Don't listen to me, follow the Spirit Bear if you want to learn the ways of the forest..

It's pretty easy to get frustrated in search of the Spirit Bear, he roams the woods and climbs the peaks with ease. Your biggest day outside all summer will just be another average day in the life of the effortless wanderer... He checks in after stomping out those who challenged him on his home range at Heron Park:

Herron Hammer- 2012 Race Report

Ben Parsons Team Sportsman Ski Haus/Hammer endorsed “Pro” racer

The season is off and running, the anticipation has come to fruition, and rubber is meeting the road, or trail actually.  After months of going on long, slow, cold rides, suffering through yet another cold and wet spring, and early mornings in the gym, the time has come to let the delusions of grandeur come toppling down with a nice slice of reality… you can’t win ‘em all.  But, you might get lucky and win one!  And one, I will take with much contentment.

After kicking of the Montana Off Road season with my least favorite race ever (the Unravel the Scratchgravel in Helena), it looked like I was going to have to train my mental fortitude as much as my power at lactate threshold.  I dislike (mom said I can’t say hate) this race very much because it never fails to make me feel like I should be racing 13 year olds, not the cat 1/pro field.  With short rolling climbs, an advertised “70% double track”, and lack of any technical challenges, it is my nemisis of a mountain bike race.  So I figure there’s no better way to kick off the season with some “character building”. Which is exactly what happened after limping in one off the podium and what felt like eons behind race winner and recent Colorado implant Travis Scheefer. Driving home from the weekend, I was actually quite positive knowing that it was to be expected, and really, I felt pretty decent for my first race effort of the season.   I was charged up for the first big goal of the season, the Herron Hammer, a local race touting $1000 purse and a shot for local glory and bragging rights.

Two weeks later, strongmen and women from around the state converged on a perfect spring day for a couple hours of sick singletrack racing on the newly constructed trails of the Foys to Blacktail organization.   I had been doing some recon work on the trail the last few weeks, and felt confident that it would be a good course for me, granted I could hang with the leaders on the climbs.  Though I consider myself a climber, I usually don’t sharpen my goat hoofs til July or August, and I prefer climbs that resemble more of a wall than a gradual ramp.  Looking around at the comp at the line, I said a quick prayer and hoped to simply enjoy the experience of racing.   The first lap is usually anything buy enjoying racing as the legs are in shock of the lactic flooding and nerves are high while jockeying for position and loosing contact with the leaders.   I kept calm though knowing I would catch up on the decent by employing my jedi trail powers coupled with local knowledge.  Sure enough, 5 or 6 of us started the next lap with the young phenom of Helena (Landon Beckner) throwing down the watts and putting us all in the ringer while catching local fast dad Matt Butterfield.  Phil and Mully (Cling Muhlfield) started loosing contact as the screws kept tightening, and I sucked wheel as hard as I could on singletrack while climbing.   Reaching the top of the 2^nd lap, I cut around young Landon and Butterfield and said “Matty, lets sink like stones and drop this youngin… He’s too strong!”  Matt and I hit the 3^rd lap with a good amount of breathing room, and then I was left to mentally tell myself that if I could just hang on to the last lap, I would have what it takes to joust Butterfield for the win.  Sure enough, we started up the climb of the 4^th lap together, almost rolling at a conversational pace.  Two thirds of the way up Matt asked, “Is this our 3^rd lap?”, to which I thought, “He must not want this as bad as I do, attack now and cash in the chips!”  I dropped a couple gears, locked out the Lefty, and swung back and forth over the bars trying to eek out an attack from my rapidly seizing quads.  I managed to gain a few bike lengths going into the final singletrack climb and knew I had it in the bag barring any flats or freak incidences.  Descending the three miles of swooping singy to the finish was a great feeling, being able to enjoy the fruits of hard work and suffering while being one with bike, trail, and lycra. Coming through the finish line, I’m pretty sure I raised my arms, which may be unwarranted in a Montana mountain bike race, but I didn’t care, it was an amazing feeling pulling off a hard fought win in front of the home crowd.  

