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.