I'm racing WITH my coach, so the PRESSURE'S ON (Firecracker 50 in Breckenridge)

Today we're heading to Breckenridge, Colorado to race the annual Firecracker 50. The Firecracker is known as a super tough race, not only because of the distance (52 miles/80km) and elevation gain (6,400ft/2000m) but because it starts at 9,500ft (2900m) and goes UP from there. While Macky is racing it solo, Syd decided to race with Coach Mike and she doesn't want to let him down. The pressure's on!
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[@davesmith2910]

Thanks

[@sydandmacky]

Thank you!

[@greggr1591]

If Macky says "Eff this climb", it must be really nasty. Y'all just keep getting better, as are your editing skills 👍🏻

[@mroberts566]

Little French is indeed nasty. Very steep, super loose.

[@graffix11us]

Nice recovery after clipping that tree, Syd! I just love you guy's conversations with yourselves while you race 🙂 I'll be doing the FC50 next year so thanks for the course preview.

[@lannonan]

I love how macky begs his hammies to give him more. I've definitely done this before. Usually way before 50 miles though 😂

[@Chris-pw7ov]

Massage guns are a game changer. Bought one a few years ago, and my recovery improved exponentially.

[@karlstine2065]

Editing for Syds ride was hysterical.

[@rickgoodwin6765]

Had to giggle at Uhg swallowed a bug. LOL Nice save from clipping the tree. I would have been down on the ground at that point. Congrats to you both. You have done well on this one.

[@michaelmechex]

That race looked incredibly hard. Rough, steep and rocky climbs are the ones that always exhaust me the most and there were so many! Great job all three of you!

[@EdWilsonPhoto]

There are a good many very good cycling sites on KZbin. This site, however, is my absolute favorite. Gotta love Syd n Macky!

[@mysho6317]

Great Riding / Racing. Always forget to compliment the Editing especially when you both race. The blending of the race footage is always perfect. Race On!

[@d-nicebikes]

Syd's GPS..."Hey Syd...."You spin me right round, Baby, right round...." Killing it, both of you...gotta find a fluid mix that works to avoid the dehydration/cramps.

[@sydandmacky]

If it had been Skratch as expected (and what we were told the race would be providing), it would have been fine!!!

[@d-nicebikes]

@@sydandmacky Time to sneak in the Skratch!!

[@safetythird23]

Congrats to all three of you! Way to push through and ride with all the struggles. You are motivating and I hope your next race is more awesome!

[@pauljardim5459]

17:17... Macky is there such a thing as comfortable cramping???

[@heatherjanelle6272]

We love the Skratch Recovery Hot Chocolate hack. It's what we make after skiing in the winter!

[@MattGrovesFTW]

Massage Gun is my favorite KISS song

[@gregnowak2492]

You guys all kicked some ass!

[@melissa7122]

That was one heck of a race! So much did not go as planned, however you guys crushed it given the circumstances and challenges that were thrown at you! Awesome job guys!

[@samchunghoon1819]

That looked brutal. Love yʻalls honesty on the different sections.

[@katrinahase]

Way to go guys!!

[@MoisheLettvin]

This brings back memories of the Breck Epic! Great video as always.

[@GreatCreative]

Sometimes on a long, difficult climb I, weirdly, find my self thinking, "Come on, Macky".

[@sydandmacky]

🤣😂

[@kyled121]

Well done all 3 of you!

[@mikieson]

Syd we have a lot in common..I too sound like a train when riding off road..and i too have swallowed a bug and choked on it..haha..we are so alike :D AND Macky I had cramps in both my hamstrings a few days ago after workingout legs..Not fun! lol...Good job guys. You toughed it out and improved mentally and physically for the next day.

[@zacharychapman3459]

Killing it!!

[@grunderhunter]

The gps was almost hypnotic with its bouncing!

