Defining the Ineffable with Ryan O'Dell
Race director, rider, trail builder, father
Meet Ryan O’Dell, one of the O.G. Mohican trail builders. Next time you’re wondering why you put yourself through so much pain during a grueling climb in an ultra endurance mountain bike race, you can throw up a thanks to O’Dell for making it a thing.
It was the early 2000s, and XC mountain biking had seen its debut at the 1996 olympics. Mountain biking was hot, but there were no sanctioned trails in Ohio. O’Dell was one of the first guys to get the ball rolling on that front. (I’m actually working on a longform story about the ragtag crew who did this. Stay tuned.)
By 2006, the Mohican MTB trails had been built enough to host a race — the National Ultra Endurance Series was born. Today, the series is host to nine ultra races around the country and it is the oldest of its kind.
O’Dell agreed to oblige us for an interview to get to know him better as a fellow cyclist.
The 58 year-old lives in Lakeville, Ohio with his 10 year-old son.
You started the NUE Series in 2006. What has been the most significant change in the world of endurance XC mountain biking since then?
The most significant change I see in the world of endurance racing is an explosion of interest in ultra racing, marathon distances and beyond, both among runners and cyclists. Many, if not most, of these ultra-athletes share a common desire to test their limits and then push through them, raising the bar with personal goals.
Oh, and additionally, the bikes have become infinitely better. (;
I'm sure being a race director is a rewarding job, but what is the most misunderstood aspect of doing what you do?
It's hard work?!
I have a friend who, as a longtime volunteer, fully understands what it takes to put on a successful event, but he will jokingly say to me sometimes, "ya know, all YOU do is collect funds and then say GO." lol
But he knows better than most that the reality is that the race director often works long hours, taking on the tasks or obstacles that arise that may include a variety of things including weather issues or a volunteer who fails to show up on race day. To be effective, a race director must be able to think on his feet while being a team leader, who understands that the success of an event is dependent on the contributions from everyone involved.
What’s your current list of bikes?
1. MTB: My favorite " Mountain Steed": is an: 2014 Trek Carbon Superfly: Lightweight, smooth, and all of the travel I currently need in Ohio. I typically rent beefier bikes for some western riding and DH.
2. Cyclocross: My "Truck" is a 90's era Trek Alpha SL all aluminum cyclocross bike that probably has 30k+ miles on it. Complete with full fenders and a rack, this bike was my primary source of transportation for several years. As a J-term cycling trip group leader, I chose this steed on 3 out of 5 trips along the coast of California, from San Francisco to San Diego, and through the desert to Phoenix.
3. Road: My "Trophy Bike": A 90's era early All Carbon Specialized Epic LeTour. I purchased this bike used but in immaculate condition at a small bike shop in Capetown, South Africa the day before I entered the 100k Capetown Classic Road Race. Considered the largest road race in the world, there were 30k racers, many from Europe, with about 500 racers leaving in each wave. The racecourse traversed around one of the seven wonders of the world known as Tabletop Mountain. As it is often said locally, though it was a clear day, "the tablecloth was spread" (cloud cover appears as a tablecloth thrown over the flat mountaintop). Race day was a huge party and a spectacle the entire way, as locals come out to cheer and racers, many in full costume, and in no particular hurry, stop along the way at local cafes or pubs.
4. MTB: My "Dependable old horse": 90's era Gary Fisher 29er Excaliber, the lightweight aluminum bike. I used this bike exclusively to compete in the NUE Series for many years. This bike came with a lifetime frame guarantee that the frame would not crack. I still have it today but mostly use it for winter riding or short jaunts locally.
What is the length of your last ride in hours and miles?
My last ride was with my 10-year-old son, Justin, riding his first full 24-mile singletrack loop at Mohican. It took us about 4 hours. Justin won the 8-11 Novice Division this year and he wanted to see if he could ride the entire loop. Moving up to Sport Class means he can expect races with lengths of 22 up to 24 miles vs 5-8 in Novice Class.
When did you first get into mountain biking and why?
When I moved to Lexington, Ohio, an unknown neighbor in my apartment complex, who knew I had a road bike and rode often, moved out and left me a 30 lb steel Schwinn ten-speed mountain bike. It was heavy and had big balloon tires but in decent condition. I took it to Y-Not Cycling in Lexington and the technician there, who would later become a dear friend, told me to take it to Mohican Wilderness. MW was a tough 3-mile loop and, at that time, the only local place to ride. I pushed that tank up the hill over and over and thrilled to ride the downhill trails. I was reminded of my old BMX bike I enjoyed as a kid and that old Schwinn renewed my passion for off road trails.
What has cycling done for you, both professionally and personally?
I rediscovered cycling again in my early thirties, after a long hiatus. I hadn't ridden since I was about 17 years-old after being struck from behind at highway speed by a drunk driver on the third day of a cycling trip from Saginaw, Michigan to Tahquamenon Falls. It was a trip planned with two of my high school buddies and I kind of lost interest after that trip. With the same bike I rode then, a Schwinn Continental II I'd hung onto all those years, I began riding again as a way to warm up and strengthen my legs and lungs to play basketball at the Mansfield 777 or 7-11 Gymnasiums. My passion for cycling was renewed along the way, especially off-road mountain biking. That later turned into an interest in building more trails and mountain bike racing, that later turned into race directing, and a career with the founding of the Ohio Mountain Bike Championship series and National Ultra MTB Series. For more than 25 years now, cycling has become my career and a passion, something I enjoy sharing.
Describe the feeling that cycling gives you.
Like many of riders out here, I feel a sense of freedom when riding. The kind of carefree freedom I recall when I was a kid, back when your bike WAS your freedom. I still feel that same sense of excitement and adventure every time I climb on one of my trusty steeds to explore a new trail or ride with my son.
*Bonus info: O’Dell, for the first time, is hosting a gravel race in March and a triathlon (kayak, mtb, run) in September. If that sounds like your thing, check it out here and earmark it so you don’t forget to register.
Thanks for reading today, cycopaths! I hope you are all able to sneak a ride in today before we all feel the pressure to sit in front of our TVs and pretend to know more than we know about football and halftime shows and commercials.
Not that there’s anything wrong with watching football, but this is a cycling blog. And it’s my cycling blog, so I can throw jabs if I want. :)
Next week we’ll meet Michael Jarosick, a fellow cycopath who is a beast of a rider, a wicked smart doctor and the president of the Mohican-Malabar Bike Club.