125-200cc WB165 treats me well at 9hr Ironman

Well last Sunday a few of us from Iowa made the 9hr drive to Wyandotte Oklahoma for the 9hr hare scramble called The Off Road Cup.

I ran the 165 and left the Wr300 as a back up but could just as well not brought it as it turned out. I used 4 gallons during the 9hrs using a Lectron. The bike was fantastic climbing my 225lb (pre gear) frame up some real steep and long, completely rock covered, climbs. I never felt that I was missing power as long as I was in the right gear (ran 13/50 gearing). I could climb a slick rocky hill and with just a little throttle control get torque and traction all the way up or pin it and spin it which ever I wanted. The bike really gets with the program with the HGS pipe, the pipe with this gearing is great in all situations unless you are doing a lot of 90deg hairpins where you loose all momentum then its a little jerky due to the flip of the clutch needed, I ran this pipe and felt it was much better for me everywhere as compaired to the Fatty. I think the Fatty is a little better at dealing with being a gear high and also stop and go 90deg turns where after the stop it seems to get on pipe with a little less work.

Overall I was very impressed with the 165 and how easy it was to ride for 9hrs. I had no issues and no failures with great mileage and power. Now with all that said the 165 has made me faster on my 300, just not for a 9hr race, because I rap out on my 300 and ride it as if it were the 165.

I placed 2nd in the Ironman +35 and 9th overall Ironman. I've learned a bunch being my first attempt and plan to run the 165 next year! If your on the fence about a 165 its truelly a great kit!

So, you're planning to run Ironman again next year? I thought I was crazy to think about doing it again, but then I was thinking how much better I could prepare for it. Now that my extreme case of scabbing monkey butt is nearly healed up (I was actually able to ride the TR to work today) , I'm definitely wanting to give it another shot.

Except for a little clogged vent line issue, my CR250 with the PVL ignition transplant did pretty good. Though I was wishing I'd have gotten my tools back in time to run the WR ignition and that much larger flywheel. I ended up taking a lap on a KLX 300 and regretted it terribly.

Oh, and to poke the bear a bit...I grabbed 8th place for Ironman overall from you by taking that last lap while you were relaxing and I imagine having a beer (there's some motivation for you for next year to put me into a tree) -- I finished 5th in the young Ironman class -- I could've done one more lap and taken 4th, but I didn't know and was happy to be finished at 14 laps.

Paul - aka webski on here also ran a WB165 and took 5th overall Ironman and 1st in 50+ Ironman. He had a WR250 for back up, I think he took a lap or two on it.

So, not bad having Huskys representing 1/3 of the top ten.

I am jealous that you guys have these types of races. I would LOVE to run a 6-12 hour scramble, but I can't find a single event like that anywhere in the northeast corner of the country. There is one in Alabama in June, but it's 14+ hours from me and a 24 hour a race, a bit to much of a race and drive for a 1-man effort...

What event is it in Alabama? 24 hr race? What the heck!

Perry Mountain Challenge (http://www.24hourchallenge.com/24HourChallenge/news.html)

I had strongly considered doing it, but I would be doing it solo and also doing the drive solo, and it just doesn't make a lot of sense. If it was closer, I would be all over it.

Damn that's awesome, I'd be pretty intimidated by that though. I could see like a 12 hour race but 24?! Holy crap. I don't have lights and all that or Id consider entering it with you possibly.

The Off Road Cup had something like 12 states represented. It moves every year. LA, MS, MO, OK. They try to keep it somewhat central...especially since the series that owns it now is based out of MO.

Not sure where it will be next year, but it seems to always be Easter weekend, so you can plan around that.

No way would I do a 24 hour one...I some how kept the skin on my palms, a lot of people didn't. I lost a lot of skin from elsewhere though, knees are bloody from the knee pads. Fatigue was unreal.

Here's a video some guys did:

Ohh!!! Man! I was worried about locking in 2nd in my class that I never even looked at the overall!! Well that lesson is going in next years book for sure lol!

Well a little advice from one husky owner to another.... look up "body glide" apply liberally everywhere including "down there" and "back there" and you will be completely comfortable, monkey butt free, and nipple rub free! I need tricks on keeping cramps away Cuz fighting that for 3hrs was not fun!

I'll be picking up some of that...thanks for the tip.

Yeah, the cramps for me set in between 4 and 7 hours, then on the drive home. Bananas, hydration, all the usual tricks just weren't enough. I'm thinking there's gotta be something geared towards marathon runners or something that would do the trick.

I'm trying to figure out how I can manage to go do some training rides for something like this. It seems in trail rides, people want to stop every 20 minutes.

As a runner, I can assure you that we have no magic beans. The ultramarathon crowd or mountain bike crowd might have some suggestions, but for "regular" runners it's just hydration and nutrition. A marathon is only 3 hours long, and at a high level of effort, so what you can get away with for nutrition is different than a 9 hour bike race.