Four years ago, I thought I would never be able to run again. I had developed a foot neuropathy in 2011. Too many 24 hour solo events and an attempt at TNGA, where I had to pull out at Hogpen after excruciating foot pain, had caused a multitude of foot problems (Morton's neuromas, dropped arches, and metatarsal fat pad atrophy). Even after a foot surgery in 2012 and wearing custom orthotic inserts, for 3 years, I still could not walk barefoot for any length of time without being in pain. And I had to severely limit my long distance bike events. But time heals all wounds and just this year, I began running a little. Baby steps turned into 1 mile, then 2 miles, and finally I could run 3 miles without any significant discomfort.
So it was only logical (in my mind) that after a few 5K lunch break runs that I make an attempt at racing one. But since running is not fun, seriously, how many runners do you see that are smiling?, I sammiched the run between two mountain bike legs. Hence, Mountain Goat Adventures' Dirty Duathlon.
I decided on the SS, since Mary had signed up in my class. Well, the little stinker decided to race gears, as she thought the start would involve the 1/2 mile of greenway. Oh well, the course is well suited to one gear. Just not sure I was, having raced 5 Points 50 the previous weekend. Recovery is not as simple as it used to be.
The first bike leg was the Mill section. Five miles of fast and flowy, where momentum could be easily carried through the turns. The race started out XC fast, something I had not done in awhile. All I can say is "Dayem ... that hurt!" With Mary on my wheel, I went hard on the gas. I don't think I sat much at all on that leg. I was hammering on the ups and the downs were just bumpy enough that I needed my legs for suspension.
Mary and I entered the transition together. This is where I became all thumbs! The cold brisk air had chilled my fingers to the point where tying my running shoes became an event in of itself. I began the run with all my bike crap in my pockets, so made a quick U-turn, dumped out my contents, and then began my run, again. Breathing the cold air during the bike had irritated my throat and for the first 10 minutes or so, I coughed and hacked like a smoker. The run was on the Explorer Trail which had its ups and downs, but nothing too steep. There was definitely a good flow. I would not call myself a runner, but a fast plodder. I passed only one person while getting swept into the wakes of at least 10 runners. The only thing that hurt during this effort were my lungs. Well, until I tripped over a stob and "Superman'd" into the dirt. Next time, if there is one, I will keep my cycling gloves on. I popped up and looked around to make sure there were no witnesses. Crashing during the run ... only I could pull that off!
Explorer Trail
As I came back to the transition area, Lisa told me that I was 2 minutes behind Mary. I wouldn't call that getting "smoked," but it came pretty close! This transition went a little quicker as it is easier to put bike shoes back on. I took a few swigs of fluid, put my bike crap back into my pockets and hopped on the bike.
The legs were NOT happy. I had to HAB up the first few yards of the Avalanche Trail. The trail finally leveled out somewhat where I could hop on and pedal with a cadence of 40. That initial climb about did me in! And I realized I had forgotten to put my glasses back on. So for the remainder of the race, I had images of a stick being rammed into my eyeball. Call me paranoid, but after seeing many dogs and cats with severe eye injuries, I ALWAYS wear glasses.
Avalanche Trail - more enjoyable with fresh legs.
This bike leg was more at a ride pace than race pace. My legs were hurtin' buckaroos. I guess the transition from bike to run is something that one just has to work on to get the body used to it. I was wishing for one easier gear, as it was difficult to turn the pedals over on the steeper climbs. I didn't turn myself inside out on this legs as I couldn't, so just tried to enjoy it as much as possible. This trail was not flowy like the first one and had more climbing. The corners were sketchier, too.
1 hour 30 minutes later, I rolled across the finish line. I suffered in a whole new way today. I enjoyed the challenge, but not sure if I will do it again. I will still run as it compliments my cycling and the bones do need a good pounding every now and then.
Hard chargers!
Another awesome and fun'ish event put on by Lisa Randall of Mountain Goat Adventures! Tons of volunteers, well marked course, and post race Skittles!
Earlier in the month I was a bit torn between this race and the Payne's Creek 6 Hour. Both are super fun in their own unique ways. Did I want chunk and gnar on full squish or fast and flow on my SS?
HandUp Gloves made my decision easier. A pair to each registrant ... SOLD! I was also loving my Niner RKT, especially after putting a Fox StepCast 32 on her. We had bonded pretty tightly at the Marji Gesick and I just could not let her sit at home this weekend.
