La Sportiva Turantulace Climbing Shoes

I recently bought these rock climbing shoes and here is the review I gave about them.

Originally submitted at Mountain Gear

With the Tarantulace from La Sportiva, you don't have to sacrifice comfort for performance. The light asymmetrical shape and slight downturned toe provide great edging and hooking power while allowing your toes to be in a more natural position. The comfortable unlined leather uppers can be cinched ...

Tarantulace Shoe - Men's

Great shoe at a great price

By Scott from Columbus, Ga. on 7/17/2013

 

4out of 5

Sizing: Feels true to size
Width: Feels true to width
Pros: Rugged, Versatile, Lightweight
Best Uses: Indoor, Bouldering
Describe Yourself: Getting Started
Was this a gift?: No

I have been indoor rock wall climbing for a couple of years now, but only with tennis shoes on. I wanted a better fitting shoe that was specific to rock climbing. This shoe is a great entry level shoe and for a great price. I am now looking forward to trying them out on my vacation to the Tetons next week!

(legalese)

2012 North Face Challenge - Marathon - Atlanta

For the last couple of years I have toiled with the idea of attempting to run the North Face Challenge on F.D. Roosevelt State Park on Pine Mountain. It's only 30 miles north of Columbus, so it is a local race for me. The marathon distance is the shortest distance that all finishers receive a medal. But you must finish and with-in the 8 hour time limit.

So a couple of months ago I decide that I will start training for the marathon. It has been 3-1/2 years since I ran a marathon, and I didn't like it then. Running on the Pine Mountain trail will be a test of pure determination and endurance. Can I do it?

I decide to go up to the trail and run a different section every weekend until the race. Start line to Fox Den is 5.3 miles. Fox Den to Mollyhugger is 4.9 miles. Mollyhugger to Rocky Ridge is 7 miles, which is the turn around point. Rocky Ridge to Dowdell's Knob is 2 miles. Dowdell's Knob to Fox Den is 5.3 miles. And Fox Den to the finish line is 1.1 miles.

The first weekend  I go up and park at the Liberty Bell pool which is where the starting line will be. I am going to run from here to Fox Den and back. I have never been on this part of the trail, so I ask a fellow runner where to start. He gave some pretty good directions and off I went. I tried my hardest to follow his directions and the map I brought, but I still go off the race trail. I finally made it back to the car in about 2:15. After looking back at the map,  I figured that out that I had actually ran around 7 miles instead of the 5.3. No problems though and I had a good first run.

The second time out I met up with Chris Weirich and we ran the longest section, Mollyhugger to Rocky Ridge. According to the North Face Challenge website, this is the hardest section of the race. It is 7 miles long with a lot of climbing. We set out with a good pace and I end up finishing in 1:35 with Chris following me a 9 minutes behind. Another good day and run.

The third time out I am going to run from Fox Den to Mollyhugger and back to Fox Den via the Sawtooth trail. It is going to be about 7.9 miles. About 3 miles into the run

I trip over a root and fall hard on the trail. Luckily I fall and land on some moss, so I'm not too cut up. However I do get whiplash in my neck. I get up and brush myself off and keep going. After a little while goes by, I look down and notice blood on my shorts and the bottom of my shirt. I look at my right hand and noticed the blood coming from my ring finger. It is a small cut on it, so  I don't worry about it and keep going.

I reach the Mollyhugger parking lot in exactly 1 hour. I take a quick break, cross the road and find the Sawtooth trail. After running a little while on the trail I start to feel a little funny. And this is not a good thing. I can only assume it is my body reacting to the trauma from my fall earlier. The trail is named Sawtooth for a good reason. you are either going up or going down. With a few steep rocky climbs in it. I decide to walk the rest of it and make it back to the car in 1:45. I was really pleased with this time considering the fall.

So after a week goes by and my whiplash is gone, I finally decide to sign-up for the race. The website says that online registration is closed, but somehow I find another way to get in and register. So it is set and I am officially ready for the race. The excitement and anxiety start to build.

Race weekend finally arrives and I am feeling really good. I go up to Callaway Gardens on Friday and meet up with Mark Wise to pick-up our race packets and listen to some of the pros talk about the race and some of their experiences. It was a good time.

So I get back home and start to gather everything together for the race. Making my Gatorade, Cytomax, and getting my other nutrition together. I also need a drop bag with a change of clothes and a place to put warm clothes in since the temp is going to be in the 50's race morning. After spending many hours getting everything ready, I finally get into bed around 1:00am. Of course I can't hardly fall asleep thinking about the race and what I might have forgotten to pack.

I finally fall asleep and the alarm clock goes off at 6:45am. My race doesn't start until 9:00am, but I want to make sure I get up there in time to de-stress, socialize, and get mentally prepared for the start.

I park at the beach parking lot at Callaway Gardens and take the bus over to the start line festival. I quickly meet up with fellow marathoners Shelly Ragan and Don Bowles. We talk and walk around looking and taking photos for the next hour.

Finally our time to go is here. I take off my warm clothes and turn in my drop bag. Hook-up my IPOD, Garmin, and eat a gel pack. We all walk up to the start line since we are all in the second wave, starting at 9:03. Don states that we should try to stay together for a little while until things sort themselves out. Of course I know this isn't going to happen, but it was a nice gesture.

The gun goes off and we are off to the races. Don takes off just like I thought and I about mid pack. Shelly is somewhere behind me pulling up the rear. After about a mile the pack spreads out and I never see Don again. I stayed with a small group for about another mile, and then I seem to be all by myself.

I get to the 3 mile mark where we have to cross a gravel road and turn left back onto the trail. As soon as I start back onto the trail I feel a sharp stinging sensation on my right pointy finger. I look down and am immediately stung 2 more times by yellow jackets. Once in my left thigh and once in my right hamstring. By the time I see the bees, it is all over but the screaming. I am able to knock off another 2 more bees before they get me too. A couple of guys that were behind me stopped when they saw me screaming and swatting at the bees. I kept on running and I don't know what they ended up doing.

After crossing over Hwy 190 again, I meet up with a guy named Matthew Bailey. We are running about the same pace so I strike up a conversation. He is a pretty big guy and I think to myself that he will eventually hit the wall. To my amazement he doesn't and actually pulls away from me a some point.

I finally reach the Fox Den check point in 1:10 and reported the bee stings issue. It appeared that I wasn't the only person stung when another guy said that he was hit 5 times in the same spot. I was ok and socialized with friends Sheryl Wise and Steve & Kathy Hickman. I talk to them for a couple minutes while I ate some peanut butter& jelly sandwiches, a banana, and a gel pack. They wished me well and I took off again.

I was feeling good until around the 7 mile mark, when I feel my first twinge in my left calf. Ok, here we go again with the cramping. It doesn't cramp, but I have to really start being careful with my running. I slow down a bit and walk the up-hills. When I finally reach the 2nd aid station at the Molly Hugger trail head , I have to stretch out the legs. I am at mile 10.5 now. I get there at the 2:25 mark, about where I thought I would be. I see Will Cliatt there volunteering.

The volunteers there are great! They take my Camelbak and fill it up with NUUN energy drink for me. I ask them for more NUUN tablets and put 2 more in. They contain 360mg of sodium each, so I think I need more than that to help with the cramping. The next aid station is in 7 more miles at mile 17.5. I just hope that I don't run of fluids!

