The Intermontane Challenge - Part 1

We've finally arrived in Kamloops and it's HOT. We signed up for this event in the hope that we would get some sunshine and now the gods are having fun with us. It is 33 degrees celcius today, and forecast to get hotter over the next week - up to 38 degrees. I'm not going to complain, I just hope there will be plenty of feedzones. We'll find out about all of that tonight at the rider briefing. Race starts tomorrow at 10am.

Bad news is, Andy's come down with a stinking cold and can barely breath. He's not sure he will be able to race, but we're holding off making any kind of decision yet. He could always start the stage tomorrow and just take it easy for the first day, but that will mean at least five hours out in the heat and he is going to suffer. We'll wait and see how he feels in the morning.

I've got some pics but the computer in the lobby here doesn't have an SD drive so they will have to wait. Tinker Juarez and the Monavie Cannondale team are here, and Tinker has a new Flash carbon 29er to try out. It is crazy light! We'll see if he can tough it out on a hardtail though, I think I'd be back on my full sus Scalpel after a day, but Tinker might just be tougher than me :-)

Jenn

BC Part One - Squamish

We've been here in BC for a couple of days now and everything is just as it should be - big sky, big mountains and some real mountain biking. We're staying with our good friend Craig Bullen, who was the former UK Marketing Manager for Powerbar before he packed up and moved to Canada a couple of years ago. Craig is into his DH and that's pretty much the scene around here.

For the past two days Craig has gone out of his way to find the tamest, most flowing XC type trails for us. Most of it is stuff that, for me, is rideable but only on a good day with plenty of mojo. Lots of roots, a few drops and some really steep terrain, along the the signature BC boardwalks.

The trails here are built, but not in the same way as UK built trails. It's mostly done by locals armed with chainsaws and shovels, just heading out into the woods. It's also pretty clandestine - the trails are not designed to be permanent or weatherproof and the locals guard their favourite trails and keep them secret as much as possible. Today Craig took us to one of the secret gems, which required a 15 minute hike through rough scrub with bikes on shoulders in order to find the trailhead. Not quite the intended use for my white Mavic race shoes, but definitely worth the effort. We were rewarded with a full 20 minutes of fast, flowing dirt singletrack weaving through the woods and popping out here and there onto open cliff face with stunning views of the valley some 1,000 metres below.

This took us over to a different section of forest and some more established trails, including the Credit Line, which is marked up as a Black (expert only) trail. This always makes me a bit nervous, as "expert" in BC means serious mountain biking. For Craig, this counted as an XC trail, but for me it was on the very limit of my ability, and I'll be honest and admit I walked some parts. The parts I rode found the limits of my 80mm SID WC forks and 2.1 Panaracer Razer tyres pretty quickly. Squamish scene is hard core, and we didn't go near any of the 20 foot gap jumps or super-skinny plank rides that people associate with this place. The regular trails here are more than enough for us!

Tomorrow (Friday) is our last day here in Squamish before we head over to Kamloops to prepare for our race. We're told the trails in Kamloops will be something else again - not so rooty and technical, but fast and dusty. It's also looking like being hot. Temperatures here by the sea are comfortable enough (below 30 degrees C) but Kamloops will be 30+ each day. It's a proper adventure, and there's plenty still to come.

British Cross Country Championships 2009
July 19 - Innerleithen, Scotland
Report by Ruth Mordaunt

The British XC Championships took place in Tweed Valley in the Scottish Borders not far from the famous 7Stanes Glentress mountain biking centre. The Championship course was a hilly seven kilometre lap, where you needed your climbing legs and the ability to descend well; a worthy championship course which separated the best from the rest over the weekend.

Leading up to race day the weather had been changeable from bright blue skies to the heaven’s opening, which defined a sketchy terrain on the descent. The course had approximately 500 metres of climbing followed by a challenging and technical descent. I needed to choose my tyres carefully to give me confidence whilst descending whilst not dragging on the climb. A Panaracer Rampage on the front and Panaracer Fire XC Pro on the rear seemed to be a good combination for these conditions. The practise lap went perfectly and myself and my super light Cannodale Scapel were ready for action on Sunday. I loved the course and could not wait until race day.

For the Masters Woman category the expected contenders lined themselves up for a three lap race. My main rivals on the start line were defending Master XC Woman Champion Nina Davies (Orgmore Valley Wheelers), Kim Hurst (Owen Cycles), Caroline Goward (Scott) and Emma Bradley (Torq Kona).

