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Team SOLE solo...
Yeah, we know.... a lot of mountain biking these days. It's fun and challenging and a little nerve racking to do these "sprint" races, especially when you realize you are all on your own... no teammates to help you with a flat tire, broken bike or any of that. In fact, mtb rules actually forbid you from even getting help from a fellow competitor, a different realm for sure. We arrived at the start just minutes before the start of the Women's Pro/Category 1 start...wouldn't want to waste any time waiting around for the start. Karen races in Category 1 and finished first in Cat 1 and 2nd overall. A good ride in just over 2 hours, nice and short compared to the 12 hour which took place on almost the same course. Paul continued to surprise everyone, "who is this guy, he's fast, he's riding a rigid front fork, and a 1x9 (nearly a single speed for those of you who aren't in the know). So Paul killed it again, placing top 10 in the Pros and 2nd in his class (we think... - though official results weren't posted when we had to leave).
Jordan also put in his time on the course and finished 3rd in his class despite some technical problems with his front shock. He is improving his skills faster than we can keep track of and he's enjoying the mountain biking scene. Now off to Explore Sweden - Check for updates and a link here. Paul's going to keep it all current while Karen goes out and does the hard work! (ha!)
Team SOLE gives SUPER D a try...
Continuing our test in the mountain biking scene, we arrived at the local bike park, Rim Nordic to test our skills in the SUPER D. Super D is a mix between X-Country and Downhill. A downhill course will some climbing and hard sprint pedaling. It's a mass start with your own group and a sprint to get to the singletrack first. A friend and fellow racer, Derek Hermon of Bear Valley Bikes, says Super D is made to expand your lungs and then fill them up with dirt and dust. Racing for Team Bear Valley Bikes to earn some team points for the Rim Nordic Series, Paul lead his group on the sprint and took the lead within minutes. Karen did the same, leaving the small field of women gasping for air on the gradual fireroad climb. Paul finished up 3rd OVERALL, a great run that surprised some seasoned Super D racers for sure. Karen finished 1st in the womens field. It was a good day for Team SOLE. We're heading to the XC races tomorrow.
Team SOLE Reigns at 12 hrs of Rim Nordic Endurance Mtn Bike Race
Just 5 days after an absolute body thrashing at the Holcomb Valley 54km trail run, P and Super K drag ourselves to the start line of this inaugural 12 hour nonstop, SOLO event.
Karen and Jordan were able to get to race venue, campout, relax (Paul's point of view), sleep a bit. Paul came directly from a 24 hour shift on the helo/medic shift in Las Vegas. Left Vegas at 4 am after scraping up a semi tractor trailer vs honda full of illegals. Nothing a can of FRS and bowl of yogurt can't get me through. Paul pulls into venue 45 minutes before start, Karen and Jordan have organized fuel, bikes, clothing EZ-up, food, tables, chairs, banners, water, etc. (been relaxing...) our pit all ready.
There are about 600 racers in attendance. The course- 9 miles of bone jarring beat up alpine single track. It's dry/parched/silty at times, and steep as hell mountain biking on tap. P and K racing Pro-SOLO and based on our pre-run, we estimate 10 laps, at the most.
Come 9pm, K had battled with another gal (sorry, forgot her name) for the 'race of the day', finishing second by only 4 minutes after 12 hours of racing with 11 laps. Paul- wins Men's Pro SOLO division, with 12 laps. Nobody was more shocked than the two of us. This mountain bike endurance racing is fun and we'd might consider doing it a bit more, IF only it paid. We managed 12 hours of absolute trashing of our bodies and bikes, 'relatively' unscathed.
We could not have done it were it not for the seemless support by Jordan, Bri, and the Williams gang and the bodily support from Hammer Nutrition. We ate nothing else.
Next on tap- Rim Nordic Mountain Bike Race (yes, MTB race again), for SUPER D, then Cross Country. Karen, will then jam to Europe for the MONSTER, the Explore Sweden Mega Expedition. Paul will be stepping down for this race, due to aggravating an injury dating all the way back from Abu Dhabi in December. An inflamed/torn quadricep (lateralis) attachment was beat after the 12 hour. Going for 1100km and 6 days around the clock is out of the question until I get this fixed. Updates/full blogging to be happening right here on Team SOLE website, tracking Team SOLE/Hercules (Swede/US) at this Adventure Racing World Championship Qualifier, starting July 3.
Paul and Karen Take-on their First Ever "Running" Event
If we're going to do a running only event, we might as well make it worth our while," says Team SOLE. Why start with a 10 km or a Marathon, that wouldn't really support our motto of Go Fast Take Chances. So we joined Big Bear's Holcomb Valley 55km/33mile trail run race
Karen wins women division by 45 minutes
Paul lands top 10 overall
The line-up was stacked with California's top ultra runners as well as several novice and intermediate ultra runners. The course, starts right here on Big Bear Lake, and begins with a 1500 ft climb over the first 2 miles of the course. From there it climbs and winds all over the entire north shore ridge. Rocky singletrack, open dirt road, and a few truck loads of pain were involved. We have not been run training too much since our return from Everest, so it was jumping back in with both feet. We finished almost together in 5 hrs 34 minutes.
Cougar Crest Trail...the beginning climb of the race.
But, the truth of the matter is, the event had been sold out for months in advance. Our times will not be found on the race website, as we jumped in the course just a few hundred yards from start/finish. (sounds like a good excuse doesn't it) but come and watch us hobbling around from the pounding our legs took and you'll know we did the whole thing.
So for two people who've never entered a running race, never run a real marathon, we were pretty happy with our results. We could not pass up the opportunity to run this classic ultra run, and see the great work Pam and Gary do every year. We were not disappointed.
