Oak Ass 100 Race Report - Tracy McKay

*Anyone that wants their Oak Ass story told but lacks a blog format email me and I will publish it here for you.  jkarrasch@hotmail.com

To say Tracy McKay is an experienced ultra racer would be a bit of an understatement. His bio can be found here: BlackMarket-Fitness

Following is his Oak Ass 100 account...Thanks Tracy!

OAKASS100 is over, and let me say... The ass feels a little beaten... Actually, nothing more than expected... 
Stiff and sore nothing a hottub and yoga can't fix... However, my forearms and fingers are shot pretty good, probably some carpel damage.

Spoke with race partner 
Andrew Clark this morning and as expected, he's just fine... No aches or pains...
(I hate him....)

Here is the race break down from my perspective...

Here are my splits...WITH DETAILS..
RACE STARTS, course is packed with riders slowing things down a bit...had to "look for trail" to get pass slower riders...
1 lap- 2:18 ,20 minutes faster than my best time... Buying myself almost 40 minutes..
Pit area, filled camelback and grabbed another calories bottle, 610 calories...ULTRAGEN

2 lap- 2:45 , (good time), 50 miles completed,
1 episode of tachycardia felt like shit... sapping my energy quite a bit, took longer than normal to get heart down from 200 bpm. Cleared up moved on... Rt thumb and hand dead to feeling, due to previous nerve damage

3 lap- 2:38. 75 miles completed, Felt incredible, no problems gripping

4th lap DNF/ did not finish...
2 nd episode of tachy...cleared up in 3-4 minutes, Ran without lights in the dark as long as possible to conserve energy, then when trail narrowed time for lighting... Headlamp went out during start of Jekyll and Hyde..fell twice on JNH no big deal...portaged 75 % of technical section...

A 3rd episode of tachy
Hit me and left me dead in the water...legs great, but the energy sap was a bit scary... So I bailed...
Andrew caught me at this point and disappeared into the night up Peavine just a red blinky light ....reminded me of the Cyclops in ancient episodes of Galactica...

Nutrition was dead on... 630 calories per lap, then 1/2 banana and stew made by Pete Foret, and acquired by my wife Leigh McKay.

I pulled in and dnf'd myself grabbed a double hand full,of Shipleys doughnut holes and went to the car to get heated up...

The headlamp,of Andrew Clark flickered in the dark and he pulled in at 11hours and 30 minutes finishing the OAKASS 100 his first 100 mile mtn bike race...

Special thanks to :
CHAINBUSTERS and John Karasch for putting on the race
Pete Foret for goating me into doing the 100, which I wanted in the first place...
Jason Barksdale and the guys at BBC for technical assistance.. The new tire suggestion was spot on!
Leigh Mckay as my pit crew filling camelbaks, sorting gear and grabbing food ..
Andrew Clark for being such
A great race partner!

Oak Ass 50 Race Report by Jacob Tubbs

I don't normally do race reports but the Oak Ass 50/100 represented a number of firsts for the race and for me, so I decided to make an exception. Here are some of the firsts:

- First ever 50/100 race at Oak Mountain (that I know of)

- First race I ever decided to do less than 12 hours before the race 

- First endurance race where I wound up on the podium

- First time I ever willingly let Brian Toone set pace in front of me on singletrack (sorry, Brian. You won, you can handle it.)

I've been doing steadily more MTB racing in the last few years, with a few endurance races thrown in - most notably, 2 years of the Snake Creek Gap Time Trial Series in Dalton, Georgia. I could write a book on those races, but would sum it up with this: If you ride dirt, you need to ride the Snake. 

Most of my endurance races have gone about the same way: Start fast (too fast), ride well but way too hard for the first hour, have an "oh crap, you're an idiot" moment in the 2nd hour, cramp, cramp some more, and crawl to the finish in total, grinding, limping misery for the last hour. Or 2. Or 3. I am a pretty spectacular muscle cramper - I have strong fast twitch muscles that are great for the explosive power needed in road sprinting, but which are utterly useless off road. When they start to cramp, it is going to be a real bad time. I've had cramps so bad that I literally had to be helped off the bike and couldn't reach down to take my socks off for 6 hours after a race. It's kind of my superpower, but in reverse. 

Even some cross-country races have gone this way: Bump N' Grind is a 2-hour plus loop for the cat 1s, and after spending most of this year's race in the top 5, I experienced a total lockup in both hamstrings and quads with exactly 1 mile to go, and spent 13 minutes holding onto a tree, trying not to collapse / cry, failing, watching rider after rider pass me on the way to the finish. 

