Syllamo's Revenge is the highlight of my race season. For me anyway it is the single most difficult event held in the state of Arkansas, and likely in the eastern US. (Of course exclude ultra-endurance 12-24 hour stuff...that's a different category.) I know the Ouachita Challenge is longer and you have Blowout & Brushy Mountains to contend with, but each of the two times I've finished the OC and SR I clearly felt that Syllamo was harder on me. It's a full body 50 mile beatdown. It is the ultimate mountain bike race. Almost 100% singletrack. You have to be in peak form of fitness and skill just to finish the damn thing. I'm not positive, but have been told there is over 5000 feet of climbing, not to mention the gnarliest decents & technical riding you'll find on an xc trail. Mix that in with the Bad Branch Loop where you can just lock it in and big-ring it for 12 miles or so, and it's a real test.
As I mentioned above, I've finished it twice. That's exactly how many times I've started it. Most folks will tell you that batting 1,000 at the Revenge is pretty damn good. I haven't had a single mechanical issue there or even a flat tire. But for some reason, I still feel the mountain bike gods owe me out there. (See Todd's involuntary dismount in the middle of Livingston Creek with water temp about 40 degrees. Going down. All in!) That water was eff'in cold!
In 2007 I rode the Revenge with my buddy James. We chilled out and rolled in at about 9:15 or so. Last year I ventured out solo and shaved about 3 hours off that time down to 6:32. Not a bad improvement. But for some reason I just have to believe I have more in me. Third place in Men 30-39 last year was 5:13. Why am I looking at third? That's the last rock! So...Is it possible for me to knock better than an hour off my time? I don't know. I'm not physically or genetically gifted enough for me to pull it off without some serious training. And I don't know if I can train enough to do it. We'll see. Truthfully, if I went sub-6 hour I would be happy. But damn I want to win in this race worse than any other. So much so that I'm using the Spa City 6 Hr and the Ouachita Challenge strictly as training events. In each of those I plan on tinkering with my bike setup (tire choice, pressure, fork pressure, etc...), strategy (start fast, start slow, ??), hydration and nutrition selection, etc. I'm planning on riding the carbon fiber-sex on the trail-Orbea Alma this go round. It's a hot bike no doubt, and a full 7 lbs and change lighter than the reliable monster truck-roll over anything-Titus I've ridden the last two years, but can I ride a hard tail over 50 miles of Chief Syllamo's most brutal singletrack at race pace? Yet to be seen. But I'm going to try it. I'm hoping carrying 7 lbs less weight alone will buy me 30 minutes...Maybe that's wishful thinking though...
More to come...
Stick with the Titus!!! I would hate to see that carbon Alma hit the Syllamo rocks!
ReplyDeleteDude, I think we're both chasing rocks this year. Just remember that last year was NASTY conditions with all the wet rocks and roots... So, we need to up our game because those times would be faster if they were on a dry course. I'm going to find a corner to cry in now. We're gonna have to take some recon trips.
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