August 30, 2009
Super Rookie @ 8:30 pm
I got 3rd in the Solo Category at the 24 Hours of Afton out of 55 competitors in the class. I finished 17 total laps and finished right behind my teammate and training partner Jeff. He completed 18 total laps and taking the top step was two-time champion Dan Dittmer at 22 total laps!
In 2003 I tried the 24 Hours of Afton for the first time with a four person team. I came back a year later with El Torino and two others and we had a ton of fun, but I always wanted to take a stab at the Solo category. After years of talking a lot about it and bugging my better half non-stop I finally got a mountain bike with the sole purpose of doing this race. With help from Chuck, Dan and Josh at Behind-Bars I picked out a Kona Big Unit Singlespeed in March and training began in earnest. After meeting Jeff at a local event we decided to team up and tackle the challenge. Countless hours were put in on the road and dirt in order to prepare for the over 1500feet of climbing per lap and before we knew it the race had arrived.
(Photo on Lap 1)
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While I will spare you all the minute details of the actual race (it was 24 hours after all…on my bike) I would like to tell you all that I had an amazing support crew let by Bill and Sarah. A ton of friends and teammates came out to shout encouragement and help keep me focused on the task at hand.
My goal was to complete 15 total laps in the 24 Hours. I figured that this would assure me a top10 and I would be content with that. As I moved through the day I got my first update from Sarah at about 10pm when she told me that I was in 10th place. With each additional lap it seemed liked I moved into another place. As the race progressed I began to feel more and more pain with each peddle stroke and I started to take 10-15min breaks after each lap. This helped keep me recover enough to go out for another one before repeating the process. In the end I never slept and was only off the bike for a max of 50min at around 4:30 in the morning when I was changing clothes and dealing with some digestive/stomach issues.
As I was finishing my 15th lap up the brutal “Manhandler” climb I noticed two people and two large animals standing halfway up yelling, “Come On Super Rookie!” as I got closer I realized it was my teammate Megan and her husband Justin with two awesome dogs. Megan took it upon her self to tell me that I was in a solid 4th place and I could get on the podium if I did two more laps because the guy in the 3rd place just quit and went home. This was not what I wanted to hear! I wanted to be done. It was brutal out there and I just wanted to climb off my bike and eat my entire weight at Chipotle, Mama’s Pizza and Nelson’s Cheese Factory combined!
(Just before going out on the 17th lap)
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Coming into camp after the 15th lap was a relief. I was mentally prepared to shut it all down, but the news that Megan told me on the climb stuck with me. All I needed to do was two laps and I could be on the podium, less than 6months into this mountain bike hobby. As I sat there and talked with my brother about Minnesota Thunder games I was offered an Oatmeal-Cranberry cookie from Caitlyn and that was all the convincing I needed. With the Little Guy there to offer some great words of encouragement (Do It For Tugboat!) I decided to saddle up for two more laps.
Although I expected the last two laps to be extremely brutal they seemed to fly by as I was paced by Dan from Behind-Bars. He helped me keep a good attitude and reminded me to keep turning the pedals. In fact, I found myself climbing parts of the course that I had been walking for over 22hours! With Dan helping keep me motivated it wasn’t long before I had the most wonderful descent down the top of the ski slope into the finishing chute to score the last step of the podium next to Jeff and Dittmer.
(Coming down the hill on the final lap and seeing everyone cheering for me.)
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While I didn’t have much energy I had enough for a huge smile coming down the hill. I was in pure nirvana. I had succeeded in racing a major goal and to top it all off I got to do it at the site and venue for my first ever mountain bike race over 6 years ago.I couldn’t be happier with the 3rd place.
August 27, 2009
Super Rookie @ 9:36 pm
The race is finally here.
I have been training to make a run at the top10 in the Solo category at the Salsa 2-4 Fest (formerly 24 Hours of Afton). When I first started riding my bike this season I weighed in at 186lbs, I am happy to report that I will be toeing the line in Afton at 168lbs and couldn’t be happier. It has been a lot of hard work, but I think I have the fitness, the support and the ability to reach my #1 goal of the year. My entire season up until this point has been dedicated to this race. Was it a waste of time?
We shall see.
Here is an idea of what the course topography looks like. As you can imagine it is going to be a lot of climbing. Despite this I will be taking my Kona 29er Singlespeed rig to the race. I believe I have the correct gearing and Chuck and Dan from Behind-Bars will be on hand to lend a hand if I need it. I am hoping to have a ton of fun and with my teammate Jeff doing the solo category as well we hope to make two top 10s possible!
Want to see how it is going in real time?
Direct your browser to: http://salsa24.peaktiming.com/
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Sarah and my landlord, Bill, are going to be taking care of the camp with Jeff’s wife Hope. Feel free to come by our compound in the Solo Camping area. Just look for the flag! I am sure they will love to have some company. Woohoo.
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Now I just need to find a way to get some sleep.
