NUE Mohican 100 Mile & 100K

Posted on June 2, 2022 by Jen Toops

The 21st annual National Ultra Endurance Series Mohican 100k/100m was held on May 21, 2022. Hundreds of racers from around the country gathered in Loudonville, Ohio to tackle this tough course. The return of the mass downtown start added extra mileage and required a few course changes for 2022. With feedback from the 2021 course, race director Ryan O’dell removed the Mohaven singletrack from the 100k race and reduced the Glenmont loop for the 100m racers.

Sunny skies, high humidity, and temps in the upper 80’s made for a difficulty day on the bike. Many racers battled with muscle cramping and heat exhaustion. Aid stations had ice packs and water hoses out cooling riders off. Later in the afternoon, the skies opened up and it poured rain that continuing on and off for the remainder of the race.

One of seven fully stocked aid stations. Photo credit: Butch Phillips

From the downtown start racers are immediately greeted with the first of many punchy climbs. Racers jockey for position on the next 5 miles of road before entering the Mohican State Park singletrack loop. They continue toward the Wilderness singletrack and the all famous rock garden. Locals and media enjoy heckling racers as they try to maneuver this technical mossy rock garden. After the Wilderness aid station, the 100k racers split and head back on more gravel roads toward the finish. The 100 milers continued to complete Mohaven and Glenmont singletrack loops before continuing on to the finish.

Jeff Rupnow & Heidi Coulter heckling riders as they navigate the wilderness rock garden. Photo: Butch Phillips

Being in Ohio, most assume this course is relatively flat. What the race lacks in elevation it makes up for in dozens of steep, punchy climbs strewn throughout the entire distance. 100k racers eventually climb over 8,000 feet and 100m racers climb over 11,000 feet. According to O’dell “Out of a total 453 Registered Racers, 64% of racers completed the 100 mile, 58% completed the 100k, a significant improvement over 2021.”

https://youtu.be/yglBMMZDJ8I

What makes this race special is the amazing group of volunteers that help out with the race. Ryan O’dell stated, “Along with many other local volunteers, New Hope Church, led by Pastor Rob and Bethany Paterson, showed up in force to help out at aid stations and 20 course marshal positions, as well as provide transportation and medical attention. In all, more than 150 local area volunteers working two-hour shifts were here to support the racers.”

Both the 100k and 100 mile races finish at Mohican Adventures campground. Racers are rewarded with a pint glass (100k) or growler (100mile) to fill up with their Great Lakes Brewing beverage of choice and enjoy the post race atmosphere.

NUE Mohican 100 MILE

Women’s Open– Mason gets the 100 mile win

Women’s 100 Mile podium: 1st Britt Mason, 2nd Jen Toops, 3rd Julie Medema, 4th Leila Husain, 5th Hanna Pauline Derby. Photo: Butch Phillips

The 2021 Wilderness 101 women’s winner, Britt Mason (Knobby Side Down) from Ellicott City, MD, won the women’s 100 mile race with a time of 9:14:04.

” The race started hot right out of the gate with climbing as soon as we reached the outskirts of town. I may have gone out a bit hard, as I made some early mistakes with crashes and missed turns in the unfamiliar trails. After the first couple of hours, I settled in to my groove and did my best to manage the heat throughout the day. I never fully cramped but had to govern my heart rate progressively lower to keep the grabby muscles at bay. I consider myself a punchy climber, but the steep hits just kept coming all day! I’ve never walked my bike so much in an NUE, either by choice to prevent cramping or because the trail was too soft, slow, and steep to ride. The strategy worked, as I ran from the front from the start and held off the chasers. Next up for me in the NUE series is Wilderness101.”

The 2021 women’s NUE epic champion and 2021 Mohican 100 mile winner, Jen Toops (Pearl izumi/Pivot), Marion, OH finished second with a time of 9:36:08.

“Mohican 100 is always a favorite of mine since it’s home turf and family/friends come to watch. After racing the new course in 2021 I knew it was going to be a hard day in the saddle, especially with the heat/humidity, and all the strong ladies signed up. This year the course started from downtown Loudonville instead of Mohican Adventures campground. This meant it was going to be a red lined start or risk being stuck in a congo line in the state park loop. Britt and Julie passed me on the 5 mile road start. I let them go and settled in my own pace as I was already feeling overheated. At the end of the state park loop I caught Julie and we came into aid 2 at the same time. It was so incredibly humid and hot. The Wilderness singletrack went smooth and I was sure I could make some time up, since I knew the lines. Wrong….the massive cramps started when I tried to clean a steep climb. Both of my quads seized up and couldn’t move them! I literally laid on the ground screaming and finally had to just get up and start moving. I prolly lost 3-4 min here. I immediately took a CarboRocket RocketLyte and slammed a few Honey Stinger gels and the cramps held off the rest of the race. There were times throughout the day where my body felt cold, extremities tingly and I felt dizzy and lightheaded. I continued to just keep a steady pace and stopped at every aid station to put ice/or water down my back. I kept looking back on the last road section sure Julie would catch me but managed to stay a few minutes a head. About 15 min from the finish the skies opened up and it poured. I was happy to have crossed the line and finished with how bad I felt through out the day. This felt like a day surviving on the bike instead of racing. Thank you to all the aid station workers that helped all day, especially aid 2 with the panty hose ice pack and aid 4 with the water hose! Thanks to all family and friends for the cheers and heckling :) Sponsors: Pivot Cycles, Pearl izumi, SCC chain lube, Lazer Helmets, Ergon, Xpedo, Honey Stinger, CarboRocket, Maxxis.”

Only a couple minutes back from second, Julie Medema (Founders Brewing) from Grand Rapids, MI, finished third with a time of 9:39:54.

“Mass start with the 100k & 100 milers combined made for a hot start to the day. I was in 2nd until mile about 25 then Jen passed me and I was already not feeling great so just settled in for a long, hot day. First 50 miles were TOUGH and SLOW with lots of technical singletrack and some major mud out there. Legs finally felt good at mile 75 🤪Solo mission to try to catch Jen but ended up 3 min behind in a thunderstorm! It was an epic day; equally tough mentally as physically with hot humid temps and endless steep long climbs. Thanks to Founders Racing for the support!”

Taking fourth place was Leila Husain (Sycamore Cycles) out of Brevard, NC with a finish time of 10:40:11. Hanna Pauline Derby from Marquette, MI finished fifth with a time of 11:27:50.

Men’s Open– Collins takes first Mohican win

Men’s 100 Mile podium: 1st Patrick Collins, 2nd Jake Inger, 3rd Brian Schworm, 4th Jimmy Close, 5th Brent Goetz. Photo: Butch Phillips

Taking the win in the men’s open 100 mile, Patrick Collins of Worcester, MA, finishing with a time of 7:36:11.

Patrick Collins. Photo credit: Butch Phillips

“Thanks to Ryan O’Dell and his crew for putting on a great event! This was my first Mohican 100. Once we hit the dirt, a lead group of 5-6 of us set a very hard pace for the first handful of hours. Guys were turning the screws, heat rising, testing each other’s limits, some digging deeper than was sustainable, so guys began to fade. I was climbing better than others. I got a gap on the first climb in the Wilderness, feeling good on the only familiar trails on course, as I did a XC race there last year. Brian Schworm bridged up on the climb after the aid station and we worked well together for a while. I was very glad to have a partner on the road sections. We saw glimpses of Jake “The Diesel” Inger I got a gap on him the super muddy steep climb in the private trails about 5.5 hours in. I think this section was a hike-a-bike for most, but I dug extremely deep and stayed on my bike to power up it. Once alone and no one in sight behind me, I rode a hard tempo, slowly easing the pace as I neared the finish until Jake showed up right behind me with less than a kilometer to go entering Mohican Adventures. It legit scared me! All this work to lose it at the very end, no way! I drilled it as hard as I could and finished ~25 secs ahead. Mind blown… biggest result ever! Huge thanks must go out to my sponsor Assabet River Bicycles, the best bike shop in central Massachusetts, owned by Jerry De Zutter. The legendary Tom Stevens is the head mechanic and he has made sure my bike was ready to rock and roll. Also huge thanks to my parents who have always supported me, especially in the tough times. On the drive back home to MA, I collided with a deer on I-80 in the middle of nowhere PA. I was fine, but my van was toast, so my dad drove through the night to the rescue and brought me home. My next planned NUE races are Wilderness and Shenandoah. I would like to do Marji Gesick as well, but I missed reg. Perhaps if I am in contention for the series win, they’ll let me in? :)”

Jake Inger. Photo credit: Butch Phillips

Less than a minute back, Jake Inger of Yarmouth, ME finished second with a time of 7:36:36.

No stranger to the Mohican 100, Brian Schworm from Morehead, KY took third with a time of 7:37:30.

“The race went very well but I was worried about the heat and concerned about racing so soon after a minor surgery to remove a small skin cancer spot on my forehead (wear your sunscreen!). I was feeling great and riding with the eventual winner Patrick Collins with Jake Inger not far back until the trail section beyond Glenmont at about mile 75. I started cramping and faded a bit. Jake caught up and I was worried there were more behind him. I had to give 100% just to hang with Jake as he was so strong. He pulled me to the finish and took off with a couple miles to go (and almost caught Pat as well) so I was able to hold my third place. I’m very happy with this result especially considering the surgery, heat, and my age 😀. After the race it was great to hang out, catch up with racing buddies, and swap stories of the day. The race turned out very well and, despite the heat and humidity, it was a great day. Already looking forward to next year! Thanks to my bike sponsors Think Green-Bicycle Face Cycling Team for helping to make these races possible along with ESI Grips, Maxxis Tires, absoluteBLACK, and TruckerCo, but the biggest thanks goes to my wife Jennifer Schworm for all the support both during the race and the daily routine required for my training. I couldn’t do it without her!”

Brian Schworm. Photo credit: Butch Phillips

Fourth place went to Jimmy Close of Ellicott City, MD finishing in 7:56:02. Brent Goetz from Canal Winchester, OH took fifth place in 8:09:11.

Singlespeed 100 MILE– Wakeley wins

Singlespeed 100 Mile podium: 1st Jorden Wakeley, 2nd Chaes Caughey, 3rd Joe Fraas, 4th Eli Orth, 5th Thad Paunovich. Photo: Butch Phillips

Finishing 5th overall and riding the last five miles on a flat, Jorden Wakeley of Grayling, MI, won the 100m singlespeed class with a time of 8:05:28.

“Went into the singletrack top ten and got caught behind some slower riders and the lead group got away. I was able to ride with Brian Schworm to the first aid station and he got out quicker than I did. Chased for 15 miles and caught the entire lead group at the second aid station and proceeded to draft off of them on the gravel roads. Dropped 5th and 6th place in the Mohaven section and ended up catching 4th just after Glenmont. We rode together for a while and I got away from him on Valley Stream Road, which put me in fourth overall. Flatted on the last rocky downhill about 5 miles from the finish and tried to repair it with a tube that unfortunately had a hole in it. So, I decided to ride on the rim to the finish and ended up getting caught by the eventual 4th place finisher. 5th overall in the day and 1st singlespeed–I ran a 36-19 gear and I ride for Northbound Outfitters. Tough, hot race as I was cramping at mile 30 and started feeling stronger after the bike path to Glenmont. Loved the course. Next race: Lumberjack 100. “

Leading the 2022 NUE singlespeed series, Chase Caughey of Canton, OH finished with a time of 8:32:32.

“Mohican 100 is one of my favorite races because I grew up riding msp. This year was my first time doing the 100 mile instead of the 100k and first season racing ss. There were a lot of strong single speeders registered and I was excited for the competition. Lining up on the start line I was settling my mind in for second because I knew Jorden’s wheel would be to hard to hold. Got a front row start thanks to my friends Justin Holle and Brian Elander. First half of the race went pretty smooth, riding my pace in second place and happy with the 34×20 choice. About 70 miles in third place rider Joe Fraas passed me on a long flat section holding the wheel of a geared rider out spinning me. I caught back onto him not long after being dropped. We rode together for a while until a good climb where I rode away from him. Finished in second about half an hour behind Jorden Wakeley and only four minutes faster than Joe. Great race! Thanks Evolution Training Cycles for everything”

Just a few minutes back, Joe Fraas from Pittsburgh, PA took third place with at time of 8:36:23.

“I was pretty nervous leading into the race because of the number of good single speeders on the start list and then the heat and torrential rain the day before didn’t help calm the nerves. Making the turn into town is always so cool seeing 500+ racers lined up and ready to go. The road start is a tough one for single speeders, but luckily my teammate, and eventual 100K winner, Anthony Grinnell was on the front. I knew he wanted to pace smart because of the heat, so I was able to stay with the large front group going into the woods. Even with so many riders, I somehow rode most of the 22 miles of singletrack by myself, which was pretty nice because I picked a pace I was comfortable with and focused on staying on top of my hydration and nutrition. I carried three bottles with me, two filled with Flow Formulas Lemon Lime (I used 6 bottles for the day) and one filled with water. Since I was riding the single track by myself, I really had no idea how I was doing until aid station 2 and saw I was only about 10 minutes from the overall leader. Seeing this gave me a huge burst of confidence and some extra freshness in my legs and I really started to pick-up the pace. I continued to ride mainly by myself until the long rails to trails section. This is such a killer section for a single speeder and you just have in your head that if your single speed competitors are working with someone in this section you are going to lose so much time. I just got as aero as I could and was spinning at a comfortable pace, when out of nowhere a geared guy flew past me. I knew this could make a huge difference in my overall time, so I did an all-out 30ish second sprint to get on this guy’s wheel. I looked down at my Garmin and was doing over 500 watts to get his wheel. I got in his draft in the nick of time, because I wasn’t going to be able to hold that effort any longer. I do not know his name, but he had a pink bike and pink kit and he pulled me for three quarters of the rails to trail, which allowed me to get ahead of eventual 2^nd place Chase C. momentarily. If he reads this, thank you again for the pull. Chase eventually caught me on the climb after aid station 4 and he and I talked and rode together for a while. During this time, I found out Eli Orth wasn’t in front of us like I thought and Chase and I were sitting 2/3 behind Jordan. Chase dropped me on the one climb and I rode as hard as I could the last 10 miles or so just hoping to hold onto 3^rd place. It was such a great feeling coming across the line seeing my son, wife, parents, and a couple friends at the line cheering for me. We always have a group that camps at Mohican Adventures for the weekend, which just makes the whole race experience that much nicer. I was running 34*20 wolf tooth ring and cog. Thanks to sponsors Flow Formulas, Pro Bike and Run, McQueen Athletes, Jim Shorkey Auto Group, ESI Grips, and Extreme Nano Lubricants.”

Ohio’s own Eli Orth from Cincinnati took fourth place with a time of 9:07:41. Finishing fifth place was Thad Paunovich from Avonmore, PA finishing in 9:31:27.

Master’s 100 Mile–Magnuson wins

Master’s 100 Mile podium: 1st Eric Magnuson, 2nd Keith Papanicolas, 3rd Amir Matityahu, 4th Bruce Stauffer, 5th Christian Butts. Photo: Butch Phillips

Taking the win in the 100 miles masters division was, Eric Magnuson of Manchester, MA with a time of 8:47:52.

“After blasting out of town, the Mochian 100 splintered on the first climb. The race then unfolded across an array of singletrack, gravel, and roads. During the first four hours, I raced in different groups. Alliances formed. Alliances fractured. At about the midway point, I was on my own—and that’s how things stayed until the finish. Others were in front of me, but I couldn’t see them; others were behind me, but I couldn’t seem them either. I pedaled in isolation, experiencing Ohio’s punchy hills, muddy trails, and escalating heat. I spent most of the day dreaming of dousing myself with something cold. At an aid station, I found a hose. There was joy at the end of it: clear, cold, fast-flowing water. Deep into a race, the mundane can become extraordinary. The Mohican is a stellar event put on by a stellar crew. The volunteers deserve a standing ovation. Signage was superb. Aid stations were excellent.Huge thanks to my family, my riding buddies, Skip’s C.S., Shayne Gaffney, and Riverside Cycle. Next on my calendar: High Cascades 100.”

Just a couple minutes back, Keith Papanicolas from Fairfax Station, VA, finished second with a time of 8:49:2.

Third place went to, Amir Matityahu from Los Altos, CA crossing the line in 8:58:27.

Taking fourth place wes Bruce Stauffer from Rockwell, NC with a time of 9:41:18. Christian Butts out of Plainville, MA took the last podium spot with a time of 9:45:01.

NUE Mohican 100K

Women’s Open 100K– Catale gets back-to-back Mohican wins

Women’s 100K Podium: 1st Kelly Catele, 2nd Bryna Blanchard, 3rd Abigail Snyder, 4th Heather Compton, 5th Jen Tillman. Photo: Butch Phillips

Taking back-to-back wins at the Mohican 100k was, Kelly Catale from Pepperell, MA with a finish time of 5:53:17.

“This was my second year racing the Mohican 100k and I have determined that it will always be a brutal experience. The crazy climbing, muddy doubletrack, and fun singletrack make the course challenging, but it’s the weather that delivers the true pain. Just like in the 2021 edition, the mid-Ohio humidity made the air feel like peanut butter right from the start of the race, which meant I was destined to suffer for the next six hours (this was my first real “humid” day of riding all year). The mass start from downtown Loudonville was a bit hairy, with several guys angling for front positions before diving into the first trail. The only other female in the front pack, Britt Mason, and I exchanged some conversation and marveled at how we had never crossed paths before this race. My goal was to finish the race in under six hours; my race strategy was to go out hard and see how long I could sustain the effort before blowing up. It turns out that 16 miles plus humidity is the blowup point. I slowed down considerably after then and focused on keeping my heart rate and body temperature from skyrocketing. Truthfully, I don’t recall the last time I felt as terrible during a race as I did during this day, and by the time I hit the second aid station at mile 34 I had already quit the sport of cycling at least three times. Luckily, the amazing aid station volunteers had ice-filled pantyhose to offer the overheating participants. I draped one around my neck and into the back of my jersey and within about 5 minutes, I felt slightly frostbitten and almost completely renewed mentally and physically. I even decided to un-quit the sport of cycling! Yes, my race was saved by pantyhose. The remainder of the race was a bit of a blur, as I did my best to keep ahead of dehydration. I finally felt strong at the 5-hour mark and was definitely not on pace to break six hours, but I dug deep and pushed myself hard for the last ten miles and finished with goosebumps–likely from being overheated, but maybe also from ending up in first place after suffering so intensely for so long. I want to extend a huge thanks to Seven Cycles, Voler Apparel, Industry Nine, Vittoria Tires, Flow Formulas, Ride Headquarters, and Gold Medal CBD for enabling me to participate in these events. Thank you also to my husband, Joe, for another fun and successful race weekend, to the race promoters for another fantastic event, and to all of the volunteers who helped make the day survivable.”

Placing second in the women’s 100k was, Bryna Blanchard out of East Greenbush, NY, with a time of 6:19:46.

“Mohican 100k felt like a magic race day for me this year. Despite the 7 AM start time, early morning nerves, and lots of training volume leading up to the race I managed to feel strong for the duration. I managed to avoid the 5 hour energy crash that so often forces me to lose my pace and inevitably get caught in the final miles. After a difficult time in survival mode at the Big Frog 65 it felt amazing and motivating to race hard and enjoy the ride from start to finish. The single track was fast and fun with some rocky slip and slide to keep things interesting. The bits of road in between made for a nice change of pace. With the chaos of mass start and miles of strung out racers on pavement I had no concept of my position in the women’s field. All I could do was ride my race, pace my efforts and work hard to not slow down. I was surprised and grateful to cross the line in 2nd behind world class endurance racer Kelly Catale. Thank you promotors, volunteers, and organizers for putting on a top notch professional event. Thank you Barker Mountain Bikes for all the continued support over the years. I am so grateful for these experiences, friends and bikes.”

Travelling in from Roanoke, VA, Abigail Snyder, took third place with a time of 6:36:58.

” I came into the 2022 Mohican 100k with high hopes after a tight battle for 3rd place at the Big Frog 65 and a surprise 4th place last year, when the 2021 edition of the Mohican 100k was my first ever 100k race. From the start, however, it seems as if my hopes would be dashed. I struggled for the first 2/3 of the race: I missed turns, got bungled up in the congo line through the state park singletrack, had some mechanical issues, and just generally was angry with the world. When I came through Aid 3, the word my friend/crew used to describe my frame of mind was “salty.” Because of the mass start, I had no idea where I was as far as position, but felt like I had to be somewhere between 10-15th place. Still, I didn’t give up. My team name and personal motto is “Ride Fierce,” the meaning of which centers around the image of a cheetah: beautiful and dangerous. I knew I would only be happy at the finish line if I gave it my best on course. So I controlled the only thing I could control: pedaling—and didn’t stop fighting for every possible second until I got to the finish. Even as I crossed the line, I expected to be 15th, so I was shocked to hear that I had finished third! The next NUE event that I am planning to be at is the Wilderness 101, where I will again tackle the 100k distance. Many thanks to Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge, Roanoke Outside, RND Coffee, and Cardinal Bicycle for making it possible for me to race this season!”

Coming in fourth place was, Heather Compton from Grayling, MI with a time of 7:06:47. Jen Tillman from Ellicott City, MD takes the fifth spot in 7:25:51.

Men’s Open 100K– Grinnell takes win

Men’s 100K podium: 1st Anthony Grinnell, 2nd Mason Allen, 3rd Robbie Seal, 4th Casey Abston, 5th Luke Hlavenka. Photo: Butch Phillips

Previous 2021 Mohican singlespeed podium finisher, Anthony Grinnell of Harmony, PA, takes the overall 100k win , finishing in 5:10:14.

“I’ve been racing the Mohican 100 since 2014 and still have memories of years past where humidity and creeping temperatures caused racers to drop like flies. With temps expected to surge into the 80’s and very high humidity, I knew a smart pace in the first half of the race would be critical. Sure enough, right around the 2.5hr mark, I started seeing all the guys that went too hard begin to fade and struggle with cramps. I picked off rider and after rider and worked my way up to first place before Aid 3. I stayed strong to the finish and pulled more than a 15 minute gap over 2^nd, finishing with a time of 5 hours 10 minutes. I was extremely happy with the win and am looking forward to my next NUE race at the Wilderness 101. A huge thanks for everyone who supports our Syndicate Cycling team: Shorkey Auto Group, Pro Bike & Run, Flow Formulas, ESI Grips, Extreme Nano Lubricants, and Wolftooth Components to name a few.”

At only seventeen years old, Mason Allen from Crozet, VA took second with a time of 5:25:16.

“This was my first time racing the Mohican 100k, so I was not certain what the course would yield for me. On the starting road, I had some trouble working my way through the crowd, so I entered into the singletrack farther back than I would have preferred. However, I was able to pass by a couple groups on the singletrack. Though I didn’t know it at the time, I did settle into a group with 100k leader Anthony Grinell. We kept steady for a while, but I eventually broke away on the singletrack, which I knew I was strong on. Once the singletrack ended however, I was gradually caught by Anthony Grinell as well as two of the 100k single speeders. I went back and forth with 2nd place single speeder Dahn Pahrs for about an hour, but eventually had to lower my pace. After being dropped, I simply maintained a manageable pace solo till the finish. I didn’t have any idea I was 2nd for the open men category, until somebody informed me between Aid 5 and the finish. Overall, I’m happy to come away with my first NUE podium at Mohican, especially as a junior. The next NUE event I plan to race is the Carrabassett 100k. Big thanks to the race organizers and the volunteers at the aid stations, without whom the race would not be possible, as well as John Petrylak for helping prepare for this event.”

Third place went to Robbie Seal of Richmond, IN with a time of 5:29:48.

Finishing in fourth place, Casey Abston out of Louisville, KY, with a time of 5:46:27. A couple minutes back, Luke Hlavenka of Barrie, ON, takes fifth place with a time of 5:52:40.

Singlespeed 100K- Holle gets SS win

Singlespeed 100k podium: 1st Justin Holle, 2nd Dahn Pahrs, 3rd Peyton Randolph, 4th Acie Hylton, 5th Ryan Craig. Photo: Butch Phillips

2021 NUE Singlespeed epic series champion, Justin Holle out of Aurora, CO finishes in 5:19:04 and taking 2nd overall in the 100k.

Just a few minutes back, Dahn Pahrs from Pittsburgh, PA took second place with a time of 5:22:18.

Peyton Randolph out of Baltimore, OH took third place with a time of 5:47:11.

In fourth place, Acie Hylton coming from Beckley, WV, finishes with a time of 5:53:58. Taking the fifth podium position was, Ryan Craig out of Pittsburg, PA with a time of 6:00:03.

Masters 100K– Suppan on Top Step

Master’s 100K podium: 1st Jason Suppan, 2nd Paul Arlinghaus, 3rd Sean Nicholson-Crotty, 4th Dorel Stoia, 5th Brad Rogers. Photo: Butch Phillips

Winning the master’s 100k division, Jason Suppan from Orrville, OH finished with a time of 5:31:29.

“Grey hair and saggy elbow skin. It’s what I look for when I get passed. Racing the 50 plus category, it’s impossible to know who you’re racing against at times and these guys are fit and fast. My power isn’t there anymore but the bike driving skills are still pretty good, so the goal is always to get to the single track in the front group. I was where I wanted to be until I lost some spokes to a large, tumbling rock a few miles into the single track. Thankfully the wheel held up for the remainder of the race but I was on my own with a wobbly bike. I was glad for the 52 tooth cassette through the Wilderness and onward, but was wondering when SRAM would come out with a 60. Ohio is a tough place to ride. Relentless up and down with almost zero flat cruising and never enough downhill to fully recover. I’ve been trying for years to get a Peace Pipe trophy at the Mohican 100 and finally managed to shake the champagne this year. The course was the best ever and so was my bike. I ride a Giant Anthem full suspension without a dropper and 34×10/52 gearing. Put this race on your schedule! Gorgeous scenery, incredible singletrack, and a very well put together race. Thank you to the volunteers, supporters and sponsors, and Ryan O’dell for putting this together. We are so lucky to have this State park and its single track caretakers, The Mohican Malabar Bike Club. Thank you to Ride On of Wooster for their support and help in getting me on a very capable bike.”

Paul Arlinghaus of Fishers, IN, finished 2nd with a time of 5:46:04.

“My race plan was to get over the Tanny Hill in the lead group, and then ride the Mohican single track somewhat conservatively. I was the last rider in the lead group over the Tanny Hill and the Mohican single track section went well. A big part of my race success was due to the support I got from Heather Arlinghaus at Sags 1, 3 and 5. She made sure I quickly had 2 full bottles leaving each Sag. While it was hard to tell my place in the 50+ 100k mid race, it looks like I was in 3^rd (8 minutes behind Sean Nicholson-Crotty) heading into the Mohican Wilderness. I suspect that Sean was riding the Wilderness for the 1^st time and I had been saving my legs for this part of the race. I cleaned all of the Wilderness with just a couple dabs and made up 6 minutes on Sean. From Sag 3 to 5 it was pretty lonely, but I started to catch sight of Sean up ahead and was slowly reeling him in. I caught Sean just out of Sag 5. I was hoping that he was in the open category so we could just work together on the last 10 miles. But he was 50+, so we still had some racing to do. Sean stood up and pulled away from me on the Valley Stream Rd climb. I knew we had one more big climb coming, so I rode my pace up Valley Stream Rd, and pulled back much of the gap on the descent. On the last climb I caught Sean just before the top and was able to open a small gap on the descent. I spent a lot of time looking over my shoulder but was able to hold a 30 second advantage to the line. I was 4^th at Big Frog and plan to race both Wilderness and Shenandoah. Bike: Trek Supercaliber, Rock Shox, Sram XX1, Slica Chain Lube and Tire Sealant.”

Sean Nicholson-Crotty from Bloomington, IN finished third place with a time of 5:46:37.

““Thanks to the organizers for a great race. The course was fun and the support was fantastic. This was the first of these I have done, but I will definitely be back next year. Hopefully, I’ll remember not to ride the first 20 miles like an XC race so the last 20 won’t hurt so badly. Thanks also to my sponsors, Direct Results Training and Revolution Bike and Bean in Bloomington, IN.”

Taking fourth place was, Dorel Stoia from Medina, OH, finishing in 5:56:50. Fifth place went to, Brad Rogers from OH with a time of 6:18:40.

For full results CLICK HERE

Butch Phillips Photo Gallery: CLICK HERE

True Grit Epic 2022

Posted on March 20, 2022 by Shannon Boffeli

Melisa Rollins & Danny Van Wagoner Open Endurance Season with Big Wins at True Grit Epic 50-Miler

Written by: Shannon Boffeli

After two years of snow storms and mud, True Grit race director Cimarron Chacon was more than pleased to see clear skies and warm temperatures as racers approached the start next to the red rock walls of the historic Santa Clara courthouse for the 8 AM start.

Melisa Rollins powered her way to a win in the True Grit 50. Photo courtesy of True Grit Epic

With more than 850 starters, True Grit represents the first leg of the National Ultra Endurance series and the first mass-start mountain bike event of the season. For more than a decade True Grit has challenged riders with technical desert singletrack riding that will both punish and delight.

Offering distances from 15 to 100 miles, in the warm desert of southern Utah, True Grit is the first opportunity for riders from across the country to stretch their legs and test their abilities on the dirt.

With most riders electing for the 50-mile distance, a tough battle was on hand as idyllic conditions promised lightning fast finishing times.

Riders weave their way through the rocks at True Grit Epic. Photo courtesy of True Grit Epic

Women’s 50-Mile

The women’s event promised tough racing with a host of elite athletes returning to battle in this early-season test.

Melisa Rollins (Virginia’s Blue Ridge/Twenty24) took the early lead out through Cove Wash and the undulating climbs of Green Valley. The duo of Liza Hartlaub and Mya Graham (Waite Endurance) chased close behind followed by Sparky Moir (Fezzari/MRP/Ergon), Nicole Tittensor (Jans/Scott), Lauren Zimmer (Bingham Cyclery/Peak Fasteners), and Jen Hanks (Pearl Izumi).

Jen Hanks flows through the rocks on Zen trail. Photo courtesy of True Grit Epic

Despite previous crashes at True Grit Melisa Rollins rode without fear through the daunting Barrel and Zen trails never relinquishing her lead.

After exiting Zen, Rollins held just over a minute lead on Hartlaub who had opened a gap to Graham.

Now at the halfway mark, Melisa Rollins upped her pace, hammering out some hard miles through the long Stucki Springs climb and onto the final Barrel Roll trail system.

By the finish she had doubled her advantage on second-placed Liza Hartlaub, and crossed the line in a blistering 3:55:50.

Hartlaub came home just 3 minutes back with an equally impressive time of under 4 hours.

Mya Graham takes on Zen trail on her way to third place for the day. Photo courtesy of True Grit Epic

Mya Graham crossed the line with a well-deserved third place.

Sparky Moir rode strong in fourth throughout the day. Moir showcased her desert riding skill holding off Jen Hanks, while both shed Tittensor and Zimmer through the treacherous Zen trail before settling in with a steady pace to the finish.

The final podium spot was decided in the finishing miles after Hanks flatted on the last descent of the day allowing KC Holley (Kuhl) to sprint past less than a mile from the finish line.

Men’s 50-Mile

Things heated up fast for the men as an elite group powered at the front from the very start. After a rapid opening climb and a safe pass through Cove Wash, Danny Van Wagoner (Johnson Elite Orthodontics) moved to the front as the singletrack started in Keyhole wash, a deep ravine where riders are forced to ride single file.

Chris Holley leads the chase group on Zen trail. Zach Calton crests the slickrock. Photo courtesy of True Grit Epic

Feeling confident, Van Wagoner opened a gap and kept the pressure on throughout the opening miles. “While it felt early to roll solo,” Van Wagoner said, “I looked at my numbers and felit I was riding sustainably. I was hoping the hard pace would allow some margin for error through the technical sections of the Waterfall, Barrel, and Zen trails.”

Van Wagoner’s early pace paid off as Zach Calton (Calton Coaching) suffered a flat while trying to keep his gap to the leader at a minimum on the Barrel trail. This left Cameron Larson (Summit Bike Club) second on course dangling between 1-2 minutes from the leader.

With his flat repaired, Calton started moving his way back toward the front eventually picking up Chad Berentsen (No Ride Around). The duo focused their effort on bringing back Van Wagoner who had pulled away from Cameron Larson on the false flats of Stucki Springs.

MTB legend Dave Wiens challenged himself with the 3-day stage race in Santa Clara, Utah. Photo courtesy of True Grit Epic

Eventually the chasers caught and passed a fading Larson with only Van Wagoner left out front.

The solo leader had gauged his efforts well and showed no signs of slowing on the final lap around the Barrel Roll trail. Attacking the final climbs and slicing his line through the technical rock features Danny Van Wagoner finished off an impressive day taking a solo win in Santa Clara.

Zach Calton and Berentsen kept it close in the final miles of the race with Calton opening the smallest of gaps to take the runner-up spot just 23 seconds in front of Berentsen.

Nick Gould attacks the rocks. Photo courtesy of True Grit Epic

Fourth went to Colorado ultra-endurance strongman Nick Gould (Mazda Lauf Factory Gravel) who was battling in a 3-man group for the podium. After Chris Holley (Kuhl) missed a final turn to the finish Gould and Blair Perkes (Kuhl) snuck through with all three finishing within seconds of each other.

Gwendolyn Sepp and Nick Bragg Win the 100-Mile

The 100-mile race in Santa Clara saw smaller than normal numbers as most of the 865 racers opted to compete in the 50-mile distance or the stage race that included a gravel race on Sunday.

The women’s 100-miler saw mother/daughter duo to Allyson and Gwendolyn Sepp both take on the challenge of 100-miles on their home trails in southern Utah. Gwendolyn, a college athlete for Utah State University, took the win over her mom with a time of 8:54:30.

Allyson (Red Rock Bicycle) came home at 9:26:17.

Roger Arnell takes on the 100-mile True Grit Epic. Photo courtesy of True Grit Epic

Nick Bragg (Sycamore Cycles Collection) took the men’s title in a nail-biter over Utahn Roger Arnell (Johnson Elite Orthodontics).

Bragg’s winning time of 7:05:17 was just 2 minutes faster than Arnell, an impressively close race after 100 miles.

Brian Elander (No Ride Around) finished third ahead of Jonas Woodruff (Next Wave Development). Joshua Tootell took the final podium spot in fifth.

Tony Rago hits the tuck position on Zen trail. Photo courtesy of True Grit Epic

The masters 50+ group went to local speedster Jonathan Davis (Elevated Legs) with a finishing time just under 8 hours.