After last year's mudfest, conditions this year were on the other end of the spectrum. Dry, dusty, and fast! Justin and Amy Mace of Roost Racing had taken the race over and with the addition of a 25 mile course, had nearly doubled the registrations. Thumbs up to the 9 am start! 1 hour later made it a bit easier to negotiate the off-camber venue and allow for a little more sleepage.
I managed to park beside the Quadinator, Mr. Scott Harper himself. Although we had been FB friends since last year, I finally got a chance to chat with him about SS, CrossFit, and stomping him at Iron Mountain (he brought that subject up).
As I dug in my cooler for my flask of Gu Roctane, I realized I had left it at home. Panicking, I reached into my gear bag and pulled out 2 gels, a Honey Stinger waffle, and a Larabar. I don't do well with protein and fat during a high intensity race, so I would save the Larabar for the end, where I would expect my heart rate to drop and so could better tolerate this type of fuel. Mark was also kind enough to give me some Cliff Shot Blocks.
The start was a neutral roll out on pavement for 5 miles. The first couple miles were at a great pace for me to warm up. The big engines up front put the hammer down around mile 3 and I quickly settled into the second group, heart rate in the red zone and the legs burning going up the climbs.
The legs were happy to hit the single track. I was sandwiched in between two single speeders. Rich was in front, showing me which lines NOT to take, and the SS behind me (sorry, didn't get your name) was heckling Rich on his lack of skill.
They eventually got away from me, as the trail pitched upwards and Rich found his groove. The first 8 miles of the 5 Points system was a blur. The flow was on! Some loose over hardpack, but nothing too sketchy. I had Scott on my tail through most of this. I just knew he was itching to get by, but when asked, he was content to ride my coat tails. Finally, as we approached the last half of Kettle Bottom Trail, he slid on by and slowly pulled away. Pretty sure he was thinking "unfinished business."
The legs started getting a bit heavy grinding up Cross Cut and I had to back off less I take the chance of blowing up. And I knew, from having done this race twice before, I had to save some for the last 12 miles. I caught Mary out of the corner of my eye as I was switchbacking up the trail. There went any hopes of a rest. Trish was also back there. If I could just stay ahead on these nontechnical bits, I could possibly gain some time through the rock gardens. I decided to use a couple matches.
Coming into the rock garden on Cap Rock, I knew the line that would see me through cleanly. A heckler was there and "poo-poo'd" me when I took a left after I made it over the first couple boulders on the climb up. Calling me out for taking the easier line, I could care less cuz' I cleaned it! Then he started on the guys behind me as they followed. That gave me quite the chuckle.
Rolling through Aid 1, I saw Jen seated next to her vehicle, covered in a blanket, and giving moral support as I blew by. I was disappointed for both her and myself that she was nursing a knee injury and could not race. She would have absolutely ate this course up, not to mention pushing me into the pain cave with her fitness and skills.
The trails on the other side of Ascalon parking lot are some of my favorite of this course. Barkeater and Kindergarden are full of rock gardens and will have you doing all kinds of dances on your bike to keep upright and make it through unscathed. I was digging my I-9's through this as I had to back pedal quite a bit to avoid pedal strikes. A spectator at one of the toughest parts told me I rode it as well as any of the guys. Thank you, Mr. Boost of Self Confidence!
Finishing up this section, I was happy to see my BRF Zeke Lilly out there. He heckled a few guys as I was dragging them up a hill. Little did he know that they were just being polite and waiting for room to pass.
Not needing anything, I blew by Aid 2 and headed out to finish the remaining miles of 5 Points. 22+ miles in and my lower back was killing me! I needed to stand up and stretch it out, but the ups/downs/lefts/rights of Hogsback and Bankhead kept me from doing so. The pain worsened! Time to embrace the pain cave! I kept telling myself that this is only temporary; it helped mentally, but physically I was having a difficult time pushing the power. Finally I hit the connector and was able to stand and stretch, which brought some much needed relief.
With a brief respite from the achy back, I made short work of Peace Can and Tailings. So stinkin' fast, I was loving every minute of it. Then onto the LongBranch connector ... not so much fun. Chewed up, horsed up, ATV'ish double track littered with baby heads. The back pain set in once again so I would stand up and stretch whenever I could. A lot of the corners had deep sand and my front wheel washed out more than once. How I did not end up on the ground I do not know!