I stretch a little bit more while I eat some peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, a banana, another gel pack and drink some chicken broth. The chicken broth was surprisingly very good! While I was eating, a lady comes walking up with blood on her head and a nasty cut on her hands. She had taken a bad fall on some rocks not too far past where I was. She was pretty banged up. I found out later that they had taken her to a hospital in an ambulance. I think she was going to be ok.

So I head out again on the trail heading to the Rocky Ridge trail head. This is touted as the hardest section of the marathon, according to the North Face Challenge website. It is 7 miles and goes up and around Dowdell's Knob. I also have to run through the open areas that were destroyed by a tornado last year. This means that I will be exposed to the sun for a few miles.

The trail starts out pretty good, but quickly turns into rocks, and then the sun. The tornado damage is very bad, but the volunteers have done a great job getting the trail cleared off in time for the race. There are several ups and down hills. Even have to hop over some downed trees. It is definitely not flat and easy. After a couple of miles I come to Hines Gap rd crossing where I see Matt Ragan again. I run up to him and give him and the other people there high fives. As I am stating to go back onto the trail, I see Shelly Ragan coming onto the road so I try to hurry a little as to stay ahead of her.

The trail is getting pretty tough and I am slowing down. the cramps are staying away for now, but I can still feel that they are waiting to pounce on me. By the time i get into the cover of the woods, It is hard for me to run without cramping. When I get to the turnoff for Dowdell's Knob, I have to stop and stretch out again. When I do this, Shelly catches me and keeps on going after a high five and a good luck wish.

I sit on a log and talk to the volunteer there for a few minutes while I rest and stretch. Several other people pass me and I see others coming back the other direction. I will eventually come back to this location on my way back. I am dreading the steep climb up to Dowdell's Knob ahead of me. It is 1.4 miles and mostly all up hill.

So I head out walking up the hill and trying not to cramp. As long as I walk without pointing my toes down, I think I will be ok. I end up catching up to 4 girls that are about the same pace as me. We follow each other for most of the way to Rocky ridge. After we reach the top, it is a long flat and then a long down hill. We cross a creek and then start heading back up a ridge. The girls finally pull away from me around the 15 mile mark. I am not feeling too good by now and the legs are ever so close to cramping. There is another long rocky climb before I get to the Rocky Ridge aid station.

When I get there I am exhausted and my IT bands are hurting pretty bad. It is now at the 5:00 mark. A paramedic comes up to me and asks if I am ok. I tell him that I wasn't, so he told me to go sit down and he would take care of me. They get some water and some food. he asks me what is bothering me and attempts for help me out by trying to adjust my IT bands. After that he tells me to sit on the ground and try to stretch out my hip abductors, when I suddenly start to cramp again. I have to get up quickly, which isn't a good thing within itself. LOL So I decide to just rest in the chair and eat for awhile.

After sitting there for about 15 minutes, I notice the time and see that it is 2:15. If I am going to make it back to the finish line within 8 hours, I need to leave NOW. So I pack up my stuff and start to head out. The paramedic asks me again if I am ok. He doesn't think that I should continue, but I assure him that I am ok. Not knowing if I really am or not. I am determined to finish this race, even if I am dead last and over the 8 hour mark.

I am now really hurting in the knees and hips. My IT bands feel like they are going to rip apart at any moment. It is harder to go downhill than it is to go up hill. It is only 2 miles to the next aid station, at Dowdell's Knob. It takes me almost an hour to get there. I am walking as fast as I can now. Running isn't even an option. There is a long climb up to the aid station and I am really struggling to get there. When I finally get there, an older couple comes up and asks how much time there is to the finish. I tell them and we head out together. I am at mile 19.5 now and it is 6 hours.

It is 5.3 miles to the next aid station. We have to go back through the open area where the tornado damage is and all of the rocks. I follow this couple for most of the way. The lady is struggling like I am, but has more trouble with the hills than I. The man is kind of yelling at her to hurry up. By the time we get through the open area, they are behind me as he has to wait on her alot.

When I get to the Sawtooth trial turnoff, I am moving very slowly. I see Carolee Luther at the turnoff and sit in a chair there to rest and talk to her a bit. I have a very hard time getting back out of the chair when I start to leave. My legs cramp when I try to stand up. I only have 4.1 miles left to go, and I have 1:45 minutes to get there.

The Sawtooth trail is by far the most brutal trial of them all. I don't think it will ever end. The up hills are so steep that they are made into steps out of the rocks. It is called sawtooth for a reason! It is either up or down hill. Almost no flats. The older couple catches back up to me somewhere in there. The climbing is very hard and I am struggling to breathe. Although my heart rate is only around 155, I am very fatigued and I think I should have eaten more. I am starting to feel the wall coming on. I eat another gel pack.

I finally get to the last aid station at Fox Den. It is at the 25 mile mark and I only have 21 minutes left to finish. The volunteers say that it is mostly downhill from here out, but I know it really isn't.  I drink a cup of water and eat another gel pack while I head out. I am so relieved that I am done with the Sawtooth trail. Only 1.1 more miles to go! YAY

The older couple pull away from me when another group of people pass us. I am now all alone with my thoughts. All I want to do now is finish before 8 hours. I told all of my friends that I will finish in 7:59:59. LOL I try to pick up the pace, but my legs won't let me. There is only one last hill before I see the Liberty Bell pool. It is hard to reach the top. Now it is down hill to the creek.

I finally see the pool and the creek. I look down at my watch and see that I have 3 minutes. I cross the creek slowly because it has steep deep edges to go down. I don't need to cramp up now! I cross a small field, then Hwy 354, and another field to the finish line. I try to run again but can't. I didn't want to cross the finish line walking, but had no choice. I finish in 8:01:30.5.

I didn't make the time that I said I would, but I did FINISH and I did get my finisher's medal...

This was by far the most grueling and brutal racing event that I have ever done!!!

Brooks Run Happy Cavalcade of Curiosities

The Brooks Running Shoe mobile arrived today at Big Dog Running Co. in Columbus, Ga. So I went down to see what all of the excitement was about. They had all of their new shoes available to try out. They also did a free gait analysis of your stride. This is the video of me running on the treadmill and the analysis they gave me.

Meet your sole mate.

Thanks for gracing our treadmill with your fine feet at the Big Dog Running in Columbus, GA. We hope you enjoyed getting to know your gait as much as we did. The more we learn about your unique stride, the better we can play matchmaker.

First up, check out your stats:

Arch Height: Mid
Foot Width: Mid
Foot Type: Neutral
Use: Run
Surface: Road/Track

Footwear Categories: Neutral

Comments:

And without further ado, here are your recommended shoes!

Ghost 5

Glycerin 10

Head over to www.brooksrunning.com to purchase or learn more.


The attached photos are not only very frame-worthy but they helped us find your sole mate. You can also download your listed below:

View your personal gait video here

2012 GSC #4 MTB Race

After racing just one week prior to this race, I was a little nervous about what my legs can do today. It seems that I am getting slower in the recovery process and my legs are aching alot. I also haven't been able to get enough sleep lately, especially the night before this race. So the lingering fatigue and lack of sleep will most definitely contribute in some part to my performance today.

After getting no sleep last night, I reluctantly get up at 7:00am and get ready for the race. Surprizingly I feel pretty good. As I am driving over to Flat Rock Park I am wondering if today is going to be the day that I finally make it to the podium? Will the cramping be a continued issue as it has been alot lately?