Second went to NUE veteran Greg Golet (Team Chico/Carborocket). Golet finished with just over a minute in hand from Amir Mattiyahu (Trail Head Racing) who took third.

Race Notes

Massive junior numbers were on hand for the 2022 True Grit Epic with hundreds of kids under-18 taking part in junior men’s and women’s categories as well as the open.

Large junior fields were on hand for the 2022 True Grit Epic. Photo courtesy of True Grit Epic

True Grit Epic offers a 3-day stage race which includes a 90-mile gravel race on Sunday. Melisa Rollins and Zach Calton took wins in the 3-day event.

Justin Holle doing damage to his competitors in singlespeed. Photo courtesy of True Grit Epic

Liza Hartlaub navigates Zen trail at the 2022 True Grit. Photo courtesy of True Grit Epic

Bob Saffell takes on the 100-mile. Photo courtesy of True Grit Epic

Jeff Kerkove enjoyed his time in the saddle in Santa Clara. Photo courtesy of True Grit Epic

Brad Keyes braved a day on the singlespeed. Photo courtesy of True Grit Epic

Holly Haguewood puts her local knowledge to the test in Santa Clara. Photo courtesy of True Grit Epic

Riders charge through the desert with Santa Clara in the background. Photo courtesy of True Grit Epic

Riders navigate rocks above and below on the Zen trail. Photo courtesy of True Grit Epic

Shannon Boffeli grunts his way to second place in the SS race. Photo courtesy of True Grit Epic

Halle Britton on her way to second place in the junior women’s 50 miler. Photo courtesy of True Grit Epic

Riders had fun while challenging themselves in the southern Utah desert. Photo courtesy of True Grit Epic

Bri Hoopes shows the way through Zen Trail. Photo courtesy of True Grit Epic

A feeling shared by most riders at the 2022 True Grit Epic. Photo courtesy of True Grit Epic

Click Here for Full Results From All Categories

You can follow Shannon on Instagram @ Shan__Solo

NUE- Marji Gesick 100 Mile

Posted on September 28, 2021 by Shannon Boffeli

NUE Series 2021-Marji Gesick 100 mile

September 18, 2021

Written by: @Jentoops

The Marji Gesick is a point-to-point endurance race located on the upper peninsula of Michigan. It starts in Marquette and ends in downtown Ishpeming. The one-hundred mile and fifty mile mountain bike races are part of the National Ultra Endurance Series. There is also a one-hundred mile run, fifty mile run and one-hundred mile duathlon option. It’s quickly gaining popularity as one of the toughest endurance races in the United States and sells out in less than twenty four hours. This GPS required race is self supported, and racers are required to collect tokens at random checkpoints along the course.

Racers navigating the Top of the World. Photo credit: Ryan Stephens

The course was designed by Danny Hill and made to push riders to their absolute limits. The one-hundred milers having around twelve-thousand vertical feet of climbing, and the fifty milers around seven-thousand. In both courses, racers have to navigate through sand, roots, rocks, off camber climbs, drops, jump lines and technical descents, all while saving enough energy to get through the grueling last fifteen miles.

Celebrating at the finish line. Photo credit: Rob Meendering

Racers in the one-hundred mile course finishing under twelve hours for mountain biking, under twenty-eight hours for runners and under twenty-two hours for duathlon, will earn the coveted belt buckle handmade by blacksmith Gordon Gearhart.

Marji Awards hand forged by Gordon Gearhart. Photo credit: Ryan Odell

Women’s Open- Toops secures NUE overall win

Former NUE Marathon series winner, Jen Toops from Ohio, took the win in 12:58:22. With this win she secures the overall female Epic NUE title. ” I have a love/hate relationship with this race. How can a race so fun, hurt so bad? After completing the 50 mile Marji twice I decided it was time to conquer the 100. Although it would be awesome to get the buckle, I had one goal. To finish the race. As long as I finished I’d lock up the NUE epic overall win for the season. The start of the race was very busy and reminded me of the La Ruta de los conquistadors. Instead of a helicopter roll out we had an electric guitar national anthem, beautiful paint horse, lemans start and fire works. Just before the start, I got to meet fellow Pivot Cycles rider, Kaityln Boyle, who came all the way from ID for a chance at the buckle. After the lemans start I had no idea what place I was going into the woods. Did it matter? No. A very long day awaited. Even though I had my GPS, I still managed to blow by turns, start up the wrong trails and got turned around a lot at the beginning. Once we were on the single track I was having so much fun and was finding my rhythm. This is the part I love about Marji!

Just before the Jackson Park I caught up with Kaityln Boyle. We rode most of the sandy snowmobile trails and bike path together chatting it up! A welcomed mental break. The first loop out of the park I felt amazing and really was having fun on the tech singletrack. This loop went on forever! I was so focused on riding I didn’t eat enough on this loop. That was my downfall of the race and paid for it on the way to the finish. I stopped back at the park to get a back up charger and lights. This is when I saw Kaityln Boyle had DNF due to pain from a pre-ride crash. Kaityln and my support Heidi encouraged me I still might be a buckle contender. I had 15 miles to do a little over 2 hours. Feeling confident I continued to push the pace. After about an hour of riding I did the math in my head and realized a buckle was not in the cards today. My riding started to get sloppy, the fatigue had set in and I was in survival mode. I forgot how hard the last sections of trail were with non-stop punchy climbs, hike-a-bikes and just shenanigans. The last 30 minutes were torture, I wanted to lay down on the side of the trail. I wanted real food. I turned my lights on and navigated those roots and rocks walking what I normally could ride during the daylight. Jasper knob was such a rewarding sight to see on the GPS. The last hike a bike! I walked to the top collected my tokens and gave fake Todd a high five and headed in to the finish. My whole body hurt like it never has with any other race. I laid in the van post race for a couple hours before I could even function. Marji is by far the hardest hundred I have ever completed. I love it but hate it. I’m proud of my effort and learned a lot. Will I be back? You bet and next year I will have a different goal in mind! Calling all Ladies….lets go get this BUCKLE. Thank you Danny and Todd for an amazing event as always! Bike: Pivot Mach 4SL size XS. Sponsors: Pearl Izumi, Pivot cycles, Ergon, Fox, Lazer, Honeystinger, Carborocket, SCC, Stans, Maxxis.” Special thanks to Heidi for the race support!

“That was hard.” Video by: Ryan Odell

Nicky Ruszkowski of New York, took second place with a time of 16:27:54. “Marji Gesick 2021 was my second attempt at this race. In 2019 I dropped out at around mile 85 and so I certainly came at this with unfinished business. I love riding the more technical trails and Marji certainly has plenty of those. The gnarly, rocky descents in this race play to my strengths and are so much fun to ride. I think the cooler temperatures on race day were actually a little deceiving and I don’t think I was alone in underestimating the amount of fluids needed to stay hydrated. Overall this is a phenomenal race and I was delighted to come in second behind Jen.”

About fourteen minutes back from second place, Jessica Nankman of Pennsylvania, finished third with a time of 16:42:44. “For years I have heard about this race with upwards to 70% non-finisher race called Marji Gesick and decided it was time to see what it is all about. I typically race ultra endurance events, 24 hour mountain bike races, thus was looking forward to another way to test my physical and mental fortitude. With my long-distance background I was confident in my ability to cover the miles and being that I live in Eastern Pennsylvania I felt strong about my technical skills, the thing I was most concerned about was the logistics of the race. I was concerned about the self-supported aspect, it took extensive planning and contemplating on my part about how to carry the hydration, nutrition, and gear needed. Rumors about “trail angels”, volunteers who set-up aid stations along the course, were true and they helped immensely with rider needs . Another part of the race that takes pre-planning is the point to point factor. Just being my husband (who was also racing) and myself making the trip to Marji, we had no outside help. We opted to stay in the campground located at race start, which made for a very relaxed pre-race morning but we wondered how to get back afterwards. A friendly volunteer drove us from the finish back to our campsite post-finish.As for the course it’s self…it was a challenging and tough 105 miles. There were many miles of smiles; fun single track, rewarding rock gardens, flowing berms, and air-time inducing jump lines. But there were even more miles of tough trail that caused much suffering. Near vertical ups and downs, soul-sucking sand, and sketchy washouts induced a fair amount of walking. To add to the physical and mental challenge many of the last few miles were ridden in the dark. Thank goodness for the great cheering and support of the spectators and volunteers along with many friendly fellow racers that kept me going strong.I have never experienced a race like this. Marji Gesick truly is as advertised, it one tough event not to be taken lightly. But the achievement of reaching the finish line, and being on the podium, is an accomplishment that will never be forgotten.Sponsors to please be included in the review: Liv Cycling USA Ambassador, Lupine Lights, Saucon Valley Bikes.”

Nankman pre-riding part of the Marji Gesick course

Taking fourth place was Jenny Acker from Michigan with a time of 17:48:38. Finishing fifth was Christina Peek from Michigan crossing the line in 20:51:19.

Men’s Open– Acker takes back-to-back Marji wins

Men’s open podium: 1st Matt Acker, 2nd Kurt Refsnider, 3rd Chad Cannon. Photo credit: Ryan Odell

The 2019 Marji Gesick winner, Matt Acker of Michigan, gets back-to-back Marji wins with a time of 10:36:55.

Just four minutes back, ultra endurance racer, Kurt Refsnider of Arizona, finished second in 10:41:38 “I made the decision to fly up from Arizona for the race just a few days before the race, so eveIrything was a very last-minute affair for me. But I had heard story after story about how technically challenging the Marji is, and that’s hands-down my favorite kind of riding. And I’m so glad I made the trip – it’s been a while since I’ve ridden a race course that was as difficult and fun as the Marji Gesick 100! I had the pleasure of riding with local legend Matt Acker for most of the race, and following his wheel for so many miles sure helped me ride efficiently (especially as I tried to keep him in sight on the longer descents). 100 milers are a bit on the short end of the races I typically do, and my legs started to fade in the final miles after trying to ride fast for 10,000+ feet of punchy climbing. Matt gradually disappeared ahead of me, and I just tried to hold it together after mile 90.I also am especially impressed by how the race organizers have created an incredibly demanding event in which riders openly embrace (and come for) that challenge. Most races with a course of this style would have relatively small fields, but the organizers have created a welcoming and empowering atmosphere around the race that’s truly one-of-a-kind.”

Taking third place, Chad Cannon of Wisconsin, finished in 11:34:32. Ryan Goemans of Wisconsin finished fourth in 11:39:28 and Ben Senkerik of Wisconsin took fifth place with a time of 11:43:37.

Singlespeed– Holle takes overall NUE SS win

Singlespeed podium- 1st Justin Holle, 2nd Anthony Toops, 3rd Eli Orth. Photo credit: Ryan Odell

Justin Holle of Colorado wins the singlespeed division and takes 4th overall with at time of 11:39:15. With this win he has secured the overall Epic NUE singlespeed title and went undefeated this year. “Bike: 34×19 gearing on Norco Revolver HT. The overwhelming sentiment leading into Marji seemed the same from every source, ‘good luck’. Having never quit a race I didn’t understand the high DNF rate or the fear expressed by such sources. And then…after missing my 4th turn only to see the arrow placement AFTER the turn did I realize these racers quit because, damn, that course just presses your buttons! I jumped out early with fellow Singlespeeders Mark Kransz and Scott Quiring, jockeying 1st to 3rd. Just as I passed the hilltop bagpiper I put in a gap and thought I’d race off the front. No sooner did I see myself careening over the handlebars into a pile of rocks, giving up my position. Through mile 39 we danced positions and at that Aid Station I made haste and passed through without support. Alone until mile 65 Aid at Jackson Park I learned this “race” was more an “adventure”. Staying on course demanded full awareness so race efforts sat second wheel.On the loop from Jackson Park that Singlespeed Monster: Anthony Toops closed in behind me. I guess this IS a race! More friend than foe, we chatted and grunted through the loop keeping tabs on our pace for that coveted sub-12 buckle. Back through the Jackson Park aid we knew we had enough time to finish under 12 barring any issues. We hung together, alternating position, riding, and power hiking the steeps. Near mile 94 I slowly pulled away and looking back didn’t see Toops in sight. The course became more intuitive, sign reading less challenging, and I stayed committed to ignoring my computer data. I relied on looking up to the sun to gauge my sub-7:30PM finish. With 50-milers becoming more frequent on trail I could tell we were close. Feeling confident I looked back and saw Toops! What?!?! He closed in on me AGAIN. Providing that final fire I needed! I drove my pedals, attacked the steep hill holding the precious tokens, and headed back down with enough of a gap. Passing Toops I hollered to my friend and turned onto tarmac to punch it home. I passed a final geared racer and came across the line in 4th overall position with the SS win. Marji is the hardest 100-mile MTB race course I’ve ever done. It attacks you mentally, physically, and, when you blow a turn, emotionally. Fortunately I had a good day and I attribute that to accepting MG as an adventure first, race second. Oh, and the guys making grilled cheese at mile 58, thank you sirs. Thanks to my support: Base Canp Cyclery, Norco, Shimano, Crankbrothers, ESI, and Carbo Rocket.”

Anthony Toops and Justin Holle celebrating at the finish line. Photo credit: Ryan Odell

Just a couple minutes back on Holle, Anthony Toops from Ohio, took second place in singlespeed and sixth overall, finishing in 11:41:13. “Marji Gesick is always the biggest test of the year. This year, my goal was to go sub 12hr and get the coveted buckle on a single speed. I was able to get a buckle on gears in 2018 but it was a true test for me at the time… so doing it on a single speed had me wondering if it would even happen. The race started with the traditional 1/2 mile run and from the beginning I was on my own pace. My goal was the buckle and if this turned into a “race” then so be it. I could see a few ss racers up ahead but I stuck to my plan and didn’t chase. I was in a good group with my teammate Jeff Rupnow, who has tons of experience at this race, and I knew he could carry me to a buckle… if I could hang! At mile 13.5 the group was flying and unfortunately missed the left turn back to Forestville. We were heading back up to the Top of the World! Eventually we noticed the mistake but it cost us roughly 12min, which isn’t something you can easily claw back at this race. This caused some high anxiety until I could get my time splits back on track. Going into Jackson Park I was still up 20min on my previous sub 12 race! Now the stress was off some but I knew the two loops out of Jackson Park are no joke. This is where the race really starts. At this point I’m still sticking to my plan and haven’t seen another ss’r in a while. About 15min later I caught up with Justin Holle and we rode together pretty much the rest of the race, pushing each other to make sure that buckle was ours! Half way into loop 2 out of Jackson, Justin started to get a gap on me. I made a mistake with my nutrition on the first loop and ran out of calories and water for almost an hour (rookie!) so I started to fade. I made sure to get some calories in and started to feel normal again with about 7mi to go. I would guess Justin was only a couple minutes ahead but I was solely focused on that buckle! The last 15mi of this race is the true test and every second counts. It’s a weird experience because this is a race where you are in a battle with the trail and yourself; racing someone else is a bonus. No matter how well you’re doing, you’re always wondering if you’ll make it.I put my head down and went as hard as I could for that last hour or so. I WASN’T coming up short! When I could see the last climb to Jasper Knob on my screen, I knew I had it. BUT where the heck were all the tokens! Of course they were on the way up to Jasper Knob (blame Todd & Danny) so everyone had that stress all day. In the end, I finished 2nd by just a couple minutes and the buckle was mine!Marji is one of those races where you always say you don’t need to do it again… but you always want to. Now that I have a geared and ss buckle, next year will be a new challenge! Thanks again to my wife Jen for her motivation, my team Evolution Training Cycles/Paradise Garage Racing, and especially Heidi for all her help! See you in 2022?! Bike Setup:Frame – Pivot LES size large. Fork – Fox Step Cast 32 100mmGearing – oval 32x19Tires – Continental cross king protection 2.3 front and rear.”

Finishing in third place, Eli Orth of Ohio, crossing the line in 12:20:44. “Marji was my fourth NUE epic distance SS race. Going into the race my main goal was to have a clean race and finish with a decent overall time. I ended up finishing 3rd.The race started great getting into one of the lead groups. It took a little hit though when our group made a wrong turn at mile 15. We were repeating a section we had went through around mile 5. Luckily Jeff Rupnow and Anthony Toops realized it once we had climbed all way to Forestville Rd. We turned back and by the time we were back on track we had lost about 14 minutes… and we were battling through other riders that we were previously well in front of. Surprisingly time was made up and by the time hit Jackson Park I was still on track to get under 12 hours. On the first loop through Jackson I was still on pace. On the last trails through the last 15ish miles I was pushing the pace and had a small crash that set me back just a little and seemed to slow my momentum a little. I made it to the finish only to realize I dropped an orange token on my way in. Soooo I had to go back and get the orange token. My finish time was 12hrs 3 min 57 sec. A little frustrated getting so close to the under 12 but falling little short. Overall happy with the race though and finishing Marji without mechanical and any physical issues is always a win. Thank to my sponsors Dean Titanium Bikes, CarboRocket, Kenda, AbsoluteBLACK, ESI Grips.Also thankful for all my family that supported me to do this race from my wife staying and watching the kids to my step-dad that ran support for me!My gearing for the race was 34×20. This was my last NUE points race for the season. My next planned race is the Cruce Del Istmo in Panama to represent the NUE.”

Eli Orth ready for the Lemans run. Photo credit: Ryan Odell

Fourth went to, Nathan Lillie of WI, in 12:45:47. Brent Pontius of MI, took fifth place in 13:37:48.

Women’s Singlespeed-First woman to complete Marji on a Singlespeed

Kristen Wade of Illinois is the first woman to complete Marji on a singlespeed. She finished in 23 hours. ” I hardly feel like I should be writing a race report considering the top female racer crossed the finish line nearly 11 hours before me but this was no ordinary race and I was in no ordinary category. The 2021 NUE Marji Gesick was my first Marji and I competed on a single speed. I was the sole female in the single speed category and much to my surprise I was the first female to ever FINISH the Marji with one gear. I rode a titanium VooDoo Dambala 29er with a 30:22 gearing and my nutrition consisted of a lot of Snicker bars, PayDays, grilled cheese and beef sticks. The Marji Gesick is more than a Hard Day, for some, it is a hard night too. I have no sponsors to thank because I am not a sponsored athlete. However, I would like to thank my husband, Al, for his continued support riding with me and encouraging me when I struggled. Next year I would like to return to race another Marji, with one gear, but faster.”

Kristen Wade is the first women to complete Marji on a single speed!

Schultz of Ohio takes the Masters win

Taking the Masters win, Brad Scholtz of Ohio, finished in 14:24:12. ” Having participated in other 906 events I knew it would be special and epic! I had not raced Marji before, but I knew lots who had attempted, and a few who had completed the race- and they made it REALLY clear that this would be the hardest thing you’ve ever done! “Words can’t do it justice”! I started the race with two of my RBikes teammates as we knew that we should match up fairly well and to have some company at least for a while. Not having any idea what I was in for, I would have been more conservative at the beginning, but my teammates were pushing a pretty spicy pace- I hung on and tried to settle in and stay on top of nutrition/hydration. What a challenge it is pay attention to navigation, hydration, nutrition, physical effort and tackle the technical sections was crazy fun and challenging! When I reached the bag drop(mi 65ish) I was feeling pretty good, but I also had a decent idea that the last 40 mi were the hardest! And needless to say I was not disappointed! The scenic views, stupid hard climbs and technical descents were my favorite- make no mistake, the constant punchy climbs really accumulate to break you down. My secret is really to just “stay present” and enjoy/tackle the section that you’re currently doing. Don’t even think about what’s yet to come. The second most critical thing for me is to stay in a “positive“ place- giving and receiving positive energy from/to the other riders. Positive engagement with everyone I can in contact with. Thank you to my teammates(RBikes) for the pacing and to the amazing volunteers all over the course!!That was amazing! I’m proud of my effort, but now I’m completely hooked, and already thinking about next year and how I can go faster! I Was extremely pleased to take 1st place in the Men’s Master division.”

About fifteen minutes back, John Munger from MN, takes second place in 14:38:20. Vin Dog Mack of MI, takes third place with a time of 15:10:11. Fourth goes to, Scott Cole of WI, in 15:45:44 and fifth place to, Derrick Seys of IL, crossing the line in 16:21:30.

John Munger and Piotr Bednarski on their way to Marji

For full results CLICK HERE

Pictures from the race can be found here: Rob Meendering and Ryan Stephens

Mark your calendars. Registration for the 2022 Marji Gesick is October 15th.

NUE High Cascades 100

Posted on August 17, 2020 by Shannon Boffeli

NUE #3 Takes Flight with Covid Precautions in Bend, OR

Bend, OR

Ryan O’Dell

Due to cancellations resulting from Covid-19, The 12th Annual High Cascades 100 became only the third NUE Series race to go forward following True Grit Epic that occurred one day before the Covid-19 lockdown in Utah, and Mohican MTB100 in Ohio, the first mountain bike race to open in the US on May 30. Following these two successful events, Race Director Mike Ripley took similar steps to insure a safe event for both racers and volunteers.

High Cascades 100 Implements Safety Restirctions Amid Covid-19 Photo by: Harry Apelbaum

Race Director Mike Ripley, “We knew the process was good, the aid stations had process, the online Covid-19 waivers and event waivers were sent, sanitizer and hand washing sinks were placed and masks were required and enforced with a social distancing violation of 15 minutes for riders that ignored our rules which we never had to use. The event featured a remote start and remote finish deep in the Deschutes National Forest. Each rider had a unique start time based on a ride to the start line after 5:30 am. This allowed riders to self-select a start and with 8 miles of double track to kick off the morning and an extra 15 miles of double track overall provided extra passing lanes and a tough first 41 miles. Overall the event was a success, from no injuries on course and more than that the fact that for one day things felt a bit more normal in 2020!

Women’s Open

Reis gets the Win!

Erin Reis, Hutches Bend, wins the HC100 at 8:42:19. “Being a Bend local, I was super thankful that Mudslinger Events was able to host the High Cascades 100 (COVID edition) this year- the preparation for making it safe for participants, volunteers, and the community was impressive. The format introduced some new challenges to contend with- riding with a mask coming through the aid stations and the time trial start. It was nice to have an untimed 9-mile warm-up, but unfortunately, you have no idea where you are in the pack with this format.

Erin Reis leads the way in the women’s open category. Photo by: Harry Apelbaum

I rolled out a little after 5:30 and quickly figured out that Julie (Zivin) was my mark for the day when she came from behind at a good pace. She was a bit faster going up, but I kept things in check and fell behind on the first singletrack, making a pass on the downhill. She went by on the next road section, and I just tried to keep her in sight and my speed constant. When we got to Kwohl, we were side by side through the lava sections, suffering together, and at the top.

I knew I had my only chance to gain some ground since technical riding (and especially descending) is my strength. It did beat me up, though, since I was riding my husband’s hardtail without a dropper (having broken my frame last month!) but I was able to make a gap and just tried to hold it the rest of the race. I never knew how many people were behind me or how far back, and I knew Clarice Sayle was there somewhere (she is a beast on the SS and was third overall last year!) It really made me stay focused the whole time, paranoid that someone was coming from behind.

The course was typical Bend riding- loose and sandy and lots of lava rock (you can’t live here without being comfortable with a little drift), but I had marked a large section of the course last week, so I had the advantage of knowing the danger spots and also the flow. I didn’t even know I had won overall until a half-hour before awards when a teammate from Hutch’s Bend Dental sent me a congratulatory text– the website had me listed as second until the 100k results were adjusted. It felt good to be able to race again, and kudos to Mike Ripley to make it happen responsibly.”

Twelve minutes back, Julie Robertson Zivin took second at 8:59:29. Karoline Droege took third at 9:17:40.

Men’s Open

Barberi earns his first HC100 Victory on new Kenda Booster Pro Tires!

Stefano Barberi (Kenda Tire) earned his first HC100 win at 6:21:17. “First of all, big thanks to Mudslinger Events and all the volunteers for putting on the best possible experience under the current situation with Covid19 using some creative measures to keep everyone safe.

Stefano Barberi on his way to his first NUE win. Photo by: Harry Apelbaum

As far as the race goes, one of the safety measures was that we were effectively doing a Time Trial, an 86 mile mountain bike TT. Knowing that, my plan was to kit up in the Starlight Apparel Skinsuit, and ride the first bit in a solid hard pace but without getting into the red at all and then dig a little deeper on the big climbs like Kwohl Wall, FS 45, and Skyliner Ridge to make up time on the competition.

About forty minutes in I took a wrong turn and ended up adding about six minutes to my time trying to find the corner I missed, but I stayed cool and kept going with my plan and waiting for the Kwohl Wall. There I caught and passed a couple of the riders I knew were podium contenders so I knew I was back on track.

Edison Lava DH was about being patient and making sure I didn’t crash or damaged something on my Orbea Oiz on the loose lava rocks. This was pretty much the pattern that my race followed, smash the climbs and back off and play it safe on the more techy sections knowing I was always in control of my pace both up and down hill. Legs were good all day even setting most of the fastest uphill times even compared to all previous race editions, and kept my record of ZERO flats in 18 months on my Kenda BoosterPro tires (who also happens to be a NUE Series sponsor). All in all, I’m super happy just to get in a race day, and finally a WIN at the HC100.

Four minutes later, Matt Fox took second at 6:25:01. Ten minutes behind Fox, Evan Plews took third in 6:35:42. “I came to HC100 after many years away with strong ambition to compete for the overall. I felt decent and started fast. By the first feed zone I’d gained time on all the protagonists and had Stefano in sight after his mishap. However, once I started up the Kwol Butte climb I lost my rhythm and never really felt fast again. It was a hard course but a beautiful day! Mike and Andi and their team have always put on a great show and I’ve known Mike since my first mountain bike race in 1992. When I heard they were putting on this event against all odds, I wanted to be there. They crossed every “T” and dotted every “I”—it was an AWESOME job!!!”

Singlespeed

Schafer wins SS

Improving on his third place finish in 2019, Mark Schafer, Eastside Cycles, rolled up to the top step of the single speed division podium to finish in 7:31:15. Brad Herauf took second at 7:53:16. Five minutes later Seth Patla took third at 7:58:01.

Masters 50+

2017 NUE Series Masters Champion, Golet WINS, now leads NUE Series!

Following his second place finish at the season opener, True Grit Epic, 2017 NUE Series Masters 50+ Champion Greg Golet, took the win at HC100. Golet now leads the NUE Epic Series. “High Cascades is often harder than I expect it’ll be, and this year was no different. But that’s why we go, right?, to face a challenge beyond the ordinary.

A rider navigates the 2020 High Cascades 100. Photo by: Harry Apelbaum

People complained about the lava on Kwhol Butte, but for me it was a highlight. Washboard fire road is what I dread, not techy punchy climbs without obvious lines—that’s real mountain biking and (Race Director) Mike put it early in the course, perfect. I don’t ride road and spend lots of time on trails I built that have steeps which amount to forced intervals. My biggest concern on Kwhol was just trying not to flat, given I was on pretty light tires and forgot my pump.

This year I didn’t put in as many training hours, unless you count backcountry skiing and yard work. This showed on one of the last little climbs coming out of aid 3 where I slipped out in sand and had to walk a stretch, but couldn’t bend my legs due to cramping. I wasn’t feeling very strong or capable at that moment! Luckily, it was mostly easy spinning to the finish from there. I did miss the (well-marked) left turn onto the last single track, but pretty soon came to an obvious unmarked junction so knew I had better backtrack.

The TT format was a good call given the situation. From what I saw we all practiced responsible distancing following Mike’s well defined code of conduct. This was all way beyond what you see on the streets, and I am extremely thankful to Mudslinger and all its amazing volunteers for the gift of another fantastic and well-supported day in the woods above Bend!”

Seven minutes behind Golet, Wayne Tonning took second at 7:31:30. Twenty-One minutes later, Tim Phillips took third at 7:52:09.

WHATS NEXT: Get Stoked! On September 6, The NUE Epic Race Series and NUE Marathon Race Series heads to Virginia for the Shenandoah 100 in Stokesville. Shenandaoh now includes a new 100k option as part of the NUE Marathon Series. From there, NUE Marathon Series heads south to Georgia for the Fool’s Gold 100.

FULL RESULTS FOR ALL CATEGORIES

Category	finish time	bib number	First Name	Last Name
50+ Masters Men	7:24:01	59	Greg	Golet
50+ Masters Men	7:31:30	157	Wayne	Tonning
50+ Masters Men	7:52:09	125	Tim	Phillips
50+ Masters Men	8:22:24	21	Aaron	Boone
50+ Masters Men	8:23:00	145	Ed	Serrat
50+ Masters Men	8:42:45	16	Demian	Bailey
50+ Masters Men	8:57:21	92	Cort	Johnson
50+ Masters Men	9:12:00	13	Matt	Allen
50+ Masters Men	9:13:33	25	Mike	Burris
50+ Masters Men	9:13:46	116	Dodi	Nov
50+ Masters Men	9:17:28	169	Brad	Tymchuk
50+ Masters Men	9:39:38	105	Joseph	Lindstrom
50+ Masters Men	9:46:31	44	Darrell	Finlayson
50+ Masters Men	9:46:44	72	Mike	Hardenbergh
50+ Masters Men	9:46:53	164	Robin	Wessel
50+ Masters Men	9:50:36	70	Terry	Hamness
50+ Masters Men	9:58:17	26	Scott	Bury
50+ Masters Men	10:00:37	71	Matt	Hanrahan
50+ Masters Men	10:04:24	124	David	Pettigrew
50+ Masters Men	10:07:18	14	Erik	Anderson
50+ Masters Men	10:52:28	37	Ed	Daniels
50+ Masters Men	11:18:07	162	William	Waring
50+ Masters Men	11:26:10	90	Dave	Jansik
50+ Masters Men	11:34:36	81	Derek	Hoenisch
50+ Masters Men	DNF	29	Frederic	Carrier
50+ Masters Men	DNF	47	Michael	Frank
50+ Masters Men	DNF	138	Tony	Ruiz
50+ Masters Men	DNF	54	Michael	Gaudio
50+ Masters Men	DNF	78	Paul	Hemson
Open Men	6:21:17	2	Stefano	Barberi
Open Men	6:25:01	175	Matt	Fox
Open Men	6:35:42	7	Evan	Plews
Open Men	6:37:34	3	Landon	Farnworth
Open Men	6:40:28	4	Cody	Peterson
Open Men	6:46:53	5	Jeremy	Tufts
Open Men	6:50:52	173	Brent	Mattison
Open Men	6:52:23	10	Josh	Oppenheimer
Open Men	6:56:50	30	Eric	Chizum
Open Men	7:02:42	167	Nate	Youngs
Open Men	7:06:02	160	Matthew	Turney
Open Men	7:10:14	181	Kent	Ross
Open Men	7:13:00	43	Curtiss	Feltner
Open Men	7:13:02	8	Andrio	Abero
Open Men	7:22:53	185	Jake	Szymanski
Open Men	7:29:00	126	David	Pilz
Open Men	7:31:07	57	Nate	Ginzton
Open Men	7:32:09	170	Erik	Hammerquist
Open Men	7:36:49	76	Cliff	Heaberlin
Open Men	7:39:01	63	Carey	Grumelot
Open Men	7:41:02	128	Zach	Powell
Open Men	7:45:54	144	Jason	Schroeder
Open Men	7:53:55	171	Andy	Krueger
Open Men	7:54:14	17	Jordan	Barber
Open Men	7:55:21	146	Spencer	Severance
Open Men	7:55:43	180	Justin	Pane
Open Men	7:56:12	118	Errin	Odell
Open Men	7:56:26	15	Aaron	Bailey
Open Men	7:57:53	179	Damon	Gjording
Open Men	7:58:34	153	Ben	Taber
Open Men	7:58:47	174	Kyle	Wuepper
Open Men	7:59:35	23	Jeremy	Brodhead
Open Men	8:04:19	107	Mark	Matson
Open Men	8:05:32	122	Will	Pease
Open Men	8:06:25	22	Brian	Bowling
Open Men	8:07:11	111	Doug	Merritt
Open Men	8:08:13	112	Joel	Meyer
Open Men	8:08:23	139	Jeremy	Russell
Open Men	8:11:49	82	Tim	Holmberg
Open Men	8:12:46	187	Lance	Wong
Open Men	8:13:22	114	Patrick	Nagler
Open Men	8:16:15	140	Chris	Sarrett
Open Men	8:18:43	99	Bill	Knudsen
Open Men	8:18:49	177	Chad	Nelson
Open Men	8:18:56	152	Luke	Sykora
Open Men	8:25:39	41	Leif	Embertson
Open Men	8:33:47	49	Kevin	Frederick
Open Men	8:34:48	156	Quinn	Tirpak
Open Men	8:39:40	19	Robert	Bautista
Open Men	8:46:37	42	Paul	Fagan
Open Men	8:47:14	12	Andrew	Alexander
Open Men	8:48:32	51	Ross	Fuhrman
Open Men	8:49:49	127	Stephen	Plomer
Open Men	8:53:47	96	Josh	Kenyon
Open Men	8:57:18	52	Robert	Gade
Open Men	8:57:50	186	Jordan	Boutilier
Open Men	9:02:55	9	Mike	Modica
Open Men	9:03:52	89	Russ	Jackson
Open Men	9:12:35	39	Gregory	Dufour
Open Men	9:16:28	165	Joel	West
Open Men	9:18:41	77	Eric	Heinemann
Open Men	9:24:25	109	Keats	McGonigal
Open Men	9:26:02	161	Adam	Vollmer
Open Men	9:29:24	45	Grant	Finter
Open Men	9:41:04	176	Dalton	Charest
Open Men	9:42:24	33	Sam	Conklin
Open Men	9:46:49	66	Geoff	Grummon-Beale
Open Men	9:52:44	119	Erik	Parry
Open Men	10:00:51	27	Julio	Cabrera
Open Men	10:12:05	136	David	Rosen
Open Men	10:14:03	106	Todd	Liphardt
Open Men	10:15:42	149	Stewart	Southwell
Open Men	10:19:52	31	Brian	Cimmiyotti
Open Men	10:26:44	163	Daniel	Weiland
Open Men	10:34:54	58	Andy	Goggins
Open Men	10:36:18	11	Eric	Aldinger
Open Men	10:41:17	147	Michael	Shaw
Open Men	10:44:06	40	Matt	Ehrenstrom
Open Men	10:49:00	101	Danny	Kuntz
Open Men	10:58:12	133	Sean	Robertson
Open Men	10:58:40	132	Sawyer	Robertson
Open Men	11:01:52	188	Jake	Biskar
Open Men	11:20:18	166	Mike	Wilburn
Open Men	11:20:20	35	Jordan	Cusick
Open Men	11:20:24	18	David	Bauer
Open Men	11:24:38	34	Anthony	Cree
Open Men	11:34:38	178	Henry	Daniels-Koch
Open Men	11:47:34	183	Anders	Carlson
Open Men	11:53:44	95	Ryan	Kelly
Open Men	11:59:28	50	Neil	Friedrich
Open Men	DNF	62	Jay	Gronemyer
Open Men	DNF	83	Ken	Holmes
Open Men	DNF	100	Jeffrey	Koger
Open Men	DNF	32	Chad	Coder
Open Men	DNF	60	Brett	Gombasy
Open Men	DNF	135	Jade	Rohde
Open Men	DNF	143	Daniel	Schroder
Open Men	DNF	56	Joel	Gilrein
Open Men	DNF	84	Scott	Hood
Open Men	DNF	102	Marc	Lange
Open Men	DNF	110	Scott	McNees
Open Men	DNS	24	Jason	Brown
Open Men	DNS	73	Cam	Harmon
Open Women	8:42:19	131	Erin	Reis
Open Women	8:59:29	134	Julie	Robertson Zivin
Open Women	9:17:40	38	Karoline	Droege
Open Women	9:22:49	172	Cherie	Touchette
Open Women	9:23:07	67	Nicole	Gunton
Open Women	9:30:56	6	Clarice	Sayle
Open Women	9:31:56	117	Elizabeth	Odell
Open Women	9:34:26	74	Jennifer	Hart
Open Women	9:58:23	108	Caitlin	McCarthy
Open Women	10:55:57	148	Cassandra	Slemmer
Open Women	10:56:25	141	Delania	Sather
Open Women	DNF	69	Kamila	Gwiazda
Open Women	DNF	53	Cynthia	Gaudio
Open Women	DNF	86	Bobbie	Howard
Open Women	DNF	123	Jessica	Peterson
Single Speed Men	7:31:18	142	Mark	Schafer
Single Speed Men	7:53:16	182	Brad	Herauf
Single Speed Men	7:58:01	120	Seth	Patla
Single Speed Men	8:18:32	129	Blake	Prince
Single Speed Men	8:27:17	20	Brandon	Bentz
Single Speed Men	8:29:51	104	Scott	Lindbloom
Single Speed Men	9:49:56	103	Todd	Lawrence
Single Speed Men	10:30:38	159	Logan	Trammell
Single Speed Men	11:53:25	55	Charly	George

True Grit Epic 100 Mile

Posted on May 7, 2019 by Shannon Boffeli

A Day of Firsts for True Grit

This year’s True Grit Epic in Santa Clara, Utah, represented an exciting new chapter for the southern Utah race. 2019 was it’s first sellout year with an impressive 800+ riders taking the start. It also represented the first year of the True Grit gravel grinder.

