Triple Crown Kinda Weekend



Friday Night in Lights

3rd Annual Iola Snow Bunny Fat Bike Race

Kicked off the weekend in Iola with the Snow Bully located at Iola Winter Sports Club.  The entire course is on perfectly groomed xc ski trails.  3 miles in length with a combination of rolling hills and long, fast flats.  Most similar course to the Birkie that I know of.  There were sections similar to that of a sledding hill where you couldn't help but yell, "weeeeeee," on your way down. The race started at 6:00pm and ran under the lights.  You could get away with not using your own lights.  You could choose the 1 hour race or the 2 hour option.  Idea is how many laps can you get in that window of time.   The venue is spectacular, there is a warming house with a fire, food, drinks, couches and served as a great hang out for the racers before and after.  The race is really well put together, organized and wins the coolest awards contest hands down.  You can follow this race at: https://www.facebook.com/events/481502581973340/

                                                                      It was a mass start and of course everyone jumps out there like their house is on fire.  The pace was fast from the go.  Until the hills, ahhh the hills, no better way to break up a pack then sending them up hills.  With fresh legs and a low tire pressure, 4psi, I was able to scurry up with ease.  Some of the fastest guys were gone in a hurry and I found myself in the 2nd pack.  Shimmied back and forth with 6 guys.  Just before the flats I turned up the throttle and made my move on them.  It's tougher for me on the open sections to hold a gap as I'm just not as powerful as some of these guys.  Ken Naef responded, caught me and I was able to work with him until the end of the 4th lap.  He'd gain about 20 yards on every downhill and I'd have to haul it to catch back up on the hills. I knew I needed to stick so that I could draft during the flat sections.  It was so cold our water froze.  I had to give my bottle to a spectator, have her set it by the fire so that I could pick it up when I came through on my next lap just to get a drink.  I had stuck my energy chews to my bike, they froze to my bike so I had no food.  No food and water, not a good combination in 2 hour race.  Ken had to make a pit stop at his car to get water.  I lost my carrot and was on my own for the rest of the race.  It's tough to hold pace when you're not really racing anyone.  Just kept thinking I'd have to hold pace for 2 hours at the Birkie, so I'll hold pace here. 

Wound up completing 8 laps, 24mi, in 2:04 hrs and coming in 1st place women's and 4th place overall.  My Broken Spoke teammates also won their divisions.  Diane wining the 1 hour women's, Bob for the 1 hour men's and Cole, big surprise, for the 2 hour mens. 





Saturday in Survival Mode at the 3rd Annual Koldwave





The Koldwave is the 2nd race of the Snow Crown Fat Bike Race Series hosted by Broken Spoke Bikes.  It's held at the Snowcraft Nordic trails in Sturgeon Bay, WI.  The mood is so chill you wonder if you're at a race or a barn party?  Music, Announcers, hecklers, hoolahoop contests, fire pit, free beer, snowballs, concessions and a wholelotta smack talk going on.  The course was off the charts awesome.  Starts with a flat xc ski trail that leads into an orchard of rolling hills, berms and rollers for days.  Because all work and no play doesn't jive with this band of renegades, you are then dropped into miles of glorious groomed single track.  They even threw in a couple of features.  The course was 8 miles long and you have the option to do 1, 2 or 3 laps. 

The next race in the Snow Crown Series is the Fat Camp race being held at the Reforestation Camp just outside of Greenbay in Suamico, WI.  The course is 100% wide open xc ski trail and flat Flat FLAT!  If you've been thinking about trying this sport, here is your chance!  They will rent you a bike if you need one. 

Follow the Snow Crown Series and the upcoming Fat Camp Race at:  http://www.brokenspokebikes.com/pages/snow-crown  https://www.facebook.com/events/1829803917262044/   https://www.facebook.com/events/195719620871001/ 



Once again it was me trying to hang onto the boys club.  A gang of my Broken Spoke Teammates jumped out at the ring of the gong and were in full attack mode.  I figured, I'll let them go have their fun, we got over 20 miles, I'll just sit in an pick them off one by one as they die down.  We hit the hilly orchard and I quickly realized the 3,000ft of climbing I had done full out the night before was no joke.  I was in pain immediately.  Just get through it, get past it, the single track is on the other end.  Sure enough, Work the hills, and all smiles in the single track.  I was able to grab onto some wheels, work with a couple guys and had a few drop me.  3 laps, 24 miles was a struggle!  I was in full survival mode through the entire last lap.  Kept looking back to see if I had a flat, no, no flat, just my legs. 

I often wonder what part I have more fun participating in, the race or the post race festivities.  No matter how many laps you did, it was a feat to finish.   You accomplished something incredible, something most will not do.  Pride permeates the air around us as we stand by the fire and tell our tales of our time on the trail.  I am going to miss these days.

All Skills at the Scurry Because it's All I had Left

The Snowshoe Scurry Fat Bike Race is held at the Pleasant View Golf course in Madison, WI.   This course is 70% single track through the woods surrounding the golf course.  Once you break out of the single track you are on the xc ski trails.  It's a 3 mile course and we did 4 laps for 12 miles.  They didn't have short race options but I'm sure that will happen as the popularity grows.  The snowshoe race takes off first so they get the trail nice and packed down for us.  They open up the club house for these events so it's nice and cozy before and after the race.  Plenty of food, drink and camaraderie.  I am hoping this site will be on the docket for a Hugh Jass in 2018.     Follow the Snowshoe Scurry and Fat Bike at: https://www.facebook.com/SnowshoeScurry/?hc_ref=SEARCH & http://www.snowshoewi.com/index.html 

Even with dead legs, I couldn't resist going for 3.  Especially at my home course!  Literally 2 miles from my house. The single track on this course is the real deal.  It's not professionally groomed so they rely on riders and snowshoes to blaze the trail.  Un-groomed trails means trouble for those that don't have as much experience riding in the snow. Going in I knew this would be an advantage for me.  As long as I could make a gap in the single track, and hold on for dear life on the open ski trails I would have a good race. 

The race started on a downhill slope of what Kristina calls, "Mashed Potatoes."  It really messed everyone up, only a few of us were able to hold it upright, it was rough goings right out the gates.  I followed in 3rd position into the single track and had 2 guys on my tail.  It felt so good in there, I was having the time of my life, carving like I was a snowboarder.  Then the ski trails, oh the pain of it.   I managed to hold the 2 guys off until we hit the ski section the 2nd lap, they were too strong for me on the opens and I had to let them go.  All alone again!  Just me the last 2 laps having my own little single track party.  Ended up 1st women, 5th overall.  Had a chance to catch up with some of my local Mad Town favorites afterwards, again to tell tales of the carnage.

Up next is the Hugh Jass, Fon Du Lac on Saturday and then the Fat Cupid in Appleton on Sunday.  https://www.facebook.com/events/832551413547903/ & http://hughjass.bike/