Solo Solo 2011 <Vegas to Reno> <Baja 1000> – Slow Man Racing for a charity

[mknight]

Loved every minute of it Phil. You have reason to be proud and thanks for taking the time to finish up the race report.

[nxdirtbag]

Great job Phil. Riding and Writing!!!!!

Thanks again for taking us along,
Wayne

[pilo]

[Goofy Footer]

Originally Posted by pilo

I've read through your thread and this is my first reply. Good work Phil!

Do you know your average speed through the total B1k? I like seeing your segment times as it helps me understand how fast guys run for that long distance. If you had to guess, what was the percentage of riding you spent below 30mph, 30-65mph and above 65mph?

I'm just trying to see how open top speed or slow speed technical/whooped out the course was. I appreciate your detailed postings, it goes a long way to put your efforts into perspective.

If it means anything to you, after reading many of your posts I would head out to the SoCal deserts and lay down fast, high mileage days, constantly keeping an eye on my moving average pretending I was "training" for a race.

Any hope on your book going to paper? I guess I could just sack up and get the kindle app for my phone.

Also, what are your top 5 training tips? I'd love to hear them!

Thanks!

[wilkinsonk]

Originally Posted by Goofy Footer

Do you know your average speed through the total B1k? I like seeing your segment times as it helps me understand how fast guys run for that long distance. If you had to guess, what was the percentage of riding you spent below 30mph, 30-65mph and above 65mph?

According to one of his previous posts, it looks like he averaged a little over 24mph for the 705 miles. Great job in anyone's book.

[pilo]

Originally Posted by Goofy Footer

Do you know your average speed through the total B1k? I like seeing your segment times as it helps me understand how fast guys run for that long distance. If you had to guess, what was the percentage of riding you spent below 30mph, 30-65mph and above 65mph?

As pointed out above from wilkinsonk my total avg was a little over 24 mph and the moving avg was probably somewhere over 26. I can tell you for sure the 250 miles of whoops had a huge percentage under 25 mph. There is just no way to charge them for very long.

A funny story is that one of the days of pre-running we parked next to David Pearson (Team Green) and got to chat with him for a couple of minutes before he took off up towards Mike's. His section this year was most of San Felipe and we asked him if he was able to charge the whole section and he shook his head and said "No way. They are just too big. We have to roll some of them just like the rest." So then Mr. Intelligent comment Phil says something like "but you're a gear higher the rest of the time" and he smiled and said, "try two gears higher...at least." That's flying...

Overall I'd say that speeds greater than 65 was maybe 10% of the race, if that. Vegas to Reno was much higher. I was in 4th gear a lot, but obviously I was in 2nd gear a lot too, or else my avg would have been a lot higher.

Originally Posted by Goofy Footer

I'm just trying to see how open top speed or slow speed technical/whooped out the course was. I appreciate your detailed postings, it goes a long way to put your efforts into perspective.

It was very technical. Way more challenging than I expected. Up until race mile 100 it was a dream and after that there were no sections to relax. It is not a lie that the entire 250-300 miles of San Felipe is whoops. I didn't believe it when I heard it. I thought there was no way it would be solid whoops. I was utterly and completely wrong.

Another funny story. The other day I was talking to 257x, Mike Frick (other solo finisher) and telling him the trouble I was having on the silt hills near Ojos and he was telling me how he didn't even remember them. I think his mind had checked out at the end or else the sun coming up gave him an adrenalin rush that turned him into a superhero.

Originally Posted by Goofy Footer

If it means anything to you, after reading many of your posts I would head out to the SoCal deserts and lay down fast, high mileage days, constantly keeping an eye on my moving average pretending I was "training" for a race.

Hey, if it means something to you, then it definitely means something to me. The fact is that you were training, with no quotes around the word. You were out riding long days. There is no way to duplicate that at the gym or behind a keyboard.

Originally Posted by Goofy Footer

Any hope on your book going to paper? I guess I could just sack up and get the kindle app for my phone.

There is hope for it going to paper, but the cost to the reader is pretty high for a printed book with pictures. Currently it would be about $25 and until I can get a bit more momentum with the ebook I'm not focused on getting the printed version out. On the good side, from the Smashwords.com site you can download the book in lots of different formats including HTML and PDF that you can read on your PC if you want. I know for some people it is not ideal. However, I was at first grumpy about reading books on an ereader, but when I finally bit the bullet a couple of years ago and got one, it only took 10 pages or so for me to be convinced of the value of the format and my ability to get absorbed in the material. I thought I could never get "absorbed" into an ebook. I was wrong for sure.

Originally Posted by Goofy Footer

Also, what are your top 5 training tips? I'd love to hear them!