On the gun I was already at a disadvantage, with slipping gears through the opening stretch of heavy grass field which made me slip back to near-last position (I must point out that my amazing Cannodale Scapel was perfect during warm up.) I watched as the Master Woman category rode away whilst I attempted to solve the slipping gears, which 5 minutes into the long 500m climb decided to jump between the rear cassette and rear spokes. With little success of sorting the jumping gears I rode in a much harder gear than I wanted to, placing great stress on my quads and hip flexors.

So first 5 minutes I was at the back of the bunch and working my way slowly forward. This was hard work and I had to dig deep and dip into the red a few times to make up time lost. My legs were on fire and I was not feeling great at this point, I felt like I was going so slow, but I am not a quitter and I was going to finish and finish with a medal.

During the practise lap I prayed I would not get some ‘numpty’ who could not ride the descent in front of me, especially one that would crash and ruin my line. Well, as luck would have it, I overtook Emma Bradley on the first part of sketchy descent and proceeded to crash in front of her ruining her line (sorry Emma). So I suppose that makes me the ‘numpty’ on this occasion! I passed Nina on the descent as well, who later pulled out of the race.

By the end of lap one I had made my way from the back of the bunch to third position and was wondering how far in front Kim and Caroline were. During laps two and three I struggled with the jumping gears and the fact the race was physically demanding. My hip flexors and calves were cramping which was extremely painful and slowed me down. I have never experienced cramping at all especially in a race. This was showed in my lap times for lap 2 and 3. I put it down to pushing a harder gear up all the climbs and then whilst descending I was stretching over the rear wheel (almost like a squat position) which fired up my hip flexors and quads even more. By lap three I was crawling up the climbs and not really able to put any power on the pedals without cramping. I was going at a snail’s pace and just hoped I would not be overtaken.

Kim was well out in front of the chase by Caroline and myself and proved unbeatable and claimed the jersey comfortably. Kim was the best on the day and that my mechanical difficulties may have made little difference to the winning result. Who knows and that's racing!

Back in January, with all my personal problems, I never thought I would be racing at the British Cross Country Championships 2009 and receive a bronze medal. Of course I would have liked the National Championship title, but this takes consistent training and dedication to the sport and some ‘fire in your belly’. I have the latter two and an amazing bike, so if I can get some consistent training in for next year’s championship, you never know I might just win that jersey....just for you dad!

New Stuff Part Two

Catlike Vacuum 2009 Helmet

£79.95 from Prendas Ciclismo (limited sizes and colours on sale for £69.95)

Catlike are known for their distinctive and somewhat funky looking helmets, which is one of the things that first attracted us to the brand. For the past couple of years we have been using the Whisper and Whisper Plus helmets supplied by Prendas Ciclismo, and we’ve been pleased with the fit and comfort of these helmets. This season, Prendas have sent me one of the new Vacuum helmets to try out.

A name badge and a couple of Fast Kiwis make this super-cool helmet my own.

First thing to note is that it looks nothing at all like the Whisper Plus, it has a funky look all of its own. The Orange Monkey team have been using the Vacuum this season, and it has certainly turned a few heads. From the front it looks a bit like something out of Alien v. Predator and from the back it looks like a space ship. Love it or hate it… it’s a look that is kind of growing on me.

The concept behind the Vacuum is that it is designed to provide maximum airflow at lower speeds, i.e. on a mountain bike rather than on a road bike. There is no weight difference between the Vacuum and the Whisper, and no reason not to use it on the road, but it is marketed as a mountain bikers’ helmet and thus comes standard with a peak (although this is removable).

The fit for the 2009 helmets seems to have been upsized since 2008, and the first issue I had with both the new Whisper Plus and the new Vacuum was that the size small was not quite small enough. The helmet shells were fine, however the adjustable plastic retainer piece was bigger than in previous years. Luckily this is a replaceable part and I was able to take the retainer piece out of an old Whisper and swap it into the new Vacuum.

With the smaller retainer in place, the new Vacuum is a perfect fit. Helmet fit is very much a personal thing, depending on the head shape of the individual, but for me the Vacuum is by far the most comfortable and secure helmet I’ve ever owned. It fits snugly without leaving red marks from tight spots or pressure points. Adjusting the straps is easy, fitting perfectly around the ears and under the chin.

