Iceman Cometh Challenge News

Get comfortable off the trail!

Spring is one of my favorite seasons in Michigan cycling. Everyone emerges from their winter basement “pain caves” and heads out to hit the trails. Then, there’s a damper (literally)–the trails are wet! In West Michigan, we have some sandy trails that drain well, but many of our trails are a clay base that can take weeks to dry out. Throw the “April Showers” that actually extend from March to May in the mix, and trail closures abound. Going back to the basement isa tough sell after a solid four months of trainer riding. You know what dries out fast and never closes? That’s right, road and gravel.

Spring is a great time to start getting friendly with that other bike that’s been hanging out in the garage. If you don’t have a gravel bike, never fear. I’ve found that some 42 slicks on my mountain bike adapt it to a very capable gravel rig. My favorite way to hit the road or gravel in the spring is in a group ride. The greater Grand Rapids area has an abundance of group rides come spring. It can actually become tough to choose between groups! Group riding is a great way to become acclimated to surges that you aren’t expecting. In solo training and riding, you may plan for those 1-5 minute hard efforts. However, there is something to be said for having that “option” taken out of your hands. I find I am much more comfortable racing and responding to hard segments the trail throws at me after I have spent some time having my heart rate elevated by moves I didn’t plan.

Another benefit of group riding is the social aspect. Riding with friends is always more fun! Sometimes a road ride can feel like it drags on. Usually if Igo out with a group, I am so busy chatting that I feel like I’ve only been out for forty minutes when we pull back into the parking lot.

Another aspect I appreciate about group riding is the increase in bike handling skills. While we may not be racing iceman in a pack of thirty riders, riding in a group on road or gravel is still very beneficial. Group riding lets you find the “sweet spot” of drafting, and become more comfortable with this skill that will save energy on the two track or forest road sections at Iceman.

So how do you find a group ride near you? Luckily, Facebook has made it easy as many groups will post “events”. If Facebook isn’t your jam, I recommend checking out your local bike shop. Many host a group ride, or sponsor a team that does. Your local bike shop has their finger on the pulse of local rides and is an excellent resource for you! Don’t forget to buy your gear there, too. Our local bike shops deserve our support!

Thank you to our 2023 ambassador Elaine Sheikh @elaine_muskrat

2023 Iceman Gear Store Open

2023 Bell’s Iceman Cometh Gear is now available for sale. This year, the Bell’s Cometh Iceman Challenge Gear spotlights Bell’s Two Hearted IPA. 2023 Bell’s Iceman Cometh Gear is inspired by Bell’s Two Hearted IPA. And just like the American IPA, our gear is suited for adventures everywhere, including the 30 miles of the Bell’s Iceman Cometh Challenge Course. Any 2023 Gear ordered will be shipped in the fall or available for pick up at the Iceman Expo.

Grab a Bell’s and get shopping!

https://iceman-cometh-challenge.square.site/

No matter what, have fun!

Probably the best piece of training advice I can give is the simplest one: at the end of the day, we’re here to have fun riding our bikes! Hopefully things go perfectly and you achieve all your goals. That’s fun for sure! But chances are not everything will go perfectly. Maybe nothing will go as planned. In that unfortunate event, just promise yourself to learn from the lessons your experience brings so you can benefit from them the following year. Then, drop your shoulders, smile, and keep going! Enjoy the scenery and revel in the exuberance of the crowds and your fellow riders. Most of all, no matter what, be nice to race organizers and officials – and no matter what, thank every volunteer you see! Without them there would be no race!

Meet the author: Kurt Schaldenbrand has been racing bicycles since 1983. He’s been a licensed coach working with competitive and developmental cyclists since 1990 and has been head coach for the University of Michigan Cycling team since 2012.

The Iceman team wants to thank Kurt Schaldenbrand for his training tips series, we hope that you learned something from it! Although this is the last installment of his training series, rest assured this won’t be the last we hear from Kurt! And don’t worry we have a lot of exciting things coming your way! For the rest of April, you can expect to meet our influencers, catch up on another episode of Rider Radio The Iceman Cometh Challenge Podcast, and get a sneak peek at the 2023 Iceman Gear! So keep your eyes on our social feeds and we will see you in the woods…

Go fast to get faster!

