Last Race of the Season - Cheakamus Challenge 2010
Well, it's been a long, amazing first season as Sturdy Bitch Racing. We want to say yet again, thanks to the amazing folks that made this possible. First, Sturdy Bitch . Love, love the apparel and it was awesome to hear the enthusiastic responses to the name. Please, buy their stuff, guaranteed to generate a comment or two and, in one case, stop a TSA agent and make her say "does that say what I think it does? I LOVE it!".
Next, HUGE thanks to Diamondback Bikes . Those Sortie Black bikes and the Axis that Jodi and Angela rode brought them to the finish of many a race. Gotta say those Sorties took a beating at a ton of races including the BC Bike Race and the Cheakamus Challenge.
Want to also thank Big Tree Bikes . They helped us get those awesome pink jerseys w/ a big old "Big Tree" up the sides, repaired bikes, they coordinated shock repairs and they built wheel sets. Katie can't say enough about how fabulous the wheels they built for her are and we can't thank them enough for all their support this year.
We had many other folks help us get to the BC Bike Race and beyond. We had support from St. Andrew's Bar & Grill, the BC Bike Race, Rocket Promo (design and procuring our jerseys), Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance, MDJ Racing, and many other amazing sponsors that made this all happen. We hope you get a chance to send some business their way!
Quick ride report on the last race of the season. Kathy and I decided to head up to Squamish/Whistler to give the Cheakamus Challenge a go. In addition to Kathy and I, Carolyn, Dawn, and Casey from the Speedy Beaver Racing team came up, as did Kathy from Fanatik Bikes out of Bellingham. With rain threatening, Kathy (Sturdy) decided to do the 40km course and the rest of us decided to stick it out and do the 70km version.
I was feeling pretty unprepared, not having really made any kind of a commitment to training since the BC Bike Race. Had done a couple of races since, 42 miles of the HC 100, 22 miles for the Cap Forest Super D and the occasional 10-15 mile ride and then nothing for 2 weeks before. We started up road from the Squamish Airport and the crowd quickly pulled away. A couple of miles of pavement, then onto dirt road and then up some loose scree fields. Eventually it became double track and a little up, down, crossed over a section of chainlink where the trail had disappeared into thin air. We came up to the Highway and rode 99 towards Whistler for a few miles. Did not love riding on the shoulder against traffic in the light rain while semi-trucks blasted past us at 60 kilometers per hour. Finally got back into some trail again, rode through that, back on the highway again for awhile.
20 miles into I came across a guy that wasn't feeling so well. We were about 2 hours into it and he'd been cramping for the last 45 minutes and waiting for an aid station. I asked him if he had eaten and he said he hadn't. I told him down my bottle of electrolytes and rode with him for awhile. He started to feel better and as we crossed a suspension bridge, I got him to take one of my CLIF Shots too. We crossed the road and saw Jose close to the start of the short course. That was at about the 22.5 mile point and around 1888' of elevation (though I have to say it felt significantly worse). I knew Kathy wouldn't be far behind as they were going to start about 20 minutes after we crossed through. We started climbing switchback after switchback until we ended up in some great rolling single track. That would be a great Super-D course, just enough up/down to make it fun. I was waiting for the short course speedsters to overtake me and around 22 minutes after the start, the first guy showed up, quickly followed by the next 2. Think the first girl was about the 5th short course racer. Then we started to climb in earnest, the guy I had been riding with felt much better and he got to climbing. We continued on up much steeper switchbacks and actual on actual singletrack - much better and more interesting than the dirt roads and scree fields from earlier. After one of the descents, I passed the guy I had given food to while he was talking to someone at the bottom of the hill. I started climbing some steep switchbacks and he caught me part way up the hill. Apparently he had caught a pedal and crashed, breaking his helmet. As I was digging ibuprofen out of my famously well-stocked back pack, I heard Kathy calling my name. She was coming up the hill behind me, climbing strongly. I rode with her for a little while but she was feeling really good and we hung together until the aid station around mile 30, as we headed out of there and started towards our last 7.5 miles, I told her to keep on going, I knew she was in the running since I had only seen a 4 or 5 women come through, they all looked under 30 to me, so I gasped out that I'd see her at the finish. She was looking good and I was just hanging on.