As for the ventilation aspect of the helmet, I can honestly say it’s not yet been hot enough here in the UK for me to worry about a sweaty head. However, I do get a rather odd sensation of my hair blowing about between the vents in the Vacuum, so the system is obviously working. We’ve opted for plain white for our team helmets again this year, in order to maximise the cooling benefits. I’m looking forward to the hot weather testing out in Kamloops in a couple of weeks, which will certainly put this super-cool helmet through its paces.

The peak comes as standard, but is removeable. I like peaks, so I've left mine on.

New Stuff Part One

Camelbak Racebak Hydration Vest

£84.99 from Zyro

This is the Camelbak for people who don’t do Camelbaks. It uses the same principles as a Camelbak pack, except that the reservoir sits in a pouch inside the vest instead of in a pack, and is designed to be worn underneath a regular cycling jersey.

My first mistake when trying the new Racebak was to treat it as I would a regular Camelbak and fill it up. The vest comes with a designated 2L bladder, and I filled it about ¾ full, as I would for a day trip with a regular Camelbak pack. As you can see in the pictures below, the bladder swallowed up the equivalent of a 750ml plus a 500ml bottle with room to spare. This was too much for the Racebak however, and as you can see, the heavy bladder creates a bulky hump that drags on the shoulders of the vest.

It should be noted however, that I am a small person at 159cm tall (5’1”) and it may be that a larger person with a bigger back could carry this amount of fluid in a vest more comfortably. It is also worth noting that this sample is a women’s size medium, and although it is a comfortable fit, a size small may have done a better job of holding the bladder firmly against my body. This aside, when considering the ideal application for the Racebak, filling it with no more than 500-750ml of fluids for a short race or as a backup to bottles is still the best way to use it.

Once in place and on the bike, the Racebak is comfortable, and the weight of the reservoir is barely noticeable, even with the extra fluids on board. There are no straps to adjust, and there is no shifting of the load, as can happen with a pack. Jersey pockets remain useable and easily accessed, which is a huge bonus in a race situation when you need to grab gels and bars without slowing down or stopping.

The Racebak is a bit sweaty however. The vest is supplied with a removable insulating insert (see Figure 3) that sits between the reservoir and your back. This can be removed, and if you were to chill your reservoir in the fridge overnight, then this would help to keep your back cool for a time (although eventually the fluid would warm to body temperature). I’ve not had the opportunity to test this theory here in the UK, but with the hot weather and long rides planned over in Kamloops, I will certainly be chilling all of my drinks. In any case, the reservoir inevitably creates a large sweat patch on your back, just as a pack does, but this is the only factor that serves to remind you that you are wearing it. Generally speaking the Racebak is very comfortable and easy to use.

Summary: The Racebak is not an alternative to a regular Camelbak for mountain biking, and it is not intended as such. It is perfect for roadies and racers who want to carry extra fluids without throwing aerodynamics and power to weight ratios out the window. It is, effectively, a very comfortable and convenient alternative to carrying an extra bottle in your jersey pocket. However if you want to carry enough fluids for a full day out, along with tools and spares, then a regular Camelbak pack is still the best choice.

Note: The product in the pictures is a sample colour. Racebak Vests are available to buy in white only.

Tomorrow: The Catlike Vacuum helmet

The English Summertime

Well, our attempt to get to Blackpool last Friday for the Grand Prix des Dames was a bit of a washout. Both Nadine and I got stuck in a monster traffic jam on the M6 and didn't make it to Blackpool in time to sign on. Annabel flew the flag for the team by herself, and put in a solid effort to finish in the bunch. No doubt she was wondering where on earth her team mates had disappeared to.

Instead, the weekend was spent clocking up the big miles, with five hours on the road bike through the Peak on Saturday, and four hours on the mountain bike on Sunday. Training in the sunshine on a mountain bike is not too much of a hardship when the weather is as lovely as it has been. Here's a pic of my beautiful Scalpel in the heart of Goyt Valley near Erwood Hall (sshh don't tell the Ramblers Association - I was walking with it, honest).

This week we are testing out some new equipment in preparation for our stage race in Canada, including a Camelbak Racerback vest (those with sharp eyes will have spotted me in it during the marathon at Crow Hill), some new Panaracer MACH tyres, and the Catlike Vacuum helmet. We're also experimenting with a carb/protein drink mix for using during competition, using different Powerbar products. Full reviews and photographs will be posted up here soon.

