This weekend I was in a Mountain bike ride from Negaunee to Marquette "Ore to Shore" It was a very cool place for a race – Lots of different terrain, sand, mud, water, rock, hard packed gravel, gravel roads (a few too many miles) and paved roads (way too many miles). I did the “hard rock” race which is 48 miles plus a rolling start – which means you ride a mile or two before you get to the 48 mile point – I don’t quite understand not calling this a 50 mile ride, but that’s OK – it’s a mountain bike thing.
I’ve never done this ride but I read reports and saw the profiles and saw that the last ½ of the ride was lots of down hills. Before the race I got a new, smaller rear cog to bring my gear ratio to 2:1 – boy am I glad I did! I would have been spinning my butt off in my old gear. If I was to ride it again I’ll bump up a gear again.
My previous “long ride” on my mountain bike was 27 miles. I was a bit worried about having enough in me to finish the extra 20. I wanted to start out in a comfortable pace and not expend too much at the start. I started in the back of the field just to keep my pace down. I was glad I did that for this race, but I will move up next year. I got behind some pretty slow "trains" (packs of riders) going up hills I could have pushed harder if the path in front of me was clear.
It was in interesting course, I would have loved it except two sections: t the 1/3 point was along a power line that was up hill, with small flat sections between quick rises – it was very rocky though this section. The drill was walk / run up a small 50 ft hill, ride for 200 feet, walk / run up a small 50 ft hill, Ride for 200 feet, walk / run up a small 50 ft hill, ride for 200 feet, wash rinse and repeat. I’m sure there were stronger bikers that could ride these rises, but not me! The other horrible section for me and my single speed was about 6 miles in the very middle of the ride that was all on paved roads! Yuck! I was I was able to pass a few multi-speed bike on the climbs – a good thing. But I was also getting mad watching the multi-speeds on the flat sections, using their middle rings! I kept thinking, if you aren’t going to use those nice big gears on these flats and down hills, let me borrow them!
It was a fun ride – I got really, really dirty, sweaty, and muddy that’s always good. I had lot’s of exciting decents, and near falls. (I did fall a time or two on the climbs.)
I was pretty happy with my time for my first 48 mile + mountain bike ride - 3 hours 25 minutes. The sad news is I was 28 out of 34 in the single speed group. I like to tell myself that the single speed group is pretty competitive, with lots of very strong (and young!) riders. If I would have raced with my age group, I’d have been 24 out of 51 – AND I’d have way more gears for the flat sections! I certainly left some room for improvement next year.
These "Moondogs" have marched across the street from the neighbor's house and Marais wanted to join in the action! Every time I see them, I start humming the Sorcerer's Apprentice!
