Are you Up 4 the DownStroke?
"Maybe, What the hell is it?"
You answered a question, with a question!!! What's wrong with you? And please be aware your 10th grade English teacher hates you right now. Maybe not because of your grammar skills, or your beautifully shaped legs, but perhaps your life choices. You are an adult, and you still ride a bike! Come on get it together! |
Well, in an effort to "get it together", and perhaps to fight off the SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) and keep Sir Nose at bay. Starchild has put together a race, an adventure, a fun activity, an event... strike all of that. We honestly do not know what to call it, perhaps just the downstroke. The downstroke is, simply put, a free MTB stage race/enduro for the months of January/February. |
Wait... what?
The short of it, Thirty (30) stages of riding in 4 different metro Atlanta Parks. Stages are currently being set, but we imagine the total timed portion to be less than 10 miles. Your time on each stage will be recorded. Yes, you can ride the stage as many times as you want over the months of January and February, your shortest time will be your official entry.
|
Born from the thought of Enduro having a menage-a- trois with XC and Super D, and you witnessed it while on slightly more mushshrooms than was recommended. It's winter. some asshole from high school keeps posting on social media about "dry January" and how great they feel. Racing season is months away...
|
AIEEEEE, we need to do something. Paging Starchild! He suggested the Mothership Connection, thus the downstroke!
Where
|
WhenBeginning 12:00 a.m. January 1st 2023 you will need to complete all 30ish stages before 11:59 p.m. February 28th. Or Sir Nose will have won. Time for the Bop Gun! If you're feeling particularly athletic and ambitious you could finish it all in one day... that would be funky!
|
Why 2 months?
That's a long time for a stage race! You're damn right it is. Especially one that is less than 10 miles. But what else do you have to look forward to in the deepest despair of winter. Someone smarter than Starchild reminded him that, essentially, it will take 4 separate days to complete all the sections.
|
Given the freeze/thaw cycle of metro Atl, and other commitments, one month may not be attainable for all. So it's open for 2 months, but don't fret you can still knock it out in one. Follow the leaderboards on Strava.
"Gettin down just for the funk of it"
|
How much does it cost?
Not a damn thing!!! Wait, that's not true, some of your free time when you could be sitting on the couch, which come to think of it... sounds kind of relaxing. But remember, you'll get bored and start doomscrolling, and see that A-hole talking about "dry January," again. Ugh!!! So yeah, you're trading doomscrolling for riding your bike; that's your cost. Which could be a huge expense for you, or perhaps no big deal. All depends on your Karma I suppose.
|
In other words:
"Oh, uh, there won’t be any money, but when you die, on your deathbed, you will receive total consciousness." So you'll have that going for you. Which is nice! |
|
What About Timing?
Great question!!! And we're open to ideas, but Strava is the only way we currently see doing it without it being cost prohibitive. Starchild has created a Strava club, downstroke. Ask for an invite to join the club today. We will accept everyone on 12/31, this will allow to keep the leaderboards clean until then. We will have all of the sections up by December 1st.
Here is a list of currently planned segments. This is NOT final. Segments will be altered and added as we figure this out
You are responsible for yourself, as when the segment starts and ends, familiarize yourself, and if you don't like your result... do it again. Want to complain? Go find someone to talk to, and best of luck finding someone who cares to listen to you complain about your hobby and some made up event.
Here is a list of currently planned segments. This is NOT final. Segments will be altered and added as we figure this out
You are responsible for yourself, as when the segment starts and ends, familiarize yourself, and if you don't like your result... do it again. Want to complain? Go find someone to talk to, and best of luck finding someone who cares to listen to you complain about your hobby and some made up event.
Anti-Blood Doping
Want to take a 2 minutes off your total time? AKA Sanctioned Cheating- Donate a Pint of Blood a day before you start uploading your times and provide proof. You must donate a pint before your first recorded activity to be eligible for the sanctioned cheating. Unable to donate blood for a host of various reasons? Cool, Starchild definitely understands this dilemma. Just let a pint out yourself, and send a pic. Measurements do not have to be exact, but roughly 16 oz, donate it to your favorite bat, a leech, or your favorite aspiring goth.
FAQs
I Never heard a crackhead say “I ain’t got no money so I ain’t smoking today” they always find a way ... so are u gonna let a crackhead out hustle u this month? |
What are the course segments like? If you mainly ride in metro Atl, chances are you have ridden most of these trails. We hope to have the segments up and posted on this site by December 1st. You will pass a graveyard, see a beautiful lake, go outside some of the traditional lines, and perhaps see a meth lab or two (don't worry if you don't look em in the eye, they cool). And if you have a challenge with that, you know how Nascar got started right? Moonshiners. If illegal alcohol led to one of the greatest lines from a movie of all time. Just think what great things will evolve from Meth.
No, no, he didn't slam you, he didn't bump you, he didn't nudge you... he *rubbed* you. And rubbin, son, is racin."
|