Consider that foreshadowing. 

When I first heard mention of the Oak Ass 100, I thought: No. Not a chance. Cramp city.  But a few days before the race, I heard people talking about a 50-mile option, and it seemed like a reasonable, not totally insane distance to race, and good preparation for this year's Snake. Waiting to the last possible second, I begged my way into the race and showed up dark and early Saturday morning.

Totally unprepared to race 50 miles on any surface - I hadn't ridden over 3 hours since August - I decided to approach the Oak Ass as training. Unfortunately, there was a start and finish line, and when they said go, any plans of "training pace" went out the window. Kenny Griffin's truck led us on a parade tour of the loop road and parking lots, and suddenly... I was crit racing. 4 corners and a pace car? Heck yeah. Rip it. 

5 minutes later, riding nearly 30mph down the road toward the entrance to 7 Bridges, 120+ cyclists strung out behind me, Brian Toone tucked onto my wheel, sanity started to creep in. I sat up, swung over, and let 4 or 5 guys come by. Training Pace. Endurance Pace. C'mon Jacob. Don't be an idiot. 

A lot of the riders around me seemed to be from out of state and unfamiliar with the trails, and I realized pretty quickly that I could ride faster, smoother, with less effort, if I was leading rather than following. I started working my way past a few of the riders that I had let by. Unfortunately, I managed to crash myself attempting a ridiculous pass on a rider that was trying to let me by, and wound up keeping it pretty pinned for most of the first 30 minutes. 

I settled down just in time to close in on Brian Toone right as we hit the Chimneys Climb, which is the first hill of any sort on the lower end of the trail system before the Red Road climb. Brian was riding a nice steady pace, and I figured sitting on his wheel would force me to back off a bit and settle in. He'd drop me on all the punchy climbs, I'd pull him back on the tech downhills. Good.

We hit the Red Road a few minutes later. I hollered encouragement at Brian, knowing he was itching to get the KOM, and he shot up the road and out of sight in seconds. I settled in for a grind. I'm never a good climber, and I knew that the only way to survive this race was to ride a controlled pace on the climbs to save my legs as long as possible.  

Several riders behind me WERE good climbers, and I was passed almost immediately by a number of guys, including overall 50-mile winner Scott Staubach. Scott's pace on his Singlespeed was super impressive, and I never even thought about following him. Some of the next guys to pass were riding a more reasonable fast pace that I figured I could maintain, and most of them seemed to underestimate the length and difficulty of the the road climb. So, of the 6 guys that passed me shortly after Scott, I caught 3 by the top of the climb using my same slowpoke pace, and caught the last 2 - Randy Kerr and eventual 2nd place 50-miler Tyler Murch - right as we finished the road section and dropped in to the Quarry bypass trail. (I think eventual 5-mile Open winner Brian Roggeveen passed me here and was never seen again. He finished lap 1 about 1 minute ahead of me.)

Catching Kerr and Tyler was important: I could tell both were stronger than I was, and I figured 1 or both was racing in my category (turns out, only Tyler was), but also figured I'd be faster than them on the Jekyll technical stuff (Kerr was on a hardtail, Tyler was from out of town).  

I was right, sort of: I got a good little gap on them during the top part of Jekyll, but due to the deep piles of leaves (I was only the 4th rider down the trail at this point, and it was BURIED), I couldn't see any of the familiar lines. I picked my way down but wasn't fast, by any stretch. Sure enough, Tyler quickly caught me up on the rolling hills leading out of Hyde, and I let him by as we approached Peavine Road. 

I shoveled food in my mouth as Tyler blasted up Peavine, and was shortly joined by Randy Kerr. Kerr was riding a very hard pace on the lower part of the climb and again I just watched him power away from me up Peavine. He and Tyler hit the new Firepit trail barely in sight, about 30 seconds ahead. I chased them down the hill and caught Randy somewhere below Blood Rock. I got Tyler back somewhere in there too, and finished lap 1 in a respectable 1:58. 

Lap 2 was a different story. Randy followed me out of the lot onto the road, and we rolled into the singletrack together. He had chain issues and I wound up riding ahead solo for a while. Around the BMX track, I started to see my ol' buddy Professor Toone cruising through the trees, and backed off a little to make sure I didn't get carried away. As usual, Brian disappeared when we hit the Red Road climb, and I ground up slowly. Again, Randy would catch and drop me on the climb, and again I would start making up time on the Quarry bypass trail. 

