With the arrival of the first big dumping of the white stuff, I decided to take my (white) Salsa Beargrease out for a spin behind the house and tour Griever’s Nature Preserve. The trail is about 2.5 miles and rolling out of our unplowed driveway and taking the “back entrance” onto the trail, I discovered virgin snow, as nobody had been back there yet! I got my bike a little over a year from the Trek Bicycle Store in Battle Creek (at the time, Team Active) and was gone most of the winter months, so I didn’t get a chance to ride it in the snow. Today, that all changed!
Enjoy this snippet of my ride in the woods and don’t judge (too harshly) on some of the washouts and “not-so-graceful” dismounts. It was quite a bit more challenging (and slippery) than I expected, but it was a fun ride and looking forward to heading back out there again!
Big thanks to the shop for hooking me up with some sweet 45 North Cobrafist Pogies last year (and was excited to put them to the test this afternoon). Despite the fact that it was 23 degrees outside and snowing, all I wore on my hands were my regular summer-weight, full-finger mountain bike gloves. That’s it! When I got done, my hands were toasty warm. Now I only hope Santa brings me a pair if winter cycling boots to keep my toes just as warm.
With the snow on its way and the season of giving upon us, we thought we’d share something pretty cool from one of our key sponsors, the Trek Store of Battle Creek. We caught their elves donating 20 shiny new bikes Gull Lake High School’s vocational studies program.
As traditions go here in Michigan, the first Saturday in November is blocked out on many of the area’s mountain biker’s calendars for the annual trek to Traverse City and the point-to-point Iceman Cometh Challenge. Started in 1990, the very first Iceman had only 35 riders and their $5 entry fee took them from Kalkaska to Traverse City (one of the first “point-to-point” races around, just to see if it could be done). Now, with close to 6,000 racers participating every year, it’s turned into one of the nation’s largest single-day mountain bike events.
This year WSI Cycling had several riders in the mix and we’re proud to share some of their experiences below. Enjoy their stories, and great job team!
Dan Frayer
A 2016 Ice Man story in three parts.
The Pre-Ride.
Preparation for the Ice Man starts on the Sunday morning after the previous year’s race. I wake up with quads burning from Anita’s last stand followed all too quickly by wood chip hill. My throat is wrecked from heckling the pro racers and my head throbs from three too many of the main sponsor’s artisan craft brewed beer. (Thanks Bells Brewery)
My training gets more specific with the intensity and intervals in September. In October I spend every waking second not with family or at work, dedicating energy, thoughts and training to 30ish dirt trail miles between Kalkaska and Traverse City.
The Holy Trail.
King Vasa.
Hours of sacrifice for minutes off the clock.
One week before the race I lube my chain daily, check every bolt, talk to all my friends about air pressure and lose sleep every night thinking about tire choice and things not to forget in my gear bag. Shorts, socks, shoes, shades……….
Rage Day.
The Stars were aligned for 2016 with near perfect trail conditions making the course the fastest it has been in years. Herded into the starting gate in wave four, I knew holding wheels and taking risks was a prerequisite for a top 10 finish.
From the start line in Kalkaska to the first cold beer touching my lips in Traverse City was a 28 mile fat tire frenzy of 25+ mph pace lines and lung wrecking inclines. Holding on to the wheels in front of me was the game plan, trusting a stranger to pick the right line and making a pass when the trail allowed.
The strategy is the same every year. Ride smart until Williamsburg Road (over half way) and cash in all the chips before you cross the line. I played my cards just right, keeping the concentration on point and friendly rivals in sight.
I finished the journey just under one hour and fifty minutes, a full 13 minutes faster than 2015. I placed 15/101 in the 39 and under Fat Bikers and 700ish overall.
The Hangover.
The long drive at dawn down 131 is a somber one. Thinking about the after party at Timber Ridge Cabin #77 (Thanks Darrel) with Bells Porter pounding between my ears. Remembering which pro racer made the decisive move for the win and asking my wife to check and re-check the results and strava segments. How did the split to dockery road compare to 2014? What was your training partner’s time at Williamsburg Road? Should I have made a move sooner?
This race was fast and flowing from beginning to end. I finished 18th out of 96 in the 39 age group with a time was 1:48:29 for the 26.6 mile race.
I did not get a good starting spot at the line. I positioned myself at the front of my wave where the woman was holding the “wave 4” sign. Suddenly, she swaps her sign for a “wave 5” sign and just like that, I was the last in a wave of 100 racers. So I spent much of the first few miles passing riders in my wave.
