Belgium Waffle Ride NC recap - 131 miles of gravel

On June 10th, we participated in the 2023 Belgium Waffle Ride NC. Appropriately named "The Hell of the East" and "The Most Scenic Race in the World" the 131-mile course was scenic, challenging and fun. This was my first "real" gravel event and my first time participating in a BWR event. Karel participated in the inagural event in 2021 (which was a shorter distance).

We knew most of the race course as we only live ~45 minutes from the event venue (Kanuga) but the three private (un)roads kept us on our toes....literally. These rocky, rooty segments were so steep that we were often hiking our bikes up the unrideable sections. But that added to the "fun" of the event. We covered 14,692 feet, which included long uphills and flowing descends and rode on rocks, roots, gravel (of course), road, single track, sand and grass. We even biked through a barn! The course was well-marked, the volunteer and police support was great and all participants were encouraging and nice.

Here's a video of the course that I made with my Go Pro Hero 10. 

  

Karel finished the event in 9:24.35 (6th AG 45-54, 46th overall) and I finished in 10:57.19 (2nd AG 35-44, 11th overall female). 

RESULTS HERE

We checked off a few firsts at this event. This was the longest distance we've ever ridden, the longest time spent riding a bike (continuously) and the most elevation gained in one day on a gravel bike.

As Karel and I were talking on the drive home, we both felt that the race was challenging but not hard. This is because we expected it to be hard and our expectations met our reality. We were mentally prepared for a very long day of riding and that helped us throughout all 9 and 11 hours of racing. Going into the event were both a little nervous for the day because of all of the "firsts" that we would be experiencing but as soon as the race started, we were mentally ready for whatever the day would bring.

Below is a video recap discussing the event. In this discussion, we talk about: 

• Bike specifics going into the event - how we set up our bikes for this terrain (tire pressure, tools, tire selection, etc.)
• Knowing the course, downloading the course
• Pre-ride to test things out and wake up the legs
• Nutrition planning for the event
• Event morning (weather, meal, parking, lining up, etc.)
• Mindset going into the event, how we each mentally approached the distance
• Event recap - climbs, descends, terrain types, hike a bike
• Any setbacks throughout (I had a flat tire)
• Aid stations/fueling throughout
• How we felt at the finish and the next 24 hours

  

With almost 11 hours of riding, I had a lot of time to think. I couldn't stop thinking about all the riders who were in the event doing something really hard. It's so easy to become a creature of habit and avoid new or different experiences due to fear, fear of failure, worrying about what others may think or complacency.

I can do hard things.

How many times do you tell yourself this? Is it once a month, once a year, once a week or once a day? You have the ability to do hard things, you just need to believe this to be true. Comfort often leaves to contentment but it doesn't lead to growth. Stepping out of your comfort zone isn't easy when you approach something unknown, challenging or new but discomfort is the only way for meaningful change to happen.

You'll never know how strong you are until you try.
Doing hard things requires grit, perseverance, courage and self-belief.

But most of all, you must believe that you can do hard things.

 

Before

After

Southeast Gravel Saluda Event Recap

 

We woke up at 5am and left the house at 6am for our 90-mile drive to Saluda, SC. I did the driving so that Karel could use the Compex on his back (he has chronic back and hip issues and car rides and long rides flare it up). I was a bit tired as I didn't sleep the best the night before. I didn't feel nervous but perhaps I was a little anxious for the event since it was only my 2nd gravel race (first one being two years ago and I crashed by hitting a pot hole and my handlebars flipped forward upon impact - thankfully I was ok and finished the race). 

When we arrived to the parking area we picked up our numbers and got our gear ready. One last chance at looking at our clean bikes before the adventure started. The forecast was showing storms and wind so we knew that this was going to be a wild day before it even started. 

The field for the long course (103 miles) was a bit small but I didn't mind that. I knew I could still be competitive among those who showed up. There were two other ladies that were lined up near the front so I wanted to keep them in mind throughout the race.

The race started at 9am. My Garmin had the route loaded when we started but after a few miles it would show the message that it was taking a while to find satellite. This meant that the route was no longer there. Anytime I was on the main road, it would show the map but it was not accurately showing the turns. I figured this was ok since I was with a group, the course was well marked and I assumed that eventually it would pick up the satellite and all would be ok. 

