Privateer Diaries: Grodeo to Oregon, strange summer so far

Hello, from somewhere above Utah.

It’s Sunday afternoon, and I’m sitting on a plane that’s en route to Bend, Oregon. I realise I haven’t given much of an update recently, so here’s what’s going on.

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There’s something up with me

I haven’t mentioned it much on this Substack as I’ve been trying to keep my cards close to my chest and not publicly moan or groan. However, it seems that whatever is wrong with me isn’t going away.

I have (what we think is) major acid reflux, perhaps LPR, which is stopping me from training. I can ride, but I can’t train. Every time I go above zone one, breathe through my mouth while training or go to eat on the bike, I end up choking, coughing and dry heaving.

This is something that has been happening since Redlands, it’s what put me out of Traka and also buggered me at Unbound. It’s been especially bad recently, and I haven’t been able to do any intensity for the best part of a month.

It’s a pain, and is doing my head in. My motivation is through the floor, it sucks knowing that every time I leave the house to train, I’m going to end up leaning over my top tube coughing and spluttering my lungs up. It also happens off the bike, too. There’s little rhyme or rhythm to it; every now and then, I’ll just become short of breath, my stomach will be bloated and I’ll start dry heaving.

I’m working with doctors, but it’s showing little note to letting up. If anybody has suffered with something similar and have any suggestions, I’m all ears at this point.

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ENVE Grodeo

I’ve been up in Salt Lake City the last week or so for an event that took place in the last couple of days: ENVE Grodeo.

The best way of describing the Grodeo is that it’s exactly what a ride would look like if a group of mates got together and tried to plan the perfect route in their backyard. Neil Shirley, ENVE’s Director of Marketing, made this route himself, and it’s epic.

However, it’s not the ride that makes it epic; it’s everything else. There were six aid stations, and we were more than encouraged to stop. We were told that if we win, we lose.

One aid station had axe-throwing, another had hot-dogs, and the final one even had whiskey shots. It was the fastest and the slowest six hours I’ve done on the bike in a long time. It was a lot of fun.

The Grodeo itself is the main event on Saturday, but Friday night also includes a single-track challenge on a 4-minute course that ENVE have at the back of their factory. I was encouraged to take part in the ‘Shotgun’ race. You have to shotgun a beer and then do a lap. It was so much fun, think party meets bike race, and nobody taking it all that seriously.

Spending the week with everyone at ENVE was great. These are people who build world-leading products, but also people I mostly communicate with over email.

It’s a reminder that these companies are people. ENVE is perhaps the best brand I’ve ever worked with. They all ride bikes, and they all love what they do. I think you can see that both in the product, and in how they treat their athletes.

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Oregon Trail

Given everything that I’ve just put down, it seems stupid to say that I’m on a flight to Oregon for a five-day stage race. I’ll admit, I’m conflicted. It always sucks being at a race where you can’t perorm, and unless there’s a miracle my thing is going to come up in Oregon too.

But, it’s Oregon Trial. It’s one of the biggest races in the US, and the start list is packed. It’s also gravel summer camp, and is around one of my favourite places in the US - Bend.

If it was any other race I’d probably be pulling out, but one which celebrates racing (or riding) from campsite to campsite and having a good time is something to enjoy. Oregon is a race that is fun, it’s full of my friends, and we have a huge contingent coming over from Europe.

I’ll give it nudge and see where I stand.

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What Remains?

I need to sit down and think how the rest of summer looks . I’m due to race Crusher in the Tushar, a high-altitude Life Time event in Utah, but if my acid reflux doesn’t clear up, I’ll be pulling out of that.

I’m due to go to Namibia, and I need to start putting plans in place for that too.

The top of my to-do list is to figure out a solution to whatever is wrong with me, then we’ll see how the year plays out. Sorry if I’ve sounded a little down on any recent social post, or even here. It’s so frustrating when you put the work in, when all of the data is showing good things but a weird thing like this comes up.

In a way, I’d much rather have a broken bone. With a broken bone, you know the problem, the solution and the recovery time. With something like this, I’m just guessing.

Until next time,

Joe

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While you’re here…

I’ve added a paid subscription and a ‘Buy Me A Coffee’ link to this post. As the year progresses, I’m planning on building this blog and putting out articles which I’ve always wanted to write but, for whatever reason, haven’t wanted to pitch. Your contributions allow me to do that.

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/joelaverick

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The following brands are racing partners of mine which allow me to do cool stuff.

• Pullwood Consulting

• AG1

• ENVE Composites

• Castelli Cycling

• Cotton Sox

• Panaracer Tyres

• Rudy Project

• dussl

• invisiFRAME