One of many many perks of working within the meals and outside trade, is the power to expertise eventual overlap between your work and your hobbies.
I used to be lucky sufficient to have that occur right here at PROBAR final month.
Our GM casually requested if I’d be occupied with collaborating in one of many endurance mountain bike occasions in Costa Rica that our Central American distributors had been sponsoring this spring.
Mmmmm sure please!
Having by no means been to Costa Rica, this was a tremendous alternative to journey, race my bike and make new buddies all through the entire journey.
100km with just below 9k ft of climbing is often the kind of occasions I stay up for probably the most because it fits my skills as a bike owner nicely, however, for all of us who’ve skilled this snowfall record-breaking winter right here in Utah, I used to be a bit nervous in regards to the lack of outside coaching time earlier than the occasion.
Coming from mid 40’s to 50’s to excessive 90’s and humid was a little bit of a shock to the physique after I landed in San Jose. I knew the very best factor I might do was to remain hydrated, snack on some BOLT, apply loads of sunscreen and let the physique get used to the warmth earlier than racing the following day!
I met the Costa Rican PROBAR workforce, Marijose and her husband, in addition to two native PROBAR ambassadors for a shakeout journey the day earlier than. It was enjoyable chatting with Eunice and Guido, selecting their mind on what it’s like coaching and competing in Costa Rica. It was actually cool to see how passionate the locals are about endurance mountain sports activities!
After our journey, I had dinner with Marijose and a bunch of her buddies at a neighborhood restaurant and made my method again to my resort for an early bedtime because the race began the following day at 6 AM which might imply an early get up to have breakfast and preparing.
I rode over from the resort to the beginning of the occasion which was very shut by and was instantly stunned by the variety of riders who the place already there and preparing for the day. I’ve been to many races throughout the US, when it comes to variety of participant this one undoubtedly surpassed every part else by fairly a bit!
It bought a bit chaotic making an attempt to stage close to the entrance of the sector, I stood there with 10min to go because the race promoter was sharing some final minute course briefing in Spanish, none of which I understood. The race lastly bought began and with a 10min or so ‘impartial’ roll out, I simply tried to remain close to the entrance with out losing an excessive amount of vitality. As quickly because the flag dropped and the race was on, it was ON! Individuals the place attacking nonstop and the pack began progressively selecting up the tempo as nobody wished to let teams up the street. It was my first time experiencing a mass begin race WITH E-bikes, which made it fascinating as a few of them began buzzing by us extremely quick with their motor assisted bikes.
Quickly sufficient, we bought to the bottom of a really steep street climb and that was a pleasant solution to begin splitting up the group a bit. As this was nonetheless solely 5miles in a 60mile race, I didn’t need to go TOO onerous but additionally wished to search out myself with a bunch not far off the lead. I caught on the again wheel of a bunch of three different riders after a entrance group of 4 had gone up the street.
To my shock, there can be no single monitor in any respect in the course of the occasion. I suppose the tropical-jungle atmosphere most likely makes it too tough to keep up trails. The race was on a mixture of paved street and fireplace roads, each, extraordinarily steep uphill and downhill. This made the race very quick which might make working in teams way more environment friendly than using by your self.
Being the one foreigner in my group, I might inform the opposite riders all knew one another and a little bit of a coalition to attempt to eliminate me was beginning to type. I’d attempt to hold the tempo up throughout a few of the downhill and flatter part, solely to be absolutely attacked by their surges anytime the street tilted upwards. I’d lose their wheel and progressively work my method again to them, figuring out my skills and never desirous to go unnecessarily onerous on the steeper climbs. I yo-yo’d with the group on in the course of the subsequent hour or so of the race earlier than a few of them began to fall off of their very own tempo setting. My tactic of using inside myself was beginning to repay.
Once I was initially line, I observed I used to be the one rider with a hydration pack. Everybody else was operating a really lean setup with solely a small water bottle. It had me a bit nervous as I figured they most likely all had assist crew on the assist stations at hand them further bottles whereas I must cease, to not point out, carry an additional 3 kilos or so on my again. I felt that further weight on all these steep climbs however it will definitely paid off as I didn’t should cease on the final assist station whereas the opposite riders momentarily did.
I used to be capable of move them and push it on the following descent. I bought away from the riders I used to be using with and shortly noticed the entrance 2 riders within the distance. With solely 6 miles, to go I pushed as onerous as I might on this final lengthy climb figuring out there would solely be an extended descent and a fast climb in the direction of the end left. I hoped to catch them proper earlier than the highest of the descent, which I had pre-ridden the day earlier than.
Figuring out a piece of path is a big benefit as you can begin actually pushing the tempo with confidence. I used to be capable of simply latch on as we crested the climb, sprinted by one of many riders and located myself following the lead rider. Midway via the descent, I made the second move and used the the path information to my benefit to attempt to create some separation. We bought to the underside of the descent with out crashing regardless of ripping via the unfastened and steep turns. I noticed the opposite rider on my wheel, and rode a tough tempo on the ultimate false flat uphill, progressively using tougher and tougher till one in all us would blow up.
I noticed him struggling after which standing as much as attempt to speed up to remain within the wheel and within the course of he began cramping and needed to sit again down. Should’ve not packed some BOLT’s with him. I used to be relieved to not should dash to the end line and rode my very own tempo for the final 2km.
I used to be fortunately stunned and excited for my efficiency, regardless of the warmth and the course challenges, I knew my earlier racing expertise would assist me navigate a brand new type of racing in opposition to rivals I didn’t know.
On the race venue, Mariana and Marijose had been very excited and we began sharing tales when Guido and Eunice completed their races as nicely. Costa Rica has such a thriving endurance sports activities competitors scene! It was additionally actually cool to see a a lot better-balanced males to ladies ratio there than we’ve got sadly within the US.
I had 24hrs to pack my bike, do some sightseeing (jungle & sloth excursions!) and work my method again to the airport earlier than flying again, drained, barely sunburnt, and with many nice recollections!
Eunice Rojas:
“Arenal Epic is likely one of the most lovely races I’ve participated in, very good views and lots of miles with good climbing.
Favourite Product: MEAL Chocolate Coconut
Subsequent aim: La Ruta de los Conquistadores.”
Guido Fernandez:
“My identify is Guido Fernández, I’m an envoy for PROBAR Costa Rica and I do totally different journey sports activities similar to Extremely Path Working, Mountain Bike, Lengthy Mountain Trekking.
I lately competed in Toyota Arenal Epic, a MTB occasion within the 45K class, I obtained a Prime 10 within the basic classification, which was very disputed as a result of it’s a very quick and explosive class. It’s a spectacular occasion since you border the most important lake in Costa Rica and its views, ascents and locations are distinctive.
In the course of the competitors I used my two favourite PROBAR merchandise that are the Pink Lemonade BOLT Gummies and the Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip MEAL Bars.
My subsequent occasion is a Path Working 50k in Rincón de la Vieja, Costa Rica in June, adopted by the Volcano 100 on Mountain Bike in September the place I’ll compete within the 100 miles!”