Eventually we hit Tunnel Vision. At this point I'm looking at a couple of short ups with ladder bridges that I am in no shape to even try. I walk most of the up to the top of Tunnel vision and then see the big slippery, wet slab that drops in and am thinking, "not only am I in no shape to ride this even if I wanted to, I am not even sure I can crawl down it with my bike". I get to the bottom of this hunk of granite and start to ride in fits and starts. I'm so
tired that I'm riding kind of crazy. I ride a few wet bridges (my nemesis) and opt to skip the up and over creek ones. Feeling some arm pump from the brakes, move it to a 2 finger braking and eventually, by the skin of my teeth make it t the bottom of that. Whew! I'm thinking in my head "crap, Kathy probably rode all of that!". I'm in survival mode at this point though.
Bottom of that, road climb up to something on the map called Big Timber, weirdly I'm thrilled that it's a nice and easy road. I can relax and let my legs do their thing. Damn thing started with a descent right down to the bottom of some stairs. Lovely, picked the bike up and climbed the stairs. At this point there are no signs and I'm not sure I'm in the right place. It descends down, there are tire tracks, still no signs, and a turn up left or down right - I decide to go down and following it, occasionally slowing to look at the sticks and ribbons but still, nothing about Cheakamus Challenge. Oh well, I'm figuring if I end up somewhere I can call for a ride home. As I come across the ski hill there are some rocks that curl me down towards the bottom where I see the blessed end. PHOTO BY CAROLYN HOPE
As I come across the finish line, I am happy to be off the bike. My butt hurts, my quads are screaming, and I'm so happy to see all the other girls, Jose and McLovin the wonder dog. Never was so happy to see a can of Coca-cola in my life. Hallelujah, the last race is done, no one has gotten injured and it's time for a beer. Wohoo!! Best part of the day was hearing the announcer say that he was just waiting to say this name "Kathy Malvern of Sturdy Bitch Racing"! Nice work Kathy! All that training paid off for to podium (she thought 3rd but I thought 1st) in a tough 15 mile, 3000' race! Well done and congrats on a great finish to the season!
Below are the Short Course Stats...
Long Course Stats
Next, HUGE thanks to Diamondback Bikes . Those Sortie Black bikes and the Axis that Jodi and Angela rode brought them to the finish of many a race. Gotta say those Sorties took a beating at a ton of races including the BC Bike Race and the Cheakamus Challenge.
Want to also thank Big Tree Bikes . They helped us get those awesome pink jerseys w/ a big old "Big Tree" up the sides, repaired bikes, they coordinated shock repairs and they built wheel sets. Katie can't say enough about how fabulous the wheels they built for her are and we can't thank them enough for all their support this year.
We had many other folks help us get to the BC Bike Race and beyond. We had support from St. Andrew's Bar & Grill, the BC Bike Race, Rocket Promo (design and procuring our jerseys), Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance, MDJ Racing, and many other amazing sponsors that made this all happen. We hope you get a chance to send some business their way!
Quick ride report on the last race of the season. Kathy and I decided to head up to Squamish/Whistler to give the Cheakamus Challenge a go. In addition to Kathy and I, Carolyn, Dawn, and Casey from the Speedy Beaver Racing team came up, as did Kathy from Fanatik Bikes out of Bellingham. With rain threatening, Kathy (Sturdy) decided to do the 40km course and the rest of us decided to stick it out and do the 70km version.
I was feeling pretty unprepared, not having really made any kind of a commitment to training since the BC Bike Race. Had done a couple of races since, 42 miles of the HC 100, 22 miles for the Cap Forest Super D and the occasional 10-15 mile ride and then nothing for 2 weeks before. We started up road from the Squamish Airport and the crowd quickly pulled away. A couple of miles of pavement, then onto dirt road and then up some loose scree fields. Eventually it became double track and a little up, down, crossed over a section of chainlink where the trail had disappeared into thin air. We came up to the Highway and rode 99 towards Whistler for a few miles. Did not love riding on the shoulder against traffic in the light rain while semi-trucks blasted past us at 60 kilometers per hour. Finally got back into some trail again, rode through that, back on the highway again for awhile.