Unfortunately, I find myself a little complacent after winning a race and I think I’m in for a brutal awakening this weekend lining up with hungry racers wanting revenge and an all but guaranteed London 2012 mountain bike Olympian!   Ah well, enjoy ‘em while ya can, cause next go around, a chunk of humble pie will go down like a box of rocks.  Happy trails and enjoy the season, think about how much you’ve all ready invested into it, might as well enjoy it win, lose, or draw!

Mid-Pack Holeshot...

Had a good start to the Whiskey Fat Tire Crit... was navigating through riders with ease! For about 90 seconds, then I blew sky high. I'm in this sea of spandex, maybe 7th row, very white skin. 

Not a great performance, but not to worry, the guns will be blazin' tomorrow morning!

The Weakest Link

When I first moved to Whitefish almost 4 years ago (with all my possessions loaded in an unlicensed 1981 Toyota  2wd pickup), I had some pretty valid excuses that prevented me from chasing the dream of racing my mountain bike across the land.

-My income: Minimal.
-My vehicle: Shitty.
-Time off work? Nope.

-Race budget: Out of pocket :(
-My bike: Kona single speed 29er with raked out (bent) "freeride edition" fork.

Don't get me wrong, I was happy as a clam with my rolling junkshow, but deep in my haunches I knew I was capable of better. When I moved to Working Lightly (the Yoga Ranch days), I was far removed from the racing scene, but in the center of the trail universe. My time in the single wide at Tally Lake was a much needed reboot to figure out what exactly I wanted to do in life. As my good buddy Brendan Halpin realized after 15 minutes solo at my house; "Phil, the only two options here are stare at the wall or exercise"!

Times were good on the ranch, but a 25 year old guy can't stay holed up in the woods all by himself, I had to get back out into the world. I wanted to show my fancy footwork to all that seemed interested. Two years ago I took a job at Hammer Nutrition, and it has taken me far and wide. But the life of a trucker/desk jockey/racer wasn't ideal either. Last season I was more fired up than ever about racing, but had little time to train, excuses excuses. Last summer was great, my local sponsor Sportsman & Ski Haus was a big help, and our sweet Cannondale Bikes made up a lot of the slack for my extra weight and lack of #training. I got a good laugh about being significantly heavier than most of the other pro mountain bikers out there, and even came up with a cheeky name for my lack of top end fitness, the "resort leg". 

I wasn't disappointed with myself about last season, I'm pretty confident I did the best I could given my schedule (and I can pretty much guarantee I'm the only guy that worked all of Interbike, closed down the Sinclair Imports party, flew to Bend and placed well at Marathon Nationals!). But I still had this * next to everything... More excuses.

So when I started thinking about 2012 and what I wanted to do on my mountain bike, and what areas needed improvement, everything pointed towards me, I was the weakest link in the program. 

-My income: Enough.
-My vehicle: Decent.
-Time off work? Generous.

-Race budget: $$$ in the bank.
-My whip (s): Cannondale Scalpel 29 (so rad), Cannondale Flash 29 Ultimate (20 pound race hardtail).

A wise man once said, it's not the arrow, it's the Indian. So now that all the pieces are in place, there are no excuses left. With no one to blame but myself, one could look at this as a lot of excess pressure to succeed, but I find it's quite the contrary. #Training is easy, it's the combination of $upport, time and motivation that can be ever so difficult for the privateer to round up. And if I ever don't feel like grinding out some hard ride by myself, I've always got the best crew of Trail Rangers the world has ever seen to recharge the nitro boost!

So now that all has (mostly) come together, I'm super pumped to get out to the races this summer. We're super lucky to have nationals and the prestigious Missoula XC back to back again, it's not often that Montana sees such high levels of competition, so it definitely warrants firing on all cylinders. I also wanted to pass on a huge thank you to two new sponsors. Two of the most storied brands in Mountain Biking have signed on to help me out, ESI Grips and Shimano MTB. 

ESI Grips are one of the most simple yet profoundly amazing upgrades one can make to a mountain bike, at any price. They are not only the lightest grips by far, but feel the best on your hands no matter how far the ride. 

