Test of Metal

[Dean W]

So, here I am on the starting line with 800+ people ready to start 'THE TEST OF METAL'. Now this is only the second race I have ever done in my life. The only other race that I have done was a toonie race a month ago and it took all of 53 minutes. The test takes the fastest pro riders 2 1/2 hours. I on the other hand took longer..................allot longer. But getting back to the race.....I am at the start and we sing oh Canada and the race starts on the road for a few minutes and we begin to climb. I look around at all the bikes and I seem to be the only guy with dual 8" hydro's and 5" of travel on the front of my Cove Stiffee????? Hmmmm, what have I got myself into.

For those people that do not know of the 'Test Of Metal', it is a 67km cross country race that starts in Squamish and goes up it to the mountains and finally finishes where it started, in Squamish. To say there is allot of climbing would be a BIG understatement, it has 1,200 meters of climbing and 35 kilometers of singletrack.

I finished the race in a time of 5:20:56. About 1:30 into the race, I had the worst leg cramps I have ever experienced in my life. My quads, hamstrings and hip flexors were spasming in both legs at the same time, so in other words I could not move. I stood on the side of the trail completely unable to move with my legs in knots. I contemplated dropping out but I decided I had done too much preparation for this race an I wanted to say that I had finished the 'TEST' . I had a new drive, a new desire to get back on the horse and do it for the Gipper!! I tuned out the pain and went to 'my happy place' and began the dreaded 9 mile hill. It is a big hill and it really is nine miles long and just when you get to what you hope is the top, you reach Bonk Hill where the grade gets even steeper to kick you in the balls while you are down.

Without going it the details of the whole freakin ride I will say that it is one very long ride. I have a new respect for cross country riders. HOWEVER..........many XC guys know NOTHING about going down the hill fast. There are a couple sections on the race course where spectators go up the trail to watch the carnage of the steep technical sections. One of the sections was called the 'Roller Coaster' this was probably my favorite part of the course. As I approached I could hear the cow bells of the spectators ringing and screams of encouragement for those in front of me. I looked ahead and I saw 5 guys tip toeing down some relatively easy rocky trail. I began to grin. I yelled out on you right, on your left, on your right.......... and screamed past these guys as if they were standing still on the trail. I then heard the crowd lining the course pipe up a bit. It was me that brought them some action and something to really watch. I began to smile as I saw another group of 6 guys all creeping down a rutted section of the trail, I shouted out, ON YOUR RIGHT and proceeded to make my own line up around and over a rock dropping in off the wheel of the front guy and screaming away from them. The crowd then roared in excitement. This was by far the best part of the race for me. I blew by 11 people in a couple seconds and had my own cheering section screaming at me.

If you are thinking of doing this race next year, being very comfortable going downhill will help you, but going up hill is MUCH more important. I have no problem with either, but I had HUGE cramping problems which hurt my time immensely. Also as it turns out, I should have been in the Freeride category because my bike easily met the minimum weight for this category. Not that being in the different category would have helped my time, but my placing in the category would have been better (plus I am a freerider at heart, not a cross country guy).

So to sum it up....................I finished the race

enough said,

Later,

Thedude

[JordanJ]

awesome story

[LeeLau]

dude,

First off. Well done for finishing! Especially after leg cramps.

Second, you were racing with slowpokes if you finished at 5 hrs plus. If you were going downhill with the sub 3:30 crowd let me say that you'd have a hell of a hard time keeping up.

Having said that, again CONGRATS!

Results are already up at myresults.com

Originally posted by thedude

Without going it the details of the whole freakin ride I will say that it is one very long ride. I have a new respect for cross country riders. HOWEVER..........they know NOTHING about going down the hill. There are a couple sections on the race course where spectators go up the trail to watch the carnage of the steep technical sections. One of the sections was called the 'Roller Coaster' this was probably my favorite part of the course. As I approached I could hear the cow bells of the spectators ringing and screams of encouragement for those in front of me. I looked ahead and I saw 5 guys tip toeing down some relatively easy rocky trail. I began to grin. I yelled out on you right, on your left, on your right.......... and screamed past these guys as if they were standing still on the trail. I then heard the crowd lining the course pipe up a bit. It was me that brought them some action and something to really watch. I began to smile as I saw another group of 6 guys all creeping down a rutted section of the trail, I shouted out, ON YOUR RIGHT and proceeded to make my own line up around and over a rock dropping in off the wheel of the front guy and screaming away from them. The crowd then roared in excitement. This was by far the best part of the race for me. I blew by 11 people in a couple seconds and had my own cheering section screaming at me.