BMBS XC Round Four Masters and English Marathon Champs

Race Report by Ruth Mordaunt

Having raced at Crow Hill a handful of times over the past couple of years, including the 2008 National Championships, it all felt familiar to be back on that start line in the New Forest. However, much of the course used previously was now in reverse for this race, which played havoc with my slight autistic traits!

As Jenn mentioned below, this weekend was an important part of the training program: two hard days of racing – the final overload, before I begin to taper off towards the National XC Champs in Innerleithen on July 19th. So with fatigued legs from Mountain Mayhem last weekend followed by a further week of training, I really was not expecting to do well this weekend, just do the best I could and finish.

The usual suspects lined themselves up on the start line for a four lap race. This year another strong Master Woman’s field, including Emma Bradley (Torq Kona), Nina Davies (Ogmore Valley Wheelers), Kim Hurst (Owen Cycles) and newcomer Malin Tindberg (WDBMC/Beyond MTB).

From the gun, Kim, Emma and Nina shot in front on the grassy opening track and I tucked in behind for the first section of single track through the forest. Both Nina and I overtook Emma about half way around lap one, but then my right shoulder connected with a tree, as I lost tractio on some slippery tree roots. I panicked because I lost sight of the leading girls, and a few minutes later lost my front wheel again on another tree root and hit the ground exceptionally hard, and proceeded to swear - a lot! I know it is not race etiquette but it hurt.

At this stage Emma and, I think, Malin and Natalie Wase (Dirt Divas) had overtaken me. So 20 minutes into the race and I was back in about 6th place. I was not happy. My shoulder and leg were throbbing, but the adrenalin started to pump and a switch went in my head, and I had to have a word with myself! I climbed back on my super light carbon Cannodale Scapel and set off determined to claw back time from the disastrous first lap.

The course was relentless and deceptively hard work, but during laps 2 and 3 I made up some places and overtook Kim, who later retired from the race. Entering the final lap I realised I was in the running for a podium position so long as I kept my cool. I had Emma in sight and overtook her at the beginning of lap 4 and remained in front. Unfortunately I never managed to catch up with Nina who took the win just over a minute in front. Well done Nina.

I was really pleased with this result, especially considering the fatigue in my legs from Mountain Mayhem and the attraction I had to tree roots on lap one. It helps that I have such a superb bike. It flew around that course, even though my legs might not have been up to scratch. I also got a lot of lovely support around the course to be grateful for - there is nothing more motivating than your mother shouting “pedal faster” from the side lines!

Above: Ruth gets her first podium of the weekend, along with Nina Davies (centre) and Emma Bradley.

Then it was all about recovery for Sunday’s English 50km Marathon Championship. Now if I thought my legs felt fatigued on Saturday, they really really felt fatigued on Sunday morning. How was I going to finish a 50km race with legs like these? There were only 4 contenders in the 50km Senior Women category, including Annie Simpson (my team mate) Malin Tindberg and Hannah Minter (Pedalon). However, all 50km women started together, including Junior and Vet categories, making it 11 women in total.

From the gun, Annie and Bethany Crumpton (Junior) took off at such a fast pace that there was no way I was going to be able to maintain 4 x 12.5km laps with them. During the first steady climb I was overtaken by Carla Haines (Junior) and Malin. I had nothing left in my legs. I kept turning the pedals, but there was no power. “Oh, this was not looking good” I thought. So I decided to play to my strengths and push on through the singletrack sections and keep a steady pace on all climbs. During lap one I overtook Carla and Malin and had Annie and Beth in sight. However, Annie looked in a lot of pain going over the bumpy field. I was gutted for her that she had to pull out, but understood. It was relentless, and without a full suspension bike her back must have been hurting big time.

During lap 2, Beth and I kept each other company. Beth would speed on up the climbs and I would catch and overtake her through the singletrack. Knowing that this was Beth’s first 50km race, I knew she would have trouble judging the pace. As I expected, during lap 3, she wasn’t speeding past me on the climbs anymore and in fact I continued ahead by myself, taking the win for the 50km Senior Women English Marathon Championship approximately 7 minutes in front of Malin in 2nd place.

I was in a world of pain for the majority of that race, but kept telling myself “this is brilliant training for the National Championships, keep going girlie.” Giving up was not an option and strength of mind and determination is a powerful tool when the going gets tough.

Above: Podium number two and an English Champion's jersey. Malin Tindberg is the runner up.