[@damnedlock8776]

I use to get alot of cramps in races....then I dropped my sodium intake and I havent cramped since...that climb looked nuts...the scenery is beautiful

[@singletrackmania1]

Fantastic video as usual! Yes, the sugary mixes that make your mouth sticky are a nightmare when you're thirsty! Does the scratch mix have carbs in it?

[@sydandmacky]

Skratch active hydration is low cal/low carb. It's meant to be just hydration. Their super fuel mix is higher carb

[@flyfreak23]

Had the same issue with my garmin mount. Stem mount is the solution!!

[@jacinto7237]

Excellent champions 👍💪🚴🚴🚴🍻👏👏👏👏

[@erwincrous7457]

Good day guys. I love to follow you. I just want to correct you guys. The trophy that you called a springbuck is actually a impala ram. Must say, it is a massive trophy. Enjoy what you are doing. We are enjoying it and luring a lot 🤗🤗🤗

[@ruffdeezy]

You should consider doing the Merritt Crown next year. Super fun and challenging. Anyways love these race videos.

[@dannyklein4257]

Great race👍🏻💪🏻

[@LockeLeviathan]

Definitely pivoting into XCO next year, after this running season. This looks like so much fun. Winter training to get in shape. Starting to race in spring. Great work, guys! Gonna pick up some Scratch tomorrow. Use it for long runs. Because, advertising works on me.

[@sydandmacky]

😁

[@benc.8103]

Syd I’m sorry I laughed a little, only because I could relate on having a bug go straight down the wind pipe, getting sick on a nasty drink then playing the mental game the rest of the race. Then clipping a tree and not to mention the annoying swinging gps. Glad to see you guys made it through. I enjoyed the video.

[@phoenixGrassl]

Love it keep it up!

[@TooMuchBike]

You guys rock! Love the race videos.

[@TooMuchBike]

I don't believe this is legit.....

[@sydandmacky]

Yeah, looks like a weird new type of spam comment! Sorry!

[@farghom]

Once pass the lactic threshold how long does it takes to come down to fat burning?

[@runabq]

I can't believe that GPS didn't come off the handlebar! Every time the video switched back to Syd I expected the GPS to be gone. Stages should put your video in their advertising.

[@ToddNZMTB]

I really want to know what was in the bottle, I'm slow mo-ing the video at aid stations etc trying to read sponsor logos etc 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@ToddNZMTB]

Evidently Honey Stinger [who had sponsor signage] make some apparently really gross tasting hydration mix 💡

[@sydandmacky]

Definitely could have been that... It was gross!

[@AntoineThisdale]

Omg that gps malfunction.... driving me nuts LOL i can only imagine how frustrating that was on the track!!

[@fengcarlos]

man, how do you conner so fast with those tires with little knobs? Those are the Rekon race right?

[@sydandmacky]

A lot of practice! While the tire does matter, the technique matters more!

[@fengcarlos]

@@sydandmacky Agreed. Did those Rekon race feel grippier than the Barzo in your opinion? Similar?

[@sydandmacky]

We didn't notice much difference either way...

[@fengcarlos]

@@sydandmacky Thanks for taking the time to answer.

[@neilashton9459]

In retrospect when getting the nasty drink mix (assuming you noticed just after the aid station) would it have made sense to turn back for water? Guess it depends on how big the time gaps were? Great racing especially going hard at that elevation - how high ru in NM?

[@sydandmacky]

I think in the future I will always take a swig while I ride through the aid station so I know what I'm dealing with so I can still get water instead. By the time I realized I really didn't want to turn back. We live at 7200 in Los Alamos, so we are fairly used to elevation (but everybody suffers at 11k!)

[@razmtb5028]

awesome

[@frozenmoon9220]

Where do you purchase the skratch drink powder?

[@sydandmacky]

bit.ly/3uyYUQU

[@Tntdruid]

Syd Vs GPS mount 😄

[@TexasWahoo_]

Macky is so polite while asking others to give him room to leave them in his dust. Is everyone who races mountain bikes that way?

