LT 100 Mtn Bike Race Eve

Here we go!  The LT 100 start is only 12 hours away and it is time to check off the list of pre-race requirements...

Miles and Miles of Training - Check
Adjusted to Altitude - Check
Registration Complete - Check
Bike and Gear Ready - Check
Carbo, Calorie, and Sodium Loaded - Check
Physically and Mentally Prepared - Check (well, that may be debatable - ha!)
Spiritually Prepared - CHECK (Thanks to family, friends, and Teammates for your prayers)

I think we are ready!  Are you?

So today was pretty exciting!  Headed up to Leadville early and completed registration, marked the two support krew areas with tarps, and listened in to the pre-race briefing.  And wow, finally met a fellow FCA Endurance Teammate, Joe Stiller.  How exciting!  This is Joe's first LT 100 but he's been up to the Leadville area often and is ready to crank it up.  Joe, if you read this, know that your in my prayers for a great race as we bring Glory to God! Amen!

Before leaving Leadville, we had the now traditional lunch at The Golden Burro.  Back at Vail has been final packing and preparations.  Now we are about to get some grub and then get some sleep before an early start to the day tomorrow.

Here is the line-up at the Support Stations:

Mile 20 & 80 = Jandy, Ken, Jenny, and Bryce
Mile 40 & 60 = Julie, Alec, Brady, Mom, and Dad
FLOATING = Gary, Shelli, and Gary's Sister - Randi (they will be watching from different locations through the day)

So, I'm out of words and thoughts for now...no comments from the peanut gallery!  Ha!  But I'll share my experience in a blog post tomorrow night!  Until then, it is time to pack up the computer and go give it everything tomorrow!

God Be With Us, Bring Us Home Safe, and Give Us the Strength and Courage to Honor and Glorify You In This Endeavor!  Amen!

Saddle Up, Dig Deep, and Ride Hard!

TNT OUT-
 
 

Wednesday...I mean Thursday

Okay, so I missed yesterday...I got it!  Man, where did Wednesday go? 

We (Alec, Brady, Bryce, and I) did some downhill riding on Wednesday.  We took the Gondola up Vail Ski Slope and had a good time taking the trails back down...well, sort of.  Alec took off on some technical single-track and I went with Brady and Bryce on some "easier" trails.  We left the "easy" stuff for "more difficult" and oops, we had a few little bumps along the way...but darn if I didn't see a single one of them.  First I came up to Bryce, brushing the dust off his backside and just 15 feet in front of him but just as far off the trail, was Brady, picking himself up out of the weeds.  Guess they came into the turn a bit too fast.  Bryce tried to catch himself and stressed his wrist a bit.  Says he is good to go today, though.  Brady has some nice looking bruises and scrapes and yes, some sore muscles.  I believe he needed a little help getting out of bed this morning as he was a bit tight.  He actually took two different spills...I missed them both - RATS!  HA!

Alec has found his passion, I think...he ended up making three runs down the mountain and the third was on the "Experts Only" course.  He had a good time!  I think it is a skill that will come in good use, in Illinois!  HAR-HAR!

So, some technical fun yesterday meant I needed to get a good spin and a few miles in today.  I hit the good climbs and pushed 27 miles in pretty quick time today.  Even improved on a section of the "course" which is 3.7 miles with some awesome elevatiuon gain.  I dropped nearly 20 minutes off my climb time today...I finished with a nice downhill spin back into Vail and then spent the remainder of the morning cleaning, lubricating, and adjusting my bike in preparation for the race on Saturday.

Tomorrow morning a few of us will head up to Leadville.  I have medical check-in and packet pick-up.  Then we will head out and mark our support crew spots with tarps.  And following will be the mandatory pre-race meeting.  As soon as it is over, we will head back to Vail and begin packing up for the early morning departure on race day.  Tomorrow night will be pasta and pizza for the final carbo-load (plus I need the left-over pizza for race food - Perfect) along with some pre-loading of sodium to hopefully prevent any chance of cramping (it worked great last year)!

We continue to get donations and challenges and are moving closer to our "adjusted" goal but we do have a ways to go, still.  Spread the word and help us make our goal.  And if you have a minute, give a shout out.  Would love to hear from you.