I have been training and eating like I think that I should be. The only thing missing is the proper amount of sleep to replenish and rest the body. I feel that I will be ok even if I do have some issues in the race. Only time will tell though.

I arrive at the park and am only beaten there by Dave and Terri Berger, the race promoters at GoneRiding.com. So I go over and pick up my race pack and chat with them a while. The park slowly starts to come to life as the other racers, supporters, and volunteers start to show up. I head over to talk to some of my friends as I see them arrive.

My race starts at 9:30am, so I head back to the car to get my gear ready. I have been drinking my Cytomax for 2 days now hoping that it helps me with my cramping issues. I have also packed a half bottle of pickle juice in the last ditch case of needing some cramp relief during the race.

So to the line I go. 3 2 1 and we are off. I am in 2nd position for the first 1/4 mile until I am passed by 2 guys, and then another one right before we get into the woods. I am holding my position until right before the rock garden when Mack passes me and the guy in front of me. So I crank it up and pass that guy too. I want to try to keep up with Mack since we seem to be about the same speed and are close in the points series.

I quickly realize that this was a very good decision as we enter into the rock garden. I have always had trouble with the first right hand 180 deg switchback. So I watch Mack and follow his line and don't have any problems at all. YAY.

So we are now heading past the lake, over the road and into the bottom section below the dam. This section has several switchbacks in it and they are off-angle and have loose sand and pine straw on them. When we hit the 3rd turn I get a little off to the right side of the trail and BAM, I go down so fast that I didn't even have time to put my hand out to catch myself. My wheels just slid out in the loose stuff and took the bike right out from under me. One guy passes me before I can get back on the bike. I am ok, so I jump up and jump back on the bike. Mack has now got a 100 foot lead on me, but I am not worried about that right now.

I am now riding by myself, but I can keep Mack in my field of view ahead. He is riding good but I think that he isn't gaining on me. As I make my way to the back side where the big rock is, I prepare myself for "the hop" onto the rock. When I hit the rock my chain is jarred so hard that it pops off to the inside of the crank. I am trying to pedal and shift the front derailier in hopes that it finds it way back onto the chain ring. I have no forward momentum so I quickly come to a stop and have to unclip and manually put the chain on. This resulted in Mack getting a huge lead on me. But I am still alone and I don't see anyone gaining on me.

So I keep trudging along in hopes that I can somehow catch back up to Mack. I am pretty sure that I am in 6th place now. I maintain my pace as to not go too hard and kill myself trying to catch him. I still have over one more lap to go and I don't want to push it and start cramping again.

I finish the first lap alone and with no other issues and no cramping, yet. But as soon as I reach the first climb they start. All I can do is back it down a notch and push down with my heals more. I never fully cramp or lock-up, but my legs are so close it isn't funny. Every crank of the pedal is a battle to keep them away.

About halfway through the 2nd lap, and with locking up an ever increasing issue, I decide to try the pickle juice as so many of my friends have suggested trying. So at the next flat spot I reach down, grab the bottle and attempt to slurp down a couple sips. Before the juice even has a chance to reach my stomach it trys to come back up. This is disgusting and I think I will throw up!!! Holding my mouth, breath and everything else I can think of, I manage to keep it down. That was NOT a good experience and will never happen again! Whoever thought that was a good idea needs to think again.

So anyway, I finish the race with marginal success (not fully locking up) and claim a 6th place. Not on the podium, but getting closer by the race. I am somewhat happy with my performance, but still very concerned with the continued cramping issues. What to do, what to do???

Here are the race results . I also jumped from 13th in the points to 5th. So now the race is ON...

2012 Celebrity Classic 5K run

I have been training hard in preparation for this year's coming race season. Even more so lately as I am planning on racing in the Chattahoochee Challenge Half Ironman triathlon on April 21 in Columbus, Ga. It will be my first half ironman and the longest triathlon I have ever done. So in preparation for this race I decided to add a training run/race into the mix just to see how I will do.

I have raced in the Classic 3 times before and for some reason have placed in every race. Since my last 2 5K's were in the 25-26 minute range, I was predicting a similar time. Although I have never ran this course before, I didn't expect anything faster or slower. Especially since I haven't been running much.

The race starts at 8am at the National Infantry Museum on Fort Benning. The course is perfectly flat. It winds around the Oxbow Meadow's facility and golf course and returns back down South Lumpkin road.


The morning was kind of chilly with a temp around 57, so I wore my long sleeve technical t-shirt from the Disney Marathon to keep me warm.

The race started off fast as always and then I slowed into my pace. I felt great and my pace felt good for me. I reached mile marker 1 in 7:10, then mile marker 2 at 15:10. At this point I ran the calculations in my head and figured out that I was on a record pace. So of course I had to pick it up a notch hoping for a great time.

As I turned onto the final stretch
heading towards the finish line, I never looked down for my time and I didn't even notice the finish line clock when I passed it. I was running with all I had. After I crossed the line I reached down and turned off my heart rate monitor. After cooling down for a few minutes I decided to look at the HRM. To my surprise it said 23:16. WOW I never expected to see that!!!

After resting, stretching, and socializing a few minutes with friends, I decide to go check out the results as they were just being posted. Again to my surprise I place 3rd in my age group!

2012 Diva Dash 5K Run

The 2012 Diva Dash 5K run was for Tori Svenson. Tori is a beautiful 7 year old little girl who is bravely battling brain cancer. All of the funds raised will go to help her family pay for the mounting medical bills and other personal things. There was a total of 621 participants which should bode her a substantial check.

This was my first 5K of 2012. I had only ran 2 times this year, and they were the week of the race. I wasn't expecting much out of my performance due to the lack of training, but was hoping to finish better than my last race on the same venue. If I could finish around 25:30 I would be happy.

The race went off without a hitch and I started off on the 2nd row. I got a great start and sprinted off with the leaders and then fell into my race pace. The course is 2.25 laps around the Cascade Hills Church campus road.

I finished with a time of 25:41 and felt really good during and after the run. Age groups were in 10 year increments and I placed 10th out of 42. Would have placed 3rd if it was 5 year increments.

Here are the Results

2012 Southern Spring Fling Inline Speed Skating Races

Since September 5, 2009 I have greatly waited for this day with anxious anticipation. This will be my first inline speed skating race since separating my right A/C joint (shoulder). It just happens that this race is at the very same skating rink where the accident happened so long ago. Even though I have been going to Smyrna the past few Sunday's to practice at the rink, I haven't raced there, which is a totally different feeling than just practicing. The nerves, the speed, the NEW guys to race against. And of course, the FEAR of IT happening again.

After having a great evening visiting with my kids in Auburn, I headed up to Powder Springs, Ga. to spend the night with my good friend Jerry. Since I arrived late, Jerry was already asleep, so I snuck in and passed out.

The alarm on my phone seemed to go off as soon as I hit the pillow. 4:15 comes early no matter what time you actually go to bed. The races start at 6am sharp, so I had to get up, shower and get to the rink around 5am claim my spot and get ready to skate.

I am scheduled to race the Elite Veteran division and the Novice Master Men division. Elite divisions start at 6am sharp, and the Novice divisions will start immediately following the Elite awards ceremony. It really makes for a very LONG day. We have 240 participants registered to race and we have to get them all in by 6pm. So as soon as one race is over, the next race is called to the start line.

