Month: September 2023

How other races helped me prepare for Iceman

Michigan Coast to Coast Gravel Grinder is hands down one of my favorite summer races. This event is led by some fantastic local peeps in West Michigan. This event keeps my motivation high in the spring as this event is in late June pushing into the summer months of fun gravel and single track training rides.

From the moment I rolled into Au Gres on the Friday before the race, I’m fascinated by the breathtaking beauty of northern lower Michigan’s diverse landscapes. Several of these areas I would not have seen without this event. The stunning views along the route, from the lakeshore to dense forest and two track roads are an absolute delight. When you see Lake Michigan as you roll into Ludington, gorgeous!

This year was my 5th year rolling from Lake Huron to Lake Michigan. Everyone remembers and wants to forget the monsoon year (worse than an Iceman mud year I think!).

Michigan Coast to Coast pushes my limits, testing my endurance. The terrain is a perfect blend of challenging climbs and fast descents, preparing me for the Iceman Cometh. Did I mention there was sand too? Yes, there was sand…beach like at times! With the lack of any significant rain, this was expected.

With the sun beating down on a hot June afternoon, staying hydrated and well-fueled is paramount. Michigan Coast to Coast offers fantastic support stations across the state. I leverage the JDRF team (think F1 racing team support crew!) who are well equipped to keep me rolling.

I use this event as a significant summer milestone, a testament to my dedication and training to date. It serves as a reminder of my progress and motivates me to further fine-tune my skills and reevaluate as it is the halfway point of the year.

I carry the lessons learned from Michigan Coast to Coast, ready to tackle the trails of Iceman Cometh and other fall events. We have several great months ahead and I am looking forward to all of them!

Thank you to our 2023 Iceman Ambassador Tobi Tungl @tobitungl

My summer workouts

To be honest, many of my favorite summer workouts are done while biking either to or from work. I like the feeling of “hacking” my day by saving some gas, saving the time otherwise spent in a car, and getting a workout all at the same time. Of course, there are a few key things that make a commuting workout viable, but if you can get them in place, it’s a killer system. Here are my top points:

1: You need a “standard” route. Even if you only use it a fraction of the time, having a good default route removes one barrier to commuting by bike, and I guarantee it’ll result in you biking more often. A good biking route will likely be different than the way you drive, so it’s worth taking some time to explore the available roads, paths, and connectivity features. I would much rather ride 10 miles on quiet roads with safe intersections than suffer through 5 miles of dodging potholes and checking over my shoulder for approaching cars.

2: Consider the distance. The length of your “standard” commute may affect how it fits in with your other rides and the rest of your life. For example, I live about 7-8 miles from where I work. So, my typical system is to ride nice and easy along my standard route going one direction and add some distance the opposite way to build in a workout. However, when I worked further from home my standard route took a solid hour, so I’d often leave my car at work overnight so I could ride home one evening and back to work the next morning. When only riding one-way, it was then relatively simple to tweak my route as needed to allow time for whatever workout I’d like to fit in.

Not the only bike at work!

3: Minimize what you carry. Commuting with a bag on your bike or body isn’t a huge deal, but every pound counts. I can say from experience that when I switched from a 7lb to a 3lb computer, I suddenly found myself riding to work a lot more often. So, take stock of what resources you have and take advantage of them! I’m lucky enough to work somewhere with showers, so I store a towel and an extra pair of shoes at work, so I don’t have to pack or carry those items back and forth.

With these main topics addressed, you can free up mental space to focus on getting a good workout and enjoying the summer air!

Thank you to our 2023 Iceman Ambassador Martin Harris @uncle.martin

Keeping the “play” in cycling

I’ve had the good fortunate to spend several races riding in the company of my friend and local endurance cycling legend (first woman winner of the Iditarod Trail Invitational!), Jill Martindale. Jill is hands-down one of the most positive people to ride with. She cheers for everyone, giggles on the climbs and whoops on the descents. Riding with Jill, you’ll forget that you’re exhausted. You’ll be too busy having a hands-down good time! I’m not necessarily the most bubbly person on the trail. The last few tough rides I have had, I tried to embrace my inner Jill. I tried to laugh, crack some jokes, make a pun or two, and give some sound effects to the descents. Wouldn’t you know, I felt faster and had way more fun! If you’re feeling a little stagnant out there on the trail, tap into your inner adventurer and give yourself or someone around you a cheer out loud. You’d be surprised at the difference it makes in your mindset!

Thank you to our 2023 Iceman Ambassador Elaine Sheikh @elaine_muskrat

My Summer Training

I’m a Mountain biker at heart but I have to say Gravel riding provides a great opportunity for me to train during the summer months. I’d consider myself a strong rider especially on technical terrain. My focus this season is to work on my endurance and conquer some long distance races (Lumberjack 100, Moran 166). This is where the Gravel riding comes into place, as I can ride further distance and have a more predictable terrain to train. Living in Southeast Michigan, we have so many gravel roads right in front of our door. I’m able to choose a route that fits my scheduled training, either I can challenge myself with a high elevation route or I keep it steady for my interval training. Even though I prefer a structured training, I also want to keep things fun. I enjoy going on group rides with my friends once or twice a week at a local trail for some party laps and cookout after.

Thank you to our 2023 Iceman Ambassador Nina Waschenfelder @ninasmtblife