Trans-Iowa

[monkeyrider]

wish me luck. 3 weeks away. I'm hoping for good weather. Anyone done this race before?

[video=vimeo;24628823]http://vimeo.com/24628823[/video]

 

[Co-opski]

Looks like more work and less beer than RAGBRAI. good luck.

 

[p nut]

I haven't, but it is on my bucket list. Good luck.

 

[Christophe Noel]

Good luck!! Should be one helluva ride. I tried to get into the Dirty Kanza, but my schedule is a junk show this year. Let us know how it goes!

 

[kmacafee]

I provided medical/mechanical support for it. Given the winter we have had, plan on epic mud.

 

[monkeyrider]

As of yesterday, the course was bone dry. Today they received about 2 inches of rain. They should be throwing fresh gravel on the roads in the next two weeks as well.
B road from the course



Training is going okay I guess. The last few weeks I've ramped up my sunday rides, 50, 80, 100, 150, 145, 80, next week 50. Last week I ripped off my RD on a snow covered, muddy B road. Had to ss it home 70 miles into a strong headwind.

 

[monkeyrider]

TIV10 is in the books. I was one of 19 finishers out of 104 that started. This race is a beast. It took me more than 33 hours. 18-20,000 feet of climbing. 20 mph winds during the day, 30mph at night. Lightning, rain, and generally crappy conditions overnight. We hid at a farm around 2:00 am, leaning up against a building to get cover. I rode with two other guys I met on the course. With 60 miles left, one guy dropped. A few minutes later the other had to back off the pace. Then I put the hammer down as I was running out of time to hit the 34 hour cut-off.

with 40 to go I had a stretch of 10 miles into a 30 mph headwind riding solo. That sucked. When I made the turn I knew I had it beat. The last 10 miles were with the wind. I coasted for miles.

My coach/spouse gave me great advice. She set up a training schedule so I was riding 150s using cue sheets and starting at 4:00 am. She made rice cakes for me from the Feed Zone cookbook. These were awesome.

the first audio clip from John Mathias sums it up pretty well.
http://www.mountainbikeradio.com/trans-iowa-radio/

a wreck at the finish rolls in:

 

[squatch]

Great Job! I would love to race this someday. How were all the B roads?

 

[monkeyrider]

Great Job! I would love to race this someday. How were all the B roads?

mixed bag. in the morning I walked about half of the first two as they were muddy. Through the day on Sat they dried out nicely and were rideable. Overnight they were wet and Sunday dry. We rode 10-12 b roads. the most ever for TI. Mark wanted to have 10 for the tenth year.

 

[squatch]

Thats cool. were they long sections? The B roads that is? What was your bike set up? I ride a lot of gravel up here and have to jump in to the grinder races. Thanks

 

[monkeyrider]

Thats cool. were they long sections? The B roads that is? What was your bike set up? I ride a lot of gravel up here and have to jump in to the grinder races. Thanks

the b roads were not too long. usually 1-2 miles at a stretch.

I rode a Salsa Casseroll. 42c conti speed tires. relevate tangle bag for food and tools. planet bike top tube bag for food and phone. I carried a hydrapak bag for food and extra clothes. I never did fill the bladder with water. I carried 3 bottles on the bike. My set-up worked well. I'd tweak it if I do the race again, but not much would change.

I try to do one gravel race a year like the almanzo, ragnarok or TI. I'd like to do Dirty Kanza at some point.

 

[washington taco]

Awesome!! Congrats 19 out of 104 pretty good!

 

[squatch]

Thanks Monkey rider! Can't wait to try one. Did a 75 mile gravel ride today. It was awesome!

 

[Butch1979]

nice work! Do you have any additional pics?

 

[monkeyrider]

sunrise #1


B road


Dog


taking a break


B road


at the finish