Little Sugar 100K MTB recap - Bentonville!

On Wednesday, we made our first trip to Bentonville, Arkansas to participate in the Lifetime Series 100K MTB Little Sugar. Karel signed up for the event several months ago (when the event registration opened) and I received a free entry (thanks to my friends at Never Second). I had not ridden my mountain bike in several months so I was on the fence if I would participate in the event but after some panic riding after IM Chattanooga (4 rides in 7 days on the new flowy trail system by our house) I decided I would do the event. 

We have heard a lot of amazing things about Bentonville, Arkansas. For those who don't know about Bentonville, I'll fill you in as to why this town is named "The MTB capital of the World." 

• Bentonville is the home of Walmart (started by Sam Walton). The grandsons of Sam (Tom and Steuart) had become avid mountain bikers in college. As part of the Walton Family Fountain, the grandsons wanted a chunk of money to go to mountain bike trails. 
• From 2008-2018, the Walton foundation donated $74 million to trail building around the region. By the end of 2023, the town had over 70 miles of trails running throughout the city. You can now find over 400 miles of award-winning trail systems around Northwest Arkansas (NWA). 
• It's rare to see a bike locked up in Bentonville. Bikers have the right of way. Cars wait patiently for riders to cross the road. 
• There are pump tracks, jumps, cliff drops and wooden bridges all around downtown. Trails flow through neighborhoods, golf courses and off the Razorback Greenway (which is 40 miles long!).  Bentonville is Disneyland for cyclists. 
• There are countless bike shops and bike-themed coffee shops and restaurants. If you show up to the Airship Coffee Shop on a bike (there are several, one in the Coler Mountain Bike Preserve) you get 10% off your bill. 
• In 2022, the trail system in NWA generated over $159 million in economic impact from cycling-related jobs, tourism revenue and taxes. 
• Bentonville is also known for its vibrant art scene, largely in part due to the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, founded by Alice Walton. 
• The Bentonville Best Friends Animal Society (which operates the nations' largest sanctuary for homeless animals and provides adoption, spay/neuter and educational programs) is home to Third Space Coffee which is a fully vegan coffee shop and is located inside the Best Friends Animal Society. Of course, you can bike there. 

Wednesday

We had a quick and easy travel day from GSP to XNA and a connection through ATL (on Delta). We decided to use an Airbnb instead of renting a SUV. The downside of the Uber situation in Bentonville is that several of them do not like to put two bikes in an UBER XL (SUV) but thankfully we got lucky from the airport to our Airbnb and the driver was fine with taking our two bikes, two suitcases and us. We stayed off NW J street which was 1/2 mile from Coler bike park and 1 mile from downtown Bentonville. The Airbnb had 6 different units within the building and a bike room and bike wash station. However, next time we visit we will stay in downtown as we did a lot of back and forth walking to/from downtown and there is a Walmart located in downtown. Plus the downtown is awesome with so many stores, coffee shops and restaurants. 

We arrived to our Airbnb around 12pm and we had an early check in of 2:30pm. We walked downtown to eat lunch at Sunny's (appropriate). Karel got a curry chicken sandwich and I got an Acai bowl. We stopped at the Phat tire bike shop and Rapha store (yes, a Rapha store). I ordered groceries from Walmart on Monday to be delivered between 2-4pm on Wednesday and they arrived around 2pm. Karel built the bikes as we were waiting for our Airbnb check in. Around 4pm, we headed out on our bikes to Coler (which offers 16.4 miles of trails). The race starts in Coler but it's not part of the Little Sugar course. We had so much fun on the trails. We started on Esther's trail and did the loop twice and then went to Oscar's trail. This trail had a bit more rock features but I was able to get over almost everything. We rode for 90 minutes (until the sun set) and we got used to the different textures of loose rocks, dirts, rocks, some roots and did I say, lots and lots of rocks! 

For dinner I had Chipotle delivered (a tradition when we travel for a race) and we enjoyed dinner around 7:45pm. We had a great night of sleep and woke up without an alarm, excited for our first official day in Bentonville. 

Thursday

Around 9am, we set out to ride the first "half" of the 100K Little Sugar course. Before the ride, I confirmed with a friend of ours (Travis - who lives in Bentonville) if it was ok to ride on the highway on our way back after we reached the "top" part of the course. He said many people do it as there is a large shoulder. We anticipated a 4 hour ride and we finished up with 4 hours and 11 minutes, 38 miles and ~3600 feet elevation gain. We started off on the bike trail for 2.5 miles and then got on the road for another 2.5 miles (which was part of the bike course). We then made a sharp left turn up a paved trail and then on to the grass for our first steep climb of the day. The course was all single track with only pavement to cross the road. It was incredible to see the trail system and how it went through neighborhoods, forests, and golf courses. The ground was very rocky (loose and jagged gravel) which took some getting used to as there were so many tight turns and switchbacks, up and down, which made it challenging to find the right body position to keep the wheels from sliding. The rule with the tight turns is no front brake as the front wheel needs to turn (while the rear wheel can slide). It was really good for me to see the course as my skills were a bit rusty but they came back quickly. There was a lot of climbing so I made sure not to go too hard on the climbs so I wouldn't exhaust myself. Karel and I decided before the ride that he would ride at his own pace and wait for me at the intersections (when we crossed a road) and if there was a section that I was capable of riding over but I may struggle without Karel showing me which line to take. For this section of the course, I was able to ride over almost everything, even in the double black diamond "Technical Difficulty" trail. There were two sections that I got off my bike as I don't have the skills to do tight turns which have an obstacle right after - but that's part of MTBing. There's no shame in getting off the bike. I had a lot of fun and the weather was perfect in the upper 70's and sunny. We wore our USWE hydration packs and had a bottle on the frame. When we got to the top of the course, we refilled our frame bottles with water from the golf course bathroom and I got a Dr. Pepper to sip on for the ride home. 

In the late afternoon, around 4:50pm, Karel and I went for a ~30 min run in Coler bike park. Afterwards, we walked 1 mile to downtown Bentonville and had dinner at Oven and Tap. The crust/pizza was delicious! We met up with a friend who used to live in Jacksonville and now he and his family live in Bentonville and he is a trail builder! After dinner we went to the Walmart museum. 

Friday

I was looking forward to another day of riding. I didn't find Thursday's ride too challenging but little did I know that Friday would be a challenging ride! Our Greenville friends - Andrew and Ava - joined us for the ride. Ava was doing the 50K and Andrew was doing the 100K but both did the back half of the course with us. It was another 4+ hour day in the saddle and it was very challenging. We rode 40 miles (with the first 7 on the road to get to the top part of the course, where the only aid station would be located) in 4 hours and covered ~3000 feet elevation. But this part of the course was much more demanding with more technical features and the double black diamond section called the "Ledges" - which makes Technical Difficulty feel not to difficult. I had two hard falls on the Ledges but I was able to also get over some challenging features before then. But after my falls, my confidence dropped and I found myself doubting myself a lot and having to get off the bike more than I had hoped. This part of the course required a lot more energy and I was also trying to not go too hard but there were some sections that required a hard effort just to get through/over. It was fun riding with Andrew and Ava and having their company made the time pass by. After we finished the Ledges, we spotted Alexey and his dog Sir Willie so we had to say hi. Nearing the end, we biked up to "The Castle" (video for context) and had fun sending it down the trail. The ride felt like it would never end as the trails are literally endless! There was even a pump track with jumps on the sidewalk! We couldn't believe all of the trails. We finally made it back to downtown Bentonville and headed back to our Airbnb. The course was well marked (we also had the route on our computers) with pink arrows for the 100K and signs for the road crossings. In the evening, we took an Uber to Travis's house for a catered taco meal with a handful of Jacksonville people (several that we knew) as Travis used to live in Jacksonville (which is where we used to live before moving to Greenville). We left around 8:30pm. 

