2010 6BC, 6 Hour Race at Briar Chapel -- 3rd

October 16th, 2010
Single Speed Division: 8 laps in 5:29:04
Soul Cycles Hooligan, 32:18, WTB Wolverine 2.2 tires

Felt good for the start of this race.  The field was not stacked with only Allen Gracey and Dale Greenwell as guys I knew could smoke me (minus a mechanical, medical issue...hmmm).  Also in the group was my friend and PMBAR partner Jay Lundi.  I had been fortunate enough to catch him around the 4+ hour mark every 6 race we had raced together, but we are very close in ability so ya just never know.  The race started well and I held a good pace throughout.  Felt pretty good going starting my 8th lap.  I knew if I posted a fast lap, I could go for a 9th.  As I passed the line someone yelled out, "Haskins, you're in 4th...".  I could see Jay less than one hundered yards ahead of me and overtook him about 1 mile in, I was now in 3rd.  About half way through the lap, going through a rock garden area, I passed Dale like he was standing still, because he was.  He was standing there with his crank arm in his hand.  I yelled out, "Bummer dude!", I was in 2nd!  Got to the fire road climb and decided to give it all I had, and then it happened.  My right leg cramped up.  I tried to fight it off and pulled with my left.  Bam! It cramped up and I barely got off the bike without it falling over.  I start walking and look back in time to see Jay starting up the hill.  As he went by he gave some words of encouragement, but I just told him, "Go,go, you got it!".  Even though I knew I was not going to catch him, I got back on the bike and spun as fast as I could without cramping.  As I headed up the street for the finish I saw my wife and kids watching from the sidewalk.  I came across the line in time for my 9th lap, but I was done.  Jay had gone out for his 9th (though it would not affect the standings), but I packed it in and went to hang out with my family.  I had taken 3rd and I was pretty darn happy with that.  I was also happy for Jay to take 2nd...it was about time he passed me at the end for once.

2010 Race at the Reactor XC, Harris Lake--2nd

August 22, 2010
Single Speed Division: 14 miles, 2 Laps (32:31, 33:22), 1:05:54
Soul Cycles Hooligan SS, 32:18, w/Kenda Nevegal DTC 2.1's

This was the 3rd Race in the Triangle Series, but I missed the 2nd (Huckabuck) due to vacationing in sunny (but not humid) California.  A small SS field showed up for this race, but Matt Briskie was one of them and he crushed it.  I was stuck behind a group of guys who busted out fast, but then when I wanted to go faster (maintain my pace really) they had slowed it down.  I was not able to pass until the Black Diamond whoops in the back of the trail.  After passing the SS'ers in front of me, I had clear sailing the rest of the race.  I continued with a pace I was comfortable with (even with my 32:18 endurance gear) and spun it on to the finish ~1.5 minutes behind Briskie for 2nd.  I was too lazy to switch cogs or tires for this race, but it did not matter.  All that matters for me to do well in XC is to ride as fast as I can, and for several of the really fast guys not to show up. :)

Tarwheel XC Race at Carolina North Forest--4th

This small pic is my only memento.

June 6th, 2010

Single Speed Division: 2 laps, 16 miles at 1:46:32 (53:49 + 52:43)

NEW White Soul Cycles Hooligan SS, 32:18, Maxxis Larsent TT eXCeption 2.0 tires.

This was my first XC race this year, and now in Single Speed instead of Beginner division.  The temp for this race was ~96 degrees and very humid.  It was tough.  Less than a mile into the race I reached for a bottle only to have sweat drip into my eyes.  First reaction is to wipe it...found out I cannot steer over a bump and around roots well with one hand and stinging eyes.  Crash!  Slowly got up and got back on the bike only to stop a hundred yards later to take a drink without crashing.  After that, I started to get into a groove that I felt I could handle with the heat.  I new I was not flying when another racer (Calvin Carr) passed me during the first lap, and he started two minutes behind me in the Sport division.  Still, the he must have gone out too fast given the heat as I passed him on the 2nd lap and cruised into a 4th place finish.  I'll take it (and a cup of cold water please)!

2010 Burn 24 -- 3 1/2 Person Team (maybe 30th)???

May 29th and 30th, 2010
3-5 Person Team (3 1/2 actually)
New White Soul Cycles Hooligan SS, 32:18 gear ratio, Kenda Nevegals DTC 2.1

My first Burn, I was able to get in just a week or so before the race on a team with Kip Porterfield, Steve Rogers, and Kips co-worker Brinn C.  I showed up on race day and thus missed the storm the night before that blew down everyones tents and easy-ups (whew!).  The plan was for us each to ride one lap twice, then at night, we would ride two laps each so that we would have time to sleep for up to 5 hrs.  Unfortunately Brinn had a medical condition that knocked him out of the race after his 2nd lap.  Kip picked up the slack riding 4 straight night laps before we took turns again in the morning.  Brinn, after a good nights sleep, insisted he could go out for another lap (the guy just wanted to help out and be part of the team, which is cool).  We decided to let him go out for what would be our last lap...we never saw poor Brinn again. :(  The ATV transport had to go get him off the mountain and carry him to the EMT's.  Still, a great time.  Steve cooked up some solid food, we had good camaraderie and no one seemed to mind that a rider was not always ready when I was finished with my lap, that Kip took 20+ minutes to try and fix his light (that only needed a different cable), and that we likely placed somewhere between 26th and 32nd.  It was all for the experience, and it was fun.