Entering the LongBranch Community's private trails, I gulped my last bit of hydration from my CamelBak. The 3 creek crossings were totally dry ... and rideable. The climb up Theo's Trail was hell, as it set my back off once again. I finally figured out that if I just stood and rode my bike like a single speed, my back stopped barking.
I stopped at aid 3, chugged a Red Bull, dropped my CamelBak, and grabbed a bottle for the final push. Down the pavement, right onto a highway, climb for 3/4 mile, left onto private property, down a loose and deep gravel road, and then UP just one of many steep double track climbs. I can see where this last 10 miles can be so demoralizing for some. But I had saved enough for this stretch and, aside from my back, I was in my happy place. Thankful that my "scavenged up" nutrition was working, I motored on, knowing that soon the scent of the barn would be near, giving me that extra bit horsepower to finish strong.
So up the horrendous climb to Jedi, a shred fest of flow! Then up another climb to enjoy the slightly technical and off camber Homestead Trail. Then bomb down gravel, surf the corners, and hit the South Creek Trail. As I negotiated its tight and twisty turns, I got to smell the food and listen to the music as it took me right by, but across the creek from party central! Soon I came to the creek crossing, which was not much more than a trickle. Last year it was up to my heart rate strap and I had to hold onto a rope with one hand and shoulder my bike in the other! Once again I passed by the finish as I climbed my way out of the Trust's lands to begin the final section of private trail. But first, a two mile rolling section of pavement. Thank you Jesus for the trailwind!
These last few miles really test your mettle. By now, my legs were trying to die, my back was on fire, and my stomach was growling for real food. Any normal person would ask, "Why?" To which I would respond, "because this is what makes me feel ALIVE!" So I enjoyed the powerline climb, the loose and ledgy descents, followed by more powerline. Because I knew that on the other side was some sweet bits of final single track. On the edge of losing it in the corners to mustering up enough torque to grind out the final climb, I relished being able to feel my heart beat and hear the ragged breathing, signaling that I was living on the edge. Hitting that final crest, I let up and let gravity do its thing, sending me over those last rocky drops and feeling my bike use up every bit of suspension, as I found the ground again.
Trying to time trial it to the finish, the final mile was the hardest. Slightly downhill, but I was having a hard time pushing over the pedals, the legs filling with lactic. Seeing the finish line, all smiles, and happy to be the first woman across. 4:41, almost 40 minutes faster than last year! That tells you just how great the conditions were, as I feel that my fitness is about the same. Little did I know that only Trish's ghost had been chasing me down; she had taken ill and without much sleep the night before (seems they were the only ones in the hotel that did not have bloodhounds as there was a dog show in town), decided not to race. I was glad I did not know, as her ghost kept me pushing to hit that red zone all day.
Only thing missing was the mattock trophy of years' past (hint, hint)!
I want to thank Justin and Amy for putting on a great race with great schwag, prizing, food, and beer (so I heard). The volunteers were awesome and much appreciated. I chose the right race this weekend!
Suffering is easier in the company of a best friend.
Wow! Where to begin on this behemoth of a race? Last year was the inaugural one. Todd Poquette of the 906 Adventure Team and Danny Hill, the Jedi Master of trail building for RAMBA, are the deviant masterminds behind the event. The race is named after the Chippewa Chief who led the Jackson Mining Company to a large iron ore deposit in what is now Negaunee, Michigan.
No bikes allowed beyond this point.
100 miles wasn't good enough, so they through in an extra 10 for this one. AND, there would be a 0.4 mile run to your bike. Aside from the Vapor Trail where I started out with lights, this was the first time I put lights in my drop bag.
The race was unsupported (by the race organization). They would take your drop bag out to Jackson Mine Park (mile 70 and mile 90), but that was it. It was mentioned in BOLD in every email that you are on your own. You were allowed to have support crew meet you along the course. But it was up to you to get to the finish ... or get yourself out of the woods if something went wrong.You were strongly encouraged to ride with a GPS, as they did not guarantee that the signage would still be there by the time you rolled through.
This sign was the pre race meeting.
Having said all of that, the towns people came out in droves! I counted no less than 10 "unofficial" aid stations set up by volunteers, community members, and friends/family of the racers. I even saw an old couple alongside one of the very short greenway sections, in old-timey lawn chairs, with Mason jars scattered around their feet full of clear liquid. Now, I did not stop, so I cannot tell you what that those jars contained!
