Race Recap: Mohican MTB100K
So. Much. Mud.
I set myself an ambitious goal heading into this epic race. Back in February, I wrote a monologue sort of piece about my loathing of the indoor trainer — I knew I should be riding it more, but I hadn’t set a challenging enough goal in order to motivate myself.
To recap, by the end of the post I set a goal. Finish the Mohican MTB100k race in time to witness the awards ceremony. This typically happens at 3 p.m. The race starts at 7 a.m., so that meant I needed to finish the race in 8 hours, cutting my 2022 time by 2.5 hours.
It was an ambitious goal. If you’ve raced this race before, you know how big of a feat it is even just to finish.
It’s a grueling course, littered with relentless hills and roots and rocks. There’s 8,400 feet of elevation gain. Some of the grades on these hills reached into the high teens. And the descents are treacherous, too. They require skill and intense focus.
And that’s just the 100k route. The 100-mile course approaches 10,000 feet of elevation gain.
On Saturday, it rained, making things even spicier.
Some parts of the route included horse trails. The mud in these sections was incredible. I mean, we’re talking an easy 3-inch-deep sludge of black Ohioan dirt. A real swampy mess. The mud on my legs would dry as more became caked on, adding — in my sophisticated estimation — around 2.7 pounds of extra weight by the end of the race. They looked like the legs of wildebeests during rainy season. I started counting the amount of times a chunk of mud landed in my eyes, but I lost count after a while. (I also made a mental note about investing in a pair of glasses.)
Once, on a descent that ended with a sharp left turn, I lost balance. My left leg instinctively shot out to catch my leaning body and my ankle jammed into my leg, shooting a sharp pain up to my neck.
But, I have to say, the Mohican-Malabar Bike Club does an amazing job of maintaining these trails. The 20-some miles of singletrack on this course they maintain were amazing. The drainage is second to none and they deserve a standing ovation. I know many of them put hours of time into making sure the trails were ready for the 416 MTBers that flew through them that day. If you haven’t already, give one of them a high five. Event better, throw the club some cash.
And so a lot of people said the muddy conditions slowed racers down.
I’m sure it slowed me down in some sections, but I actually shattered my 2022 time by more than an hour. Last year, my time was 10:31:22. I’m actually a bit embarrassed to even post that time. This year, though, I clocked in at 9:22:52.
Still a ways to go to get down to an 8-hour finish. Let alone compete with the top dogs. This year’s 100k winner, Anthony Grinnell from Harmony, Pa., finished it more than four hours before me (5:08:19). That’s dang fast.
I didn’t achieve the 8-hour goal. But it’s in my sights; it’s possible. Overall, I’m proud of my ride.
I felt stronger this year. I did a better job at eating and drinking during the ride. I also didn’t stop as long at aid stations. (I didn’t even stop at the last one, which was weirdly placed only 1.5 miles away from the finish line.)
I didn’t finish at 3 p.m. Yet, I still witnessed the awards ceremony. So that was cool. Didn’t take any pictures to prove I was there, though. You’ll just have to believe me.
Most importantly: it was probably one of the most fun times I’ve had on my bike. There were sections where I literally laughed out loud to myself because of the giddiness that bubbled up when sloshing around in the mud.
It was dang hard. No question about it. There was a moment, actually, around 43 miles in, where I thought to myself: “I just wanna be done.” Even caught myself thinking it would be really nice to just stop. I’d be able to enjoy the rest of the day with my family. Get in the hot tub at the cabin we stayed at … Have a nice meal … You know. Just end the suffering.
By the way, here’s another plug: The Outpost. It’s a really nice 2-bedroom AirBnb cabin in the woods. Hot tub. Wooden deck. Grill. Secluded. Comfortable. Stylish. And it was on the route this year, so my fam was able to sit there and cheer me, and everyone else, on. Disclaimer: my sister and her husband own it, but I’d plug it even if I wasn’t related.
Anyway. I’m glad I didn’t quit and that nothing prevented me from finishing.
By the way, if you’re reading this and you’re considering a race like this — do it. You never know how much pain your body can handle until you just do it. And let me tell ya, you can handle more than you know.
Don’t take my word for it, though. Stick around for a post on Sunday where I talk to the Mohican MTB100k’s first-ever 11 year-old finisher. 11 YEARS OLD. Super dude. A monster on the bike. The race director, Ryan O’Dell, told me he’s 99% certain he’s the youngest person to even attempt to finish the race. That’s badass.
See ya Sunday, everyone. In the meantime, get in the saddle. Or sign up for that race! Just be a cycopath and do it already.
Congratulations on finishing this epic ride in adverse conditions!
Great job, man. It’s a super impressive feat under any circumstances, but that kind of mud makes it even more amazing.