For the first time since going to Nationals in 2008, my age group has heats. There are 14 Veteran Men in 3 heats, WOW. And one of them includes Jim Larson which is the reigning World Record holder!!! Oh well, who isn't up for a challenge.

Well he wasn't in my heat, so he wasn't the one that I needed to worry about. Most of these guys I didn't know, so I had no idea how good they were. Well I quickly found out and placed 4th in both my 500 meter and 1000 meter heats. Which didn't qualify me for the finals (top 3 go). I wasn't too disappointed though being my first race in 2-1/2 years. My starts were terrible, so at least I know where I need to concentrate my training for next time.

So now I have wait around until the Novice races start, approximately 3 hours!!! I know alot of these same guys are going to be racing in the Novice division too, so the thought of leave did cross my mind a little. I quickly tried to distract myself from the thought and walked around to find some of these guys to go talk to. Kind of break the ice so to speak. Skaters are all a good bunch of folks and are very nice, at least off the floor that is. LOL

After a seemingly endlees waiting period, my warm-up is called. So it time to get the head straight and warm-up those muscles. My legs are feeling ok up to this point. I hit the floor and get several warm-up laps in and then go check-in at the starting line. I find out that Master Men has heats too.

I'm in the first heat, but this time I come in 3rd. So the confidence is building some! My start was actually pretty respectable and I am happy with it. The final comes around pretty quick (even though it was an hour later). I get aneven better start this time and place 3rd in the 500 meter final!!! YAY I am exstactic! LOL I seems that as the day goes, my starts and skating in general are getting better and better. Now I am axiously anticipating the 1000 meter races.

When I go to check-in for the 1st 1000 meter heat, the girl tells us that some guys have bailed out of the race and there is going to be only 2 heats with 7 guys in each. WOW, I don't think that I have ever had that many GROWN men on the start line since I started racing! I am in the 2nd heat this time. I start thinking about strategy and decide that I need to put all of my effort towards the start and get out as fast as I can.

So we are now called to the line. The gun goes off and we race down the line to the first corner (cone). I am in 3rd position and am happy with that. As we come around to start the 2nd lap, the 2 guys in front of me go a little wide and I make the pass for 1st. Some how I was able to hold the off and finish the heat in 1st. I think you could have seen the smile on my face all the way back in Columbus! Top 3 qualify for the finals.

So the 1000 meter finals finally make it around about 5:45pm. Remember we have to be out of the building by 6pm. Master Men is always the last race of the day, unfortunately! So we come to the line and the gun goes off. I start the race in 3rd position again. I some how am able to hold off a late charge by one of the guys and finish in 3rd being unable to catch the 2 guys in front.

By now my legs are totally shot and hurting, but my overall feeling is grand. I had a great day with no incidences or injuries. AND my performance improved with almost every lap during the day. It was also good to see alot of my skating buddies that I haven't seen in several years.

I finished 3rd place overall for the Nocive Master Men. I am now looking forward to the next race and to see what I can do there. Possibly the Tampa Classic April 6-7. More to come then...

FAMOUS - well at least for this report

SPECIAL REPORT: The Ultimate Endurance Test
Posted: Feb 02, 2012 2:31 PM EST
Updated: Feb 09, 2012 2:29 PM EST

By Sara Belsole - WLTZ News

COLUMBUS, GA - They swim. They bike. They run.

And they put all three of them together for the ultimate endurance test: the triathlon.

"Pain, exhaustion, fatigue, where's the next aid station," triathlete Brent Staley says.

Despite the tremendous physical challenge, triathlons seem to be the new drug of choice for fitness addicts here in Columbus.

"It's the fastest growing part of my business. Two years ago it was women's cycling and now it is triathletes," Ride on Bikes owner Jason McKenzie says.

"I had heard of triathlons before I started and never really thought about doing it, but once I got into it I don't know what it is, it just grabs you," triathlete Scott Burkhalter says.

Many triathletes say once you're hooked, it's time to alter your lifestyle in order to train--which some say can almost be like a second job.

"I wake up before the sun, I was in the gym this morning running on the treadmill," Staley says.

"I bike probably about 3-4 times a week, and swim at least twice a week and run twice a week," Burkhalter says.

Not to mention a totally new diet plan.

"I eat about 4,000 calories a day, lots of fruits, I try to get a lot of protein in to kind of rebuild especially after I work out," Staley says.

If you're looking to get involved in triathlons, Ride on Bikes right here on Broadway is where you need to come. It's the only full-service triathlon store in Columbus.

"We have over 300 bikes in stock, so when you walk in, we narrow it down for you. I try to get it down to three bikes for you to choose from," McKenzie says.

Ride on Bikes also has all the shoes, clothing, and other accessories any triathlete could ask for.

"I found out the hard way, it's not cheap by any means," Staley says.

But the triathletes say it's totally worth it.

They also say the increase in triathletes in the area has created a feeling of comradery.

"We travel together, we train together, we diet together, it's kind of like, I hate to say it, a cult, it's something everyone wants to do together," McKenzie says.

And those triathletes are passing the tradition on to their families.

"The most exciting moment I ever had in my triathlon career was last year when my 11-year-old daughter called me up and said she wanted to do one," Burkhalter says.

To celebrate the explosion of triathletes in Columbus, the city is hosting four this year.

And they won't only give those tri addicts another opportunity to compete, but it will also help boost the economy.

"It's becoming a part of our community and people are going to start traveling which is brining money to Columbus. The way triathletes work is they will travel anywhere to race so the more people we get to Columbus for the motels and businesses, the better it is," McKenzie says.


If you want to join the triathlon craze, log onto www.active.com for more information on races, gear, and events here in Columbus.

GSC #4 West Point, Ga.

West point is almost like a local race. It is only about 40 miles north of Columbus. This was good in that I was able to actually go up there 3 times and ride the course before the race. It is a very typical course, about 10 miles with it's share of up and down hills and fast flats.

I had a flat front tire the week before the race, so I decided to buy 2 new tires instead of just trying to fix the flat. I got the Kenda Blue Groove for the front and the Kenda Nevegal for the back. Both are a lot more aggressive than the tires I had on the bike.

The new tires turned out to be a very good thing as it rained hard the day before the race. The course was very slick in the corners and on the bridges. The start of the race a 250 yard flat sprint, then a 90 degree right hand turn up a 100 foot steep hill that was very muddy. So my plan was to hopefully get the hole shot and be the first to the hill. I didn't want to get stuck behind anyone and take a chance that they screw up on the hill. I would hate to have to walk the bike up it.


As the gun goes off, I sprint out to the lead. I was challenged by a new guy riding for the Cycle Youth team. Luckily I was able to hold him off right before we hit the hill. I motored right up the hill and sprinted back down and into the woods. They were not too far behind me tough. I also wanted to get to and over the first bridge in the lead.

As I get to the bridge I see a lot of people watching it. I am sure they wanted to see a crash. As I carefully cross the bridge and sprint up the hill and around the corner, I hear what sounds like a crash. I have no idea what happened and I never look back. I am hoping that whatever happened slowed them down.

As I am racing through the woods, I am able to eventually catch a glimpse back when I do a few switchbacks. I have a good lead on them! Maybe I can hold them off. I am in the hilly part of the course, which is good for me. I know that Curtis is back there and will giving it everything he has to catch me. I really don't like being in the lead as I have nothing to judge myself to. All he has to do is keep me in his sites and try to catch me.