[@sydandmacky]

I'd say mountain bikers as a group could use some practice in this department. The pros tend to be pretty good about it, but sometimes the amateur categories get a bit aggro, especially if it's a woman asking to pass (Syd has some horror stories). We're hoping by modeling it in our videos more people will realize it doesn't hurt to be polite!

[@TexasWahoo_]

@@sydandmacky Well, both of you show exceptional courtesy and it's impressive. I'm a 100% roadie so we have all the room in the world.

[@tomassanesson902]

Awesome

[@gmhayter6106]

The Antelope is an Impala not a Springbok, 🙂

[@JackBernard136]

I didn’t know you guys are running Maxxis tires! Are you still sponsored by Vittoria?

[@sydandmacky]

No tire sponsor this year so we're trying some different things!

[@ralphkeith2905]

After finally getting over an injury (almost 3 years off the bike), I'm in the market for a new bike so I can start doing 50k - 50m events. I'm debating a traditional full sus XC 100/100, but wondering if that's "old school" and I should be looking at 120/120 or??? Thanks.

[@sydandmacky]

Agreed. Go for 120 on the front (and maybe back too) and good angles!

[@BrusselsBlog]

and an Impala is a type if antelope, so Syd was right :D

[@Mr.P.Griffith]

Am I the only one that thought when Macky said "15th place isn't where I want to be", this should be an easy podium then..

[@cmcjvcltcbmc]

I know you're sponsored by Skratch, but in fairness to the drink mix the race provided, they all suck when they're warm. Even Skratch. Especially after racing for a couple of hours!

[@sydandmacky]

True, but we're used to warm Skratch and whatever this was was 🤢

[@tweaker_on_a_bike9809]

Y'all need to do hit the iv hydration clinic before the races, works so good. -tweaker

[@eriknash8783]

I’m curious about Macky asking for someone to give way for a pass??? This is a pro race, right?

[@sydandmacky]

Yup, but for the most part even the pros are reasonable able letting one another pass. If it were towards the end of the race and you were racing for the win, then not so much, but there was plenty of racing to go and neither of us was at the front.

[@onlyfoolriding8223]

Next steps: incorporate live power and HR data!

[@SioLazer]

I think someone slipped Cytomax in Syd's bidon! :P

[@rollingthunder9851]

I've always found that drinking a hot chocolate before I run or ride results in a big loss of stamina. Not sure why and it just might be me, but for what it's worth...

[@onlyfoolriding8223]

OMG. My OCD is off the charts with that fucking GPS flying around.

[@sydandmacky]

Same. Honestly editing it might have worse than living it 🤣

[@jasongrubb3350]

I like Syd's Growler socks!

[@wackogeckoatc9060]

that's a head of an Impala not a Springbok

[@thepedalsadvocate7389]

Dying to know your respective hemoglobin levels..... Can only imagine..... 200+??? Haha.

[@dhpug3014]

Dang I feel lucky. I sleep very well before races 🤔

[@sydandmacky]

That's very lucky!

[@okayatbikes1909]

I always breath like a freight train…

[@twilliamrc4wd]

Syd just leave it alone let the thing flop around and just race and knows you're it's annoying but it would save you in the long run

[@4961Studebaker]

Roflmao. What you wanted to say (Scratch Labs, way better than what’s in that dam* bottle)

[@sydandmacky]

Exactly!

[@coreymclernon]

I’ve done it a couple times. Always hate it when the second person gets on the course with fresh legs blowing by you or getting in the way because they are a lesser rider. You can always tell the second half rider because they are still clean. Firecracker 50- Do the whole 50!

[@davidstepro7486]

Stop F**k'n bleeping Sid's comments.

[@michaelcannon9516]

Just noticed that your other channel, Syd Fixes Bikes, has more subcribers than this channel. Guess we all know who the real star of the show is! Sorry Macky. :)