As race morning broke it seemed to be following a now-familiar pattern, early forecasts of cold temperautres and rain turned into pleasant skies and ideal riding weather. Rain throughout the week had left some puddles on the trail but nothing a seasoned True Grit rider couldn’t handle.

The hundred milers start first just as the sun rose over the cliffs of Zion.

True Grit defending champion and endurance-veteran Taylor Lideen (DNA Cycling/Pivot) was a heavy favorite for the men’s category as fellow Arizona rider Chase Edwards (CZ Racing) was favored for the women who was determined to improve on her fourth place from last year.

As the riders rolled out a puddles and standing water from the previous rains splattered the field until they exited the opening wash and the climbing started. At the front Lideen moved to the front with Pete Karinen.

Karinen kept the heat on the defending champion ensuring he wouldn’t ride away for an easy win. The lead duo rode together throughout the opening 50-lap and the early climbs of lap two.

It wasn’t until the steepest climb of the day up to the dreaded waterfall descent that Lideen was able to open a gap. A small advantage was all Lideen would need as his riding skills took control on the highly challenging Barrel and Zen trails.

It certainly wasn’t an easy day for the defending champion. At the finish Lideen said, “some days you feel great and just ride away and other days it feels like you really have to work for it. Today was one of those days.”

But despite not feeling his best Taylor Lideen was able to control the day and finish the 100 miler in just over six and a half hours. Nine minutes in front of challenger Pete Karinen.

After the race the repeat race winner had this to say:

It was a blast riding with Pete throughout the day as he is a super talented and skilled rider. I was able to make my move on the longer climb up to the waterfall early into the second lap. You never know how the day will go on such a rough and technical course out there but I was fortunate enough to grab the win. I am always blown away by how awesome and friendly every racer is out there no matter the distance they are competing in. It’s always a pleasure to race in this event. Mary (Mrs. Lideen) of course was my everything with her aid in the pits. I am one lucky dude to have her in my corner. Big thanks to all of the volunteers out there as well! Races like this wouldn’t happen with great people like that!

Timon Fish (Sticky Racing) finished in third with a time of 7:00:12 after a close battle with Stefano Barberi (Serious Cycling).

Chris Alstrin (Carborocket) grabbed the final podium spot in fifth.

With the win Taylor Lideen takes the lead in the NUE series but will not likely feature in the final series picture as his goals for the season are outside the NUE leaving the door open for others to challenge for the NUE title.

The women’s race appeared to be starting as expected with Chase Edwards opening an early lead through the big climbs on the opening lap. She held the lead heading into the technical slickrock jungle of Zen trail but St. George local Shirley Leydsman (Team Redrock) closed things down in the rocks and pulled ahead.

Once out front Leydsman stayed focused on riding her own race and erasing the disappointment of crashing and badly injuring her wrist in last year’s True Grit.

Her motivation showed as she opened a big gap finally crossing the line over 30 minutes up on Edwards who had this to say after the finish.

True Grit is a brutal NUE season opener! Shirley, the local gal who won, caught me at Zen, took a line I was unfamiliar with, and dropped me on the first lap. It was a great warm-up to the season as the techy sections on the course forced me to keep my head in the game and to also acknowledge skill sets that got a little rusty over the winter. I’ll be chasing other NUE races this season while representing Construction Zone Racing. I’d also like to say thanks to Paragon Athletics for helping to keep my body strong and injury-free, to Coach Kata for continuing to work with me on this ongoing journey of balancing work stress and training, and Honey Stinger for fueling all the adventures.

Julie Thumel (Race Pace Bicycles) finished in third place followed by Becky Edmiston (Steamboat Velo) in fourth.

In the singlespeed group, Mark Schafer improved on his bronze medal from 2018 with a race win at this year’s True Grit. Schafer dominated for most of the race finishing almost a half hours clear of runner up Johnathan Ciampa (DRT/Cycological).

Ciampa put together a strong race chasing down Nathan Whipple after the opening 50 miles and opening a gap in the second half of the race. Whipple started out strong but a tall gear and a long New England winter effected his performance. The third place rider had this to say about his day in Santa Clara:

Early season weather in New England didn’t let me get out on the SS as much as I’d have liked. Just days before the race, Boston got a fresh 18” of snow even. Add in an optimistic gear choice for the race and I did a great job setting myself up for an Epic amount of hurt. It was hardly noticed though, what with the amazing trails and spectacular vistas constantly trying to one-up each other.

The gear choice did help early positioning, but by the start of the 2nd lap the damage from the low cadence grinding started to show. I found myself forced off the bike to avoid having the wheels fall completely off. I had nothing to counter with when the second place finisher caught me and I watched him motor away from me up the first climb on Zen. I rode by myself for the majority of the second lap after that and soaked in the views and amazing trail.

The men’s master group saw Cary Smith once again crushing the hopes of all competitors. Smith, who had the fifth fastest finishing time of all the 100 mile riders dominated from the starting gun leaving no doubt he was going to repeat as master’s champion short of major catastrophe.

But Smith avoided any complications to his race and finished a full 2 hours clear of runner up Gerry Hatcher (Santa Cruz).

Hatcher turned in a strong effort in his first True Grit experience and had this to say after the finish:

The Santa Clara/St George area has intrigued me for a while and I’ve never ridden in Utah so learning of the “True Grit Epic” race gave me the push I needed – Road Trip! I brought my 2018 Santa Cruz Highball CC 29’r hardtail.

Having never ridden in the Santa Clara area before, and my introduction to it being the most gnarly sections of the True Grit rattled that confidence and made me immediately re-calibrate my race strategy.

I dialed everything back from “go fast” to “just make damn sure I finish.” Having fitted relatively thin walled & fast rolling tires thinking because I’m a small framed lightweight rider it was “probably worth the risk”, didn’t help with my anxiety. Sidewall tearing, rim & tire destroying geology was lurking everywhere! It wasn’t until I got through Zen Trail on my second lap that I relaxed a bit. Until then I had to constantly remind myself to stay focused, keep good lines, and to not take unnecessary chances. I used my cyclo-cross skills to shoulder the bike and trot over, around, or down more sections than I’m proud of, but hey I finished! And, un-expected icing on the cake, with a respectable second place too!

Jim Miller finished third after enjoying his day and improving after a broken frame almost ended True Grit in 2018.

He had this to say at the end:

It was a great day, I love this race and plan to come back again and again. The trails are nearly 100% sweet single-track, the race vibe is competitive but fun and friendly, the event is well run, the volunteers are great, and the setting is so very beautiful! Thanks to Joe’s Bike Shop in Baltimore for having my Trek Fuel EX in tip-top shape.

Click Here for full results from True Grit Epic 2019

Riders were treated to food a live music after the finish

True Grit Epic 50 Mile

Posted on May 6, 2019 by Shannon Boffeli

This year’s True Grit 50 miler started an hour after the 100 milers allowing the trail a bit more time to soak up the previous day’s rain and the 100 milers to disperse some of the standing water.

The trip out of Santa Clara was warmer than the last several years and the racing heated up quickly too.

Utah powerhouse Evelyn Dong (Pivot/Stan’s Notubes) surged into the lead of the women’s open race early on. Being known as one of the most talented technical riders in the US Dong was near unstoppable in the rocks and ledges of the True Grit course.

Riders navigate the loved and hated rocks of the Zen trail

After sailing through burly sections like the Waterfall and Zen trail Dong spent the day challenging many of the top open male riders out on course. Even a crash out on course couldn’t stop Evelyn Dong from taking a win in the NUE series opener. After the race she had this to say about her first True Grit experience.

“2019 was my first time racing True Grit, which is a bit shameful having lived in Utah for years now. The Green Valley and Santa Clara trails are some of my favorite trails to ride so I figured I had no excuses not to race this year.

I was pretty excited to race and just to ride on dirt because the winter has been pretty brutal this year. My race experience included going back and forth with a few men for the entire race which made it fun, and one crash which fortunately bang me or my bike up too much. Favorite part? Zen is always a sweet spot and going down Barrel Roll is a good reward near the end.”

After the lone leader it was local legend Lynda Wallenfels (LW Coaching) putting together a stellar effort on her home course proving she’s back on form after a few years away from racing. Her second place finish was a welcomed upgrade from her 2018 True Grit experience which saw her suffer a catastrophic mechanical. Ride back to her house for a fix and then return to complete the 50-mile course.

Behind Wallenfels, Nicole Tittensor (Scott) and Jen Hanks (Pearl Izumi/Pivot) battled for third with Tittensor opening a lead on the early climbs and holding pace for the first 30-plus miles of the race.

Hanks stayed close and late in the race closed the gap on the Rim Reaper trail and moved into third before the final singletrack on Barrel Roll.

Ami Stuart (Upcycle) took the final podium spot in fifth.

Riders wind through a wash in the early morning sun

The men charged off the start line with Cannondale rider Alex Grant looking to improve on his third place finish the last two years.

Defending champion Justin Lindine wasn’t on hand to defend his title as a water leak at his home forced him to return home instead of riding the trails in Santa Clara.

Grant got off to a good start joined by local contenders Drew Free (Kuhl), Chris Holley (Kuhl), Bryson Perry (Rouleur Devo), and Clayton Otto (Pivot, TRP, Rotor).

Grant shed his competition once and for all in the red rock maze of Zen trail and powered solo to the finish line. He had this to say after the race.

“I was able to break away from the front group on the climb up to the waterfall descent, and then hold the gap in to Zen where I increased it to a couple minutes.

From there is was steady eddy all the way and I rode solo for the rest of the race. I rode the Cannondale Scalpel-Si with the Lefty Ocho and it was the perfect setup for the course.

I was really happy to take the win and want to say thanks to the promoters, volunteers and city of Santa Clara for putting on another awesome event!”

Chris Holley stayed close to the loan leader but not close enough to challenge. A gifted rider in the rocks, Holley used his skills to hold off a strong challenge from Clayton Otto.

Drew Free crossed the line in fourth barely a minute in front of Bryson Perry.

The two closest races of the day came from the singlespeed and 50-plus riders. Both coming down to sprint finishes deciding the race winners.

In singlespeed, Preston Edwards (Zone Five Racing) took the early lead cresting the opening climbs in first place. But after being forced to dismount on the Waterfall drop he lost his spot to Shannon Boffeli (Pearl Izumi/Pivot) and defending champion Christopher Heinrich (The Path Bike Shop).

Boffeli took the lead into Zen and holding Heinrich off throughout the remaining course. The gap never reached more than a handful of seconds with Boffeli pulling away on the climbs and Heinrich closing it down on descents.

“I did everything I could to drop Chris once I knew he was back there,” Boffeli said after the finish. “I thought I had gotten clear but as soon as we popped back onto the road just a mile from the finish he was right there.”

“I hit the pavement with maybe 10 seconds in hand and I felt pretty confident. I lowered my dropper post a tiny bit to make it easier to spin on the flats back to the finish and right when I did that both legs completely cramped.”

“I was lucky enough to get my legs moving again but by that time Chris was right on my wheel and he timed his sprint perfectly to pip me just before the line. It was a great race on an exceptional course and Chris fought hard for the win.”

Both riders collapsed at the finish with a very happy defending champion in Christopher Heinrich.

Past race winner Corey Larrabee finished in third in front of early leader Preston Edwards.

Brent Cannon took fifth.

The 50-plus men’s group saw Jeff Jacobson (UCC/JW Floors) taking an early lead pulling away through the Waterfall drop and Zen trail before Matt Crowley (LW Coaching) bridged up to the leader around the halfway point.

From Stucki Springs on, the lead duo matched each other move for move surging back and forth through the Rim Reaper and Barrel Roll trails before entering the final stretch into Santa Clara wheel to wheel.

Just feet from the line both riders unleashed their sprint with Crowley only just getting the better of Jacobson at the line.

Andy Compas (VeloLove) was thrilled with his third place finish after crashing on his face over the Waterfall drop in 2018. His sub-4 hour time was a big improvement over the previous year.

Mike Hileman navigated his way through a successful True Grit finishing fourth in front of fellow Nevada racer Richard DeYoung.

The 2019 True Grit Epic saw the addition of a completely new category to the NUE series. The women’s 50-plus category put forward a strong showing in their first event as an official NUE category with seven riders taking the start and all but one completing the gnarly 50-mile course.

Joanne LaBelle (Peaked Sports) was the winner in the inaugural True Grit for 50-plus women. The Driggs, Idaho, rider logged a time of just over five hours.

Gayle Olpin took second as Laura Shaw and Jennifer Kruleski duked it out for third with Shaw crossing the line just seconds in front of Kruleski.

Danita Ritter (WomenMTB) took the final podium spot in fifth.

Next the NUE series moves east to the traditional east coast opener, the Cohutta Classic in Ducktown, Tennessee on April 27^th.

Click Here for full results from all categories

2019 National Ultra Endurance Series Released

Posted on November 21, 2018 by Shannon Boffeli

Breckenridge Returns for 2019 with Big Bear, California

“Celebrating more than TEN YEARS as the nation’s premier XXC Race Series”

The 13th Annual National Ultra Endurance (NUE) Series www.nuemtb.com announced the 2019 race schedules this week featuring a balanced schedule, east and west.

The NUE Epic Race Series Schedule is comprised of races at or near 100 miles in length. Big Bear Grizzly in California will again host the NUE Series Championship race where all ties are broken. The Breckenridge 100 returns for 2019 bringing the total number of Epic Series races to twelve in this best four of twelve series.

The NUE Marathon Race Series schedule is comprised of races at or near 50 miles to 100k in length. In 2019, The Breckenridge 100k returns bringing the total number of races to 11 in this best four of eleven series.

Photo by Ryan Stephens

“On behalf of The NUE Race Series, I would like to thank all of our sponsors, many who have been with us for up to a decade now, for believing in our vision and supporting NUE. We are proud to promote our NUE sponsors including Kenda Tire, Hammer Nutrition, Sigma Sport of Germany, Darn Tough Socks of Vermont, KMC Chain, Lauf Forks, Voler apparel, Squirt Lube, and Chris Eatough Coaching, for providing training plans for NUE Racers, many tailored to specific NUE race courses based on his success with NUE.” Ryan O’Dell, NUE Race Series Director.

Born in 2006 to fill a need for XXC racers, the NUE Series began with just six races before growing over the last eleven years to now include a total of twenty three races held within twelve different states.

The NUE Marathon Race Series will be made up of eleven well known races including the newest Iron Mountain 100k in Damascus, Virginia. Distances will vary ranging from 50 miles to 100k. Like the NUE Epic 100 Mile Race Series, the NUE MARATHON Race Series will be governed by the same rules and will require the same number of races (BEST 4) to become eligible for series awards and recognition. It is important to note that the NUE Epic and NUE Marathon are two separate race series. Points will not transfer between the Epic 100 Mile and Marathon Race Series. Marathon Series finishers will receive a national ranking and qualify for series awards, Custom Voler NUE Champion Jersey or discounted NUE finisher jersey plus prize packages for ALL NUE Race Series Finishers.

To claim the NUE Race Series Epic 100 Mile title, racers best four finishes will count. NUE requires a minimum of four races to receive a national ranking. ALL racers who complete four of the NUE 100 Mile distance races will receive a national ranking and qualify for series awards, Custom Voler NUE Champion Jersey or discounted NUE Finisher Jersey plus prize packages for ALL NUE Race Series finishers.

Additional Travel awards for NUE Division leaders include an NUE Epic Series Champion travel package to compete in The LaRuta de los Conquistadores, a three day stage race across Costa Rica recognized as one of the toughest races on the planet. Details will be announced publicly soon.

All Epic and Marathon series ties will be broken at the Big Bear Grizzly in California. An attractive feature of the NUE Series is that there is NO LICENSE REQUIRED in order to participate. Everyone is welcome to compete on a level playing field alongside top Pro’s. ALL finishing racers receive a score based on their race finishes with a “lowest points wins” formula. The best possible score is 4.

Nearly ALL NUE Race Series events sold out again in 2018, some within mere minutes. The Marji Gesick 100, the first race to open registration has already sold out. True Grit, High Cascades and Mohican have recently opened registration and are also expected to sell out.

NUE is currently soliciting the support of additional partners interested in promoting products and services that racers can use. Potential sponsors can receive more information by contacting Ryan O’Dell at nolimit@mohican.net

What’s on tap for each event for 2019?

Both, the NUE Epic Series and Marathon Series will roll out on March 9 in the southwest at the True Grit Epic and True Grit Epic 50 in sunny Santa Clara, Utah. According to Race Director Cimarron Chacon, “The True Grit Epic is long, tough, and technical. The first twenty miles are along rocky and steep terrain that requires excellent bike handling skills and upper body strength. This course is a roller coaster of desert riding with over 70% of the 89 miles on single track and slightly over 13,000 feet of elevation gain. We are adding a 15 mile challenge ride this year to include those who may not have trained enough to take on a series course but would like to experience a little bit of True Grit. True Grit Registration is already open and nearing capacity.”

On April 27, NUE returns to Ducktown, Tennessee for the Cohutta 100 and Cohutta Big Frog 65 under the new direction of Lisa Randall at Mountain Goat Adventures, who also produces the Fool’s Gold 100. The course has reverted back to the original Cohutta 100 course from a decade ago, using the singletrack section of Brush Creek and the Tanasi trail systems, and an intense gravel loop known as “The Death March”. Staging for the race takes place along the banks of the beautiful Ocoee River — site for the 1996 Olympic White Water Events. The 100 miles of race course traverses the mountain terrain by world class single track and fire roads. The single track is fast and flowing, but can get tight and technical in spots. The fire roads are demanding but rewarding with long ascents, fast descents, and spectacular mountain views.

Out of the gate, the race makes about a three mile climb on pavement up highway 64. This warm-up serves as a good field displacer and pole position before entering into the fast and flowy single track for the next twenty miles. Next is a challenging loop on beautiful mountain fire-roads. Road texture alternates between hard-pack gravel and smooth moist dirt. Expect tenacious climbs (over 12,000’ of elevation gain overall), hundreds of curves, and peaceful mountain streams. Upon return, racers will re-enter the single track for about nine final miles of the best trails in these mountains.

The weather in Southeastern Tennessee in late April ranges in expression. Expect a chilly morning for sure on race day, but a quick warming up in the early miles. Six Aid Stations provide supplemental support throughout the course and a delicious meal and coveted “Finisher” mug await finishers at the Finish Line.

Next up is the 18^th Annual Mohican 100 and Mohican 100k on June 1 that hosted nearly 600 racers in 2018. Like the Leadville 100, Mohican features a downtown start in Loudonville with plans to continue the neutral start that started in 2018. From there, the course covers several miles of double track before treating racers to a recently recognized IMBA Epic trail of pristine, flowing single track within the 5000 acre Mohican State Forest along a single loop spanning three of the counties that make up what is known as “Mohican Country”. Due to tremendous growth, The Mohican 100 mile and 100k imposed a limit of 600 racers. This race may sell out quickly so it is recommended to register soon. 100 Mile Race finishers receive a custom Mohican finisher growler to be filled and refilled with a truckload of microbrew provided by award winning Great Lakes Brewing of Cleveland.

From the Buckeye State, racers will head north into the Great Lakes State of Michigan for the Lumberjack 100, on June 15. Located deep within the Manistee forest in Wellston, Michigan, The Lumberjack will cap off the spring portion of the series. If you like fast flowing, mostly non-technical single track, and Founders Brewing, this is your race. Perhaps that is why this event always sells out early, sometimes within minutes.

One June 24, Iron Mountain 100k, located in Damascus, Virginia returns to the NUE Marathon Race Schedule. Damascus is called “Trail Town” because the Appalachian Trail and the Creeper Trail pass right through the historic downtown. Bicycle advocates are also creating a Great Eastern Trail Bicycle Route that passes through Damascus too. This route is under development and utilizes the Iron Mountain Trail and the Highlands Horse Trail in the Mt. Rogers National Recreation Area. The GET Bicycle Route links to the New River Trail and onto Blacksburg where it gets back on singletrack and joins the existing GET at the southern end of the Shenandoah Mountain Trail.

As summer arrives, The NUE Race Series returns to the Black Hills of Sturgis, South Dakota on July 6 for the Tatanka Epic and Tatanka Marathon. The Tatanka introduced a brand-new course and format in 2018. Starting and finishing on the legendary Sturgis Main Street, in the middle of downtown in the “City of Riders”, racers will duke it out as they race through town between unique loops in a clover-leaf format. The new course covers dozens of miles of newly constructed trail and keeps the best trail from past events. The Tatanka Marathon will share its main loop with the Epic and represents many hardcore locals favorite “BIG ride”.

One week later, on July 13, NUE Marathon Series heads northeast to Maine. The Carrabassett 100k located in the Carrabassett Valley adds some northeast flavor to the NUE Series. Carrabassett, located near Sugarloaf Ski Area, has spent approximately $500,000 building mountain bike trails in the Carrabassett Region. The goal is to construct an iconic mountain bike trail network that is on everybody’s “must-ride” list. To date there is approximately 100 miles of riding for all abilities. This includes miles of super flowy, machine-built singletrack and old-school style trails that have been carved out with hand tools and sweat. The Carrabassett Backcountry Cycle Challenge (CBCC) is your chance to experience some of this outstanding riding in a true point-to-point style race through the western mountains of Maine! Profits from the race go towards construction and maintenance of new trails.

Also on July 13, The Breckenridge 100 mile and 100k races return to the NUE Series Schedule. The Breckenridge 100 mile and 100k in Colorado can take your breath away, literally, as it begins at an altitude of 9000 feet before crossing the continental divide three times, eliciting jaw dropping views throughout in a three loop Clover shaped race originating from Carter Park in downtown Breckenridge.

2018 NUE series marathon champion Jen Toops (Pearl Izumi/Pivot)

On July 20, think Big Foot and Volcano’s as Mudslinger Events hosts The High Cascades 100 in Bend returning for its tenth year to represent the state of Oregon. The Trails around Mt. Bachelor are truly epic and racers are treated to quality craft brews from Deschutes Brewing. With just 350 spots available, racers are encouraged to register as soon as possible.

Also on July 20, The Wilderness 101 and the Wilderness 101k, directed by Chris Scott, is located in the Rothrock and Bald Eagle State Forests just outside of State College, Pennsylvania, home of the Penn State Nittany Lions. If you enjoy technical backcountry single track and hair raising downhill thrills, nothing rocks quite like PA! W101 was one of just six races included in the inaugural NUE Race Series.

The final four races will occur within a two month period and, as usual, has a tendency to create some chaos in the series standings before the final tie breaking event.

First up is the 11^th Annual Pierre’s Hole 100 and Pierre’s Hole 100k located near Alta, Wyoming on August 3. Pierre’s Hole, a mountain valley tucked up to the Wyoming border on the western side of the Tetons, was once known as the strategic center for fur trade in the Northern Rockies. Today it is known as the strategic gathering place to ski unfathomable deep powder and ride some of the best known single track in the nation.

According to race director Andy Williams, “The Pierre’s Hole 100 and Pierre’s Hole 100k at Grand Targhee Resort newest course layout adds even more new single track without the nasty climb down to the ranch from the early years of the race that many old timers may recall. The 2019 course will take racers through fields of wild flowers, aspen trees and old growth forest right in the shadows of the Tetons.” The “Grand Loop” which is all a part of the Pierre’s race course was recently named as an IMBA Epic trail!”

The next day, on September 1 over Labor Day Weekend in the USA, the 22nd Annual Shenandoah Mountain 100 in Harrisonburg, Virginia, will send up to 650 racers into the George Washington National Forest. Shenandoah is the grand-daddy of them all, and the largest strictly 100 mile race in the NUE Race Series! Shenandoah not only has a great reputation for amazing trails but is also well known for the outstanding support of volunteers and aid stations that many racers would agree sets the bar for excellence.

One September 21, NUE shifts north to the upper peninsula of Michigan to Ishpeming for the Marji Gesick 100 and 50 mile races. 100 miles and 13,000 vertical feet armored with rocks, roots, drops, jump lines, flow trails, grueling climbs, dangerous technical descents and a final fifteen miles designed to push riders to their mental and physical limits. This year’s Marji Gesick with a limit of 666 already sold out, in a single day!

Pierre’s Hole Alta, WY

Over its twelve year history, the NUE Race Series has alternated the Championship race from east to west several times in an effort to keep the playing field level for racers. In 2019, the final NUE race will break most ties and determine the new NUE Champions on the west coast of California at the Big Bear Grizzly 100 and Grizzly 75k in Big Bear Lake. Big Bear has attracted racers from nine countries and eighteen states!

Directed by Derek Hermon, racers familiar with the 100k Grand Fondo course will be treated to an extended portion of trail along a ridgeline with amazing views and an altitude beginning at 7000′ and reaching 8500′ with enough single track racers will beg for a fire road.

The NUE series schedule subject to change as race organizers are still in the usual process of procuring forest service permits and other logistical race planning details. Stay tuned here for upcoming information about NUE Series Sponsors, Prize Money, Potential travel awards, and other race details. www.nuemtb.com.

2019 NUE Epic 100 Mile Race Series

Race	Date	Location	Limit	Reg. Open
True Grit Epic	March 9	Santa Clara, UT	700	November 11
Cohutta 100	April 27	Ducktown, TN	275	December 1
Mohican 100	June 1	Loudonville, OH	700	November 15
Lumberjack 100	June 15	Wellston, MI	430	January 5
Tatanka 100	July 6	Sturgis, SD	300	January 1
Breckenridge 100	July 13	Breckenridge, CO	500	January 15
High Cascades 100	July 20	Bend, OR	350	November 24
Wilderness 101	July 20	State College, PA	400	December 1
Pierre’s Hole 100	August 3	Alta, WY	550	February 1
Shenandoah 100	September 1	Harrisonburg, VA	650	December 1
Marji Gesick	September 21	Ishpeming, MI	666	October 13
Big Bear Grizzly 100	September 28	Big Bear Lake, CA	500	January 1

2019 NUE Marathon Race Series

Race	Date	Location	Limit	Reg. Open
True Grit 50	March 9	Santa Clara, UT	700	November 11
Cohutta Big Frog 65	April 27	Ducktown, TN	275	December 1
Mohican 100k	June 1	Loudonville, OH	700	November 15
Iron Mountain 100k	June 23	Damascus, VA	250	December 1
Tatanka 50	July 6	Sturgis, SD	300	January 1
Carrabassett 100k	July 13	Carrabassett, ME	600	February 1
Breckenridge 100k	July 13	Breckenridge, CO	500	January 15
Wilderness 101k	July 20	State College, PA	400	December 1
Pierre’s Hole 100k	August 3	Alta, WY	550	February 1
Marji Gesick 50	September 21	Ishpeming, MI	666	October 13
Big Bear Grizzly 75k	September 28	Big Bear Lake, CA	500	January 1

NUE Pierre’s Hole 100 Mile

Posted on September 5, 2018 by Shannon Boffeli

Written by: @JenToops and Marlee Dixon @graciedaze

The next stop in the NUE series, Pierre’s Hole, is a rugged 32 mile single track loop that takes racers all over Grand Targhee Resort. If you’re able to look up out of the chest high wildflowers, the views down into the valley and of the Tetons at Pierre’s Hole 100 are breathtaking.At 7:00am on a beautiful cool morning, the 100 mile racers start their three lap race followed at 8:10am by the 100k racers and at 8:40am by the 50k racers. The race starts with a grueling 1700’ climb up the resort separating everyone for the 95% single track course. Once at the top, racers head down 38 special for a memorable descent with 38 switchbacks. Climbing back up the resort slopes again, riders enjoy an exhilarating high alpine descent down to aid 1 and back down to the resort base area.

Photo credit: Jay Goodrich / jay@jaygoodrich.com / @jaygoodrich

The next two loops are an undulating combination of meadows, forests, twisty and smooth single track that brings racers back to the start/finish for the end of lap 1.With temps in the low 70s, a race venue at Grand Targhee resort full of campers, hot showers, local beers, good food and kids activities as well an epic single track course; this is a race geared towards the avid mountain bike racers as well as the family-friendly and casual racers.

Photo credit: Jay Goodrich / jay@jaygoodrich.com / @jaygoodrich

Open Men

Lewis gets second NUE win of the season

1st-Bryan Lewis, 2nd-Sam Sweetser, 3rd-David Krimstock, 4th-Stefano Barberi

East coaster, Bryan Lewis (Cutaway USA), proved he could handle the elevation and took the top step in a time of 8:00:01.

“The Tetons have always been one of my favorite places to visit and I was excited to meet up with a couple friends from the area and take on the PH100. With 3 distance options to choose from the 100 mile field was a lot smaller than other NUEs. It’s as if others knew something I didn’t. The race started with a long climb that set up the lead group fairly quickly. On the first descent of the day Sam Sweetser set the pace and quickly separated he and I from the rest of the lead group. That set the tempo for the remainder of the ride as he continued to pull me around the single track.

Sam was super smooth and fast on the switchback heavy course and it was fun to follow him along. He was riding strong and when he made a minor mistake in a corner I made my way around him and tested his legs a bit separating from him around mile 60 and never (and by never I mean always) looking back. He kept the gap tight but I was able to hold on and really felt good on the final lap in Rick’s Basin and had fun ripping on it.

Overall, Pierre’s Hole was an amazing race under the view of the Tetons, which is hard to beat. I will say when I was finished I didn’t want to see another switchback for a few weeks, but that’s just me. Thanks Andy and the crew for building great trails and putting on a fun race!

Sponsors: Flying solo, but appreciate the support of my employer Cutaway, USA as well as a good group of friends (Will, Steven, Tyler, Seth, AT, and Carlo) that consistently talk smack and give me a hard time as I chase fun events across the country. Also big thanks good friend Jansen Gunderson who hosted and helped me with feeds during the race. Also I’m really glad my girlfriend didn’t shoot me for stealing her drink mix out of the cooler while she also cruised through 100 miles under the Tetons. :/ Lessons learned and thanks a great vacation Lauren!”

Twelve minutes back, Sam Sweetser (Cole Sport), takes second at 8:12:01.

David Krimstock (Shimano/Pearl Izumi/Pivot) rounded out the podium taking third at 8:19:47.

“Pierres Hole was the 4th 100 mile race in 5 weeks for me, and even though I have done this type of schedule before the added travel and fatigue left me with some unknowns. Riding sections of the course before the race had me looking forward to giving it my all on race day. This years course was unique with a small handful of dirt road miles, it seems to me that the PH100 has the most single track of any 100 mile race Im aware of. Between 38 Special, Action Jackson, and the winding up and down of Ricks Basin, I had a feeling my body was going to be completely thrashed by the end.The race started with a reasonable pace, and I played it safe. Letting Brian, Sam, and Stefano get ahead then reeling them back in by the top of the climb. Leading into the 38 Special descent Sam and Brian pushed the pace to get onto the trail first, and I settled in behind Stefano. Feeling decent, I went ahead of him during the climb out of the canyon and tried to keep the leaders in sight. I was about 2 minutes back for the rest of lap 1, and was continuously trying to pull them back. I held onto faith that my strategy of fueling with EFS Pro and Gel and using a Camelbak to be able to drink while on the trail would pay off as it often does. However, the gap continued to grow and I found myself riding in 3rd for the majority of the day. I had a blast ripping the endless trail with my Pivot 429SL and seeing all the other folks out on the laps having the same experience. Even though it may not have been my best day out there, its hard to forget a day spent in that unique terrain.”

Open Women

Conners gets fourth NUE win on Kenda Tires!

Women’s Open: 1st-Larissa Connors, 2nd-Kaitlyn Boyle, 3rd-Jennifer Wolfrom, 4th-Lauren Cantwell, 5th-Ivy Pedersen

Taking the win in the women’s open division, racing on Kenda Saber Pro tires, Larissa Connors (Sho-Air CG), finishes in a time of 8:58:17. With this win Connors has a perfect score of four and now leads the overall NUE race series.

