

TAKE HOME:

Spending time crewing for Mike along with Kevin, Katie Ellis and her mom was an eyeopener. I raced with a 4 person Marin team at this race last year but hadn't spent time at a 24hr race since 1997 24hrs of Moab. I have new respect for CREWS and SOLO racers. Solo racing 24hr races is not necessarily about the elite racer. A guy or gal can train and take their time knowing that it's a LONG day and night of riding. These racers know their limits and are different than a person doing an Ironman as a agegrouper trying to finish. They are MORE mentaley tough than an Ironman finisher. I an mot sure I have that mentality yet. I'm sticking to 12hr and 50 milers for the rest of the season. Next up 12hrs Dawn till Dusk, NM- Sea Otter, CA.

SSAZ 2011

Whew. It has been a couple days of detox from SSAZ. Detox from the sic riding, Tequila–before the race, at the comfort station, at Tequila Tree 35 miles into the race, at night, cheeseballs and pickles at the comfort station, beers, short bus, live music, etc. That kind of sounds like the start of a bad joke ” so a guy goes into a race shooting Tequila and taking slugs off a beer during the neutral roll out…” I digress…I had been in Los Angeles selling Injinji socks and CW-X sports bras all week and finally rolled into my driveway at 9pm Friday night. Ella, my 7 year old, greeted me by jumping into my arms. High fives for the 11 year old, Lucas, and kisses for the old lady, Jodi (I think after 14 years of marriage I can call her my old lady). After spending some well deserved and needed time with the family I went to the shop and put some finial touches on the Marin Team Ti 29er. Ooooh, I forgot to mention that I bent a rim and seized up all my bearings on my I9 race wheels in January on an epic ride http://www.vimeo.com/18347815which I picked up at Gary’s house (Owner of Swiss American Bikes in Glendale, AZ) on hour 7 driving back from LA. Sooo I put the Marin Team Ti together and got the car sorted with sleeping gear, food, etc and went to sleep with a pounding head ache. I set the alarm for 4am and would call an audible as to if I was going to drive down for SSAZ 3 hours away.

The alarm went off and I got up feeling refreshed

and ready to rock. Hit up the Circle K for come cheap black coffee and was rollin to Tucson. When I got there I immediately saw some Durango crew, Chad Cheney, Jon Bailey, Doom and Devon Balet, photographer extrordinair. After some much needed catching up with Devon, I checked in with Dejay. Ya, the one and only, DeJay Birch. The only guy I know that would hand out finisher patches with his likeness embroidered on it! Love that guy! Anyways, I went to check the start list and was told I had a penalty shot coming for not showing up at the Surly Wench the night before and checking in. I pointed out that my name was signed on the sheet, obviously by a friend of mine. I made no bones about it and proudly took my Tequila shot.

The race rolled out as it always has with the passing of a beer through the pack. Last year it was Dales Pale Ale since Chad brought down the Dales RV. This year it was a classic cycling brew, PBR. As I had a Tequila shot and a couple cookies, I only took one pull. Since this was exactly the first time I had ridden this bike, I had some seatpost adjustment issues. In the beginning of the climb up…I mean like 500 yards from the start…my seatpost slipped back jamming up my seat like a 14 year olds BMX park bike. As EVERYONE passed me by the time I got the saddle adjusted, I had some work to do. So with my 32 x 21, I climbed past most of the group reaching Tofer the guy from Philly wearing the golden lycra shorts, fishnet tanktop and a beard that wouldn’t quit. I rolled with these guys for a while till the comfort station…..that’s when things got interesting..

I stopped at the comfort station surrounded by cheeseballs, pickles, Tacate, cookies, and cheeseballs. After gorging on cheeseballs, licking my fingers clean then dipping back into the cheeseballs repeatedly, I realized that I was back in last place again. Devon said he was going to start heading back to the finish and take pictures along the way for Mountain Flyer so I decided to head back with him. We started back and stopped to set up the remote flash and get some test shots. I had a great idea to make an impromptu gilly suit like military snipers use. I started stuffing tall grasses in my jersey and helmet. When I realized that I could not recreate the vision of a sniper I had in my head I asked Devon why he let me do that. We got some good pictures of Tim Allen and Krista Park and a few others. Our idea with the gilly suit was to jump out and scare the crap out of these riders in the middle of nowhere. Be forewarned Colorado racers, Devon is purchasing a gilly suit and scare you on course this season.

The rest of our ride included riding with some great folks, 2 flat tires that needed boots, Milegrosa Falls and the Tequila Tree. When Devon got his flat tire on his Racing Ralphs we couldn’t seal it so we had to take it off and tube it. Simple huh? It took us 50 minutes. First, the tube DeJay gave him was a cyclocross tube. While I was

getting my tube I took my finger off the slice. Found the slice. Got distracted, lost the slice. Found the slice. We got set up just as a couple riders were coming so we rode with them. We got to Tequila Tree. Devon wanted to get some pictures so I volunteered to take a shot. Well he didn’t get the first few photos so I took a couple extra shots. This gave me some serious confidence rolling down Milegrosa Falls. I had sooo much fun on this tech section with the Marin Ti frame. It was so predictable. I think the combin

ation of Ti and the geometry they have on the 29er is money. The ride finished with me slicing my sidewall and using the Big Air to put air in increments till I rolled in on the rim. What a finish. The rest of the night is for another post. Just think a surly wench, live music and a pro mtn bike racer getting escorted out of the bar by his face and hassled by the cops….