2019 Recap - This Is What Happens When I Am Left To My Own Devices
I’ll be the first to admit I have been slacking a bit at this blog thing lately. Life has been a bit busy and my choice has been to ride or write about riding, and of course riding is going to win that contest every time; but I thought now would be a good opportunity to look back at 2019.
The accomplishment I am most proud of from this year is
finally completing the required races to earn a ranking in the National Ultra
Endurance Series (NUE). To earn a ranking, it is simply a matter of completing
four of 10 events. The best four results are counted (if more than four are complete).
This sounds like it should be pretty easy until you look at a map of the
locations and realize there is a reason for “National” in the name. Not to
mention the fact that these are all 100(ish) mile races in some of the most
demanding places I have ever ridden.
I have wanted to make this happen since 2017 but had not yet
been able to make it work. In 2017 I did not really understand the logistics required
and only ended up racing two NUE events. One of those was a DNF at Marji Gesick
thanks to a rock that tried to eat my rear wheel. In 2018 I had a much better
plan, but ultimately I only made it to three NUE events; I changed my schedule
about a week before the fourth race on my schedule due to weather and a desire
not to destroy my bike. It bummed me out a bit but I ended up winning the
overall 12 hour solo event at Wausau that weekend instead.
This year was my year though; but only just. I had four NUE
events on my race calendar and the way they fell I would not be able to make up
any if I had a DNF or had to miss one for another reason; no pressure then. My
first NUE event was the Cohutta 100; this is a very fun race that starts in
Southern Tennessee but spends most of the day in George climbing through the
Appalachian Mountains. I brought home a 9th place finish which I was
extremely happy with.
NUE race number two was the Mohican 100, in Ohio. Usually people equate Ohio with flat farmland; this race is anything but with over 10,000 feet of climbing. It also has some pretty gnarly single-track and the always dreaded water bars. I snagged 12th here and was setting myself up for a great overall position
NUE race number two was the Mohican 100, in Ohio. Usually people equate Ohio with flat farmland; this race is anything but with over 10,000 feet of climbing. It also has some pretty gnarly single-track and the always dreaded water bars. I snagged 12th here and was setting myself up for a great overall position
This video has a few good clips of with the water bars for
your viewing enjoyment:
Third on my NUE calendar was the Lumberjack 100. This is a
super fun course; it is almost entirely fast flowy single track, but it is only
two weeks after Mohican. This means I show up with not entirely fresh legs. This
year was the second time I had done Mohican and Lumberjack in the same season
so I had a better idea of how my body would react to the stress of two big
races so close together; even so I was not holding my breath for a great
result. I did manage to hang on for 22nd in a pretty stacked field.
My final NUE race of the year was the Marji Gesick 100. I
had three of four required races completed and only about 110 of the most ridiculous
miles between me and my goal. If you are reading this, you probably know or
have read my post about how that day went. If not you can find it here: https://mtbmitch.blogspot.com/2019/09/marji-gesick-100-looking-for-redemption.html
Let’s say the day did not go exactly to plan, or really even
in the same general direction as my plan, in fact I’m not sure they were even using
the same map; but I was able to struggle to the finish line in 31st
place. I can’t say I am particularly proud of my place or performance at Marji,
but I can say I am extremely proud of how I stuck it out and kept moving no
matter how much it hurt.
Overall, I finished the NUE series in 8th place and
finally checked that goal of the bucket list. Which is a good thing because I
will not be able to make it to four NUE races in 2020, but I do plan to take another
go at in 2021.
Another achievement I am unbelievably please with is my
performance at The Crusher. A 225-mile enhanced gravel race, this was actually
234 miles long. Talk about a long day in the saddle with some very high highs
and some very low lows topped off with a fourth place finish. This is an event
that needs to be on every cyclist's must do list. There is so much amazing everything
to see no matter what pace or distance you choose; courses range from 40 miles up
to 225+ miles and can be raced or simply explored. https://mtbmitch.blogspot.com/2019/07/the-crusher-redefining-go-big-or-go-home.html
A few other achievements from 2019 include:
· For the second year in a row exceeding the
10,000 mile mark
· Finishing every race I started
· Attending as many group rides as I could; mainly
TNR, but also some great gravel rides in preparation for The Crusher (thanks
Sheldon, Jameson, Trevor, Brett, Sebastian and numerous others for putting up
with me riding a full suspension mtb on the gravel)
· Logging over 100 miles on the trainer during the
Capital City Cycling Club’s fundraiser for Haven House
· Taking my two boys to the Capital Youth Cycling
events and encouraging their love of all things bike
· Most importantly, I remembered to have fun while
riding. Sometimes I get too wrapped up in the aspect of racing and focus on results,
but this year I was sure to have more fun, especially when riding outside.
The year was not all roses and sunshine though. There were plenty
of tough times and days that did not go my way. A week before Cohutta while
doing some easy laps at Brighton Rec I smashed my left hand into a tree. I am
not sure how many colors it turned and I can’t believe how fast and large it
swelled up. I do know that I was still able to hold on to my handlebars (somehow)
so it did not stop me from racing. Although, after about 30 minutes of riding
my pinky and ring fingers along with about half of my hand do still go numb
even now. I may have done something bad to it…
Marji—I’m not sure I need to say any more than that, but my hydration mistake at Marji was inexcusable. Lesson learned and I am working on a new plan of attack for 2021. Yes, I am already registered.
Marji—I’m not sure I need to say any more than that, but my hydration mistake at Marji was inexcusable. Lesson learned and I am working on a new plan of attack for 2021. Yes, I am already registered.
I do need to say a huge thank you to my sponsors for helping
me have such a successful year.
Hammer Nutrition, ESI Grips and Rudy Project North America have
all been amazing to work with and all provide incredible products that I can’t
recommend highly enough.
In all, 2019 was a great year of
racing, riding and exploring with some amazing results, but now it is time to
build on that success and keep growing as a cyclist, friend and father. I am
looking forward to another big year of crazy adventures; whether doing something
completely outrageous like riding four non-stop laps at Poto on my own for fun or
exploring the backroads around Lansing with some other great cyclists and
friends, it does not matter. All that matters is I have a blast doing what I
love doing and reminding myself why I enjoy riding so much.
So what is in store
for next year? You will have to wait and see, but it is going to be a wild
ride.
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