Justin Lund - Endurance Racer
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Monday, July 27, 2009
24-9 A Catastrophic Failure
After some of the lap times I've been running at night there at 9-mile, I was very optimistic about the outcome of this race. I knew what times I needed and where. Food was set, bike was clean, numbers on and lined up behind Brandon. The cannon goes off and we take off in a scene that would rival that of a cattle stampede. I get on the bike and ride right behind scott into the first tech section of singletrack and descend out I lose scott and joel hynes right away due to a dropped chain, but do catch back up heading into ho chi. Before you know it there is a huge gap formed now and kept a really good pace heading across redbud rd and as I entered the second group of singletrack, go past the stumps and I heard the bang I never thought I would have to hear and to my suprise my frame is broke, no worries at this point though I would still have a lap time that would keep me alive in the overall but now in 43rd of 56. On the 2nd lap I jumped onto my singlespeed and continued on a good second lap clawing my way back up to 25th and proceeded into the 3rd I . The 3rd lap started out great but when it came to climbing out of trail #6 to cross redbud my knee began to shoot some sharp pains and before I knew it I couldn't apply pressure on the climbs. So I finished the 3rd lap in terrible pain and fought my way up to 17th at this point, but Adam from Ellsworth hooked me up with a demo for the rest of the race if I wanted it so I switched pedals adjusted the seat and off I went. My thought process for the 4th lap was to slow it down, recover, see how the knee feels and go from there. I didn't even make to the first singletrack section before my knee started up again and now it was getting to the point where I couldn't put any pressure on it at all. So I unclipped and rested it as I took the "y" bypass back to the pits and turned in my card and cancelled the 4th lap.
A very bad day indeed, I felt good, nutrition was setup the way I wanted and had great support. It just goes to show that even on your best days you can still have things go wrong. At this point I don't know what will happen going down the road for 2009. Chequamegon is still a go since I am in the singlespeed class (still not sure if that's a good idea considering the knee problem) and Iceman which again I signed up for the singlespeed class. Underdown I should have a new bike by then but bluemounds wems might have to come off the schedule and maybe the 12 of pitchblack as well.
Thanks goes to all of the people on the course who offered to help not knowing the situation. Also, thanks to Scott Cole for his offering to help as well as his great crew. Also, Adam from Ellsworth was a great help and ready to let me use a demo that Liz (24 solo womens winner) had literally put together the night before in which the glimpse worked great. Evomo for their kick ass hoody that kept me warm throughout the night. MotorTabs kept me hydrated, Ergon, Titec, Simbree, Tifosi, Brave Soldier, and Rocky Mountian Roastery for all their support this season. Only 363 more days till I come back to 24 hour racing. Redemption will be the word to describe 2010!
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Levis "Knock Down Drag Out" 100
My triumphant return to Levis after last years mess of flu/food poisoning (in which the jury is still deliberating on) is now in the books. I didn't know what to expect in that everybody that knows me knows by now or now just found out that I haven't been riding much due to life issues mainly in the form of shit hours at work, but I push on looking into the big picture that it's only temporary as one down year is not going to end my world as we know it.
I knew the front was going to break fast and that they did. A group consisting of chris s, chris p, tim, lee, and the minnesotans (charly and dan) took off like derby horses as I sat in with charlie farrow. I was content in running 1:30 laps just cause I know this place will claim my life if I try to go out at a WORS pace. So when I came in around 1:13 I was plenty pleased and optimistic, oh how the tide would turn. lap 2 was around 1:15, lap 3 around 1:19 and lap 4 was about 1:22, but I was getting some nasty stomach cramping on lap five with jello legs plus full blown stomach problems on lap six forced me to take care of that plus sit for way too much time. So on lap six I get out there and tried to put the hammer down again but could only muster a 1:30 lap minus the stop, but instead of stopping I continued onto lap 7 and destroyed myself I was cramping in my legs on every climb I couldn't hold a line on the second half of the course and I was beginning to get dizzy and my vision was blurring out a little bit I was sure I had not only lost any hope of catching anyone in the top five but may have to worry about not making the 8th lap and losing a few more spots. So finally I roll around to begin lap 8 with lights with me in case I end up walking, get a mechanical, or even a possible #2 in the woods so that I can find some good leafs that wont require expensive creams. I am unsure what possessed me to get back out there maybe just to get the monkey off my back as this place as always plagued me and for god's sake I wanted to finish on the lead lap as the leaders for once this year and quitting at 7 wasn't acceptable. I get out there and I feel like I am the only one and that may as well be true so I drilled the sections I felt really comfortable in and took the other sections down 1 by 1 except for a sandy section where I sunk my front wheel and started to endo until that well placed boulder broke my fall via my pinky and ergon bar end and continued onward. Finally I loop around after busting up that final climb as I wanted to make sure I ended a hard day on a good note and brought it in with sunlight remaining to pack up and roll out. Apparently my suffering did not end yet.
As I packed up my area I had to take numerous breaks caused by dizziness and finally as I pulled back around to the event area I opened the door and hurled onto the gravel, this did make me feel better and good enough to drive back to wausau but I would have to stop 3 more times in random areas.
As I have been mentioning to anybody that has asked how the race went, this was much harder than doing a 24 solo, but the organizers did a great job, and the people at the aid tents were great to everyone that would pass through.
I knew the front was going to break fast and that they did. A group consisting of chris s, chris p, tim, lee, and the minnesotans (charly and dan) took off like derby horses as I sat in with charlie farrow. I was content in running 1:30 laps just cause I know this place will claim my life if I try to go out at a WORS pace. So when I came in around 1:13 I was plenty pleased and optimistic, oh how the tide would turn. lap 2 was around 1:15, lap 3 around 1:19 and lap 4 was about 1:22, but I was getting some nasty stomach cramping on lap five with jello legs plus full blown stomach problems on lap six forced me to take care of that plus sit for way too much time. So on lap six I get out there and tried to put the hammer down again but could only muster a 1:30 lap minus the stop, but instead of stopping I continued onto lap 7 and destroyed myself I was cramping in my legs on every climb I couldn't hold a line on the second half of the course and I was beginning to get dizzy and my vision was blurring out a little bit I was sure I had not only lost any hope of catching anyone in the top five but may have to worry about not making the 8th lap and losing a few more spots. So finally I roll around to begin lap 8 with lights with me in case I end up walking, get a mechanical, or even a possible #2 in the woods so that I can find some good leafs that wont require expensive creams. I am unsure what possessed me to get back out there maybe just to get the monkey off my back as this place as always plagued me and for god's sake I wanted to finish on the lead lap as the leaders for once this year and quitting at 7 wasn't acceptable. I get out there and I feel like I am the only one and that may as well be true so I drilled the sections I felt really comfortable in and took the other sections down 1 by 1 except for a sandy section where I sunk my front wheel and started to endo until that well placed boulder broke my fall via my pinky and ergon bar end and continued onward. Finally I loop around after busting up that final climb as I wanted to make sure I ended a hard day on a good note and brought it in with sunlight remaining to pack up and roll out. Apparently my suffering did not end yet.
As I packed up my area I had to take numerous breaks caused by dizziness and finally as I pulled back around to the event area I opened the door and hurled onto the gravel, this did make me feel better and good enough to drive back to wausau but I would have to stop 3 more times in random areas.
As I have been mentioning to anybody that has asked how the race went, this was much harder than doing a 24 solo, but the organizers did a great job, and the people at the aid tents were great to everyone that would pass through.
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