Shortly after I reach the top of the hill section, I hear someone coming up behind me. I am about halfway through the course by then, but I know it probably is Curtis. Shortly there after he passes me. We are on a long slight down hill section so I try my best to keep up with him. I am able to do it for a while, but my legs are almost short so I have to back it off a little. Curtis is very strong and I will kill myself if I try to push it too hard.

Shortly, another guy passes me. I don't pay any attention to his race number and just let him go. He is on a single speed bike so I was thinking that he was in that category. Well I was totally wrong! It was Bob Saxon and he is now in 2nd place. Dang it!!! And I just let him go without a challenge. Oh well. I will not let that happen again. Learned the hard way.

So anyway, the race a good one but still pretty slick. I did manage to finish without any problems. But I did do a lot of sliding around in some corners. I ended up finishing 3rd. Still in 2nd place for the overall series.


Here are the RESULTS

SERC MTB Race #5 - Monte Sano St. Park Huntsville, Al.

Well this one will be a short story after a long haul!!! I drove all of the way over to Huntsville, Al. (5 hours) on Saturday with the intention of racing the SERC race on Sunday morning. I get to the park early Saturday morning for a pre-ride of the trail. After about 3 miles into the course I scrape against a rock and break my deraileur hanger!!! Shoot, dang it!!!

I have to walk it out the 3 miles. When I get back to the start line I start asking around for help. No one has a hanger that will match, but someone tells me to go to the local bike shop and see if they have one.

So off I go and find the bike shop. After about an hour of them looking around, nothing! They even call all of the other shops and they have nothing either. The closest shop that has one is in Birmingham, 2 hours away. Oh well.

So I just decide that it wasn't meant to be. I have to go break down my camp site, pack up the car and head back home. Another 5 hour drive. For some reason I feel as though this race wasn't meant to be and therefore I am not mad. Hmmmmmmm... And the part only cost $30.

GSC #3 Fort Yargo State Park, Winder, Ga.

This was the 3rd race of the GSC series and I am now standing in first place in my age group and cat, by only one point mind you. So I have to everything in my power to keep this lead, all be it might be hard to do. My bike is broke again and there wasn't a quick fix this time. So I am having to borrow a bike and luckily Al Pickens is letting me use his spare.

It is a full suspension bike but it weighs in around 30 pounds. It fits me fine and I able to pre-ride the course on it the Saturday before the race. I have no issues with the bike during the ride so I feel as though I am good to go.

For the pre-ride I met up with Al, John and Mike. We started on the trail not too long after the Xterra race awards was over with. The course was clear but the weather wasn't so much. The forecast had threatened rain and we knew it was on its way. About halfway through the ride the skies opened up and the bottom fell out. And it fell out hard, with lightening too! There was nothing that we could do but keep on riding. No where to hide. The rain didn't last too long and we actually finished in the dry.

Later on that night, after we all got cleaned up, we met in Athens for the Twilight Crit race. We first went to eat at the local Carabbas. The crit was exciting as always and we really enjoyed it. Until the rains returned, that is. Luckily I anticipated the rain and brought my umbrella with me. As did many other folks. It didn't slow down the racers though. They kept on going, and they were probably faster in the rain than I am on the dry pavement.

Fun was had by all, but i now had to go back to the park and attempt to sleep in the storm. The forecast had predicted severe thunderstorms which had me little concerned. But by the time I got back to the camp site, it had all but quit. I quickly changed clothes and went to bed. There were actually a couple other campers there too.

The morning comes bright and early on race day as Dave and Terri Berger crank it up around 7am for pre-registration. At least they are playing some good music over the loud speakers. I lay around for a while, then slowly decide to go ahead and get up. My race doesn't start til 9:30, so I am in no rush.

So the time has finally come a we are all staged at the starting line. I am hoping to get a great start and to be able to hold off the other guys. Not thinking about the "other" bike that I am riding. When the gun sounds, I can't seem to get the bike rolling. It just doesn't want to go. I am in about 4th place off of the line, but I am struggling. This is not a good sign, especially from the start of the race.

The course is 10.5 miles and I am having a hard time keeping pace. I have no idea why it is so difficult. About halfway through I crash twice in the back 40 and am really starting to get pissed off by now. The first half of the course seems to be a lot of up hill trail, but the second half seems to be a lot down hill trail, except for the very end where there is the bill hill climb.

I am now thinking that I can maybe catch up to the leaders some since I am on the easier section of the trail. I have no idea how far ahead they are of me, so at the next road crossing I ask the volunteer. He says that they are only about a minute ahead, so I really start to push it hard. I almost crash a few times on slippery roots, but I don't.

I never am able to catch the leaders and I end up finishing in 4th place. I am very disappointed in my performance. I seemed to be in a struggle the entire race. I never fell into a groove. But that's the way it goes sometimes. 4th place isn't bad, but it puts me back into 2nd place in the series by one point.


Click the link for race RESULTS

GSC #2 Flat Rock Park Columbus, Ga.

Since this is my home track I was somewhat wondering if I would actually have an advantage for the race. Being that I practice here at least 2 times a week, I feel that I should. The time trial on Saturday surely showed that I have the potential to make it happen (except for the crash at the end).

So the hour has finally arrived and I am feeling strong and confident. My race doesn't start til 11:30, so I am patiently waiting. As I am riding around warming up the legs, I notice groups of riders starting to line up near the start line. Hmmmmm I wondered. Are the races ready to start? By the time I got over there the first group was off and riding! WOW, I almost wasn't paying enough attention and almost missed my start! Doh!!! So we were the next group up by the time I got over and ready to go.

The whistle blew and we were off. I had told the guys that I didn't want to be leading the race right from the start, but wouldn't you know it, I am. But not for long as Robert Wommack got a little impatient and passed a few hundred yards into the race. So it is Robert, me, and Curtis and all of the rest heading off into the first section of woods. It is still a tight pack as we turn on the new berm and head towards the trench.

When we reach the top of trench hill we are hitting it pretty hard and fast. Robert is a little out of control on the dip and crashes right in front of me. Luckily he veers off of the trail and into the woods, so we just keep on going right past him. He is uninjured and continues racing, but is in the back of the pack.

So I am now leading again. I have to keep telling myself not to push it too hard and don't worry if you get passed. I am thinking ahead to what is coming up next on the trail. The chicane and then the rock garden. Neither of which are my favorites, but I have to do them non-the-less! I just hope that I don't crash.

As we come to the top of the hill I glance back
and see that there is now a 4 man breakaway from the group and Mike Nichols is in it with us. So we enter into the rock garden with much anticipation. As I make the first right hand switchback I get stopped on a rock with my front tire and fall over. Curtis passes me before I can get up. As I am getting back on my bike Mike pulls up and stops to let me in. I couldn't believe it. What a great guy and teammate!

As we come around the bottom of the rock garden
I am planning what to do for the climb up the rocks. I decide that I will get off of the bike and run it up the hill. So now I am back in 2nd place and I have lost some ground. I tell myself not to worry as we still have a lot of ground to cover. I eventually catch back up to Curtis as we are about to cross the road at the end of the lake. I stay right on his tail all the way through until we reach the exit of the first back woods section.

As we are approaching the exit we catch up to a slower rider from the group that started ahead of us. Now I am planning my strategy to pass Curtis. As we exit the woods I gun it and pass both guys before they knew what hit them and shoot back into the woods in the 2nd section. I know Curtis is going to be right there so I try to keep a fast pace going.