Travis's senior dogs <3

Saturday 

Although our focus was on the Little Sugar, we were so excited to watch the Ironman World Championship (female race) and follow our 6 athletes participating in the event. We had a 5 hour time difference from Kona but thanks to our VPN, we could watch the race later on on YouTube. We started the morning with an easy run to the Crystal Bridges museum to check out the Best Friends Super Adoption Event. We saw so many dogs, puppies, kittens and cats and got several freebies for our furry crew. 

We ran ~5.6 miles. As got close to our Airbnb, Karel got a sandwich from Archey's Sandwichery and I went to the Harps Food Store (grocery) for a few items and walked a mile back to our place. We spent the rest of the day watching the IM World Championship (what a race!), with a quick break around 2pm to bike down the road to pick up our packet at the Coler park. 

The expo had a lot of vendors so it was fun for Karel to check out different booths. Everyone was really nice at the event. I was really excited for the event (only small nerves but more excited than nervous) and went to bed around 9pm. 

Sunday - Race Day! 

Race course

We woke up around 5:45 and had our pre-race meal (bagel and PB/jam w/ yogurt for me and oatmeal for Karel). We did some foam rolling and mobility and left for the race around 7:15am. We arrived just before 7:30am and watched Ava and the 50K set off. The elite men went off at 8am, elite female at 8:10 and then the age groupers at 8:20am. Karel and I did ~20 min of warming up before we lined up near the front of the corral (a few rows back). It was a little chilly in the morning (in the 50's) but it was going to be a warm day in the upper 70s. 

Nutrition: 

Marni -   consumed 4 bottles worth of INFINIT High Fructose 90g (360g carbs). I used my USWE  1.5L pack. 1 bottle of 90g INFINIT Fructose, 1 bottle 90g Never Second. 2 Never Second Gels (orange and fruit punch), a few swigs KetoneAid, 1 packet Gu Chews. Refilled one bottle with water. 

Total: ~675g carbs, 182 ounce fluid (~28 ounce fluid and 101g carbs per hour). 

Karel -  3 bottles (in 2L pack) with 4.5 scoops INFINIT Fructose. 1 bottle of 1.5 scoops INFINIT. Another bottle with 1 scoop INFINIT. 2 Never Second Gels (with caffeine). 1 package Skratch chews. 1 gel (100 calories). Pickle juice (from random places on the course where locals were cheering). A few sips Ketone Aid. A few sips Gatorade. 

Total ~500g carbs, ~150 once fluid. 

The race started pretty quickly and I found myself in a big pack near the back of the front pack. Once we hit the grassy climb, I was around a few other ladies which made me feel comfortable. I was a bit worried about being around so many other riders but I stayed calm and focused on myself as well as what was happening right in front of me. Thankfully, the first section of single track was a concrete-like single track so it wasn't too sketchy being so close to so many other riders in a single file line. I never found myself alone in the first few hours as I was always around other riders. I was able to stay in front of a few ladies as they were good technically but I was able to keep inching myself away on the uphills. I felt like I rode really well and the miles were clicking by. I passed a lot of guys on the climbs but they would often pass me on the downhills. The course is laid out really well in that there climbs are not too long (but they are steep) and the downhills can be flown at times (but often included a lot of tight switchbacks). I was so happy to have gotten through the Technical Difficulty section that I sectioned with Karel but I did have to get off my bike in the next section with the tight turn and roots right after. When I stopped, a group of guys and two ladies passed me. It took me a while to catch back up. 

I made a stop at the aid station and grabbed my bag with a few more bottles to refill my flask. I really had to pee but I held it as I didn't want to waste any more time. I saw my friend Sean from Jacksonville at the aid station and got word from Karel (via text) that he got a bad flat tire (hole in his tire) and had to nurse the tire with CO2 and his e-inflator until he could get it changed at the aid station. I texted Karel that I was feeling really strong. 

Next came the hard section of the course and although I was feeling good, I could tell I was getting a little tired. I needed to stay really focused and I opted to not try some of the technical segments as I didn't want to waste energy that I could use on the climbs. There was one girl (Nina) who rode the Ledges really well and she passed me right away. I was a bit nervous for the Ledges but at that point, several guys around me where walking over the technical parts which made me feel good that I wasn't the only one walking over them. I was proud of myself for getting over a fallen tree because I didn't do it on Friday because I was scared. 

Around 5 hours in, I started to feel my energy dipping but I got a boost when I could see Nina in the distance. I just couldn't catch her. I continued to pass guys uphill (everyone was very nice, I would ask to pass when they had a chance and they would move over and I would pass. I would do the same when guys wanted to pass me). I ended up riding around similar people for the last few hours of the ride until I turned on my turbo gear and gave everything I could in the final climb to the Castle. I saw Nina at the top of the Castle and I was willing to give everything to try to catch her. I had no idea of my place but just knowing that there was someone ahead of me kept me focused. Around 10 minutes before the finish, I passed Nina (who has exceptional bike handling skills) and also passed another female. 

I was so happy when I crossed the finish line. Even though I didn't know how I finished (place wise), I had a lot of fun, didn't crash, rode really well and raced the 60 mile event. I felt bad for Karel that he had a flat tire but he did have a lot of fun out on the course without any major health issues (ex. cramping or back issues). I was so thankful that I didn't have any mechanical issues as there were so many people with flat tires throughout the course. I don't think a few miles went by for 60 miles without seeing someone on the side of the trail with a flat tire. I had 2 CO2 and my e-inflator in case of a flat, as well as a handful of dynaplugs, multitool and spare tube. 

RESULTS (~6000 feet, 60 miles)

Karel - 5:59 (10.19 mph). 23rd 40-49AG, 64th amateur 

Marni - 6:41 (9.12 mph), 1st (40-49AG), 2nd amateur female, 114th amateur 

We finished the event close to 3:30pm so by 4:30pm we were ready for a meal. We went to The Pedaler's Pub with our Greenville friends and the meal was delicious (I got a black bean burger and fries). We then walked across the street to The Hub for the awards ceremony. I received a slot to the Leadville MTB race next summer but I turned down my spot as we have other events planned next summer. 

I was exhausted that evening and went to bed around 8:30pm. The next morning Karel packed up the bikes and we had breakfast at Table Mesa (which was delicious). 

We took an Uber to the airport around 11:30am (although we had some issues as the first driver didn't want to take our two bikes in his Uber XL SUV and there were no XXL available. Thankfully the next driver took our bikes (after a lot of convincing and a nice tip). The airport is small so we were able to check in quickly and hang out in the lounge (and get some work done and eat some good food) for 2 hours before our flight home. 