Until tomorrow...

Saddle Up, Dig Deep, and Ride Hard!

TNT OUT-

Tuesday...4 days to go

So I have to start with talking about the weather out here.  Talk about extreme's!  We have had low 40's, low 80's, intense thunder storms, and relaxing upper 60's!  All in just two days so far!  Just crazy!

So the thunder storms rolled in late yesterday and the rain continued through the night, leaving everything rather wet when we woke up this morning...and the excitement starts here.  My plan was to get 60-70 miles in today at a easy to medium pace (if there is such a thing when nothing is flat).  Leaving our condo, at just shy of 2 miles I hit the long 3.4 mile climb (about 8,700 feet up to about 10,000) before getting a little relief and then continuing on over the Vail Pass and onward to Copper Mountain and further down to Officer's Gulch.  Now back to the excitement...just after the hard climb, I hit the bike path and wind around some downhill (the relief part of the ride) and as I am in a corner, I see the wood-bridge and all I can think is "Oh Crud"!  Yup, remember my comment about all the rain and the "wet"..."wet" on a wood bridge translates to "slimy slippery"!  It happened so quick, I was picking myself up and checking my bike within a few seconds.  Bike checked out fine, slight rash on the lower-left leg, and my elbow and shoulder were telling me "ouch" but that went away within a few minutes.  So, I hop back on the bike and am still planning for 60-70 miles.  Then I couldn't figure out what was going on with my right foot which seemed to be sliding in and out of my shoe...ha, snapped the buckle right off my shoe.  So, I rode into Copper Mountain and stopped a few times to ask folks if they had any tape...JEEPERS, why don't more people carry duct tape with them?  Ha-Ha! I did finally get some relief as one of the local tour company guides I asked was able to produce some sort of tape...it worked! 

Back to the ride...so I decide to head back to Vail...umm, that is a climb back up through Vail Pass, with taped up shoe!  Make things even more fun, I linked up with a group of roadies and well, if you know me by now, I can not resist keeping pace and once it was set, it seemed like the theme was "push until the mountain bike guy blows up".  Surprise!  I stayed with them all the way to Vail.  We even hit 47+ mph on the curving downhill!  Wow, what a rush!  The reward?  Well, I only ended up with 43 miles but man, it was a good hurt.

So, after some shopping that ended in Avon, CO, I am now sporting a new pair of cycling shoes.  Now some serious riding over the next couple days to get used to them and make sure the cleats are properly adjusted!  They won't look much like a new pair of shoes after this Saturday! 

I'm checking out for the night.  Check back with me tomorrow for another post.  Plan for Wednesday is 30-40 miles followed by some fun downhill riding on the Vail ski slopes!  Maybe someone will capture some pictures to post tomorrow!  Until then...

Saddle Up, Dig Deep, and Ride Hard!

TNT OUT-

Final Preparations

So, I haven't been doing so well with posting to my Blog this year...I know!  No excuses.  Regardless, we are here and the final preparations have begun.  We arrived in Colorado this weekend and today was my first altitude ride.  Rode from Vail up the Vail Pass and then back.  Finished with just over 30 miles, hit a top speed of just over 42 miles per hour, and at one point was crushing the pedals and my lungs trying to maintain 10 mph up one of the climbs!  Shew, the first one always hurts!  Oh, did I mention the temps out here?  Holy cow, woke up to high 40's and wow, the joints were reminding me of how they do not like the cold when I first started riding! HA!  Supposed to be a high in the low 70's today with 60% chance of rain this afternoon.

The Krew began to assemble over the weekend as Jandy, Ken, Jennifer, and Bryce joined Julie, Alec, Brady and myself.  My mom and dad will arrive on Thursday (the "Newbies") and then we expect to see Gary and Shelli some time before race day as well.  You'd think we'd done this before, huh?  