“Pierre’s Hole was a last minute addition to my race schedule. I Choose to head up to Alta because I’ve never been to WY and heard so many good things about it! The idea of a three lap race was exciting, as was the promise we would be racing under the Tetons all day on SO MUCH SINGLETRACK!

I tried to start easy, since the altitude meant pacing was going to be crucial. That didn’t last long though and by the top of the first climb I had been lured into riding super hard, and decided to just run with it. The 38 special descent was crazy fun on lap 1, and the flowers and scenery distracted me from any thoughts of how long the race was, or how much I was going to blow up if I kept going so hard.

By lap 2 I had to slow down a bit. I realized when my wrists started hurting on lap 1 that if I didn’t actively choose to recover on the dh then I was going to be in a world of pain by lap 3, since you COULD pedal every inch of the course if you wanted.

A volunteer told me that 2nd place was only 5 min back at the start of lap 3, which freaked me out since I was chillin’ on lap2, so I laid down the gas again on lap 3. Surprisingly it felt good to dig deep, so I pushed hard, had fun cheering on the racers doing the shorter distances, and ate all the BonkBreaker snacks I had on me over the course of the last 32 miles.

Crossing the line a minute under 9 hours was freaking rad, and winning my 4th NUE of the year was the icing on the scenic race cake!!”

Kaitlyn Boyle (Pivot Cycles/Industry Nine) finished second in a time of 10:06:59. Crossing the line third was Jennifer Wolfrom (Hoback Sports) at 10:49:59.

Singlespeed

Fischer gets the Singlespeed win

Singlespeed 1st-Henry Fischer, 2nd-Brent Cannon, 3rd-Adam Smith, 4th-Adam Miller, 5th-Warner Smith

Getting his first NUE win of the season, Henry Fischer of Wila’s Wheels, won singlespeed with a time of 9:23:15. Brent Cannon (Team Elevate), took second in 9:36:58. In a sprint for third place, Adam Smith finished just seconds before Adam Miller in a time of 10:32:05.

Adam Miller states, “I am a mtb coach for our local NICA racing teams, Teton Valley Composite, and Jackson Hole Composite, so a shout out to them!!! The younger kids were supporting at aid stations All day! We had four of our athletes compete, and one of them podiumed in the 50K open!

I had only 2 rides over 4 hours prior to race, so the hundred miles was more of a challenge to say the least, and a good lesson of perseverance for our athletes’.

I chased another single-speed rider all day. He would DROP me on any hill handedly. I relied on my downhill skills any chance I could and would get him into view every once in a while. I got a glimpse of him in the last 10 miles, so I gave-er everything I had. He did too! I finally caught up with him about 100 yds from the finish. Sprint finish, and I won by .3 seconds!

Looking back, I would have geared my single-speed at 32/21 instead of my usual 32/20. By the third lap, I was having a real hard time getting the cranks over, and the racer in front of me with 32/22 was still spinning along…NEXT YEAR!”

Masters

Smith leads NUE masters series

Masters: 1st-Cary Smith, 2nd-Matt Woodruff, 3rd-Mike Baughman, 4th-Dave Reynolds, 5ht-Alan Miner

With wins at True Grit, Tatanka and High Cascades, Cary Smith (The Hub) can now add Pierre’s Hole to the list and finished in 9:02:12. He now leads the NUE masters race series with a perfect score of four.

About ten minutes back was, Matt Woodruff (Kuhl) taking second in a time of 9:11:56.

Mike Baughman (Lost River Cycling) took third in a time of 9:57:52.

Photo credit: Jay Goodrich / jay@jaygoodrich.com / @jaygoodrich

: Pierre’s Hole Alta, WY

Full results click here

What’s Next? Click Here for info on the next NUE Marathon series race: NUE Marji Gesick race in Michigan. Click Here for info on the next NUE Epic series race: Shenandoah 100 in Virginia.

Follow the Pearl Izumi/Pivot Cycles team adventures as we travel and report on cycling around the globe.

Instagram: @pearlizumi_pivotmtb_team, @JenToops, @HanksJen, @graciedaze

Carrabassett Backcountry Challenge

Posted on July 31, 2018 by Shannon Boffeli

Anthony and Daigle Conquer Carrabassett

Written by: Ryan O’Dell

Located in the beautiful Carrabassett Valley of Northern Maine at Sugar Loaf Ski Area, The eighth annual (CBCC) Carrabassett Backcountry Challenge 100k joined the NUE Marathon Series in 2017 witnessing tremendous growth. According to race director, Warren Gerow, “the event has evolved a lot since 2011 when the 100k was a two lap course that was stitched together with mostly old single-track and double track. We’ve seen tremendous growth in the past few years; 2015 187 people registered online, this year, the race has grown to about 500 racers.” In addition to the NUE 100k distance, CBCC also includes shorter distances of 50k and 25k plus kids races.

During the past seven years, approximately $750,000 has been spent building mountain bike trails in the Carrabassett Region. The goal is to construct an iconic mountain bike trail network that is on everybody’s “must-ride” list. To date, there is approximately eighty miles of riding for all abilities. This includes miles of super flowy, machine-built singletrack and old-school style trails that have been carved out with hand tools and sweat. Profits from the race go towards construction and maintenance of new trails.

Women’s Open

Anthony Wins!

Crystal Anthony, Liv Cycling, won the Women’s race finishing in 5:44:59, her first NUE win of the season!

Following her second place finish at Cohutta and her first NUE win at the Mohican 100k this spring, Lara Richards, Little Fire Cycles, finishes second in 6:11:19. “This year has been a great year of racing for me. I have really enjoyed doing the NUE series. It seems that every race the weather has been wonderful and each location seems to be more beautiful than the last.

However, since having to DNF due to a mechanical at Damascus, I was definitely not going into the Carrabassett Challenge with much confidence. And after the 20 hour drive from Georgia to Maine, I was contented with just enjoying my race, doing my best and finishing where I may.

Bacon with chocolate drizzle to power riders on course.

At the start of the race Kaitlyn and Crystal both took off fast and I thought I was sure not to see either of them again. I was not too far along when Bryna passed me strong on a climb of rocky switch backs putting me in 4th. I was able to keep her in my vision for the first 18 miles or so and was able to pass her, while charging down a steep downhill. But not for long, she passed me back soon after and this time I was not able to keep up.

At this point I found myself riding with the same group for several miles. I road chill and paced myself accordingly. I did not think I would make it onto the podium. But even still I was having a crazy fun time on the trails and the ever changing terrain. Even if I finished last, I would not have regretted this race at all.

The Carrabassett Maine trails offered a more challenging course than I expected and kept me engaged throughout. I enjoyed the twisty sections, moving in out of the rocks. I enjoyed getting to ride up the Widowmaker to and through the ski resort. There were longer and steeper climbs than I anticipated. The downhills were also a blast and so much of the single trek was fast, fun, and flowy.

I was picking up speed in a level area of single trek, just enjoying my ride, when I noticed a female rider ahead of me. I could not believe it! I told the male rider just in front, “to the left”. I was going to catch my competition. At that point, the race became a race to me again. I was off and was able to catch and pass Kaitlyn before exiting that section of single track but I knew I had to keep pushing. I could tell she was a strong rider and knew if I slacked off at all she would be right on top of me. I think I was able to put a little distance between us after a long climb through a clearing.

After this came Birthday Hill which I bombed down fast as I could and it was here I unknowingly passed Bryna as well. She road in behind me from the aid station from on top of the hill. I only noticed her as we exited on to the gravel. She got in front of me at the u-turn and, from there, we road together for many miles passing each other now and then. I still, at this point, thought she would get away from me before the race was over and I would finish third but I was able to break from her after a short stretch of gravel and then the last climb of single track switchbacks. It was hard for me to keep a decent pace at this point, I was getting very tired and was waiting for her sneak behind me. I gained some speed on some fun downhill which was a nice break and helped push to finish the race and take the second spot.

I did not see Cathryn at all during the entire race and I am proud to finish second to someone so strong. I am also grateful to be able to race with such amazing female athletes as Bryna and Kaitlyn.

NEMBA and the volunteers did a terrific job setting up this race. Many thanks to Little Fire Cycles and Adventure Cycles for making sure my bike and wheels are race worthy and Rhinohead for my awesome gloves. See everyone soon at the next NUE race!”

Four minutes later, last year’s race winner, Bryna Blanchard, BMB Racing, was third at 6:15:06. Blanchard is a top contender for the NUE Marathon Series title with second place finishes at both Mohican and Iron Mountain this year. “Another fantastic NUE race happened last Saturday, this time in the Carrabassett Valley wilderness of Maine. The weather and trail conditions were perfect, much different from last year’s mud and pouring rain on the start line. The level of competition had also taken a step up from last year.

Two very accomplished women from the west coast, Crystal Anthony and Kaitlyn Boyle, pushed the pace from the start. I love racing this course, the constantly changing terrain, long climbs and descents keep me engaged and distracts from the exhausting number of hours it takes to complete. I raced hard and felt good, passing Kaitlyn on the long exposed midpoint climb to move myself into second. Super strong Lara Richards and I rode together on and off, trading places back and forth for much of the race until she dropped me for good and rode away on the final long double track climb. The highlight of my race was riding with Lara, trying to capitalize on my strengths and minimize my weaknesses to stay ahead or in contact with her. Not sure if I went out too hard or didn’t fuel properly but the last five miles were absolute survival, suffering and going nowhere fast.

Overall, I’m very satisfied with finishing third in such a strong field of women. While my good friend and world class racer Crystal easily took the win, less than eight minutes separated 2nd through 4th place. At the end, I was spent, all my strength, mental focus, and strategizing was left out on the course. Every race is a learning experience and I have two weeks to makes some tweaks and prepare to the next one in PA. This was my most challenging day on the bike so far this year, and quite possibly the most fun!”

Men’s Open

2018 Marc-André Daigle wins, setting a new course record!

37-year-old Marc-André Daigle, Garneau/Pivot Cycles OTE Canada, was first overall, earning his first NUE win completing the 100k course in 4:54:15, setting a new course record, the first racer to finish sub five hours!

Custom syrup bottles for race finishers!

Four minutes back, Mathieu Belanger-Barrette, Pivot Cycles OTE Canada, gets second at 4:58:03. “I wasn’t expecting such a fast start especially knowing that we were about to shred singletrack for 5+ hours. The pace was sustained and even exaggerated for a while and we finally got settled around km 60. Marc-André and I were in front and we couldn’t see the chase group. I was starting to see double when Marco pulled a big attack. It was way too much to handle. As I tried to catch him back, I clipped my pedal on a hidden rock and crashed quite hard on my ribs.

I was able to keep my second place untouched even though I slowed down quite seriously after the crash. The course was insanely good, not too much climbing but a lot of technical section to distance the riders.”

Two minutes later, 2017 Race Winner, Andy Scott, Riverside Racing, took third at 5:00:08, sixteen minutes faster than last year.

Singlespeed

2018 Kramer wins the SS Race!

Shane Kramer, Placid Planet/Barkeater Trail, won the Single Speed race to finish 5:35:29. “After hearing several of my friends talk about how great the riding was in Carrabassett Valley, I knew I had to add this race to my calendar. I’ve always been a slow starter and showing up to the line late didn’t help me any this past weekend. I was probably in 100th place leaving the start and maybe 80th by the time we hit the tight singletrack. Patience was the name of the game while I waited for every opportunity to pass. As we got to the condos on Sugarloaf I heard someone counting off riders as we went by “…48, 49, 50…” making up ground but still a long way to go. I finally caught up to a group with Peter Bradshaw and Matt Sousa just after the 1st aid station on the climb up Buckshot.

I was racing on a borrowed frame from Solace Cycles that I just built up on Wednesday before the race. The frame fit and rode great but didn’t have any water bottle mounts. I don’t like riding with a hydration pack so I only had one water bottle in a fanny pack. This meant I had to stop and fill bottles at every aid station. Not the best race tactic.

I yo-yoed for quite a while with Peter and Matt. Matt told me that Doug Thorp was still up ahead somewhere. I don’t know Doug but heard he was a strong racer and figured he had 1st place already wrapped up. So, after finally getting a gap from Matt and Peter, I was pretty surprised to come up behind Doug a couple of miles before the 3rd aid station. I made a pass but he passed me back as I stopped to fill my only water bottle. I caught and passed him again on the fast gravel out and back section. I think mainly because I was pushing a bigger gear, 34×19. This section also allowed me to see that Peter and Matt were still right there. So, although, my legs were showing signs of cramping I tried to keep the pace up and decided to skip the water refill at the last aid station and push through to the finish. I’m so stoked to come away with a win at such a great event.

Four minutes later, Peter Bradshaw, Mad Alchemy/Zanconato, took second at 5:39:28. “Start was quick into singletrack and super fun. Lots of people but it moved well. Weather was cool and just got a few sprinkles right as we got going. Doug seemed to have a great start and was well ahead. I was riding just behind Sousa for the open miles through all the fun stuff. Once the race opened up to the gravel climbs we were joined by Shane and a bunch of people from other categories. We kept a pretty large group until maybe halfway up the large climb in the middle of the race and Shane rode away. Sousa and I rallied pretty well to the top but split. I connected with another rider and he pulled me along for a long way along a great river trail. I saw Doug and Shane riding together at the turn around, then later caught Doug and tried to chase down Shane but he was flying. Fun day, singletrack we rode looked great, monster climbs, sketchy skimobile descents, and a river crossing! Gearing was 30×18 and I was pretty happy with that.”

Three minutes later, Doug Thorp, Colonial Bicycle Company, finished third at 5:42:21. “To fully understand why I ended up on the podium you need to understand two things; I’m addicted to cycling and I’m broke. This was my second NUE single speed race, and truly my third SS marathon mountain bike race ever. My journey began in Pisgah in April where I was JRA and ended up bashing my carbon wheel and squishy bike just days before Big Frog for which my girlfriend was registered and I was still only toying with the idea. With my squishy bike in the emergency ward, I only had one option. I had to race my cobbled together SS which was an old On-One 456 26” setup like a dirt jumper. So with the option to race Open off the table I was more inclined to race but still unsure if I was up to the task of slogging for 65 miles in Tennessee. I did some reconnaissance the day before with a few friends who had flown in for the race and felt it was within my ability to finish. The race started slow and ended well with me getting stronger throughout and moving from 13th to 7th in the last 10 miles. I ended up losing a sprint for 6th, but was elated that my first marathon SS race went so well. The only question I had was could I do better? I was hooked.

Brimming with confidence I registered for my local race the Carrabassett Backcountry Challenge knowing full well that this race was full of both Backcountry and challenges. My race morning got a little thrown off since I had forgotten my 2toms chamois sheets; I was desperately searching for anything that would keep me from destroying my undercarriage. I found my Shimano bleed kit in my trunk and slathered on some green mineral oil and was hoping for the best. I rolled up to the starting line late and found a friend that let me squeeze in. He told me he just applied his own sheet, and was worried his hands were now too slippery to hold his bars. “5 minutes to start.” ~Announcer. I sprinted over to his car and went full sloppy seconds on his 2toms sheet, rolled back to the start line at peace and waited for the gun. Right there my race was saved.

“Bang” we were off! The first couple turns are important at every race but hitting that single track before the rest can save you minutes in the overall. I fell back to somewhere in the high 30s or low 40s before making it to the first real climb. After the first 10 miles I was only 6 minutes back on the open leaders. I was feeling great and kept just spinning up the climbs and letting her buck on the descents. I was sitting in the 20s overall and was really feeling the flow.

Across the 30k mark at the aid station I was told I was in the lead just before heading out on the 5 mile climb. I felt strong and was forcing myself to keep up on my nutrition. Greg Jancitis who was recovering from an early mechanical went by me on a power section like a freight train. I was baffled by his speed; he was kind enough to let me know I had a solid lead over the next single speeder. Little did he know I was four miles away from the “Lake Placid Kid” (aka Shane) from blowing my doors off.

The course had some great water crossings and the last one had an un-rideable log at the top of the bank which was about 4 feet wide. Looking back and watching four riders hurdle the log and seeing the absence of a rear derailleur on one was disheartening. It was now a race or so I thought at the time. Shane and I rode together for the next few miles until I went past him at the aid station. Shane quickly filled a bottle and gave chase. The best and worst part of this course is around mile 44. It’s an out and back power section on a dirt road, where you can see 5 minutes ahead and 5 minutes behind you. As I found out the hard way my cadence of 120 couldn’t match the gearing and legs of Shane. I then was doing damage control wondering if all these other hammerheads that saw me spinning my wee little legs could see how much I was hurting. Turns out one other did and also had the legs and will to do something about it. Bradshaw caught me after mile 50, somewhere in the willywacks on some OG single track. For the most part I kept up to him, until I didn’t.

I had one last trick up my sleeve, a trail called Crommet’s which is a half an hour climb at mile 60 (Yeah, 60! If you’re quick at math you’ll realize this was not as billed; a 100k.) I kept going the best I could with will and legs starting to fade I finally hit the last aid station just before the climb and started pushing my way by the masters racers up Crommet’s. At the top I was truly hurting with my stomach turning sour, my Garmin reading 65 and my legs all but spent. Heading down Oak Knoll, a heavily armored trail which I did my best to vibrate my way down, I didn’t manage to catch Bradshaw and believe he stayed strong. The last piece of this course has you cross the mighty Carrabassett River via a small footbridge. However this year’s big spring storms took it out and we were forced to ford the Carrabassett on foot. Running with my bike in knee deep cold river water was the highlight of the day. I finished better than I could have hoped and raced my hardest with limited mental mistakes.

If you’re not from around here and want to disprove the local colonialism “You can’t get there from here.” Mark your calendars for the hardest NUE in the Northeast.

Masters 50+

Golet gets his first NUE Win of the 2018 Season!

NUE Epic Series Champion, Greg Golet, Team Chico, earned his first win of the season now competing in the NUE Marathon Series. Golet completed the 100k course in 5:34:26. “This trip was a homecoming of sorts for me having spent many of my vacations as a kid alpine skiing at Sugarloaf and hiking in the Bigelows. And with my mom still living on nearby Eustis ridge, the race was the perfect excuse for a visit. The plan also made sense for my brother and best childhood friend who came from Alaska and Colorado.

I’m terrible at pack starts and group riding in general, and had a pretty bad start jamming a stick in my derailleur trying to pass in a brushy area, and otherwise wasting energy being spastic when I should have just been patient and waited for the course to open up. On the first sustained climb I got past my friend/rival Jeff who I’ve battled with the last couple years in the Epic series.

After traversing the resort we hit a section of steep narrow trail where a wrong line choice sent me flying over the bars. My bike cartwheeled, but somehow I landed on my feet. With no apparent bike issues or injuries I was able to ride on.

All day I was blown away by the varied terrain and trail conditions. Coming from dry California, it felt so good to ride in the moist forests.

On the out and back I saw Jeff was riding fast with a group just a few minutes back, and so kept pushing, skipping aid stops even though I was low on water and out of food, but then wondering if the little bits of time I saved would be lost from slowing down if my intermittent leg cramps worsened, which didn’t seem unlikely given how dehydrated I was.

But on the last long climb I felt good, and the oak knoll descent was pure joy. However, at the bottom I relaxed too soon and went off course. Luckily a guy not far behind me figured it out quickly and soon we were back on track.

Before the race started, the guy who set up the course welcomed us there “as family”. That resonated with me, and I felt lucky to have so many friends and family there to share the experience with. Maine rocks, and it’s awesome to see such a vibrant and quality mountain bike scene developing in Carrabassett Valley.

Next up Pierre’s Hole!

Three minutes later, 2016 NUE Epic Series Masters Champion, Jeff Clayton, Georgia Neurosurgical Institute, now competing for the NUE Marathon Series title, finished second at 5:37:21. “My wife Jodi and I arrived at Carrabassett Valley on Thursday afternoon after several days of spirited hiking in Cape Breton Island Nova Scotia and Acadia NP. I was looking forward to riding some rugged trails, but unsure how my tired legs would do. My potent rival, Scott Burrill, graciously offered to share his slope side condo minutes from the race start….it is not at all unusual in mountain bike racing for the fiercest competitors to become great friends.

On Friday morning race director, Warren Gerow, gave Scott and me a riding tour of some of the course, which was very helpful because it covered some of the more technical single track and sketchy “rake and ride” sections. Race start was pretty typical sprint for the trail, with the usual silly risk taking for very little gain. Not wanting an early crash or quick burn out, I was content to settle in behind the large front pack.

About 15 minutes in, Greg Golet came cruising by and I got on his wheel. I managed to stay on his wheel for about 15 minutes while he passed several riders. Just after we passed Scott, Greg kicked the pace up, I fell off and Scott passed me back. For the next couple of hours I plugged away, my technical riding getting more comfortable and pushing a big gear on every road climb.

I finally caught Scott on the Esker trail but he was having none of that and gunned it dropping all but a few of a train on riders I’d brought up. Barely hanging on through the poplar stream trail, I knew I needed to drop him (and have any chance of catching Greg) on the road and/or Crommets trail after aid 4. I was never sure I had dropped him because I was passing many of the 50k racers and it was hard to see who was behind.

The lady who let me know five miles to go put a smile on my face, and I made sure to have fun but be cautious on the switchback descent to the narrow gauge trail. From there it was a nice cool river crossing and hammer up the final single track, never giving up hope of catching Greg. I really enjoyed the race and appreciate the effort and hospitality of the CRNEMBA crew and my new Mainiac friends.”

Seven minutes later, NUE Marathon Series defending champion, Scott Burrill, Bikeman.com, finished third in 5:44:25. “This was my fifth or sixth time riding the Carrabassett Backcountry Challenge and by far the best. The race organizers really nailed it this year and we were graced with perfect racing weather and trail conditions!

Coming into the race after two weeks of nursing a summer cold, my strategy was to go in slow and steady and to keep an eye on Jeff Clayton. The first 20 miles or so went well. I got ahead of Jeff after the first gnarly downhill from West Mountain. I knew, though, that he’s a steam roller and gets faster as the race goes along.

Through aid 2 I saw no sign of him and kept on trucking up the notorious 4 mile dirt road climb. When I made the turn onto the Esker trail I was feeling good and maintained a fast steady pace toward aid 3 at “Birthday Hill”. Looking over my shoulder on a long power line stretch, I saw no one behind and felt fairly secure; surely I had a big lead on him by now? Nevertheless, a couple miles later, a group caught me including Jeff; so much for the gap. We left aid 3 together and headed out.

The group worked together on the out and back and then into the “Sticky Trail”, a technical stretch of ST I know well. I led the group and we whittled it down to three quickly. Unfortunately, I blew a lot of energy in there and felt it climbing to the Poplar Hut. I followed Jeff and another racer into aid 4 feeling pretty blown and knowing I had the very long climb up “Crommets” to the Stratton Hut area. Sure enough, I had no gas going up and watched as the two rode away from me, so, another lesson in the never ending course of XXCM racing.

The race was blast with fantastic competition, amazing turnout, stellar management and killer conditions! The aid station crews were, as always, simply awesome. Thanks to everyone who helped make it happen!”

WHATS NEXT: NUE Epic Series heads to Bend, Oregon on July 21 for the High Cascades 100, a race around the volcano of Mount Bachelor. One week later, NUE Marathon and Epic Series racers will head for the challenging hills and rocks of State College, PA for the Wilderness 101.

True Grit Epic – Santa Clara, Utah

Posted on March 11, 2018 by Shannon Boffeli

Fast Times Posted at NUE Series Opener in Southern Utah with Biggest Ever Field

Saturday’s True Grit Epic saw it’s biggest-ever field with over 600 racers taking on the treacherous, rock-strewn course tucked in the south west corner of Utah. The record-setting participants were rewarded with some of the best race conditions possible with calm winds, temperatures in the low 60s and overcast skies keeping the sun at bay.

All this allowed racers to post some of the fastest times around the notoriously techy True Grit course.

Gwendalyn Gibson (Norco) had some fun while destroying the marathon event. Photo by: Shannon Boffeli/MTB Race News

The NUE opener experienced a youth infusion with riders like Gwendalyn Gibson (Norco) and Hannah Finchamp (Clif Bar) who just recently left the junior ranks. 50 miles was not too much for these youngsters though as the powered away from the outset battling each other most of the day.

Gibson took the win with Finchamp just minutes back. It wasn’t all about the kids though as Jenni Smith (Kenda/Cannondale) who just turned 45 rallied all day and finished just behind in 3rd. Nicole Tittensor (Scott) and Liza Hartlaub (GU Energy Labs) finished off the podium in 4th and 5th.

Nicole Tittensor (Scott) leads Jen Hanks into the Waterfall. Photo by: Shannon Boffeli/MTB Race News

The men’s marathon was a showdown between Justin Lindine (Apex) and another youngster testing out the long distance scene, Zach Calton (Spry/ LPB Sotheby’s).

The two rode wheel-to-wheel through the most technical first half of the race before Lindine opened a gap and took the win after just missing it last year in a sprint finish.

Justin Lindine (Apex) showed his early-season form taking the men’s marathon title. Photo by: Shannon Boffeli/MTB Race News

Former winner Alex Grant (Maybird/Cannondale) took third followed by Nic Beechan (Trek) and Clayton Otto (Giant).

The kids came out in force for the 2018 True Grit. Photo by: Shannon Boffeli/MTB Race News

Dave Harris won the 50+ marathon event but had to leave part of his face on the course to do so proving that even living in St. George and riding these trails everyday doesn’t give you a free pass on the True Grit course.

Local speedster and 50+ marathon champ Dave Harris left some blood on course. Photo by: Shannon Boffeli/MTB Race News

100 Mile

Taylor Lideen charges toward the finish. Photo by: Shannon Boffeli/MTB Race News

100-mile winner Taylor Lideen (Pivot/DNA Cycling) turned in one of the most impressive rides at the True Grit taking the win just three weeks after winning the solo race at 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo. When asked if he considered doing the 50 mile event instead he said, “Never, I don’t have that kind of fire in my legs right now – my goal was just to set my pace and see how it went.”

Lideen was challenged throughout the opening lap and a half by Pete Karinen (Broken Spoke Racing) before a flat, on the second pass through Zen trail, sent him back in the pack and Brazilian Stefano Barberi (Team Barberi) took up the chase. He couldn’t catch Lideen as he finally finished second followed by David Krimstock (Pearl Izumi/Pivot). Pete Karinen rallied after his flat to finish fourth with Coulton Hartrich in fifth.

2017 NUE marathon champion Jen Toops (Pearl Izumi/Pivot) traveled out from Ohio the NUE opener. Photo by: Shannon Boffeli/MTB Race News

Larissa Connors smashed the True Grit course winning by 30 minutes over Sparky Sears (First Hand MTB) and Carla Williams (Joe’s Bike Shop). Connors was so fast she would have placed just off the podium in the open men’s category in 7th.

Chase Hansen (CZ Racing) finished 4th followed by Lauren Cantwell.

Hannah Finchamp (Clif Bar) making an impressive debut at True Grit. Photo by: Shannon Boffeli/ MTB Race News

By far the most exciting part of the 2018 True Grit Epic despite the great weather, amazing views, brutally fun course, and fantastic volunteers and staff was the number of young racers on hand.

The number of participants under the age of 21 was truly impressive and a testament to the success of the NICA high school racing league in the southwest. Dozens and dozens of kids strapped on their helmets and conquered one of the toughest endurance events in the country with many even contending for race wins. It was an exciting development I hope we continue to see for years to come.

Riders have to decide between riding or taking in the incredible views at True Grit. Photo by: Shannon Boffeli/MTB Race News

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Photo Gallery

: Fat bike rider conquers the Barrel Roll Ridge. Photo by: Shannon Boffeli/MTB Race News

: Riders have to decide between riding or taking in the incredible views at True Grit. Photo by: Shannon Boffeli/MTB Race News

: Taylor Lideen charges toward the finish. Photo by: Shannon Boffeli/MTB Race News

: Jen Hanks, NIcki Peterson, and Jen Toops share stories at the finish. Photo by: Shannon Boffeli/MTB Race News

: Local speedster and 50+ marathon champ Dave Harris left some blood on course. Photo by: Shannon Boffeli/MTB Race News

: Well stocked feeds and helpful volunteers helped over 600 riders test themselves at True Grit. Photo by: Shannon Boffeli/MTB Race News

: 2017 NUE marathon champion Jen Toops (Pearl Izumi/Pivot) traveled out from Ohio the NUE opener. Photo by: Shannon Boffeli/MTB Race News

: True Grit has no shortage of incredible scenery. Photo by: Shannon Boffeli/MTB Race News

: Gwendolyn Gibson (Norco) had some fun while destroying the marathon event. Photo by: Shannon Boffeli/MTB Race News

: Rocks were on the menu at True Grit. Photo by: Shannon Boffeli/MTB Race News

: Jen Hanks drops in on the notorious Waterfall. Photo by: Shannon Boffeli/MTB Race News

: Nicole Tittensor (Scott) leads Jen Hanks into the Waterfall. Photo by: Shannon Boffeli/MTB Race News

: Photo by: Shannon Boffeli/MTB Race News

: Justin Lindine (Apex) showed his early-season form taking the men’s marathon title. Photo by: Shannon Boffeli/MTB Race News

Crotched Mountain 100 Mile

Posted on September 7, 2017 by Shannon Boffeli

By Ryan O’Dell

In 1809, 81 year old General John Stark, a Revolutionary War Soldier from New Hampshire, declined an invitation to a Battle of Bennington reunion because he was ill. Since he could not make the event, he sent a letter with the quote “Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils.” that was to be read for the toast. New Hampshire later used part of this toast for their State motto: Live Free or Die. The Hampshire 100, now the NUE Crotched Mountain 100, lives on with the same ideals and the same rugged, rocky course racers have come to expect from the Granite State.

Following last year’s retirement of beloved NUE Hampshire 100 founder and race director Randy Whitney, who led the race successfully for a full decade, this year’s race was renamed “Crotched Mountain 100” and moved from Greenfield Park to its new location at Crotched Mountain Resort, formerly an aid station along the same race course.

Under the leadership of new race director, Andy Gendron, this year’s race maintained the same course and divisions but moved from Sunday to Saturday offering free camping at the resort, outdoor showers, BBQ, games, plus two great brews from Baxter Brewing including Stowaway IPA, a new Imperial Hefeweizen, and live music on both Friday and Saturday.

A nonstop soaking rain greeted riders all day on Friday with much conversation centered on what the nearly 2.5 inches of rain in a single day would mean to course conditions.

Carla Williams takes another NUE race. Photo by: David Smith

WOMENS OPEN

Williams makes it five in a row this season!

Defending NUE Epic Series Champion, Carla Williams, Joe’s Bike Shop Racing, was the first and only women’s finisher of the 100 mile race at 10:53:03. Following impressive wins at the Cohutta, Mohican, High Cascades and Wilderness 101, Williams has a commanding lead in the Open Women’s division with five straight wins in the NUE Epic Race Series!

“I think CM100 is one of the toughest NUE races out there, especially if it rains the night before. It down poured all day on the Friday before the race, and the trails were pretty muddy and slippery. The course is really fun, lots of technical singletrack riding, lots of punchy climbs, and there is never seems to be a time to recover on the course. I was feeling great for the first two laps, staying upright on all the slippery rocks and roots, and really happy with how I was riding the singletrack sections.

I pulled into the aid station at the start/finish after the second lap and felt completely drained, like the race should be over. Somehow, I managed to get my legs pedaling through the third and final lap but it was definitely a tough one to finish. It was really fun seeing Anne Pike, who won the mountain bike race last year, dominate the ultra-run and win the 100k run this year! Much thanks to HumaGel which powered me through the last lap of the course, Ridge Supply Socks, Joe’s Bike Shop, ESI grips and Maxxis Tires for the all support.”

Last year’s race winner and four-time Hampshire 100 MTB finisher, Anne Pike, Team DNA-Movement p/b Penetron, set out on foot this year winning the 100k Mile Run that was held alongside the MTB races. Pike finished the 100k course on foot in 13:20:00. Earlier this season, Pike achieved an impressive eighth place finish at the Mohican MTB100 followed by an even more impressive third place podium finish at the 28^th Annual Mohican Trail Run 100 mile race, fifth oldest ultra-run in the USA, home of the first ever USATF National Championship for the one hundred mile distance in 2005.

“For the last three years, I have been focusing on endurance mountain biking and raced predominantly in the NUE 100 mile series (finishing third in the series in 2014 and 2016) but I also maintained a fair amount of trail running throughout this time. I had thought that for 2017, I would stick with endurance mountain biking as my focus although was keen to do one or two trail races, a couple in our area early in the year really appealed to me.

With that in mind (along with recently adopting our Border Collie who, of course, became my running buddy) I found myself running more through the winter and early spring. So I raced the 50k in March and won then decided to go for a big jump up and do a 100k race in May which went really well, fourth place in a really competitive field. The plan was to do that and then pretty much shut my running down for the mountain bike season but I was having fun and some good success running and riding so why not combine both and see what might happen? So, knowing that the Mohican 100 mountain bike race is held two weeks before the Mohican 100 mile run I decided, why not go for it and really put myself to the test?

The mountain bike race was not the best for me this year but I didn’t really expect it to be anything special, I had been focusing more on running mileage after all. The run, two weeks later, was a huge undertaking for me especially considering the 100k in May was the furthest I had ever run and, prior to that, the furthest was 35 miles.

Normally, people focus on a 100 miler months out to really prepare; well, I kind of did it on a whim! It wasn’t pretty but I survived and finished third. Again, after that race, I hadn’t any other trail races planned, wanted to see how I recovered, and also, so I could race Crotched Mountain and Shenandoah 100 MTB. Another last minute decision in the week of the race, I decided that I was feeling more excited about the thought of running the New Hampshire trails rather than riding and, since this would be my fifth year of racing there, why not switch it up?! So I did and raced the 100k trail race instead of the 100mile MTB, and won! Next up, I have Shenandoah on the schedule and a trail race in October.

That is how it evolved for me and I really hope I can continue to be successful in both disciplines. I think it will be a test to be able to maintain a balance. Obviously, both are a test of endurance but to get stronger as a runner you need to run a lot and to be a stronger rider you need to ride a lot! Balance will be key long-term… One thing, I believe, will be key for me is the maintenance of my strength, conditioning, and mobility work. As long as I keep enjoying the thrill of the trail riding and fulfillment of trail running, I will be happy :-)”

With just four races remaining in the NUE “best four of fourteen” Epic Race Series, Defending Champion, Carla Williams, Joe’s Bike Shop Racing, appears to be invincible!