Shimano needs no introduction from me, they have been behind mountain biking since before I was even around. After screwing around with all sorts of janky parts the last couple years, I'm very excited to know there is unmatched precision behind every shift of my XTR drivetrain, and the brakes have enough power to hold back the Spokane River at near floodstage!

Receiving product support really helps, but mainly it's just knowing that there's actually someone else out there besides myself that wants to see me race well is the big perk. Intervals are a hell of a lot easier when I can see a little light at the end of the tunnel, knowing there is at least some small reason that I'm cross eyed and about to fall off the bike in pain on that after work ride!

So thanks again to all the help keep the dream alive, hope to see everyone on the trail this summer!

Vertical Madness

With more hype than "shit cyclists say", La Nina Winter 2012 aka "snowmadegeddon", "powpacalypse", "dirty lying bitch" or whatever you want to call her has arrived to the West..sort of.

When it comes to pow, I'm not one to complain about which resort has more or dwell on how far we could stormchase on any given weekend. I shelled out $560 for a season pass on Big Mountain, I live 8 minutes from the hill, and I'm pretty much happy to ski there bell to bell all winter long. It never really dumps here (a 12" day might happen twice a year), but the skiing's great and you can almost always find ze pow if you look around a bit. This is after all, my off season.

Although winter time is about as non-competitive as I get, Whitefish Mountain Resort has this pesky little "just for fun" contest (ie race) going on that is starting to take over my mind. The Vertical Tracker. It's a pretty simple experiment in modern psychology really, how do you get people to ski more (and thus spend more money)? Make it a contest and publish the results on the internet!

http://skiwhitefish.com/vertical_tracker.php

The extent to which Whitefishers go to be #1 on Big Mountain are quite remarkable, if not just plain ridiculous. You want to crack the top 30? Don't even think about having a job during lift hours. Think you can hang in the top-ten? Cancel that run down the East Rim, the accompanying cat track down Russ' Street takes too long. To win the vertical challenge you're basically required to run groomers non-stop all winter (we're one month into ski season and the leaders are already at 1.4 million feet). That's dedication, or perhaps just...Madness?

I realized I had Vertical Madness this Saturday, when at 3 O'clock on a mediocre day my friends wanted to have nachos and beers. I had been skiing non stop from 9-3, my legs we're pretty tired and I was fairly hungry and thirsty. But the thought that the bull wheel was spinning without me cast a terrible spell of anxiety over me. I'm guessing this is a common feeling among the ranks of the top 100 on Big Mountain. Especially for the weekend warriors in the peloton. Anyway, I told myself to chill, nachos and beers are a very important part of skiing, plus it was a Saturday so I could go back out later for night laps.

This morning I made the front page (top-99) for the first time in the Adult Category, holding down 81st place. We all know spandex clad cyclists are a very odd bunch, but I'm starting to think this crowd might have a few more screws loose!

Take Fred Frost for example, an old timer and multiple vertical challenge winner. Did his parents know his destiny was to spin laps all winter long when they named him Fred Frost? He can be seen on Big Mountain looking like a 1980's Santa in a purple and black onesie, complete with butt flap. Then there's the carver boarders, "Angry Rick" and "Johnny Vertical" in resplendent neon and full-face helmets, they are such a fixture on Toni Matt it's as if we're living in a video game. I've even noticed a new trend which I've yet to prove, but do have some evidence. I think some people are using fake names just to look better in the top 50. Take Alan McAlpine for example, 31st place. Have you ever heard of anyone with the last name McAlpine? Honestly, what kind of background check does the resort conduct if you have cash money and want a pass anyway?Maybe next year I'll sign up as Starfish Grove.

 

One thing's for certain, winter would be a hell of a lot longer, colder and much less entertaining without the antics of skiing. It's one of the few sports you can do from the day you start walking until the day you stop. Now matter what level you're at, there is always something bigger, and always room to get better. Take Noah Young for example, philosopher responsible for "the ski bum never says no" and "you don't know if you don't go". With 96 inches the last ten days at Mt. Baker, and a season pass on probation, he's mixing it up by tele skiing pillow lines with a kayak paddle below the resort and thumbing it back to the parking lot.

