I am officially faster than the sun - Gravel grinding across Michigan

And we are on our way, 212 miles to Ludington

There are days when I seriously question my decision-making ability. Case in point: I thought it would be a great idea to ride my bike 212.5 miles across the State of Michigan on a mix of gravel roads, two-track fire roads and snowmobile trails in one day. Did I mention it was a race. And I paid my own perfectly good money to do it. Now you see what I mean. Anyway, the next time an endurance athlete starts to tell you about this new and exciting event they are going to try, just turn and run, as fast as you can. Don’t stop. Don’t listen. They are crazy.  

So what is this race? 

The Michigan Coast to Coast Gravel Grinder (www.micoasttocoast.com). The idea is to dip your rear wheel in Lake Huron prior to starting the race at sunrise, ride across the entire state then dip your front wheel in Lake Michigan before sunset. Sounds easy enough.

My wife, Laurie, and I drove to Au Gres on Friday before the race and arrived at check in about an hour and half before the racer meeting. I got checked in, picked up my number plate and we decided to run out and grab some dinner before the meeting. The only reason I mention this is to tell this story: we finished eating at a quaint mom & pop restaurant, I was walking out in front of my wife and every single patron in the restaurant stopped eating long enough to look up at me and glare. I don’t mean a passing glance or a quizzical look, I mean they gave me the straight up stink eye. The one that says: “you’re not from around here and we don’t like outsiders”. I was not sure if it was just me, but when we got in the car Laurie started laughing and asked “did that really just happened, did everyone in there just give you the evil eye?” I guess I don’t look like someone they want to visit their town. We laughed a bit about it and headed back to the racers meetings.

Once the meeting was done we headed over to the Pt. Au Gres Marina and Campground (www.ptagmarinacampground.com) who were gracious enough to play host to the start of the race. We set up our cozy backpacking tent and checked to make sure everything was set for the morning before calling it an early night.

At the Racers Meeting

Race Day

I woke up about 30 minutes before my alarm was set to go off to find a cold and rainy morning, so I laid there tucked in my sleeping bag until the need to use the bathroom finally won out. Luckily, by that time the rain had all but stopped so I got up, got my stuff around and did a final bit of pit stop prep with Laurie who was my support crew for the day. Once everything was squared away I stated riding to the start line only to realize I forgot to put my number plate and timing chip on my bike. I zipped back to the car, grabbed my number and twist-tied it to my bike. Back at the start line I dipped my rear wheel in Lake Huron; now I was ready to race.

My rear wheel has been dipped in Lake Huron

The first mile and a half was a neutral roll-out led by one of the race organizers, the gravel guru himself: Matt Acker. Once Matt peeled off, the pace picked up a little but in general stayed pretty calm and relaxed, I guess no one wanted to burn their legs out in the first 50 miles of a 212+ mile race. As the pack (which was still most of the field) approached the first checkpoint (mile 56) the pace picked up a little because no one wanted to be stuck waiting in line to check in. The process at the checkpoints was to stop at a desk where a few volunteers would get your number and write down the current time. Once they wrote down your number they would say “Number 52 your set”, or something to that effect, and that racer could be on their way.

Rolling in to checkpoint #1 with the masses

I got through the checkpoint quickly, rode to my wife who gave me the two new bottles I needed and was back out on course in the lead pack which was now about 15 people. Our group was riding along at a pretty good pace, still nothing crazy, when 4 miles out from the check point someone thought we were at a turn and somehow managed to fall, hitting his head on the ground. We all stopped to make sure he was okay, and someone called the organizers to let them know a rider was down. After a minute the racer was feeling better and was able to answer a few questions “what day is it?” - ”Race Day” works for me, and a few others and said he was okay to continue racing. As we were about to take off another group of about 15 riders pulled up and stopped to make sure everyone was okay and we were on our way in a bigger group.

The pack rode on together for the next 10 miles or so until we got to a few climbs, when four guys broke off the front. I watched for a moment as Menso DeJong, Mike Bernhard, Nick Stanko and Scott Quiring slowly pulled away and I decided I was going to be part of the breakaway. I got on the gas a bit and bridged the gap, then settled in at the back of the line to recover for a few minutes. We continued to put some time into the rest of the pack as my heart rate settled back to where I wanted it to be.

Post race mud covered face

We hit the first section of fire road at mile 75 where I said, and this is one of the stranger things I have said in a race: “this trail tastes so much better than that last road”. To explain, the road we had been on was rather wet and muddy and had been recently brined and in a paceline mud is flying everywhere, including your mouth. The downfall was the soft sand, but it was early enough in the day and only about 3 miles long. We continued to push the pace up a little when we got back on the gravel roads and each took turns pulling to make sure not to be caught by the main group.

As we approached checkpoint #2 (mile 105) we decided to get back on the road together, so we could continue to work as a group and keep up the pace. With just five of us there was no jumble to get checked in and I rode over to Laurie for another quick pit stop. The five of us each rolled out of the checkpoint on our own but we all slow rolled until we were back together. We noticed a 6^th guys just behind and Scott told us it was his friend Ken Blakey-Shell so we continued to take it easy until he was able to catch up, then we were back to race pace.

