Test of Metal Race Report

Race went pretty well, Lack of any warm up as bike was in line in the 4:!5-4:30 section, Started with road riding - and up the hills - i was still sore from trail running early in the week, so i could feel it here. Tried to draft As much as possible(it's legal in MTB racing) Once we got to the single track, we got bogged down pretty quick. Stopped n the trail fr minutes at a time - then when we did move- it was easier to walk instead of ride as we didn't go very far. Once moving it felt good though. On the flats in the big ring i was feeling fast. past alice lake we had a climb and another slight uphill. Again i put it in big ring and just pushed it. passed quite a few peeple surprisingly. Once we got to the loop at the top of the course we got bogged down again. Stopped for quite a while then walked in a line for most of the loop. Then another big hill climb. Apparently you can hike up once section or ride the switch backs. and the hike is quicker, but i did not know this and rde the climb. Once on top the flowing downhill was great - not too many people around so i did not have to pass or get passed much. on down to rollercoaster and back out to the pavement. Felt strong through out - the stops and walking bits caused by the congestion helped. Crossed over to the otherside then started to feel it. Through the feed zone - then up 9 mile hill more lik 8 km but it is tough. There were a crew handing our gels just before the top of Bonk hill - had to walk up this steepest part. i am usually getting paassed on these uphills, but i pretty much held my own on most of them, then when they flattened out i hammered in the big ring an passed more people. After thetop of Bonk hill - there is a few kms of downhill double track before another big climb, not as bad as the first but still had to walk up to the watertown. another downhill section - pushing the big ring_ and over the bridge then up the final hill. it narrows down here but is still fairy long. once at the top it is all downhill from here. Pushed pretty good - big ring, but it is quite a long downhill - seems like 10 km i can be fun, but my hands and arms were really sore from breaking - finally made the turn to powerhouse plunge, hands were dead here, and it is quite a ways to the start on this trail. at least a km then once on the plunge, i pretty much walked the whole way down - road a fell short sections, but i didn't feel strong on the hands so i took it safe. Once down back through the feed zone again, i cramped up behind my left knee. Just then Andre showed up on the side and asked if i wanted a push, so i said sure, got a nice little push for 20 m or so, and this allow the cramp to subside. at the top of the feed zone, i was handed a redbull - suger free , so i drank some of that. Off into crumpit woods, tried to ride the uphill switch backs but was getting tired so i did alot of hike a bike. this is a long stretch at the end, and lots of people were walking the uphills. it seems like it is about 10km through here, but probably more like 6km. once at the top there are still a few shorter up hills, but most of it is down. Finally we come out on the road, mostly downhill, with one small hill at the bluffs, but at this point it is nearly over. cross the road at the parking lot and onto the riding trail. wide gravel, tried to push it and stay in front of the guy behind me, but he sprinted past at the last corner, and beat me.


What would you do differently?:

Train more - dont do a hill workout trail run the week before - start closer up to try to get away from the log jams. If i get passed on the road, not a big deal, but once on the trail i can keep up the speed for the first half. Practice the plunge.

05:01:00 | 67 kms | 13.36 km/hr
Age Group: 0/
Overall: 0/
Performance: Average
Official race time and distance - but my computer read only 62km and 4:43 - I have heard that others only seem to get around 62 km - so i think this is more correct. As for the time. with 1000 entrants, it took about 4 minutes to get over the start line, and there were a few spots where the single track got blocked up so we were stopp on the trail for a few minutes at a time.
Wind: None
Course: Lots of uphill - single track - flowing downhill - some pavement - 9 mile hill which is a grunt, and powerhouse plunge which some say is the most technical riding they have ever done.