This time, however, my luck changed. As I dropped into Jekyll, with encouragement from John Karrasch, I saw Randy Kerr and Brian just ahead. Motivated to catch them both quickly and hopefully put them between me and Tyler, who I knew was coming on strong behind, I started pressing. My legs immediately began sending cramp warning signs out: twitches and spams everywhere. Danger Will Robinson. I was in trouble. 

Undeterred (or maybe just stupid), I blasted through the first tech sections on Jekyll, then hopped over a small diagonal down tree... only to cramp in both hamstrings as I launched, clipping the tree with my back tire, flipping all my weight forward into a brutal, high-siding endo. 

I'm not sure what happened next. There is a brief period of time - maybe a second or 2 - where things are fuzzy. I remember sitting there for a good minute, doing the basic body inventory (arms attached? check. arms unbroken? check. legs attached?). My head was throbbing and helmet dented, but I was otherwise ok. I heard riders coming down the trail above me, so grabbed my bike and hopped back on... only to realize that my handlebar was now roughly parallel with my front wheel. And my chain was off, and my wheel was crooked in the dropout, and my bottle was about 50 feet downhill. Whoops.  Unable to steer my wonked-out front end, I expertly crashed back into the ground. This time, I looked down in horror as as the muscles in my quads seized so hard they raised about an inch above my leg. I staggered around like I had been struck by lightning, trying to stop the runaway cramp train before it ended my day. Eventually they subsided, and I turned back to bike repair and trying to salvage what was left of my race. 

Time ticked away as I got everything up and running. Tyler was long gone, and barring him getting lost, all I could hope for was to hold it together and hope to hold on to a podium. 

I crawled up Peavine Road, at times doing 10 rpm in a huge gear, just to keep my cramping legs from completely locking down. I cruised down Blood Rock, feeling pretty good, knowing if I could hold on up Johnson's Mountain, I'd be home free. 

Johnson's came and went, and the next thing I remember is sweeping down through Foreplay and Family, visions of BUMP stew in my head. 2 bowls later, I was napping in my car, waiting for the podium, dreaming about my next Oak Ass race. 

Thanks to Kenny, Pete Foret, John Karrasch, Lee Neal, and the rest of the BUMP crew and volunteers for a spectacular first time event. It was a memorable day and I'll definitely be back. 

OA100 course marking and random info

Pete, Corbin, and I set out yesterday and marked the entire Oak Ass 50/100 course yesterday.

REGISTRATION- We will have on site registration on Friday at the South Trailhead at Oak Mountain from 4 to 8 PM so you can still register! Any details for race day can be found HERE

It looks great! The trail is a bit slick right now and has some leaf cover making things tricky in the tech sections. Racers...leave the semi slicks at home. Tires with some tread will make your day out here.

Fall at Oak Mountain

The course is marked with green, yellow, and white arrows. PAY attention to them, don't zone out for this race.

GREEN will be used for the first half of the course until halfway down Jekyll and Hyde. This is to about 12 miles. This includes a right split onto Jekyll and Hyde at the BUMP trail/Jekyll split. This split is at 12 miles in

YELLOW is used for miles 13 to 25. This includes a split to the left onto the BUMP trail at the BUMP/Jekyll split at 20 miles in.

Scott Thigpen and some yellow arrows.

WHITE is used on Peavine Falls paved road climb to indicate you continue straight on the road to the top of the mountain. This is at a four way point where the trail crosses the road. Race course crosses itself here and the white arrows should make it clear where to go.

There is one route change. At the top of Peavine Falls road racers will take the new CCC trail to the BUMP trail instead of the fire road. Mileage is the same and you get some bonus singletrack! This is at mile 19 to 20.

SHIPLEY DONUTS is hooking it up with donuts and donut holes for race morning so get to the park early and enjoy!

LIGHTS. Sunset is 4:41 PM. If you are a hundred mile racer bring some good lights! This is a tough race course and being caught out with no light will make it much harder.

Thoracic mobility for cyclists

Optimal thoracic mobility can make a big difference in the comfort and efficiency on and off the bike.

Bike riding is not exactly conducive to a strong, upright standing posture and we need to do what we can to counteract the hours of being in the forward flexed position that is easy to fall into riding, typing, looking at the phone...you get the idea.

I might do a whole write up on this later but this fella's article has about all of it covered.

Improving thoracic mobility.

I'm not real into the Paleo deal but this is good stuff!

Professional Bike Fitting at Cahaba Cycles

Hello and welcome! Look for a new website coming soon but in the meantime you will find everything you need to know about my bike fitting services as you scroll down below.