We can't wait to get back to Bentonville. This race really filled our cup.  We love being in nature, being around laid-back, fun people and feeling accomplished. No metrics, no times. Just you vs .you vs. the trails. 

6 hours on the ridge - MTB Race Recap

On Saturday Feb 22nd, we participated in 6 Hours in the Ridge. After Hurricane Helene, we weren't sure if our favorite mountain biking trails would ever open (or be the same) again but local organizations and volunteers have worked tirelessly to get the trails back in great condition. 

However, over the past few months, our winter conditions have not been in our favor for staying consistent on our mountain bikes. We've had a lot of rainy and cold days which means closed trails. I've done very little mountain biking in 2025 following not being on my mountain bike since May 2024. Although we registered for 6 hours on the ridge a few months out from the race (it sells out at least a month out) I was feeling very unprepared. Karel and I did a 2:20 hr ride at The Farm (a great new trail system a few miles from where we live) on January 5th and then I did a panic recon ride at Pleasant Ridge (race venue) on Tuesday of race week. We also did a 1-hour pre race ride at The Farm the day before the race. 

My last "long" ride was in September but I wasn't as concerned about the duration of the event as I was about my skills. 

On the day before the race I felt horrible. My legs felt tired and heavy and I was not in a good head space. I fueled like I would for an Ironman (carb loaded) and trusted my body that I would be ok for the event. However, the night before the race was a very poor night of sleep for me. I barely slept an hour. I was tossing and turning. I woke up exhausted. 

I felt like everything was going against me. 

The race started at 10am with packet pickup ended at 9:15am so we left our house a little after 8:30 (20 min drive). 

This was our third time participating in this local MTB event at Pleasant Ridge but first time completing the race in the counterclockwise direction. Thankfully, this course direction worked in my favor as it was a little less technical in the last mile, whereas the clockwise direction is very technical (and requires a lot more effort to get over rocks and roots) in the first mile. 

The concept of the race is simple.

• Complete as many laps as you can (want) in six hours.
• Each lap is 6.3 miles, ~760 feet elevation gain.
• For the 2025 edition, the course was counter clockwise. 
• Start at 10am.
• Riders must finish the last lap by 4pm for the lap to count (example, if you start your x-lap at 3:20 but arrive at 4:05pm, that lap doesn't count in the results). 

6 hours is a long time on the mountain bike. My brain was trying to protect me from possible future discomfort. I had already battled so many thoughts to get myself to the start line and now I needed to stay focused for the next 6 hours. 

All morning I told myself “prove your thoughts wrong.” Although I didn't feel super excited for the race, it was a lot better than riding the trainer on a cold dreary day. I told myself that I get to play on my mountain bike all day! 

After the pre-race meeting, we lined up at the red banner start and we were off at 10am. 

We started off in a mass start, up a newly (somewhat) built trail to get on to the course. The race had over 60 individual riders and several teams. I was amazed by the number of younger riders, especially females. It was so great to see so many young female mountain bikers. 

Karel found himself near the front with a few other guys for a few laps, but the eventual leader took off immediately. Although there was not a lot of room to pass in the first few miles, I found myself able to ride a comfortable effort in the first loop and I was only passed by a few guys. The course included part of the long loop (and down the "rock") which I am very familiar with. Knowing the course really helped. After the first loop I found myself riding mostly by myself and not dealing with any traffic from other riders. 

The conditions started off very muddy and slippery. This had me a little worried as I didn't want to crash. I had one slip in the first loop when my wheel got stuck in the mud on a tight turn but other than that, I didn't have any falls, crashes or major issues. 

It was in the 30's (F) for the start and never got over 50 but it felt comfortable all day. As the sun continued to rise, the trails started to dry out a little. I started off with leg warmers, gloves and arm warmers but eventually took off my leg warmers.

 

Nutrition: 

I started the race with my USWE Hydration pack filled with 2.5 bottles (~64 ounces) with each bottle containing 90g carbs from INFINIT Fructose. I started off with the orange flavor. My plan was to finish my hydration pack within the first 3 hours and then refill my pack in our "aid station" at half way. I prepared 2 more bottles of INFINIT Fructose (Grape flavor) and had a bottle of water to top off my pack. I also nibbled on a Clif Bar throughout the ride and a Rice Krispie Treat. Karel also used his hydration pack (He used Maurten) and instead of refilling his pack he brought along a second USWE pack for a quick change). 

Lap Splits: (each lap was 6.35 miles and ~760 feet elevation gain)

1. 47:04
2. 44:47
3. 46:04
4. 47:34 - stopped to refill my flask
5. 44:49
6. 43:45
7. 44:35
8. 45:21 (I barely made this lap to finish the race in 5:58 - with less than 2 minutes to spare)

(total: 6:04 ride time, 52 miles, including a 10 min warm-up, ~6000 feet elevation gain)

Riding for 6 hours is a long time but riding 8 laps on a 6.3 mile course is mentally challenging. I tried to use every trick I could think of to get me through this race. The first loop was more of a recon loop to get to know the conditions. The 2nd and 3rd loop went by somewhat quickly but on the 4th loop, I started to realize that I had only been riding for 2ish hours and still had 4 hours left! I was really looking forward to my aid station stop as that was my first goal. Get 4 loops done and then reset. 

The motivating part of the race was getting half way as this gave me a better idea of the number of laps I could possibly get in over the next 3 hours. I left my aid station with 3:02 on the clock which meant I was going to cut it close. With each lap taking me around 45-47 minutes, I really needed to stay committed to keeping my laps under 45 minutes.....and not having any mechanical issues or accidents. 

I continued to tell myself "controlled is fast" so that I wouldn't make silly mistakes by trying to go faster. I tried to use the non technical sections and uphills to try to pick up speed and to stay controlled on the more technical sections. With less than two hours left in the race, every minute counted. 

Each loop included roots, rocks, twists, turns, punchy up and downhills. Every loop required a lot of my attention and sometimes I found myself making mistakes and I would tell myself "ugh that was a bad line." It was fun to pass some of the lapped riders and to cheer for others (and receive cheers). I really love the mountain bike community as everyone is supportive. I really looked forward to returning to the start area and getting a boost from the spectators and other riders who were resting/refueling. Lap 6 and 7 were my make or break laps and although I felt like I could get in my 8th lap within 6 hours, I knew I was cutting it close. It had to be a perfect lap with no major slowdown. Lap 7 was my toughest lap mentally and physically as I really wanted to quit as I was getting really tired but I told myself "you didn't come this far to only get this far." The hardest part was knowing that I couldn't make lap 8 a victory lap. I had to keep pushing and giving my best all the way to the finish line. 

I was hoping that Karel would lap me so that I could see him but after a few laps, Karel experienced his normal cramping in his inner thighs (thankfully he didn't experience his normal back pain). He admitted that he started out way too hard and that probably caused the early onset of the cramping. However, he wasn't going to quit so he adjusted the best that he could and also finished with 8 laps. Karel was waiting for me at the finish and watched me roll through the finish line. 

Whew. That was hard in so many different ways. 
I placed first overall female and Karel placed 1st age group and 4th overall.

