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Mt. Tabor 6/27

Old 06-28-07, 10:16 AM
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fishmel
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Mt. Tabor 6/27

Well finally had a decent finish in a race this year, took 3rd in the fixed gear race!. This was only my 2nd race ever on the fixie, and have only had it put together for about 2 weeks. Made it out of my old Pedal Force QS2 frame and a White Industries ENO hub. Did the same race last week and took 10th, and thats when I found out that 69 gear inches will not keep up on the down hill. Switched to 79 inches for this week and was able to keep up. Stats from the Garmin show I averaged 23.1 mph, max speed 38 mph, max rpm 168, and max Hr in up hill sprint finish 205! (highest ever).

I was very happy to finish this well against a bunch of guys that ride fixed gear alot, there were 16 racers total. I was even happier when I found out that I was getting paid 10 big clams for my effort! Went home and showed the wife and daughter my huge winnings (first time I had ever received anything in a race). Now the 10 spot is going up on a wall.

After that I grabbed the road bike and did the 4/5 race. Didn't do as well as I would have liked, by @ lap 6 my legs were really feeling it. Held on the best I could and finished @ top 20.
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Old 06-28-07, 11:46 AM
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obra3
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Hey great job Fish. That's impressive on a fixie on that up and down course.
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Old 06-28-07, 01:00 PM
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Finishing with Blackwelder even in sight is no easy feat. He's a pretty cool guy, too. He's also the only person I've ever seen do a cross dismount with a disk wheel and Zeros.

Nice job on winning the swag.
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Old 06-28-07, 01:25 PM
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IS there some kind of fixed gear category for this race? I never heard of that before.
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Old 06-28-07, 01:51 PM
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Great job Fishmel! The Tabor races are tough as is, I've been thinking about trying one fixed, but just pulled my quad muscle so looks like I'll have to wait till next year.

jfmckenna- yes, there is a fixed gear category in this hilly circuit race.
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Old 06-28-07, 01:54 PM
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Fishmel good job! Were you running 48x16t?
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Old 06-28-07, 03:37 PM
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Originally Posted by MIN
Fishmel good job! Were you running 48x16t?
Thanks, I was running a 44x15.
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Old 06-28-07, 03:39 PM
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Originally Posted by gonesh9
Great job Fishmel! The Tabor races are tough as is, I've been thinking about trying one fixed, but just pulled my quad muscle so looks like I'll have to wait till next year.

jfmckenna- yes, there is a fixed gear category in this hilly circuit race.

Thanks gonesh9, sorry to hear about the quad, hope you heal fast.
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Old 06-28-07, 04:43 PM
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Nice work dood, fixed gear + finishing in top 20 in 4/5 cat is tough!
I am new to racing and have done Tabor 3 times already this year, I am looking forward to try PIR and its nice flat circuit!
Everyone --> How would you rate Tabor as a race? Very hard, Hard, moderate?
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Old 06-29-07, 09:12 AM
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Originally Posted by e78990
Nice work dood, fixed gear + finishing in top 20 in 4/5 cat is tough!
I am new to racing and have done Tabor 3 times already this year, I am looking forward to try PIR and its nice flat circuit!
Everyone --> How would you rate Tabor as a race? Very hard, Hard, moderate?

I think like any race it is as hard as you want to make it. In the 4/5's I have never seen a breakaway stick in the races I have done, which (to me) means its not the easiest race in the world. How have you placed in the three that you have done?

PIR maybe flat, but can be a very hard race to win due to speeds, wind, and if you are a good sprinter, or play off lead outs well. The one thing I think PIR is great for is getting interval training done in a race setting. You can go off the front on breakaway attempt after breakaway, as hard as you can, and then get swallowed up in the pack when the head winds take their toll. Its nice cause you can experiment week after week with trying different things, you can even go Monday and Tuesday and really get a workout in.

Just my 2cents
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Old 06-29-07, 10:34 AM
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Originally Posted by fishmel
I think like any race it is as hard as you want to make it. In the 4/5's I have never seen a breakaway stick in the races I have done, which (to me) means its not the easiest race in the world. How have you placed in the three that you have done?

PIR maybe flat, but can be a very hard race to win due to speeds, wind, and if you are a good sprinter, or play off lead outs well. The one thing I think PIR is great for is getting interval training done in a race setting. You can go off the front on breakaway attempt after breakaway, as hard as you can, and then get swallowed up in the pack when the head winds take their toll. Its nice cause you can experiment week after week with trying different things, you can even go Monday and Tuesday and really get a workout in.