A bit about me first. In addition to providing professional bike fitting services, I am also a full time Physical Therapist Assistant and have been in practice for six years.  I have been racing (ultra endurance MTB focus) and wrenching on bikes for the better part of fifteen years. I have a passion for all things cycling, especially it's interaction with the bicycle. I appreciate you taking the time to visit my site and hope the information here is helpful in your search for a better cycling experience.


Every bike rider has their own unique combination of posture, mobility, and coordination. This requires a holistic approach from the bike fitter to see that each rider's fit helps to make their cycling experience the best it can be.With my combined experience as a therapist, racer, and mechanic I have a unique perspective on the relationship between a rider and their bike.

 My fitting method relies on the latest research in the field and careful direct observation of the rider. I have taken multiple fit courses to continue my education including the latest Trek Precision Fit course with Triathlon specialization. During the fitting process I will optimize each rider's position including cleat position and footbed customization, a balanced and stable seat position, and a comfortable yet efficient bar position. This ensures a position truly tailored to the individual rider.

Regardless of performance level or experience, every rider should be comfortable on their bike. A major part of the fitting process will identify how the rider functions off the bike and how this can be improved through a customized exercise program to improve performance.

What to expect during the Fitting

·         Pre fit interview to outline cycling related goals and relevant physical issues.   

·         Thorough evaluation of your strength, posture, and mobility.

·         Dynamic assessment and adjustment of foot/pedal interface, seat position, and bar setup to improve comfort, handling, and power.

·         Off-the-bike exercise program to improve bike specific strength and mobility.

·         Detailed position records for future reference.

·         Expect to be at the shop 2.5-3 hours. Triathlon/TT may take a bit longer.

Where to go:

·         Cahaba Cycles Homewood

·         2834 18^th Street South

·         Homewood, AL 35209                     Parking in front or back (back is usually easier).

What to bring

·         Bike(s), shoes, fresh cleats if available, any orthotic devices/insoles you have, any cleat shims or wedges you currently use, cycling riding kit, helmet, gloves.

·         Bring your bike ready to ride. Tires aired up, check your suspension pressure for mountain bikes, shifters working properly. Check your cleats and dig out any debris/mud. If you have any doubt as to the condition of your bike, get a tune up a week or two before the fit.

·         Water bottle for hydration, snacks, shock pump, seat mast cutting guide or other tools/spacers/items specific to your bicycle.

·         If you have any parts that are broken, not comfy, or you are unhappy (folks that hate your saddle, shoes, etc.) with… consult me pre fit for replacement recommendations. Feel free to bring extra parts (stems, seatposts) if you have them handy.

What to wear

·         Casual clothes and athletic shoes are fine for the off bike portion of the fit.

·         Cycling kit (jersey, bike shorts, cycling socks). No baggy shorts for riding!

What I cannot do

·         Diagnose or treat injuries.

·         Perform cleaning/tuning/repair services to bicycles in need of attention.

·         *Be responsible for questionable equipment that fails during a fitting session*

Please do what you can to address any ongoing physical issues with a doctor, physical therapist or other specialist.  By arriving with any pertinent diagnostics, I will have more information from which to base our fitting decisions.  I am part of the equation to help you move/feel better.  I do have access to several excellent health professionals able to provide assistance with physical issues. The last point* is to cover just a few “unknowns” that can occur.  From time to time we see equipment/accessories in need of repair or replacement that cause problems or fail in the course of a fitting session.  Cracked or splintered carbon parts from previous adjustments are an obvious problem.  The same goes for incompatible parts, faulty suspension, improperly installed seats, and lack of grease/carbon prep on parts.  These are considered pre-existing issues for which Cahaba Cycles/myself cannot be held responsible.  Cleat screws that have been over tightened and/or installed without the appropriate thread locker/grease or walked on to the point that the head breaks off while attempting to remove them can present a major time setback during the course of a fitting. I will point out issues with your equipment needing attention that I deem important for your comfort and more importantly, your safety.  We have the appropriate tools to handle most jobs safely but encourage you to examine, clean and adjust your equipment before arriving.  Prep your machine as though you were about to ride at an important event so we can focus on the fitting. 