Made to order at an "unofficial" aid station!
300+ racers lined up at 7:30am. The national anthem was played. ALL placed their hand over their heart and most took off their helmets. As soon as it ended it was a mad scramble to replace the helmet because Danny was lighting the home made bottle rocket. As it went up, then over, and then DOWN into the crowd, I was off on my journey. Thank goodness I had been incorporating 3 mile runs into my work out schedule. THAT was a long assed run ... in carbon soled shoes! Lisa shot off like a rabbit and I would not see her again for awhile. After about 7 minutes, I hopped on my bike and attempted to turn the pedals over quickly. I wanted to reconnect with Lisa. We had discussed racing together and from doing TransRockies, PMBAR, and Double Dare, she was the peanut butter to my jelly.
The first few miles was wide open, soft cross country ski trail. Why did we need a Lemans start? The first thing I noticed was that there were alot of fat bikes. But of course, most of the racers were from this region and probably have a longer fat bike season than a skinny tire one. Everyone played nicely during this rolling section. My legs were quite angry at this point; I blame the run as they had felt really good in the days leading up to the race. I caught up to Lisa just as we arrived at a fairly nice double track descent. From there we hit a flat trail that at one time was a railroad. Somebody forgot to tell them to remove the railroad ties, however. Even though there was some soil in between the ties, it was still annoyingly rough! Ker-chunk, ker-chunk, ker-chunk went my bike for about a mile.
Glad to be off that and finally into real single track. Lisa was rocking the gnar and I was glad to follow her lines. Unfortunately we did not get the chance to ride the Top O' The World section as there were lots of racers around us and it ended up being a HAB both up and a short bit down. But there was plenty of tech to challenge us. The trails were tight and twisty with short, punchy ups and steep droppy downs. And littered with rocks and roots. Overnight there had been a heavy dew which made the rocks and roots that much more interesting. I used my upper body alot, working through the gnar. I hit my 710mm wide bars more than once on the ever abundant trees. Lisa and I were passed by a few locals, who knew what was lying around the next tree or rocky outcropping. Most were nice and patient as there were not many opportunities for passing. One dude who was up my butt and way to antsy for only being 10 miles into the race, bit it hard. The trail demanded too much attention for me to look back, but I heard him say that he was o.k. That is why you leave more than one wheel length between you and the rider ahead!
Back out onto a sandy road, Lisa motorpaced me to the next single track. My legs still felt like cement had been dumped into them. I threw down a Honey Stinger waffle and hoped that they would come around soon. The next trails that carried us back to Marquette (Noquemanonn, EZ-PZ, The Cedars, Dead River) were relatively smooth and flowy. We finally felt like we were gaining some ground. The trails in this area were a network of spiderwebs. I had to pay close attention to signage as well as my Garmin to make sure I was on track.
Then we hit the Lowe's climb, which paralleled the power lines. Nothing technical, just a crap load of up. I knew we were close to the Hwy 42 crossing when we hit the back door of a strip mall, which included Lowe's. From there we worked our way through a culvert to avoid becoming a pancake on the highway.
Just enough light to avoid the large rocks ... or body parts?
Once on the other side, we stopped and Lisa grabbed some water from our support crew. This gave me a chance to throw down down peanut butter filled salted dates (what the diesel engine likes). And then we were on a couple miles of the Iron Ore Heritage Trail (greenway) over to the South Trails. My legs had finally arrived and I was ready to lead the way! I was glad there was a cyclist at the turn off point because it was a very sharp right and hidden. The first section of trails were machine built and full of flow. Lots of bermage! I was definitely in my happy place here, running on all 8 cylinders. We slowly worked our way around the Marquette Golf Club. I saw several signs as we approached close to the fairways that said, "Be quiet, golfers nearby." I kept my inner wild child at bay, but put the I-9's in full on coast mode!
At mile 45, Lisa and I rolled into the South Trails parking lot where Rudy and Vicky awaited. Here we both refilled our hydration packs and took on more food. Now 5 hours into the race, I thought our chances of securing a buckle were good. Right out of the parking lot the South Trails turned into Mr. Hyde. As we were negotiating a rocky uphill, we saw the trail had claimed a victim's bike. The derailleur and cassette of his bike were intertwined like newlyweds, probably a hard upshift under extreme torque, as this was a heinous climb.
