So as you have reading in my last few post I have been getting ready for the AMC. Yes, I'm talking about the American Mountain Classic, a 4 day stage race at Brian Head in the Utah mountains. SO it's come and gone and I will say this, it was hands down the greatest sporting event I have ever had the pleasure of being part of.
I had never been to Brain Head before and I was in complete amazement in what I saw around me. The colors, the mountains, the wild life and of course the people. If I wasn't so much against the snow I would want to live there for sure. I stayed in a one bedroom condo all by my self and it would serve as my refueling station for 4 days. I consumed more food in the time I was there than I would in a normal week back at home. A 10 pound bag of potato's, 12 microwaveable bags of rice, 9 chicken breast and a wealth of recovery drinks from Hammer Nutrition along with a bottle of Endurolytes and Anti Fatigues. This condo would also serve as the cleaning and repair for my trusty Superfly. Alot of people helped me get to the AMC and I was hell bent on making good on their investments.
The four stages included a 6 mile Prolouge, 55 mile course with 5,000 feet of elevation gain, 55 mile course with a 11,00 peak and on the last day, two loops of the NMBS series filal course in Brian Head. On this day the Dark Hallow trail turned me into a man! I could go into great detail but unless you experience it, you wouldn't understand. In short, it's the scariest trail I have ever be
en on!
I had never been to Brain Head before and I was in complete amazement in what I saw around me. The colors, the mountains, the wild life and of course the people. If I wasn't so much against the snow I would want to live there for sure. I stayed in a one bedroom condo all by my self and it would serve as my refueling station for 4 days. I consumed more food in the time I was there than I would in a normal week back at home. A 10 pound bag of potato's, 12 microwaveable bags of rice, 9 chicken breast and a wealth of recovery drinks from Hammer Nutrition along with a bottle of Endurolytes and Anti Fatigues. This condo would also serve as the cleaning and repair for my trusty Superfly. Alot of people helped me get to the AMC and I was hell bent on making good on their investments.
The four stages included a 6 mile Prolouge, 55 mile course with 5,000 feet of elevation gain, 55 mile course with a 11,00 peak and on the last day, two loops of the NMBS series filal course in Brian Head. On this day the Dark Hallow trail turned me into a man! I could go into great detail but unless you experience it, you wouldn't understand. In short, it's the scariest trail I have ever be
en on!Goiong into day 4 I was in third place and I was ready for a fight. The number one racer in my group was a Cat 1 road racer. I tried like hell to catch him on day two but He had already gaped me by quite a bit so my focus was now on the #2 spot. No this isn't giving up, it's knowing your competition and making the best of reality, that dude was way stronger than me and now 2nd place became first place for me and the rest of my class.
The loop started with a 13% grade climb for roughly two miles and we had to do this loop twice. I sat back and let the group go. My plan was to have the smartest race ever and use the first lap to get my motor reved up and attack on the second loop. It worked like a charm. In the middle of the loop there was an aide station that lead us to a long, steep fire road, about 3 miles long. This is that place I was going to put the hammer down.
I already passed one competitor to get in the third place position in lap one and I was putting distance on him. At the fire road aid station I met up with the guy who was in the #2 spot and it was time to make my move. I took in 3 gels, a bottle of Heed, 5 Endurolytes and two Anti Fatugies. I layed everything on the table and at the same time kept everything in control. I kept it the middle ring and the second from the top cog for the most part. When the terrain would flatten just a little bit, I would either go to the 3rd down cog or go to the big ring and the #5 cog standing up and get into a singlespeed type of rhythm standing on the pedals.
For the rest of the race nobody passed me, not on a climb or a down hill, not even on that scary ass Dark Hallow. I knew I had second locked up and it was head down and a steady spin at the cranks all the way to the end. I thought of my self as an endurance athlete for quite a while. It wasn't till the completion of the AMC I realized that now, after crossing the line, I was true to the label.
I finished the 4 days in 2nd place in my division. Day one 3rd place, Day two 2nd place, Day three 3rd place and day four 2nd place..... This race has changed me and made me overcome some fears. I'm a better athlete for it, a better mountain biker for it and a better person with a higher sense of self worth. Next year I will win my class. Not just because I will be better prepared and in better shape but also because this race makes you want to improve and push your self to your limits. This race has opened my limits to an even further line and next year I'm going to pass that line..
The loop started with a 13% grade climb for roughly two miles and we had to do this loop twice. I sat back and let the group go. My plan was to have the smartest race ever and use the first lap to get my motor reved up and attack on the second loop. It worked like a charm. In the middle of the loop there was an aide station that lead us to a long, steep fire road, about 3 miles long. This is that place I was going to put the hammer down.
I already passed one competitor to get in the third place position in lap one and I was putting distance on him. At the fire road aid station I met up with the guy who was in the #2 spot and it was time to make my move. I took in 3 gels, a bottle of Heed, 5 Endurolytes and two Anti Fatugies. I layed everything on the table and at the same time kept everything in control. I kept it the middle ring and the second from the top cog for the most part. When the terrain would flatten just a little bit, I would either go to the 3rd down cog or go to the big ring and the #5 cog standing up and get into a singlespeed type of rhythm standing on the pedals.
For the rest of the race nobody passed me, not on a climb or a down hill, not even on that scary ass Dark Hallow. I knew I had second locked up and it was head down and a steady spin at the cranks all the way to the end. I thought of my self as an endurance athlete for quite a while. It wasn't till the completion of the AMC I realized that now, after crossing the line, I was true to the label.
I finished the 4 days in 2nd place in my division. Day one 3rd place, Day two 2nd place, Day three 3rd place and day four 2nd place..... This race has changed me and made me overcome some fears. I'm a better athlete for it, a better mountain biker for it and a better person with a higher sense of self worth. Next year I will win my class. Not just because I will be better prepared and in better shape but also because this race makes you want to improve and push your self to your limits. This race has opened my limits to an even further line and next year I'm going to pass that line..
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