Is he nuts? I'll take Vertical Madness over Seasonal Affected Disorder any day of the week.

-Starfish

PS thanks to winter time friends Black Diamond Equipment, Deschutes Brewing and Nachos for keeping the dream alive.

2012- Be my Coach!

Although 2011 was a great year for me (at least in my opinion) in terms of results, I sometimes found myself blurring the line between my A,B, and C races, as well as my Tier 1, 2 and 3 social events. This was in part by design as I see no difference between training days, work days, big rides, big races and big nights, it's all just a part of life. I was also really never very fit in 2011 (also just my opinion), but started to learn to beat people with craftiness and wit instead of old fashioned shock and awe like the good old days of '06 or '09.

For example at Unravel the Scratchgravel this spring (probably about my 5th mountain bike ride), I knew it was podium or bust, but I was hurting like the dog trying to stay 3rd place R.A. Schoenfelder. I wore all of my pain on my sleeve (which was pretty easy on the last lap) until about 4 minutes out from the finish line. A slight rise on a dirt road was the spark I needed to come up with the Crocodile Roll theory of mountain biking. Think about it, the Crocodile is a fairly lethargic animal, except when he needs to throw down a wildebeest sinking death roll! So instead of limping in for 4th, I decided to do the Crocodile Roll for a bit, which was all I needed to cross the line in 3rd. I'm not saying that 3rd or 4th place at Unravel the Scratchgravel is very important, but it's nice to learn a some tricks along the way. It's almost a good thing to be out of shape sometimes, you can focus a bit on technique and strategery, rather than just outgunning folks. Plus you know at some point, you'll be up against someone way better than you, unless you're Jaroslav Kulhavy. So you might as well have a few tricks up your sleeve.

Anyway, I drift from the desired content of this post, just as I drift through the racing season like the Buffalo. I'm a firm believer that we all have the power to do pretty much whatever we please on a bicycle. The tricky part is the rock solid drive, determination and focus of a Corbin or a Schultz. I'm not really the type to key in on specific races-I like to race about 2-3 weekends a month from April thru November, and I want to win them all (ok, top 20 at a pro mtb race counts as #winning for this clydedale). I will however acknowledge that some starts are more important than others. After much deliberation with my coach regarding my A,B and C races next year, he said, I don't know, let the people decide (I think he said this cuz he's lazy).

As uninterested in my season as my coach appears to be, I must admit I think he's on to something. As a racer I've never felt so many positive vibes as I did at this summer's Missoula XC. It was almost as if someone was pushing myself and Dale's tank-ass mountain bike up Marshall Mountain. So much of a riders power can come from the fans. So as a thank you to anyone who was yelling and screaming at Missoula XC, Rolling Thunder, or scoping results on the internet, I would like to present you with the opportunity to dictate my 2012 racing program. I've created a handy poll with races I'd like to do, and even allowed any loyal (bored?) folk to add in their own feats of strength for me to pursue in 2012. I'll split the results into thirds (my A,B and C races), and boom, there's my racing program for next year! Tell me what to do, and I'll get nasty!

Mt. Sentinel Hill Climb, the last laugh of a season.

For the true Montana endurance racer, the season starts on the farm roads of the Speedwagon Classic in Polson, and concludes atop a snowy Mt. Sentinel in November. There’s really very little to prove (except on the ski hill) outside of these stops on the calendar. This race, although fairly short and not the most challenging for those in any sort of condition, is held in high regard by many of Montana’s elite. Perhaps because many of us have fond memories of being a broke collegiate athlete with not a care in the world other than going racing, and enjoy donating to the U of M Triathlon Team. Or more likely, the prospect of being king or queen of the most walked hill in Montana awakens assorted groggy athletes on an otherwise gray and uneventful November morning. Whatever the draw, the Mt. Sentinel Hill Climb is definitely a favorite on the calendar for many.