2010 Pisgah Mountain Bike Adventure Race (PMBAR)--Finisher!!!

May 2nd, 2010
Soul Cycles Hooligan SS, 32:20 gearing, Kenda Nevegal DTC 2.1 tires.

My first PMBAR, what a ride.  My partner Jay and I had each only been to Pisgah once, so we were real newbs, and we were both on Single Speeds.  Many thought we were crazy, and they may have been right, but that is the only bike Jay has, so I was not about to show up with gears and full-suspension.  The pre-race check was done, we were all gathered trying to hear the pre-race talk, the passports were handed out, then GO!
We decided to look at the map first and figure out our route, until we realized we were the only ones left.  We changed strategy and decided to ride up with everyone else and figure it out at Pressly Gap.
We got caught in a backlog of walkers, heading up Black Mountain, but there were plenty of people at Pressly Gap with Maps out when we arrived.  We decided on a CCW direction for 4 checkpoints.  I wanted a 2nd opinion and asked a fellow Triangle rider whom I knew.  Unfortunately, he refused to help.  He said I was the competition and that he can't help me.  Another rider (I did not know) overheard and said, "Hey, that is the same route we are taking...follow us." So we headed down, down, down, and then up to Buckhorn to Squirrel.  By the time we were on Squirrel we had left behind the nice guys that helped us out and made it to the first checkpoint.  There, we caught up to Camye and her partner who told us they were also going the same route as us and invited us to to follow along as long as we could keep up.  We followed them to Checkpoint two and Checkpoint three before they started to pull away.  We made it to Checkpoint four with another group before navigating our way back.  After flying down 477, we met a few groups getting ready to climb up Clawhammer and Maxwell, including Camye.  Unfortunately they all left us behind as Jay was struggling from poor nutrition and ended up with plenty of walking.  Still, we made it up and then down Black Mountain and across the line in 11:36.  We had done it.  First timers, on Single Speeds, with four checkpoints.  We were wiped out but stoked about our accomplishment.  Don't know if I want to do it again though. ;)

Curse at the Crab 6hr (Crabtree)--2nd

March 19th, 2010
Single Speed Division: 7 laps /56 miles in 5:16:55 (10.6 mph)
Soul Cycles Hooligan SS, 32:18 w/ Maxxis Larsen TT eXCeption 2.0 tires.

This was the final 6hr race in the TORC 2009-2010 6hr Endurance Series.  Due to many of the big guns (see last post) not showing up, I really only needed to finish to secure 2nd for the series.
Due to weather, this race was postponed and run on a Friday night, this meant night laps (sweet).  I had a good race as far as staying focused and riding with intesity throughout the race (not letting the mind wander into thinking about the post race meal, then coming to and realizing I have been riding 6 mph on a flat section of trail).  For lights, I used a couple of LED torches (helmet and bar) that worked just fine.
John Hinson had come in first or 2nd in every race of the series (on his pretty titanium frame), but I rode not far behind him the entire race and finishing only 17 seconds behind.  After the race people kept patting me on the back saying what a great race I had, "Dude, you almost beat Hinson!" They did not know that he had his first Half-Marathon that Sunday, so he was running a big cog and spinning through the race just enough to stay ahead of me to secure his victory...still, it was a good race and indeed I did secure 2nd for the series in SS (suhweet!).

Meltdown at Harris Lake (6hr)--3rd

Brrr, it was a cold start.

February 20th, 2010
Seven laps at 5:50:37, ~56 miles (9.58mph)
Bike: Soul Cycles Hooligan SS, 32:18, IRC Mythos IRC tires.

The 3rd 6hr race in the TORC series was my toughest.  This race started cold but ended up warm.  I did not time the peeling of layers well because I did not want to loose time pitting...mistake!  I ended up being to warm too long and I ultimately got passed by Performance Team member (and all around nice guy) Chris Danz, and I had no energy to stay with him.  I learned that short pits are o.k., and can certainly be beneficial in the long run.  Still, thanks to guys like Briskie, Bean, Saputra and Gracey not showing, I ended up in 3rd; thanks guys!

2010 January Mountain Bike Marathon --1st!!!

February 7th, 2010
Single Speed Division: 2:39:50,
Soul Cycles Hooligan SS, 42:17, Kenda Klimax Lite (345g) tires

The weather was cold and wet, but I was determined to ride SS and do better than last year.  Due to some trail/road flooding, the course was changed a bit from the previous year, but it's all good.  My gearing made it tough for the first 5+ miles of single-track, but when I hit the road, I was able to spin 90+RPM's at 20+ mph.  I quickly began passing other riders until hitting the trail, where I gave it all I could, but was passed by a couple before flatting about a half mile from the finish, a quick pump-up told me I had a slow leak, I rode it on in and though it was flat when I put it on my car, it made it to the finish.  I DOMINATED the SS class...no one even came close to me...helps that I was the only one in my division.  No one else was crazy enough to ride SS in those wet conditions; their loss.  I ended up 12th overall.  Definitely an improvement over last year. :)

2009 6BC (6hr) at Briar Chapel--5th

Still riding the "Green Machine"

November 21st, 2009
Division: Single Speed.  9 laps, 54 miles in 5:38:51
Bike: Soul Cycles Hooligan SS, 32:18 w/ IRC Mythos XC II

The 2nd 6hr race of the TORC series was much better than my first.  Andy Etters told me about Hammer products which I used for this event.  Unlike the red-light, green-light game I played at the previous race at Little River, I only stopped once at 6BC for a new 3 hr bottle of Perpetuem.  And though I did walk a few times toward the last couple laps, having an actual nutrition plan turned out to be a good idea (who knew?).