We are about halfway through the 2nd wooded section when we catch up to another slower rider from the group ahead of us. I ride is tail for a short bit and ask him to let me pass when he gets a chance. He does and I pass but Curtis doesn't get the chance to pass him too! YAY, I think. Now I can really put the pedal to the metal and try to pull away from him. I do this and never look back.

As I am exiting the woods and finishing the low area below the dam I catch up to David Jones. I tell him to look out for Curtis as he is coming up behind me. I don't know how much of lead I have, but hopefully he will get stuck behind David and have to slow down again to pass. David tells me that this is exactly what happened after the race is over.

So I am now flying through the top 2 sections on my way to the finish line. As I round some of the switchbacks I get a glimpse back and see Curtis is a pretty good way behind me now. I just have to finish the race uneventful and I will have the win! I feel that I am blistering the pace just like I did in the time trial. I come out of the last section and no one is behind me.

I cross the finish line in 1st place about 30 seconds ahead of Curtis! YAY My time was 50:29 which equates to 12.23 mph. This win also puts me in 1st place overall in the GSC points series (by only 1 point though). Mike Nichols came in 3rd place.


See complete results HERE

GSC #2 - Time Trial - Flat Rock Park Columbus, Ga. April 17, 2010

Well this was a much anticipated weekend to see if my 2nd place finish in Thomaston was legit. Curtis Tucker had finished 1st ahead of me by 3.5 minutes. That is a hard lump to swallow and I was out to prove that it was just a fluke.

A little recap of the week before the race to set the stage. Nicki Sutherland and I decided to head up to ride a few laps around the West Point Lake trail on Sunday April 11. It was only my 2nd time riding up there so I jumped at the opportunity to go. We got there around 10am and headed out for our first lap. We were about half way through the lap when I heard a POP from the rear of my bike while going over a dirt mound on the trail. The bike immediately wabbled so I knew this wasn't good. I immediately stopped and told Nicki that something broke. And I was right! The left side chain stay had broken right behind the weld. Can you spell SUCKS?

Well, since I knew this was just part of being a mountain biker, I had to suck it up and start walking. Since I had been up there recently with Blake Melton I knew my way out. I told Nicki to go ahead and ride and I would just meet her at the car. She insisted on staying with me, for a little while at least. LOL

So we had about 2 miles to walk it back to the car. It wasn't too bad as we found the nearest road pretty quick. It was also nice to have someone to talk to for the walk. So this ended our day there, and we headed back to Columbus. Once we got back to her house, we decided to get her other bike and she was going to let me ride her Santa Cruz. So we headed over to Flat Rock for a spin so I could check out her bike. She was going to let me borrow it for the race the next weekend. The ride was good except for the blister that I got from her grip shifters.

So Monday after work I bring my bike to Ride On Bikes downtown for them to look at. They said that they would call Trek and see how much the new part would cost and how long it would take them to get it in. Of course Trek was closed for the day, so the call had to wait til Tuesday.

Tuesday I call down there and they say that the part is in stock and was going to be around $300 installed. So I told them to get it shipped over night and I woul dpay the difference. They said ok and told me that it should be here by Friday and that I could pick up the bike after work.

Well low and behold I get a phone call on Thursday and it is Kyle at Ride On Bikes and my bike is READY!!! YAY So of course I run down there and get it so I can take it for a spin. I was supposed to meet Paul and some other people at Flat Rock around 6pm anyway.

So I get myself and the bike to Flat Rock right at 6pm and Paul and the gang are ready to go. So I tell to go ahead and I would try to catch up to them. I still had to swap pedals and get all of my gear on. After about 15 minutes or so I am ready to go. Everything on the bike is perfect and I have a great ride. I am so very stoked to have my bike for the race!!!

So back to the race. Saturday presented a beautiful day for a time trial. There were 74 people registered and the park looked packed with racers.
The time trial started at 5pm and went by race category with each racer blasting off in one minute increments. The course consisted of just the top 2 loops of the trail system which was around 3 miles. A time trial is just a blast as fast as you can go for one lap. There are series points on the line here too. 5 bonus points for the winner and so on down to 1 point for all of the rest. I had a feeling that Curtis was going to be here so I knew I had to do good.

I was 37th in line and was hoping for a smoothe ride with no crashes. When in race mode I then to put all fears aside and just go for it. I know that this can and probably will get in trouble one day, butit is what has to be done to get better.

So the clock ticks down and I am off. The entrance in to the woods is a hard left turn on the loose leaves and oine straw so I had to be careful not to slip down. I slid out a little bit but nothing was lost. It usually takes a half mile or so for me to get warmed up, so I actually take it a little easy on the first stretch parallel to the railroad tracks. After that I crank it up.

About halfway through the first loop I have no problems other than brushing a tree with my right shoulder. I was concerned that the ground would be too dry and slippery, but it wasn't too bad. I felt that my speed and handling was good and that I would really be able to turn it on in the 2nd section. Towards the exit of the first section I hit a root and get a little sideways and slid out to the left a little missing a large pine tree and then over correcting and rode off the trail on the right side. I don't think that I lost much time here but it sure was a little scary.

So I survived the first section and am heading out and on the 2nd section. Terry Witbeck is standing right at the exit and is trying to take a photo. So I yell yeehaw and put the pedal to the metal. I am flying and hoping that I don't make any mistakes, especially in the loose dirt and rocks. I hit the new berm and shoot off the end without loosing much speed. The hairpin turns slow me down a bit but the addrenaline is high. I fly down the revine and blast up the hill towards the finish line.

The approach to the finish line is a slight down hill and I know I am flying. So I decide that I'm NOT going to slow down and I am going to take the ditch full speed ahead. I have hit it pretty fast before, but not this fast. My plan fails misearably
and I crash big time right at the finish line in front on EVERYONE!!! I think I actually hit the up-hill side of the ditch and flew over my handlebars. The adrenaline was so high I didn't even care. Nothing was broke so I jumped up and tried to carry the bike to the top of the hill. I slipped and slid back down the hill, so I just threw the bike up and over it. LOL The whole time Dave Berger was yelling at me to not worry about it that my time was already stopped. And I didn't even hear him at all. I was just wanting to WIN.

So I did just that! I won my age group with the time of 13:32. See the resuls below and also check the full RESULTS HERE.

Wheels of Fire Charity Ride

This year for the first time in the history of the Wheels of Fire ride, they are offering a mountain bike course. It is a 15 mile trail on the property of Hal Avery in Harris county. The property is located off of Hwy 18 west of I-185. It is an 1100 acre farm that has woods, pasture land, several creeks and a lake. I have been wanting to do the course this year, so I asked around and found a couple local guys that agreed to do it with me. Yves Roskam and Tim Boucher. The start time didn't matter to the organizers so we decided to sleep in. The only rule was that we had to start before 11am. The day was nice and a little cool, but overall a perfect day for a ride. We met around 9:45, registered and headed over to the course. The course coordinator there said that there were 20 people ahead of us and that we would be the last people out on the course. So we head out and start our leisurely ride. The property was beautiful. .Gently rolling hills. The trail mostly followed the edges of the pastures and headed into the woods several times. We crossed 4 creeks and climbed a couple hills The ride took us 2:38 hours and we traveled 14.93 miles. I considered this a training ride but it was a little slow for my tastes. It was quite enjoyable though. Here is the official GPS recording.

GSC #1 - Camp Thunder, Thomaston, Ga.

