It’s September. Not quite fall, not quite summer. Kids are back in school. Work calendars are jammed. The days are getting shorter. And Iceman? It’s out there on the horizon like a 30-mile reminder that, yep you probably should’ve started training sooner.
The good news…you don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be consistent. Here’s how to keep your legs honest and your head in the game as we roll toward November.
Stop chasing mileage. Iceman isn’t won on Strava flexes…it’s about being comfortable on the bike for a couple hours through sand, mud and whatever else northern Michigan throws at you. Think time in the saddle, not miles on the board. Two solid hours at steady effort will pay you back more than a random 40-miler.
September hits hard. Kids are slammed with homework, parents are buried in meetings, daylight is fading. Nobody has a training camp lifestyle. That’s fine…time to hack it.
- Commute miles count
- A 45-minute trainer sweat session counts
- Weekend long rides count double
Even the West Michigan Coyotes, a youth MTB team I coach, live this out every week. Their riders juggle school, sports and family…but still show up, ride together and keep stacking consistency. If middle-schoolers can manage it, so can the rest of us.
“My strategy? Math test at 3, ride at 5, destroy the snack table at 7. It’s basically training for life and Iceman at the same time.” ~ Middle School Rider, West Michigan Coyotes
The temps will play tricks on you…cold at the start, hot by mile ten, freezing by the finish. Layer smart now so race day doesn’t wreck you. Dial your gear, test your gloves, figure out your nutrition. The only thing worse than blowing up on the first climb out of Kalkaska is realizing your hands don’t work when you need to open a gel.
You don’t need the fanciest bike (but we do agree new bike days are the best!), the longest rides, or the most detailed spreadsheet. You need rhythm. You need grit. And you need to keep showing up, even when life gets messy.
So what’s your September hack? How are you balancing back-to-school chaos with Iceman prep? Drop it in the comments…
Tobi is a passionate mountain biker and ultra endurance gravel cyclist who thrives on pushing his limits in the great outdoors. He has a deep appreciation for nature, savoring the scenic views and challenges of unpaved singletrack trails and long gravel routes. Tobi’s passion for adventure drives him to constantly seek out new ultra endurance gravel races and mountain bike events that take him on new dirt roads. He has participated in the Iceman Cometh Challenge for over a decade. When not hitting the trails or grinding away the miles on gravel, Tobi enjoys camping trips with his family. He is also actively involved with the West Michigan Coyotes youth mountain bike team, where he coaches and rides alongside his daughter, fostering her love for the sport. The solitude of the trails and the invigoration of conquering an ultra-endurance race is what fuels his obsession with mountain biking and gravel cycling.