Tinker Juarez was on hand again for the 2017 Crotched Mountain event. Photo by: David Smith

MENS OPEN

Johnson earns his fourth win, leads NUE Race Series!

In a mirror of 2016, Defending NUE Epic Series Champion, Dylan “The Kid” Johnson, Cameron MTB, earned a narrow win in New Hampshire to finish 8:12:10 but, in doing so, now leads the NUE Race Series with a perfect score of four wins. Johnson, now 22 years old, has completed seven NUE races this season, so far, earning wins at Cohutta, Lumberjack, Tatanka, and Crotched Mountain in addition to second place finishes at True Grit, Mohican, and Pierre’s Hole.

Twenty-three seconds behind the Defending NUE Champion, Hall of Fame Mountain Biker and Two-Time US Olympian, Tinker Juarez, Cannondale Factory Team, took second at 8:12:33 following a hard fought battle that saw a lead pack that stayed together for most of the race. Juarez placed third at last year’s Hampshire 100. Now at age 56, Juarez continues to display amazing strength and stamina as an ultra-racer, often competing with racers young enough to be his grandkids. His passion for the sport he started in as a kid in the world of BMX has been an inspiration to NUE Racers and his many fans worldwide.

Ian Spivak, Cameron MTB, a team mate of Johnsons, took third at 9:24:57 in a near tie with his team mate Mathew Merkel, Cameron MTB, also 9:24:57. Spivak is currently fourth place overall in the NUE Epic Series with fifth place finishes at both Cohutta and Mohican, plus sixth place finishes at both High Cascades and Wilderness 101,

“Team Cameron Mountain Bike Racing had three of its six team members participate in the Open Men 100 mile race. I led out the first prologue lap up the mountain with Dylan Johnson closely behind. After about forty minutes of racing, the field was split into a lead group of Dylan Johnson, Ian Spivack, Brian Schworm, Tinker Juarez, Matthew Kesecker (Pivot racer from Canada), and Gordon Wadsworth.

Around mile 15, right before the muddy technical single track, a group of the 100k leaders joined our group. I could not keep up with the lead group through the first lap of the muddy and slick, so I settled back into my own pace. At about this time, I noticed that my left foot cleat was coming lose, so I was careful throughout the rest of the lap so I would not break the cleat off. I got to the end of the 1st lap and swapped out my left shoe and refilled. At this time, my team mate- Matt Merkel caught up and we rode the rest of the second lap together.

At the start of the third lap, Matt was fading a bit so I kept going at a steady pace. About half way through the third lap, my right cleat came loose and I could not unclip easily, so I decided to take it easy throughout the rest of the lap. I got my shoe changed at the final aid stations and, while waiting, Matt caught back up to me. We then rode together to the finish line by keeping a steady pace.

I am glad I kept pushing to finish in third, my best NUE result ever despite having problems with my shoes.”

Mathew Merkel, Cameron MTB, finished 9:24:57 in fourth place. With this finish, Merkel is now fifth overall in the NUE Men’s Open point race.

“Coming off a good race at Pierre’s Hole 100, I was pumped for an NUE race here in New England, but knew I needed to ride smart. Rain the night before made for wet and slippery conditions creating slick roots and large mud holes. My plan was to go out at a comfortable pace dropping back from the leaders early on.

I was able to catch my teammate, Ian Spivack, on the single track where he was having shoe issues. We were in fifth and sixth at the end of our first lap and decided to work together going into lap two allowing us to keep a steady pace. Ian was climbing strong so I dropped back at the beginning of our third and final lap, but ended up bridging the gap rolling into the last aid station.

From there, after a long day, we decided to ride in together crossing the line in third and fourth place. It was awesome being on the podium with my teammates Dylan and Ian, and legend, Tinker Juarez, for my fourth NUE 100 mile race.”

With just four races remaining in the NUE Epic Race Series, Defending Champion, Dylan Johnson leads with four wins with Brian Schworm in second and former NUE Champion, Christian Tanguy holding second in the point race.

Gordon Wadsworth took yet another win in the 100 mile event. Photo by: David Smith

SINGLESPEED

Wadworth does it again!

NUE Epic Series Defending Champion, Gordon Wadsworth, Blue Ridge Cyclery/Pivot, earned his third straight win in New Hampshire, to finish 8:17:48, crushing his nearest SS competitor by more than an hour and a half, good enough to place third overall! This is the second NUE Epic Series SS win for the defending champion who also scored a win at the Wilderness 101.

“I had a super race; decided to come and do the CM100 last minute and was glad I did! Lots of rain put a damper on the camping but the pre-race atmosphere was still great. The new venue was super and the new start/finish for the course was welcome as it changed the rhythm of the race nicely.

I had a great start and was pushing the pedals on the Pivot Cycles LES smooth as could be. When we launched into the single rack, we were greeted with the expected muck and east coast snot that rain can bring. New Hampshire trail is quintessentially East Coast with its rocks, roots and tight twisting singletrack. Everything was slick! I was sitting really comfortably in the top five or so as I usually do when we were nearing the final stretches of singletrack in the first half of the course. We had all been cautious because all of the roots and bridges were extremely dangerous. Sure enough, on one of the last bridge crossings I slid out like Michelle Kwan rolling a triple sow-cow.

I sat up on the side of the bridge and took stock. Immediately I knew I had broken and dislocated my pinky finger on my right hand. Perhaps my only muncher when it comes to racing hundred mile events is “don’t stop, and don’t lose the wheel.” So I gave one good tug on my right pinky to reset the break, daintily walked across the rest of the bridge, and hopped back on to Chase the front pack.

We had, by then, joined the one hundred K leaders, three of them; So I knew that that would be affecting our hundred mile race more than a little bit. My biggest concern, at this point, was completing the event. I’ve committed pretty late to the NUE this season so I need finishes and wins whenever possible. I knew that I wouldn’t be able to handle the bike as good as I normally do, but I expected I could be at least proficient and I raced past pretty quietly the rest of the day. As the one hundred mile participants dropped off and dwindled and the 100k finishers completed their journey, it was down to just me, Dylan Johnson, and Tinker Juarez.

We pitted briefly at the end of lap two, and immediately the duo dropped me heading up the ski climb. I tried to hang tight to their wheels but my broken finger was really killing and preventing me from climbing out of the saddle as well as I normally can. The two slight figures got even slighter and soon I was solo. I spent the rest of my lap suffering solo. I was thinking I might see my Canadian Pivot OTE teammate, Matheu, come up behind me but, nevertheless, stayed alone.

As the trails dried out, my handling on the twisty singletrack improved. My gap to Tinker and Dylan went from two minutes, out to four, and then back down to two as the singletrack concluded. I knew I would not have been able to catch the two of them on the open gravel roads of the second half of the course, so I just rode myself home, content with a third overall and an SS win.”

Peter Bradshaw, Mad Alchemy|Zancon, was second at 9:57:22.

Joseph Stroz, Stroz Physical Therapy, was third at 10:25:49. “I rode a 32:19 gearing for my ss this year, a bit taller than last year.

I was hoping for a drier course with this gear and took a chance before leaving for NH Thursday from PA. After the hours after hours of rain Friday evening I knew that I was in for a long day. My gearing for this race was a bit tall for the conditions and with a calf injury from earlier in the week; I had to pace myself carefully from the start.

I pulled off from the front group after the second climb from the start. Peter (2nd SS) continued on to challenge Gordan Wadsworth and top open fellows in the front group. I figured Peter would burn out his legs during the first lap trying to keep up with their pace so I decided to pull back and pace myself with Carla Williams, always a sure strong finisher. I stayed with her for the first two laps hoping to catch up with Peter, but I was never able to catch up with his pace. At the end of the second lap, I passed Carla going into the self-support aid station and from there I was on my own.

Towards the last twelve miles of the last lap, I was able to hook up with third place masters racer, David Boyce. We road together drafting and pushing each other, as we both were riding to survive the final lap. I was trying to fight leg cramps and the heat. In the end, both David and I were able to capture third in our classes. I have done this race for four years in a row now, as I love the challenging trails up there. I like more technical riding and NH gives you more than your share. As much as I complain about how brutal this course is every year, I keep coming back; and next year will probably be no different.”

With just four races remaining in the NUE Epic SS Series, defending NUE Marathon SS Champion, James Litzinger, is now leading the NUE Epic Series with 13 points. Matt Crawford is holding second with 17 points, and Peyton Randolph has 25 points and Joseph Stroz in fourth with 35 points. Three wild cards threaten to shake up the standings with Defending Champion, Gordon Wadsworth, John Haddock, and Ben Shaklee each with two wins this season.

MASTERS 50+

Blanchet Wins!

With a comfortable lead, 2015 Hampshire 100 Masters winner, 54 year old, Terry Blanchet, Nav-North American, took the top spot once again in the Masters to finish 10:04:00. Blanchet placed fifth at last year’s race that was won by the Jeff Clayton, Georgia Neurosurgical Institute, who would go on to secure his first NUE Epic Masters Series title.

With this win, Blanchet completes his fourth NUE race that includes seventh place finishes at both Mohican and Lumberjack plus a more recent third place finish at the Wilderness 101 moving him up to fourth place overall in the NUE Epic Masters series with 18 points.

“Looking over the pre-registration list of eleven Masters my neighbor, David Boyce just 30 miles east over the MA border, was my most obvious concern, as last year on this same terrain, he beat me out by one position in the finale Hampshire100. Sure enough, early in the first lap, we went back and forth a few times though, after some side-by-side chitchat on the mid-lap Fletcher Farm climb, commiserating about one particularly grumpy runner refusing to cede the line on the preceding narrow section despite our three courteous requests, David decidedly took off over the top and disappeared through the next singletrack-heavy five miles.

I eventually caught sight of him again on the road-heavy section of the first lap beyond the Oak Park Aid Station next to the old Hampshire100 venue at Mile 21, but as he was already moving at a good pace with a Bikeman racer from another field to share the work with, I didn’t burn any matches at that early point trying to bridge up and, as the road gave way back to trail on the descent beyond Muzzey Hill, he again disappeared into the woods.

My next sighting of David wasn’t until this same stretch a whole lap later, with him just heading off from the Oak Park Aid Station as I was rolling in. This time on the road-heavy section to follow, as I was pulling towards him, he was sitting upright hands-off-bars stretching his back, and I passed by with little obvious response from him, only hearing of him again as I was climbing the ski slopes out onto the third lap while his name was being called over the PA during his descent at the close of his second lap.

Of the pre-registered Masters, there were a handful about which I really had no prior experience and, sure enough, wouldn’t it turn out that the racer in the Mathieu Performance jersey with whom I’d gone back and forth with over the first lap was Eric Truchon, one of the other Masters racers. In fact, we’d swapped positions so many times that, once I’d noticed that we’d finally stopped seeing one another midway through the second lap, I’d lost track of who was in front.

Having a suspicion that he might well indeed be another Masters competitor, it was with great relief upon my third-lap arrival at the Oak Park Aid Station to be greeted by a cheerful “Number 50, we’ve been waiting for you, you are the Masters leader!” Spirits buoyed and a couple Coke cups down the hatch, I was energized for one last trip across that road-heavy section, climbing up through the woods jeep trails to follow, and relishing the last roll down the ski hill singletrack to the finish.

It was great to share the podium with Eric and David, though all the while recognizing our opportunity to still hold out hopes for that masters Top Box during our race was but a consequence of our timeless contemporary, Tinker Juarez, remaining in the elite Open field, still so competitive as to come within seconds of challenging for the Open win. It was a great day of racing; many thanks to Andy Gendron and his staff for keeping the endurance MTB tradition going in southern New England, and for such a successful inaugural version of their Crotched Mountain 100!”

Seventeen minutes later, 50-year-old Eric Truchon, Club Mathieu Performance, took second at 10:21:15.

Four minutes later, 56-year-old, David Boyce, State 9 Racing, claimed third at 10:25:07. Boyce placed fourth at last year’s Hampshire 100.

“My race started out well keeping pace with the master’s group and then I settled into my own pace. I felt good and started to pull away from my group; but this was not the right thing to do because the damp trail took its toll early in the second lap.

On one of the dirt roads about midway through the second lap, Terry Blanchet flew by me and pulled away. That was the last time I saw him. Towards the end of lap two, I was feeling pretty gassed, did not stay hydrated or fuel right, and did not want to go back out for lap three. As I came down to the pit area, my State 9 racing team was cheering me on and my wife gave me my bottles and asked if I was ok. I said I no, but I feel better now.

On the third lap, I started up the ski slope. It was hot, humid, and the trail was like a sponge. When I got into the trees I got off, had some gel, drank a bottle, and started again. There was nobody; it was quiet, and I was feeling somewhat better. I got to the luau aid stop, ate some bananas, drank some coke, and continued on. I met up with Joe Stroz on his SS and we rode together in “survival mode”.

Towards the end of the race on a technical climb, Eric Truchon passed us and there was not a dam thing I could do about it but wave. I came down the hill to the finish line to nice applause in third place; It was AWESOME! I will be doing the Shennandoah 100 in a few weeks and it will be new to me, I can’t wait.”

54 year old Alain Simard placed fourth in 11:17:52 gaining two points in the NUE Masters battle with 52 year old Alan Minor, Banks Bikes Falmouth, who placed sixth on the day.

With just four races remaining in the NUE Epic Masters Series, the battle continues as Defending NUE Masters Champion, Jeff Clayton, with three wins and two second place finishes, sits second to Greg Golet, who has a perfect score with four points, potentially setting up a rematch of the 2016 showdown at the final Championship race that was won by Clayton. The battle for third continues with Russell Spaulding at 16 points, Terry Blanchet at 18 points, Alan Minor at 21 points, and Alain Simard at 25 points.

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RESULTS

What’s NEXT?!

One September 2, The NUE Race Series heads due south to the only NUE race held outside of the USA; NUE #11, the Volcano 100 on September 2 held in Liberia, Costa Rica. The very next day, NUE heads to Virginia for the granddaddy of them all; NUE#12, the Shenandoah 100 on September 3. www.nuemtb.com

Crotched Mountain 100k Report

Posted on September 7, 2017 by Shannon Boffeli

NUE Marathon Race Series #9 presented by Hammer Nutrition

By Ryan O’Dell

A nonstop soaking rain greeted riders all day on Friday with much conversation centered on what the nearly 2.5 inches of rain in a single day would mean to course conditions.

WOMENS OPEN

Toops wins! Leads NUE Marathon Race Series!

OMBC Ohio Race Series Defending Champion and NUE Marathon Race Series points’ leader, Jen Toops, Paradise Garage Racing, demonstrated her strength with a convincing win in 7:04:34. In a bid for the NUE 100k title, Toops has a near perfect score of 5, leading the NUE Marathon Women’s Race Series with wins at Big Frog 65 and Tatanka 100 along with her second place finish at the Mohican 100k in one of the largest women’s fields this season.

“My husband and I loaded up the transit and headed off to NH to ride some new terrain. I wasn’t sure how the race would go after going over the bars last week. My lock out lever punctured my thigh all the way to the muscle earning myself a few stitches.

It rained the whole twelve hour drive, while we set up camp, and while we went to bed. I woke up to a foggy morning which gave way to a beautiful sunny day!

A quick racers meeting at 6:30 and we were off racing. The race started out fast and I settled into my own pace making sure I was out front going into singletrack first for the ladies. I knew it was going to be a long day due to course conditions. This was my first time riding in the New England area. The singletrack was challenging: tight, twisty and rocky with lots of wet slippery roots and very little areas for recovery. I was glad I brought my Pivot Mach 4 instead of the hardtail!

I saw another 100k female at aid 2 as I was leaving, so I picked up the pace and really pushed it on the road. I finished the first lap, switched my pack out, and started the second lap. The soft wet grassy climb out of the ski resort was brutal. Really, all the climbing on lap two was rough. It seemed like it was getting slicker as I wrecked on a downhill and again on a long bridge. Luckily, I wrecked on the side opposite of my stitches and chatted with my new friend Tom for a while which made the miles go down a little quicker.

Then, I pushed a hard pace until the finish line was in sight, thankful I was done. I was very grateful the course was marked so well and I never got lost! My next race will be Marji in MI. See you all there!”

Forty one minutes later, Donna Winters, Cycle Solutions Canada, took second at 7:45:40 for her best NUE Race finish of the season! With this finish, Winters moves up to second place in the NUE Women’s Marathon Series with 29 points in a lowest points wins series. She was 13^th at True Grit, fourth at the Big Frog 65, and tenth at Mohican 100k.

Sarah Brown, Honey Stinger, earned her best NUE finish this season at third in 9:11:19. Brown has improved her standing at each race significantly all season. With this podium finish, Brown moves up into third overall in the NUE Marathon Women’s Series standings.

“What a challenging year at the Crotched Mountain 100! I trained longer and harder this year than any other. I have been setting some good PRs at races, and was hoping to get a really good PR at Crotched Mountain. Well, course conditions didn’t allow for that, but I was very happy to get through! I slipped and slid around on the wet trails, got lost and did some extra miles, but I just hung in there, knowing how rewarding finishing would be.

I’ll be at Marji Gesick in September for my 5th NUE race of the season.”

Derek Treadwell leads Gordon Wadsworth. Photo by: David Smith

MENS OPEN

Lightning Strikes Twice! Scott makes it two in a row!

NUE Carrabassett 100k race winner, Andy Scott, Riverside Racing, earned his second straight NUE Marathon Race Series win taking the NUE Crotched 100k win in 5:19:35! With just three races remaining, will Scott take the national series title?

Just over two minutes later, Derek Treadwell, Dr. Naylor Treadwell Training/Kona, finished second in 5:21:58. At age 42, Treadwell is a top series contender this season including his fourth place finish at the Big Frog65 in Tennessee in March.

Three minutes later, NUE Marathon Men’s Open Series leader, John Petrylak, Scott Pro Mtb Team, took third at 5:24:36. Petrylak leads the NUE Series with 13 points including a second place finish at Carrabassett, third place finish at BigFrog 65 and a fifth place finish at Mohican 100k.

“Rain, Rain and just a little more Rain

The Crotched Mountain 100K race course was getting a significant watering the day and night before the race; I was mentally preparing myself for what was sure to be a wet and muddy adventure in the morning.

Since the race changed venues (formally the NH100), I was curious how the new start/finish area would be. As soon as I walked in to sign up, I was immediately at ease; the new promoters did a great job with all things race related! Thanks for carrying on the tradition of this great race.

We had a 6:48am start time (three minutes) behind the 100 milers. After my usual warm up routine and the brief riders meeting, I lined up and found some familiar New England faces and a local Virginia face nervously waiting for the start of the race.

We all lined up and, after a few seconds went by, we were off! Locals Andy Scott, Derick Treadwell, Dylan McNicholas and myself were all hammering up the 1.5 mile start climb. At the top of the climb, we started catching 100mile riders right away. After the first couple of miles, the 100K group was down to four or five riders; we stayed together and began catching the chase groups of the 100 mile race.

Once we hit the double and single track, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the course handled the rain very well! We definitely had water and mud but nothing like I thought it would be.

The start was seriously fast, even for a 100K race; at around 8.5 miles we caught the lead group of the 100 mile race. The race leaders were Dylan, Tinker, Wadsworth, Brian, Mathieu, and the lead 100k group. This was an awesome group to ride with!

I started having some stomach distress about two hours into the first lap; I tried drinking and that made it worse, so then I tried eating and that made it really bad. So I decided to let the food in my stomach digest. I would resume my fueling shortly but that never happened so I started to dig myself into a bit of calorie deficit.

I was able to respond to constant pace upticks on the short steep climbs but the constant efforts began to take a toll on me. As we came through the start/finish area and started lap two, I grabbed another bottle and started off hoping for the best.

The lead 100k and 100mile group continued on through lap 2; we lost a few guys but mostly everyone was still riding strong through mile 35. As we came up to the first aid station on the second lap, I had to stop and get some Coke to try and get some calories in my stomach. It helped! Why does Coke fix you when you’re broken?

I motored on and started to see the lead group WAY up on the long straight road sections. I ratcheted up the pace in the single track and tried to minimize the damage on the fire roads. At around mile 52, I was two minutes behind the leaders but never could close the gap. The course finishes with a 2.5 mile climb back up to the ski resort and I was not in a good place to get back the time I had lost. I struggled a lot but it paid off and I managed to secure my 4^th podium of the season by finishing 3^rd.

The Crotched Mountain 100K was organized, well-marked and So much fun! The course has a perfect mix of classic New England single track, double track and just enough gravel roads. Thanks to Andy and Crotched Mountain for hosting an instant classic event!

Eleven minutes later, teammates, Andy Gould and Aaron Miller, State 9 Racing, took fourth and fifth respectively at 5:35:55 and 5:48:35.

With just three races remaining in the NUE Marathon Men’s Open Series, John Petrylak leads with 24 points and Anthony Toops with 101 points is in second as the first two racers completing the four race minimum. Contenders include OMBC Ohio Series Champion, Drew Purcell, and Greg Kuhn, each with three finishes so far. Wild Cards include race winner Andy Scott with two wins, and Andrew Dillman with his second place finish at Big Frog 65 and a big win at Mohican.

SINGLESPEED

Giroux wins

Dan Giroux, The BSWC, won the SS division in 6:13:37.

“Having raced the New Hampshire 100 as a 100 miler in the past, it was easy for me to convince myself that with the new venue with the shorter 100k distance was a way better idea. That being said, the thoughts of more fun and less pain had me pretty stoked for Saturdays race. Then the rain came and with it, the realization that the course was gonna be a slop fest to start the day. Luckily, the rain let up and, although there was some mud out there, overall the course was in great shape.

I knew that the race was going to start with a good sized climb up the ski hill so I opted to take it easy and not burn that match right out the gate. This payed off for me and, by about mile 14, I was the lead single speeder. From there, the plan was to ride a steady pace and to keep the bike upright through all those NH rocks, roots, and mud holes. My gearing on the pivot les was 32×19 with some Maxxis ardent race 2.35’s and I was super happy with both. Next up for me, Shenandoah 100!”

Thirty one minutes later, Dominique Avoine, Mathieu Performance, secured second in 6:44:50 riding a 22Tx17 on his Exprezo T29 custom built. “The personal feelings of this race day were not that well. Those days exist and I had a too-short pre-race morning preparation. I went to the starting line without my usual stuff: Bike (SingleSpeed instead of a full suspension and full gearbox bike!), electrolyte (forgot them in the van!) and glasses (wrong pair!). Anyway, I followed the racers to set the pace.

At the quarter of the distance, I started having leg cramps, slowed down, and stopped at the aid station to make a refuel of electrolyte. It was too late, sadly. I managed it and finally found my legs after 70 km finishing strong after having a throttle pace race. This was my second SS race for an endurance distance and I felt okay with second place. I plan to go to Gaspesia100 for the 100 mile race on September 3rd.

With just three races remaining in the NUE Marathon SS Series, no racers have completed the four race minimum. However Eli Orth leads with 12 points and Tim Winters has 22 points each completing three races. Wild Cards include Shannon Boffeli with a win at True Grit plus a third place finish at Pierre’s Hole. With a fourth place at True Grit and second at Mohican, Scott Williams could make a late season run for the title as well.

MASTERS 50+

Monroe wins!

57 year old Tyler Munroe, Riverside Racing, was the winner at 6:14:46.

“The race was a mass start as usual, so you never really know who is in front of you or how many. The sorting loop was just that as there was a bit of climbing in it and the Elites were ramping up.

I tried to stay in contact with the top 15 as I did not know who my competition was and thought it best to stay as far forward as I could. After the sorting circuit, I settled into a pace that was just above what I knew I could handle for the whole distance and passed a handful of riders, a few of which were in my class. I settled in to the HR and power I wanted to be at and just kept focused, making sure I made no mistakes.

I had a plan to go hard where it was hard and go easy on the road sections to recover while still carrying speed; this plan worked well all day and I had energy at the end. As for food, I planned to not stop at all as I had a Camel Back and a 20 oz bottle all with 60/40 Gatorade water mix. For food, I can do this distance on Gu alone and that is what I did, eight to be exact. I did have to stop with about ten miles to go for water and Coke.

The course was typical of the area and extremely well marked. The road crossings were well attended and all the volunteers did an exceptional job. Overall I give the race a 10 and I will be back in the future.”

Just two minutes later, team mate 51 year old Paul Richard, Riverside Racing, took second at 6:16:08.

Six minutes later, 50 year old Scott Burrill, Bikeman.com, was third at 6:22:35.

“Crotched Hundred was my fourth NUE of the season and the second time I’ve run this race. Last year, it was wonderfully dry conditions and this year was the opposite. Friday night’s rain just drenched the woods. My primary strategy was conservative; I just wanted to finish the race with no technicals or crashes as this was my last chance to rank for the series.

The course was super-snotty requiring great focus and caution on the technical single-track of which there is abundance on this race course. The first lap went very well with overcast conditions and good temperatures. The sun came out for the second lap and it was like someone turned the oven on; things got real warm and humid with nary a breeze.

Aid stations were well placed, stocked and manned. The course was marked out extremely well; I was never wondering where to go. After the herd thinned out on lap one, I settled into my own race and just dieseled through, spending the last ten or so miles alone! Overall, I am psyched with my result and super-stoked on my series performance. Thanks NUE!”

With just three races remaining in the NUE Marathon Masters Series, Scott Burrill leads the series with eight points. Defending NUE Marathon Masters Champion, Anthony Hergert, holds second with 23 points, and Nate Cross from Ohio, sits in third with 55 points following his seventh place finish at Crotched Mountain. David Harris remains a wild card with wins at both True Grit and Pierre’s Hole this season.

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RESULTS

What’s NEXT?!

Stay tuned here for the latest NUEz and information.

Pierre’s Hole 100k Report

Posted on August 29, 2017 by Shannon Boffeli

NUE Marathon Race Series #8

Presented by Hammer Nutrition

Written By: Ryan O’Dell

Grand Targhee Resort has become a cool mountain destination resort for mountain bikers. This is the time of year when the wildflowers are in full bloom and waist high in many places along the single-track.

This year’s race was the largest turn out for Grand Targhee Resort with close to 400 athletes. The morning started at 7:00am for the 100 mile racers and progressed with a staggered start for 100km and 50km racers. The 100 mile race included NUE Epic Series points; the 100k was included in the NUE Marathon Race Series.

“This event continues to grow year after year. It is exciting to see the same racers, as well as new racers. The resort continues to add miles of single-track trails, which makes for a slightly different course each year.” Andy Williams, events manager for Grand Targhee Resort.

Many racers recalled 2016 when world road champion Peter Sagan, who had recently won the green sprinters jersey in the Tour de France, made an unexpected appearance, winning the 50k race and, to the delight of many, sticking around for photos and autographs following the awards presentation.

100k women’s winner Caedran Harvey. Photo by: Ryan O’Dell

Women’s Open

Harvey wins with a sub six finish!

Caedron Harvey, Fitzgerald’s Bicycles, was the first and only sub-six hour finish in the Women’s division at 5:57:59.

“Theme of the day: Even if I don’t want to, I Can

Over the days leading up to the race, I had contemplated many forms of mild self-mutilation. I could convincingly twist my ankle in that pothole, come down with the flu the night before, or even poison myself with some substance that would wear off by 9am on Saturday morning; all very valid options. But alas, Saturday morning came, and I was healthy and fit. I guess I am racing.

My mindset going into Pierre’s Hole was different than it had been for any of my prior races in my short career; I had finally come to accept that I can only ride as fast and as well as I can ride, and I need to be proud of whatever that means for me. That may sound obvious, but, as an extremely competitive individual with an unbelievable aversion to individual sports, it was a monumental recognition. That clarity of mind helped me approach Saturday’s race calmly, although the reality that 60+ miles and 7000+ feet of climbing was in my immediate future loomed large.

I had known that I’d face some stiff competition ahead of time, but, it wasn’t until I was standing on my bike at the start line that I realized just how much talent there really was. I enjoyed a brief moment of panic and heightened pulse, but I forced myself to remember my newly-developed mantra: ride your own best race. So, one deep breath and I was ready to roll.

From the get-go, I was out to test myself. In the 90 seconds between recognizing the competition and the start, I had resolved to stick with the wheel of the reigning champ (Karen Jarchow) as well as I could. Within a few hundred yards, I noticed everyone around me dumping gears and spinning at a high cadence, and I was faced with a decision: I could pace myself to the experienced women around me, or I could ride the way that I know best and turn a harder gear. I went for it. I revised my objective, then, to be the first to the top of 38 Special, and try to gain some time on the descent.

With that objective achieved, I enjoyed the long descent down 38 and Mill Creek, as I found greater comfort descending than climbing that day; my legs had felt pretty junky from the beginning, but I figured that the only way out of that pain was to push it. I was going to race regardless of my how my legs felt, so it wasn’t worth succumbing to my body’s whimpiness.

Halfway through the first lap, however, I started to realize what I had done: I had sprinted out of the gates at a marathon, and placed the target on my own back. “Caedran, you are SUCH an idiot,” I thought to myself. I was convinced (for an entire lap and a half) that my competition was more disciplined than I was, and that they were conserving just enough to throw down the gauntlet on the second lap. With that thought on repeat, I rode to defend my position. I had no concept of the time gap, or how spread out the field was, so I just assumed that they would sneak up on me at some point.

Jen Hanks gets a taste of the fine Grand Targhee singeltrack. Photo by: Michael Darter

So, then, there’s that second lap. A real mental sucker-punch, not just because you’re setting out to what you just did again, but that there is more of it. So you ride through the start gate, end of lap 1, and your race is STILL not even halfway over. Hooray.

I was feeling decent heading onto AJ’s trail, but was starting to worry a bit about my stamina. My legs were still giving me grief, but I wasn’t about to let them get the better of me. When I wanted to shift into an easier gear, I stood up instead. For the rest of the race, that was my tactic; since the first climb up Peaked, I had no idea how far ahead of Karen and Megan I was, but I wasn’t really interested in finding out.

Heading up Peaked, I knew that something had to give. I had 30 miles left to ride, and I could not destroy myself on a long climb so far from the finish. Scoping the meadow below and seeing no one, I weighed the options, and decided that I could afford to conserve energy climbing Peaked, thinking that any time that I lost getting up there I could probably make up on the descent. Whether or not that’s true, it was definitely the right decision. Had I emptied myself on Peaked, I’m not sure that I would have been able to maintain a reasonable pace for the rest of the race.

The second Rick’s Basin lap was tough; I knew my nutrition was waning, and was resolved not to lose my position in the final 45 minutes of the 6-hour race. I knew that, the harder I pushed, the less likely that was to happen. So, again, I pushed myself. I stood when I didn’t want to, and powered up the little punches that Rick’s throws at you. After finishing Northwoods, though, I started to feel a little weaker and a little less focused, so I managed to sneak some gummies in on the climb, while squeezing the rest in my grasp on the handlebar during the descents. With a few more calories in me, I just needed to be smart and safe for the remaining 20-or-so remaining minutes. I could almost start counting down the number of times I’d have to pedal uphill, which gave me so much joy and quite literally propelled me through Snowdrift and onto the home stretch.

Before Pierre’s Hole, I had competed in the Pocatello Pedalfest in June, but crashed out and needed stitches in the eye – not super confidence inspiring. Later in June, I competed in and won our local Cache Creek Race, which is just 10.5 miles with 1,500 feet of climbing. Even for that race, I had thought hard about various minor injuries I could sustain the day before (or of…). Last year, I competed in Grand Junction and Pierre’s Hole, neither of which went particularly well. I finished third and fourth, respectively, but was so new to mountain biking that I didn’t really understand how to ride efficiently (or well), let alone race that way.

One of the biggest differentiating factors between this season and last, for me, is my ability and willingness to hurt. Whereas before, I hadn’t really wanted to tap into the depths of that dark place, I have since embraced it as part of the game and, in some sick way, have actually started to enjoy it.”

Ten minutes later, Meghan Sheridan, Bingham Cyclery Peak Fasteners, was second at 6:07:40. “This was my first time racing at Pierre’s Hole and I believe my first NUE race.

I have done other long races in the past, including Leadville and the Point to Point in Park, City Utah multiple times as I live in Salt Lake City, Utah. I mostly only race locally and places within a short drive. Only twenty women lined up to race and I wasn’t even sure who my competition was. I was feeling good on the first climb and didn’t want to blow up as I passed Karen Jarchow (defending NUE Race Series champ) near the top.

I then started to close the gap on who I thought was the only woman left out front (Caedran Harvey). I followed her close to 38 Special, where her skills surpassed mine and she gained some time on the downhill. I never saw her again. I just stayed steady and tried not to let any men pass me on the downhills for the rest of the first lap – which I succeeded at. I had so much fun on the first lap riding all of the trails, especially More Cow Bell and Perma Grin. Rick’s Basin was beautiful. One guy was following me close the whole time but he never got by.

Coming out of the North Woods, on the last push in Rick’s Basin over Snow Drift, I saw Karen Jarchow creeping up on me. As we came through the start/finish, the announcer commented on how strong I was riding, and then realized Karen was right behind me! I quickly grabbed my other camel back and jumped on the single track right in front of Karen to head out on the second lap. She stayed close for a while, and I pushed where I could up the mountain to try to gain a gap.

Peaked trail was TOUGH that second time. I stayed steady to the top though and didn’t see Karen by the time I got up there, continued to keep my cool on the descents, and push where I could through the rest of the race. One guy finally passed me on the road, a few others tried, but I stayed ahead of them to the finish.

I was feeling decent and wanted to push harder, but just wanted to get the race over with since my right brake hadn’t been working great the whole race and I was having some vision/contact issues out of my left eye. Incredible course, race, aid, organization, finish line fun! Thanks Grand Targhee!”

Twelve minutes later, NUE defending Marathon Series Champion, Karen Jarchow, Team Topeak Ergon, took third at 6:19:07. Jarchow is also the reigning Fat Tire Champion.

Rider on course. Photo by: Michael Darter

Men’s Open

Pond defends last year’s win!

Defending NUE Marathon Series Champion and 2016 Pierre’s Hole race winner, Alex Pond, Steamboat Velo, earned his second straight win at Targhee to finish 5:26:17. This was Pond’s first win of the NUE Race season since his fifteenth place finish at the season opening True Grit Epic in March.

“From the start, I found myself watching a handful of riders pull the front of the group up the first road section until I got my legs spinning and, just like last year, went for the solo lead out over peaked and into 38 special. I definitely paid for the hard effort over the climb because slowly going through Perma Grin and Quackie Ridge, two riders were reeling me in pretty quick so I made the decision to let off a little, get fueled up, and battle it out over the second lap.