My crowd, the Mangy Crew, has been suffering their way (you can likely guess the reason for our suffering), up this mountain for years. At this point in the season, there seems to be a dwindling few that are taking any events very seriously. In fact, a missed call on my phone at around 1AM on the morning of the race from this year’s winner is a good indicator of most of our preparation. Regardless, to paraphrase the great cannibal, talent has very little to do with how much blood your heart can pump, but more important is one’s propensity to suffer. At the start line, there seemed to be very few who had intentions of giving a very fit Brendan Halpin any challenge to the top. Even the “Terminator” Adam Jensen, beaten down from a marathon the week prior, seemed to have little hope. Old Man Seeley is always up for a challenge, as well as a few other from the Missoula running community. On the ladies side, the race was up for grabs. UM Tri had sent one of their finest, Katherine Kettering. Local fitness guru Emily Kipp was looking mean, and new girl Jess Culver could have made the cover of the Lululemon catalogue with her hot outfit. Also of note on the ladies side, pro tour princess Sam Schultz didn’t want to hurt his feet or something, so he rode up the hill instead. I myself was desperately trying to reach homeostasis before the start, wandering around the parking lot like a buffoon, and had to reboot the system twice before the gun went off.

Although the hole shot was a terrible weakness of mine this cross season, I had a good one on Saturday. While most racers reluctantly accepted the fact they had to run up a mountain, I blasted the uphill line, shooting into the top ten as my head felt like it was about to explode. After about 50 meters however, an energetic Tri-Jalapeno was setting a caliente pace that no one wanted a taste of. Fast starters Doug Shryock and Owen Gue were noticeably absent from the Sherpa line up front. Seeing as how I lost to both of these cats and Rolling Thunder, I sent word to the engine room that my brain would feel no pain today other than my screaming headache. So from about 3 minutes into the race, I gave the all clear for "past full throttle" I worked my way through some folk who looked increasingly fit with the passing of each runner. Soon we passed the “M”, and with the end of the nasty switchbacks comes an even nastier steady two mile grunt to the summit. A little ways after passing UM Tri’s Johnny Montana, a brief lapse of skill caused a small crash on my part. I was back up and going before losing any spots. I’ve always thought of myself as very skilled at crashing, rarely injuring myself and usually plotting my restart before I’ve even hit the deck. Closer to the top, I was just out of closing distance to Beef Cake Jensen and another runner (later discovered was Caleb Ambrose just in front of me) who I didn’t know but who was also moving along at a good clip. It was tough to keep the legs churning through this no man’s land, behind the top 5 and seemingly well in front of everyone else. However I soon realized due to one loud footstep that a resurgent Owen Gue was closing fast. Owen had a great cross season, beating me easily on three occasions. I had pretty much had enough of his charismatic smile waiting for me at the finish line, so as we approached the bend to the final push, I was pouring coals on the fire like fossil fuels were going out of style. Photographic evidence at the top clearly indicates that I was much more invested in this effort than OG, but sometimes you just gotta blow out the pipes!

Stumbling back down the hill gave a great perspective on some great battles still unfolding. A few of these I’ll never forget:

-Peter Lambros throwing down a leg breaking attack on Dale “The Whale” Shryock, reminiscent of the debate scene in Old School where James Carville finally replies “I have no response”.

-Katherine Kettering hacking up a lung on her way to a surprising but well deserved women’s victory (schooling an off the wagon Ben Horan in the process).

-Pops Radley powering his way to the top, his enthusiasm about this race is probably responsible for 20% of the field showing up.

-Youngest Seeley, on the trail of tears cuz her older sister dropped her.

All in all, this was my favorite Mt. Sentinel Hill Climb in memory, a great bookend to the best season yet for many Monatana athletes. Thanks to UM Triathlon for putting this on and best of luck to you next season. Huge congrats to Brendan Halpin and Katherine Kettering on their convincing wins, and good luck to Brendan at Ironman Cozumel as he goes beyond the traditional end of the calendar.

Vertical Challenge, The Next Level

OffDa wagon right now, so it's a good time to watch other people do cool things. My co-worker Bradley is putting on a great event if you're around the valley (Flathead) this Friday. Slideshow/presentation with this guy Greg Hill from Canada. He's clocked almost to 2 million uphill vertical in a calendar year! Lots of cool photos and tales, and if that doesn't sound fun, all sorts of ale!

http://www.greghill.ca/

Details at:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=172299912798058