With a 28 on the front, I made easy work of this climb. The trails had hero dirt, the knobbies were all grippy, and I was in my rock crawling mode. Had it not been for a fellow racer walking his bike on the ensuing descent, I woulda cleaned that rocky drop as well. Then came the gravel road climb up Mt. Marquette. 360 feet in 0.75 miles = alot of 12-13% grade. As we slowly made our way up, I talked to a racer that said the best downhill was just to come. I asked, "Is it the Scary Trail?" to which he replied, "Yes." Sa-weet! I had heard about this one and was looking forward to it.
Finally at the top, I dropped in, having no idea what to expect. I could tell that the shit was about to hit the fan when I saw a cluster of racers off their bikes. Pausing for only a moment, I said, "rider back." One guy said, "It's slick; are you sure?" I did not answer as I hit my drooper button and sent it! I think I heard a gasp or two as I continued down the trail. Although it was indeed technical, the pucker factor was just a 3.4. By far, this was my favorite trail of the day.
Halfway down Scary was the second checkpoint. There were 4 of these CP's in the race. You had to grab a poker chip at each one. This was proof that you completed the course and would get a finishing time. The first one had been somewhere in the North Trails. I grabbed one for Lisa, stuck it in her pack and off we went.
One more punchy climb and then another fun descent on Ezy Rider. Somewhere on the climb Lisa picked up a stick that jammed into her cassette. She lost a couple gears and we could not get that little bastard out. I knew our support crew would be waiting for us around mile 55, so I took an opportunity to forge ahead and prepare for a surgical extraction. While we awaited on Lisa's arrival, I made sure to eat and drink. After several minutes, she arrived. Rudy was ready with an array of tools. At this point, Lisa told me to go on. I really did not want to. But she was insistent The day before we had discussed riding together, but that if one of us felt we were holding the other back, we would let the other go. As much as I hated too, I pedaled off. At this point, I was 6 1/2 hours into the race. That left 5 1/2 for the last 50'ish miles. A challenge, but still doable, or so I thought.
I soft pedaled for a couple miles, hoping that I would here the familiar buzz of Lisa's wheels catching up to mine. But after 10 minutes, I knew I was on my own. The next 15 miles to the town of Negaunee was a steady slog uphill on mind numbing trail. On paper, it looked fast, but with a rather large chunk of it being snowmobile trail, it turned out to be a death march in ankle deep sand. There were a few sections where I could ride up on the lip of the trail, but then it would disappear. On more than one occasion, I had to push, not uphill, but on a flat section! At this point, with still 5 more miles to get to Jackson Mine Park where my peoples would be, I could see the buckle slowly slipping away from me.
Finally, I hit the Iron Ore Heritage Trail, a mix of smooth gravel and pavement. I could see a racer 100 yards in front of me. Head down, I hammered to catch up, where I could take some respite from the headwind. 50 yards ... 25 yards ... 10 yards ... and locked on to his rear wheel! I could not help but notice his snazzy orange I-9 hubs on his orange Salsa with the orange Fox SC Fork! After a couple miles, it was my turn to take a pull.
Jackson Mine Park, mile 70
As I arrived into the outskirts of town, I went through my mental checklist of what needed to be done at the SAG stop. Jackson Mine Park was full of support crews and spectators! I had a hard time finding Rudy and Vicki in the throngs, but they saw me and waved ecstatically. While I grabbed food and drink, they told me they were able to get the stick out of Lisa's cassette. And that she was still feeling good, but not "Carey pace" good.
Leaving out of the park, I had 4 hours to complete 40'ish miles. Easily accomplished in other hundies I have raced), but near impossible here. I was determined to leave it all out here, tho'. The initial climb up Malton was pretty chewed up and whereas it was rideable during my pre ride, now with 70 miles in my legs, I HAB'd it. Up top, this trail was super tight and twisty, and at times I thought I was going to be turned into a pretzel.
5 Points on Steroids!
One section I particularly remember is a sign that said Sharp right turn with a sheer drop off on your left! No effin' joke! No guard rail, no yellow tape, just an 80 foot free fall to your death. I rode it, but kept my eyes firmly planted on the trail in front of me. This trail was definitely old school, created by lots of back breaking hard labor with simple tools. Lots of punchy ups and downs over big rocks. More half-track than single track, with side cuts that would be quite a tumble down should you stray off the 12 inch path. Although slow going, I was having an absolute blast working the bike through this section. Got to give a big shout out to Joshua Hicks of Result Fitness and the 10 months of burpees, jump squats, box blasts, hang cleans, dead lifts, etc. After 70+ miles of racing, I still had that upper end torque necessary to clean this trail.