So the first official GSC race of the new season has arrived and I am ready to take on the challenge. I have been training most of the winter in anticipation of this day. Last year I did 2 mountain bike races and fell in love with the sport. So I decided to buy a bike and give it a try this year. After hurting my shoulder back in September, I really didn't know what to expect. Not being able to ride all winter as I had planned would be the big "am I ready for this" question.

I have been riding a stationary recumbent bike since about 2 weeks after my surgery. I started doing spin class in February and started riding my bike on March 1st. All of this was strictly enforced by me as directed by my doctor and physical therapist. I tend to abide by the rules and listen to authority. After all, they know what is best for me and my recovery.

So I decided to go up on Saturday afternoon to give me enough time to set up camp and go for a pre-ride. I like camping as it gets you close to nature and it also offers the opportunity to meet other racers and socialize some. Plus we can usually camp right on the property where the race is taking place.

Camp Thunder is an Official Boy Scout camp that is located between Woodbury and Thomaston, Ga. Approximately 50 miles north east of Columbus. Comprising over 2400 acres of land and many miles of trails. It lies right on the Flint River and is heavily wooded. It also contains some of the highest hills south of the north Georgia mountains. Beautiful, majestic and "steep" are the first words that came to my mind when I arrived.

I arrived in the early afternoon and set up camp. Knowing that there was a good chance of rain that evening and on race day, I brought all of the rain gear including tarps. The camping area was very nice with permanent scout tents set up for rent. I had my own tent so I just picked out a clear flat spot and popped up the tent and tarps. While doing so I met some nice folks from Albany and the South Georgia Cycling Club. I think that there were 6 or 7 of them here with 3 guys actually racing.

They were very cordial and invited me to join them that evening by the camp fire. Vonnie has been racing many years and knows some of the Columbus racers too. So we at least had some things in common to talk about, including racing. He decided to race his single speed bike for this event. Something that I wouldn't have even considered because of the steep terrain.

So after I set up camp, I get my bike gear on and head out to ride the race course. The only thing that I know about it is that it is steep. I am somewhat of a good hill climber, so I think, so I shouldn't have too many problems with it, or so I thought. Well that was the last time that I thought that particular though! LOL The hills weren't the problem at all. It was the down hills that kicked my butt. They were just as steep and probably more narrow than the up hills. I was just praying that my brakes didn't give out!

The first part of the course, 1.25 miles was flat and followed the banks of the Flint River. Flat with loose rocks, deep sand and several water crossings I should say. The rocks and water crossings were not too much of a problem. Just stay away from the BIG rocks and I should be ok. It was the sand that was the problem. As long as you can maintain your speed, you won't have much of an issue. But slow down too much and it will be hard to control your steering and could possibly fall over. I had no problem with this section at all.

The flat transitions into the first Big hill with a quick swoop up to a very narrow off angle trail. After about 100 feet or so you arrive at the first switchback. The trail is loaded with rocks and roots and close trees that you have to navigate carefully. The first switchback is probably one of the hardest ones because it begins the steep climb and is loaded with rocks. If you loose too much speed you will fall over, and I did just that. Not hurt too bad, mostly my pride, I try to get back on the bike. I can't get started so I have to walk up the hill until I can find a tree and a flat spot so that I can get on the bike and get clipped into the pedals.

So off I go again with a large appreciation for the rocks and roots. This hill is a monster and larger than any hill I have ever been on. According to my GPS it is over a mile long and over a 600 foot climb. Woooooooooooooo!!! My heart rate monitor is freaking out and I am finding it hard to breathe. I have to really concentrate and talk to myself and remember my training. Slow and easy is now the new theme of the day. This hill is going to wipe me out if I am not careful.

I finally reach the top of the hill so I decide to take a short break and take in the view. Since the leaves haven't arrived on the trees yet, the view is spectacular. I don't know how far I can see, but the Flint river is way down below me now. I start back on the trail and quickly hit my first down hill section. It is as steep or steeper than the up hill and it is very narrow. I am not used to this and am somewhat nervous about it. Brakes don't fail me now!!! You can't even let off them for a second or you build up too much speed.

Arriving at the bottom unscathed I reach the first creek crossing. It is a small stream and it is not too bad or muddy. At the second crossing there is a small bridge that someone has made over it. The third crossing is very soft and muddy but I maintain my speed and cross with no issues. The trail immediately starts climbing up the next hill.

This hill is somewhat different than the first one in that it is not going straight up, but transversing at an angle. The climb is just as hard though and it littered with rocks and roots again. According the my GPS it is about .75 of a mile to the top.

When I get to the top I am greeted with a long logging road. What a welcome relief it is too! It is about 2.25 miles long with several rolling but smaller hills. I think this is where I reach my fastest speed of the day at 21 mph. The relief is quickly over with and I reach another down hill section.

This time instead of being long, fast, narrow and scary, it is very winding and technical. It also has all of the rocks and roots just like the up hill climbs. This in itself can make it dangerous. Putting on your brakes in loose rocky dirt laden with roots is not a very comfortable thing. I just have to make sure that I do not use the front brake like I did on the first down hill. It wouldn't take much for the front tire to slide out from under me.

At the bottom of this hill is my worst nightmare! A 90 degree off angle right hand turn between 2 trees. I am pretty good at left hand turns but not so good going to the right. So what do you think happens? Yep you guess it! I crash and burn, badly. On the way down I get a bright idea and try to grab the inside tree to help slow me down and hopefully stop me from crashing. Well it worked as far as the slowing down part went but I still crashed and the tree shredded my right forearm when I over shot it when trying to grab. OUCH is now the new word of choice!

So I am now laying on the rocks, still in one piece and wondering how I am going to maneuver this in the race tomorrow. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm? Swing out wide to the left and make the corner bigger than it appears. Might work, might not. I will have to wait until tomorrow to find out. So I gather myself up and check for any missing body parts and broken parts to me and the bike. Other than the chain coming off, all is well (well besides all of the missing skin on my right forearm).

So I re-establish my chain and my pride again and jump on the bike. I am only 10 feet from the bottom of the hill so I try to use the quick speed gain to maneuver up the next hill. This works out fine until I hit the first set of roots. The trail is not very steep but it is off angle and just covered with roots and some rocks. Every time I hit a root my tires shoot out from under me and I go down. Not hard but down anyway. Ughhhhhhhhhhhhh!!! I am getting very frustrated with this and wondering why they couldn't have flattened out the trail better. LOL

So I struggle through what seemed to be a "not so hard" section. I reach the top of this short climb to find a rock garden. The trail is lost and looks as though it goes straight between 2 trees that are not wide enough to get my handlebars through. So I attempt to go around the trees and spin out my tire! WHAT? It was as if it was in slow motion. I am fallllliinnnnggggggg... And right into a tree I go. The bad thing about this fall was that it was down the hill and onto big rocks. Luckily the tree that I fell onto was small and I actually rode it all the way down. It broke my fall enough that I wasn't hurt too bad. A little cut on my leg and right chest. Just more frustration than anything.

I am now telling myself that if I fall one more time I am going to pack it up and go home! LOL I would never do that, but it did cross my mind. So after the rock garden I get back on the bike and continue up the hill. With the rocks quickly behind me, the trail works its way into a Pine tree forest. Up and over a small rise, through the pines and onto another long up hill. This time the hill is what we call double track. Simply put it is wide enough to get 2 cyclist on it side by side. This hill is also very clean with no roots or rocks.

