I felt better on Friday when I rode a few laps on my trail. That gave me hope that I could still achieve my goal on Saturday at the Lock 4 Six Hour Challenge. I wanted to make eight laps in the six hours. I wasn't concerned so much about finish position, more on my own goal. Eight laps usually wins so if I could do that, I would surely be in the running for a top spot.
The six hour has been my nemesis over the years. Four times I have raced it and four times I have been plagued by back pain, sickness and mechanical issues. Last year was my best effort when I made seven laps after breaking a pedal and then bonking hard. Actually, my complete track record at Lock 4 is up and down. I seem to either win or finish in the back. There hasn't been much in between for me since I first raced here way back in 2000.
My first hurdle of the day was the start. I seem to always be in the back early on. I run more than most of the riders at the race, but I always seem to get destroyed on the opening run to the bikes. I can hammer out 3-10 miles with ease, but sprinting on feet is not my specialty.
I got in a great warm-up and started on the front row. The horn sounded and we sprinted toward the bikes like it was a dash-for-cash. To my surprise, I was one of the first people to the bikes. We did a short lap around the peninsula for a start loop, then entered the woods. I managed to hold my spot on the start loop, then gain a spot just before we went into the singletrack. I was sitting in 7th overall. That was way better than my normal midpack start.
Me on the start loop
I immediately settled into my all-day pace. I kept several strong riders in sight and actually pulled away from those behind. David Carpenter went off the front early, digging very hard for the start of such a long race. It didn't take long for Craig Evans to bridge across to him. I was not concerned at this point. It was a long, long day.
Tim Baker got on my wheel early and we rode together for the first half of the race, talking and just keeping each other focused on the task ahead. He was nursing a sore back and was unsure how many laps he would do beyond four today. We were fast on the momentum sections and slowly gained on those ahead. By the end of lap 1, we were 4th and 5th overall. Third place was the first team rider so only two ahead of us were in Solo. Craig and David put in a blazing lap time of 39:56 with the start loop included. That is full-on XC pace! Tim and I clocked a 42:13, which was well ahead of the 45-minute lap needed to make eight laps inside the six hours. We also collected Jonathan Womack near the end of the lap to boost our group to three.
Our three-man train rolled on through lap 2. We dropped a few seconds with a lap time of 42:26, but we were still gaining on that 45-minute average. The pace felt very easy to me. I was on cruise and just enjoying the ride with Tim. Jonathan passed us at the start of lap 3, then dropped his chain a few miles in and rejoined the back of our train. We clicked off 42:44 this lap, still gaining time overall. Craig was pulling away out front. He had dropped Carpenter and was holding his pace at around 40 minute laps. I was still content to let him go. My goal was to make my last two laps my best of the day. I wanted to close hard and fast today.
My legs had other plans though. On lap 4, I began to fade. I was just overall tired. The legs burned. I never felt like I bonked, but by the end of the lap, I was weak as could be. I guess the sickness was not through with me just yet. Jonathan left Tim and I when I rammed into another rider who stopped right in front of us on a climb. We lost a lot of time on lap 4, slowing down to a 46:14. It was mentally crushing to already be over 45 minutes for a lap, even if our average was still on pace for eight laps. I had to stop at the end of this lap and just take a break. I ate some food, had some fluids and then took off after standing in the pit for four minutes. Tim's back was hurting, but he kept going and was now ahead of me on course.
I spent the first few minutes of lap 5 trying to gain on Tim. I felt like I was pushing hard, but I was still losing time at all my splits on course. Finally, the legs gave out and I was reduced to a slow roll. I clocked a 59:05 this lap, including my four minutes of rest. I stopped again at the pit, this time for a full-on rest in the chair. I had more food, some juice and a Monster. I sat 15 minutes this time, watching the muscles in my legs twitch. Craig came by to lap me. He looked tired, but was still holding at just over 40-minute laps.
I was back to 8th in Solo as I started lap 6. I had now given up on eight laps. I was too far behind to make a comeback. The first half of this lap was terrible and I lost another spot to 9th. I just tried to enjoy the faster sections and get through the climbs. I may have felt bad, but I still had hope for one final push on the last lap. I was not about to just give up. Near the end of lap 6, I started to feel better and began gaining speed. This lap was a 1:05:07 with my rest break. I did not stop at the pit this time, opting to get going on this last lap to finish strong like I originally planned.
Lap 7 went well. I steadily gained strength over the lap and picked up a spot to finish 8th. I had a good duel for that position that lasted about three miles. It was like a slow-motion fight. I had a good time racing the guy and was glad to finally get the best of him at the end. It was my best finish time here for seven laps, so I guess it would be my best performance. I was only disappointed by one thing. The results showed I was just 7:15 off fourth place, which was the last money position. If I had rested just a little less I might could have been on the podium! But then again, I needed that rest to be able to crank out that final lap time of 45:24. Tim was actually the guy who took fourth. I am pumped for him because I know how hard he worked and deserved the podium. His back hurt all day and he still hung in there and made seven laps. Nice job Tim! Craig held some fast lap time all day to end of winning the race. The top three completed eight laps. Shannon did a little filming which is posted below.