After riding with the main group for over 10 miles, we reached a short gravel climb and because I was near the back of the group, I lost contact and could not get back. I encouraged the other female with me to try to chase them down but neither of us were able to get back on. The other female and I rode with another guy for a few miles but I found myself riding away from her and staying with two other guys after a few climbs. I was happy with my skills on the gravel sections as I was riding much more confident that in the past. 

When we got to a road section around mile 25, we started to take pulls. I was happy to contribute. I would drink from my frame bottles on the road segments as it was easier to grab bottles on the smooth road and drink from my hydration pack on the gravel. I had two bottles on the frame, each with 250 calories (1 packet) of GU roctane and in my hydration pack I had 2 bottles worth of 90g each (360 calories) of NeverSecond. I also carried a pack of Powerbar chews, 2 gels and an apple cinnamon fig bar. 

I noticed that a big group up in front made a wrong turn so we were getting closer to a big group. I really wanted to latch on to the group so I tried to pick up the pace on the next gravel segment. But this was also the time when there was a large mud section that required getting off the bike and carrying the bike through the mud and my foot got stuck in the mud and it felt like I had a cast on my left shoe once I finally got it out of the mud. 

I missed the group and I was alone at mile 30. At this point I felt like it was going to be a very long time of riding alone for the next 70 miles. 

Then the first storm hit. Thunder, pouring rain. At least it cleaned off my muddy foot. The gravel sections made me stay focused but it was hard to see with the mud and rain. I ended up taking my Roka sunglasses off because I couldn't see through them but then with them off, I was getting dirt and water in my eyes. 

After the rain stopped, I was able to find myself with another guy or two and we all rode together on and off for the next 30 miles. 

Then another storm hit and it was during a really wild gravel segment that almost felt like we were riding through the woods with tree branches covering me as I rode through. I was taking some risks riding through some mud puddles, not knowing how deep they were. One puddle was deeper than I anticipated and I felt in the mud. Thankfully the rain cleaned me up.

Finally the last storm hit. I was getting a bit cold from the rain so when the sun finally came out I was feeling much better. 

I had a few low moments after reaching mile 50, thinking that I was only half way. Gravel riding requires such a different mindset than on-road riding as the miles go by a lot slower at times and it's very unpredictable. I had never been on this course so I didn't know what to expect but Karel (and others) did warn me that there would be a lot of mud because of the clay-like roads. 

I tried to stay positive by only focusing on one gravel segment at a time and trying to push the pace on the paved segments. It was hard being alone for so long as anytime I saw another rider, I was relieved to have some company. I was leading the women's race but I felt like at any point, I could be passed so I kept riding as strong as I could. I could feel my mountain biking skills paying off on some of the gravel/mud segments. 

Around mile 70, we hit a very muddy road that clogged up the wheels until they wouldn't turn. I was with two other guys and we were walking through the mud, carrying our bikes. Thankfully I have a good amount of tire clearance so my bike was more rideable at times compared to others. But I still had to stop several times and pull the mud out of my bike (or use a stick to push it through). Oh the adventures of gravel racing. 

Since I was alone, I continued riding until I got to a major intersection. I was nearing mile 83 and had been riding for over 5 hours. I was getting a bit tired but overall I felt ok. I was having a hard time thinking that I still had 20 miles to go. I saw no signs. My garmin told to go straight for 10 miles so I continued through the intersection and kept on riding. 

Sadly, I missed a left hand turn just before the intersection. After riding off course for 12 miles, I called Karel (who had finished the race) and told him that I thought I was lost. I told him that I would just ride back to the start but not cross the finish line but when I looked at my map, I still had 15 miles to go and my Garmin was taking me only on the main roads as the "quickest" way home. I was so sad, frustrated and upset after working so hard for almost 6 hours and 93 miles. I asked Karel to pick me up as it didn't make sense to continue riding. I waited for him in the grass at the corner of the road. It was hard to be alone with my own thoughts for 20 minutes as I waited for him but it also gave me time to work through some of my emotions from an exhausting day. 

Sadly, the story doesn’t end there. As I was changing on the side of the road, I got bit by something on my left foot. I am very sensitive to bites and swell and itch immediately.