The three of us made a quick pit stop before the climb back up and Matt Turner of Competitive Cyclist got the lead out, so I settled into his pace and waited out the climb with a local Jackson rider, Davey Mitchell, on my tail. Before we reached the top though, the race started to get interesting.

The local from Jackson made a hard attack over Peaked Trail while Matthew started to fade and I was stuck in the middle, knowing if I went any harder over the climb I would blow up, so I let him go and saved it for the last 16 miles. I made contact with Davey on ski hill road and could tell he was paying for the hard effort at 9000 feet.

Before we hit the next section of singletrack, I made an attack and, the next time I looked back, Davey had dropped off. I rolled past my bag drop, grabbed a fresh bottle, and headed out to Perma Grin for the last time. The climb felt slow and I was sure that I would start seeing other racers making gains, so I kept my focus forward, didn’t go over the top, and rolled in with a comfortable lead over the next competitors.

The race was a clean ride this year with no broken saddles. The Trek Top Fuel was the perfect race bike with a solid lockout on the front and rear suspension, Bontrager XR1 in the front and XR2 in the rear, Stans race sealant, three bottles of CarboRocket (2 of 333 full strength, 1 of Elecrolytes), five Honey Stinger Mango Gels, and two Honey Stinger chews (mixed up flavors) was the winning package.”

Twelve minutes later, Matthew Turner, Competitive Cyclist MTB TEAM, was second at 5:38:37. Ten minutes later, Justin Raynes, Owenhouse Cycling, was third at 5:48:06.

Twenty-Four minutes later, Nathan Collier, Pedal Pushers KIND Racing, finished fourth at 6:12:54.

“The Pierre’s Hole 100km has been on my bucket list for years. Due to the race location’s distance from my home, I never thought I could make it happen. It wasn’t until a last minute family trip, planned in early June, that I could get off work, and luckily there were still spots open.

I showed up on race day with one goal — finish. I knew the race would start with a big climb, so I made sure to extend my race warm up so I was ready to go. This paid off since the race started out fast.

The first half of the race, I pushed harder than what I knew I should, but I just couldn’t help myself with the abundance of outstanding trail the Pierre’s Hole had to offer. I paid for it late in the first lap but, as an experienced endurance athlete, I knew that if I kept up with my fueling it would pass. By the time I finished the first lap, I was ready to attack the climb to start the second lap. It hurt, but I was able to push up the climb while still maintaining some clarity for a big descent down to Ski Hill Road. More amazedly, I still some gas left for the road climb as well.

The last hour of the race was brutal. The mind became foggy. It took everything in me to concentrate on picking good lines on the descents and giving it everything I had on the climbs. When I crossed the line, I had left every ounce of energy on the course —which, to me, defines a successful endurance race!”

Single speed

Larrabee earns the W and gets second overall!

Cory Larrabee, Kuhl, earned his first NUE SS win this season at 5:33:44 using 32×20 gearing, second overall behind Men’s Open winner, Alex Pond.

“Pierre’s Hole 100 has now become somewhat of a tradition with me and my support crew of five kids and my wife Amber. This year I decided that the third lap on the 100 miler kinda ruined the fun factor so the 100K was for me. I knew the competition would be great with George Flynn in the mix in the single speed category.

At the start, George was climbing strong and was twenty seconds up on me and a couple other ss riders. At the road climb, George continued to hammer and I was not able to get on his wheel. Eric Melson went up and rode with George and I was again 15 seconds back. On the loop out on the north of the resort, I passed Eric and set my sights on George. I would see him a switch back up from me but could never close the gap. At the aid station, I stopped to get bottles and fuel from my amazing crew and rode through the start/finish.

Going up the hill toward the single track, George was there refueling. We rode together for almost the entire peaked climb and I kept thinking that this could get interesting if neither of us fades. At the road climb, we both refueled and were heckled by the Fitzgerald Cycling crew at the aid station.

At the top of the road climb, we passed another geared rider. Then, going into aid 2, I looked back and didn’t see George. At this point, I thought I had better do what I could to maintain the gap. Just after the aid, I passed another geared rider and was curious where I was in the field. No reason to worry about it I continued, knowing that I had approximately 10-15 miles left.

I pushed as hard as I could and was cheered into the finish by my great wife and kids. I am extremely grateful to my sponsor KUHL Clothing, ESI Grips, Wolf Tooth Components, and Carborocket. I know that I couldn’t race or train without their help. Also, I want to give a big shout to my wife and kids. Thank you for your cheers and support.”

Five minutes later, George Flynn, finished second at 5:38:28.

Sixteen minutes behind Flynn, Shannon Boffeli, MTBRaceNews, was third at 5:54:11.

“My race started off a little slower than I would have liked as Corey, George, and Eric took off as we headed up Peaked Mountain the first time. I was riding 34 x 21 Rotor elliptical gearing, which I felt was the right gear for me but may have made the first climb a bit tougher.

By the time we hit the descent, I couldn’t see the three leaders but I was feeling pretty good and having a great time making my way through the singletrack at Pierre’s. This race has such a great collection of trails it’s always one of the highlights of my season.

The second time up Peaked I could see Eric again just a couple minutes in front of me and, by the top, I moved into third but he quickly passed me back on the 38 Special descent. I stayed close and, by the time we started climbing again, I was close enough I could move past and open up a solid gap.

I finished third but, more importantly, had a great time riding the incredible array of purpose-built one-track that Grand Targhee has to offer all the while battling it out with some of my best friends on the race circuit. I’m already looking forward to next season!”

Masters 50+

Harris wins Big!

David Harris, LW Coaching, wins the Masters division at 6:03:27, more than a half hour ahead of his nearest competitors.

Thirty-five minutes later, Ben Alexander, Team Rockford, was second at 6:38:34.

Six minutes later, Tim Walker, Non Stop/Sierra Cyclesmith, was third at 6:44:26.

“After pre-riding the course on Thursday, I thought this course and elevation suited me perfectly. At the start, I was eyeing who my fellow 50+ races were. I started out pretty fast but kept within my zone. About ten riders went super hard and I figured they were all 40+ racers.

Going onto Peaked trail, I was behind one guy with gray hair (definitely in my class). He was going really fast but I was wondering if he could keep that pace. He didn’t. Starting down 38 special, I kept my speed up with pushing too hard. Went right by the first aid station and started up the paved road. I didn’t know what place I was in but figured I was at least top three. One 50+ rider passed me up the hill and I went by one also. As I hit the section in Rick’s Basin, I was still going strong.

At the start of the second lap, I picked up my camelback (the first time in 30 years of racing I used one). Just as I left, I heard the announcer say that fourth place was right on my tail. It was time to get going! Going up Action Jackson and Buffalo Soilder, I kept the pace as high as I could and kept a gap to fourth. I rode steadily up to the top of the course and down 38 Special.

On Mill Creek, fourth place caught me and put a few seconds into me by the aid station. I lubed up my chain, asked a volunteer to pour water down my neck, and I was ready to go. Fourth place was still there and I joked to him that he could take as long as he needed eating. I was beginning to feel the effects of the race and needed as much time on him as possible as he was riding really strong. By the top of the road going into Jolly Green Giant, he had caught me and slowly pulled away. I never saw him again.

So I’m thinking now, I’m in fourth and just have to keep the legs turning to stay on the podium. I was riding a little bit slower than on the first lap but kept sipping on the CarboRocket and kept pushing towards the finish. About a mile from the finish, Jeremiah Bishop blasted by me leading the 100-mile race. I was happy to finish in fourth until, about thirty minutes after I finished, I saw that I was actually third. The guy that passed me going up the road on the first lap was vaporized on the second lap and carded a dnf. Overall a great race course and organization. Put this race on your “Must Do” list. My first Marathon podium and I am looking forward to the Grizzly 100k race in Big Bear.

Just one minute behind Walker, Brian Ressa, Utah Mountainbiking.com, was fourth at 6:45:40.

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RESULTS

What’s NEXT?!

The NUE Race Series heads east to New Hampshire for the Crotched Mountain 100, formerly known as the Hampshire 100, on Saturday, August 19. Visit www.nuemtb.com for more information and stay tuned her for the latest news, photos and results.

Pierre’s Hole 100-Mile

Posted on August 20, 2017 by Shannon Boffeli

The Pierre’s Hole 100

Presented by Hammer Nutrition

By Ryan O’Dell

Jen Hanks gets a taste of the fine Grand Targhee singeltrack. Photo by: Michael Darter

Women’s Open

Carrington with a commanding win!

Liz Carrington, Honey Stinger/Bontrager, demonstrated her strength from start to finish winning the Pierre’s Hole 100 at 10:32:10.

Thirty-Seven minutes later, Julie Kelly, Specialized Canada/Infinit Nutrition Canada, was second at 11:09:19.

“My race started off well with good pacing on the first loop. When I came through the start/finish for the second loop, a bunch of people were calling out that I was second and only a few minutes off first. I tried not to get too focused on that as it was still early in the race. I saw Liz soon into the loop but she was setting a pretty fast pace and I lost sight of her.

I just tried to race my race and set a reasonable pace remembering the third loop last year really hurt! I finished off the second loop still feeling pretty good. The third loop still hurt but I managed to push the pace a little bit on the back end of the course to make the cut off for the buckle and take second.
I am not sure I will make it to any more of the NUE races this year but hope to get out to a few more next year.

Niki Milleson, Fitzgeralds bicycles, was third at 12:18:40.

Jeremiah Bishop focuses on a second Pierre’s Hole title. Photo by: Michael Darter

Men’s Open

Bishop gets second straight Peirre’s Hole 100 victory!

Jeremiah Bishop, Team Topeak Ergon, crushed it this year to finish 7:57:33, just under three minutes faster than last year’s blistering 8:00:22. Bishop, the 2011 and 2013 NUE Race Series Men’s Open Champion, is coming off his first big NUE win at the Mohican MTB100 in Ohio in June in pursuit of the 2017 NUE title. More recently, he also became the first American to podium at the Trans-Alps where his team finished third.

“With so much trail, it was a blast but it also hurt bad and punished the upper body as much as the legs. The Canyon lux was the weapon of choice. Bryan Dillon and I got off the front and gapped the field early. David Krimstock worked his way back to us at the end of lap one but flatted. We settled our race on the biggest climb up to tree line and I finally found a gap on Bryan. From there, was a lot of suffering and focus to wrap the last 20 solo miles up!”

Seven minutes later, team mate Bryan Dillon, Team Topeak/Ergon, took second at 8:04:16.

Nineteen minutes later, David Krimstock, Giant Co Factory off Road, was in for third place at 8:23:21.

“Being the third hundred mile race in a row, I wasn’t sure how my body would respond but the race was, unfortunately, somewhat defined by flats. I had a front flat while warming up, and changed to a spare wheel, which happened to be dry on sealant. During the first lap, I felt good and eventually moved my way through the front until I was riding with Bryan Dylan and Jeremiah Bishop. I rode with them for a bit and then passed them to try to get a gap before I went into the aid station to change to a wheel which had sealant.

During the second lap, I was staying between 1:30 and 3 minutes behind the leaders. Right after aid 2, as I was starting to reel them in and was feeling good, I slashed my rear sidewall. I put a tube in and carried on as a teammate, who had dropped from the race due to a torn tendon in his elbow, went off to grab my rear spare wheel. Sweetser had come into view and I was trying to put some time into him before I changed wheels again. On the third lap, the heat and a bit of a bad stomach caught up to me, and there were some pretty tough stretches, but I was able to carry on and secure third.
This was an amazing event, very well organized, great trails, and a unique course. There was hardly any chance for recovery, even on the downhills I was sprinting out of every corner, and there were a lot of corners! I was stoked with how I felt at the end of a long three weeks, but after Pierre’s, definitely starting to feel pretty worked. That said, can’t wait for the next NUE! The next NUE I’m planning on is the Big Bear Grizzly.”

Coming off his first big win at the NUE Breck 100 just one week ago, Sam Sweetser, Cole Sport, finished fourth, eleven minutes behind Krimstock, at 8:34:57.

Six minutes later, Jon Rose, 4Life / MadDog Cycles, was fifth at 8:40:59.

Rider on course. Photo by: Michael Darter

Singlespeed

Smith gets his second straight SS victory at Targhee!

Two-time Men’s Open winner of the Pierre’s Hole 100, 2013 and 2014, Cary Smith, The Hub Bikes, a local favorite from nearby Jackson, WY, demolished the field by over an hour to finish 8:52:48.

Ian Noak was next placing second at 9:58:36. “I raced in the SS category, running a 32×20.

Being from Boise, I am pretty used to getting a lot of elevation gain over shorter distances, so my climbing was my saving grace. However, being from Boise, I don’t get much time on snaking switchback descents, so it didn’t take long heading down 38 special before I lost sight of racers just in front of me, as well as people passing on the way down. Luckily I was able to bridge back up on the climbs.

As I try to do in all long races, my plan was to try and keep a steady pace that would hold strong until the end. Lap 1, I was able to do just that. I didn’t get into the chase early, starting in fourth and gaining one position during lap 1. Lap 2 was similar to lap 1. Keep the pedals moving and don’t blow up…….success. I had gained another position during the second lap, now in 2nd.

Lap 3 is where the fatigue really hit, not only the legs, but the upper body as well. I knew I was nowhere close to Cary, so the goal was to not lose second. I knew I didn’t have much of a lead and was moving pretty slow for the third lap, but was able to keep the pedals turning and minimize stopped time. The pain paid off, just as it always does. This was my first time racing Pierre’s Hole, loved it. I learned a lot about what it takes and hope to return next year smarter and stronger.”

Thirteen minutes later, Hunter Karnedy, Sublette Ravens, came in to take third at 10:11:52.

Masters 50+

Golet leads The NUE Race Series with win at Pierre’s Hole!

Greg Golet, Team Chico/Honey Stinger, coming off a big win at the Breck100 just one week earlier, dug deep to get the W at Pierre’s Hole finishing 9:28:25. Prior to this win, he also won the Pierre’s Hole Masters race in 2015. Coming into the PH100, Golet recorded wins at the NUE season opener, True Grit, with more recent wins this season at both the High Cascades 100 and Breck100. Earning his fourth win gives Golet a perfect score of four points and the lead in NUE Masters point race.

“After a rainy Breck100 I had to bleed my brakes, change the pads, and repack my hub bearings but by race day, a week later, my bike and I were ready to go again. I went out pretty hard on the first lap, and thought I established a pretty good lead, but really wasn’t sure.

I was feeling pretty comfortable on the trails but the repetitive accelerating out of the corners on the long decent down 38 Special wasn’t something I was used to and, on lap 2, it caused me to cramp and back off quite a bit, which worried me. And sure enough, not much later, I saw Jeff–pedaling out of the saddle with arms bent, hunched low over the bars–riding like a man on a mission…Yikes!

Meanwhile, I’m seated and spinning, just trying to keep some forward momentum. It was a pivotal moment about halfway through the race, and I knew I needed to ramp up my pace if I was going to keep the lead. Riding a rush of adrenaline, I accelerated into the gorgeous aspen grove before me, and tried to ride as fast and cleanly as I could through the winding singletrack. Amazingly, my legs started to feel better and, by the end of the second lap, I was able to gain back a bit of the time I had lost.

On lap 3, I didn’t see Jeff when I looked behind me across the open switchback section above tree line. Not long after, I decided I had better stop looking over my shoulder. Doing so felt self-defeating, and anyway, I needed to focus on my own riding. I worked on being smooth and not making mistakes, and stole moments when I could to gaze upon the unbelievable scenery that surrounded me.

It was an intense experience, and I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to do the race. Grand Targhee has incredible trails, and the coolest low-key vibe. Having my wife and three boys there with me made it extra special. Four wins in four races feels pretty good but, most likely, I will have to win one more at Big Bear to take the title. Looking forward to giving it my all!”

Just over five minutes later, defending NUE Masters Champion, Jeff Clayton, Georgia Neurosurgical Institute, took second at 9:33:58. In a tight race for the title that mirrors the 2016 season, Clayton has wins at Cohutta, Mohican, and Lumberjack in the Midwest where he has dominated. Clayton remains just one win away from a perfect score which would set up a repeat of the championship showdown, this year, at Big Bear. In 2016, it was Clayton who won the tie breaking race to take the Masters title.

After suffering hypothermia and a bruised ego a week before at the Breckenridge 100, I came to Grand Targhee rested and eager to race. I pre-rode much of the course, but not the big climb or descent, choosing to save my legs. Most of the trails were well ridden, and reminded me of a big cross country course…flowing, undulating singletrack.

Since the race started with a long dirt road climb, I knew I’d have to be patient and pace myself. It was hard to watch a couple of my master’s category competitions ride away so early, as well as a good chunk of the field, but that’s what I did. Once at the top, the long downhill switchbacks were a blast. I held my own and started passing racers along the national forest trail back to the paved road back to the ski area.

Passing by my wife at the camping area, she gave me a gap to the two master’s racers ahead….not too far behind Greg and close to second. I pushed up the pace and by the end of lap two had passed Sten and was within three minutes of Greg. Lap 3 was tough! I had really pushed my limits already, and knew Greg was close. I finally got him in sight about halfway up the long climb….unfortunately, he also saw me!

When I passed my wife again at the campground, she gave me a lot of encouragement again and let me know it was still three minutes. I had been fighting off cramps and huge fatigue and knew I needed to back off a bit to make it to the finish still some 15 miles distant. My hope was that Greg was suffering even more. Alas, it was not to be and, even with a last ditch effort the last thirty minutes, I rolled in about five minutes back. It was a great battle nonetheless, and I enjoyed the beautiful day and fun course….it’s been great to experience some of the western NUE races!”

Brian Brothers took third at 10:57:05

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RESULTS

What’s NEXT?!

Wilderness 101

Posted on August 13, 2017 by Shannon Boffeli

By Ryan O’Dell

A founding race in the NUE National Ultra Endurance Race Series, The W101 has become known for its fast gravel roads balanced with healthy doses of rocky, technical single track. Located near State College, Pennsylvania, W101 is hosted and organized by Shenandoah Mountain Tours.

Wilderness 101 Racers earned NUE Race Series points. To receive a ranking and series rewards in the NUE Epic 100 mile series, racers four best completed races count.

NUE division winners receive an official NUE Champions Jersey courtesy of Voler, a share of a combined US$16,000 series cash purse, complimentary entry into all NUE National Series races in 2018, plus an all-expense paid trip in November to represent the NUE Race Series at the LaRuta de los Conquistadores, a three day stage race across Costa Rica, from the Pacific to the Caribbean considered one of the toughest mountain bike races in the world.

Women’s Open

Williams gets her second straight W at W101!

Carla Williams, Joe’s Bike Shop Racing Team, earns her second straight victory at W101 to finish at 8:05:35, nearly ten minutes faster than her 2016 winning time of 8:15.

“I was super excited to be back racing at W101 this year. It’s always great to see Chris Scott and events put on by Shenandoah Mountain Touring never disappoint. We camped out in Coburn, PA at the start/finish the night before the race, and I lay awake in the tent listening as thunderstorm after thunderstorm rolled through. I was wondering how hard wet rock and muddy single track would be. Luckily, the rain stopped just before the start, and we were off up the first climb out of town.

I stayed with the group of lead men through aid station 1, around mile 18. I was working hard not to get dropped as Chris Beck, who also happens to be my coach, set a super-fast pace at the front. I didn’t see any other female riders in that group so, after aid 1, I settled into my pace and focused on strong climbing and staying upright on the rocks. I think this is the first year I have actually had fun riding the rocks, trying to find the best line through them and taking risks I have been too hesitant to do in years past.

At the fourth aid station, I caught up to Dan Kotwicki, and we rode together for a while. It’s always such a relief seeing the railroad tunnel, and this was the first year I rode through it cleanly! Then it was just a few more miles on the road back to the finish where there was great food, great friends, and a great river to cool off in! Thanks so much to my sponsors: Joe’s Bike Shop, ESI grips, Maxxis Tires, Ridge Supply Socks and Huma gel. Next race for me is Crotched Mountain 100 in New Hampshire.”

Libbey Sheldon was Stoked to finish the “101” in 2nd place after taking her age group National Championship jersey last weekend at Snowshoe WV.

Libbey Sheldon, Crosshairs Cycling, who finished fourth last year, moved up to second place on the podium at 8:47:28, nearly an hour faster than her 9:35:52 finish last season.

“Listening to the thunder and driving rain outside the van all night before the race, I was pretty sure that I’d made a mistake signing up for the W101, but somehow Chris Scott always seems to pull things off. Fortunately for the racers, the rain let up around dawn and the day of the event was spectacular, with really nice temperatures for the middle of summer, and only a few wet spots.

Carla was her usual super-strong self, and I didn’t see her after the first few miles. I did get to ride with new friends, and got some really helpful motivation on the road sections from hammering dudes Rob Campbell, Jeff Plassman, Rich Straub and Zane Wenzel.

In a total rookie move, I didn’t refuel at aid station three and felt pretty exhausted around mile 60. Luckily, I got a bit of an energy boost (thanks, CarboRocket!) and was able keep pushing the pedals. Fisherman’s trail was a bit of a jolt at the end, but finishing an NUE always puts a smile on your face.

The course changes that Chris and the promoting team put in place this year were a nice update to this classic race, the volunteers were awesome as always, and I’m glad I made it out to Coburn!

Fourteen minutes back, Britt Mason, The Bike Lane, was third at 9:01:00 with Amanda Barry just over two minutes back at 9:02:37 for fourth place.

Tanguy and Beck go full gas into and station 4 to keep the gap growing on the chasers. The rough and steep Stillhouse Hollow climb looms in the distance.

Men’s Open

Tanguy Wins by Eleven Seconds!

2011 and 2013 NUE Race Series Champion, Christian Tanguy, RBS Cycling Team, narrowly missed the mark last year at the W101, finishing second by just one minute to race winner, Brian Schworm. This year, Tanguy found himself a precious few seconds on the upside earning his own narrow win just ahead of Chris Beck at 6:48:30.

Just eleven seconds back, Chris Beck, Joe’s Bike Shop Racing Team, took the second spot on the podium at 6:48:41.

“The week prior I won the national championship at Snowshoe (Masters) and I wanted to wear the new jersey. I had good fitness for XC but I was obviously taking a chance at the 100 mile distance. My longest ride was less than three hours in all of 2017, so I was going to need to rely on my experience.

I set a steady pace early on to thin the group after noticing that the conversational pace was swelling the peloton. (2009 and 2010 NUE Race Series Champion) Jeff Schalk would never let the group parade around for twenty miles, so I did my best imitation and tried to push hard all the way to three bridges where the breakaway usually forms. Sure enough, a small group formed after the slippery wet sections and it was up to me to keep the pace high.

Eventually, Christian realized that I was climbing well and stayed close-by. I attacked the trail sections to make him work and that dropped everyone else. We charged ahead sharing the work until Aid 5 when I realized that I had to recover on his very fast wheel. His aerobars reminded me that he was there to win. I accepted second and we finished together.

Chris Beck, Conor Bell, Christian Tanguy and David Flaten lay it down on the 4th big climb of the day heading towards the Croyle Run descent.

He got away slightly when his bars fit through the bridge railings. It was a strange way to let him go, but that’s the beauty of these 100 mile races in my opinion. I was happy to wear the new jersey at the front of a NUE, even if I had to settle for second.

I’ll be training for CX for the rest of 2017 unless my buddies talk me into racing SM100. I think my fitness and the refresher I got at W101 might all allow for a good result in Stokesville.”

2016 W101 race winner, Brian Schworm, Think Green-Bicycle Face p/b SWORD, took third at 7:09:04. His narrow win here last year, by just one minute, launched Schworm into the lead for NUE Race Series Points that would ultimately come down to a showdown at the NUE Championship Race.

“2017 Wilderness 101 was not my best race but I’m happy with the final result. Rain the night before made parts of the course wet and slippery but race day weather conditions were great with cooler temperatures and a partly cloudy sky.

Things weren’t going my way for the first 65 but I finally started finding my groove in some rocky single track. I pushed my pace, perhaps too much, as I suffered a flat. I threw in a tube and continued on, moving up 10th overall to third by the end. It was a blast riding with friends Ian Spivack, Heath Thumel, and singlespeed extraordinaire Gordon Wadsworth for large portions of the race.

Congratulations to Christian Tanguy and Chris Beck who rode an extremely fast race battling for the top spot. Thanks again to my supportive wife Jennifer for all her help with my race, and to my team Think Green – Bicycle Face for their amazing support. Up next is the Crotched Mountain 100 in New Hampshire followed soon by the Shenandoah 100 to finish up the NUE series for me.”

Three minutes later, David Flaten, US Air Force, took third at 7:12:37. Heath Thumel, Race Pace Bicycles/I9, matched last year’s performance finishing fourth at 7:13:18.

Gordon Wadsworth (Blue Ridge Cyclery / Pivot Cycles) wasting no time blasting to another victory on his singlespeed at the Wilderness 101. Photo Bob Popovich

Singlespeed:

Wadsworth gets his first NUE SS win of the season!

Three-time defending NUE Series SS Champion, Gordon Wadsworth, Blue Ridge Cyclery/Pivot Cycles, freed himself from the geared world in his first win in defense of his title at 7:13:19, sixth place overall.

Twenty-three minutes back, winner of the Hilly Billy Roubaix, Patrick Blair, Adventures for the Cure, was second at 7:36:01, to finish eleventh overall!

“I was riding an Open ONE+ hardtail with 36×20 gearing and had some big Maxxis Ardent 2.4 tires to chew up the rocky trails. It was one of the most enjoyable NUE races I have ever done because I just kept my own pace and never went super hard… sometimes at the end of a 100mi race I am so tired I just want it to be over but this one I paced well and finished feeling strong. Now I am super excited to train for and race Shenandoah 100 next… it’s going to be a blast!”

Five minutes later, third place went to Donald Powers, UPMC Pro Bikes, at 7:41:05, good enough for 12th overall in his first NUE Race this season. However, this wasn’t Powers first rodeo at the W101.

“My 101 race plan has been the same over the last couple years…hold the lead group’s pace up the opening climb and then wheel suck to aid station 1 about 19 miles in.

On the opening climb I set the pace up the hill and, after we crested the first climb, our lead group was about 20-25 racers with six of them being SS’ers. Having done this race six times before, I knew the climb out of aid station one is where the true contenders of the men’s open race would start setting the real pace and attack. I was able to hold on until the top of the climb but lost contact on the grassy top. Only two SS’ers were able to hold on, eventual winner Gordon Wadsworth and Patrick Blair, who won Hilly Billy this year.

I descended the long bumpy jeep road by myself and on next gravel climb local SS’er, Matt Ferrari, bridged up and we rode together all the way through aid station three. On the climb out of aid 3, about 50 miles into the race, I dropped him and bridged up to a geared friend in Dave Parsons and rode the next long section of rocky single track together. On the next climb I dropped Dave and worked my way through beautiful trail to the rocky nastiness that is “No Name Trail” descent.

On a section of gravel after the descent, I saw Patrick Blair riding back toward me. He thought he was lost but I got him to turn around and guided him though a non-marked road split. I was a bit surprised I was as close to him as I was. He was less than a half a mile ahead of me when he turned around. We rode into aid 4 together and he dropped me on the difficult climb out of aid 4.

On the rocky descent after that climb, I lost my full bottle. That put me in a dark place for the next 15+ miles, considering I drank most of my other bottle on that climb. So I only drank one bottle from mile 68 through 89. I battled through some legs cramps and was able to get to aid 5 without giving up any more spots.

Dave Parsons got into aid 5, about thirty seconds after me, and told me to grab his wheel on the next section of rail trail. No chance I was going to be able to hold his wheel with the leg cramps I was experiencing so I told him to go on and I’d ride my own pace. My legs came back to life for the last twelve miles of the race and I held onto third place SS and 12th overall. Overall, I couldn’t be happier with that result.”

Fifteen minutes later, Mike Montalbano, Race 4 Rescues, took fourth at 7:56:05 with Matt Ferrari, Stans NoTubes/Freeze Thaw Cycles, just three minutes back at 7:59:37 for fifth place. Ferrari’s time was twenty-four minutes faster than 2016.

Short course specialist David Flaten (US Air Force) with a laser focus towards his podium trajectory in his first NUE. David was one of the few riders who could handle the tempo of the leaders eventually placing 4th. Photo Bob Popovich

Masters 50+

Spaulding gets his first win in a NUE series event

Russell Spaulding, TFM_BC, crossed the line in 8:24:56 for a solid victory in the men’s masters division. This win puts Spaulding in second place in the NUE Series Points Standings, just behind NUE defending Champion, Jeff Clayton, Georgia Neurosurgical Institute. Spaulding placed fourth at Cohutta, sixth at Mohican, and fifth at Lumberjack journeying toward his first NUE Race win.

“What a long, strange trip this has been! I bought my first mountain bike 82 days before the 2013 Shenandoah 100. That was my very first mountain bike race. It took me 14 ½ hours to cross the line, and I told my sister “Never again!” Then in December of that same year, I was looking over the NUE series rankings and noticed my name in the 1,183 position. “How cool is that!” I was hooked and started planning what four races I would do in 2014.

It’s taken three plus years to get some cycling legs on me and gain some experience to be able to compete at this level. I had only done Wilderness one other time, back in 2014. So I called up a good friend of mine Zane Wenzel, Horst Engineering Cycling Team, and we went over the race. Zane gave me some great advice, and from there I was able to come up with a good race plan.

I’m a lucky man, and I could never have reached this goal without the help and support of so many people. I wish there was room to thank them all individually. However, there is one individual that has been there day in, day out, and that’s my sister Gretta. I could not have done this without her. She has traveled, supported, and volunteered at almost every NUE series event I have raced. Love you, Gretta!

We’re heading back to where it all began for me, the Shenandoah 100 in September. Race director Chris Scott puts on a “most excellent adventure!”

Seventeen minutes later, Joe Johnston, took second at 8:41:53.

Terry Blanchet, NAV – North American Velo, was third to finish at 9:00:26.

“Given the long day ahead, I resisted any temptation to bury myself as would have been required to remain anywhere near the front of the pack as it took its left turn into the opening climb out of Coburn. Instead, I settled into a more sustainable pace and gathering together with a Masters-heavy group including Jim Matthews, Jeff Stickle, and Tony Papandrea, among others, including my frequent northeastern regional competitor friend Keith Button and his NH carpooling buddy Richard Brown.

This group remained tight through the descent down through Decker Valley and the initial portions of the gradual climb up Crowfield, when one of the younger Open riders drifted off the front of our group. At first, this didn’t seem to draw any interest from anyone within the rest of our group, but eventually Keith, Richard and I decided to take advantage of the opportunity and bridged up forming a faster four-person effort off the front of that group that grew a sizable gap taking us all the way through Aid Station#1.

At that point, Keith and Richard pulled up to grab a bottle refill, but I directly kept on solo up the Thickhead Mountain climb not wanting to lose the gap on the group that we’d built up. Not being as fearless a descender though, Jim and Jeff both rocketed by me down the subsequent Detweiler Run, during which at speed, I also managed to smack my upper lip into some massive bee that also stung me in the process. Fortunately, no anaphylactic reaction followed and I didn’t have to use the epi pen I carry with me these days, and as we transitioned to the next climb up Bear Meadows. There was Keith, joining back up with me, as we passed Jeff and continued on in pursuit of Jim, working hard together through the Aid Station#3 at mile fifty, although still unable to catch any glimpse of him.

The rain that fell the night before ceased completely just before race time and left us with some lower temperatures and humidity as well as the cover of some clouds. With my own thirst level not high, as a result I still had one of my three bottles still full from the start and was able continue on directly through Aid#3 while Keith had to pull over again and fill both of his two bottles.

The earlier entry into the Sassafrass singletrack and the couple passes I put in on other racers soon thereafter provided me with a good buffer to keep Keith behind me for the balance of the race. At the bottom of the subsequent PigPile rocky descent, I passed by none other than Jim Matthews who was pulled over to the side having suffered a bummer of a flat. Looking after-the-fact at our GPS ‘FlyBys’, I saw that, upon airing back up, Jim was gaining back ground fast, though apparently suffering another flat on the NoName descent, ending any further attempt to catch up, and instead limping in to Aid Station#4 at Mile66 and ‘pulling the plug’ on his race.

After having finally pulled over at Aid #4 to refill my three bottles, the entire rest of my ride was in “no man’s land”, not seeing any of my master’s competitors. I began looking forward to my first ‘clean’ W101 ride in my six trips there so far. My previous race was flats-filled and four others found me with my pain-cave cross eyes downward, completely missing sufficiently-obvious arrows as I headed off-course, losing time and backtracking.

I was hoping that this time, it might even be good enough to perhaps finally get me ‘on a box’ at W101 for the first time, especially given that Jeff Clayton was instead off to the Breck100 to go head-to-head with Greg Golet. There were Wilderness masters regulars, Roger Masse and Mike Ramponi, who were not ‘in’ this time around.

Connor Bell (Rocktown Bicycles – Harrisonburg, VA) took a big dig 30 miles in on Three Bridges Trail and the ensuring Laurel Run Road climb. His move was the springboard that launched Chris Beck and Christian Tanguy off the front. Bell dangled in 3rd for 50 miles before falling like a rock out of the top 10 in the closing 20 miles.

My New York State neighbor, Joe Johnston was further up the course as it has been five years or so since I last was able to really ‘compete’ with him in any way. However, the thing that really caught me off-guard, having not studied the ‘pre-reg’ list beforehand, was that this youngster is now 50 and newly in our Masters field in his first NUE Epic appearance of the season.

It was also neither surprising that another newly-50, Russell Spaulding, was further up the course, having beaten me by small margins already at both Mohican and Lumberjack. The thing that WAS surprising is that he was able to increase this, previously, small margin over me to such an extent that he was able to beat Joe as well which, to me, is really REALLY impressive … congrats Russell on your first NUE win!

In the end, I’m glad. As it turned out, the balance of our field allowed me the third small box to join Russell and Joe on the Masters podium with their great rides, and also thank Keith Button for all the teamwork over the first half of the course and congratulate him as well on his very fine fourth place finish among the 25 Masters who took the start line that morning.

As for me, my next NUE Epic appearance will be up in New Hampshire, checking out the transition from the previous Hampshire 100 into the Crotched Mountain 100.”

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RESULTS

NEXT: The NUE Race Series heads to Grand Targhee Resort in Alta, Wyoming for the Pierre’s Hole 100 on August 6. Pierre’s Hole will host both the NUE Epic Series and the NUE Marathon Series offering both 100 mile and 100k options. Stay tuned right here for the latest news and reports.