RESULTS

We received really cool wooden awards. After the awards we packed up our stuff and headed home.

Our bikes were extra muddy and required a super duper deep clean from Karel. 

As you can see from our aid station area, Karel brought extra wheels, a tool box filled with everything we needed in the case of a mechanical, a pump and we also had a bag of drinks, snacks and extra riding gear (ex. gloves, arm warmers, etc). 

As I laid in bed on Saturday morning, I had so many thoughts "I am not prepared. I didn't sleep well. I won't perform well. I should skip the race."

Thankfully, I didn't let my limiting beliefs win. I worked through them and told myself to just start the and see what happens. 6 hours on the ridge is always a true test of grit, strength and endurance and I’m proud of myself for showing up.
 

'24 Xterra South Africa Race Recap

 

Friday was a chill morning for me. I spent a good amount of time foam rolling and loosening out and Karel went out for a 25 min, 3.2 mile shake out run. Around 12:30pm we loaded our rental car with our bike gear and drove to Elgin Valley Country Club (race venue) for one last recon ride. Karel planned a great route for us so that we could ride on a few key sections of the course, while taking jeep roads in between. I had struggled with my body position and gear selection in a few areas and this ride was the perfect confidence booster for me as I didn't have any stumbles and took some mental notes on which line I wanted to take for each of those sections. The main areas that concerned me where the very tight turns on sand - some where steep uphills and some where steep downhills. I needed to get my body position and momentum just right for going up and then body position and knowing when to brake (and release the front brake at the right time) for the downhills. Conrad Stoltz (Xterra legend) designed the course and did some work in the rock garden to make it a bit more flowy. There were some tough sections between and over rocks and tight turns but I found the rock garden to be a lot of fun. Karel waited for me after each key section so that he could do his own thing and I could focus on myself. I was a little worried that my legs would be tired as I had ~25 running miles (and 12 hours of training) in my legs over the past 5 days but my legs felt surprisingly good. My biggest improvements with mountain biking have come from being able to do things faster - like going over features, going downhills and taking turns. Some of these areas do require a lot of power and strength but the most important skill is body position. Faster turns was an area that I really wanted to work on after Xterra South Africa last January (2023) and although I know I still have a lot more room for improvement, I am really happy with my progress. 

Karel gained a lot of confidence and new skills after participating in the 6-stage Breck Epic in August 2023. That course was so technical with big loose rocks. Karel was able to ride much faster in the technical areas. Although on race day he got caught behind some slower athletes at times, which slowed him down - but that is all part of Xterra racing. 

After our 10 mile, 70 minute ride, we went down to the water to check it out and then picked up our race packet. In our packet we received a bike plate with our number, a bib number for the run, a chip for our ankle and a shirt. We also got an Xterra South Africa Silicone swim cap from 2XU.

After a stop at the corner market/restaurant, we made another stop at our nearby grocery (WoolWorths) to get some food for the next 24 hours. We made pasta when we returned home around 3:30pm. It was delicious. I got all my gear together for the event and then around 8:30pm we laid down for bed. We didn't bring our wetsuits as last year in January it was non wetsuit legal so we took a chance that it wouldn't be wetsuit legal this year in February. According to Xterra rules (similar to ITU) when it's non wetsuit legal you can not wear anything over your kit. Whatever you wear in the water you have to wear for the entire race. Our tri kits are not designed for this style of racing so they do provide a little drag in the water. 

The alarm went off at 5am. I hardly slept at night. I could feel my heart pumping as I was trying to fall asleep the night prior. I was in and out of sleep all night. Thankfully I have been sleeping great since we arrived so after I laid in bed until 5:30am, I felt fine getting up (not sleepy or tired). I was just frustrated that I couldn't sleep. Karel was not nervous at all. I did feel nervous for the unknowns of the event and I still worry about getting in the way of more skillful riders. Thankfully in my 5 previous off road triathlon events, everyone has been really nice and anytime someone is behind me, I always let them go when there is a good place to pass. I was just more worried about making a mistake and causing someone else to not be able to continue riding past me. Thankfully, I had a mistake-free race and conquered everything to the best of my ability on the day. 

We arrived to the venue around 7am after leaving our house at 6:30am. The transition area was rather large so we had plenty of room to lay out our bikes and gear. There were around 200-300 athletes in the full distance and the racks were not crowded. As we were laying out our gear we heard the announcement that it was not wetsuit legal. We could hear the moans throughout the transition area but we were happy with this news. 

Karel was in the rack in front of me and we both had our bikes facing the direction of the Bike Out sign. I put all my run gear in my hat for a quick transition so that all I needed to do was put on my trail shoes. I kept room on my towel to quickly wipe my feet after running on the sand and grass before putting on my Silca socks. I had my sunglasses on my helmet so that I could put those on as I was riding. 

Here are some professional pictures from the race.

As for the race, we gave a full recap in a video discussion a few hours after the race when the feelings, emotions and memories were fresh. You can hear more about all the details from the race - and the difficulty of the run course (with 2 deep water crossings!) - in our YouTube Video. 

Karel won his age group. He was a little dissapointed in his run as he got passed by a few athletes and couldn't find any spring in his legs (which is hard when you are running on loose rocks and sand, with soaking wet shoes). I was 2nd in my age group but because 1st place is an Elite, I also won my age group. I was 5th overall. The first 3 ladies are Elite/professionals and I'm not sure about #4 so I think I was 2nd female amateur. I was really happy with my race as I was able to ride with some other ladies and keep up with them and I even ran away from the overall 6th place lady (which running away from someone is something that rarely happens for me). 

There were several food trucks at the venue so Karel got a burger with a tower of salty potato slices on top. He also got a flat white from the coffee truck. We went back out on our bikes around 1pm for a spin before the awards at 2pm. 

Here is our race recap if you'd like to listen. 

6 Hours On The Ridge MTB Race

 
Feb 2023

What a difference a year makes. 

Feb 2022

6 hours on the Ridge was my first MTB event in 2022. I learned how to ride a mountain bike (Karel's old bike) 8 weeks before the event. The event was a complete mess for me. My chain broke, my cleat got stuck in my pedal, I fell a bunch and I didn't have a lot of fun. While some things were out of my control, it was hard being a self-proclaimed 'competitive beginner'.

Fast forward to 2/25/23, I placed 1st overall female. 

6 hours on the Ridge is a simple concept: Complete as many 6.6 mile laps as you can from 10-3:15pm. If you can start a lap before 3:15pm, you can continue to ride into the 5th hour of the 6 hour race (which means one more lap to your total). The goal is to complete as many laps as you can in 6 hours. You bring your own aid and you can stop at any time (and restart).  This is a low key event with 65 max participants (sold out this year) and the comraderie and staff support is incredible. Everyone was so nice and cheering each other on throughout the event. 

Last year I completed 7 laps (42.9 miles) averaging 8.39mph. This year I did:
9 laps, 57 miles, 5400 feet of elevation gain, 5:52 riding time, 9.76 mph average.

Karel - 1st overall. 10 laps, 64 miles, 5:44 riding time, 11 mph, 6400 feet of elevation gain. 

