|
Short and Fat Women |
|
|
Team Bikeman -
Race Reports
|
|
Written by Vikki Logrbrinck
|
|
Sunday, 30 September 2007 |
Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival
Cable, WI
September 14-16, 2007
 | | click to enlarge |
Did I get your attention with the title? I’ve never raced X-Country, let alone a race called Short and Fat. But that’s part of what made this entire event so fun. If you read my husband, Mark’s, report, you will know that he got me into the festival by being one of hundreds of people who wrote letters in for 50 remaining spots in the festival. It was a great surprise, and helped the 5500 miles of driving to the race and home worth it.
The month before the race it was triple digit temps in Los Angeles. Not a good training month. Being nervous about the race, I forced myself into climbing the hills of LA, red as a beet. I also did rides in Idaho, on the way, that were just as long as my race, but steep Rocky Mountain trails at elevations of up to 8000+. The Short and Fat was 16 miles long, starting and ending in Cable, Wisconsin. There were 800 riders, mass start. Groupings were made by age only, not class level. So, all women, beginner to pro, of 40-49 years competed together with me. I was just glad to be in the race, and just wanted to not finish last.
 | | click to enlarge |
I don’t know what severe weather changes do to a mountain bike racer, but it must be like the Packers playing football in Dallas. When we arrived at Lake Nebagamon, WI, where my folk’s summer home is, and about an hour drive to the race start, the temps went down to the teens at night. I went from training at triple digit temps, to racing slightly above freezing. Mark and I bought wool socks from Dirt Rag the night before. In LA, you just don’t have those sorts of supplies in your sock drawer!
Being a downhill racer, I have only one bike, The Bullit. With the original parts getting worn, and not working smoothly, Mark set out to prepare my downhill bike for my first X-Country race. He replaced my old parts with new Shimano XT Shifters, a Shimano XT Rapid Rise Rear Derailleur, Shimano XT Disc Brakes, WTB Laser Disc Wheels on Shimano XT Hubs and WTB Moto Raptor 2.24” tires. With all this you’d think I’d just get a new light weight X-Country bike! After purchase, we realized that the rear derailleur was opposite of what I used to have. This might not bother most people, but there’s nothing worse than tricking the brain of a Lymie. With no time to correct, I trained with the new shifters, each ride shifting at least one time up a hill the wrong way. I had to be alert on race day! The new tires got some getting use to, since they were not the beefy treads I was use to for downhill rock drops. But they worked perfectly for the terrain of Northern Wisconsin. My new brake levers were a real improvement with easy grasp, especially nice for my small arthritic hands. By race day, all minor adjustments had been made, and the bike worked flawlessly. Smooth shifting, and smooth sailing up and down the rolling hills. I was a happy biker. I finished 26th out of 35 riders in my age group.
 | | click to enlarge |
The start of the race was exciting; so many bikers taking off at once. No crashes, only courteous bikers. I was near the front, and had many hundreds pass me. But there was something surreal about being part of a human moving machine in motion. I suddenly lost all nervousness, and really enjoyed being part of a mass of riders. The race course was 16 miles of continual rolling hills, which I figured out is my type of X-Country. One thing that amazed me was the number of riders who hiked a bike up the hills. Maybe it was being back in the pack, but Mark experienced the same thing in his 40 mile race. Climbing is very different in California, with steep grades for miles. So climbing short hills became more of a rhythm than an exertion. This gave me the momentum to really ride smooth and fast, at least for me. And with all the new components, my bike did not fail me, shifting effortlessly up the hills. I’ve never been in a race where the riders were so positive. Many told me that I was a good climber, as I passed them walking their bikes. Now that has never happened to me west of the Rockies! Others cheered me on as I reached the top of Big Bertha without getting off the bike. It was the mental inspiration I really needed. My true inspiration came from the picture taped to my bike frame of my dog, Sierra. She was suppose to make the trip with us, but recently died of Lyme Disease. When she was alive, she ran with speed, grace and pure joy. I had told my folks, and our friends Chuck and Gladys who were rooting us on, that I thought I might take up to 3 hours. Well, mid way, I knew that I could make it across the finish in less than 2 hours, 1:53 to be exact. So, only Gladys was prepared to see me cross the finish line, grinning from ear to ear.
 | | click to enlarge |
I have to say this is the most fun I have ever had racing. There were over 600 volunteers for this festival, and all were friendly and helpful. The racers were of all ages and sizes; after all, it is beer and cheese country. It made the event one for everyone. Parents rode side by side with their kids (over 12). The Chequamegon 40 is the same course as the Birkebeiner X-Country Ski Race, so it was well attended and respected. Seeing so many bike enthusiasts was contagious and such a positive change from the small attendance at California races. Plus, being a UW Madison graduate, I felt right at home with all the red and white. Go Badgers!
Team Bikeman tripled it’s attendance this year at the festival. Mark and I got to meet another Team Bikeman member, Chris Smith, who raced with Mark. Being from Michigan the cold didn’t seem to affect him like myself. I am continually impressed with the team members we have met east of the Rockies. Chris, as well as others we have met, are nice, down to earth bikers. I am proud to be considered part of the team, and look forward to meeting more of our team in the future. Thank you Team Bikeman for supporting me.
Vikki
 |
|
; "click to enlarge")
; "click to enlarge")
; "click to enlarge")
; "click to enlarge")
Show/Hide comment form
