2011 Hanson Hills 100

I have done about 7 or 8 hundies in my racing career, but have not done one since September of 2009. Declining fitness, health problems (2 separate DVTs in two different legs), and moving to Michigan all play a part in my time off from racing in 2009. But I made the commitment to myself to get back to it in 2010. Not racing to win (not that I EVER did) so much as I am racing to compete and to be around the scene. So far, so not so bad.

Thus far in 2010 I have done a couple XC races, the Barry-Roubaix, and a 6 hour race. This past Saturday brought the Hanson Hills 100. *gulp* This would be the furthest I've raced in over a year. I didn't know WHAT to expect.

Weather reports along with my camping gear were all over the place (not to mention I am not a HUGE camping fan), so I opted for the cheap ass Super 8 in Grayling (which actually wasn't too bad, and there were no boogers on the wall which is more than I can say for some past motels). I drove up late Friday afternoon, got registered in at the race and hung out with some friends before checking in at 'the 8', and meeting up with Ryan and Chris for dinner at Spike's in Grayling.

I was starving! I had my heart set on copious amounts of pizza, but alas there was none on the menu. So for some reason I thought it would be a good idea to get the beef burrito. Or as I now refer to it as - The Worst Burrito Evah. Despite it's horrid appearance/smell/taste/etc. I sucked it down, but the "ground meat" was of that creamy, looks like it came from a can variety. UG! But, food is food, and I'm sure that the 1,000,000 mg of sodium that it contained would help me come race day.

The sleep at the Super 8 was peaceful and before I knew it I was in a parking lot of a K-Mart in Grayling, Michigan for the neutralized 40 mph police escorted roll out through town that would lead us to the Hanson Hill Ski area for four 23ish+ mile laps of the single track and double track that would make up the race.

Me = Large ass, green bike in middle.

The turnout wasn't huge, which I found surprising since in my opinion Brent (the promoter) puts on a good race, and other than the Lumberjack there isn't another hundie in Michigan. Especially with all the bitching that folks did when they didn't get in the Lumberjack. Here they had a chance to strut their hundie stuff and didn't show. Hell there was even a team option for folks too. Oh well, not sure on the total starters, but there were about 18 dudes in my Solo 40+ old man class which isn't too bad.

The weather was thankfully much cooler than last week, and just as we started it began to mist and drizzle rain. I normally would be hating life, but with all the sand on the course, the rain would be welcomed, AND it just continued the tradition of EVERY race I do in Michigan taking place in bad weather.

The first part of the pavement was all neutral until we hit the road leading to the ski area, and then it was game on. Well at least for folks who wanted to put the hammer down. I did not really fall into that class. Then it was onto a flat sandy double track for a bit to the single track and the first climb of the day.

Skating, slipping, sliding, and powering through the sand towards the aid station.

I'm not gonna lie, I was hating life. I just had no mental mojo to race. The course had kicked my ass during last week's hot pre ride and left me in a bad way. But I pedaled on. I knew that after some brief single track there would be more than a few miles or more of rolling deep sand double track and I was NOT looking forward to it. But I was looking forward to the twisty singletrack that followed for the rest of the lap, so I just tried to stay focuses on that in between deciding whether or not to bail on the race after lap one, or wait until lap two.

Finally, the lap was over and I made my way through the grassy ski area and across the start/finish line. As I rolled through I saw Napper who was racing on a two person team. He says "How did it go Malarky?" "That was ONE long ass lap!" I said. "Ha! Yeah, and you have to do it THREE more times!" *gulp*. Oh well. I stopped at the pit, filled up the CamelBak and grabbed another bottle of 333, and off I went.

OK, second lap, just maintain... Just. Main. Tain. Now into the second lap I forced myself to change my attitude. It's cooler than last week, the rain and mist is helping the sand, the Spearfish is soaking up all that new 'beat you up good' single track, and all I have to really do is keep pedaling, keep hydrated, keep taking in nutrition, deal with the sand as quickly as possible and enjoy the singletrack. All that seems pretty simple to type, but thinking and doing it was hard, but working!