Just my 2cents
Great, looking forward to experiment with PIR... I got dropped after 2 laps in my first attemp at Tabor the first time. Second time, I got dropped after 4 laps and last wednesday, I was able to stay with the pack for until the very last lap.
So, I look like crap on the rankings but I seriously feel that I have dramatically improved and learned a lot (stay with the pack NO MATTER WHAT!)
I know, sounds completely obvious for anyone with experience but for me, it is a complete new game.

If you have anymore tips / recommendations for PIR let me know! I know they will be very valuable.
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Old 06-29-07, 12:15 PM
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4/5 race surges a lot at PIR. Stick in when it goes fast and it will let up. When things do speed up, don't get into a harder gear, try to spin up in an easier gear- your legs will thank you for it. Careful of the crack- which will be fixed when PIR is repaved this year. (it runs along the finishing straight along the inside white line - on the side of the officials). Stay relaxed- it's a wide open course- don't overlap wheels - that way if some doofus decides to go across three lanes of traffic, your front wheel won't be taken out). If you go next week, numbers will be on the left as we'll be going counterclockwise. Most of all, enjoy yourself.
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Old 06-29-07, 01:50 PM
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Originally Posted by obra3
4/5 race surges a lot at PIR. Stick in when it goes fast and it will let up. When things do speed up, don't get into a harder gear, try to spin up in an easier gear- your legs will thank you for it. Careful of the crack- which will be fixed when PIR is repaved this year. (it runs along the finishing straight along the inside white line - on the side of the officials). Stay relaxed- it's a wide open course- don't overlap wheels - that way if some doofus decides to go across three lanes of traffic, your front wheel won't be taken out). If you go next week, numbers will be on the left as we'll be going counterclockwise. Most of all, enjoy yourself.
Cool thanks. Hey nice blog...
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Old 06-29-07, 04:00 PM
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Thanks!
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Old 06-29-07, 06:45 PM
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Originally Posted by e78990
Everyone --> How would you rate Tabor as a race? Very hard, Hard, moderate?[/SIZE]
Different races are totally different for every person. I myself have finished well in endurance mountain bike races and road races with lots of sustained climbing. I found Mt. Tabor to be really hard, since it's all about holding a very high output for ~30minutes, with short but fast uphills. I can do 80% effort for 5 hours, but can't seem to do 90% effort for 30 minutes.

PIR is completely different, to me the laps are nothing to hang with the bunch, all foreplay for the prime sprints and the finish sprint. But what Fishmel said is right, it's good for playing with technique and training. The hardest part is dealing with all the guys that can't handle their bikes, and trying to avoid crash situations.

Sounds like you are improving anyhow, so definitely try out a different type of race as they are all different.
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Old 07-02-07, 09:15 AM
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Originally Posted by gonesh9
Different races are totally different for every person. I myself have finished well in endurance mountain bike races and road races with lots of sustained climbing. I found Mt. Tabor to be really hard, since it's all about holding a very high output for ~30minutes, with short but fast uphills. I can do 80% effort for 5 hours, but can't seem to do 90% effort for 30 minutes.

PIR is completely different, to me the laps are nothing to hang with the bunch, all foreplay for the prime sprints and the finish sprint. But what Fishmel said is right, it's good for playing with technique and training. The hardest part is dealing with all the guys that can't handle their bikes, and trying to avoid crash situations.

Sounds like you are improving anyhow, so definitely try out a different type of race as they are all different.
Hey Gonesh,

It sounds like you are a strong rider and you should be able to stay with the pack at Tabor 4/5. It is fast and hard but I found the most important part of the race to be at the top of the hill. There, I don t know how the F they do it but it seems that they sprint a bit and if you don t catch up to that, it will be VERY hard to stay in the race.
Anyways, I appreciate your insight and look forward to race something 'easier'
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Old 07-02-07, 11:44 PM
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Great job Fishmel, I knew you would be back after last year but third in fixed and good showing with the gears is amazing. I saw you leading the group for a couple of laps, I was at the playground.....
It looks like this year I am always busy on Wednesday night, it might be that I am still hurting from last year.....
See you out there soon.
Ciao
Paolo
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Old 07-03-07, 07:42 AM
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Originally Posted by Dabbo
Great job Fishmel, I knew you would be back after last year but third in fixed and good showing with the gears is amazing. I saw you leading the group for a couple of laps, I was at the playground.....
It looks like this year I am always busy on Wednesday night, it might be that I am still hurting from last year.....
See you out there soon.
Ciao
Paolo

Thanks Paolo, hope all is well with you. I have not done alot of racing, except Mt. Tabor and Mt. Hood since my ride to the hospital at Silverton.
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