Breckenridge 100 & 68

Posted on August 12, 2017 by Shannon Boffeli

100-Milers and Marathon Riders Conquer Brutal Conditions in Breck

By Ryan O’Dell

For racers not acclimated or accustomed to high altitude, hovering mostly above ten thousand feet, the Breckenridge 100, 68 and 32 mile races present a scenic challenge with three unique cloverleaf style loops nestled between three ski resorts that will bring you back to your friends and support staff after each loop to historic downtown Breckenridge. This phenomenal backcountry course comprises pristine high alpine singletrack, 11,000’passes, and multiple crossings of the Continental Divide. Many racers consider the B100/B68, one of the greatest challenges along the NUE Race Series circuit.

Breck 100 and B68 Racers earned NUE Race Series points, attracting racers from all over the USA. Racers also received points in the statewide Colorado RME, Rocky Mountain Series bringing together riders from all over Colorado.

To receive a ranking and series rewards in the NUE Epic 100 and NUE Marathon Race Series, racers four best completed races count. Division winners receive the official unique NUE Champions Jersey courtesy of Voler, a share of a combined US$16,000 series cash purse, complimentary entry into all NUE National Series races in 2018, plus an all-expense paid trip in November to represent the NUE Race Series at the LaRuta de los Conquistadores, a three day stage race across Costa Rica, from the Pacific to the Caribbean considered one of the toughest mountain bike races in the world.

100-mile open women’s winner Larissa Conners. Photo by: Ryan O’Dell

Women’s Open 100 Mile

Conners leaves no doubt!

Larissa Conners, Team Twenty20, crushed it at 10:10:19, the sixth fastest time on the day overall!

Chase Edwards, Flagstaff Bike Revolution, who finished fourth overall, last year in the NUE Race Series, was second at 11:37:50.

“This year’s Breckenridge 100 turned out to be the hardest 100-mile bike race I’ve ever done! I had two bummer moves early on that made it difficult for me to get my head back in the game. On the way up the first climb, my glasses fogged really badly.

I saw Marlee Dixon take a right-hand turn and switch back above me. I was only a couple seconds back but I knew I should be riding her wheel closer because this is her backyard. I cranked up the watts to close the gap and focused really hard on the wet rocks in front of me through my fogged glasses. I wondered why the road wasn’t turning to the right the way it seemed like it should when I was watching Marlee, but I could barely see and just kept throwing down watts.

I saw dots in the distance and told myself she must have made her move. It turns out those dots were hikers, and I eventually stopped and took off my fogged glasses. It was pretty obvious with my glasses off that I was not on course. I played around with my Garmin for a minute and then rode back down until I saw other racers turning onto the singletrack I had missed.

I was pretty frustrated after this and, part way down Wheeler (the singletrack I had missed), I clipped a pedal on a rock, flew over the handle bars, and over the edge of the exposed trail into a bramble of willows. It was like landing on a mattress! If the willows hadn’t been there, I would have gone for quite the tumble down the exposed side of the trail.

I crashed two more times on Wheeler after that and finally had to tell myself the singletrack was not my place to be making up time. Larissa Connors told me later that she rode with her eyes squinted and mud flying in her face the entire race without her glasses on because they were so fogged. Maybe I’ll try that next time!

As I came into Carter Park at the end of the first lap, two women were standing in the trail wondering which direction to go. They must have been part of the marathon or the 35-mile. I wasn’t sure what to do, so I rode down to the staging area and started refueling. Then I saw other racers – including Parker Tyler (3rd place woman) – ride under the banner. I was so confused! I started asking around and someone explained to me the way the finish of the laps were supposed to work.

It turned out the two confused women on the trail were blocking the way I was supposed to go so I rode back up, looped around on the singletrack the correct way, and back into the exchange area. I contemplated dropping at this point. My time was over a half-hour slower than I wanted it to be, I was freezing, and I had done a really bad job eating after taking my first wrong turn because I was so focused on making up time. But Parker was still in the exchange area, and I decided it was silly to drop this early on.

Part way through the second lap, I saw Marlee working on a flat alongside the trail. This made me really sad. She’s an awesome gal and riding with her during several big races last year was a highlight of my season. After that, I just went into survival mode and ate a lot of Honey Stinger waffles! Parker and I went back and forth the rest of the day.

I’m a strong climber and was okay with the race coming down to the climb out of Como for Parker and me; and that’s exactly what happened. I knew Larissa was way farther ahead of me than I wanted, and I pushed myself hard on the last climb to ensure my time to the top of the pass was at least faster than hers (this is some fun competition leftover from Telluride 100 last week). I just barely held Parker off on the singletrack descent into the finish. Overall, Breck 100 is one of the coolest – and most brutal – courses I have ever raced. I look forward to coming back next year!”

Five minutes later, Parker Tyler, Park City Bike Demos, finished third at 11:42:41. “We woke up to cold rain on race morning and I got excited that it was going to be a wet and muddy day. The trails held strong through the tough conditions and had some of the most amazing single track I have ever ridden. Knowing that there were epic descents after every climb was motivation to grind through some of the steepest climbs I have ever done in a 100 mile race. I started the race not feeling awesome as we climbed up Breck but I started to warm up quickly as we climbed up and over Wheeler Pass.

The first lap was definitely the hardest both physically and mentally through the cold rain, but, as soon as I went out on my second lap I started to feel strong and kept feeling stronger as the day went on. This was the first 100 mile race I finished with a smile on my face. A combination of epic trails, an amazing race venue, and awesome volunteers made this one of the most fun days I have had on a bike.”

Open men’s 100-mile winner Sam Sweetser. Photo by: Ryan O’Dell

Men’s Open 100 Mile and 100k

Sweetser gets his first NUE Breck win!

Sam Sweetser, Cole Sport, who finished at the NUE Series Opener at True Grit, earned his first NUE win this season to finish 9:04:43.

Three minutes later, David Krimstock, Giant Co Factory, took second at 9:07:36. In March, Krimstock placed fourth at the NUE Series opener in Utah.

“The weather outlook for the 2017 Breck 100 was marginal at best. It looked very likely we’d be getting rain at some point during the race but when the morning came, it appeared as though the worst case scenario was taking shape. As I rode down to the start in the rain, I was skeptical if the race could even take place.

I felt good on the first climb up the ski area to Wheeler Pass but the wet, slippery conditions on the single track made me cautious, and I was passed by Tostado and Ross. I regained composure at the start of loop 2 and chased back into third by the top of the Little French climb. Then, while riding the flume trail, I got a flat which was probably caused by an old nail used in the mining operations 100 years ago. I really wanted to quit at that point, as I started to shiver while fixing the flat, and got passed down into sixth place. Still undecided, I rode down to my crew at the aid station. They had gotten word that I had flatted, and had my aluminum training wheel ready to swap out.

After switching wheels, I pressed on, not sure if I could regain the ground I lost. After the Colorado Trail section, I found myself back in fourth and began to feel good again. At the start of loop 3, I was back in third position and knew that the home stretch was in sight.

Once the Illinois Gulch climb was over, I saw Munoz on Boreas Pass, and went past him into second. I knew Sweetser is a great descender/trail rider, so it would be hard for me to catch him, but pressed on. After the gold dust trail, I got word that I was three minutes back, and tried to pick it up, but the day began to catch up to me and my legs weren’t having it. I could see him as we crested Boreas Pass for the last time. Descending the Bakers Tank trail, I just wanted to get down to Carter Park safely.

This race was a huge learning experience for me, showing the extremes in which it is possible to ride and race. My remaining NUE races are the Pierres Hole 100 and the Big Bear Grizzly.”

The racer who has earned more Breck wins than any other, Josh Tostado, Santa Cruz, Shimano, Maxxis, came in at 9:30:17 to take the final spot on the podium. Having completed three of the required four NUE Races to qualify, Tostado currently stands 10^th overall in the NUE Epic Point Series that includes a third place finish at True Grit and, more recently, a fourth place finish at the High Cascades 100 in Bend, OR.

Seven minutes later David Ross, Go4Graham, was fourth at 9:37:17. An early leader in the race, Daniel Munoz, BAGHOUSE, held on for fifth place, one of just five racers to finish sub 10 on the day at 9:41:19.

Open men’s marathon champ Kyle Trudeau. Photo by: Ryan O’Dell

Marathon Men’s Open, Breck 68:

Kyle Trudeau, CZ Racing, had a commanding win and the only sub six hour finish at 5:43:57.

“The Breck 68 was truly an epic day on the bike. Typically, a race that lasts about four hours is on the long side for me so I knew going into the race with an estimated finishing time of about five and a half hours would be a new challenge and gaining experience for Breck Epic was an added plus. I’m a desert kid so when I was sitting on the starting line, in the rain, I would be lying if I said I was filled with joy.

We set off on the roll out and, as the road pointed upward, there was a quick selection of about four of us (Alders, Dolzani, Rasmussen and me) about ten minutes into the race. The pace was set by Dolzani and soon it was just him and I on the first climb as it turned flowing stream/dirt road. Dolzani made a small mistake towards the top of the first climb that allowed me to get by him and then settle into my own pace.

When the rain finally decided to stop the single track turned to Velcro and I tried to ride smooth and steady till the finish where I was completely boxed. My Scott Spark RC was bullet proof on the day, paired with some Maxxis Pace tires, and I couldn’t have grabbed the win without the support of Construction Zone Racing, GoTenac Coaching, BikeFlights.com, and Rouleur Carbon.

Twenty nine minutes later, Bryan Alders, TrainingPeaks/Yeti/Pactimo, took second at 6:12:03. Fifteen minutes later, Weston Rasmussen, Honey Stinger / Bontrager, claimed third at 6:27:27.

Men’s 100-mile SS runner-up Mark Nesline overcame a broken crank. Photo by: Ryan O’Dell

Singlespeed 100 mile

Fish Wins

Timon Fish, Sticky Racing, crushed the Single Speed field at 10:14:24.

Mark Nesline, Vail Jr Cycling, was next placing second in 12:06:46 using 32-21 gearing. “This is my long race/climbing gear. I can pedal strong all the way from mile 1-100. “

Nesline would go on to experience both, the adversity and the joy that comes through persevering.

“The day started out with pouring rain when I woke up at 3 AM. Knowing the importance of positive thinking, I looked at the rain in a good light. Being local, I know it’s not often in Colorado that you get to experience a rainy day. I was excited. The race started at 6am as I just rolled up to the line right as we started.

I was feeling relaxed as we got into the climb up wheeler and tried to push to stay with the leaders but my legs were not having it. Knowing it’s a long race, I settled into my own pace up the climb. The rest of the first lap went by quickly. When I came into transition, I was told I was in second place. This was a surprise but I re-stocked my skratch and stinger and took off on my second lap.

This lap is brutal. Lots of up and down, and the Colorado trail is relentless with its roots. In the past I have struggled on this lap but, as I started lap two, my legs had come around and I was feeling strong.

All was going well, or so I thought, until mile 52. I had just come through the last aid station, ready to crank out the last nine miles. I hit the Singletrack climb and felt something weird in my pedal. I thought it was just a broken pedal so I kept riding, trying to ignore it. Then Snap! I looked down and see my crank arm had snapped off where the pedal connects.

This is unfixable, but I had one option, keep going. I just kept riding, I don’t like or think quitting is an option. Keep riding somehow, someway, was the only thought in my head. After a few miles, I made it a challenge to myself to see how fast I could maintain uphill one foot Stridering/pedaling so, in slightly over an hour, I covered nine miles in various sketchy methods, finishing lap 2.

As soon as I got into Carter Park, I went on a search to get a replacement crank to keep racing. I ended up running two blocks to Breck Bike Guides, got a new crank arm, and then headed out on third and final lap. It was thirty minutes from when I finished the second lap until I went back out on the third.

This course is just so fun it’s really hard, in my mind, to even consider quitting for any reason. When I finished my second lap, I love the backside of Boreas pass. It so fun and that’s what made me want to go back out.

As a coach of local high schoolers with Vail JR Cycling, I want my athletes to always finish their races – no matter what. I have to hold myself to that same standard. Through suffering and difficulty, we gain knowledge and the most useful things are learned about ourselves and life…. that shows we are capable of anything if we try hard enough. There’s nothing that we can’t accomplish.

The third lap proved to be incredible! The trails were tacky and the downhills were the best I have ever ridden it. Incredible fun! Not knowing if I was still in second or not, I hammered as hard as possible and kept telling myself “you’re never out of the fight.” Anything could happen. I had my fastest time ever to complete lap 3 and my bike worked great all the way to the finish.

Men’s marathon SS winner Dan Durland. Photo by: Ryan O’Dell

To finish this race this year was not an easy accomplishment but, it was such a rewarding feeling to finish a race in this way and then the podium on top of that is just cool. I don’t race with a goal of podiums. I race with goal to race 100%, and give it everything I have. That way, no matter what happens, I can be satisfied with the result knowing there was nothing else I could do. I definitely did that today.

If you are looking for a fun and difficult challenge, the Breck100 is it. I have finished this race five times, with two second place finishes, but it’s never gotten easier. Always fun.

After the race, I stayed after and helped the venue clean up and load up the truck. This was a blast! It takes a village to put on these races and it’s important to help out when you can.

As for future NUE races, this year, my focus and attention is towards Colorado High School League race season but, I will definitely be back for the Bailey HUNDO and Breck100 next year. Possibly even the lumberjack100.”

Nice guys finish last? Just under an hour later, Bernie Romero, Mr. Nice Guy, would finish last at 13:03:56. However, Romero’s finish was good enough to take the final spot on the podium due to a higher number of racers unable to finish in the more difficult conditions.

Master’s 50+ champ Greg Golet. Photo by: Ryan O’Dell

Masters 50+ 100 mile

Golet survives and earns a W in the mountains of Breckenridge

Greg Golet,Team Chico, earned a narrow win to finish 10:45:49, his third straight win in the NUE Race Series, following wins at both True Grit Epic in Utah and in the High Cascades 100 of Oregon.

“When I read Ryan’s pre-race email, I dismissed his suggestion that this race would be just about surviving, but really that’s what it came down to–in a war of attrition.

I was extremely thankful for the 5:30AM repair of my front brake by Eli (Carver bikes), but in my rush to get ready for the start I didn’t center the caliper, even though I knew I should have.

Before we headed off on the 3 loop course the announcer said “be ready for rain all day, and if you hear thunder <5 sec after seeing lightning, do the right thing”. Such comforting words as we prepared to ride up to over 12k elevation.

The first long climb was great despite the rain. Surprisingly, the altitude didn’t seem to bother me. At the top I stopped and put on a raincoat, which I noticed not all the other riders had. Even so, I got pretty drenched on the rest of the loop, though I know it held some heat in. At the end of it, I pulled my wool leg warmers on over my grit covered legs in hopes they’d help me warm up on loop 2.

Heading out I was psyched up to be climbing for the warmth it brought, but even so felt my core temp dropping. As I fought my way up one particularly steep rocky section, a blue-lipped guy heading back the way we came said, “good luck man, I’m bailing”.

Not long after, my rear tire lost some air, but I kept riding and eventually made it to the next aid station. I was glad not to have to use my CO2, and actually really enjoyed how well my bike cornered and rolled over all the roots and rocks with low psi. Thankfully, the rain mostly stopped near the end of this second loop. Coming into Carter Park, I thought about stopping to see if I could replace my front brake pads, which had by this time worn away from the rubbing and grit, but decided it’d be best to just keep going.

On loop 3, I rode pretty cautiously on the descents with no front brake and not wanting to flat. I also stopped at all the aid stations, and ate more and drank less than I ever have in a race this long.

Despite the horrendous weather in the first 2/3rds of this race, it was one of my all-time favorites. Phenomenal terrain and scenery in the high Rockies and, as usual for a NUE event, top-notch racer support!

My finish time was a lot further back from the first overall finisher than usual. Maybe it was the additive effect of a whole bunch of little things or maybe it was due to a loss in fitness. I guess I’ll find out soon. Pierre’s Hole is just a few days away. Another big long race–this time in the Tetons!! Who could ask for more?”

Just five minutes behind Golet, Willem Jewett, Team Vermont, finished second at 10:50:06.

”For the past couple years, I’ve been combining Leadville 100 with a “family vacation”; bringing first one daughter and then both to Colorado for a week of riding before the race. Last year, we got a taste of Breckenridge trails with my college friend, Ellen Hollinshed. So we put together a “Team Vermont” to take on a new challenge.

Our week of riding leading up to Breck 100 was unparalleled. We were able to pre-ride most of the course and had a ball doing it. Around mid-week, The Weather Underground started giving warnings that this good run of weather might end but the radar at 4 AM on Saturday didn’t look too bad.

We had a brisk ride up the Mountain to the Wheeler trail. Turning onto the trail, I realized that race pace at 12,000 feet had created just a touch of dizziness; not the best thing on a narrow traverse. Dizzy and cold, I was a bit shocked by the speed with which a couple of riders passed me going down to Copper. I managed to descend with just a single (uneventful) fall and catch back up to those downhill streaks on the bike path.

I got pretty grooved on the peaks trail. OK, I might have pushed things a bit too far and done some trail grooming with my face and knee but, you know, you have to find the limits, right?

Out on the second loop, I did get a little worried as I heard tires rolling up on me at the bottom of the French Creek climb; whew, just some of the leaders in the shorter races. I may have made that French Creek climb a couple days earlier but it was just not happening. Still cold and a bit empty, I was eating through whatever I could dig out of my pockets as fast as possible.

American Gulch was great fun AND the dirtiest downhill I’ve ridden in years. Things dried out a bit on the way up the Colorado Trail. I didn’t have much going up but you can’t let a climb like that go to waste, so I had a good rip at the downhill to the dredge boat.

I wasn’t really loving the Gold Run stuff but was starting to feel like I might be able to get over Boreas a couple times and finish. I was even willing to believe the announcer at Carter when he said I was sitting in second.

Loop 3 was all about avoiding a collapse. After that long (and somewhat boring) Boreas Pass climb, I did have a bunch of fun on the Baker’s Tank and Aspen Ally Downhills ’cause you gotta race to the tape!

Look, Leadville is a great big fire road race but Breck 100 is a MOUNTAIN BIKE RACE of epic proportions. And, by the way, those youngsters I brought from the 802 – Ellie Curtis (18) was first in the 32 mile race and Abi Jewett (17) was second despite a flat tire out on American Gulch. Funny thing, I bought her a Co2 the night before and gave her a quick tutorial. After the race I think she said something like “I’m never using a pump again”.

Thomas Barth took the third spot on the podium at 11:47:36. “I’m fifty years old, and started to renew my focus on racing XC a few years ago, but had not done long races or used to a structured training program for about twenty years. This year, I joined a training program through the Boulder Mountain Bike Alliance (BMA). I raced the Full Growler in May, got fifth in my age group, and continued training though the spring and summer, averaging about twelve hours per week using a coached program. I used a Pivot Mach 4, perfect bike for this race.

On race day the weather was a concern, and I’ve never ridden a lot of the trails. The recent forest fire disrupted plans to pre-ride, but my strength has always been on tech and descending, so I concentrated on having fun and pushing myself. I kept my heart rate just below my threshold (or as hard as I was able to throughout the day) on the climbs and cautiously ripped the descents.

A nice guy on a climb offered a good piece of advice that I’ll share. “If you have to get off and walk, don’t get back on until you are sure you can ride.” I tried not to get too stressed watching a bunch of people go by when I picked up a shard of glass and flatted on loop 2. The mud made it tough to get the tubeless valve stem out. I felt great through loop 3 and had a great time. The wonderful trails helped a lot.”

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RESULTS

NEXT NUE: The NUE Race Series heads to Grand Targhee Resort in Alta, Wyoming for the Pierre’s Hole 100 on August 6. Pierre’s Hole will host both the NUE Epic Series and the NUE Marathon Series offering both 100 mile and 100k options. Stay tuned right here for the latest news and reports.

Carrabassett Backcountry Challenge

Posted on August 6, 2017 by Shannon Boffeli

Carrabassett 100K

Written by: Shana Biese, Ryan O’Dell

Located in the beautiful Carrabassett Valley of Northern Maine at Sugar Loaf Ski Area, The seventh annual (CBCC) Carrabassett Backcountry Challenge 100k joined the NUE Marathon Series this year witnessing tremendous growth from three hundred last year to now more than four hundred racers in 2017. In addition to the NUE 100k distance, CBCC also included shorter distances of 50k and 25k plus kids races.

During the past five years, approximately $500,000 has been spent building mountain bike trails in the Carrabassett Region. The goal is to construct an iconic mountain bike trail network that is on everybody’s “must-ride” list. To date, there is approximately eighty miles of riding for all abilities. This includes miles of super flowy, machine-built singletrack and old-school style trails that have been carved out with hand tools and sweat. Profits from the race go towards construction and maintenance of new trails.

Women’s Open

Blanchard gets the W!

Bryna Blanchard, BMB racing, took first place with a time of 6:24:40.

Eight minutes later, Karen Potter, Pivot/DNA Cycling, took second with a time of 6:32:17. “My race went pretty well considering I haven’t done a lot of endurance racing of late, nor in training. I didn’t expect to be up front much so going back and forth with Bryna for the first twenty miles was motivating. Although, Bryna was climbing much better than I was, we went back and forth a few times early on and then, when we hit some dirt road climbs, and she was gone, I knew I had to settle into a pace I felt more comfortable keeping for the next 40 miles.

There was more climbing than I had anticipated and certainly more than had been described. The muddy conditions made for some obvious challenges for everyone but there was lots of fun purpose built single track that was really fun and handled the water well. Mid-course there was some stream crossings that I was thankful for cleaning off my drive-train some. The crews at the aid stations were awesome. I had faded some mid-race but, around the five hour mark, my legs came back around and I started to feel better and stronger on the climbs. I had some aspirations of reeling in first again but Bryna had a great race and it was too little too late, but good enough to hold onto second.”

Following her 100k Marathon win at Mohican in June, Linda Shin, Blacksmith Cycle, took third at 6:44:20. “I’ve never been to Maine so I jumped at the chance to visit for a MTB race! I didn’t do my due diligence on researching what the trails were like before heading to Maine and opted to race with my Lauf fork setup on my hardtail Scapin Spektro 29er, which only has 60mm of travel. I should have known better with ‘backcountry’ in the race name that the course was going to be rugged and rough! The course was rocky but manageable and I knew I had to just stay loose when we pre-rode the day before the race.

I had a really bad first half of the race that started with wiping out within the first 12 seconds of the race and had to chase from the back of the pack. I knew I had some work cut out for me to try to catch Karen and Bryna. I worked my way up the field but then had a few mechanicals along the way and a couple more wipeouts! It was a fine balance of trying to stay really loose in the rocky sections and descents and not losing grip on the bars.

On one of the rough descents, my Garmin popped off. I stopped to look for it in the lush trail when my boyfriend rolled in behind me after a few minutes, told me to keep riding and that he’d stay back to look for it. The second half of the race was really tough too as I had no idea when to eat without my Garmin and was starting to feel the fatigue settle in. I knew I was sitting in third, likely way behind Karen and Bryna, so I just wanted to ride safe without any more mishaps to maintain a podium spot.

On the out and back section, I saw Karen and realized I wasn’t too far behind, and also saw Liz Allen who wasn’t’ too far behind me so my motivation picked up. When I arrived at aid 4, one of the volunteers had my Garmin which Craig had found and left for me at the aid station. I was so stoked!!! Thanks Craig and to all the amazing volunteers who catered to all the racers!

My luck was turning but my upper body was really starting to feel beat up from the lack of suspension and I was ready to get to the finish line. I was slowing down on the last big climb; the last descent couldn’t come sooner. I finally cruised into the finish line feeling pretty battered and muddy, but all smiles. Despite my bad luck, I still had so much fun. The course was so rad and the volunteers and aid stations were awesome. The Christmas aid station was the best! There were quite a few of us from Ontario racing so it was a really fun road trip with friends. I will definitely do this race again, but with a better bike setup! Next up, I’m headed to Shenandoah 100.”

Nine minutes behind Shin, Elizabeth Allen, took fourth at 6:53:37. Laura Dougherty was fifth at 7:16:41.

Men’s Open

Scott wins by eight minutes!

Andy Scott, Riverside Racing, earned his first NUE race win with a time of 5:16:77.

Eight minutes later, John Petrylak, Scott Pro MTB Team/Bike Factory/EIS grips/Bishop, came in second place with a time of 5:24:22. “I got to Carrabassett a little earlier than I anticipated. This gave me an opportunity to do a pre-ride on both Thursday and Friday.

The first ten miles of the race is just the most absolute fun New England Single track you can imagine. On Friday, I rode the last five miles or so of the finish (which is an awesome five mile descent back into the valley). Since this was the first year the NUE was making a stop in Carrabassett, I wasn’t sure what to expect but, right away, you could tell this race was a well-oiled machine with folks directing parking for an easy, orderly morning and signage everywhere. The course also has good markings and the race description was right on. After a brief riders meeting, we lined up and then it was GO time!

The start is a nice field section that funnels into double track and then eventually single track. I was very motivated to get to the single track first since rain the night before and into race morning made for muddy conditions. I had a great start and was first wheel into the single track around the outdoor center. It was crazy fun with such amazing trails and fun obstacles. After the first six miles of single track, the race starts to get a little more serious.

A group of around eight riders started to get some distance as we climbed towards the top of the resort. The group was led by race favorite Dereck Treadwell, eventual winner Andy Scott, Brian Oickle, and myself. I followed Dereck’s wheel as he punished the steep pitches at the top; soon after that Dereck and I had gotten some daylight between us and the chase group! The gap didn’t stick as we descended down some of the XC skiing trails; they were pretty chucky and it was a big gamble to just let it rock down them.

After the descent, the group was down to four riders and another four in a chase group just a few seconds back. We climbed up a super fun piece of machine built single track and then popped out onto a fire road heading towards aid station 1. After the aid station, the group came back together as we descended this amazing piece of double track with tons of little bridges and small creek crossings. The group was rolling smooth along a pretty blown out fire road with monstrous mud puddles sprinkled around. I was about twenty seconds in front of the group with Andy and then a terrible crash caused Dereck to call it a day as his handle bars broke!

Right after the second aid station at mile thirty, it was Brian Oickle, Andy Scott and I heading up a loose, rocky, steep double track trying get away from the chase group. Our group was together all the way until around mile 45 when, after a long flat-ish section that Brian was flying on, we dismounted for a steep creek crossing and then Andy got a little separation from Brian and I going up the powerline. Right after the second to last aid station is a five mile gravel road that we started to work together on to close the gap on Andy. The road is an out and back so we could see Andy about 30 or 40 seconds in front of us.

Once we hit the check point and turned around to head towards the final climb, we did a nice, old school, New England piece of single track. While I was riding, I could feel my left foot starting to have a bunch of float in the pedal and then it started slapping against the pedal. UGH!!! My cleat came loose. I got it tightened back up just before the bolt fell all the way out! Now I was in crisis control mode heading towards the final five mile climb before a nice rewarding descent back to the finish line.

I didn’t realize that we used the same piece of trail twice (listen to those announcements during riders meetings), so I panicked thinking I missed a turn and then rode backwards, when I found Bobby Nash and we both decided to head the way I was going originally. After a few nervous miles, we popped out at the last aid station signaling we were going the right way.

After I started to get rolling up the climb, I found Brian Oickle had some terrible luck and flatted. With third place on my wheel I kept the pace high, climbing up the final stretch and was able to put just a little daylight between Bobby and myself. I kept the gap all the way to the finish but I could never catch Andy as he was on fire! After a very exciting race for almost the entire day, I was so thrilled to land on the podium. Congrats to Andy Scott; he rode very strong all day.”

Just one minute behind Petrylak, Bobby Nash, Dr. Naylor-Treadwelltraining, finished in third place at 5:25:52. Five minutes later, Neal Burton, Team Errace p/b DSO Manufacturing, claimed fourth at 5:30:56. Four minutes behind Burton, Alan Starrett, took fifth at 5:34:08.

Singlespeed

Giroux wins on 32×20 gearing!

Dan Giroux, BSWC, was first across the line at 6:14:35.

Jesse Bell was second at 6:52:18. “The morning started out with a light rain, but warm weather. The start was not overly fast and, being on a low geared single speed, I did not make a big effort to get to the front of the pack before the single track, which ended up being my biggest mistake of the race.

As we approached the bottle neck to the single track, several riders shot in front of me who I didn’t think much of and figured they were probably fast. As it turns out, they were not overly skilled in the tight tech New England single track so the pace was slow to say the least. It took the whole first single track section to pick off all of those slower riders (at least 5 miles).

About 15-20 minutes into the race, the rain picked up pretty steady and eventually became a good hard rain for a bit. The trails became pretty soggy with all the rain and the volume of riders. The whole time I was dealing with the wet trails, I couldn’t help but feel bad for the people behind me and the 50K racers. For the most part, the trails handled the rain very well and 95% of them were rideable. There were a few places where, if you hit the wrong line through the mud, you would come to a complete stop. The wet also made flats a common problem. I saw several people on the side of the trails fixing flats. I just concentrated on riding clean and not doing anything stupid.

I was able to ride the whole race without a mechanical and was able to keep the rubber on the ground. The rains stopped about an hour in and the skies cleared for a very nice day. I raced an Ibis Tranny 29, with a 100mm Reba, Next cranks, and I9 Trail 24 wheels with Vittoria Mezcal G+ 2.25″ tires and was impressed with how the tires handled the wet and mud. I was geared out at a 32X20 and, after talking to the other single speed riders there, I was geared the lowest. It was a great day to do a great race in beautiful country.”

Masters 50+

Taylor with a commanding win!

Within a large master’s field of 38 racers, Scott Taylor, Blue Hill Cycling, took a commanding win at 6:06:21.

Seventeen minutes later, Scott Burrill, bikeman.com, rolled into second place at 6:23:10. Just one minute behind Burrill, John Burkhardt, HUP United, took third at 6:24:48. None of the masters responded to our request for a race report.

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RESULTS

WHATS NEXT: NUE Epic and Marathon Series Racers will travel to Breckenridge, Colorado on July 29 to brave the high mountain elevation of the Rockies. On the same day, many NUE Epic racers will choose the challenging hills and rocks at the Wilderness 101 in State College, Pennsylvania.

High Cascades 100

Posted on August 6, 2017 by Shannon Boffeli

NUE High Cascades 100

Bend, OR

Written by: Ryan O’Dell, Shana Biese

At 5:30AM, Racer’s gathered at Bachelor Village, near Mt. Bachelor in Bend, Oregon in anticipation of one of the most popular races in the NUE Race Series. The town of Bend is a top destination for mountain bikers thanks to hundreds of miles of primo singletrack trails that can be accessed directly from downtown connecting to other nearby towns including the town of Sisters.

The Ninth Annual High Cascades 100 marked the midway point of the fourteen race National Ultra Endurance MTB Race Series where NUE series hopefuls had just one final opportunity to lead their respective divisions earning a mid-season comp entry to compete in the Volcano 100, the first NUE race held outside of the USA near Liberia, Costa Rica.

Deschutes Brewery, www.deschutesbrewery.com, one of the top rated craft breweries in the US, was on site at the finish line serving up draft brews. Sagebrush Cycles of Bend, www.sagebrushcycles.net, in addition to offering mechanical services on the race course at every aid station, also offered racers a place to ship their bikes that included getting the bikes race ready and inspected before the race.

Carla Williams on course. Photo by Ryan Wilkerson

Women’s Open

Williams wins her first HC100, leads NUE Race Series!

Defending NUE Race Series Champion, Carla Williams, Joes Bike Shop Racing Team, won her third straight NUE Series race taking the top spot on the podium at High Cascades with a time of 8:42:26. Williams is one race away from a perfect score following wins at both Cohutta 100 and Mohican MTB100.

“This was my first time racing High Cascades and I really had no idea what to expect. I kept things pretty conservative to start and pulled into the first aid station at 25 miles with Kaydee Raths. I skipped the aid station and, from there, rode the rest of the race in front of the women’s field trying to keep a consistent pace, but still keeping a little in reserve until the end, since I wasn’t sure how hard the last climbs or singletrack would be. The plan worked out pretty well!

The trails were super fun and flowy and very sandy and dusty if you happened to be riding behind someone. I forgot my sunglasses and vision out of my left eye was completely blurry for the last twenty miles from all the dust which made seeing and riding the last singletrack miles pretty challenging. The event overall was super well organized, great volunteers and aid stations, and overall a very fun event! My next race will be W101 in Pennsylvania.”

Thrity-three minutes later, Olivia Dillon, Velocio, racing her first NUE of 2017, came in second place with a time of 9:15:51. Sixteen minutes later, Liza Hartlaub, GU Energy Labs, came in third with a time of 9:41:18.

“High Cascades 100 for me was a sort of bucket list race. I have never raced anything close to 100 miles on a mountain bike so I had low expectations for myself. My goal was simply to “have fun” and complete the distance in good spirits.

My lovely boyfriend was at the aid stations providing support and letting me know that I was in fifth place- at mile 24 as well as mile 40. I hit a low point mentally around mile 55 right at the start of the big climb up Mrazek. I just kind of chugged along feeling very blah. I stopped to ask for water from some lovely volunteers and they told me fourth place was just ahead and they thought I could probably catch her. Suddenly, I found that extra gear in my legs and that’s when I started racing- around mile 70. I made the pass around mile 76. A few miles later- I saw third place! I made the pass and didn’t look back.”

Photo by Ryan Wilkerson

Men’s Open

Jones narrowly wins a tight race with defending NUE Series Champ!

Professional road racer, Christopher Jones, Healthcare United, came in first place with a time of 7:24:44 following an epic battle with the NUE defending Champion.

“High Cascades is about as much of a home race as one can get for me; the start is right out my door, we race on trails that I ride every time I going on a mountain bike ride and the finish is at the Athletic Club of Bend where my son is learning to swim this summer. This makes HC100 about as easy as a mountain bike race can get for a pro roadie such as myself, which is not easy at all!
This year’s edition of the HC100 had the deepest talent pool that I have seen in the past few years of the race and it showed at the front of the race with multiple lead changes. My personal race was saved when I stopped at mile 68 to ward off a bonk with some old fashion junk food that I had purchased at the gas station the night before. My win came as a surprise to many because roadies can’t ride the dirt, right?

Thank you to race director Mike Ripley, COTA, and all of the volunteers who continue to make this one of the most enjoyable races I compete in all season. I am already looking forward to next season and returning on my singlespeed.”