Well, this was my most severe reaction. After experiencing full body itching as Karel was driving us home, we stopped at a CVS just outside of Saluda for some Benadryl (I usually travel with anti-itch stuff but left it at home in my travel bag). I went inside the store with Karel to get what I needed (spray and Benadryl pills) but I couldn't stay in the store as my reaction was getting worse and I was having trouble breathing. I started to hyperventilate in the CVS parking lot as I was sitting in the car. As Karel was walking to the car, I got out and told Karel that I don't know what to do. I was so uncomfortable. My body was itching severely from my scalp to the back to my legs and feet. After spraying me all over with the anti-itch spray, Karel got me to sit in the front seat and I put my legs up. Then, what I thought was me taking a deep nap as he was driving us home, turned out to be me passing out in the CVS parking lot. Poor Karel - exhausted from his race, he was having to take care of me. When I woke up I was able to take some Benadryl and finally started to feel some relief. What a day.

Gravel-2. Marni-0.

During the race, a rider asked me how I got into gravel riding. I told him that in addition to Karel loving off road riding, after 17 years of long distance triathlon racing, I was seeking new unpredictable adventures that made me feel like a beginner again.

At my first gravel race, I crashed. Two years later, I got the courage to get on another start line. After almost 6 hours of surviving two epic thunderstorms and downpours, carrying my bike through many peanut butter-like mud filled miles and safely negotiating my way through some questionable gravel “roads” I did not finish the race.

I've been an athlete all my life but endurance events have taught me so much about embracing vulnerability. It’s so hard to feel the uncertainty, the risk, the pressure and the potential of failure and still try to give your best and stay positive along the way. This is the definition of courage. If you have ever struggled with a DNF, DNS or a really hard race/event day experience, remember that courage is not the absence of fear, it’s feeling afraid and being willing to show up anyways.

Onward I go. 💫

Congrats to Karel for a great race and finishing top ten overall! And for being the best bike mechanic/cleaner//caregiver/support crew! 

SEG Sumter Gravel Race and long workout fueling

I was really looking forward to my Saturday workout. A long ride followed by a brick run. I hadn't ridden with a group in a few weeks so I was really excited to join my friends for their 80-mile route. 

Karel participated in the South East Gravel Battle of Sumter Forest Race. This race was his first gravel race of many this year. Karel is preparing for the Oregon Trail Gravel Grinder 5-day stage race in June so every race prior is a learning opportunity. Karel spent much of Friday tinkering with his bike to get it race ready. Karel's race started at 9am and I left for my ride around 8am. 

Although I had a great ride, Karel's race didn't go as well. He experienced an issue with his tubeless valve that got loose in the first gravel section of the ride. While he was able to fix it within a few minutes, he was dead last as the pack of riders flew by him with the downhill start. The gravel conditions are super rough to start this race and the valve must have bounced itself out of the hole. Instead of turning around and calling it a day, Karel time trialed the rest of the race with another guy - averaging around 20mph for nearly 60+ miles. Karel experienced some cramps (which is commmon for him with his back/hip issues) near the end so he had to drop back and managed to pedal his way across the finish line, completed the 72 mile event in 3 hours and 47 minutes. He was happy with a solid training day. 

I finished off my ride with a 5-ish mile run. I was only planning 30-minutes but I felt really good off the bike. Here's a recap of my ride as well as the nutrition I consumed throughout my workout. 

Pre workout:

2 waffles, peanut butter, syrup, vanilla yogurt. Water. Cup of coffee.

Total: ~400 calories, 16 ounce fluid

Bike:

2 x 26 ounce bottles each with 90g Flow.

1 x 26 ounce bottle Infinit

6 power bar chews

Total: 78 ounce fluid, ~1100 calories.

Run:

1 x 10 ounce flask with 3/4 scoop Never Second C30

1 x 10 ounce flask with water

Total: 20 ounce fluid, 100 calories.

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A post shared by Marni Sumbal, MS, RD, CSSD (@trimarni)

Gravel Battle of Sumter Forest - Race Recap

 

After two opportunities pre-riding the Battle of Sumter Forest race course, I felt comfortable with course itself as it was a good mix of gravel and road. You do a few miles of gravel and then a few miles of road - rinse and repeat for 72 miles. Although there are a few technical areas (and a river crossing, a few steep hills and a tight rocky turn), I felt like my current gravel-biking abilities were suitable for this event.