Pricing

• Comprehensive road, cyclocross, MTB fitting - $250. 
• Triathlon/TT fitting - $280
• Cleat fit with footbed optimization - $80
• Strength, stability and mobility assessment without  bike fit…$75
• Cutting seat masts, ATB handlebars or other necessary “surgeries” with the appropriate equipment – Cahaba Cycles shop rate per hour
• Replacing parts such as tires, chain, cassette or other components necessary to conduct the session – Cahaba Cycles shop rate per hour
• Additional adjustments – free for two months after initial fitting

 We cannot predict every issue that can arise during a fitting and understand that things just happen sometimes.  Minor issues that arise which can be remedied quickly (brake pad adjustment, slight wheel truing, minor derailleur adjustment, rewrapping handlebar) will be handled promptly free of charge as we roll through the fit. More involved (many Tri or aero road bikes) component or cable installations may need to be done post fit at shop labor rate as mentioned above. A reminder about bar wrap and grips is important.  Be prepared to replace it if your current wrap has issues going back on in a quality manner.  Bring your own fresh wrap if you have a specific product you enjoy.  We stock some great options for wrap and grips for replacement if need be.  Bring or be ready to purchase fresh cleats if at all possible. Footbed options are available if your current ones do not provide sufficient support.

What to expect after the fitting

• Easy riding (conversation pace) to let your body get used to the position changes. This can take from a couple rides for small changes up to a couple weeks if we have to make large changes.
• New balance and handling dynamics, so ride often and take it easy on the corners and technical terrain
• Stay away from sprints, hard group rides, and technical descents until the requisite muscle firing patterns and stability patterns have set in and the bike is feeling normal.

I always encourage clients to allow themselves a 2-3 week window of EASY, frequent (at least 3-4x/week) riding post fit. 30 to 60minutes is a good ride duration for most rides during adaptation. This is a time to cruise and enjoy the scenery. That is not always possible as some riders come in due to acute issues during a time of heavy activity and I can advise on uncertain scenarios before the fit. 

This is a serious investment of your money and our time.  I am as passionate about performing quality work as you are about enjoying your cycling experience.  Feel free to call at (205) 427-9869 or email johnkarrasch@gmail.com with any questions.  I look forward to meeting and working with you towards a great bike fit!

John Karrasch, PTA 
Cahaba Cycles Homewood                
(205) 427-9869                 
 johnkarrasch@gmail.com

Chainbuster Racing Oak Ass 50/100 Preview

Registration is filling up quick for the Oak Ass 50/100 miler. The field is limited so if you want in better get on it.

Sign up and other info below:

Race Website: Chainbuster Oak Ass 50/100
Facebook Group: Oak Ass 100
Trail Crew: BUMP

People who have ridden seem to be stoked on it (not to Enduro racing or fatbike or Miley Cyrus stoke but whatever) and for good reason. It is a kick ass course! It's hard, fun, dangerous at times even. Everything you want in a long day's ride in the woods with a bunch of old and new friends.

Chris Olney and I went out yesterday to get some photos that turned out awesome. It was a perfect day for a ride.

These are in no special order but should give an idea of what you have to look forward to November 23. Enjoy!

50 milers get 4600 feet of climbing, 9200 for the 100 milers. Some of it is a bit steep.

20 Percent

Every climb, however, has the reward of miles of twisty singletrack and rocky, rooty descents.

Flexibility for Cyclists

I have been a bit lazy and have not posted much on here lately. I'd rather save the posts for when I have something to say rather than filling this area with um, filler.

I have a pretty awesome new road bike. First time in four years! It is my shop demo through Edgewood Cycles. I am wrenching a few hours on weekends at Edgewood and it is going well so far. I'll say more about the bike when I get some pictures.

Due to my physical therapy career I think I have a stronger interest than most bike riders in off bike function and exercise. I have tried a few different types of off bike structural maintenance over the years and have discovered that most of it works. People in every camp will tell you their way is the one! Truth is you need to have a few hours a week of off the bike stretching and strengthening.

This is not to convince any one they need to stretch. People figure that on their own at some point. Ones that really need to but don't want to can easily find a 12 week study that says stretching will slightly reduce their explosive power if done before a workout and run with that ...anyway.

Lots of good books exist on stretching but the best one I have come across is the Flexibility For Cyclists manual by Fred and Kele McDaniel. I know it sounds lame but I have read numerous stretching books and most are too theory heavy. This one has a series of stretches that takes an hour to complete if you do them all and a quick six to to if you are pressed for time.

For best results do this stuff 3 times a week. If that is too much start with ten minutes each time and build up as you can. Simple.

Get the version with the print book that includes the stretching strap. It is great. Made our of seatbelt material and really helps with some of the floor stretches.

Oak Ass is three months away, I'll do a post on it soon and will also be coming out with a new project type thing soon!