Anyone interested in Gravel Race up Spruce Knob ?

[Tania]

I signed up for the classic 52-mile course. Every time I remember that (a) I signed up and (b) there’s 5200+ of climbing, I ask myself what the heck I was thinking.

I won’t be camping but I’ll likely go down the night before.

[Sunyata]

I am already signed up for the short course with Tania.

I talked to the organizer at the 60/40 last month and he was pretty excited about it.

I will be camping both Friday and Saturday night and will have a full camp kitchen if anyone wants to hang out and eat delicious food.

[hozn]

Awesome — look forward to seeing you both out there!

[MFC]

Any idea if this is suitable for a slightly trepidatious person on a cross bike?

[Tania]

@MFC 138117 wrote:

Any idea if this is suitable for a slightly trepidatious person on a cross bike?

I’m less of a chicken than I was even just last summer, but I still tend to go slower DOWN hills than up.

So, from a fellow chicken, and provided you can get 28’s or larger on your bike, I bet you’ll be fine.

Hozn, I’ll expect a pull from you at the end since we’ll probably be finishing around the same time! :p

[Anonymous]

hmmm… I will keep this in mind as a possibility. I would like to try something like this this year. I was (trepidatiously) thinking about Hilly Billy Roubaix. But… I strained my back on the first fricking day of spring (!) 😡 and am not yet able to do long or hard efforts without irritating it. I don’t want to take chances with the back, trying to do too much too soon. This looks like 3 weeks later so might be a better option in terms of being able to train for it so as to not die before the finish line.

If I were to do it, I would probably go up the night before.

[consularrider]

No go for me, I’ll be on my way to Frankfurt that week.

[huskerdont]

This looks interesting. I might sign up, but I see two problems. 1) I am constitutionally incapable of signing up for a 52-mile race when there is a 72-mile option, and 2) I am still recovering mentally from Monster Cross, which was only 50 miles (which is BS–it came in as 52 miles on my odometer, and I thought I was gonna cry on those last couple). But I’m thinking about it. Too much.

[Sunyata]

@huskerdont 138189 wrote:

This looks interesting. I might sign up, but I see two problems. 1) I am constitutionally incapable of signing up for a 52-mile race when there is a 72-mile option, and 2) I am still recovering mentally from Monster Cross, which was only 50 miles (which is BS–it came in as 52 miles on my odometer, and I thought I was gonna cry on those last couple). But I’m thinking about it. Too much.

This will be WAY easier than Monster Cross. Mostly because it will NOT rain (power of positive thinking!) and it is not in February. That, and there are hills. Which means you can coast on the downhills. (I have a much harder time on flat courses than I do with big elevation rides.)

Just sign up. It will be fun.

[Tania]

Quote:

Just sign up. It will be fun.

Agreed!

Quote:

This will be WAY easier than Monster Cross.

Do NOT agree. And I’ll be doing 41st street and the VA Welcoming Committee hills on Williamsburg a few days a week to prep.

[hozn]

I’m going to do a big gravel ride — maybe Pete’s Round Hill loop or maybe Mt. Weather (I think there are some gravel roads out there?) — to prep / equipment (tires) check. Probably on a Friday in June. I’d like to run the Roubaix 30/32 tires, but would like a little more experience riding them on gravel roads. I see they’re recommending 35mm+ tires, so I can always run the Triggers. But as this is a race, I’m trying to weigh the speed benefits for the dirt and pavement sections vs. added flat protection on the gnarly bits. I guess I need to find out what % of the course will be gnarly.

[Bilsko]

Looks like a fun ride – checking the calendar now, but am leaning towards going. Have been on the fence about HBR this year – this looks like a good alternative.
Now, FG, SS, or sane?

[hozn]

@Bilsko 138262 wrote:

Looks like a fun ride – checking the calendar now, but am leaning towards going. Have been on the fence about HBR this year – this looks like a good alternative.
Now, FG, SS, or sane?

Well, they do have a SS category, so I think you’re obligated to do SS if you have appropriate equipment Of course, it is a race, so really gears should be equally hard (you’ll just go faster).

[Bilsko]

Yeah – my thing with this type of event is that I’m not really fast enough to be competitive as a racer – so I tend to make it more of a personal challenge. Its why I rode HBR and MC both FG. No chance I’d be competitive against the SS riders, but it makes finishing a tough/technical course a bit more rewarding having spent the entire time spinning my legs.

[hozn]

@Bilsko 138265 wrote:

Yeah – my thing with this type of event is that I’m not really fast enough to be competitive as a racer – so I tend to make it more of a personal challenge. Its why I rode HBR and MC both FG. No chance I’d be competitive against the SS riders, but it makes finishing a tough/technical course a bit more rewarding having spent the entire time spinning my legs.

Yeah, I was mostly kidding. I plan to race it, though I’m realistic that I’m not going to be competitive with the leaders. But it’ll give me something to measure against if/when I do it again. Maybe more importantly, it’ll give me an opportunity to practice nutrition and hydration at race-pace for the SM100 later in the year. (In the past I’ve always done the long rides very casually, wearing a camelbak and stocking it with more gear and nutrition than I need, taking a leisurely amount of time at rest stops to refuel, etc. I want to become more efficient at that; easy way to improve race times.)

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