The new start had us in an open field that led almost immediately into the fire roads leaving very little time to position myself in any ideal way giving me little time to get into an ideal position at the front. As a result, it was pretty slow going for the first few miles. My plan was to work with WSI Cycling teammate Dan Frayer at least to Williamsburg Road. He was about 10 riders ahead of me for a while. I finally reeled him in and we rode strong for a time. He fell back a couple of times and then return. By Williamsburg road, he fell back and I had lost him for the remainder of the race. My rabbit for the remainder of the race was Joe Boynton, who was sporting a Captain America kit. He was in my sites for all but the last 4 remaining miles.
I have never felt stronger at Iceman. I know the course and weather played a big role in my fast time, but my preparations were better than they have been before thanks in big part to Frayer who got me up for weekly 5am crossfit and 4:30 road rides. I also lost 20 pounds in September thanks to an unorthodox bet with Dan and other friends. As a result, I did not take as much time to recover from hard effort. The open sprints were fast and the hills did not seem as steep or long. I could not have done as well as I did without my friend Dan Frayer.
I also want to give a big thanks to WSI Digital for allowing me to race for the team! Being a part of the team inspired me to train and race more that I have in a very long time. After some serious holiday R&R, I look forward to restarting the training engine for the 2017 season. Barry-Roubaix, here I come!
Kellie Sparks-Kramer
Just wanted to send a quick race report for the 2016 Iceman Cometh Challenge. This year featured some incredible weather and was not a very “icy” Iceman, compared to previous years. The course was so fast, I found myself breaking on the down hills most of the time! I finished the race in 1:58:47, which was fast enough to put me in fourth place for my age group! It was great to see so many cyclists out for the day enjoying the sport we love and I’m already looking forward to the 2017 season!
Stacy Rainey
This year’s Iceman weather was amazing! Couldn’t ask for better conditions. The course was fast and I placed 44 out of 107 at a 2:01 flat. Very happy with my time knowing that I was only able to put in around thousand miles this year. As always, the atmosphere of the riders, spectators, and Iceman staff made for a memorable race. Thanks to all!
David Goff
What an incredible year for the Iceman this year. Perfect weather for racing, awesome trail conditions, very fast, and as always a great post race party. Everyone seemed to have a great time. I can’t wait until next year. 2017 race may fill up earlier next year. So if you’re interested in racing next year keep that in mind.
Keith Wilkinson
2016 was the 15th consecutive time I have raced at Iceman. This year 2016, was definitely one of the warmest. The trail conditions were very fast. I had my best time at 1:52:02. It is difficult to compare times from year to year because the course gets longer or shorter from year to year. The trail and weather conditions also play a factor is race times. I left the Single Speed home this year and raced with my geared bike instead. Iceman was fast, festive and a great time.
I have uploaded my cam video to YouTube that can be viewed below:
The athletes and their support crew; from left to right, Nikki, Charles, Kevin, Katie, Shayne, Jason.
If one would like to earn a badge of honor (or stupidity depending on your point of view) that consists of a red tattoo of an M with a circle on top, also known as the Iromman logo, one would need to swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles and top all of that off by running a full 26.2 miles all in one day. 16 hours, to be exact. It just so happens that there are real people out there that are crazy enough to do just that, and do it more than once!
Winner of best sign of the day!
Sunday, October 9, WSI members Kevin and Charles embarked on the Ironman journey in Louisville, Kentucky. This event had been in August in the past, moving to October to ease the midday heat for the athletes. For Charles, this would be his first time crossing the finish line after 140.6 miles. For Kevin, it was his last (so he says).
Charles passing through Granger on the bike course.
The morning was brisk. I (Nikki) opted for a coffee and a casual stroll to the swim exit while the racers lined up in a mile long line awaiting their turn to jump into the river one by one. Kevin made it out and hit the bike with Charles following shortly after. Although, when you are waiting for someone to come out of the water during a long swim it seems like an eternity, ask any spouse of an IM athlete.
Kevin, looking great on the run.
The Louisville course was great for spectators! With 4 kids in tow we were able to see athletes at the swim exit, coming out of the transition on bike, twice on the bike route when looping through the quaint little town of Granger, again at the transition to the run, and finally at least twice along the run route which looped into town, teased the athletes with a view of the finish line, then made them turn left for another 13.1.
