bionic dave

this post marks the 47th interview. 53 more to go. hope you guys are not bored yet.


dave harris team healthFX



ok he lives in durango, but he races here sometimes and hes moving to st george soon.


so when im down there we might do 10 hrs rides. who knows.


dave here and lynda like to ride a lot. sometimes together, this weekend they are racing trans rockies mtn stage race in canada.


dave likes to ride for 3 days in a row, do 24 hr solo mtn races, 12 hr, 100 milers and crazy stuff like that. oh ya he won the 12 hr solo race at pc round valley last year with 13 laps or some crazy shit, and passed the leader on the last lap. i bet that guys was blown and pissed like me.


hard core.


back in march we both did the rim ride in moab. its 90 miles of moabs best technical trails linked together in one loop. we rode together for 5 hrs in the rain and mud. then he stopped for a rain coat and i kept going. maybe he thought he would catch up. oh well that was a hard day and his chain broke. my legs were cashed for 5 days. but he was just warming up. i cant imagine going 14 more hours, as in a 24 hr solo race, or even for 3 days in a row like he just did a few weeks ago.


i dont know how he does it, but if you want to read some epic stories of him going big check out his blog. its something crazy.


see you in the desert bionic.


what is your real job

Cycling seems pretty real, except for it's effect on the bottom line. To support the habit, I'm an engineer, modeling communication protocols.

tell us how you enjoy riding more than 5 hrs

Good question. Some years ago I had a coach. During the winter he'd have me doing 5-6 hour road rides and I hated those with a passion. My, how things do change...

Much of it has to do with understanding what it takes to go long. I tend to be analytical about my training (but no coaches anymore) and try to hone in on what the demands of any given event are. This drives training.

Once that is figured out, then the fun really begins. Racing a 2-3 hour XC, you're pinned and busting your ass to get to the finish as quick as possible - and looking forward to the relief of the finish line. Nobody can go that hard in an endurance event - you have to pace yourself. In the good events, the mind is completely clear, the endorphins flowing, and no thoughts of the finish line. The distractions of your "everyday" evaporate; you become keenly aware of all race details, the efforts of your own body, but everything else in the cosmos is as if it never was. It is enormously liberating accompanied by an unusually clear mind, one you have complete control over.

There are exceptions to the above. Like, when doing events where the competiton pushes you to your limits. For me, that'd be the E12 in '06 and the 24 hours of Moab, and for sure I'll be hurtin at 24 hour worlds in September. In these sort of events I'm looking forward to the finish line, but every now and then it's great to find your limits.

what is your next big enduro adventure

Not sure on this one. I'm strongly considering the Great Divide Race for 08' - Canada to Mexico. It started June 15 this year, the lead rider is well ahead of record pace and looks a sure bet to set a high bar for those wishing to do better. That's attractive, but it really isn't much of an MTB route - lots of gravel roads. I'm also looking at a solo time trial of the Arizona trail (~730 miles including a bike pack across the Grand Canyon), or a solo TT of an as yet undisclosed trans-Utah route.

do you really like sager

Sure, I've always been one to cheer on an underdog. He's taken his lumps this year but keeps good perspective anyway. I would so love to see him throw some serious smack down in Mt Snow!

how did you get into racing, then how did it turn into epic riding/racing

XC racing started not long after I got my first bike - a Diamondback Ascent EX in '92. I could barely ride when I got it, but a month or two later nobody would ride with me. I was more sociable back then so had to race to ride with others. That's how it went for years...XC was about all I knew. Then one day in '02 I was on an epic near Durango (back then epic was defined as 5 hours, LOL) and one of my riding buddies noticed that I didn't seem to slow down relative to others and suggested I try some longer races. I dabbled a bit in '03, then in '04 focused on the NORBA marathon series with good results. It has snowballed ever since. The longer the event I do, the more dissatisfied I am with shorter events and am always looking for the next great adventure (read: longer). Trouble is, it's getting to the point where I have to make my own routes. On second thought, maybe that's not trouble at all.

how am i doing as an interviewer

Great - and I've really been digging your interviews. One hole in the questions might be my thoughts about self-supported, no entry fee, no permit racing that is gaining such popularity right now...

if you won 5 million lottery what would you do next

Buy my mother a house, take 6 months and travel the globe in search of the next big thing.

you are moving to st. george? tell us why, and so am i, so we can hook up some long days in the sun.
yaaa
I've been in Durango a long time. As good as it is here, it's time for a change. As for why StG...I'm a desert rat at heart. The times I need to be putting in the most training is during periods of crappy weather in Durango, and honestly, if I never see snow again it'll be too soon. StG is warm in summer, but I'll be travelling then anyway. The riding there in the fall/winter/spring is perfect. I'm fortunate to work from home so can choose my location with few limitations.

Maybe after a few rides with me in the desert this winter you'll find that special place enduro events can take the spongy mind and you'll be hooked.