                         

(Karel's Garmin didn't collect all his miles. He should be at ~64 miles)

Learning to learn is an important skill that has helped me throughout my journey. I'm thankful to Karel for being an exceptional teacher. I haven't had any serious crashes or scary falls over the past two years. Instead of skipping steps in my development, I stay within my abilities - starting where I am, not where I think I should be. We do a lot of skill work, sectioning certain elements so that I know how to get through something technical or sketchy with the best body position possible. When a skill is mastered, Karel helps me do it faster with the best line choice possible. Although this process takes a lot of direction, failing, patience, time and being open to advice, I am now doing things that I once viewed as impossible. 

Sometimes improvements are hard to see and it can be frustrating to struggle and fail, but if you want to get better, you have to remove your self-imposed limits and you must practice. It's easy to seek advice but it's another thing to take advantage of that advice. Advice is nothing if you aren't willing to apply and practice. Today I'm faster and I'm better but I'm nowhere where I want to be on the mountain bike and that keeps me excited to keep learning, trying and improving. 

A long distance event requires a lot of physical training but it also requires a lot of mental focus. The mind plays a lot of games when you are doing something for several hours. In a sport like mountain biking, it's not just physical but very mental. You need the physical strength to go uphills, climb over obstacles like rocks and rocks and also to stay balanced when going downhill. But if the mind loses focus, you may fall, pick the wrong line or struggle to get over a technical part of the course. This mental focus can be really exhausting.

Throughout the 6 hours, I kept my mind focused by breaking down the course into smaller segments. Only focusing on one segment at a time. I reminded myself to drink from my hydration pack every 10-15 minutes and to eat a few chews at the start of every loop. I also focused on my technique when I was tired and remembered Karel's advice "smooth is fast." I never let my mind get into a negative headspace, even when I looked down at my computer and saw 2 hours and realized I was getting really tired and sore and I still had 4 hours left. Hours 2-3 were the hardest but I just focused on one lap at a time and reminded myself that I wanted to be here, I trained to be here and I didn't come this far to only get this far. Refilling the bladder of my hydration pack after 5 loops gave me 90 seconds to stop, stretch and refocus. Also, we were able to select "Sassy's Pass" once after loop 1 and until 3pm. It's about as long as the upper section but it's less technical so it can be a little easier on the body. I continued to do the math throughout hours 3-4 to see if I would be close to making the time cut off of getting in one more lap by 3:15pm. Loop 7 was tough as I had to go really strong. Karel passed me and he gave me a great energy boost. I took Sassy's Pass on loop 8 and rode as hard as I could. I treated this as my last lap. Karel ended up passing me again right before we went through the timing station and we both made it in before 3:15pm. Kare had around 30 seconds and I had about 15 seconds. I sprinted as hard as I could to be able to start my 9th loop. Even though I was so empty, sore and tired between loops 5-7, I gave it may very best and never gave up. 
In long distance racing, it's so easy for the mind to turn negative and to try to convince you to quit to help ease the physical discomfort. Or if you aren't having the race you imagined, you may come up with excuses to stop. There's always something to learn and to gain by continuing and reaching that finish line. 

FUEL DURING RACE
Marni
-Started with 1.5L USWE bladder of 4 scoops C30 (480 calories)
-Also consumed 1L USWE bladder of 3 scoops C30 (360 calories)
-Consumed 1.5 packets PowerBar chews (~300 calories)
Total consumed: ~1140 calories and 2.5L fluids (84 ounces)

Karel
-Started with 1.5L USWE bladder with 1 packet 320 Maurten 
-Also consumed 1.5L USWE bladder with 4 scoops C30 (480 calories)
-Consumed 1 fig newton, 1 banana and 1 C30 gel 
Total consumed: ~1080 calores and 3L fluids (101 ounces)

BIKE SPECS

Marni's bike - Custom built by Karel 

• Frame: Specialized Epic Evo S-Works
• Suspensions:
  Front fork: Fox Racing Factory Stepcast 34 front fork - custom built for a lighter person (sent a stock set up to FOX service center to make it suitable for Marni's size)
  Rear shock: Fox Float DPS Factory rear shock.
  Both 120mm travel.
• Seatpost: OneUp dropper post 120mm with Fox Racing lever.
• Saddle: Specialized Power Expert 143mm
• Wheels: Specialized Roval carbon 29'ers with Specialized Fast trak control 29 x 2.35 tires (tubeless set up)
• Tire pressure for this race: 18PSI rear / 17 PSI front
• Cassette: Garbaruk 10-52t
• Crank: Rotor Kapic Carbon 165mm / 32t chainring
• Pedals: Xpedo CRX
• Shoes: Giro (not sure of the model, they are pink and that's what mattered when making the purchase 😉)
• Shifting: Sram Eagle XO1 AXS (wireless electronic)
• Stem: Syntace Flatforce 77mm,  -18deg
• Handlebars: Richey WTS Carbon flat +/- 5 deg, with silicon grips
• Brakes: Sram Level TL with Jagwire Organic pads

Karel's bike (also custom built)

• Frame: Specialized Epic ... yes, Marni has the better frame set 😁
• Suspension: RockShock SID Ultimate brain 100mm travel
• Shock: RockShock brain (made for Specialized) 100mm travel
• Seatpost: Fox Racing Transfer SL dropper 100mm with Wolftooth lever
• Saddle: FIzik Argo Vento R1 carbon saddle
• Wheels: Boyd Trailblazer Carbon 29'ers
• Tires: Front - Specialized Fast Trak Control 29x2.35, Rear - Specialized Renegade Control 29 x 2.35 (tubeless set up)
• Tire pressure for this race: Front 18 PSI, Rear 19 PSI
• Cassette: Garbaruk 10-52t
• Crankset: Rotor Kapic Carbon 170mm / 43t chainring
• Shifting: Sram XX1 AXS (wireless electronic)
• Handlebar/Stem - one piece carbon combo made by BikeAhead Components
• Grips: Richey WTS
• Brakes: Magura SL8 Raceline
• Pedals: Xpedo CRX titanium
• Shoes: Shimano RX8 (gravel shoes)

Both bike chains were optimized using Silca Super Secret wax coating.
(Thank you Karel for providing the bike specs)

The Whole Enchilada MTB event - event recap (and tips)

 

I can't remember when it happened but Karel told me he registered us for The Whole Enchilada MTB event at the Whitewater center in NC. I was excited for the opportunity to test my new skills (thanks Lon!) and to use this event as a "long" training ride. Although the GPS shows 44 miles, the accurate distance (wheel measured) was 50 miles - which would be my longest ever MTB ride. 

Earlier last week Karel and I went to the pump track in TR (a few miles away) and practiced some of our skills. While it feels like we are playing, there is some fear, discomfort and anxiety that is produced when practicing/learning new skills. I was proud of myself for finally getting the rhythm of "pumping" and conquering my steepest ramp. I struggled on some other areas but I know that I will be an ongoing work in progress. Karel is still struggling on the jumps as he is very fearful about crashing. I know he will get it one day but right now, his recent crash last May is still preventing his brain from trusting the right skills to keep him safe. 

