2017 tavaszán futással, azaz terepfutással bővült az AlpinTeam egyesületünk. A már ismert Alpinbike Team, az AirborneClub és a SpiderClub filozófiával indítjuk el negyedik, Alpinrun szakosztályunkat. Szeretnénk létrehozni egy kis klubot, amely a futóboltunk köré szerveződő futókat, versenyzőket fogja össze.

Bike and run Chepan, 2nd place

Bike and run Chepan, 2nd place

2016.05.09.
So, after every 6 weeks of school, my daughter Elise has a 2 week holiday and this time the plan was to go to Belgium to already check there the schools for next year when we will return.

Bike and run Chepan, 2nd place

 

Well, so far the plan for Katherine and Elise, I thought to go back to my other home, Sofia, to see my friends and to make some rides :). But, instead of just rides, the guys booked me into some races, fine by me...

But, things weren't really going great in the days before my holiday, I got the bad lung problems back like before the 4island race, I made a mistake taking a bus to Sofia, taking me 14hrs and no sleep from 1 at night till 3 in the afternoon, never again,... ! So, on fridayafternoon, I just had the time to build the bike and go for a warming up+waking up tour on Vitosha with Boyko. Oooooh, vitosha is still the best bikepark, but ooh, it was hard!

Saturday morning, too early (different timezone..) I met with Toni, and we drove down to the RAM headquarters to fill up the teamcar, what a service! A short ride to Dragoman and wow, what happened here? I remember the first edition of this event and now, well, I can t compare it anymore! Apparently it became a bike and a running race, attracting more peoples, but also the whole event grew with tents of sponsors, the local folklore dansers, the main square was full! Amazing, this really created some expectations on the level of the race, very curious!

10.30, we drive as a group to the real startplace out of the center, good atmosphere, friendly faces, strange to see I am not the only guy who became older, especially the younger ones became adults and that was a big change :) . But, some things don't change: same players in the front as 3y ago... So, of we go and after only 200m, I somehow unclips from my right pedal when I hit a bump in the smooth asphalt ;) . I crash down into my saddle and as a result, the nose is now looking down 20%. Hm, far from perfect. But, can t stop, have to get to the front and try to adjust while riding, hoping to get it right. The climb is still steep, but somehow I remembered it worse. Breathing is hard, legs don't move too well, but I managed to get to the front with Alexander. When I see him, I already realise I wont be able to keep up today in my current shape. But ok, anything can happen, I'll just give it my best. The climb is fine, but close to the top, signs are missing. Sure, I have created the track with Lubo and so I know it (and yep, I got experienced and also downloaded the track to my gps...) and so Alexander has to follow me as he cant find the lign. Even with all help, we still struggle to find the track, so, although all of the positive changes, there is still a lot of room for improvement when it comes to signs, maybe the most important part in a race! Anyway, before we know it, we reach the rocky jeeptrack down and here I realise the saddle position is not good, feel my lower back hurting resulting in losing power in my legs. I can try to hit the saddle hoping to find a better position, but hoping is the only thing I do finally. On the first waterpoint, I get a bottle of water, but in the first 200m after, I lose it from my pocket :(. I now have to close the gap to Alex and when I make it, he accelerates (yes, roadie style.. ). I just sit and watch, don't have the power to respond at all. But, he doesn't push all the way and so we get back together to the next point. In the fields signs are good, another waterpoint on the perfect spot and we both full up the bottles. Now, the smaller climb begins and Alex doesn't wait too long before to go. I can t call it an attack, its just me feeling bad and slowing down. No, it s not that I don't push, I try to go as fast as possible, but my power is gone, breathing is still terrible, muscles are cramping up, man, I feel like I am 49y old and not 39... So, I see him taking advantage and I concentrate on my body, trying to find the maximum balance to make it to the finish as fast as possible in 1 piece... When I reach the first waterpoint again, there is some confusion and people even try to get me to the wrong direction for another loop... Thinking of it, it would be great to make a big sign here explaining directions like :" 21km right, 1st time 42 left, 2nd time 42 right " or there must be a way to make it easier for both the racers as for the helpers. Anyway, now starts the final through the fields with some small climbs and who do I see? Alexander... Somehow, he had a slow flat and so he is pumping like an idiot to solve the issue fast. I ask to help, but I don't have a repairspray, so I continue. After 2 minutes, Alex is back and the pace goes up. I know I am weaker, but being a race, I still try to make it harder for him.

The tire seems fine and in the last kms he is super nervous and he doesn't allow me to go to the lead. Ok for me, its comfy in 2nd. When we have to cross the small river just before the final asphalt, He decides to go the shorter right, I don't want to clean my bike and so I take the left. And, somehow this was the best line as he gets stuck in some mud with stones and he flies over the bar. Hm, not a nice way to win a race, but I realise now is the time to switch to 200%. But I also have no luck, as there are 2 bikers riding side by side on the trail ahead. I tell them I am coming, they look and stay. So I try to go through the middle and.... I hit one of the handlebars and I end up in the bushes... So, also have to get back to the track and we will have the final together, not a chance for me... In the last kms, Alex is using his experience and his much better shape to kill me easily in a sprint. 2nd place, the maximum archievable for me today...

But, I am a happy man, the ride was extremely hard with all the stuff, but great. Beautiful weather, a grown up organisation immediately asking about the ride, what to change, what could be improved, so, very open minded: great!  And everywhere I find my old buddies from all the adventures I had in Bulgaria in my 4 y stay, so, time to relax with a beer and hope to get better for tomorrow's battle in Stara Zagora :)

After the race, I heard questions for a longer loop? Hm, maybe its an option, but its a race early in the season with possible bad weather conditions, so, mud could drastically change this race and fog on the top would make it a nightmare too, so I think for now it would be better to optimise the current track with better signs good for all weatherconditions. If then all is proved to be foolproof, maybe an extra loop on the rocky part (good for all weather) is certainly an option!

See you

Wouter

 

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