If improving your time is one of your goals, there’s only so much that better technical skills can do for you. For such a long event, and especially given the many long and flat (less technical) sections involved, improving your ability to just plain go faster will be key. Many riders try to improve their average speed by always “just riding hard”. While this can certainly work, you’ll usually find that interval training is a more effective method. Break your efforts into 5, 10 or 15 minute chunks and go harder than you normally would. Recover between those efforts, and then go hard again. When that gets easy (or, easier!) then either add more time, reduce your rest, or add intensity!

About the author: Kurt Schaldenbrand has been racing bicycles since 1983. He’s been a licensed coach working with competitive and developmental cyclists since 1990 and has been head coach for the University of Michigan Cycling team since 2012.

Race Day Logistics

We’ve covered before elements that make Iceman special – and sometimes complicated. It would be easy to let those elements overwhelm you and impact your day. But with proper planning ahead of time that doesn’t have to happen. Some of the important things you want to know: your packet pickup options, understanding your parking options and how you are getting to the start on time. That last item can be one of the more important ones; remember, traffic on race morning can cause delays and you want to arrive in time to get your bike prepped and do a decent warmup. Related: know your options for dropping a bag at the start so you can stay warm and take layers off just before leaving, and then have something warm waiting for you again at the end!

Iceman Cometh – 30th annual event Photography by John L. Russell Great Lakes Images

Dress for success

Clothing choices, especially clothing choices for events in possibly less than ideal conditions can make the difference between a good outcome, and a bad one. With a name like, Iceman, obviously the biggest challenge at this event is often keeping warm. If your feet and hands get cold in chillier conditions the common go-to is “thick socks, shoe covers or winter boots and cozy gloves.” While these can help, often the best bet for keeping your extremities warm is keeping your core even warmer. A good base layer – especially a wool one – is your best friend. Another key for your feet: yes, thick socks (preferably wool again!) but not TOO thick. Let your toes have some room, otherwise you’re restricting blood flow, and blood flow is what’s keeping your feet warm!

Iceman Cometh, 25th anniversary Photos by John L. Russell, Great Lakes Images

You are what you eat

I’ve already said it, this is a long race! You’re going to need to refuel or risk bonking. Bonking hard! If you only do shorter races, or are used to pulling to the side of the trail to drink or eat when out riding, developing the ability to fuel on the go will be crucial. That goes double for figuring out what works on your stomach over the long haul. Keep in mind that as you consider your options (bars, gels, sports drinks) you’ll want to settle on something that does the job, but also something you can open and consume while riding – with a few hundred people all around you!

Iceman Podcast

Looking for something to listen to while you are training for the Bell’s Iceman Cometh Challenge presented by Trek? We now have got you covered! Presenting Rider Radio, The Iceman Cometh Challenge Podcast! This podcast is made by Iceman Riders for Iceman Riders. Kicking off the first episode strong with the 2022 Pro Men’s Ice Champion, Alexey Vermeulen, and the founder of the Iceman Cometh Challenge, Steve Brown. This week’s hosts and Iceman riders Alex Primeau and Matt Haase talk with our guests about all things Iceman. We hope you enjoy the perfect listening for your time in the woods.

New episodes published monthly. Listen & download the podcast here or find us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

*Please be patient if you can’t find the podcast on all listening channels yet we are new to the podcast game and are getting it uploaded and verified as fast as we can.

Rider Radio: Podcast

Technical riding considerations

While the overall course for the race isn’t all that technical, there ARE some technical parts. Add the possibility of snow or ice and the certainty of crowded trails and you can’t ignore your technical skills as an important component of your success on race day. So do make sure to practice those skills! Grab some friends and set up some drills. Practice following close behind someone on a narrow single-track section. Go find some sand and practice riding with less-than-perfect traction. Do some other races or attend some clinics. Grow your abilities, and not just your legs!

How often do you ride with a few thousand other people?

As I’ve mentioned before, this is a BIG event. Especially in terms of participation. With over 50 waves and hundreds of competitors in each wave, this is probably the most people you’ll likely be around on single track all year. What does that mean? That means you don’t always get to pick the line you want. That means your opportunities to pass slower riders will be limited. That means YOU will be getting passed as well. Often. You can let all of that impact you, get in your head and slow you down. OR you can come to peace with it and use it to your advantage. As much as all trails have a certain “flow” to them, so does riding in a larger group. Get into that flow – and go!