Super Rookie @ 9:21 am
The Thunder have their first home game in over a month tonight. I will be showing up a tad bit late, but I will be dressed for the occasion. The team is playing the Cleveland City Stars who are currently in last place in the 11 team league. The Stars have won only three games all season (shhhhh…don’t tell anyone that two of those wins are against the Thunder). The City Stars are a fun team to watch because they have this goalie, Something Gilstrap. The possibilities are endless in the beergardens.
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I have been doing a bunch of packing for the big race. I am depending on quite a few people for help during the execution of the event, but all systems are go at the moment. I can’t wait.
www.salsa24fest.com
August 26, 2009
Super Rookie @ 9:21 pm
August 24, 2009
Super Rookie @ 8:23 am
24 Hours of Afton has been on my calendar for some time. Friday evening at 5pm is when the race starts. My goal is to finish in the top10 overall (solo category) and possibly break into the top5. My teammate, Jeff, has kept me company over the past few months riding countless miles as we both have been getting ready for our targeted race. I have a great crew that will help me when the race gets underway. The crew is made up of Sarah and my landlord, Bill. I think he knows that I can cash in a prize for rent so that is why he is helping.
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In less than 24 Hours I “begin” a new career with the start of my student teaching stint. It will last 12 weeks and then I will hopefully become a licensed teacher after some standardized tests. Although the job market is tight I still have faith that I will be able to find something in the coming years either in my field, social studies, or within special education. Nonetheless, I have a bunch of things to take care of today.
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I finished Season 1 of “Brotherhood” the other day. This Showtime series is based on a family from Providence, RI. One of the brothers is in the Irish Mob and the other is a big shot politician. In the end it makes for a great show and I love looking at all of the sites and sounds of Rhode Island. I don’t know if I could ever live there again, but I surely want to go back and visit in the near future.
August 23, 2009
Super Rookie @ 2:54 pm
Go see “Inglourious Basterds.”
It is amazing.
Easily his best movie and one of my top 5 all-time favorites.
That list is now:
- Children of Men
- Inglorious Basterds
- V is for Vendetta
- Band of Outsiders
- The Graduate
Dropping off the top 5 with the inclusion of Inglorious Basterds is Sgt. Bilko starring Steve Martin.
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Student teaching starts on Tuesday.
August 21, 2009
Super Rookie @ 4:18 pm
I think I found a new favorite website (site is slow with all the people trying to get on it).
This squirrel has gotten pretty famous from a photo taken by a Minnesota couple.
August 20, 2009
Super Rookie @ 2:20 pm
I start next Tuesday.
Oh, joy.
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Working hard on VeloCX and helping out with the StateCX weekend. Both events promise to be high-quality and well attended. Lots of behind the scenes work goes on to make these events come off with out a hitch and I can’t thank all of the volunteers enough. It is going to be a great season.
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Sarah cashed in her anniversary gift. It was a 60min massage at the dome home. It is always great seeing Hagerty.
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The rain continues to come down. We are going to see another cancelled night of racing at the velodrome, and I need to find something to do outside of the house since Sarah is having a Project Runway party. I am not a fashionable guy, so no need to watch a show about fashion.
August 17, 2009
Super Rookie @ 1:27 pm
For Sale: Zipp 404 Carbon Tubular Wheelset (Track Rear Hub)
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These are a great set of wheels that are in fantastic condition and come with Dura-Ace Track Cog / Sugino Lock Ring and a pair of new Continental Sprinter Tubular Tires. I felt a noticeable increase in speed when I opted for these wheels just two seasons ago. I will miss them, but they need to go to someone that wants a fast wheelset and can enjoy the velodrome on a weekly basis.
Price: $700
Email me at hayes.tim@gmail.com if you are interested.
Super Rookie @ 10:51 am
From the Minneapolis Star Tribune: FBI will look into Minneapolis arrest incident
Long time readers of this blog know that I haven’t been the biggest fan of Minneapolis’ “Finest” for some time. Perhaps I should just start a separate page that chronicles all of the horrible stories that have come out of the police department over the years. Surely, some would instantly defend the police officers and point out all of the good work that they do, and I would tend to agree with them. There are good officers, but with yet another incident like this taking place across the river one has to wonder if it is no longer a few bad apples spoiling the bunch, or if it is a few good apples tossed on top of a rotten bushel.
The MPLS Police department has a ton of problems. No matter how they try to sugar coat it lets remember one thing, six of their officers savagely beat a man face down in a snow bank. It is inhumane, irrational and just not okay.
Past stories documenting the inadequacies of the MPD and how they treat the citizens of Minneapolis:
While the list goes on and on over the years I find it very troubling that the same anti-tax Republicans on the far right are continuing to back of the Minneapolis Police Department when they have cost city tax payers well over $6million dollars in the last 5 years. Think of all the good work that $6million could have done building sustainable communities and schools. Yes, there are good individuals on the Minneapolis Police force, but sadly they continue to be in the news again and again for all the wrong reasons.
Great article from City Pages about this very issue: The Hit Parade Revisited
This isn’t media bias. This is just sad.