At about the 78 mile mark, the course dumped me out into downtown Ishpeming. This was the hardest portion to navigate as it was hard to make out the signage and avoid traffic, too. I did see a racer up ahead and followed his lead, while at the same time looking at my GPS for confirmation. Just to throw salt in the wound, Todd made sure the course went right by the finish! The 50 mile racers were finished and I could see them enjoying beer and barbeque!
Motoring on, I caught up to the racer. His name was Derek, from Marquette. I truly enjoyed his company, as I was in a low spot at this point. Working together, the mileage seemed to move on somewhat quicker. I shared some water with him, as he had missed his last feed. He seemed genuinely concerned that I was getting top notch treatment from the locals. To which I replied, yes, the "yoopers" were a friendly bunch. At some point, while climbing up to the 53rd bluff in this 20 mile section, he popped off my wheel. I kinda missed that big burly bear and his awesome attitude the remainder of the race.
After 2 1/2 hours of constantly being on the gas, I arrived back at Jackson Mine Park. It was now 6pm. I grabbed my helmet with the light, refilled my hydration pack one last time and headed out for the final 15 miles. 15 miles in any other race would be doable in 90 minutes or less. But I figured I had another 2 hours of gnar to tackle. And, it was already getting dark in the woods.
This last section ought to be titled, "How many times do I have to climb to the top?" I would cough up a lung on the loose and steep ATV trail climbs and then have just enough left in me to tackle the gnarly descents. These hill repeats of death seemed to go on forever. A few of them I had to walk. Getting back on the bike after an arduous push to the top was a feat in of itself. I laughed out loud at how silly I must have looked trying to clip back in. And just to make sure we had muddy bikes at the end of the race, prior to each climb was a green quagmire that ran the width of the trail.
At mile 97, I asked Tyler on a fat bike if he could smell the barn yet. I suppose that is a southern colloquialism, as I totally threw him off guard. I shoulda thrown out some "yonders", "up and unders", and "over thars." That would have really messed his mojo up ... hehe.
At around mile 98, I lost Tyler on a long fireroad descent that popped me out onto a road. A real paved road, with houses nearby. Surely to God I must be close to the finish! No sooner had I thought those words than I was immediately turned back into some single track with yet another steep climb. I saw a sign ahead for another checkpoint, the fourth and final one. And then I saw a two way traffic sign. I was befuddled momentarily. And then I let loose (in my mind) a Yosemite Sam tirade of expletives.
The last CP was an out and back! As much as the fatigued 47 year old whose legs were about to fall off wanted to sit down and throw a fit, the maniac who loves to suffer embraced it, knowing that I was going to finish this!
Grabbing that last poker chip gave me renewed strength. Turing my light on now for the steep descent, I railed it. This last bit of single track still required constant focus, and now with the sun setting, the trail was even more difficult to read. Night riding is tricky, especially at last light. I would much rather be racing in the pure dark as opposed to dusk, where shadows play with your depth perception.
The last mile was all paved and all downhill. Crossing the finish line at 8:11 pm brought with it a roller coaster of emotions. After 12:41 minutes of racing, I was happy to have completed this monster, bike and body intact. Yeah, I was a bit disappointed in not getting the buckle, but that was short-lived. After a year of preparing for this one, so many things could have potentially gone wrong. But not one bad thing happened, for which I am so blessed.
1st woman, 28th overall.
I have to bow down and give tremendous kudos to all the peeps that allowed this amazing event to happen. From race director on down to the smiling kid who handed me a cup of water trailside at mile 25, this race is in the top 5 of volunteer and community support. Even though it was proclaimed as a "self-supported" event, there were hundreds of people out there who would have helped in any way they could, should I had needed assistance.
The pre race schwag, including a poster, patch, sticker, and unlimited Hammer Gels were spot on! There were no podiums, only a $1.00 to the winner, and a buckle to the sub-12 hour finishers. The Marji Gesick 110 is about racing the course, not each other, and I liked it that way. And each person finishing this beast was a winner. The attrition rate was high; less than 53% finished.
An unbelievable adventure through the craggy wilderness of the UP.
I have already signed up for 2017, as I have unfinished business. For those of you that live and love the Pisgah Productions type events, then this is right up your alley.
