Mohican 100 part 2

Talking to different people over the last week, it seems as if there was a disturbing trend following the Mohican mudfest..

I've heard it before, but this is the first that I've experienced it.... Muddy farmland and bike racing do not mix well in your gut, if you know what I mean....   I really wasn't feeling very well last week after the race.  I thought it may have been the post race BBQ, but no.  Looks like it was just too much mud....

Mudhican 100

Hello new blog.  Figured I would start out with a mudfest race report from one of, if not the, hardest raceever on a bike, The Mohican 100....

A view of the storm from inside of our bug shelter.

We managed to survive in hurricane like conditions camping the night before.  Actually, I guess that they were tornado-like conditions, since the town's tornado warning siren was going off...

Steevo explains the finer points of holding down a dead man's shelter

What was supposed to be a fast, fun course, was a horrible slop fest, due to a week of heavy rain.  Despite this, nearly 600 people lined up to start either the 100 mile, or the 100k version of this grueling event.

I was able to start out near the front of the field, and although I didn't hang in there, I would have to say that I was around the 50th into the woods, which really wasn't too bad.  Until we hit the mud, that is.  Let's just say that the first couple of miles of trail involved nearly as much walking as it did riding...

The first 30 miles of singletrack really sucked a ton of energy out of the field, and by aid station 3, it appeared that many people were dropping out of the race.  Either that, or they just decided to take a little nap.  After aid 3, I pretty much rode alone for the rest of the race, eventually catching up with Montana and cruising along with him for awhile, until I managed to drift away from him at around mile 70 or so.  Spent about 25 miles back and forth riding with John Gorilla, and he sure rode like he was one.  Managed to get him at the line for 6th place by 8 seconds.  I thought we were racing for 4th. Oh, and he was racing with a broken wrist, on his singlespeed.  Made me feel weak.  Need to train harder.

Steevo and I had planned on staying there again after the race, and hitting up a road race in Youngstown, OH the following day, but instead drove back to Pittsburgh, and I was able to sleep in a warm dry bed, as opposed to a cold wet sleeping bag.  I think we made the right choice.