Three minutes later, NUE defending champion, Dylan Johnson, Cameron Mountain Bike Racing, finished second at 7:27:03. Johnson continues to dominate the Men’s Open category this year including three wins and three second place finishes, holding a solid lead overall in the NUE Men’s Open category.

“This year was my first time doing High Cascades so I didn’t know what to expect. After pre riding parts off the course, I was pleased with how fun and flowy the single track was and I was excited to race.

The race started out with a decent two track climb in which a small front group formed. As the race progressed I found myself at the front with Chris Jones. On the final long climb of the race I managed to distance myself from Chris but I misjudged the amount of fuel I would need between aid stations. I reached into my pocket and had nothing left. I got to the last aid station before the bonk came on, shoveled gels and coke into my mouth but, at that point, it was too late. Shortly after, Chris caught me, and I held on for second.”

Twenty-one minutes later, Steven Mills, New West Medical, took third with a time of 7:48:13. Earlier this season, Mills won the NUE season opener at the True Grit Epic in the Single Speed category. Mills placed second overall last year in the NUE Series single speed division.

Legend and local resident, Marcel Russenburger, a three-time Tour de France rider and professional from 1982-1990, finished his first his first High Cascades 100 along with his daughter, Sophie Russenburger.

Ben Shaklee taking another win in the 100 mile SS category. Photo by Ryan Wilkerson

Singlespeed

Two in a row for Shaklee!

After winning first at Tatanka, Ben Shaklee, Jack’s Bicycle Center/ Homegrown Racing, won the HC100 Single Speed race with a time of 8:06:06. Shaklee moves up to fifth place overall in NUE Single Speed division.

“I rode with a small chase group of open riders on the opening fire roads, somewhere in the top 10-12 until about mile thirty. At that point, I began gradually dropping them primarily on the singletrack descents. At mile 52 aid, I was reported in eighth overall, about five minutes back from the leaders. From there, I rode solo to the finish, occasionally trading places with a couple Open riders through aid station.

At mile 52 aid I was reported in 8th overall, about 5 min back from leaders. From there I rode solo to the finish, occasionally trading places with a couple open riders through the aid station. I passed and dropped a couple more open riders shortly after Aid 5 and was able to open enough gap to hold them off on the five mile false flat paved downhill to the finish running a 34×19 gearing, same as second and third Singlespeed.”

Thirteen minutes later, NUE defending SS Champion, James Litzinger, Syndicate Cycling p/b Pro Bike + Run, took second with a time of 8:19:00. Litzinger is currently first place overall in the NUE Single Speed Standings.

“I don’t know where I start with this amazing race and adventure with family and friends. There were four families that headed out to race the High Cascades 100 from the greater Pittsburgh area. We made plans to see what the west coast had to offer last summer and it surely didn’t disappoint! We enjoyed amazing hikes, riding, swimming, racing, and foods!

We headed to the start line for the early 5:30 a.m. start. It was a beautiful Oregon morning with very comfortable temperatures knowing that it would warm up quite a bit in the afternoon. My teammate and friend, Anthony Grinnell, was making his Single Speed debut at High Cascades. Knowing that he is a super strong rider with consistent top 10 finishes in the men’s open, I wanted to ride the whole race with him. I knew that it would be awesome to have the company of a teammate throughout the race.

There was a mellow neutral start that happened to be quite refreshing for a single speeder. I didn’t need to spin my butt off and burn a bunch of matches trying to keep up with the geared riders. After about nine miles, we began our climb up the first sandy, dusty climb! I was informed of all of the dust from local PA rider, Rege Ricketts, who was out at the High Cascades last year so I was prepared with my handkerchief to keep the heavy dust out of my lungs. That was great advice!

Anthony caught up to me at the top of this climb with a reassuring, “Hey Brah!” Instantly, I knew that this would be a great day on the bike and it sure was! We descended down through the banked turns, whoops, and amazing flow of the Tiddlywinks trail. Before I knew it, we were at aid station 1. I was all good on my wife’s delicious peanut butter ball and Hammer Electrolytes so I just stopped for a top off on one of my bottles. Anthony had a camelback so he just stopped for a little food and then we were on to the next long climb with a few rollers sprinkled in for fun. In no time at all, we were already at aid 2 then 3.

They say time flies when you’re having fun! This was one of those times. We decided to skip aid 3 and get water at the next water aid station shortly after the climb. There was a nice young lady chilling in the back of a truck who had us supplied with the water we needed. The aid stations were very well staffed and organized and I was very thankful!

After aid 3, I knew that there was really only going to be one more big climb then it was just going to be some super fun single track down to the finish. At this point, we thought we were sitting in 3rd and 4th SS and feeling pretty good. We decided to keep our steady pace up the final climb and then push out the single track. We caught up to the 2nd place Single speeder around mile 74. We were feeling really good at this point and kept on pushing the pace because it was so much fun!

Coming out of a shady fast turn I didn’t see a small rock garden until the last minute. My front tire cleared but my rear tire didn’t sending me airborne over the bars and hard onto my head and shoulder. I tried to hurry up and collect my bottles trying not to lose too much time. When I got back onto the bike, I first noticed that my saddle was on about a 45 degree angle from the fall. Anthony kept asking if I could ride with it like that and I said yeah but after a half mile or so I knew that I would need to stop and fix it to have the strong finish we needed. Anthony and I stopped and I struggled to get my multitool out of my back pocket with my sore shoulder. Eventually, I was able to get my saddle squared up but in the meantime the Singlespeeders and two geared guys that we passed early passed us.

We didn’t want that SS rider to get on the road finish with the geared guys and knew that if he could hang with them on the road he would be really difficult to catch. So, we put in a hard effort and managed to close the gap quickly then just rode their wheel to a spot where the trail came out near the road and they missed the sharp left hand turn to continue on the trail. Anthony and I were able to stay on our bikes and pass the trio at this point. We put in another good effort to finish out the trail knowing that we wanted to have as big of a lead as possible before hitting the road.

Two SS’ers on the road can work together but it wouldn’t compare to the help of a strong geared rider. Once we got onto the road, we were spinning our butts off and taking turns pulling and constantly looking over our shoulder. After about three miles of strong work, we spun by a geared rider who was not pushing as hard as us and we saw a rider coming up strong behind us. It was Giant racer, Erik Bee. He was amped for us! We said to him that we were hoping to hop on board to the finish. He gave us each a strong and confident fist bump then put on a killer pull to the finish!

It was great to be great be greeted by our cheering wives at the finish. This ranks up there as one of the greatest 100 milers that I’ve done being out in the beautiful country of the west coast and with my teammate, Anthony. My equipment performed perfectly! The Schwalbe Racing Ralph tire was the perfect tire to rail the single track at High Cascades and my Wolftooth components drive train was solid as usual!”

Anthony Grinnell, Syndicate Cycling p/b Pro Bike + Run, came in third place with a time of 8:19:00. This was Grinnel’s second NUE race this year. He previously raced Cohutta 100 in the Men’s Open category where he placed tenth.

“It had been five years since I last rode the trails in Bend and I forgot how incredibly fun they are. Mike Ripley did an amazing job organizing the race, the weather was great, and the aid stations were well spaced with friendly volunteers, all of which made for one of the most fun NUE races I’ve done to date.

My teammate, Jim Litzinger, and I kept it dialed back for the first forty miles, knowing this would be an eight- plus hour race and the temps were going to creep into the 90 degree range. That plan worked out well as we passed racer after racer in the last 60 miles. I was running 34×20 gearing with Schwalbe Racing Ralphs. The Ralphs’ grip in those conditions was phenomenal and the gearing was perfect. Hammer Bars, water and bananas kept me fueled and feeling strong.

Jim and I passed the 2nd place SS rider, Mark Schafer, around mile 85. We were pulling away quickly until Jim had a really bad crash at mile 87, sending him over his bars at about 20mph. Jim is competing for points in the NUE series so it was important to get his bike straightened out and get him back up into the second spot. The three to four minutes we were stopped allowed Mark to pass us back. We were able to quickly catch back up around mile 90 and put a five minute gap back to fourth by the finish of the race.

Even with the crash, we were able to close the gap to the leader by about four minutes in the second half of the race. Overall, it was a great day. 100 milers are never easy, but this was one of the most enjoyable NUE races I’ve competed in.”

Masters 50+

Golet wins!!!

Greg Golet, Team Chico, upset NUE defending Masters Champion, Jeff Clayton’s, winning streak and came in first place with a time of 8:08:24. In 2016, the NUE Masters Title came down to the final race with Golet taking second place overall behind Clayton in the NUE Masters points race.

“I arrived in Bend motivated and ready to race. I did a long steep hike with my wife in Tahoe the weekend before, and finally wasn’t feeling sore anymore. The race had a mellow roll out for the first few miles which provided a chance to warm up and catch up with some friends, but this all changed as we approached the dirt.

I’m terrible at pack riding, and so ended up well back from the front, and breathing a lot of dust on the initial long climb. After a while, I passed my main competition that I knew about, Tonning, Clayton, and then my fellow Chico rider, Mike Castaldo, who I traveled to Bend with. This was my first NUE race with Mike, now 50, in my division. A couple of years back; he destroyed the course, beating me handily in the process. Also, at the start, I was told there was a new recruit to the Master’s class, a 50-year-old Bend champion triathlete that is “always first off the bike”. I had no idea where he was when I topped out on that first climb, but assumed he was well ahead.

I was glad when the pack thinned out a bit, and the dust wasn’t so heavy. I even found a group to work with on one of the dirt road sections. After a long pull leading up a mild incline, I moved to the back, but almost immediately the road veered left and down a steep loose hill. Duh! Suddenly I was choking on dust and fading off the back, but at least I didn’t crash. Tiddlywinks was also super dusty for me—and made more challenging by the alternating patches of sun and shade—but still fun.

After mile 40, I mostly rode on my own, only occasionally seeing other racers. I loved most of the course and was glad to ride terrain that was new to me. Favorite trails included Upper Whoops, Mrazek and Dinah Moo Humm. I also really enjoyed the South Fork climb with the tall forest, shade and flowing creek nearby. As I rode I kept thinking how I was so glad to be out there, a feeling made more intense by knowing that I not get the chance again.
After all the major climbs, it was time to be smooth and efficient. Blazing down the fire road to Aid C was sketchy with all the sand traps, but I arrived intact, quickly grabbed my small camelback and headed off. Then I realized just how thirsty I was. My pack was full of a concentrated mix of caffeinated sugary gels and electrolytes, but all I really wanted was water. I thought of those news stories about kids that drink too many energy drinks, and wondered what I was setting myself up for. But it turned all out fine.

The last climbs weren’t too bad. No dust on my second trip down Tiddlywinks, and all of Tyler’s bermed turns were really cool. However, by that time I was stiff and achy and so not able to pump through the turns the way I did earlier in the day (my arms are sore as I write this!). This worried me some because I knew I wasn’t going very fast, and feared I might be passed. But before long I hit the pavement and after riding it for a while looked back and saw I had no chasers. With no one in front of me that I could catch, I realized that my place was secured and just rode steadily finish. Once there, I was psyched for the wet towel, not so much the Coca-Cola.

Thanks to Mike and his crew for putting on a phenomenal event. This was my second win in the Series. I’m only doing four races before the finals, and the last two (Breck100 and Pierre’s Hole) are coming up fast. I can’t wait!!”
Twenty-two minutes later, defending NUE Masters Champion, Jeff Clayton, Georgia Neurosurgical Institute, placed second at 8:30:36. Clayton leads the NUE Masters Division with three straight wins at Cohutta, Mohican, and Lumberjack to go along with his first second place finish this year.

“This was my first time racing the High Cascades 100. I knew that it would be a very different experience from the century races I’ve been doing, higher altitude, drier air, different trail surface. That said, I was looking forward to the challenge! Arriving in Bend Wednesday prior was good…a chance to do a little altitude acclimation, get used to the dry air, see the absolute devotion that Bend folk (Bend-ites?) have for the outdoors and cycling specifically.

I did a 30-ish mile pre-ride Thursday to have some fun and see what I was in for. Dust and sand mixed with sharp lava rock. The scenery was great as was the flow of the trails, but man is the dust bad for the lungs, eyes and losing the front wheel in turns…I knew the race would be even more so. The dust of Thursday’s pre-ride took its toll on my immune system and Friday I felt drained, deciding to skip another pre-ride.

5:30 am start on Saturday. That is a record early race start for me! After a very casual paved portion, the dust flew when we dumped onto the dirt road. I felt good for about a minute and then started to hit the wall…allergies, altitude, inadequate conditioning? I don’t know! I hadn’t pre-ridden this part and didn’t know how bad/long it would be…too long! After dozens and dozens of racers passed me, including several masters’ racers, I finally had a long enough section to recover.

From there on out I progressively got better and started passing back most of those racers. My trends was to pass on anything going up and then, get caught back on technical downhills or really anything with sand in the corners…not east coast tread I am familiar with! Having my lovely wife there to give me splits, food/drink hand ups, and encouragement was invaluable.

Greg Golet was flying and it became evident that, barring a mishap or meltdown on his part, he had the race in the bag. I kept on the gas, because that’s just the way I race, and it paid off. As I rolled into aid 3, Jodi let me know second place was only two minutes ahead. Game on! I hit every climb with all I could give and, after about ten minutes, had reeled Wayne Tonning in. He probably didn’t know I was his competitor as he graciously let me pass, and I tried to surreptitiously pull away.

On the first downhill, I realized he was on to me as he asked to pass in a whoops section and I graciously let him. This set the tone for the rest of the race-he would rip the downhills, leaving me in his dust and I would reel him in on the uphills. He put a good gap on me in an extended technical downhill and rock garden area, and I figured that might be enough to give him an insurmountable gap. I wasn’t about to give up though and I did my best to negotiate the trail, knowing my big gears (34-9 top ratio) and Diesel engine might do the trick on the final pavement section, especially if there were any climbs.

I gave it my all, and a few minutes after turning onto the Cascades lake highway I saw Wayne’s green jersey far ahead. I could see I was making up ground and, as I approached, I surreptitiously got in his draft for several seconds and then attacked. I flew around a guy out on a road bike that probably did a double take as he was going pretty fast too! I got a good gap on Wayne and held on to sprint into second place. It was really fun, and painful, to have a cross country pace the last two hours, and for it to pay off! I’m probably crazy, but next NUE race is Breckenridge 100 in less than two weeks which should be interesting and very painful.”

One minute behind the defending champ,Wayne Tonning, rounded out Master’s by coming in third with a time of 8:31:05.

“The competition really heated up in the 50+ category this year. The race started fast and I had to go out quicker than I wanted in order to keep up with all of the Masters. Greg Golet was off the front immediately and he rides at a different level than the rest of us. I worked very hard and was clear of the other Master competitors by mile 25. Would I pay the price? Yes probably did.

Jeff Clayton, the NUE series leader, caught me on a climb around mile 80 and I had nothing. Fortunately, there was a technical single track descent over the next ten miles, on my home court, and I was able to gap Jeff by being more aggressive than I really wanted to. I was now again very motivated and worked the entire lower rolling single track section very hard to try and stay out of sight from Jeff. I hit the road with only five miles to go and Jeff nowhere to be seen. Just maybe I could hold him off. But, at this point, I really had nothing and Jeff flew by me with only a half mile to go. Jeff was the stronger man and deserved second place.

Eight 50+ guys finished in under nine hours, Greg was 8^th overall, and four of us were within ten minutes second thru fifth. Fourth place was only three minutes behind me. The old guys keep getting faster. I am going to have to pick up my game for next year.

A great race, well organized, phenomenal single track (although the dry conditions had made it very soft in places), and Bend OR rocks. Did I mention the Fresh Squeezed IPA at the finish?!”

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RESULTS

WHATS NEXT: The NUE Epic Race Series heads to Colorado and high elevation starting at 9000’ for the Breck 100 on July 29. On the same day, The Wilderness 101will test racers in State College, PA, home of the Nittany Lions.

Tatanka 100 Mile Race Report

Posted on July 30, 2017 by Shannon Boffeli

Johnson and Pond Win in South Dakota

Sturgis, SD

Written by: Ryan O’Dell, Shana Biese

On July 8, The NUE Race Series headed to Sturgis, South Dakota, home of the world’s largest motorcycle rally, and now increasingly becoming known as a mountain bike destination.

Tatanka, the Lakota word for Buffalo, is the only point to point race in the NUE Series. At 6am, racers began gathering beneath the shadow of USA National Landmark Mount Rushmore.

Beneath the magnificence of mammoth rock sculptures representing four of our nation’s greatest presidents, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln, NUE Marathon racer’s rolled out at High Noon, down a short section of pavement connecting them to the Centennial Trail along an 50k course that includes gnarly single track and fast, smooth cruising trail winding all the way to Sturgis. The town of Sturgis is nestled at the base of the northern Black Hills in extreme western South Dakota.

Gabby the Goat keeps watch over the riders at Tatanka. Photo by: Jonathan Karol

For a second straight year, temperatures reached an unseasonable high of 97 degrees, tempered by low humidity and, at times and in places, cool breezes throughout the day. Tatanka also included an 85 mile race that is stop #5 in the NUE Epic Race Series and a fifteen mile Sprint distance for first timers that included many kids. Racers must complete at least four NUE races to qualify for series awards that includes cash, prizes and a mid-season travel award, complimentary entry into the Volcano 100 in Costa Rica on September 2.

Quarq offered race fans live online tracking again this year and Strider Bikes, located in nearby Rapid City, set up a skills park, offering kids as young as 2-3 years old an opportunity to test their bike skills. In addition to food and beverage stands, racers were treated to local craft brews courtesy of Crow Peak Brewing and The Knuckle Brewpub of Sturgis.

Photo by: Jonathan Karol

Women’s Open

Pond moves up for the WIN at Tatanka

Sonia Pond, Freewheel Bike, was first at 11:15:36 in her first NUE race this season following her sixth place finish at Tatanka last year.

“This was my second year back for the Tatanka Epic. Between the picturesque start line at Mt. Rushmore, the outstanding volunteers at each aide station, and the unreal scenery of the Black Hills, I seemed to have forgotten the physical and mental pain that comes with this race.

I hung with the peloton during the road section, staying close to my brother Joe and boyfriend Chris before we dove into the singletrack. I scanned the lead pack multiple times searching for another woman. When I didn’t see one, I knew I had to play this adventure on the safe side so I could reach my goal of a finish.

The rock fields of Samelius left me far behind my friends and family, but my smile returned once we returned to the miles of flowy singletrack and lush creek beds. I stayed on top of my nutrition and hydration, and wouldn’t let myself get frustrated as I pushed my bike up what seemed like miles of hike-a-bike. As long as I was moving, I was racing. My wonderful SAG and the caring volunteers at each station kept me pushing through the pain. I was thrilled to cross the finish line under twelve hours and to find out I was the first place female…that feeling is unreal.

I am looking forward to trying the Lumberjack and Marji Gesick in the upcoming seasons. Thank you NUE for creating a series where mountain bikers can test their limits in true endurance trail riding!”

Heather Heynen, was second with a time of 12:07:52.

“My race went better than I expected. This race, with its length and its technical aspects, was unprecedented for me. I’ve never done anything like it. I did do the 110 mile Gold Rush Gravel Grinder Race last month which helped me figure out a little bit on how to fuel for long endurance races and I’ve done a handful of 50 mile mountain bike races. But obviously this race was much more time in the saddle, your whole body is beat up so much more, and it was so hot!

I knew the very technical and hike-a-bike section (Samelius about mile 9, I think) would at least be taken care of in the beginning of the race but that section is so tough even with really fresh legs. Hiking up Talus with my mountain bike over my shoulder was an interesting challenge.

I felt strong until about mile 36 (the third aid station) where my legs started to feel somewhat fatigued. I focused a lot on drinking enough water and fueling often. By the last aid station at Elk Creek, my legs were feeling very heavy. I was walking short steep sections but was still able to ride the longer, more gradual inclines. At this point, I found myself going slower than usual on the technical downhills as my core and upper body were fatiguing. I didn’t want to make any major mistakes!

I had no idea that there was still a big climb out of Alkali Creek (about 7 miles left to the finish). If I had known, I’m not sure what would have happened! Climbing those dusty switchbacks in the sun was tough and the idea of making me throw up so my stomach would feel better entered my mind often at this point. This was the section I was also praying a lot and maybe saw dancing jackalopes on the side of the trail. A couple of riders, Josh B. and Perry J., rode by me and sent some positive vibes and high fives to keep grinding it out. So I did. And somehow finished with a time I was very happy with!”

Dylan Johnson focuses on his win. Photo by: Jonathan Karol

Men’s Open

Johnson leads NUE Series with win at Tatanka!

NUE defending Champion, Dylan Johnson, Cameron MTB Racing, chalked up another victory in his bid to repeat as the undisputed NUE Series Champion. Johnson has raced every NUE Epic Series race this season and continues to lead the series with the win at Tatanka in 7:46:43.

Thirty-two minutes behind the NUE defending champion, Jonathon Modig, The Adrenalin Project, took second place with a time of, 8:18:06. This was his first NUE race this season.

Just two minutes later, Johnsons teammate, Michael Smart, Cameron Racing, took third place with a finish time of 8:20:41.

Singlespeed

Shaklee dominates the SS placing second place overall!

Ben Shaklee, Jacks Bicycle Center Homegrown Racing, won the Singlespeed division at 8:06:07, second overall and more than one hour ahead of his nearest competitor!

“I had a great time at NUE Tatanka Epic! I spotted Trevor Rockwell as the likely competition, looking to defend his 2016 win. Trevor and I were among the top 8-10 going into the first singletrack sections a couple miles in. I felt the pace was rather relaxed and could see Dylan out front in the lead. I gradually got around the other riders in the chase group and worked my way up to Dylan. John Modig was not too far behind me.

Dylan, John, and I pretty much rode with or in sight of one another through the first two aid stations; sans a couple minor off-course detours (it was hard to see trail markings with the morning sun in our eyes!). John pitted for a bit longer at aid two while Dylan and I rolled out together. I gradually lost contact with Dylan through the climbs between aids 2 and 3. I would see him in the high meadow switchbacks but lose time on the rocky climbs.

34×19 gearing would have been fine for the elevation profile were it not so loose and rocky on the climbs. By mid-race, I was starting to feel the heat and the 5000′ elevation, and worked to maintain a comfortable tempo to the finish at 8:06, good for 1st SS and 2nd O/A, about twenty minutes behind Dylan. I had to pit a bit longer at aids than anticipated, both due to mechanical (loosening crank) and the heat (especially at aid 5).

As punishing as the loose climbs were on SS, I loved the rocky, rowdy descents. Later on, I spoke with Trevor, who said the heat got the best of him and he was lucky to finish. It was definitely a tough day on the bike! Next up for me is HC 100 in Bend, OR on July 15!”

Tyler Huber, Larson’ Cyclery, BCBC, took second with a time of 9:07:06. This was the first NUE race of the season for Huber.

2016 Tatanka SS winner, Trevor Rockwell, Central Plains Cycling/Two Wheeler Dealer Sioux Falls, finished third at 9:24:05. This was Rockwell’s first NUE race of the season.

Masters 50+

Hertsens commands the Masters for the W

Sten Hertsens, CarboRocket, took first place with a time of 9:59:49, nearly an hour ahead of his nearest competitor! Including his third place finish at True Grit and second place finish at Mohican, Hertsens victory moves him up to second overall in the NUE Series Masters Standings wedged between two formidable racers including defending NUE Masters Champion, Jeff Clayton, and Roger Masse, two-time NUE Masters Champion.

“What a place to start from; Mt. Rushmore! It was a beautifully peaceful morning that was going to turn into a day of battling crashes, routing and HEAT.

Shortly after the start, I had a slow moving spill of the trail, ending with my bike on top of me and a sore wrist. Thanks to the racer who pulled the bike off of me, allowing me to climb back to the trail. I was able to deal with the wrist issue and continue on but had a couple of routing issues. Luckily, there was a racer with GPS helping me both times.

At about the 40th mile, I went down on a corner that had some loose dirt on the outside corner. It hurt! While lying on the ground trying to get my foot unclipped, I was thinking my race was over. My wrist felt bad. I also hurt my ribs but, both issues weren’t bad enough to keep me from continuing. I stopped at aid station 4 and regrouped a little.

Then, off I went, only to miss a turn shortly after leaving. I was looking up the road on a left had curve and missed the trail on the right. I continued up the hill and, coming upon some Logging equipment, I went passed the equipment and then realized I was off course. I turned around and found the turn I missed.

Throughout the day, I was trying to hydrate (CarboRocket) and fuel (HoneyStinger) myself often. The HEAT was getting intense and hydration was needed. Coming upon the fast flowing section that was just before the Highway was a relief.

I was thinking I was almost there, and then, I was sent into more single track and climbs. My mind wasn’t ready for this, nor my body. This was a tough period in the race and the heat was beating down. I got through that and was relieved to see the bike path. I didn’t go through the tunnel and turn left, I turned right thinking I was correct. WRONG, I was heading in the wrong direction. I went for a good distance before getting back on track.

When I finally reached the finish, I was done. It was a great course that was a real challenge. This race was one that had me digging deep to finish. If you’re thinking of challenging yourself with a course that has great features throughout, try the Tatanka Epic. It will CHALLENGE! Thanks to everyone who made it happen. Good Job! Next stop, Pierre’s Hole. See you there.”

Alan Miner, Banks Bikes, was next, taking second at 10:45:19. “This is my third year doing Tatanka100 Point to Point so I had some idea on what the course offers in the way of terrain, heat, trails support, elements etc.

I decided this year to start off a little faster than in past years, letting the knowledge take over and hoping to find a comfort level that I could sustain. I knew that there would be faster riders who started out slower wanting to pass as the race progressed so that was ok but I was surprised to also found riders to pass as well as, I am sure, they took off to hard and succumbed to the heat and terrain of The Centennial Trail #89.

I think I held a firm pace for me most of the race and played the old safe card of mountain bike endurance racing “Ride the Easy Parts Hard and the Hard Parts Easy”. It was nice to cross under the highway knowing the end was near but there were some course changes that spiced things up a bit. I was very happy to see the finish and to have a solid safe race.
A special thank you to all the aid station staff (children to mature adults and everyone in between), they were phenomenal, and they really went above and beyond what is expected. Pretty cool to see a group of what I assume was Boy Scouts offering encouragement and “High 5s” in a remote part of the course!

Next up for me, I think, will be Crotched Mountain in New Hampshire and then go west to Big Bear Grizzly in California

John Bulmane, took third with a time of 13:47:20.

WHATS NEXT: Two great races, two outstanding venues! July 15

NUE Marathon Race Series: Carrabassett 100 at beautiful Sugar Loaf Ski Area located in northern Maine.

NUE Epic 100 Mile Race Series: Heads to Bend, Oregon, home of scenic Mount Bachelor and the High Cascades 100!

Click Here for Full Results

Tatanka 50 Race Report

Posted on July 30, 2017 by Shannon Boffeli

NUE Marathon Race Series #5

Sturgis, SD

Written by: Shana Biese, Ryan O’Dell

On July 8, The NUE Race Series headed to Sturgis, South Dakota, home of the world’s largest motorcycle rally, and now increasingly becoming known as a mountain bike destination.

Tatanka, the Lakota word for Buffalo, is the only point to point race in the NUE Series. At 6am, racers began gathering beneath the shadow of USA National Landmark Mount Rushmore.

Gabby the Goat keeps watch over the riders at Tatanka. Photo by: Jonathan Karol

Photo by: Jonathan Karol

Women’s Open

Toops crushes it to earn her first NUE race win!

OMBC Ohio Race Series Champion, Jen Toops, Paradise Garage Racing, claimed her first NUE win at Tatanka with a time of 3:56:58. With this win, Toops now leads the NUE Marathon Race Series at the mid-way point of the season and may compete at the Volcano 100.

“Going into Tatanka I didn’t know what to expect. The terrain was new and it was hot, real hot. The marathon race didn’t start until noon in hottest part of the day, around mid 90’s. The pace finally picked up on the gravel road. I stayed on the tail end of the lead group. No other girls followed and I tried to create a gap early. Going into the singletrack I had a nice lead.

Then, I followed a guy on the wrong trail. We quickly realized our error and turned back but I didn’t know how many girls had passed me. I thought I saw two. I quickly caught one and slowly pulled away on the fire road climb. I kept asking guys around me if there were any other girls’ ahead and got mixed answers.

I kept pushing the pace but never saw another female. I ran out of water about three miles before the aid station, pushing heat exhaustion, when aid station# 5 came to the rescue. They iced you down and even put some down the jersey for the climb ahead. A guy at the station assured me I was in the lead so I felt a little better about my position. The next half of the race was full of tough loose punchy climbs followed by some amazing downhills. I went over the bars into a patch of poison ivy on one downhill but luckily my bike and I were not injured.

Towards the end of the race, I had to stop and tighten my cleat as it almost fell off. I was excited going under highway 90 tunnel because this was the section I had pre-road and knew what was ahead. I kept pushing and, when I hit the bike path, there was no one around as I rode to the finish. The heat mixed with the terrain made for one of the hardest 35 mile races I’ve had in a while.”

Thirty-four minutes later, Heidi Gurov, 9Seventy racing, came in second with a time of 4:30:35.

Photo by: Jonathan Karol

“I raced this event last year and it was a breakthrough race for me where I realized I could actually race over the course of four hours after coming from a traditional XCO and Cyclocross racing background. So I was excited to come back this year and push myself again and hopefully have it work out for a podium result!

Jen Toops and I went back and forth a bit in the first few miles as she had an error and went off course, but eventually she powered away from me. I knew I was coming in undertrained and couldn’t match her power and speed, so I focused on riding steady and smart to maintain my position, especially with the 90 degree temperatures which I’m not very accustomed to.

The course change that gave us a long, extended fire road climb after our first aid station let me settle in after the harder effort of the first five miles and find my legs. I wasn’t seeing any other women behind me, so I continued to just focus on the trail in front of me and keeping the rubber side down. Being familiar with the course helped, and the race really flew by to the last aid station, where volunteers were fast and efficient and I was back on my way.

I had a small mistake coming into the I-90 crossing where I turned off on a side trail because it was marked with tape, but quickly realized it wasn’t the correct way to pass under the interstate and turned around. The last part of the course, which was different than last year’s course and continued on the Centennial Trail, really challenged me mentally, as I was not prepared for the climbing and powdery, sandy conditions all topped off with hot sun.

I rode the struggle bus to the bike path, where I perked up a lot and was so happy to cross in second place! It was my first “legit” marathon distance podium, and I am still so excited! I love the course, and thankfully the heat did not affect me too much and my nutrition/hydration plan worked well. I even managed to beat my 2016 time on what I think is a harder course due to the addition of the Centennial Trail sections after the I-90 crossing. I look forward to possibly racing more NUE races in 2018, and of course returning to Tatanka for a third go.”

Fourteen minutes later, Amelia Meyer, took third with a time of 4:44:09.

“The race was literally off to a rocky start when I found myself pushing my bike over small boulders on the way to Dalton Lake and the first aid station of the Tatanka Marathon. The friendly conversation with Jani Schumm helped distract me from the senseless heat. After the aid station, the Centennial Trail reroute put us on a gravel road climb. Pedal. Pedal. Pedal.

I couldn’t help but feel grateful for the 50 teeth on my Eagle cassette as I steadily climbed into the trees and shade! I gasped for breath when a frigid wet bandana was placed on my neck at the aid station at Elk Creek. God bless the volunteers! As quickly as I stopped for water and a banana, I found myself climbing once more. Keeping up with water and food seemed to be key for me. Just when I thought it was all downhill, I discovered a new challenge, sand! I found myself literally laughing out-loud as I maneuvered through the parabolic sand. The race isn’t over until it’s over! This was my first NUE event. I can’t wait for more to come!”

Photo by: Jonathan Karol

Men’s Open

Two Wheeler Dealer, Stone takes the WIN!

Zach Stone, Two Wheeler Dealer, won Men’s Open with a time of 3:19:20. This was his first race for the 2017 season.

Thirteen minutes later, James Loverich, finished second place with a time of 3:32:03. “The race course was awesome as it always is. A few folks had bad luck with mechanicals so I magically ended up in second. Kudos to the organizers for all the hard work that went into this event.”

Eleven minutes later, Bryce Thorman, took third at 3:43:01.

Singlespeed

Winters Brews up a WIN

Tim Winters, Southern Brewing Company, braved the course as the only single speeder in the race. He shredded in at 3:46:16.

“My trip to the Tatanka was intended to be a mini-vacation of sorts. I traveled up with seven other folks – most of who were also racing – and spent a couple of days taking in the scenery and adjusting to the surroundings.

The day turned out to be sunny and warm, but not extremely hot. Living in the “Deep South” means lots of hot days plus humidity as a bonus, so the weather never became much of a concern for me. I have to admit that starting a race at Noon felt downright weird, almost awkward, since I was ready to go and sat around anxiously watching the clock for several hours.

The Marathon started out on several miles of flat pavement and dirt roads and with my 34×22 gearing I knew I would never hold on – I watched the lead group and numerous others steadily pull away from me. I kept reminding myself that it wouldn’t be that way forever and that the trail started upward before long. As it narrowed down, I found myself back in a small group of racers and, somewhere below the Dalton aid station; I caught up to two of my Rescue Racing pals from home.

Being ‘amongst friends’ definitely encouraged me to stay on the gas and also served as a great distraction when things got uncomfortable throughout the day. I ended up trading places with both of them for the remainder of the race. Riding an unfamiliar trail brings challenges sometimes as well, but the Centennial proved to be an extremely satisfying experience – technical in spots, but not so much that the riding was unpleasant so I really enjoyed myself on the course. I was a little concerned about staying hydrated, and did end up racing the last thirty minutes with nothing to drink, but I have to give a huge THANK YOU to the folks manning the Elk Creek aid station – they took great care of me as I came through and having ice cold water available was a nice surprise.

See you at the Volcano in Costa Rica this September!”

Masters 50+

Schoenberner for the win!

Todd Schoenberner, making his NUE Series debut, Snagged a narrow first place with a time of 3:54:35.

Six minutes later, Robert Hermann, Ridge Riders, rolled in second at 4:01:29. Twelve Minutes later, Timother Metz, Central Plains Cycling, was third with a time of 4:13:21.

WHATS NEXT: Two great races, two outstanding venues! July 15

NUE Marathon Race Series: Carrabassett 100 at beautiful Sugar Loaf Ski Area located in northern Maine.

NUE Epic 100 Mile Race Series: Heads to Bend, Oregon, home of scenic Mount Bachelor and the High Cascades 100!

Click Here for Full Results