Saturday was the big Lutsen 99er mountain bike race.
It started with a neutral roll out downhill to 61 then up to the town of Lutsen then a right turn and up around 1,000 vertical feet on the next 5 miles of pavement. Trying to be conservative I took it really easy on the climb and slip back through the pack. At mile 9 we turned off the pavement and hit some gravel roads and snowmobile trails for about 14 miles to the first check point. The check points were great lots of volunteers helping each rider get food (PB&J sandwiches, Fig newtons, Pro bars and Gels), water, energy drinks, endurolytes and whatever else was needed.
From the check point we headed out for two 16 mile laps of a circuit that consisted of two loops connected by two miles of gravel forest road. The first loop started with gravel forest road for 2.5 miles the turned off onto 4 miles of snowmobile trail that was definitely not intended for mountain bikes. The trail was mowed but had rocks, roots and mud holes from small to 50’ across and over my cranks. A few small hills but the terrain being rough and technical really started to wear on me. Challenging to say the least, especially knowing I had to do it again. Then we hit a gravel forest road over to the second loop. This section of forest road was also to return from the second loop to the first one for the second lap so we met the leaders headed the other way and were they ever moving. The second loop started out with a 3.5 mile section of snowmobile trail very similar to the first loop, tough, then ended with 4.5 miles of gravel forest road before the 2 mile run back to the check point to start lap 2. It was on the section back to start lap 2 when I met Charlie on his way to loop 2 of lap 2. I did a quick calculation in my head and figured he was 30-40 minutes ahead of me already so he was doing well.
After a re-fuel at the check point I headed out for lap two. I still felt good considering I had 42 miles and over 3 hours of riding in already.
After lap 2 I stopped at the check point, grabbed my drop bag, mixed up some Heed (energy drink), ate and gathered some food, gave my drivetrain a quick brush and lube, stretched for a minute and headed out. 2 miles of more gravel forest road then a nice stretch of double track that reminded me of riding in Colorado with its rocky surface, rolling terrain and large pine trees. I really enjoyed this section but I also started to really get weak. Between miles 68 and 79 (the next check point) I ate all my food and drank all my fluids but was still in a daze. I was moving along ok and still passing riders every once in a while so I kept plugging away. That 10 miles is such a blur I don’t even remember the terrain or what the trail was like I just kept looking at my Garmin waiting for mile 79 to come.
Finally at the last check point I ate some food and drank a bottle of water before topping off my supplies heading out on the last section back to Lutsen. The next 10 miles were rolling gravel forest roads then about 5 miles of the same roads but all downhill. The last 4 miles we were back on Lutsen property and on their old mountain bike trails. It was evident the trails had not been used in a while and were rough and muddy, AND MUDDY. MUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDY. By the time I hit the final ½ mile climb up the ski slope to the finish line my chain was so full of mud it sucked around the little chain ring twice so I put it in the big ring and ground my way to the finish line. 99 miles 8 hours 34 minutes.
A good race, one I’ll do again. The award ceremony was really unorganized, crowded, slow bars service and they quit serving food. So after Charlie collected his 2nd place age group award we headed to Tofte and ate way too much Pizza.
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| 99er Start |
