Yes the was Mudman this year. My bike did her job well this year…no issues. A non bike ride ask me what made my bike so much better than others and why did I not have issues with my chain? I said it was just luck why I didn’t have issues. It was not my time to have issues on this race. There will be another race that I will have a flat or a broken chain or another mechanical.
Iceman this year was a mess. Wet, muddy, and just pure old cold – just a mess to be out in it. When it was done (which seems like it took ever!) I wanted to be done and get out of my wet clothes – no pictures, no waiting on anyone, no beer, nothing I wanted just warmth and dryness now!!!
Before the race I had to mentally talk myself into racing. My husband had already said he didnot want to ride and half way thru race stopped to help someone and bailed out of race.
However, within 2 or 3 miles into the race I warmed up and thought the mud was fun. I was just worred my chain was not going to make it. I had 1.9″ wide tires on and thought they were not going to be good in the mud. But I don’t think any tire width was good. There were fat tires wiping all around me. The conditions were slippery for everyone. I was use to riding on those tires and felt good-I just set back and went hard.
Once I reached the logging road it was a deep mud pit (I started in wave 19). I crashed at the top of road – got wet and got passed by about 7 guys which made me see how slow I was going! I guess they were glad I moved out of their way.
The roads seemed so slow with the mud and wet sand. We road the trail Oct 17 and it was so much faster. During race I never got into my big gear not due to chain but tired, heavy legs. My legs could not handle the load they were burning on fire with pain from the load. I could not put the big gear felt like I was going so slow. When I saw that I still had 10 kilos to go and reach my time from last year – I was sick. Really had to get my head around! I had eaten everything I had on me and everthing they handed me at the aid stations (that included all the sand and mud from my gloves) I didn’ t have any energy.
Time:3:28 (somewhere around there)
6th place in my age group out of 28
Jana Turpin