Taking things waaayy back to my very first gravel ride....it was not too long ago - January 19th, 2021. I can count with my fingers of all of the times I've rode on off-road since then (total newbie here - only about ten times). It wasn't until a few weeks ago that Karel decided it was time to retire my makeshift Ventum NS1 gravel bike (and return it back to my road bike - which is what it was designed to be) and purchase a real gravel bike frame. After sourcing all of the parts from all over the US, I took my 'real' gravel bike (Cervelo Aspero - size 48) out on Tuesday for it's maiden voyage in Dupont Forest. I had to get used to the new shifting set-up and we made a few adjustments to my position on the bike (saddle) but after a sketchy start (a fresh layer of loose gravel was distributed on the ground just as we started riding), I started to feel more comfortable on my new gravel bike. 

While I am no pro, I registered myself in the pro category of women - This would only impact the results as we had a mass start (all pro men, pro women and anyone riding the long course). But I felt a tremendous amount of nerves going into the event. There was a lot of hype about the pro women field as there were so many incredibly strong and talented road and off-road cyclists registered. With equal pay for both the men and women (which is not typical in many cycling events), this brought more pro women to the event. Plus, Ben and Boyd of Southeast gravel are just plain awesome so their presence alone brings along good people who love bikes. 

We woke up around 5:30am, packed up the car and headed to the race venue (~51 miles away) around 7am (with a quick Campy drop-off at my mom's house). When we arrived to the race venue around 7:45am, you could feel the energy. With nearly 400 cyclists registered for either the long or short course, there was a lot of energy in the air that people were itching to race. I think more than the race itself, an event brings a community together - a community of like-minded individuals who love to ride bikes. It was great to see some familiar faces and to see so many people who just love to ride off road. It was great to see so many female riders there as well. 

After warming up on the last few miles of the race course, which included riding through a corn field, onto gravel and then a pitchy climb to the finish (an area that we hadn't ridden before because it's on an active shooting range), we gathered at the race start of the Clinton House Plantation around 8:45am for a few last minute words by Ben. 

When the event started, it felt like any other bike race. It was fast, a bit chaotic as everyone got organized into a tight pack and you could feel the excitement and nervous energy. Because there were several pro women racing teams (and individual) riders, I had hoped to stay close to them but I was not as skillful moving through the field on the road. I tried to move up when I could but I was just trying to stay safe. Karel made it look so easy as he slithered his way through the field, near the front of the pack. 

Photo: Southeast Gravel

Although the first few miles were fast, I'm used to that from bike events. But what I didn't expect was the intensity of the group when we hit the first section of gravel (around mile 6). The pace didn't slow down - if anything, it got faster. Because this was all very new to me, I had no idea what to expect. When I reached the gravel section, it was so dusty that I could barely see anything. This freaked me out a bit and I found myself slowing down to stay safe. Karel later told me (after the race) that he had hoped that I would be safe and not try to race it as he had no idea that it would be so fast and packed to start the race. As a reference, Karel was near the front and for the first 6 mile section of gravel, his group average 23.9 mph! His HR was in the mid 160's and pretty much stayed there for the rest of the race. For the next 50 miles, Karel's group averaged 21.5 mph! Karel got dropped from a few groups but also found himself yo-yo-ing his way back on. Because of Karel's bike racing (and lifetime of riding) experience, this gravel race felt much like a road race for him. There was a crash on the gravel sometime in the first 10 miles but I think everyone that crashed there finished. 

As for me, once the field started to disintegrate, I jumped onto a smaller group of guys. This felt much more manageable for me - although I was still a bit uncomfortable with the intensity on the gravel. Once we reached the first road section, I felt much better as I was able to stay on the wheel ahead of me. The first section went by fast (looking back, I was averaging 21 mph). Although I felt like I was the last female in the pack and everyone was way ahead of me, it got a bit of a boost when another group came up and there were a few pro ladies in that group. I found myself a bit nervous as the roads seemed to have a bit more loose gravel than what I was used to on this course so I had to be extra careful and attentive on the hillier sections, especially when there's holes, sand and rocks to dodge - all while riding in a group. 

