Since the destruction of my MRP chain guide for my 1×10 drivetrain I’ve been researching what my options are out there for a better product. The MRP guide worked well for a while but I was never completely satisfied with the “look and feel” of the product. The plastic guide was bulky from out of the box. Enough so that I need to grind off some of the material to achieve clearance with my crankarm. It worked fairly well (only dropped a chain a few times over several months of regular riding) but I wasn’t completely satisfied.
Well I’m happy to say I may have found a perfect solution to my chainguide woes in the form of a sweet new guide from Paul Components. Paul has made great machined aluminum products for years. Their products are known for high quality manufacturing, clean lines, functionality and great looks. Their new chainguide is tight, compact and and very adjustable. It can be adjusted on three planes: height above chain line, inboard/outboard over the chain, and the angle of the guide in relation to the chain. This makes it possible (with a little patience) to set it up without any rubbing in any gear. I’m looking forward to putting it through it’s paces on the trail.
Another piece of equipment just installed are some light weight steel brake rotors from New Ultimate. At 79 grams each they are about 2o grams heavier than some of the alloy rotors out there and 40 grams lighter than standard steel rotors, but should produce better stopping power and less noise (hopefully) than the alloy versions. Well worth the extra ounce and a half for less noise and more power.
After my big win last Saturday in Nebraska (see previous EPC post) I took Sunday off to get some rest and much needed chores done around the house and garage. Then it was back to work with more base training for Worlds. I had two more weeks of big rides and runs planned before a bit of rest before heading to Canada. Sticking with my no intensity, aerobic endurance model I was able to hit a very solid week of training this week: 300 miles on the bike (30,000 ft climbing), 50 miles running (5000 ft climbing) and 15,000 yards swimming (0 ft climbing). Totaling just over 30 hours of training it’s my biggest week of training over the last few years since Ironman prep in early 2006. I feel pretty good still, but I know it will catch up with me at some point. Next week will have a similar Mon-Thurs schedule as this week before two days of recovery before another local test race at Xterra Lory in Ft. Collins on Sunday. If I can hold it together until then and can get through the race then I will be ready for some rest for sure.
Yesterday was a challenging day on the bike with a ride from home to the top of Mt. Evans. A little over 4 hours straight of climbing (9000 ft) does wonders for building strength and endurance on the bike. A stop for pie and hot chocolate on the way down does wonders for blood sugar to get you home in one piece. I felt great all day and even in the 6th hour was able to push the pace a bit with Ed, Rickey and Marcus. Seven hours, 105 miles, 11,000 feet of climbing, pie, hot chocolate… great day!
Last minute addition to my race calendar…
The Canadian National Championships in Whistler B.C. on September 5th. It’s a new race this year and the promoter was offering a great opportunity to entice more pros to race by providing a free entry and lodging at the Olympic Village. Should be fun! From what I’ve heard the course has a lot of climbing on the bike and run and should be fairly well suited to me. I won’t be very rested for it since it’s right smack in the middle of some of my hardest weeks of training of the year building up to Worlds in October, but I’ll fit in a a couple days rest to hopefully be able to have decent race. Stoked for a new race!
XTERRA B.O.L.T. Winners Cody and Kathy!
Last Saturday was the second annual XTERRA B.O.L.T. triathlon outside of Lincoln Nebraska. Nine members of the EPC by WRC Tri Team made the seven hour drive east to contest the event. The day-before pre-ride of the bike course was in the sweltering late afternoon heat and humidity. After the ride and a quick jump in the lake to cool off (well the water temp was a balmy 86 degrees so not exactly cooling off) we headed back to town to packet pick-up at the local bike shop Cycle Works. Coach Cody provided a pre-race clinic for the competitors at packet pickup from 6-6:30. Then the group headed off to dinner and then found their hotel, cleaned up, prepped their race gear all before hitting the sack.
The next days alarm came quick and it was go-time before we knew it. The temperatures had dropped a bit by morning but it was still warm and muggy. The race went off at 9:00 am. The point-to-point 1300m swim went across a big section of the lake. EPC’er Mike Miller was first out of the water and onto the bike. Everyone else was in hot pursuit. The bike course consisted of two fast, twisting singletrack sections with repeated short power climbs separated by a 2 mile section on pavement in the middle. Ed Oliver dominated the bike and reached the pavement first followed 20 seconds later by Cody and the rest more than 2 minutes behind them. Cody closed the gap on the road and the EPC duo flew through the remaining 5 miles of trail in tandem.
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Big rides, runs and swims have been going well. All focus is still on base training for Nationals and Worlds. The last two weeks have been all about consistent training everyday at aerobic intensities. Everything below LT. With the intensity kept low I was able to feel good everyday and log a 30 hour and 27 hour weeks the last two. Feeling it a bit this week after concluding it with a local Xterra race. The plan is drop the volume a bit (18-ish hours) this week with another local race to test the fitness. Then after this lighter week, hit two more 25-30 hour weeks of continued aerobic training.
I’ve been feeling very good with long rides of the 6 hour, 10,000 ft climbing variety, long runs of the 2.5 hour 25oo ft climbing variety and long swims of the 6000 yd variety. One or two of these sessions each, each week has been complimented with shorter, more technique focused sessions in between. Everything aerobic, nothing intense.
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Sunday was the 3rd edition of the Indian Peaks Xterra at the Eldora Ski area above Boulder, CO. Just about the entire EPC Xterra squad was making a nice impression with eleven racers out on course. Having rained the night before for several hours the air was crisp, the water even crisper and the course was muddy, if not fully submerged, in spots. The clouds broke before the race start and the temperatures were ideal for racing.
The course starts with a 1km swim in Barker Res. The brisk winds made for a choppy return to shore. The stronger swimmers prevailed as the weaker ones floundered a bit. Once back to shore racers were faced with a 3/4 mile uphill run to transition. Shoes are a must as it’s quite rocky in spots. If you weren’t feeling it already, you felt the 9000 foot elevation when springing to your feet and running hard for 5 min on after swimming in cold water. The 14-mile bike course was a two loop mix of rocky singletrack and jeep roads with smaller power climbs and fun descents. A strong biker with a knack for more technical riding had the advantage when negotiating the many mud pits and slippery roots and rocks along the course. The run was held on similar roads/trails as the bike before entering a really tight up-n-down wooded section along the lake. Over the 7 km runners faced relentless rolling hills, some super steep downhills, a splash through a flooded grassy meadow, more mud before finishing on the cool grass in front of the ski lodge. READ MORE
