Who ever sent me this print, thanks so much! Got a photo in the mail from an anonymous source. I was moved when I pulled it out of its container. Somehow I forgot how much pain was involved in the worlds … its all on my face.
Category: Blog Posts
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Say What? Peaking?
My default training interval photo for all the posts about working out. Crushed it on the Treasure Trail yesterday! Felt like a freakin’ gazelle – even during the aerobic threshold run (which, let’s be honest, usually feels more like dragging an anvil uphill). Now, some folks might point the finger at the Carbo Rocket (you know, that “miracle fuel” everyone’s raving about), but here’s the kicker: my numbers were supposed to be chilling in the low 130 bpm range. Turns out, after I dug into the data, 145 is my new threshold. Mind. Blown. That’s, like, 13 beats higher than WORLDS! Talk about peaking at the wrong time… (cue dramatic music).
But hey, gotta roll with the punches, right? So, today’s all about embracing the “Skill Day” in my training plan. Think of it as my personal playground – and my trusty Turner Flux is the swing set. We’re talking smooth flats, epic climbs, twisty descents, the whole shebang. Smooth surfaces? Done. Rough terrain? You betcha. Even testing out this standin’ thing – gotta master every skill, ya know? SportTracks better be ready for the data avalanche I’m unleashing. Seriously, I geek out on this stuff more than a kid in a candy store.
Speaking of geeking out, remember that iPhone I’ve been obsessing over? Well, thanks to the legend at Mum’s Wireless, I’m officially on the waiting list! He even hooked me up with a sweet plan – 25 bucks a month, with plenty of Wi-Fi and Skype to fill in the gaps. Big ups to Mum’s, yo! They get it.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a date with my bike, a trail, and a whole lot of data to conquer. Wish me luck (and maybe send some virtual energy drinks my way – this “peaking” thing might need a little boost ).
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Um Yea
So I have no photos to post and today was a bad day for me, mostly my fault, but nurtured by my …. hmm, what was I saying?
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Last Ride
Didn’t get much done today but I did try. One thing I did get done was to rebuild my Turner. All the bearings and pivots were froze up. I went to pedal it on the stand and it required tremendous force because of the derailleur pulleys and bearings in the wheel all gummed up. It was from squirting lube on the chain for a 24 hour race and then the Butte 100
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Recovery Hike
by Paul Bardis Paul Bardis and me, we hit the road to Glen Pond, tucked away in the Bitterroot Mountains near Saint Mary’s. Me and Paul? We go way back, sharing a thick book of adventures.
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Bleeding For Us
I know this promoter of a large endurance race who put himself out there for the better of our sport (doesn’t matter which sport). He was sued by other promoters and has never really made a huge profit from his efforts. When talking about it he mentioned that he has “bled big time”.
I believe that all the bleeding is not in vein (no pun intended). Without blood our sport is finished.
This promoter bled and put on the World 24 Solo Championships. This attracted people to try the sport and found a part of themselves, their very soul, at these races that they could not explain except they knew their lives were different from the time they finished one event.
My friend brought a little of this blood to Montana and started the Butte 100 and the 8 Hours of labor. He put a lot of blood into it and he started to bleed in much the same way.
But the flow of blood did not stop there, many came and bled at the events and soon felt the need to do the ultimate test and reach as high as they could. This could only be done by following the blood trail back to the source, the World Solo Championships.
So a band of men went to Canmore and brought back with them all the blood that was bled out. Then they left it there. They laid it down for 24 hours and overcame all the obstacles. They found life a little different from that moment on.
I don’t know if it really can be called bleeding because it never left the system, it never left the sport. Your blood makes a difference in all our lives so thanks for your sacrifice.
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We Got 6th
After a significant experience at the 24 Solo Worlds where we secured 6th place, I want to express my deepest gratitude to all my friends for their unwavering support and sacrifices. Your encouragement means the world to me. Please feel free to scroll to the bottom for the movies!
