19th Annual Squamish “Test of Metal”
Back in January
the on-line registration opened for the 19th annual Test of Metal.
The race caps out at 800 riders and sells out incredibly fast so you need to be
on the ball to get an entry.
My finger hovered
over the enter button for a period of time before
committing to an event that
was 6 months away.
Squamish presents
a unique dilemma… should I be a climber this summer, a biker or maybe try
kiting..
Truly1st
world issues.
Anyway,
In one click of a
button a portion of the summer was decided.
I had some ski
expeditions that would take me into Mid May so the idea of the 67 km loop in
June was daunting.
The months leading
up to race day quickly approached and I had one more expedition to Alaska before
hanging up the skis for winter. Ski mountaineering does not do much for top end
cardio but it does turn you into a diesel engine so I’d be relying on that
base.
A few day’s before
hopping on a plane for Whitehorse I sold my old mountain bike and put in an
order for a new Ghost AMR Riot 7.
Stoke factor on a
new ride might just give me a few extra watts, or so I hoped.
Mid-May I returned
home and jumped on my road bike for a few rides to try and stack some form into
my ski legs.
Then a few days
before the Test Of Metal I received the good news, my bike was ready at MEC.
Anxious to get off
the roads and back on the trails I quickly checked the Sorca website ( Squamish Off Road Cycling Association) to see a significant
amount of new trails were either constructed or repaired.
The Association
has been incredibly progressive in working with local government and landowners
to build Squamish up into one of the best mountain bike locations on the
planet.. I’ve traveled as far as Europe and South America with remarkable
experiences in far off places yet I still enjoy returning to my backyard trails
after road trips.
The drive home
from MEC with the new bike felt unusually long, I was super jazzed to try out
the new 650b wheels size and having not demoed it, was a bit nervous as I had
committed to the idea regardless of knowing how it handled.
This would be the
1st year I’ve done the event without riding up the famous and cruel
9 mile climb. I did however pre-ride the Technical powerhouse plunge and the
Riot 7 handled everything thrown at it.
The newly
engineered linkage was predictable and forgiving.
If I was off my line in the classic rock
chunder of the Plunge, the bike seemed to carry me through with confidence. The
650b wheel size allowed a little more playfulness than my old 29er and handled
the tight corners like a dream.
Race day quickly
arrived and the day was cool and overcast. The previous day’s light rain had
tightened up the trails so things were looking ideal.
Despite not having
my usual fitness I was excited to treat the Test Of Metal as giant group ride
and not set any expectations other than enjoying the day and build off the
experience.
The event allows riders to seed themselves
based on anticipated finish times. 800 riders strong would see competitors from
World Cup athletes to weekend riders dressed up in costumes. It’s an amazing
feeling rolling out with that number of riders and hearing the buzz of the
knobby tires.
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| Lisa Snow - Image© |
The 1st
30 minutes of the race more or less put you in your place for the day. The race
starts with a significant climb on pavement to thin out the riders before the
single track.
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| Lisa Snow- Image© |
This section can either save your race or end it. There have been
editions of the test where I have buried myself on the climb to stay near the
leaders and this has resulted in an exit stage left and a DNF somewhere on
course. If you redline for too long the chances of recovering are not great.
On the flip side,
if you dawdle up the climb you can expect delay’s in some of the single track
as the riders try to merge into single file.
I arrived at the
top of the climb feeling pretty good and settled into a group that was just on
the tip of my fitness threshold.
This was an
optimal place to be as there is a fair amount of fire road before the true
single-track starts.
It’s never too
early to start thinking about the biggest climb of the race so despite not
being hungry or thirsty I found a few opportunities to fuel the body up for the
sections where I knew it was difficult to eat or drink. I have a rule of thumb
for hydrating and I’ve found it optimal to finish off one large bottle before
the powerhouse feed zone, then I can usually make it through the day on one
more.
Thankfully the mid
day inflow winds were blowing steady up Nine Mile. I was feeling pretty good
and holding my position the entire way, I wasn’t sure if it was the bike
rolling efficiently or the tail winds, either way I was enjoying the climb.
Nine Mile hill can
be broken down into 3 parts. The 1st section is the most difficult
because your legs have to transition into climb mode. Perseverance and
believing your legs will eventually rally are key points to remember. It’s also
easy to fall into the trap of thinking you are the only one suffering..
Everybody is at that point so you are in good company.
2nd
part is the plateau before a fast descent to the next part of the climb. I like
to break that climb down into minutes because it is not really that long but
the day’s efforts are starting to add up.
3rd
section is a grinder but the end is near so I suck it up till I roll over the
top for the long descent down the Ring Creek Rip. This year all the racers were
treated to new twisting single-track rather than the old straight shot skidder
road down into the plunge.
Once again the
Riot 7 skimmed through the technical sections and I was caught up behind a
number of riders struggling for their lines.
Rather than try to push my way through I settled in and decided to take the opportunity to rest my body before the punishing climb up through Crumpit Woods.
Rather than try to push my way through I settled in and decided to take the opportunity to rest my body before the punishing climb up through Crumpit Woods.
Cruising out of
the Plunge we passed through the chaotic feed zone for the 2nd time. The large
crowds help see you through the start of another climb.
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| Lisa Snow- Image© |
The temptation to stand
on the pedals is high at this point but the hamstrings are screaming for mercy
as you transition into climbing mode again.
I had a few leg
spasms but kept them under control and slowly settled into the Far Side Trails.
The climb is
relatively short and it delivers you into some super fun fast single track in a
rain forest setting.
I was catching
riders on my way to Plateau Crescent when I washed out on a corner. My rear
tire had lost a significant amount of tire pressure when the seal on my
tubeless broke off in a technical section. I fought it off for a little while
but had too many close calls so eventually stopped and pumped my tire but up.
I counted 200
pumps before I was content with the tire pressure and took off looking for
those that had passed by me.
With my head down
and dropping through the gears I got a few places back but I was more
interested in coming in under 3 hrs.
It was super fun
Tokyo drifting the final corners, trying to maintain my speed because my timing
was super close. The last corner into the finish area was loose and gravely and
I barely kept the rubber down to make my personal goal of a few seconds under
3.
This might have
been my 8 or 9th Test of Metal.
I competed in some
of the original events in the early days and have been competitive with the
leaders from time to time. Although not
competitive on this occasion, this is easily was one of my most memorable.
It was refreshing
to race with the idea of having fun and racing on a course that was in the best
condition I have seen it in.
Huge Kudo’s to all
the volunteers and organization and trail builders.
See you at the
Gear Jammer.
Chris
MEC Envoy.
Fuelled by Bean Brackendale :)
MEC Envoy.
Fuelled by Bean Brackendale :)