Once I went past the railroad crossing (which occurred after a downhill), I was just riding along (famous last words) until I found myself rolling into a deep hole (more like a crater) on a pavement-like crossing. The hole caught me by surprise and it was too late for me to do anything as I don't have the skills to bunny hop holes yet and my reaction times are a work-in-progress. When my front wheel hit the hole at 21 mph, the force of my body weight on the handlebars caused them to rotate forward. Thankfully, the hoods on my handlebars allow for great gripping. My body slipped forward as my hands stayed on the handlebars so I was trying to navigate my bike while laying on the top tube with handlebars (and brakes) near the front wheel. I did the best I could to try to keep my bike upright but after a lot of swerving, I finally hit the deck. 

I was really shook up from the fall and I had cut my left hip and knee. Thankfully, it wasn't worse. 
After collecting myself and getting up, I tried to adjust my handlebars but they were pretty stuck in that downward position. I managed to put them back up by pressing all my weight on the drops of the bars. I inspected the bike, texted Karel what happened (knowing that he probably wouldn't see the text until the finish) and then got back on my bike. 

At this point, I had a bunch of thoughts going through my head. Quitting, taking the shorter route, never riding gravel again. All of these negative thoughts crept in my head - I'm not good enough, what an embarrassment for me to be out here, I am not having fun I just want to go home, etc. For the next ten miles, I really fought through some negative thoughts and emotions. When I entered the turn off for the short course, I decided to continue what I started. I still found myself with low morale but when George Hincapie and his son Enzo came rolling by with two other guys, I jumped on their train and found myself feeling better (hey, this is pretty cool to ride with our local cycling legend). Thankfully, when I jumped on, we were about to head on a long pavement section which was perfect to get a nice pull (and not work on my own) but also to help me get through my funk. I stayed with George's group for several miles until Enzo had a flat - so I kept rolling. There were a few other groups here and there to hang with so I felt like I was never alone until the last section of the race. 

Since I had two bottles on my bike of sport nutrition along with a Camelback of 1.5L of sport drink, I didn't need to make any stops. After the river crossing and the technical and challenging segment that followed, I made a quick stop to text Karel where I was as I had failed to tell him that I was ok and I was continuing on (I probably shouldn't have left the text as "I crashed and my handlebars aren't working"). 

The last gravel segment was a bit lonely but I was actually relieved to just ride by myself. I was still fighting some emotions as I rode the last 8 miles of gravel by myself. Two riders came up behind me on the pavement section and it was nice to have some company for the last few miles. Once I hit the cornfield and knew I was just a few minutes away from the finish, I was so relieved to see Karel. 

Karel had a lot of fun but he said it was crazy - his first gravel race felt more like a road race. Karel finished 3rd in his AG (40-49) and missed the first spot by just a few seconds as he was outsprinted. Karel had nothing left as he cramped near the end. I finished 17th pro and 23rd overall female. I didn't feel like I was racing after my crash but I never gave up. When I felt safe, I pushed it and I continued to stay focused and do my best with each gravel section. 

When I finished, I was relieved to be back at our car to assess my wounds. They looked a lot worse than they really were so after cleaning them up, it wasn't anything too serious - just some road rash. I've seen a lot worse - especially from Karel's crit bike racing days. My right pec was (and still is) really sore and makes it hard to take in a deep breath, cough, sniff, laugh or move my body quickly. 

It took me a bit of time to sort through all of the emotions that I felt over the past 72 miles. Rather than making excuses or saying something silly that I would later regret, I just stayed quite to work through my thoughts. Karel was very supportive and kind and knew exactly what to say. 

After being around the other riders and hearing so many post race stories, I started to feel a bit more accomplished of my completion of my first gravel race. 

I think we all like to stay in a place of comfort. For any stretch of the comfort zone brings worry, doubt and fear. It can be scary to try something new. Perhaps it's a lack of skills, not having the right gear or equipment or being afraid of the unknown - all valid reasons to be a bit tentative to try something for the first time. But I do believe that we often keep ourselves in a place of safety for fear of comparison, not meeting self expectations or bruising our ego. Being a beginner at something is hard, especially when you see other people who make something look so effortless, simple and easy. Being a beginner means knowing that you have a long road ahead of you, filled with a lot of work, trying, failing and practicing. It can be hard to be a beginner when you believe success only comes to those who are fast. 

Although it's uncomfortable in many ways - physically, mentally and emotionally - I own my beginners status. 

I look forward to the unpaved road ahead of me and what obstacles I will overcome with each day that I refuse to give up. 

Race results
Marni - 4:01
Karel - 3:16