GSC 5 - Chattsworth

GSC 5 - Chattsworth

An overwritten and pitiful race recap for me. By Jose Mendez


GSC 5 proved to be the toughest race I have done yet in my 2 years racing. The course wasn’t technical in the sense that you were making 4 ft drops but more the fact you were going downhill for about 15 minutes straight thru loose and jagged rocks – VERY FAST. For reference the trail cleared up in one section and I hit 39.5mph!!! Once you hit the absolute bottom of the mountain you climbed it all back w/o a break taking about 30 minutes. The climbs were viciously steep in many parts and loose rock beds in many others.

So we first line up at the bottom of a 1/2 mile road climb. Being a 9:30am start kept me from warming up well since I have the boys’ races to deal with right before then. Bruce continuously reminds everyone at the start that this is a VERY dangerous trail using this line many times ....” if you don’t have SKILLS walk away, you should not be on this trail”. So that said, we take off up the only truly smooth part of the course – the road. I get to the top in probably 7th place and into the woods we go. Feeling OK but worried that we will be hitting the real downhill in about 1.5 miles. I think I got passed by one or two before then on a short steep climb then we make it to the road crossing where the volunteers are yelling “downhill, downhill!!” and there it is. We head into the woods again and it’s down into the depths of he11 from there, literally. Steep downhill switchbacks for the next 10-12 minutes – the trail was about 4 ft wide but you did not want to veer off more than 6 inches from the main line or “bite it”. Not that the main line was clean. Jagged rocks imbedded in the trail and loose ones that have been kicked up just laying around. Then some areas were just loose 4 to 6” rock beds that you had to hope you did not flat or crash on. My hands were getting weak from just hanging on and feathering the brakes most of the time. Then just before we hit bottom it clears up a little and we have about .5 mile of incredibly fast SS where my computer marked me at 39.5mph (though I think that was on my second lap, since I was following people on the first) when finally we hit bottom. So what from here you ask? Well, you climb it all back in one long effort! No rolling climbs, no flats to recover, just one long 30 minute climb. Some areas were literally unrideable as they were just the side of a cliff were they managed to a squeeze in a few switchback to get you over it. Horrible pain as you climb those next to a beautiful soft waterfall on your left. I really just wanted to sit and look at it at that point. My legs just gave out – I blew up and just crawled my way walking out of there for what appeared to be an eternity. Got back on my bike and rolled for a bit then walked for a bit, then rolled then walked...get the picture? My mind won over my body and I decided to quit, yes DNF, the race. I told myself that when I made it back to the finish after the first lap I was pulling off, quitting and licking my wounds (none physical thankfully). As this is happening of course I am losing positions constantly. I thought myself to be a decent climber until yesterday.
For some reason once I hit the road climb again heading to the finish line – for lap one – I recovered and managed to convince myself to roll on. I felt much better by then and was (what I thought was) flying thru the trail hitting the downhills hard and even passing people on my way down. Got to the fast SS and that’s when I just let go of the brakes. I had put “grippier” tires on my bike for this race (why you ask, well because I was scared!!) so I knew they’d hold better in the corners and at high speed. There I believe I hit my top speed for the race 39.5mph!!! Probably the fastest speed I’ve ever done in a race.
Well but then I hit bottom again. Hmmm, I guess I have to climb out, AGAIN! With more mental strength and physical strength this time around I managed to ride much more of the climb only getting of for the truly steep and loose rock bed areas where it’s faster just to walk it. I probably took a little longer but I was going MY pace which kept me going OK, instead of chasing people. On one of my walks I came up on another walker who begins to tell me he had just slid out and broke his elbow (yeah, one of many casualties) after landing on a rock. After making sure he was “OK” I kept going – he was just going to walk back out and deal with his injury, but OK overall.
I kept climbing and passed one rider in my class and I believe one more rider on the final road climb. Then finally!!! The finish line. I have never been so glad to finish a race.
Final thoughts – 1. I need to train more in the mountains. We just don’t get 3 miles on trail climbing here in Columbus and you could tell the mountain goats from the rest of us. 2. Mind is over matter and 3. Add 1 teaspoon of salt into your drink. It WILL keep the cramps away...at least for me. This is my second race doing it and Zero cramps. Before then I could guarantee cramps. BTW, I read that on-line somewhere while researching cramps.
Great race. Big ups and downs in many ways. Glad it’s over.
Nicki tells me I ended up 14th and 25 of us started, not sure how many finished. This year’s group of Sport 30-39 racers it stacked, fast and plenty of them.
My boys raced and came in...
Samuel – 1st
Gabriel - 2nd


