Race Report & Pics: FSC 2012 #3 - Gainesville

This weekend took FSC racers to everyone's favorite "climbers" course, Hailes Trail. Eric G here with our race report for FSC #3.

In addition to great riding, Hailes has some nice views

With approximately 350 feet of climbing per lap, Hailes Trails is one of the toughest race courses in the State. Long enough climbs to have to pace yourself, but not enough downhills to recover. Redline here and you're in trouble. Finish the lap off with the "Islands" and you're legs are burning the entire lap! The weekend would be a busy one. Saturday was the makeup Individual Time Trial after the rain out in Tallahassee and Sunday was the main event. The course was in perfect conditions but temperatures were HOT. Racers were either out riding or hiding in the shade the whole day Saturday. By the time the ITT came around everyone was sweating at the line as if they'd just completed a lap.

Eric G fighting one of the climbs

Sunday rolled around and once the morning clouds cleared the Sun was out in full force again. My Garmin had 93 degrees at the line before the start! XC3 30+ wasn't as large as usual with 26 riders at the line. I really wanted a good start, too bad it was terrible! Missed the pedal COMPLETELY while trying to click in after the whistle and was instantly behind half the racers. Sitting somewhere mid pack at the start of the race is never a good thing. Sure enough, into the next trail, someone took a dive in front of me. I had to come to a complete stop and watch the group ride away. Got rolling again. Chased hard to close the gap and was back with the group after bombing down the first downhill. Hit the first extended climb but the quick step up to the long climb is tricky as you land right onto a heavily rutted section as you're starting the climb. The rider just in front of me got hung up a bit there forcing me to take a risky line and I failed at it. I'd have to run up half the climb before remounting, meanwhile watching what felt like the rest of my class pass me by before I hopped on the bike again. All this, in the first 7 minutes of racing....The rest of the race I was playing catch up. Managed to pick off a handful of riders but at that point it was just for pride. I chased back to 20th before not being able to gain any more ground. I had 19th in my sights but was gassed before hitting the final climbing section and had to settle for just maintaining my position. The new Scott Spark 29er was great. No mechanicals and it will definitely be a fast machine once I learn to ride it. This was only the 4th time I'd ridden the bike so I know I can be faster on it. Just need to see where the edge of the envelope is and I'll be in good shape. Gotta get on it quick though!! Still have three races in the next four weeks. Not a good time to be learning a new bike!

Alex nearing the finish

Alex would roll off in XC3 40+ for the first time in the age group. I joked that he was a rookie again! He got off to a solid start and was near the Top 10 for most of the race. His new class buddy, Ivan De Rosa and he were riding hard together back and forth through the race picking off riders and trading places for most of the two laps. Nearing the end of the race a hangup at a tricky section cost Alex a few spots however. Chasing down on him was one more rider that he'd hold off, crossing the line in 16th. Ivan finished 12th so Alex could have finished with a more solid placing at the end of the day had things gone better.

The Pros brought a show for everyone as usual. The season's top two performers went at it again. Bob McCarty and Ryan Woodall each have a win and a second place so far this season, so naturally they TIED on Saturday during the TT, posting IDENTICAL times. How's THAT for competition? Sunday would be no  different. For FIVE laps they'd battle, coming though the finish line each time wheel to wheel. Even posting the same time AGAIN on the 4th lap! On the final lap Woodall, near the last climbing sections, would finally make an attack that would stick, and would cross the line with the win, just eeking out a 10 second gap on McCarty. Shawn Smith, Reagan Woodall and Alex Zambrana would round off the Top 5 in the Pro class. It really was a great race to watch!!

McCarty leading the Pro's at the first downhill

Not a complete disaster of a weekend for us, but a lot to improve on. I started in a hole and was fighting to get out the whole day. Never a good strategy. Alex came out fighting in his new class and with a little better luck can hit the Top 10 realistically. Won't need to simmer on it too long. FSC #4 is this weekend at Alafia!! Check out some pics from the weekend below. Chime in below and let us know how your race went!! Thanks for reading and come back next week for our next report!!

Race Report & Pics: FSC #1 2012 - Tallahassee

Eric G here. Sometimes late is better then never, so here's our race report for FSC #1!! The first race of the season had arrived to Tallahassee's Tom Brown Park. Team Eric (Eric G & Eric N) would make the 7 hour trip this time. The weekend schedule called for an Individual Time Trial on Saturday and the main events on Sunday. This year it seems the weather gods were also interested in participating as well. Racers such as ourselves who arrived to Tom Brown Park on Saturday, were treated to passing showers in the morning, eventually developing in torrential downpours in the early afternoon. Conditions were deteriorating quickly to the point where there was FLOWING WATER in the trails and pit areas. Race promoter Dave Berger made the tough call and had to cancel Saturday's ITT due to the conditions. At about 3pm Eric and I decided we still needed to get a look at the trail no matter the conditions. We managed about 1/3rd of the race loop before the skies opened up again, this time with lightning, so we had to call it quits. While we were out, conditions were awful. Instead of finding puddles in a trail, you would find dry sections. That's how much water was out there. We wound up packing up our gear and meeting our great friends Steve Mace, Matt Donovan and so many others that I can't remember, for a few brews and the largest pizzas I'd ever seen. If you can't ride, you might as well talk about riding with friends!