Health Update:
Post-race, I fell ill, likely from a massive sinus infection caused by inhaling coal dust for 24 hours. This manifested in alarming symptoms like black sludge from my nose and mouth. It’s a stark reminder of the physical toll these endurance events can take.Reflecting on the Race:
Initially, my goal in Canmore was to win a world title. While that didn’t happen, the journey turned into something much more meaningful. We created a special moment in time where friends collaborated to achieve something remarkable. We learned about each other and shared experiences that words can hardly encapsulate.The emotional finish, with weeping friends, supportive hugs, and words of encouragement, was profoundly touching. It reshaped my understanding of what’s truly important. This shared accomplishment far outweighs any title. I’m deeply thankful to Bob, Sten, and Rich for being a part of this journey.
Special Thanks:
A heartfelt thank you to Paul, Lucy, Niko, and Willow for coming to see me race. It was also an honor to have my brother Paul and his family there. Your sacrifices have not gone unnoticed.As I rest and recover, I’m looking forward to sharing more details about this journey. Also, stay tuned for the upcoming official movie of the WSC24, Part 1 and Part 2, where we’ll encapsulate this unforgettable experience.
Part 1 Part 2 -
4 Days To Go
Busy packing and getting ready for a early launch out of Missoula tomorrow morning. It looks like things are setting up nicely in Canmore and I am hearing reports that the Australians are predicting a clean sweep of the 24 Solo World Championships. Today I will be launching some live update functionality at this site so come on back and follow my journey.
[Canmore WebCams] [Venue WebCam] [Trail Conditions] [Weather] [Twitter]
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Easy Riding News In Canmore
Yesterday I went joy riding with my friend Paul Bardis who is planning on driving up to Canmore to take in the spectacle (some may say crazy). We hit the Wallman Trail and headed back to his place for a dinner in the back yard with some deer hanging out as well.
Today I have the oil changed in my car and am now cleaning it out/up to be packed solid in the next few days. Oh yea! I got two workouts to do too, a three hour final bike check ride and a half hour core session. The exit plan from Montana is for Wednesday.
This just in from Stuart the 24 Solo Championship Organizer.
The course is looking fantastic. A map/profile will be posted on Monday. We have keep it quiet to make is fair to those not in the area yet. Also there is a great new solo only section that is single track that we are trying in the best condition as possible.
The Sunday Night Celebration will again take place at the Iron Goat starting at 7:00 p.m. (earlier than last year by 30 minutes) there will be a band starting 9 p.m. Tickets are on sale on the Additional Products (bottom of your home page) area in your profile. We had a lot of fun last year.
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The Worlds in 1 Week
At City Brew, watching the tour, planning today’s workload … going to change oil in the car, then going grocery shopping, planning trip to Canmore, then looking to see and ride some friends. Today’s City Brew trip is brought to you by a nice person that has a business down the hall from me at where I work.
After finally leaving work yesterday was a decent workout in the Rattlesnake and is my last big effort day although it wasn’t that big of a deal.
In one week from now I will be on the starting line of the Elite 24 Solo World Championships in Canmore, Alberta Canada.
[Canmore WebCams] [Venue WebCam] [Trail Conditions] [Twitter]
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Night Training
Thanks to Sten from Team Muleterro I have a more powerful headlamp and I have to say this is one thing I will be getting next. Except more light, like my handle bar mounted ones. Really is nice to see corners like I did last night. I did a middle of the night test run with the night set up and my loop time was faster then the day laps (at zone 2). Really helped that I could go to zone 3 on the climbs though [cheating]. 8 days till the big event in Canmore
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Tapering and Reconnecting
Yesterday I could finally reconnect with long-time friend Paul Bardis and we went on a mountain bike ride on the
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11 Days To Go
I leave solo for Canmore next Wednesday morning in my Beetle. I find it is much easier on the mind to do things solo. So in hopes of making this moment in my life more fun I am going to enjoy a good friends company and start packing for my trip up north.
Today I am hoping to not do much in the work out department and am hoping for a leisure spin with my friend.
Now how to get 2 bikes, all my tools, work stands, and all the stuff to do a 24 hour race in my Beetle. Hope they don’t search the car at the border
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All Done
Yesterday was my last big workout and now I taper down to the worlds. It was a big day at 59.5 miles and 10,996 feet of climbing. For the week I am just shy of 200 miles. Now it is tiny workouts that focus on speed and keeping sharp.
The next big ride
Boneshakerbike 