Nicki's take on the Chattsworth race.

I pretty much felt the same; however I had 1 HUGE advantage over Jose… I was ALONE! Nobody else in my class was apparently brave (or stupid) enough to come and race this trail. So there was no pressure on me, and I decided at the starts that I was just going to ride conservatively and not get hurt.

Generally speaking, I live for the downhill descents, but on this trail, there really wasn’t much room for error if you lost control of your speed. While letting go of my brakes, I would hammer down the sections, rocks kicking up against my bike (haven’t actually checked for damage yet) throwing me around as if I was holding a jack hammer. To add to the “excitement” they had these sharp switchback turns at the bottom of each downhill section, that you COULD NOT overshoot or you would find yourself off the side of the mountain, “hopefully” landing at the next section of switch back downhill.
My hands started to ache and I was switching between trigger fingers and when I could, not using the brakes at all.
As Jose mentioned, there was ONE nice clear, smooth section of trail where you could let go of the breaks and enjoy the speed.
But then the brief moment of joy was sucked out of you as you took a sharp right and the climbing started.

We do not exaggerate when we say there were no relief points. Whatever breaks you got where merely inclines of fewer rocks than the others. I fought it for a while, but after having to fight one rock after another, and another and another and looking ahead and seeing no end to it just more uneven road of UP UP UP, I allowed it to claim my mental fight and I dismounted. Even walking was hard. I attempted to run a few times, but then thought there was no need to twist my ankle, so I would walk, change sides, walk some more, hoping I would get to a spot eventually to get back on my bike. Ah, yes, now is good… a few more pedal strokes and dismount, walk, walk, push, hang over the bike, wipe the sweet draining from my face, look down at watch, heart rate 189, maybe I should rest for a bit. This is not a biking trail! This is not even a HIKING trail! Whose sick idea was this? I actually stopped to enjoy the scenery from time to time. I figured it was going to be a long ride, I mean WALK, to the top, so I might as well try to recover when I could. I watched as some pro/experts even pushed their bikes up the one section of switch back climbs. Could any body have ACTUALLY biked up there?

Before I hit the road, I had all but talked myself out of the ability to continue and do one more lap. But I felt like that would be terrible! I had no excuses to NOT finish… I always promise myself that I will finish no matter what, and I didn’t even have anybody chasing me. So I didn’t care if I had to walk the rest of this course, I WOULD FINISH IT!

Once I hit the road, I felt fine and my legs felt strong going up the road. It made you realize how much energy was being sucked out of you trying to go over the uneven terrain. By the time I entered for the second lap, I was feeling a little more positive, but once I took the right to start climbing, that enthusiasm came to a screeching halt again.

2 miles from the finish, I got passed by the 2 pro girls. They were finishing up their last lap (one more than me) as I was still convincing my legs to keep walking. I hopped on my bike and tried to follow them for a while, but with no recovery spots, I had to back off, and give in to dismounting my bike again one last time.

I can’t remember walking my bike this much since the first year I rode Carter’s Lake up near Ellijay, my first year racing as a beginner. This course is evil! Maybe next year I will offer to volunteer instead, so I can stand and watch how the pro men do it and be amazed and re-inspired.
This course is truly a reality check!

Ok, I’m exhausted again just thinking about it!
BUT, at least it is over, and another race down, 4 more to go.