Jordan graces the podium in his first Mtn. Bike race
Newest Team SOLE member Jordan Romero, podiums at Big Bear Shootout Cross Country Mountain Bike Race.
As a part of Jordan's fitness training, Jordan's been spending plenty of time on his mountain bike and this spring he's really taken a liking to it. As we all know, love for a sport brings newfound skills and enthusiasm. He's got a slick new Intense 29er Spider (hand-me-down from Karen). He pre-ran the course to know what was coming and in his first ever mountain bike race, he pushed hard and let his newly acquired strength and bike skills to earn a 2nd place in the 2 hour XC race. He was just 10 seconds back from the leader, "an easy fix," says Jordan describing how he can get to the top of the podium. "I certainly know where I can gain 10 seconds," he says.
Team SOLE joins Bear Valley Bikes at 2009 US Cup Mountain Bike Race
2009 Racing Begins...
It's the season launch of the 2009 US Cup Mountain Bike Race Series in Fontana, California
Paul Wins his first ever Super D (a quick, sprint combo of Cross Country and Downhill) and
finished 8th place in Cat 1 Cross Country
Karen finished 3rd place in Cat 1 Cross Country
Ahhh... 75 degrees, mountain bike racing, a fantastic way to thaw out from the giant winter, and nothing but winter sports.
Watch Team SOLE on World of Adventure Sports
Jeep World of Adventure Sports will show the Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge on NBC Sports on Sunday January 18, 3p-4p EST. Check your local listings and set your DVR.
Team SOLE at Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge
After a quick trip to Portugal joining the Spanish team at the Portugal XPD Race, Paul returned to Big Bear for a couple of days and final preparations for Abu Dhabi. Karen and Paul were joined by former Team SOLE guest Chad Ulansky from Canada and South African Andre Gie of Team McCain. The foursome pulled some very last minute manuevers and a last minute visa to join the starting line up. The Abu Dhabi race has a unique format, something in between a sprint stage race and an expedition. Day 1 Adventure Triathlon (Bike, Paddle, Run, Paddle) - Day 2 Bike and Paddle - Day 3 Paddle - Day 4/5 Sand Dune Trekking - Day 6 Bike, Run, Ropes, Run, Bike. Paul suffered a torn quad muscle within the first few hours of the Sand Dune Trek and the team slowed significantly, but never gave up. Eventually Team SOLE finished in 9th place and considering everything, the team was happy with the result. It was a definite test of our teamwork and tenacity. Watch the Jeep World of Adventure Sports on NBC in January. They are planning a segment on the Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge featuring Team SOLE.
Check out Kodak Gallery, Checkpointzero.com and Sleepmonsters.com for additional photos.
More Photos from World Championships
Team SOLE joins Team Intense Cycles for 12hrs of Temecula
Rest, Recovery? Who needs it when you've got Hammer Nutrition on your team! Just 4 days after arriving home from Brazil we were invited to join Team Intense for the 12 hours of Temecula Mountain Bike Race. How could we resist?
So Saturday a.m. we started the race, doing sub 1 hour laps on the hot (90+ degrees), sandy (ah there is no sand after Brazil), windy (gusts of 30 mph +). Paul Cusick from Intense Cycles started out the team followed by Tyler Wilson (a pro dh rider from Intense - who's pretty fast on the uphills too!) then came Paul and finally Karen. We quickly gained a small lead and when Paul ran a 43 minute lap (certainly one of the fastest of the day) he gave us the boost we needed.
We're pretty sure the teams were surprised to see they had been beaten by a coed team as we took 1st place in the Team Division (with no gender categories). Congratulations also to 14 year old Casey Williams of Big Bear Lake who crushed the 18 and under field (and many others) in the SOLO division running 8 laps! Amazing job Casey!
Team SOLE Finishes 3rd at World Championships in Brazil
Photo Courtesy of Rob Howard Sleepmonsters
Described as hot, sandy, dry - the World Championship course took its toll on many of the World's top teams and the strategic moves and teamwork of the foursome of Paul, Karen, Ian and Nora paid off in an exciting 3rd place finish. Team SOLE vowed to run their own race and to use strategy and brainpower to the maximum and in doing so the two female two male team found a place atop the podium just minutes behind 2nd place after nearly 4 days of racing. With temps seen as high as 49C (120F) by the race organizers, the heat played a huge role in teams finishing the scorching course. We are beginning our long travel home and we'll write a detailed race report for you on the way. For those of you who saw our earler 2nd place finish reported online, the change in placing has to do with the dark zone/sailing leg. All good! Thanks to our sponsors for providing great products and great support. Thanks to our support crew: Steve, Amber, Rafa, Cesar, Val and Gaucho! Click here for race report.
FRS Joins Team SOLE
Adding to our already impressive line up of nutrition partners, we welcome FRS Energy on board. Specializing in the delivery of Quercetin as a secret weapon in the battle of fatigue, FRS combines a super tasty product with cutting edge antioxidant and recovery technology. Please pay them a visit at www.frs.com, and order your first batch today. You will be HOOKED.
Team SOLE/Toread - At Wulong Mountain Quest
Well sorry for the lack of updates...we started racing and it was all we could do. Clean and prepare gear and refuel and rest, get up to race our brains out and do it all again. Here's a fun report on the races. Take a look. RACE REPORT - CLICK HERE
About Team SOLE
Adventure Racing is one of the most
demanding sports an athlete can participate in. Involving all aspects of athleticism
and outdoorsmanship, Adventure Racing is rapidly growing in popularity. Consistently
ranked in the top 5 Adventure Racing teams in the world, Team SOLE relies on SOLE
Custom Footbeds to maintain their competitive advantage. To learn more about
SOLE Custom Footbeds please visit www.yoursole.com.
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