The top of the hill brings another flat section and some smooth sailing for a short while. The trail soon becomes rocky again as it starts heading down hill. You can build up a little speed here so I have to be careful again as to not get caught by a larger rock and go down. I hit 20 mph and it is scary just thinking about the crash if it was to happen. Things would break for sure here!

The down hill quickly bottoms out to another steep up hill climb. I am hoping that this is the last one as my legs are really starting to feel the burn. I don't want to over do it today. I have been on the course for an hour and should be getting close to the finish. This hill is a straight up shot. And I mean straight up buddy. No turns, but some rocks scattered around.

The top brings another logging road that meanders through a mature pine forest for a short stint. Another short and somewhat rocky trail and it then opens up to a large clear cut area an a large clay down hill road. It is steep and fast and straight down too. Filled with washes from the rain but not slick. This will be a big mess tomorrow if it does rain. Hard clay and water make for a very slick track. I must maintain my hand on the brakes all of the way down.

At the bottom the road takes a sharp 90 degree turn to the left and continues on for another 100 yards or so. I can see the camp ground now so I know that I am almost through. The road stops and I enter the trail again. This is a new trail that tracks around the left side of the camp ground through the woods. It hasn't been worn down and flattened, so it is off angle and slick. I know that I will bust it here in the race tomorrow because of that. Especially if it is wet.

The trail goes around the camp for about a quarter mile or so and comes out right at the start line. WHEW! I am finally done. Well almost that is. I have to continue on around the bathrooms and camp office buildings and loop around to the actual finish line. Ok! Now I can say whew and I am finally done. Nothing broken, so all is well. I get out my GPS and check what the results will be. 8.75 miles, 1:18 hours, 6.7 mph average, base elevation 662 feet and top elevation is 1112 feet. I am told that the course has over 2500 feet of elevation climb! Wooooooooooo!!!

My next task at hand was to get something to eat and to take a shower. So made a turkey and cheese sandwich and ate it with some corn chips and Gatorade. I then head up to the showers to get cleaned up. The showers looked cold and only had one pipe leading to the shower head. Hmmm I wondered. Can they only be cold water showers? Well it didn't really matter as I had to take a shower. So I pull the draw string and what I feared was right! COLD water. Well this is not going to be pleasant experience. Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr... Well at least I was able to shave and get clean despite the cold water. I think that I might skip my shower in the morning before the race! LOL

So I see my new found friends from Albany getting their fire ready, so I head over to say hey and see what their plans are for the evening. They are in the process of cooking their supper on the grill so we just stand around the fire while it is cooking. They are having steak and other fixins!!! Yum I thought. So they eat and we sit around the fire til about 11pm or so. It is actually getting pretty cold out by now, and I am getting tired so I head off to the tent and call it a day.

The rains start sometime in the middle of the morning before the sun comes up! It wakes me up but it is still dark so I try to go back to sleep. It is not raining hard but it is steady. I think I finally fall sleep but not for sure. The sun comes up and the rain is now off and on at times. I am dreading having to race in it, but I am here and the show must go on. I get up around 8am and attempt to eat something, anything, but I can't do it. Just like every other race I have been in. I just can't do it. We have a mandatory meeting at 9:15am with the race director to go over final instructions. I am in the first group of racers and we blast off at 9:30.

After meeting I head back over the my camp and get dressed and ready for the race. The rain has slacked off and I can only hope that it says away, at least for the start. I am hoping that the course is not too muddy and slippery. Maybe the first groups of racers will make it better for the rest of us by packing it in.

So I am now at the line ready for the gun/whistle to go off. 3, 2, 1 blastoff!!! There are 12 guys in my wave and I am in 3rd position off the line. We are going alone side the river and the #2 guy gets caught up in the sand and goes down. He gets on his bike and starts back going before I can pass him though. Then all of a sudden the guy in 4th passes me. Ok I tell myself this is ok. Maybe I am a better climber than they are and will get them on the hills. I am just trying to get my legs warmed up and my mind into race mode at this point.

As soon as we reach the first hill we run into traffic. The wave before us is jammed and crowding the trail. I have to holler ahead several times for them to get out of the way, which they do. I soon catch up to the 3rd place guy and pass him. I can see the first and second place guys ahead but they have a pretty good lead on me. I tell myself to not worry about it as the race is still early. My goal is make it to the top of the hill without dieing or hyperventilating.

I soon see David Jones from Columbus and pass him. He is having chain problems and is walking his bike up the hill. I eventually catch and pass Mike Nichols which is in the wave ahead of me too. I am also gaining on the 2nd place guy in my wave. By the time we reach the top of the hill he is just a few yards in front of me. The first place guy is now gone.

I finally catch and pass the 2nd place guy after I reach the top of the 2nd hill and are on the logging road. He is not paying attention and is trying to remove the sleeves from his cycling jacket. I guess he is over heating or something. This is good for me and I am ecstatic that I am in 2nd place!

As I am going down the next large hill I here him gaining on me. I am faster up the hills but he fast down the hills. Shoot I think but I will get out of his way if he catches me. Well this the hill where I had my major crash at the bottom, so I am going to swing wide on the nasty corner. Well it just so happens that this is where the guy catches me and wants to pass! Dang it! I swing wide but he is now in my way to cut back into the corner. What to do now? Oh, well I guess I will miss the corner and go off into the woods and hope for the best! LOL There are no trees in the way but no trail either. So I just sit way back on the saddle and hope that I don't hit something I can't see.

I made it!!! Swoop and I am now climbing up the now very nasty rock and root covered off angle hill to the rock garden. I immediately go down on the first root. I decided that if this happened I would just just get off and run up the hill pushing my bike. So this is what I did. I can catch the now 2nd place guy going up one of the next 2 remaining hills I thought.

Going up the 3rd hill I can see him and I am gaining. I hope that I can catch him before we go down the other side but I don't. He and another guy from the wave ahead of us are going down the fast rocky down hill to the last big hill. I have told myself in previous races to conserve energy going down the hills and pour it on going up the hills. The 2nd place is right there in front of me so this will probably be my last chance to get him.

I am flying down the hill and scared out of my wits. If I crash now I will be hurt very bad, I think. Just keep your eyes focused on the rocks ahead of me and avoid any of the big ones that can cause you to crash. I do this with seemingly unwavering out-of-controlness and catch them right at the bottom of the hill. I pass the other guy and quickly pour on the gas. The 2nd place guy has already started up the hill but quickly catch and pass him. I am now in full race mode and no one is going to slow me down now! As I pass him he tells me good luck as I guess he is conceding it to me.

So I never let up again. Coach told me to never look back so I don't. There is only one more down hill and he isn't going to catch me there! I am ecstatic and flying now. I hit the last logging road downhill and I am going as fast I can without being out of control. There are people there cheering me on and taking photos. I holler at them with glee as I am flying down the hill. I tell myself to don't get too crazy and stay in control. There is a huge left hand turn at the bottom and then you have the new trail to manipulate.

So as I am turning the left hand corner I glance back and I see no one! YAY. I turn off the gas a little bit as to not crash on the new trail section. Well just as I thought that day before, I wipe out about halfway through it! My back tire hits a slick root and spins me out. I am not hurt and no one was there to see it and no one was there to pass either. I exit the woods and quickly fly through the loop to the finish line. I can't freakin believe it! I took 2nd place in my very first GSC race of the season! WOW What an awesome feeling it is.


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