The Race that Keeps On Giving...something....one way or the other....good or bad

Most years racers don't look forward to the Stony Marathon.  Not because of the 30, 40, 50 miles they may have to do.  Mostly it's that they will have to do those distances in Michigan July temps.  So you'll either have to deal with 90+ degree temps and an ever blaring sun or 90+ degree temps mixed with crazy storms and stupid high humidity.  But not this year.  The new Tailwind owners decided their insurance policy might be cheaper next year if they held it at the end of May to avoid a few heat stroke cases.  The forecast called for sun shine and temps in the mid 60's.  That's a full 30 degrees cooler than last year's race.  Does race weather get any better than that?

Diesel was there early, escorted by Mrs. Diesel, around 8 AM to set up camp.  He had to be there early to set up his two bikes and check the tire pressure on his 17 sets of wheels.  Not to long after, A-Train showed up playing the part of the out of shape out of date and out of the wood work racer.  Block Porsched up to the team tent about 8:30 while Dubbsy came cruising in not long after to give morning hello's and hugs.  After camp was set up the Club went all their separate ways to do their various warm up routines.  10 AM came quick and that meant the waves were about to start.



First we'll start with the guy who brought home the hardware, Block. Our eyes on the trail said he looked good out there and despite some cramping issues he was able to fend off some of the other old guys.  He was sitting in 3rd place after his first 10 miles and then slowed his role a bit to pace for the race on lap two.  On the final lap he was able to turn a negative split and roll out his 30 miles in 2:32:15 which was fast enough for 3rd place out of a class of 14.  That makes two races for two podiums for Block!  I see a new face of the franchise blossoming.

(IMAGINE HOW TALL HE'D LOOK IF HE WAS ON THE TOP!)

To go down in order of age we'll cover the Diesel next.  With his class 20 racers strong he had his work cut out for him to get a spot on that podium.  Diesel rocketed off to a great start settling into P4 in the train.  With a 50 mile race you can't use all your matches in the first loop but you can't let your race leaders pedal off into the horizon either.  With his HR right where he wanted it, Diesel kept the train chuggin' down the tracks and was tire to tire with some fast company.  However, in The Pines, Diesel broke traction on a loose turn and went sliding across the ground on his left side.  After brushing off he checked the bike and went into pursuit mode to make up some time.  Lap 1 done.  Lap 2 he had 20 miles behind him.  Lap 3 he started feeling tightness in his chest but shook it off and kept on the chase.  Lap 4 though is where his race fell apart.   The tightness in the chest got worse and he started to cough a lot which got in the way of the oxygen he needed to take in to keep his pace.  He strolled into the team tent before starting his 5th lap to grab his inhaler and try to calm his system.  After a minute he road around the chute to start his next lap but called it quits before rolling over the timer.  The asthma attack had hit his system to hard and he had to pull the plug.

(ROLLING THROUGH THE EXCHANGE)

Next we move to the guy who has the worst power to weight ratio of the group who showed up that day to race.  Weighing in a full 10 pounds heavier than he was last year when he did this race, A-Train knew he would be in for a long day.  Rumors had been flying around as to what class he would race.  Beginner so he could help Block?  Sport to race with Keyser Soze?  Or Expert just to see if he could still ride a bike that far without having to stop and take a nap or find a drive thru to order a hamburger and fries.  A three digit number plate on the front of the bike showed he'd manned up and was going to take on the 50 miles of Expert 30-39.  As he lined up at the start he got a few double takes from fellow racers as no one expected to see him lined up in the second row.  Gun went off and after riding the first 30 miles without stopping he came into camp to reload on food and bottles.  About 90 seconds later he was off pedaling and confident he could finish the next 20 miles if he paced himself.  The climbs seems to grow with every lap but after a banana hand off from Ashton after the 4th loop (which A-Train says saved his race) he was able to finish the full 50 miles in a time of 4:10:29 which was good enough for 8th place....which happened to also be last place in his class.  But hey, he made the 50 miles on only 4 weeks of training and he didn't walk a single hill.

(HEY, IS THAT MY BANANA? YEAH, THAT'S MY BANANA? OH THANK GOD!)

A couple notable notes:

One of our more famous Groupies, Jon Dub-9, snatched up his first Expert win of the season.  Congratz to him and his ever faithful pit crew!  It's nice to know that even though we aren't that fast, at least some of our Groupies are.

Also big high five to our boy J-LO on his third place finish in Expert 30-39.  A race that has continuously beat him down year after year did not get the one up on him in 2013.