Tip: If you have a weakness or a certain skill scares/worries you, don't wait until race day to put yourself into that uncomfortable situation. To be race ready, it's not just about the fitness that you accumulate over months of training but the skills you develop to help you stay present, relaxed, safe and confident on race day. I rarely hear of triathletes practicing their "skills" in an empty parking lot or spending a few hours on a more challenging course to work on bike handling skills. You may also find it to be a valuable investment to participate in a skills camp. For example, in our upcoming bike skills climbing camp on Fri-Sat, we will be working with our campers on 15 important bike handling skills (betcha didn't know there were 15 important skills that can keep you safe and riding confidently in any type of terrain/condition). 

After a quick and easy 2 hour drive, we arrived to the center around noon. We picked up Chipotle on the way (our favorite go-to when traveling) so that we would have lunch ready for us after we did a short recon ride. I had watched a few videos and studied the map so I had a few segments in mind for our recon ride. But when we parked, a "local" started talking to us and told us where we should ride and that he would even ride with us for a few miles to get us out to a good place to check out some of the course. Since this event covers all the trails in the park, we knew we couldn't recon the entire route the day before. Our new friend/guide (and his dog) showed us the East Main Loop, which included a few technical features and a lot of twists and turns. I'm still working on my tight turns, berms and switch so it was good to get out there and practice. I struggled on a few technical areas and got really frustrated on this root section on an uphill that I just couldn't clear. After 4 tries, we finally moved on. Although I can get over some challenging rock/root segments, I really struggle on uphill segments with those features as it requires the right gear, shifting the body weight forward and backward (my rear wheel kept slipping) and a lot of power. Many of the inclines when mountain biking are well over 20% (short and steep) so it requires a lot of power but also pressure on the front and/or rear wheel while also shifting the weight. 

After our 1 hour/7 mile ride, we ate our lunch at a picnic table and then worked a bit on the computer (hotspot) down by the manmade whitewater river. It was cool and windy outside but it was relaxing to work outside so close to nature. At 5pm we picked up our stuff when packet pick up opened and by 5:45pm we were heading to our hotel. We picked up pizza from a local pizza place and after checking into our hotel (Holiday Inn Express), we ate dinner, finished up some work and went to bed around 9pm. 

Tip: Knowing that pre-race fueling is so important, don't leave your pre-race eating to chance. Additionally, avoid long lines and waiting for food by ordering food online. I ordered Chipotle while we were driving (online) and picked it up around 10 miles from the venue. I have been using this service for the past year when traveling and find it to be a huge stress-reliever. I often order the food at least 10 minutes before we plan to arrive so that even if we are early, we aren't waiting. I also ordered our pizza 3 hours prior to picking it up so that we didn't have to wait for food when we were tired, hungry and needing to check in to our hotel and unload the car. By doing a little research before you travel, you can ensure that you will meet your nutritional needs without spending unnecessary time, energy and money. I also brought a cooler and bag of food to ensure that we wouldn't be hungry throughout our quick trip. With YouTube, blogs and the internet, it can be helpful to do some course recon of your event. Keep an open mind as everyone has a different perspective but you can still gather some helpful info like where to park, what to expect, etc. 

We woke up around 5:45am and prepared our coffee (Karel brought his travel espresso machine - doesn't leave home without it when we travel) and I had my instant coffee. I brought food as a backup but we had plenty of options at the continental breakfast. We both had eggs with pancakes. I also had a banana w/ PB and Karel had oatmeal. We also had a glass of OJ. We left the hotel around 7:15am and arrived around 7:30am. With an hour before the start, we had time to warm up on our bikes, go to the bathroom a few times and soak in the chill vibe of the race. Funny story - we parked next to a nice guy who asked Karel about chain lube. As they were talking, I noticed he had an accent. I asked him where he was from originally and he said Czech Republic. I laughed because neither Karel or Mikey could hear that they had the same accent. They quickly switched from English to Czech and now we have a new friend (and even more of a coincidence - his wife swam in college with one of my athletes!). It was around 40 degrees so a bit cold to start but with experience from previous MTB rides, I knew we would warm up. I had another banana before making my way to the start. I put on my 1.5L hydration pack (filled with 4 scoops INFINIT custom formula) and stuffed my pockets with bars, gels and chews (I mostly use bars to satisfy my tummy when we mountain bike as it's always a full body workout). Karel had NBS in his hydration pack and stuffed his pockets with a variety of sport nutrition products. 

Tip: Even with low key or non-priority events, there's always an opportunity to practice and learn. Don't miss out on an opportunity to practice your nutrition, gear, equipment and anything else that can help you build confidence for your more important event. Far too many athletes just "show up" and forget that every race is a learning opportunity. Take every race seriously - even the fun events. 

Around 8:25am we made our way to the start and Karel positioned himself in Wave 1 and I waited for Wave 2 (which were arranged by guesstimate paces). Karel and I have been really busy lately with a lot on our mind but we kept reminding ourselves that we "get" to do this and there's nothing more fun than spending all day in nature. I didn't feel scared or anxious for the event but had a little nervous energy as this was all new to me. With this being my second ever mountain bike event, it was much bigger than the first one and all new trails that I have never seen before (except the 7 miles that would come at the end of the race). There were two races going on at once (half and full) but everyone started together. 

Karel's wave went off fast and he said it was super uncomfortable. His HR was high and he was working really hard to stay near the front. Karel absolutely loves mountain biking but he was not liking the hot pace from the start. Eventually it spread out but he pushed himself until the end. My wave went out hard and I could feel my heart pumping. It usually takes me around 90 minutes to start to feel good when I ride so I embraced the uncomfortable feeling. On top of this, I also felt uncomfortable with people behind me as I felt like I was slowing them down. Thankfully everyone was really nice and I just told whoever was behind me to pass me anytime. I did the same when I needed to pass someone- I would just say "anytime you get a chance I'll pass you." There's no passing on the left/right with MTB but just passing when it's safe to do so (however you can get around). For the first hour, it felt like there was always people around me but I tried not to spend extra energy on that and instead just focused on myself. I knew I would be slower on the twisty sections and downhills so I used the climbs and flat sections to my advantage and really pushed those. 

I stayed up on my hydration - drinking from my pack every 10-20 minutes and then using my frame bottle (2 scoops Skratch) when I was on the more open/flat sections and could grab that bottle. I started eating my Supra bar around 75 minutes in (taking a bite when on the wide open sections). I had one stop to remove my arm warmers and put in my pocket - I tried to do it as I was riding but realized it would be quicker, safer and easier to just stop and do it. 

As for the course itself, it had almost everything. I didn't find there to be any difficult features like rock gardens (I'd say there are more difficult sections in Pleasant ridge where we did our 6 hour event). But there were so many difficult sections like rocky switchbacks when climbing, sooooo many roots, steep downhills with so many bumps and tight twist and turns between trees. 

Once things spread out and I was riding by myself, I felt much more comfortable. At one point a pack of deer ran by me and it reminded me why I love being in nature. The time went by so fast and before I knew it, I had been riding for 3 hours! With so much to focus on, I never had time to think about how much I had left. I literally took things mile by mile. Everyone was so nice and encouraging. There were only a few ladies doing the whole event so I found myself around guys the entire race. 