We brought our "pit pumpkin" to the race today just because. Grown in our own backyard.
Lock 4 Six Hour Challenge video
After the race, recovery mode began so I could be ready for part two of my crazy double-header weekend. Sunday was the Cross the Farm Cyclocross in Whites Creek, TN, not far from our house. I was going to do two races just to make my feat that much more challenging. The race took place on Bert Hartman's farm, the Hungry Gnome Farm.
I had the early race for Singlespeed, then also had the last race of the day for Pro/1/2. I was not expecting much today. I just wanted to give it my all and finish both races. My legs were not that bad in the Singlespeed race. The course was brutal with climbing. The first half of the loop was mostly uphill on grass with several steep pitches. Then it turned to woods for some doubletrack and even a little singletrack. The woods area was my best section because there was the singletrack, along with a run-up that was definitely going to be rideable for me and also a pair of big logs that I could bunny-hop. After the woods came another long grass climb before a fast descent that led you onto a flat grassy finish straight.
Cross the Farm race course from my GPS. Course went counter-clockwise.
I was last off the start in Singlespeed, but rode my own race. I had no choice, but follow my pace. I could barely turn the gear on the steep climbs so I had to save myself on the flats in order to be able to ride the hills. Everybody started fast, but I started closing the gap down in the woods the first time through. Hopping the logs was not faster than running, but it did help you carry momentum into the following downhill which did wind up being faster in the end. I had a good battle with Patrick Walle on lap 2, then finally got rid of him starting lap 3. Steve Bivens was just ahead and I gave it everything to catch him on lap 3, which wound up being the last lap in our 30 minute race. I almost rode the full run-up, but stalled out right at the top. I came up just a few bike lengths short of catching Steve. I thought I was off the podium, but it turns out that Steve was in 2nd. So I finished 3rd! That was better than I ever expected.
On the start line for Singlepseed
Me and Steve Bivens talking before the start
Singlespeed underway
Me near the back on the start
On the finish straight during the Singesepeed race
I hung out on the course all afternoon watching the other races. David Jones and I went to the run-up to scope out lines and heckle. People were handing out $1 hand-ups on the run-up, but the riders were too focused to see the money. I just kept hoping they would hand out money in my race. I will take it!
I was about worn down by the time the Pro race finally came around. It was over 80 degrees, which is hot for cyclocross. Again, I was slow off the start, but I kept hammering away the full 60 minutes. Pacing was the name of the game. Lap times fell off in big chunks after halfway. Whoever could hold their pace best would win. Shannon Williams jumped out to the early lead, joined by Michael Edens, Patrick Harkins and Josh Lewis. Harkins had mechanical issues early and dropped out, while Edens blew up a short time after. I caught Thad Hoffman and we began to work together to catch the lead group. I took a dollar from the crowd every lap the first half of the race. At least I was going to make something today! One of the dollars was taped to a skeleton that was on the back of Nathan Stone as he ran around the course heckling us.
Nathan and his skeleton
After three laps, it was Williams and Lewis out front. Thad and I came through next about 20 seconds behind. I dropped Thad on the steepest of the climbs the next lap, then sat out by myself for a few laps before finally catching Lewis. I rode the run-up every lap except one. I was making up big time there every lap. That's where I caught Lewis and went right by at the top. He hung with me for a while, then I finally shelled him with three laps to go. Now only Williams was ahead. My seat broke with two and half laps left. The right rail just snapped right off. It was floppy, but still rideable so I pressed on.
Williams seemed to be pulling away. I had nothing left in the tank to up my pace any at all. My legs were going to die right at the finish with the pace I was running. All I could do was hold my pace and hope he faded. I was 40 seconds behind starting the last lap. But I could tell that he was closer on the first climb than the previous lap. Once I topped the climb, I gave it everything I had the rest of the way. I obliterated the run-up and got some encouragement at the top by a spectator who said I could catch him if I held that speed. At first I thought, "Yeah right," then I saw Williams as we exited the woods. He was no more than 15 seconds ahead! He saw me coming and had enough kick left up the final hill to hold me off. I ended with a sprint and came up just 10 seconds short of a win. What a day! I had so much fun and far exceeded any expectations I had coming into this race. I got so much encouragement from the group today. Never have I had this much support from people in the Nashville area. It felt good. I think they could see how hard I was trying and at the same time see how much fun I was having out there. I was definitely stronger today than I was the previous day at Lock 4. It's funny how the legs can recover like that sometimes. This cross race was definitely one of my top performances of the year, maybe even my best. I'm still running on a little of that attitude I got back in the summer at the Music City Crits.
My broken seat rail
I have a little break from racing now. I have been running again so there's a few 5Ks on my schedule in the coming months and more cyclocross. Until then, it will be more training in the Fall foliage and more building on the trails at home. I want to build more freeride trails at home to really challenge my skills. That means bigger jumps and bigger drops. I hope to race an Enduro sometime next year and I don't plan on racing it like a newbie. Thanks for reading!
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