Last, solid work was also done by JTP, Shawn Schaffert and Marc Zac.  It's nice to have fast friends to make us look like we're somebody.

But as always, big ups to all who survived the day.  Just because the temps were cooler it doesn't mean the course was easier.  Whatever the distance, whatever the class, it's always a fight to get to the top and it seems like everyone has stepped it up this year.  Next up, Addison Oaks for another in your face, fast paced XC race.

Picking Up Where We Didn't Leave Off

So after an off season of flying under the radar and the team doing a little restructuring the 2013 season is upon us.  Here we are three races into the season with the smoke still oozing out of the barrels and the revolvers still hot from all the action.

It all started earlier this month at the annual USAC Opener The Pontiac TT.  No wait, the Pontiac XC that was only the distance of the old TT.  It was a day to test the legs, squirt some gas into the cylinders and see what would happen in the combustion chambers.  It would be Diesel's first race in the Expert category so the nerves and slight twitching were in full effect.  How did he do?  Well out of a stacked field of 19 fast mofo's Diesel put in enough work to grab the last spot on the podium to earn his first ever Expert medal, 5th place.  Although there is speculation in the paddock that if he wouldn't have slowed his roll to smile and wave to the cameras he may have been able to make up that 30 seconds Shawn S.  But none the less, big congratz to The Diesel for bringing home the bacon in the first Expert race of his career.

Next up we'll talk about the mtb race rookie, Ken "The Block" Booth.  Ken comes to us from the triathlete world which made him a questionable sign on for the team.  Once Ken assured us he wouldn't be strutin' around camp in sleeveless jerseys and cotton cargos the team management offered him a one year contract.  Being Block's first mtb race he decided to do Beginner as the Sport starts can easily turn into a Running With The Bulls.  The team thought it to be a smart decision and allowed the decorated triathlete start from the basement in the Men's Beginner 40-49.  Block didn't disappoint and after all the on trail antics he also brought home a 5th place medal and a chance to get the MOTOR jersey into another picture.  Well done Big Fella!

Round two took place closer to the left space of the state at Fort Custer.  It's a well know fact that Diesel considers Custer his home away from home.  He did a day of drive over with the new Santa Cruz carbon Highball in the Nissan for the event.  Because we still have another race to cover we'll keep this short.  The field was 30 deep and some times it can be a whole 'nother experience racing against the Left Coast crowd.  But Diesel again prevailed with another 5th place finish.  The CPS Series only hands out hardware to the top three but he is still a solid winner in our books.  Another day another successful race.

What's that?  Another race?  Why yes.  Where?  Island Lake.  You are absolutely right, they haven't raced there since Block was in his 20's.  But hey, it's back and it's baaaad!  Stop #2 on the USAC Mich tour.  Again, the race would be ~30 mins shorter per class than what races are used to from previous years.  This puts the races more in line with World Cup times and distances.  We don't seem to have World Cup material in Michigan but some one thought it was a good idea and it stuck.  Talk about a fast course though.  Two laps for a total of 28 miles and 24 riders in Diesel's class of Expert 40-49'ers.  The only mistake Diesel made at the race was not getting a good spot on in the starting grid.  He took home an 8th place edging out the 9th place finisher in a sprint finish by 0.01 seconds however, he was only about 90 seconds away from a podium finish which is not bad for a race that lasted ~1:40:00.  The guy who took 5th, the same guy who finished 30 seconds in front of him at Pontiac, Shawn S.  Live and leaen Diesel says though.  He now knows the importance of a good starting spot.

And last we of course have to talk about our fellow T6'er, Dub9 from the Twin 6 METAL Crew.  Like Diesel, Dubs upped his game this off season and is kicking @$$ and taking names.  2nd in his Expert 30-39 at Pontiac on the geared bike.  3rd at Mud Sweat and Beers in Expert/Elite SS and another solid 2nd at Island Lake....missing first place by 0.01 of a second in a sprint finish...which he did the entire race without a water bottle!  Going to be fun  watching this guy to see what he is really capable of this year.

Where's The A-Train in all of this?  Captain Terror?  Keyser Soze?  Oh, they are coming don't you worry yourself about that.....they are coming.  

Next up the tents travel to Stony Creek for the annual Marathon.  The year it is happening in May instead of July in hopes that it won't be 100 degrees out.  So keep the plastic side up and the rubber side down.  The season is in full swing and the boys have a busy schedule this year!