2012 Olympic mountain bike course

The 2012 Olympic mountain bike course has been completed at Hadleigh Farm in Essex and the reaction, at least on the Internet to the unveiling, is a collective yawn. Rather than being staged in a forest, this course is laid out on an open hillside, presumably to make it more spectator friendly and easier to televise. I can understand that and appreciate anything to give Olympic mountain biking more exposure. The lack of enthusiasm to the course seems to center around the track not having any real (natural) technical challenges beyond a few man-made “obstacles” scattered along the trail in odd places and the overly groomed nature of the less challenging sections that are more akin to a walking path than a mountain bike trail. After viewing several of the online video previews for myself, I have to admit the course does appear less challenging than one would expect for an Olympic venue. I realize the camera has a flattening effect and probably doesn’t do the climbs justice, but it does appear like something geared more for a cat-3 racer rather than the World’s best. If anyone reading this has actually been there or ridden it, I’d love to hear your opinion of the course.

Here is a highlight preview of the 2012 course along with some video of past Olympic races for comparison.

London 2012 course preview:

Atlanta 1996 (time 10:15)


Athens 2004 (time 10:00)


Beijing 2008 (time 4:00)

How did THAT happen?

I managed to get out to the Whirlpool trails after work today for a planned two hour training ride, but things just didn't work out that way. Not 30 minutes into my ride, I magically get a 5 foot long, 4 inch thick, log jammed between the chainstay and spokes of my rear wheel. ... A log - Seriously!

I didn't have my camera with me, but I promise it looked like this.

Spring has Sprung!

Ned Knows 29ers

If you still aren't sure about 29ers, or want to know what all the fuss is about, just listen to mountain bike legend, Ned Overend, explain why the 29er is the future of mountain biking in this interview.

Can't Catch a Break

I was supposed to start getting super serious about my training today, but it seems I can't catch a break. It's like something always happens that throws a wrench into my training plans. I had planned all week on going out to Clear Creek bright and early today for three laps or more of hard endurance training, but not two seconds after I woke up I did something to my right shoulder. I literally opened my eyes, started stretching as I woke up and WHAM! I get a sharp pain in my shoulder and couldn't move without hurting.

2011 Races

I didn't do a single race last season because the economy tanked and I'd just bought a new house, so something had to give. I'm hopeful the worst of the bad economy is behind us now, so I've been looking at various race websites and trying to figure out which, if any, I'd like to do this year. Naturally, this all depends on a lot of unseen variables like gas prices, the general economy, budget cuts, and even bad weather, so I reserve the right to change my mind and just stay home. One thing for sure is I probably won't be doing as many cross country races and I've done in years past. In fact, I only have two XC races on my list. This is the year I'm making the jump to more endurance (XXC) style events.

April 30, Cohutta 65/100
June 5, Bump 'n Grind at Oak Mountain, Birmingham, AL.
July 24, ORAMM, Old Fort, NC.
Aug. 20, Fool's Gold
Sept. 11, Black Bear Rampage, Ducktown, TN.
Oct. 2, 12 Hours of Stank, Memphis, TN.
Oct 15, 6 hours of Herb, Collierville, TN
Sept 4, Skool of Hard Nox, Louisville, MS
Sept. 18, Clear Creek Challenge, Oxford, MS.
Nov 12, Oak Mt. 6-hour Race, Birmingham, AL