I was really proud of myself for getting over some really tough segments on Goat Hill. There were rocks/roots and switchbacks as we were climbing (and super steep) and although I unclipped at the top after clearing the hard parts, I just didn't have that power to take another pedal stroke (or I would lose my balance). Lon told us to "get angry" with some of those climbs and that's just what I did. I really went after them and felt so accomplished. There was one climb with a very tight switchback and I have no idea how I cleared it climbing as there were so many rocks and I wasn't able to do it the day prior. There were a few segments where I did unclip as I didn't feel comfortable going over the feature or I hadn't learned the skills yet. With the course taking us over every trail, somehow Karel managed to see me twice and gave me a cheer. The signage was great and the course was really well marked, even though there were a few sections that were a bit confusing. I had to stop once as a sign on a cone fell over with the strong winds but two other guys assured me which way to go. 

I never felt low energy although I could feel my legs getting a bit tired in the last hour as that is where the most challenging features were and it became harder to choose good lines and to gather the power to get over them. I had the root segment on my mind from Friday and when I approached it, I went after it but I fell. I scraped up my arm a little but it wasn't anything serious. I tried to unclip with my left foot but it must have slipped and I fell over. No biggie - onward I went. 

As I got closer to the finish, I saw Karel and he gave me a cheer. I was happy to reach the finish line but I was shocked how good I felt. After 5 hours and 50 miles, I felt like I could do it all again. The course didn't have long climbs and there were some open road flat segments on gravel (and around a lake) which allowed for recovery. However, the downhill segments can be as hard as the uphill, especially when your legs are tired. I love my new bike that Karel built for me two weeks ago (this was my second ride on it) but I'm still getting used to the dropper post (which I love). 

Once I crossed the finish line, I chatted with Karel and we exchanged stories. Karel ended up 8th (although it looks like he was higher up as there may have been some issues with timing) and I couldn't believe I was 2nd overall female (a good 45 minutes behind first, which was a 20 year old). Karel enjoyed the taco bar after his race and we went back to the car to put on our run gear for a quick trail run. After getting my award for 2nd overall female, we went for a 20 minute trail run. My legs felt pretty good and overall, I didn't feel too beat up.

Tip: The nutrition you consume in the day before, the morning of, during a workout and after does not just help your current situation but also how you recover and the state of your body during your next workout. The better you fuel/hydrate, the easier it will be for your body to recover and get stronger from your effort. Even if you feel good with nothing/little, you could feel great and that's where gains happen. Because long workouts, high intensity workouts and races can be really hard on the immune system, protect yourself by fueling/hydrating well before/during/after. Your body will thank you. 

The best part of the event was taking a warm shower in the locker rooms before driving home. I had a recovery drink as I was walking to the shower. 

As I mentioned online....

While I’m super stoked about my performance after three months of learning how to mountain bike, it would be wrong of me to not share my Friday recon ride with Karel where I was frustrated and tearful after failing four times trying to get over a technical uphill rooty section.
As we age, it’s so easy to want to stay in our comfort zone. We don’t want to be too uncomfortable, as we may end up with a broken bone or a broken ego. Continuing to do what we’ve always done is safe. We know we’re capable of it and can be successful at it, and that’s a comfortable feeling.
It’s too easy to think we know a lot. Accumulated experiences do bring confidence but if all you do is repeat those same experiences, it’s hard to improve.
Be a beginner again. Learn a new skill, open your mind to new techniques, invest in yourself. It’s ok to struggle, stumble and even be a bit fearful.
Life is short. Let it be a lifelong pursuit to begin again.

6 Hours on the Ridge mountain bike event recap

It was nice not to feel rushed in the morning. We spent around an hour eating/working between 7-8am and then got ourselves ready to leave. We prepared everything the night prior (food, sport nutrition, gear, etc.) in addition to our hydration packs (2 each), which we kept cold in the fridge. We left around 8:20am and arrived to Pleasant Ridge (event venue) around 20 minutes later.

I had a cinnamon raisin bagel w/ peanut butter and jelly at home and then had a Chobani cherry flavored yogurt in the car. I sipped on water in the car and had another bottle of Skratch to sip on at the venue. Karel had oatmeal at home and ½ bagel w/ peanut butter in the car. Compared to Friday weather which was warm (70) and sunny, Saturday was much colder – in the upper 40’s. With a lot of outdoor riding in the cold, we both had an idea of what to wear, with most of gear removable (ex. leg covers, arm warmers, jacket, etc.).

After we arrived, we set up our area in the “loop” section of the course. We used a small table for our nutrition and we also brought a chair, foam roller and blanket for the ground. With this being our first of this type of event, we weren’t sure what to bring but I felt like we covered the basics with what we needed a just a little extra. We set our stuff up next to our friend Thomas who was also participating in the event. With only ~60ish participants, we saw a few familiar faces (well more like faces that Karel knew from the bike scene).

After Karel parked the car in the designated parking lot, we made a bathroom stop in the indoor bathrooms (there were no port-o-potties). Thomas and I reconned the start and finish of each loop which included a bit of climbing and descending on dirt/gravel. At 9:45am, we made our way to the “athlete briefing” and at this point, I felt a bit nervous as everyone was lining up for the start. Karel got to the start of the line whereas Thomas and I stayed more toward the middle. There weren’t a lot of ladies at the event but a few lined up near the front so I knew they were much more experienced than me.

Once the announcer said go, we made our way on the grass, and then on to the road before starting the first climb of the loop. The course was pretty simple – a 5.8 mile loop with ~600 feet elevation gain. The course started with the more technical features (rocks) and then made its way into a flowing section where you could get some good speed. I’ve learned with MTBing that even with the downhill sections, there is no “resting” as you are always on – being focused, alert and moving the body. Then came a mile of roots/rocks – although not super technical, it does require a lot of focus and skills to get through. There were a few berns and rollers, which I am still not great at when it comes to picking up speed. Then came a short grass section at the front parking lot where most people used for drinking/eating before a mile or so of climbing with a few hard efforts to get over obstacles. Nearing the end of each loop are big tree roots to get over before descending back down to start it all over again.

When we started the loop, there wasn’t much rolling as it was single file and a few people started unclipping and walking. Karel warned me of this in advanced so I knew what to expect. I was able to eventually get riding until I struggled over one obstacle and had to unclip. Since I’m so used to riding by myself (or with Karel a little ahead of me), it was challenging to navigate the terrain and the actions of the other riders. I let other riders pass me as I didn’t want to get in their way. There are still so many skills that I need to continue to work on.

After getting through the rocky section, we came to a very tight right turn switchback which I usually clip out for. Well I completely forgot about it and approached it way too fast, which then caused a slowdown behind me as I tried to unclip but found myself somewhat falling. I struggled once again on another section that I find challenging – it goes from a curved downhill across pavement and then up the hill – but the hill is somewhat curved with a tree branch to navigate around, a few rocks (which are always wet) and then a few more limbs. I really messed up with my gearing at this place and had to unclip again. I let more people pass as I pushed my bike up a bit to a place where I could get momentum to clip in again. Once I got back up, I found myself near the end of the pack and behind four guys. Although I felt like I could ride a little faster than them on the climbs, I felt like I needed to play it safe and smart for the next few miles.