Donations seem to be progressing okay.  I believe I will be a far cry from the original goal but boy, it sure would be awesome to be able to reach at least the same level of funds raised as last year...$10,000+!!!  So, I need your help.  Send me a note, add a comment to this post, or better yet, visit www.kaileyskrew.org a donation online.  If you are a "FaceBooker", you can go to Kailey's Krew - Pedal of Hope page and "LIKE".  Once you do that, you'll receive updates as Jandy and Julie post from the Start, 26 mile, 40 mile, 60 mile, 74 mile, and Finish.  And they will post more than just how I am doing...they have a great time keeping everyone updated on the action.

Speaking of Action, the latest word from Leadville is that the field of riders this year will be very fast and records will be broken.  Well, as long as that is all that gets broken, I'm good with that!  ;)

Okay, stay tuned daily as I will post each day this week with an update of my final tune-up before we give it heck on Saturday!

Saddle Up, Dig Deep,and Ride Hard!

TNT OUT -

Trent & Gary Wilmarth were interviewed on WICS ABC 20 today.  Click the link below to see the interview if you missed on the news today!

7-10-2012 WICS ABC 20 Interview

A Good Saturday

Holy cow!  So let me start with a bit of background chat before I tell you about todays ride...

Long day of activity on the lake on Friday and then at the "nth hour", Ken says, "Want to go listen to a Blues Band?"  So sure, why not, right?  Does it really matter that I had a training ride scheduled for 0730 the next day?  Nah!  Ha!

We go to Shorty Pants on mm21 (might be guessing at exactly where it is...ha) to listen to "Doghouse Daddy's".  Long story short, we got home a bit late and 0630 alarm went off very early!  HA!

So the ride was great.  Dan, owner of "Oz Cycles and Kayaks" (you have to check this place out if you make it to Lake Ozarks) and Dave were at the shop ready to go.  We knew we would push for about an hour...and push we did!  Woo-hoo!  Riding a mountain bike with 2.1 knobbies is always a good time when everyone else is on a road bike!  Man, what a quick and hard work-out!  Thanks Dan and Dave for the hour plus of push!  My computer showed over 20 miles and just over a 20 mph average! Yes!!!  Seriously everyone, if you get down this way, you must stop by Oz Cycles and Kayaks!  Dan and crew are awesome and it doesn't seem to matter one bit whether you are a local/regular because they treat everyone very well!  Thanks Dan and Team!  Much appreciated and see you at the OGRE!!!!

So tomorrow we head back to Chatham.  Had a great time at Jandy and Ken's place!  Good training, good lake time, good eats, and lots of laughs!  Gotta love it!  Next month we will be in Colorado for final prep for Leadville!  Woo-hoo! 

Hmm, speaking of Leadville...not getting much in "shout-outs"!  What's up everyone?  Any challenges or words of encouragement?  Let me hear you...

Stay tuned.  I have a calendar of events to share in the near future.  Looks like we will expand beyond Leadville and take on a 56 miler, a 150 miler, another 100 miler, and possibly a 200 miler!  What do you have to say about that?  How about a contribution to Kailey's Krew if I finish one...and more if I finish all?  Stay tuned...

Saddle Up, Dig Deep, Ride Hard!

TNT OUT-

One Month to Go!

Good morning everyone!  I hope this finds everyone doing well and enjoying the warm summer.  Warm would be an understatement for us in Central Illinois, though.

So, with just over a month to go, training has progressed well.  Actually at Lake of the Ozarks getting some hill-training in this weekend.  Spun for 20+ miles yesterday with lots of climbing and quick descents.  Today's plan is for 36 off-road miles on some single-track trails.  Temp is only supposed to hit 105 degrees down here today but I'll be in some shaded areas so I am sure it will be more like 100 degrees!  Ha!

And then tomorrow morning I will link up with a group of "Roadies" at Oz Cycles in Lake Ozark for a fun and quick ride...at least we will get out before the heat of the day moves in on us.

The 2012 R&M/Kailey's Krew - Pedal of Hope jerseys are being produced now.  California based company, Jakroo, is taking care of business for us this year.  The jerseys will be available for sale at R&M Cyclery or by sending me a note, starting on or about July 29th.  You'll want to be sure to get your 2012 jersey as they look pretty impressive!