We hit another section of climbs about 5 miles after the checkpoint and my heart rate started to climb a bit higher than I really wanted it to, but I stuck with the group. After another 5 miles (mile 115) I decided if I wanted to have a chance at riding out the last 97 miles and finishing strong I needed to slow my pace a little and get my heart rate back under control. As we went up a short but peaky climb I let the group pull ahead. It was mentally agonizing to watch them ride away knowing I could keep up with them, but at the same time I knew if I did I would burn out long before the finish. Over the next 10 miles I kept catching glimpses of the group, but they were getting a bit further away each time until finally the course had made enough turns that I could no longer see them.

Elevation profile of all 212.55 miles

Now completely on my own I was able to settle into a solid pace and keep my heart rate in check. And just in time as I found myself once again on a mix of fire road and snowmobile trails just west of Cadillac. There was not as much sand on these trails and the surface was mostly in good shape as only 5 people had ridden through here in who knows how long. This bit of the race kind of all blurs together as it was mainly seldom used fire roads and snowmobile trails that at this point in the day all looked remarkably the same (maybe it was because my glasses were still completely covered with mud? Or maybe it was because I had been on my bike for 8 hours straight?). I do remember three hills I had to walk because there was deep, loose sand and it was just faster to push my bike than to ride it; and there were footprints from the others in front of me so I did not feel too bad about it.

As I neared check point three, I turned off a sandy fire road on to a paved road (aptly named Low Bridge Rd.) with a nice downhill to find the road flooded over. I figured the other guys made it through so it must not be too deep or crazy, so I leaned back a little and cruised though, I only needed to pedal the last few yards and now my shoes were nice and clean.

I pulled into checkpoint #3 (mile 166) after 9 hours and 41 minutes of racing (the last 3 hours of which were solo) relieved to be done with the hardest part of the day. I knew going into the race that between checkpoint 2 and 3 was the longest stretch of the race and I also knew it had the most two-track/fire road/snowmobile trail, but it was much tougher than I expected. Sand, roots and the mental strain of the solo slog wore on me a bit but pulling into that checkpoint still in 6^th place with less than 50 miles to go, knowing my legs had enough in them to get me through to the finish really lifted my spirits. Laurie set about making sure I had everything I needed as I chugged a mini can of Coke and had a square of PB&J. I was ready to rock, this last section was mine, I was not going to let anyone catch me.

I had a very pleasant surprise after making a sharp left turn near mile 175 when I came upon a chaise lounge in the woods. No, I was not hallucinating. Salsa Cycles (www.salsacycles.com) was one of the main sponsors of the race and their current marketing campaign is “Chase the Chaise” (www.salsacycles.com/chasethechaise). They bring a red velvet chaise lounge out on the course, stage a photographer with it and have all the racers stop and pose for a picture. So, I hoped off my bike and on to the chaise for a picture, a moment of rest and a memory I will not soon forget. I was back under way in less than 20 seconds.

I have Chased the Chaise.

Then I hit mile 180 and more dreaded sand. This time nearly all the 100 mile racers had gone through churning it up. Side note: there was a 100-mile loop that started and finished in Ludington that shared the section of course from checkpoint 3 to the finish. Not to be deterred, I focused on picking good lines, the proper gear and encouraging the 100 mile racers I passed who were struggling through the same conditions. Mile 186 and sweet, sweet relief; the sand was done, from here on out it was just gravel and paved roads, this section was still mine.

As I got closer to Lake Michigan the wind shifted and was coming out of the west, creating a nice headwind, but everyone else had to face the same conditions. I got as aero as I could keep myself and kept my legs pumping. Finally, I turned on to Lake Shore Drive. 2 miles to go, 2 paved miles to go. I put all I had left into turning those pedals and managed to hold my speed at over 20 mph to the entrance of Stearns Park and the finish chute. I rolled through the finish in 12 hours, 35 minutes and 17 seconds; covering 212.55 miles (per my Garmin) in 6^th place overall and 1^st in my age group.

Crossing the finish line though even more sand

What. A. Day. My longest ride ever by well over 60 miles. I felt amazing, tired and sore, but amazing. After a quick chat with Matt, my wife and my family I walked my bike down to the beach and dipped my front wheel in Lake Michigan; goal CRUSHED! I finished at about 6:45 pm, nearly 3 hours before the sunset.

Post-Race tire dip in Lake Michigan nearly 3 hours before sunset

I now have a three week break before my next race, the Mohican 100; my second NUE event of the year. Time for a little rest and recovery, and probably a new chain for my bike.

Claiming my Michigan shaped trophy

Full results available at: www.racetecresults.com/Results.aspx?CId=16371&RId=200&EId=2

Strava file:www.strava.com/activities/1568249615/analysis