For Kevin, this IM was a goal setter. His goal was to be under 12 hours after completing the 2014 Louisville IM in 12:38. He quickly remembered how hard the race was. The swim was fun “if you like kicking and clawing at 2,700 people in a dirty river for 2.4 miles.” (Yeah, no thanks!) At least with it being in October, it was wetsuit legal this time. He completed his swim in 1:10. He then made up time on the bike, averaging 19 mph. In fact, he flew by me so fast, the only picture I got of him was his back end. I am a professional spectator, mind you, and great at spotting riders from a distance, so he was really flying!
Being the smart rider that he is, he set his bike computer to monitor his cadence to make sure he spun easy through the rolling hills of Kentucky. Saving your legs for the run is extremely important. And of course, the run is where the pain starts. Kevin describes his marathon as the Frazz cartoon does. When Frazz is asked how he can run 26 miles at a time, he says he does not run 26 miles, he runs 1 mile 26 times. He completed his marathon in a respectable 4:35, a whopping 30 minutes faster than in 2014!!! Crossing the finish at 11:57:07, in Downtown Louisville, with the music blaring, the street lights vibrant and the crowd cheering, Kevin Bridges, became an Ironman yet again, and accomplished his goal of under 12 hours.
Kevin coming into the finish chute.
For Charles, the goal was to finish. The amount of time put into training for an Ironman is no joke. Yet, it is so hard to determine a goal time as you NEVER know what is going to happen on the course. The swim was as expected, and the bike full of lovely Kentucky rolling hills that will take your legs if you aren’t careful. The run started off smooth. Around mile 10 his achilles wanted to make sure he knew it was there. It got louder (read more painful) as the run went on. His run slowed to a fast walk, in which I was biting my nails watching the clock and split times via IM updates. The run course was an out and back, twice, so we were only able to see him at the 13 mile mark and the finish. Those last 13 miles, for me, and I am sure for him, felt like forever. Knowing how hard he worked and knowing he was struggling was horrible. I, however, also knew how stubborn he was and that he would be crossing that finish no matter what. As the kids crashed at the finish, we waited anxiously for that moment of glory. The moment you see him appear in the finish chute and hear the announcer say those words; “Charles Elder, YOU are an IRONMAN!”. His first words to me after finishing, and I quote, “That was the dumbest thing I have ever done.” Ask him now, and he will tell you he is already planning for when he can do the next one. Really?!?!
Charles’ moment of glory.
There are even more badass people in our area! Another Battle Creek-er, Jason, joined in the festivities and coincidentally, a Trikat (from Kalamazoo) crossed the finish right behind Charles (which we did not realize until someone pointed it out in the picture)!
Check out the Trikat right behind him!
Congratulations to ALL of the Louisville Ironman finishers! I am not sure how accurate the statistic is, but they say you are now a part of the elite 1% of the population.
On Oct. 15th I did my first Peak 2 Peak race. I was totally surprised by such a great little race (800 racers) this was. Race started at the beautiful Crystal Mountain ski resort and finish at the resort! Post race celebration was awesome. The coerce was mostly flowing single track with VERY challenging hills near the end! The Fall colors were absolutely beautiful. Definitely a race I will do again.
Danny and Dave’s Lowell 50
On Oct. 22nd I did the Lowell 50 Gravel Road Race. Once again this was a great race, with a fairly large crowd. Weather was a little cool, but perfect for racing. The roads were in great condition. As always the hills were non stop and very challenging. It was great to see several WSI team members. Can wait to do it again in the spring!
Hope to see many WSI members at ICEMAN !!!! ~Dave
I have never done the fall Lowell race before but since I missed the spring version I thought I would do this one. This is a fun race-less crazy than Barry and the fall colors were amazing. The roads were in great shape and fast. I raced the 50-54 age group for the first time and started in the back of the wave. Took a bit to get through the initial throng of people but was able to weave through and ride with a small group. With about 4 to go and left that group and finished 13th. Same time as last year (1.47) and had a great time. ~Danny
Danny’s United Way 10k in Marshall
10k – I woke up Sunday feeling good so entered the Halloween hustle 10k in Marshall. First time for this one and it was a beautiful day. I started with a small group of 4 and while it spread out we were all in sight of each other. I felt good and starting catching a few people and with about 2 to go ended up running with a cross country kid from Marshall. I would pull ahead and then he would. With about 200 yards to go, I pushed the pace a bit and figured I could beat him but then he unleashed a pretty fast sprint and I could not answer. Got second and close to my PR (41 minutes).