As we made plans for this years Leadville Trail 100 in Colorado, we set our contribution goal at $20K as there were 3 of us racing on the team.  Although our goal will not change and we have a long ways to go to raise funds for "Kailey's Krew", our "team" has dwindled a bit.  Just in the last month, Neil and Alec had to assess their current training level and their available time to continue to train and prepare for Leadville.  With work-related challenges, they both made the decision that this would not be the year they would try to race the LT 100 mountain bike race.  Although it is a bummer that neither will participate in the race this year, I am impressed with the assessment and support their decision to opt out for this year.  The LT 100 is a very difficult and challenging course and for us flat-landers, the altitude will sap the energy from you if you are not ready.  You can get hurt or others around you could get hurt.  So, my hat is off to Neil and Alec and as we add more races to our agenda, hopefully we can bring them on-board to participate.

So, let's get the show on the road, shall we?  Who will challenge me to finish faster than last year?  Who will raise the bar and help Pedal of Hope make a bigger contribution to Kailey's Krew than in 2011?  In 2011 I finished in just over 11 hours...is under 9 hours possible for my old butt?  Hmm, let me here you!!!  Until my next post...

Saddle Up, Dig Deep, and Ride Hard!

TNT OUT-


  

June - The Time to Get Serious IS Here!

Welcome back to the next chapter of Kailey's Krew - Pedal of Hope.  As past practice has haunted, we are under the gun in getting our new jersey printed for the 2012 race.  But hey, we are 2 weeks ahead of last years schedule and all worked out fine.  I'm confident that all will work out fine for this year as well.
Administratively, it's been busy.  We took a new approach for this season and we welcome our 2012 "Supporters"...R & M Cyclery; Henderson Eye Care; The Creek Pub & Grill; AthletiCare; Brandt Agriculture Professionals; The Right Stuff; Blackmoon Tattoo; Maldiner's; and Monkey's Fist AR Team.  Their logo's will be on this years jersey and we will get them uploaded to the blogspot soon.  Thank you to all for supporting Kailey's Krew and our Kailey's Krew - Pedal of Hope challenge.  I promise that Pedal of Hope will not let you down!
Training...wow, it's been a bit slow in developing but now it is here.  We have a huge weekend ahead of us and from that point on it's sleep, drink, eat, and dream R-I-D-E-  And if you recall from 2011, it's all about Saddle Up, Dig Deep, and Ride Hard!
If you are not aware, this is not only another year for me to personally attempt to complete the Leadville Trail 100, I now have teammates.  My son Alec joined as well as Neil Wilmarth, brother of Kailey.  It's been a bit crazy but I have already learned that I might be able to coach wrestling (to a certain extent) but a cycling coach I am NOT.  There is so much more to it...I can pound the pedals and get myself prepared but figuring out how to get others ready is just down-right hard!  Hats off to those that have it figured it out.  But I will continue to support and help in any way I can.
Race day...August 11th, 2012.  3 teammates lined up, ready to take on one of the toughest mountain bike races in the country, if not in the world!  It's nothng like a stage of the Tour de France, so I am told (ha).  I'm not sure what to expect that day but I can only believe one thing...we are not racing just to beat the clock and finish the LT 100, we are racing because of a greater cause and a greater mission.  Kailey has inspired us to do this "little thing" in order to bring "bigger things" to others.  It's not about us, it's about those we can help.
So, whether our goals individually are 12-hours or 9-hours, collectively our goal is to continue to raise awareness of the Kailey's Krew mission and raise funds, that in turn, support local families that are challenged with the unexpected financial burdens of having a child with a long-term illness.
So, with your help, last year "I" raised somewhere in the ballpark of $10,000.  This year, "WE" have set a goal of $20,000!  Seems like a lot, but check on the expenses you could expect with a long-term sickness...$20K isn't even a drop in the bucket!  Help us reach our goal!  Challenge each of us, one of us, or all of us with a "Pledge" and be part of the KREW.  There are two categories to be recognized again this year.  The Kailey's Krew "Peleton" with a donation or the Kailey's Krew "Challenger's" with a pledge based on distance completed or time completed in...
Thank you for following us and stay tuned.  Blog updates will be coming from each of us through-out our training and right up to the BIG DAY!

Saddle Up, Dig Deep, and Ride Hard!

TNT-

Training Has Started - Well, Sort Of...