20 miles into I came across a guy that wasn't feeling so well. We were about 2 hours into it and he'd been cramping for the last 45 minutes and waiting for an aid station. I asked him if he had eaten and he said he hadn't. I told him down my bottle of electrolytes and rode with him for awhile. He started to feel better and as we crossed a suspension bridge, I got him to take one of my CLIF Shots too. We crossed the road and saw Jose close to the start of the short course. That was at about the 22.5 mile point and around 1888' of elevation (though I have to say it felt significantly worse). I knew Kathy wouldn't be far behind as they were going to start about 20 minutes after we crossed through. We started climbing switchback after switchback until we ended up in some great rolling single track. That would be a great Super-D course, just enough up/down to make it fun. I was waiting for the short course speedsters to overtake me and around 22 minutes after the start, the first guy showed up, quickly followed by the next 2. Think the first girl was about the 5th short course racer. Then we started to climb in earnest, the guy I had been riding with felt much better and he got to climbing. We continued on up much steeper switchbacks and actual on actual singletrack - much better and more interesting than the dirt roads and scree fields from earlier. After one of the descents, I passed the guy I had given food to while he was talking to someone at the bottom of the hill. I started climbing some steep switchbacks and he caught me part way up the hill. Apparently he had caught a pedal and crashed, breaking his helmet. As I was digging ibuprofen out of my famously well-stocked back pack, I heard Kathy calling my name. She was coming up the hill behind me, climbing strongly. I rode with her for a little while but she was feeling really good and we hung together until the aid station around mile 30, as we headed out of there and started towards our last 7.5 miles, I told her to keep on going, I knew she was in the running since I had only seen a 4 or 5 women come through, they all looked under 30 to me, so I gasped out that I'd see her at the finish. She was looking good and I was just hanging on.
Eventually we hit Tunnel Vision. At this point I'm looking at a couple of short ups with ladder bridges that I am in no shape to even try. I walk most of the up to the top of Tunnel vision and then see the big slippery, wet slab that drops in and am thinking, "not only am I in no shape to ride this even if I wanted to, I am not even sure I can crawl down it with my bike". I get to the bottom of this hunk of granite and start to ride in fits and starts. I'm so
tired that I'm riding kind of crazy. I ride a few wet bridges (my nemesis) and opt to skip the up and over creek ones. Feeling some arm pump from the brakes, move it to a 2 finger braking and eventually, by the skin of my teeth make it t the bottom of that. Whew! I'm thinking in my head "crap, Kathy probably rode all of that!". I'm in survival mode at this point though. Bottom of that, road climb up to something on the map called Big Timber, weirdly I'm thrilled that it's a nice and easy road. I can relax and let my legs do their thing. Damn thing started with a descent right down to the bottom of some stairs. Lovely, picked the bike up and climbed the stairs. At this point there are no signs and I'm not sure I'm in the right place. It descends down, there are tire tracks, still no signs, and a turn up left or down right - I decide to go down and following it, occasionally slowing to look at the sticks and ribbons but still, nothing about Cheakamus Challenge. Oh well, I'm figuring if I end up somewhere I can call for a ride home. As I come across the ski hill there are some rocks that curl me down towards the bottom where I see the blessed end. PHOTO BY CAROLYN HOPE
As I come across the finish line, I am happy to be off the bike. My butt hurts, my quads are screaming, and I'm so happy to see all the other girls, Jose and McLovin the wonder dog. Never was so happy to see a can of Coca-cola in my life. Hallelujah, the last race is done, no one has gotten injured and it's time for a beer. Wohoo!! Best part of the day was hearing the announcer say that he was just waiting to say this name "Kathy Malvern of Sturdy Bitch Racing"! Nice work Kathy! All that training paid off for to podium (she thought 3rd but I thought 1st) in a tough 15 mile, 3000' race! Well done and congrats on a great finish to the season!
Below are the Short Course Stats...
Long Course Stats
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