It was only 15 minutes and 2 miles into the ride when I passed a paved trail, changed my gears to accelerate up a short climb and boom – I couldn’t pedal anymore. I thought my chain dropped so I got off the bike and went to put the chain back and then I felt a rush of sadness – my chain broke. With 5 hours and 45 minutes left in the event, my day was ruined in 15 minutes. I blamed myself for not making smart gearing choices but later on, Karel blammed himself that after he waxed our chains, he didn’t put my chain link on correctly and it bent and then broke off. He said he’s never made that mistake before but I don't blame him. We learn and move on. Anyways…..

I wanted to get back to the race start/finish area before Karel finished his loop so I scooted and pushed my bike .88 miles on the path. The spectators who were around asked if I was ok and I responded that my chain broke. Two guys under a tent asked me if I was ok and I asked if either of them know how to fix a broken chain link? One of the guys stood up and walked over to me and my bike. Thankfully, he knew how to fix it and thankfully, Karel brought his toolbox, an extra chain (and two extra links) as well as two extra tires. Karel was prepared for everything. Although it felt like this issue took forever, it only took him 10 minutes (8 minutes I spent walking with my bike). And just as he started fixing it, Karel rode by in 4^th place. I didn’t want Karel to stop as I didn’t want him to ruin his race so I told him that my chain broke but this guy was fixing it. I am so grateful that I was able to get help! During this time, I started to get a little warm so I took off my leg warmers and ear cover. After what felt like the longest 18 minutes, I got back on my bike and rode back to where I broke my chain (another .88 miles) to restart where I left off.

At this point, I had a rush of thoughts going through my mind but never did I think about quitting. Sure, I’m competitive but I can still be competitive and not be winning the race. This event was all about learning and exploring my limits while testing my skills. I wanted to give it my best effort and I wasn’t going to let a little setback derail my day. I had many more hours to go and I know from experience after 17 Ironmans, that anything can happen but you have to keep yourself moving toward that finish line.

I tried to stay up on my hydration which was a lot easier with my hydration pack compared to grabbing solid food out of my jersey pocket. I brought my new favorite bar – Supra Beet the Competition – and had the package open before I started for easy nibbling.

One thing I’ve learned to love about mountain biking is the need to always be focused. I am constantly thinking about what’s in front of me and what’s just ahead of me. With distinct features of each part of the course, I never felt bored or that time was passing by slowly. Because I hit my lap button my computer for each lap, I didn’t have any idea of the time of the day or how long I had been riding. I do a similar thing in an IM as it really helps me stay focus on the present moment. Once I started to feel like I was getting into a good rhythm, I got to an obstacle where I needed to unclip with my left foot (non-dominate foot) and I wasn’t able to unclip. I thought maybe my cleat was stuck with mud or something but either way, I fell over because I couldn’t unclip. To get myself back up, I had to slip my foot out of my left shoe. I looked at the bottom of my shoe (which was still attached to the pedal)and the cleat was still on the bottom of the shoe but something was preventing it from coming off the pedal. I tried to wrangle with it but I couldn’t get it off. At this point I thought my day was officially over – just less than 2 hours into the event. Well, I still needed to get back to the race venue (1.75 miles away) so I slid my foot back into my shoe and then clipped in with my right foot and told myself that I needed to ride with the best skills possible for the next 1.75 miles – no second guessing! Nearing the main parking, Karel passed me and I told him that my cleat was stuck. I wiggled my shoe around to show him as he slowed down and he said for me to tighten it when I got back to the race venue. I told Karel that maybe this wasn’t my day and I should quit the race as it felt like a good idea at the time. I could just cheer for Karel since he was having a great race and it seemed like nothing was going my way. But Karel told me that there was still so much left in the event and this would be a great training day for the Ironman. He was right and I tossed that quitting idea out of my head.

Once I got back to the race venue, Karel was there. I didn’t want him to stop for me but he said he needed to take off some of his clothes as he was getting hot and he needed a break as he moved himself up into 2^nd place but totally blew up and moved back to 4^th. He quickly looked at my shoe and noticed the bolt fell out. He pulled the shoe off the cleat and told me to get my other pair of shoes. This stop only took 90 seconds. Thankfully, I brought a 2^nd pair of shoes (and a 2^nd helmet) just in case. I put on a fresh pair of shoes (which actually felt really good) and made my way back up the hill for another loop.

At this point I had been riding for 3 hours – which is a really long time. But it was also halfway in the race which meant I still had another 3 hours. Although this event was a “6-hour event” the results are based on who can complete the most laps in 6 hours while making the cut off time of 5:15hrs (or 3:15pm) to start the last lap. And you can stop as much/little as you want.  I lost track of how many laps I had done and what time of the day it was so I kept on riding. Sometimes I would choose the right line but other times I was just so tired that it was hard to muscle my way over the rocks. The positive of my two stops is that it put me on the course pretty much by myself so I was rarely around others. Some of the faster riders would pass me and would call out in advance or I would hear them coming and I would pull over an unclip. Everyone was really nice and looking out for one another.

For our “aid station” we had a Mexican coke bottle (opened) that I sipped once but only used that station to swap out hydration backs. Each pack was filled with ~2 bottles (each bottle was filled with 2 scoops INFINIT). I had one pack of fruit punch and another pack of strawberry lemonade. Just like in an Ironman, I like to change flavors to prevent taste bud fatigue.

Although I didn’t have any low moments, nearing the last hour, my back really started to hurt (lower right side). I was getting tired. The accumulated elevation gain, jerky movements to get my bike over obstacles, climbing, descending and falling/unclipping made my back feel like I had just done hours and hours of deadlifts. I tried to engage my core more and do whatever I could to relax my bike. Nearing 3pm, I saw my mom, her boyfriend and Campy at the venue and that just made my day. I wasn’t expecting them so I stopped and stretched my back as I said hi. Once I got to the last lap, I told myself to make this my best lap. I made all the obstacles (except for the first rock/root series) and finished feeling relieved and accomplished. 

Karel finished a little behind me as he was able to overcome his low moments and really push the 2^nd from last lap to make that 3:15 time cut off. So he was able to squeeze in one more lap for a total of 10 laps, 5:44, 58.3 miles and 6355 feet elevation gain. Karel came in 3^rd place. He credits relying on a lot of the mental skills that he uses in an Ironman to help him get through the low moments during this race. I completed 7 laps in 5:06, 43 miles, 4000 feet elevation gain and 1^st place AG (out of 2). There were some really strong ladies there which inspires me to continue to work harder to get better. We received really cool awards which was a nice bonus to this grassroots event.

Karel and I were completely smashed after the event. So incredibly sore and exhausted. But we also had a lot of fun. The vibe was awesome, everyone was really nice and supportive and we got to ride our bikes in nature for almost 6 hours on a beautiful Saturday!

Marni laps (including stops)


1 – 1:09 – broken chain
2 – 41.07
3 – 44:05
4 – 47:33 – broken cleat
5 – 44:05
6 – 44:35
7 – 44:05

Karel laps (including stops)

1 – 33:22
2 – 31:56
3 – 32:47
4- 31:30
5- 33:00
6- 35:30
7-39:00
8- 35:00
9 – 32:00
10 – 34:42