Woo-hoo, I have snuck under the radar screen recently to record some training rides...Alec and Neil have no idea that the "old guy" needs some exta saddle time to keep up! Hopefully everyone got a chance to read my earlier blog post.

So, with weather related issues as well as this "NATO thing" keeping me busy with travels for work, it's been difficult to find time to ride.  But it's all good, I know what I need and I believe I am on target...

In March I was only able to jump on my bike seven times.  Wow, what a buzz kill, right?  Not exactly.  I still came close to 200 miles for the month and lots of dirt time!  It's all good!  April looks to be promising as my first ride of the month was for 35 miles.  In the next few weeks I will be posting 60+ milers as routine! 

Keep an eye out for our blog postings and send us a note when you can...we'd love to hear from you - challenge us, encourage us - motivate us with your support!  We will be up for your challenge.

Keep checking our blog for new posts, updates to our training, and more information on how we can GO BIG for 2012!

Thank you and well, you should know it by now...SADDLE UP, DIG DEEP, AND RIDE HARD!

GOD Bless! 

Let's Get This Started!

Good Evening from Pedal of Hope!  Wow, we are B-A-C-K!!!!  As if last year wasn't enough to get excited about, the anti has been raised and the stakes are a bit higher!  In 2012, not only did WE, yes, I said "WE", get drawn from the lottery selection but "WE" have some lofty goals in mind.

In 2010, it was a bit towards the selfish side as that darn course "beat me".  Remember?  82 miles and I was done?  Yes, I wont forget.  Then in 2011, it was US and WE!  With support that all would envy and crave, there was nothing for me to be concerned about but to simply ride with passion and Glorify God in my endeavor!  Wow, how did that become so easy?  I finished in just over 11 hours, a bit tired but overwhelemed with emotion.  The next day I was ready to do it again...well, maybe, as we didn't have to test that "good idea theory"...ha-ha!  And then the mind was racing..."under 9-hours?  Too easy"!  So I spent the next few months with that idea racing through my mind.  Then it was time for the lottery...wow, how focus can be diverted!  Alec throws his name into the lottery.  Holy cow, my "mechainc", my son wants to race?  So we talk and he feels the passion and desire.  And then Neil, Kailey's brother, joins the lottery...Okay, so this is bigger than I imagined (okay, so now I think in a few years we'll have 10 of us ready to tackle the LT 100 but hey, think big, dream big, GO BIG) now! 

So let's put this into perspective...Alec has always despised "hills" - he believes a short climb over an over-pass is dreadful...and Neil, so he bought his first cross-country bike within the past month or so.  Hmm, do we have a new goal? 

So, how am I torn?  Do I focus on an "Under 9" completion or is my focus on helping train Alec and Neil to complete the race?  Maybe my calling is to help train Alec and Neil, train myself, and then we all execute a race plan that glorifies God, regardless of the "finish time"?  Follow our blog and enjoy the ride!

And OUR goal?  Well, you will have to stay tuned to learn more about it.  Let's just say that last year we raised over $10K for Kailey's Krew...yup, that is right, about the same as 2 NCAA soccer power houses raised...but now that the Pedal of Hope TEAM has grown, the stakes are higher, the desire is stronger, and we will Glorify God!

So, follow our Blog postings to hear about how we are doing...I promise not to edit the "challenges" between Alec and I when "training" becomes the focus of the conversation...ha-ha-ha!

We are going to have some fun this summer and when we arrive in Colorado, we are all going to feel the intensity and excitement!

Are you ready?  Because it is once again time to Saddle Up, Dig Deep, and Ride Hard!

We're Back!

Names have been drawn in the 2012 Leadville lottery. And the verdict is...... KAILEY'S KREW IS IN !!! Training begins tomorrow for Trent, Alec and Neil. Here we come Colorado!

                                   **  Leadville Trail 100 MTB Race | August 11, 2012  **

This is it. The race of all races. One hundred miles across the high-altitude, extreme terrain of the Colorado Rockies. Created for only the most determined athletes. Starting at 10,152 feet and climbing to 12,424 feet, you’ll be challenged to catch your breath — while the views try to take it away.