Race Day a Week Away

I am starting to put together a list of what I will be using during the 12 Hours at Night mountain bike race a week away.  

To carry my hydration and spare tube and Co2 I will be using the Orange Mud HydraQuiver. The training I have done with this pack feels very comfortable and I will use it to carry my  CarbBOOM! gels too. Also the ease of swapping out an empty bottle for a full one. I plan on also using one if not two cages on my bike to carry water and HoneyMaxx. 

Of course UdderySmooth Chamois cream, and bringing extras (trial size containers) to share with friends racing there too who might need it. 

My Lupine Lighting Wilma 2400 Lumen kit to keep me on course.  

A bottle of ProGold Xtreme chain lube.  This is the perfect chain protection for this ride due to its formulated

for long distances and extreme off-road conditions.  Its ability to shedding waters is great also, as a summer storm could have a possibility of happening or making the course muddy.  

My Suunto Ambit 2S with HR to capture my data as well as the course with its GPS. 

I am most likely going to make a few items from the Skratch Labs Feed Zone cook books, so more than just energy gels and fluid will keep me fueled properly.

12 Hours At Night

I'm officially entered in the 12 Hours at Night Mountain Bike Race, less than a month away in Prescott, AZ. What exactly does night mean?  Well they gun goes off at 8PM Saturday night with the ending being Sunday morning at 8AM. Some of you have already started thinking, "Dang, how many cups of coffee would that equate too?"  I'm looking forward to the challenge seeing how many laps of the nine mile course I can do in that period of time.  I had to drop out of the marathon I had planned for in Minnesota a week after this race due to a three to four millimeter tear in my MCL. The lower impact of the bike training has reduced some of the pain but surgery to get that repaired is still on the horizon. Let's hope the tear does not get any bigger. 
My friend and Two Wheel Jones Bicycle Shop - Gilbert location owner Larry DeMik will be racing too.  
There is a kids race, very short, that I have both my son and daughter signed up for that goes off a few hours before the dark sets in. 
So go ahead place your bets, amongst yourselves,as to how many nine mile laps I will be able to complete, I have a goal I am shooting for.  

Lupine Lighting Wilma 2400 Lumen Kit

With the daylight hours being decreased due to winter, lights are a needed item when out training.  I am super impressed with the Lupine Lighting Wilma 2400 Lumen kit I have been using.  First off, the light produced by this small unit is similar to a car's headlamp in the terms of brightness.  When the German engineers produced this gem, they put a lot of thought and care in the design and function of this light.  The light comes with a headband mount, which is perfect for running, walking or trail hiking.

View a quick video on the great features of this powerful light.

  It throws off a 26 degree pattern, which after a quick adjustment can be directed out farther or directly down right in front of you.  I have both the headband and bike helmet mount and switching the lamp between the two is a quick "no tool needed" process.  The rechargeable 8.4 Ah battery lasts a long time.  There is a nicely thought out gauge on the battery to let you know how much power is left.  The button on the top of the lamp itself is used to turn it off and on, hitting the button once cuts the power of the light back by half, while pressing and holding the button turns the lamp off.  The kit comes with a 12-volt car charger.  Once again, very well thought out.  I could see this coming in handy for a quick charge on the way to meet a fellow group of riders, or to charge during a long race when a household outlet will be hard to find.

Winter rides are perfect now, being visible to others on the road, as well as being able to see what's in front of me out on the trails or roads, either running or biking. When the sun does begin to rise earlier in the summer months, you can bet I will be out even earlier to avoid the heat and sun getting my rides in.