Sheesh. I'll share since you ask but remember I'm just a guy figuring it out as I go along. I'll let you know what comes to mind, but of course what worked for me might not for everyone. On page 10 I provided some more detail on some of the training and nutrition, but here is current list of what I think is important.

1) Make the commitment - I made this a priority. I got up everyday and made no excuses not to get it my exercising or training. I did it in the off hours as much as I could so I had as little impact as possible on my family. Once they saw the extra sacrifices I was making for my goal, they were amazingly accommodating.

2) Don't worry about what you eat - If you exercise a lot, you'll need a lot of fuel. Limit the really nasty stuff but continue to eat a lot of good stuff. This isn't a beauty contest and I wasn't posing next to Arnold. I wanted to be strong enough to ride a long time. 2% body fat was not my goal.

3) Run - Row - Ride - This worked for me. I kept the variety of other things. I sometimes swapped an elliptical or bike for running, but this was the main combo that worked for me and kept me from getting too bored with exercising. I still insist that running 6 miles with a 5 pound weight in each hand is an awesome workout for stamina, arms, shoulders and back.

4) Do some distance - Go out and trail ride 100 miles with stopping only for gas. Tell your friends what you are going to do...some will think it's a keen idea and go with you, others (many) will think you are a nut.

5) Test your hydration - As mentioned previously a big breakthrough for me was figuring out the Hammer products (substitute any endurance product). They work. Go on rides using them. Do shorter races using them. My performance changed measurably and my recovery was totally different.

6) Smile - It's all for fun right. I did this as a personal goal and there were many times when I was out all by myself at 7AM in the middle of the desert yelling out loud about how much fun I was having. Like a deranged lonely rider.

Thanks for asking.

-Phil

[HardWorkingDog]

Good stuff.

Thank you...very inspiring.

[Goofy Footer]

Phil, awesome reply! Your response provides the kind of insight I can't get without being there. Your level of detail is what keeps me subscribed.

This weekend I rode 350+ miles as a sweep rider for a dualsport event in the local desert. After the 200 mile first day my right hand was killing me. Between blisters and hand cramps it was a pain. I kept thinking how guys like you deal with that. I've seen pictures of racers with absolutely gnarly blisters that look utterly painful. I guess nothing replaces time on the bike in full gear (trying out different gloves and grips etc). I also really like your idea of running with 5 pound weights to strengthen your grip (along with arms etc).

To be riding for 29 hours is nuts. In Nov I did a 24 hour Iron Butt Challenge and was dead tired after that, I can't imagine going off road for a longer amount of time.

Thanks for replying about the gearing and speed etc. Being that I haven't rode the course (looking to do my first baja ride in Spring) its hard to understand the terrain and pace you guys are riding (videos don't do it justice). From your posts, fitness/prep and consistency seem to be the keys to a successful race as opposed to flat out speed. Granted you're a competent rider so that helps but at 29 hours on a bike there has to be a time when physical talent subsides and its all mental. You've provided the ADV community a great tutorial on your experience.

Thanks!

[yellowbronco]

[QUOTE=Goofy Footer;18101943]
To be riding for 29 hours is nuts. In Nov I did a 24 hour Iron Butt Challenge and was dead tired after that, I can't imagine going off road for a longer amount of time.

QUOTE]

I don't pretend to speak for Phil but maybe he can confirm my experience. I've found it easier to ride endurance events if they're off road despite the fact that this type of riding is much more physically demanding. First, I tend to take off road riding much more seriously and eat and hydrate much better than I do for a day on the tar. Second, when riding off road, I end up never allowing a single part of my body to get over-fatigued like I do on the street. My entire body may get much more tired wile riding off road but my butt never suffers like it does on the street. Finally, riding off road is much more exhilirating for me because of the constantly changing terrain. You just dont find youself constantly struggling to stay upright when riding on the street like you do when off road, especially if you're racing. Maybe I'm just an adrenaline junky (I've nearly passed out after a race or two when I finally came off of the high and I was so exhausted that I had to be driven home - couldn't drive myself).

I've done Vegas to Reno and was in pretty good shape after 12.5 hours. I did a long dual sport ride in Death Valley and Saline Valley for about 15 hours and the only reason I was wiped out was because it was August and the heat...OH, the heat!

Riding for 4 or 5 hours on the slab and I'm done!

Tom

[RetrogradE]

Legit, Phil.

Congratulations. I'm very impressed. So cool.

Next up: Dakar?

[pilo]

My good friend Matt is Soloing the 1000 this year. If you haven't yet, read about it here.

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=809306

Also, this was published in CycleWorld a few months back and I forgot to link it here. It might be a good cliff notes version of the full story of anyone is interested.

http://www.cycleworld.com/2012/07/04...the-baja-1000/