If you are thinking of doing this race next year, being very comfortable going downhill will help you, but going up hill is MUCH more important. I have no problem with either, but I had HUGE cramping problems which hurt my time immensely. Also as it turns out, I should have been in the Freeride category because my bike easily met the minimum weight for this category. Not that being in the different category would have helped my time, but my placing in the category would have been better (plus I am a freerider at heart, not a cross country guy).

So to sum it up....................I finished the race

enough said,

Later,

Thedude

[freeeeeerider]

sounds fun.... except for the uphill

[Dean W]

Hey LeeLau,

Were you in the race??

If so what was your time?

Were you riding a big sled?

Have you done the race before or other XC epics?

Did you cramp up?

In other words I posted to tell a fun story of a race, not to get my finish time bashed.

For your comments you have now inherited bad freeride karma.

PS- I train with people from work that finished in the SUB 3:30 time range and I smoke them going downhill

[LeeLau]

Wow - I said well done TWICE. I think its amazing to finish if you're getting cramps in Bonk Hill.

I didn't say your time was bad. Actually looking back at my comment I can see how it can be taken that way and if it was I'm sorry.

I was just making the point that the xc guys finishing sub 3:30 are pretty decent downhillers too.

and no I wasn't in the race this year because I was FREERIDING tm my 40 lb pig in Vedder and Sumas.

Its a nice day and I'm gonna get out and ride my FREERIDE hardtail up Fromme.

HAve a good ride

Originally posted by thedude
Hey LeeLau,

Were you in the race??

If so what was your time?

Were you riding a big sled?

Have you done the race before or other XC epics?

Did you cramp up?

In other words I posted to tell a fun story of a race, not to get my finish time bashed.

For your comments you have now inherited bad freeride karma.

Have a nice day.

PS- I train with people from work that finished in the SUB 3:30 time range and I smoke them going downhill

Awesome story dude!
Sounds like a hard race

[Dean W]

Hey LeeLau,

Sorry man, I just took your comments as a bash to my finish time.

Later,

thedude

can you feel the karma coming back?

Congradulations on finishing. I rode test a few years ago and lets jsut say once was more then enough....

[Biking Fiend]

i wanna do the test but i highly doubt i could even get up the first hill if i cant climb the whole of mtn highway

[Dean W]

Overgrow,

I know what you are talking about. It will take a miracle to get me there again.

thedude

[bunny]

That is awesome! Huge congrats on fiinishing! I got shivers reading the bit about passing on the downhill... glad you had that rush. I get it everytime i climb and then ride down, even without the cheering section. HUGE Maybe by next year I will be brave/silly enough to go.

[barry]

Dude! Massive props. I know first hand how hard it really is to pass the test. I have yet to actually attempt and ride the whole course inside a day, its a really long way. Congrats man.

PS - did you stick around for the rest of the weekend? The rockstar was not to be missed

[Dean W]

Barry, Buuny, K-Bizzle, JordanJ, Overgrow, LeeLau and Biking Fiend and anyone I forgot.

Thanks for the props. They are appreciated.



As for the rest of the weekend, I unfortunately was not able to stay. I would have loved to stay for the Downhill / Freeride competition, but I had to get my buns home to the wife. Besides, I was a mess on Sunday. I am still REALLY sore 2 days later.

As I said in my story of the race, I have a new found respect for the XC guys, they are better athletes than I gave them credit for in the past.

You see, everyone that rides on the dirt can coexist in harmony and cross over into the others arena.

Next time, if there is one, I will just drink allot more water.

Later,

thedude

[Squampton]

I did the test once 7 years ago. Once was enough for me. I'll stick to the rockstar. Props dude, its satasfying when you cross the line isn't it?