Wednesday Time Trials
Last nigth was the regularly scheduled Wednesday night mtn bike time trials at Blackhawk Ski Club. It was the Mad FORCs sponsored night so that meant a party, a theme (Family Night) and good times. I've got some pics online at the Mad FORCs blog. Suffice it to say that it was the biggest event in years (probably since the days when you didn't have to be a Blackhawk member to race).
Tonight is the showing of Cranked 7 here in Madison so more mountain bike fun. It's good though as I'm psyching up to race the Levis Trow WEMS race on June 28. Right now my plan is to get up really early and run the course and then later in the afternoon do the 25 mile race. I have some doubts about that plan but I like to believe I can at least run the course once and ride the course once which will give me 25 miles. I readily admit that I may not have the energy to ride 2 laps. I'm already dreading get up early enough to run the course so that I can finish before the racers would catch me. However, I love the idea of running a course that has been marked out so I can just run without having to worry about navigation.
I did some google sleuthing and found some blogs about previous Keewenaw Trail Festivals and the course is now sounding even harder than I originally imagined. I'm excited now but I think I'm going to have to break down and invest in some trail running shoes. I've been getting by with regular running shoes but after doing a couple more technical runs I can see that the extra stability, cushion and tread may mean the difference between survival and crashing. I hate to spend the money and had originally decided not to get trail shoes but I'm rethinking that. I think it was a description I saw** that made me decide trail running shoes could be beneficial.
Also, the plan is to stay up in the UP a couple extra days after the run so Dave and I can bike the trails (I wonder if I'll like the trails more for running or mountain biking as the running course is all mountain bike trails). I admit it - the fun factor will undoubtedly be higher on a mountain bike (but I still want to do the run!).
** I can't find the blog online anymore but here's what the person wrote after doing the Keewenaw Trail Running Festival . . . .
"After the previous two races [a 10k and hill climb also part of the Festival], it was hard to imagine the 25K being any tougher. That just goes to show how sorely lacking my imagination is. The first K of the race was running down a hill that was part of a golf course. And then back up it. Only a moderate grade and the footing was good so this wasn’t too bad.. Then we got onto the single-track part of the race. The next 2 miles were the most precipitous drop I’ve ever seen in a race. It was so steep you couldn’t possibly run. In fact, I had to walk downhill slowly so I didn’t fall; I’m not sure how far I’d have slid before I stopped. From there it went to a highly technical single-track trail over sharply rolling terrain. Mud, sand, roots, rocks and streams all had a role in making this a challenge just to finish. The worst part was re-tracing our route back up the cliffs we’d gone down at the start. All I could manage here was walking because it was so steep and even so I was breathing really hard. Finished in 3:12. "
Tonight is the showing of Cranked 7 here in Madison so more mountain bike fun. It's good though as I'm psyching up to race the Levis Trow WEMS race on June 28. Right now my plan is to get up really early and run the course and then later in the afternoon do the 25 mile race. I have some doubts about that plan but I like to believe I can at least run the course once and ride the course once which will give me 25 miles. I readily admit that I may not have the energy to ride 2 laps. I'm already dreading get up early enough to run the course so that I can finish before the racers would catch me. However, I love the idea of running a course that has been marked out so I can just run without having to worry about navigation.
I did some google sleuthing and found some blogs about previous Keewenaw Trail Festivals and the course is now sounding even harder than I originally imagined. I'm excited now but I think I'm going to have to break down and invest in some trail running shoes. I've been getting by with regular running shoes but after doing a couple more technical runs I can see that the extra stability, cushion and tread may mean the difference between survival and crashing. I hate to spend the money and had originally decided not to get trail shoes but I'm rethinking that. I think it was a description I saw** that made me decide trail running shoes could be beneficial.
Also, the plan is to stay up in the UP a couple extra days after the run so Dave and I can bike the trails (I wonder if I'll like the trails more for running or mountain biking as the running course is all mountain bike trails). I admit it - the fun factor will undoubtedly be higher on a mountain bike (but I still want to do the run!).
** I can't find the blog online anymore but here's what the person wrote after doing the Keewenaw Trail Running Festival . . . .
"After the previous two races [a 10k and hill climb also part of the Festival], it was hard to imagine the 25K being any tougher. That just goes to show how sorely lacking my imagination is. The first K of the race was running down a hill that was part of a golf course. And then back up it. Only a moderate grade and the footing was good so this wasn’t too bad.. Then we got onto the single-track part of the race. The next 2 miles were the most precipitous drop I’ve ever seen in a race. It was so steep you couldn’t possibly run. In fact, I had to walk downhill slowly so I didn’t fall; I’m not sure how far I’d have slid before I stopped. From there it went to a highly technical single-track trail over sharply rolling terrain. Mud, sand, roots, rocks and streams all had a role in making this a challenge just to finish. The worst part was re-tracing our route back up the cliffs we’d gone down at the start. All I could manage here was walking because it was so steep and even so I was breathing really hard. Finished in 3:12. "
posted by MadCross at 2:22 PM
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