Lumbar Jerk 2012.

Lumberjack... Quick blurb about my day.. Coming into this race as of June 10th I was feeling pretty good. I dont follow any specific training plans or anything but I had been riding more and felt fairly strong on our Tuesday rides. I felt I had an 8 hour finish in me.. Monday, June 11th... Getting something off a high shelf in the garage I twisted the wrong way or something and felt something pop in my back. Didnt bother me right away but the next morning it was really sore. Like wince to get out of bed sore.. I have done something like this before, just not in a long time. I did alot of stretching in during the week, and went for an easy lap at Pontiac Lake on Tuesday to see how it felt while riding. It wasnt terrible but whenever I went to climb I had a hard time getting into a position I like to climb in and I didnt feel like I could get any power down. The next 3 days I rested and stretched hoping it would get better, which it did but it was still a little sore come race morning but I figured I would give it a go.


The rollout went smooth except for the hillbilly in the van that decided to go around the volunteers who were blocking the road, pissed off that he couldnt get through only to pull into the Big M parking lot and park his POS in the middle of the road. Luckily everyone got around him safely and we filed into the trail. The trail was as loose and dusty as I had ever seen. At the start you could hardly see at times. I settled into a decent pace was feeling great. I could feel my back on the climbs but it wasnt bad enough that couldnt deal with it. I did notice I was in a smaller gear than I would normally be in. Its amazing how much power comes from your core on a bike. Figured I would just spin the hills and make up time on the downhills. Then after the aid station there are 3 climbs that are fairly long. My back was getting worse.. Right before the fire tower climb I was out in a corner I took a little fast and ate it... Jumped back on to grind up the firetower to the top. The run up is where I knew I may have a problem. Now my back was really sore. I did what I could, spun the hills to roll in around 2:36 for my first lap (I think, my time isnt on the results). I really slowed down on the second half with the climbing. I sat in the pit for a couple minutes and decided to try to gut it out. After the 3 climbs in the first couple miles I said screw it. This sucks. I dont really feel like suffering for another who knows how long and possibly make it worse. I seen racers off to the left going the other way, so I cut the course and rolled the last mile back into camp. Ended up with 38 miles.

I am really not that dissapointed. I hate not finishing, but it was really out of my control. I had a feeling early in the week this might happen. On a positive note, my legs felt good. Got to hang out with and assist my buds between beers, and even with my aching lower back my lap time was a good 9 minutes faster than my first lap time last year (in which I finished in 8:30). Not sure I would have been able to get under 8 hours with the heat, but there is always next year..

Congrats to all that finished, Keith, Alex, Landry, Venlet, Bratney. Way to earn that finishers patch!!!

Had a Chiro appointment Monday.. Get my shit straightened out for whatever my next adventure will be. I look like those old V8 commercials...

This picture sums up my day by 11am..

Paris Ancaster, 4/15/2012

Figured since work is slow I would breathe some life into ye ole blog..

Paris Ancaster.. Where do I begin... The douche that said he was me at the restaurant to steal my table the night before? The Quality Inn Brantford that I am sure was a prison in a previous life? Concrete ceilings?? Really?? Well those are minor details. On to the race.

The Quality Inn prison breakfast was probably worse than the previously served prison food so I didnt really eat much. Half an english muffin and a pre-race hammer gel I found in my bag. Which was fine. For some reason I wasnt feeling all that well when I woke up. Arrived around 9am when right on que it started raining. Little sprinkles at first, little more.. Little more.. Soon it was a very heavy rain. I didnt drive 4 hours to sit in the car though, right? I was out warming up when the starting chute filled up so I was toward the back of the first wave. Luckily I got a good start up the right side of the parking area and dirt road so I was ok going into the rail trail. I slowly worked my way through the crowd and soon I am by myself. I see a big group ahead and get in the drops and close the gap down. I get to the embankment and everyone is running. It was a mess but faster to run than ride. Back on the bike things were going good. I see Jodi taking pictures around mile 8 where we hit the first section of "singletrack" The mud is at least ankle deep, full of leaves and as sticky as a mofo. I make it through but my bike must now weigh 50 pounds but I am back on the road and feeling good. Second of singletrack is where it got interesting. A guy goes down in the mud in front of me and I am forced to get off and run.. But my wheels wont turn!!! I tried to pick it up and sholder it but it was so heavy! I clean the mud out, run along but it clogged up again. Before I remount I clean the mud out AGAIN so my wheels will turn. Back on the road again. I see a group ahead and give it all I have to make contact since the group I was with was too slow. Nobody came across with me so I was on my own. I finally make contact after 5 minutes or so when PFFFFFFFFFFF.. Flat friggin tire.. So pissed. Think I was 16 miles in. I pull off into the manure field, get the new tube in, but when I use my inflator it instantly freezes to my hand! I had taken my gloves off since I couldnt hold anything with my soaked gloves.. WTF, After realizing my hot breath wasnt going to free it anytime soon, I spray it with a half bottle of cytomax. If finally comes off but it hurts like a bitch. Oh well. Wheel on, back on the road, brake is dragging, back off, fix wheel. Off again, fumble away my other bottle. After all of this I was cold, my muscles were cold, I said F-it. Gonna try to enjoy the ride. Offered to pull for a girl who had 5 guys wheel sucking and not offering any assistance. Did that for a while, lost them in a 2 track... Chatted up some guys that were on my wheel refusing to pass for 5 miles Seen Jodi around mile 28-29 and said screw it, pulled the plug. I should have just finished but I was cold, out of fluids, annoyed and miserable. After 30 minutes of towling off and baby wipes I finally have enough mud off of me to be recognizable for the border crossing.

I will probably be back to redeem myself. It just wasnt my day. Which sucks cause I felt good once I got going. Jodi said I was in the top 75 of all the people that had came through. I imagine if it were dry or even frozen it would be a cool course. That Canadian mud though was a bitch. Clay, leaves, sticky. Not like the sandy stuff we have in the mitten.

Time for a week of riding in northern Georgia. Bikes. Beer. Food. Banjos. Hooped earrings and G6s.

Peace.