Category: All Posts
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Embracing the pervasive cold
The pervasive cold has been reassuring. Settling into the routine of walking the dog in winter boots and ski gloves has breathed new life into the winter. The mad oscillations of temperature on the Front Range must be embraced in order to survive here, but some settled weather is appreciated, too. Embracing those elements and […]
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Breck Epic Equipment Check
Eight days of racing in Colorado is hard on equipment. Once upon a time, I had a reputation for destroying bikes and equipment faster than I could earn money to buy it. Luckily those days are over, but I do occasionally relapse into smasher mode. Having a supportive shop and mechanic makes it a lot easier […]
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Some musings on novelty
“All we really know about the future is that it will be different. And all we fear is that it will be the same.” It’s the search for different that drives me, and when I realise I’m chasing something I’ve already achieved, it’s very difficult for me to stay motivated. That makes being an athlete […]
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Andorra World Cup: Descending with your dropper post up
There’s always that brief thought that flashes across your mind when you’re in over your head. It goes something like this, “This is really stupid. This is going to hurt really badly. It’s too late to do anything about it.” While that thought has been a great learning tool for every teenage boy ever, preventing […]
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Angel Fire ProXCT – successfully suffering in the thin air
It was a shock to the system to head up to Angel Fire for the ProXCT. It’s been awhile since I’ve raced at proper high altitude, and it doesn’t get much higher than the 2800-metre high point here. I’ve raced well here in the past though, and know I can normally push on through well […]
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Carson City Offroad – some takeaways from a deflating day in Nevada
This was my first trip to the Carson City Offroad; the final stop in the three-race Epic Rides series. These epic rides events always find quirky towns to host the races, and Carson City is no exception. It’s got a very similar feel to Prescott (home of the Whiskey 50). It’s an “Old West” town, […]
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GoPro Games – A quick recap from a Colorado Classic.
GoPro Games. Finding a traditional ski resort XC race in the world of modern mountain biking is actually quite rare. XC Trends have moved on to shorter climbs and more technical descents, while Marathon races have also got more technical, too. The three lap format of the race reminds me of the Mountain States Cups that […]
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GJ Offroad: finding my limits at the front of a big field. 8th place
The Grand Junction Offroad is the second installment of the three-race Epic Rides offroad series. I’ve had some good success at the race in previous years (before it really heated up in terms of competition) with a 4th in 2014 and a 3rd in 2015. I skipped last year to race the May rounds […]
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8 things I learned from a DNF at the Sea Otter Classic
A season opening DNF wasn’t exactly what I was looking for from my trip to Monterey, but there are as many things (if not more things) to learn from a failed race as a successful one. An early race bump threw my shifting out of whack, and another 45 minutes of hard racing on a […]
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Mountain Biking needs more three-day stage races (Moab Rocks recap)
Tired of driving across the country for a two-hour race? Me too. Three-day stage races are the answer. With most one day races – even the short ones – costing close to $100, the price of a well run stage race is seeming much more affordable. While the big marquee events like Breck Epic take […]