During the 1st lap and early in my 2nd lap I was yo-yo-ing with some racers who looked like they were in my class (old with bellies), so I tried to stay with them. During the 2nd lap we hit a series of small deep sandy double track climbs and the one dude went right down the middle of the deep sand, and had to walk it as I went up the right on the firmer grass. Then I just pedaled hard and never saw the dude again. The other racer stuck with me about 30 yards back until the aid station. Then I never saw him again either. Soon (actually it didn't feel that 'soon') the 2nd lap was put to rest.

UG! The dreaded 3rd lap. Hard to get motivated for this lap. But I knew if I could knock it out, all that stood between me and the finish line was a mere 24ish miles. Easy, right? Well the 3rd lap ended up being WAY better than I thought. At times it seemed like I was the only racer on the course. I was enjoying the trails, but sort of needed some motivation. Finally I hooked up with a team racer. He asked if I wanted a pass. "Nope, thanks though. If you don't mind I'm just gonna follow you." "Sure, I could use the motivation." Win/win. And it really helped. Focusing on him got my mind off the mind fornicating third lap. I followed him the whole way to the start finish and thanked him as I rolled off for lap four.

I stopped at the pit, took a big bite of Oatmeal Pie, and rolled off ASAP so as not to just lay in the grass and pray for death. I hit the first climb, was spinning up easy, and the racer in front of me pulled off to let me pass. We exchanged hellos, I pedaled off, and I didn't see another racer in front of me for just about the entire lap. Strange.

Any power I had was starting to fade fast about mid lap and the belly showed signs of upset. All the food was staying down, and the pedals were still turning though, so I just kept going. Every lap I would pass the trail sign that indicated my Napper "adopted" this section of trail. Thankfully there was no picture of him, but seeing that sign was my goal every lap. Because if I made it that lap, that meant that the end of the singletrack was coming, and all I would have to do is cross the ski slope, and do a grassy hunk of the novice ski loop to get to the finish line.

Rolling across the front of the ski hill with less than a mile to go in the race was an awesome feeling. I wasn't going to win, but I was going to finish and finish in what I believe at this time to be 8th place out of 17 in my class. I crossed the line, heard the announcer mention say great job to me and mention that I was the publisher of XXC Magazine. I think I was more proud of that than finishing the 100.

After that as I climbed off the bike my friend Ryan met me to talk about the race and handed me a beer, then the team dude I followed lap 3 also stopped by to say nice job and thank me for motivating him the last lap. Then it was out of the kit and into the civvies for some good Mexican food they were serving up during awards. All my friends hit the podium and got some nice shwag. I too was offered some shwag for my 8th place in the 40+ but I opted to just enjoy the satisfaction of finishing my first hundie since the SM100 back in 2009.

In the end the race ended up being about 95-6 miles not 100, they rerouted some single track and lost some mileage during the week, therefore we lost some mileage over the 4 laps, but Brent promised even more single track next year, and less sand! This was not THEE hardest 100 I've ever done, but it was damn hard for sure. On the gas 100% of the time, and the double track did not let your rest due to the soul sucking sand. Not sure on my exact overall time right now, but I should know in a day or so. The final lap stats weren't up when I left (EDIT: 9:11:27 was the time, 8th/17 in class). I was SSSSSSOOOOOO FREAKING GLAD I raced my Spearfish. There was not ONE inch of the course that I wished I had my hard tail (and I love my hard tail, just not for 9 hours, lol).

Even with the cool temps, rain, and good nutrition/hydration, I still turned into a rolling salt lick by the end. And every lap I kept wanting to ditch the arm warmers, and every lap forgot. By the end they were just rolled into tiny sweatbands. I was very UN happy with my start and attitude, but VERY happy with regrouping, my nutrition, and my bike choice. I lucked out with the cool temps, but not sure I will be so lucky at the Lumberjack. I can STILL remember that lap 4 bonk there in 2009. Glad it's 3 laps now!

Recovery has been slow below the equator (ouch), but I am hoping to get back on the bike tomorrow. Next race is the Lumberjack 100 on June 18th.

Later.