Race day arrived and it was like Saturday's rains never happened. Short of a few puddles, the trail drained magnificently. We'd learn that morning that the Park had requested the two most unique sections of the trail be removed from the race loop as erosion would do too much damage during the race. A tough decision, but understood.

Eric N through the splash zone

Eric N would start the 19-29 class like a rocket. After the race I caught up with him and here's what he had to say. "Having never been on the trails at Tom Brown and thanks to mother nature, I was unable to see much of it before the race. So needless to say I was wiggin' out! Having trained with some of my competition this summer, it was clear in my mind who I wanted to pace and who I was going to let by. So the whistle blew and we're off. I got a pretty good jump, clipped in quickly, and found myself in 5th position going into the trails. My goal was to let someone lead me the entire first lap as I had no clue what to expect. That plan was working great, the first couple miles I was climbing strong and keeping a solid pace with 3rd and 4th in front of me. I even felt that I had more in my tank but was going to save it until I figured this place out. Apparently, it was way more of a pace than I was ready to hold. I blew up quickly and had no idea of where to recover. Just not my day! I lost pace and was on my own trying to figure out any flow. 2nd lap came around and I was feeling it! In a whole new way that is! A mile into my second lap I had this sensation as if I ran into a thorn bush or something alike because I was in some pain. I quickly realized that for whatever reason a swarm of yellow jackets were pissed and were taking it out on me. I had dozens flying around the rear of my saddle, a dozen attached to my pork loins and as am I trying to ride and swat them I'm getting stung on my arm and shooting these things down my leg! I was doing my best not to scream like a school girl instead tried to remain the cool, rugged, hardcore mountain biker I think I am. Ha! Definitely the highlight of my race and a good story for my grandchildren someday. Sorry to my fans for the let down, but next race I'll be better prepared! I'm marking this one off as a good day of training."

Eric G coming out of Cadillac

My story is short but felt like hours to me! I started the race nicely. The first section of the course involves mostly gradual climbing, not usually my strength, but I've been working on it all Summer. The gun went off and so did we. I managed to be just outside the Top 10 getting into the first climb and wouldn't you know it, I felt DECENT!! I was pacing myself with someone who usually climbs much faster than me and didn't feel like I was going to blow up. I was excited that when the going got flat or down and technical, I'd be at my strengths and was looking forward to the rest of the race. That is until we hit the first fast technical sections and my brake levers began closing closer and closer to my handlebars! Apparently the pre-ride in terrible conditions did a number on my brake pads, and about 15 minutes into my race I had about 20% stopping power. That's right about when I took my first OTB, of which unfortunately there would be several more. Racing without brakes is quite frustrating as you start building up confidence on how to manage the speed, until BAM...too fast and off the course you go. I finished the race anyways as I didn't drive 7 hours to not ride, but I was never able to do anything when the going got flat or down other than pedal just enough to get out of people's way. I actually wounded up treating it like training for climbing since it was the only time I could put a full effort in. I'd finish a sad 25th on the day...

Earlier in the morning Pro's put on a show between Ryan Woodall and Bob McCarty, staying together for the entire race, with Ryan ultimately holding off Bob in a sprint finish! A rare site for us!

Woodall takes the Pro win

Next race for us is this weekend for FSC #3 in Gainesville, a Series favorite with it's long climbs and downhills. Mechanical issues have been taken care of as we've acquired new team bikes!!! Scott Sparks & Scales will be our steeds from now on!! Stay tuned for some reviews on those as well. Thanks for reading and enjoy the pics below. Let us know in the comment section how your day went!!

FSC 2012 kickoff weekend is HERE!

There's been eight months of training, pain and suffering, injuries, recovery, losing weight, gaining weight, dropping body fat, gaining muscle for racers all across Florida. From the beginners looking to improve, to the Pro's trying to stay on top, the last 8 months of sacrifice and hard work (or lack of it) come down to this weekend and the next few months that follow. The best in the state know one thing...The FSC is here!

It all starts at Tallahassee this weekend. Fast and flowing with constant elevation changes. If you're not going up, you're going down. Nothing too steep in either direction, but a blast in EVERY direction. Throw in Kudzilla, an extended downhill run, brilliantly carved from the available terrain, and a killer finish on a BMX course to tear up the racers legs just before the finishing straight. If you have a weakness, this trail will expose it.

It's a long season. Gone Riding takes us to nine exciting races, all at unique trails. Alafia, Hailes, Markham, and many more. It all starts now. See everyone at the races!!!

Check out some Kudzilla action below!!

2012 Olympics MTB Course Preview

Check out some of the highlights of the 2012 Olympic MTB course. Definitely a groomed course that should be fast and spectator friendly. What do you think?

Race Report: Rumble in the Jungle 2012

When it's almost the end of Summer and the start of FSC is near it means it's time to RUMBLE in South Florida....Rumble in the Jungle that is! The popular South Florida fund raising race for the premier MTB trails at Markham Park took place this weekend with over 300 racers joining in the action. From Solo to Team racers would ride for 50 tough miles in what turned out to be decent conditions. While the threat of rain was looming most of the day, the showers never came, but clouds kept the racers covered from the hot August sun for much of the event. To make things easier for us our great sponsors at Bike Tech came out to support us with tents, food, drinks and mechanical help. HUGE thanks to Kelly and Paul for the help!! Here's our race report for the day. It's a long one!! (You can skip to the pics at the bottom if you like!!)

Leadout ATV getting the riders going 

While Markham is usually a challenging course to begin with, there is always a bit of home turf advantage for those that visit it more often. This time was completely different as the Trail Builders managed to turn Markham into what felt like a COMPLETELY new trail for all racers. Running sections backwards, and criss-crossing into other trails all but eliminated any advantages. At times I really had no idea what part of the park I was in. As Alex described perfectly, any "muscle memory" you had at Markham was pretty much useless on this day. 

At this event Eric N and myself (Eric G) would team up to conquer the 50 miles together in a 2-man team, alternating riders every lap. Our newly promoted "40+ Master" Alex S would show us young guys up and step up to the challenge solo! The huge rolling mass of racers was led out by an ATV along a nearly one mile stretch of fire road. Alex and Eric would start while I would wait for Eric to finish his lap. (took some of these pics while I waited)

Alex S and Eric N prepping for the start

In mass start races like this, getting around traffic is usually a challenge and this time would be no different. Despite the long fire road start, heading into the trails the guys would have to fight their way through slower riders as best they could. At one point midway through the first lap Alex would actually help Eric pass a group in an open section by giving him a good draft, even though it was at a higher pace than he should have been on considering he had seven more laps to go! It worked out though and Eric was clear to finish up lap one with a pretty decent time considering the traffic. We'd tag at the rider exchange zone and off I went. Alex wouldn't be to far behind at his own pace and set off on lap #2. My first lap was quite interesting to me. I knew I could go out hard since it was only one lap at a time, but also knew I had to do four laps and wanted to be consistent. This was my second race back after a back injury so I really wasn't sure how my body would respond but I was pretty satisfied a the end of the day.

Alex cheering as Eric G held on to a small gap at the finish

It's a long race so I'll skip to the end. After putting down what we thought were steady lap times, Eric came through on his last lap and tagged me, muttering something about we're ahead of Team "Fill in the blank" GO GO GO!!! So off I went as hard as I could!! I won't lie, I was tired and hoping that my back wouldn't give out. That last lap was as nervous as I'd been in awhile. My pace wasn't the same as the first lap, but not too far off either. I made it to the final trail without getting caught by any riders. But at what was like the LAST tricky obstacle I'd face, I took a dive on some sand. Completly stupid on my part, and making it worse was the handlebar swinging and hitting me right in the calf muscle, causing an excruciating cramp!! I screamed and flexed the muscle and thought to myself I wouldn't let this cause us much time so I managed to just get up and hop back on the bike just as other riders were approaching. As we exited the trail I looked back to see a rider with a "Team" number just behind me. Didn't know if he was in our class or not but I didn't want any regrets by letting him catch me. I'd hammer it as hard as I could in the fishing section to finish just ahead of him.

So how did we finish? That rider I held off turned out to be in our class. My one second margin over him gave us a 1 second margin over his team! When results were finally posted, we'd managed to finish 7th in class! A solid Top 10 result and we'll take it! Alex unfortunately would only muster 2 laps with a mechanical, but he played a great part in helping us during our breaks. Don't know much of what else happened in the event, but I do know that local pro Bob McCarty won the race despite starting a few MINUTES late!! Bob you're a beast!!

We hope you enjoyed our report. Take a look at the pics and if you see yourself feel free to grab the pic! Stay Tuned for our next report after the Oleta 100!