Tag: Iceman Cometh Challenge

With Iceman just around the corner, it is so tempting to hang up the skinny tires and just ride single track constantly. At least, that’s how I always feel this time of year. Flowy trails, with the leaves changing colors and scattering in the breeze, sounds like heaven to me. I feel pressure to work on my mountain bike skills and find myself hyper-focusing on getting into the woods and sometimes losing sight of all the benefits other forms of riding can have on my single track game. Gravel, Cyclocross, and under-biking all have a solid place in my Iceman training schedule, provided I can see “the forest through the trees” as it were.

Today was my weekly gravel ride and its also my day off of work. It was so tempting to throw my bike on my car and head up to Hardy Dam to ride 40 miles of single track on the newly completed Dragon today. I knew if I did that though, I wouldn’t have the energy to go to the local weekly gravel ride tonight. The reason I don’t want to miss this group ride is two fold. First, is the social aspect. My friends will be there! I want to see them and catch up. If that’s not a good reason to get on a bike, than I don’t know what is. After all, having fun is what its all about, right? Secondly, the second half of the ride is FAST. Is it a different style of riding than single track? Of course, but it helps me work on starting with a large group and not being intimidated by people riding close to me vying for position, just like at the start of a cross country mountain bike race. Plus, this ride is a great work out. It has punchy climbs which can mimic some of the demands needed at Iceman.

In the last couple years I’ve dabbled a bit in cyclocross and under-biking at the suggestion of my friend, Sarah “Rah” Williams and I can not begin to tell you how much its leveled up my mountain bike game. The first time she suggested I take my gravel bike on a single track trail I thought she was straight up crazy. Since then, I have learned that under- biking, or the act of riding your bike on terrain that’s more difficult than what the bike was originally designed for, can have a ton of benefits including improved line choice, increased confidence in sand or mud and overall better bike handling.

Cyclocross is, in my humble opinion, the ultimate expression of under-biking. Single track, deep sand/mud, tight, off camber grass corners on a rigid frame and skinny tires. I mean, how can your skills not level up if you practice that or even better, race it? I’m not going to lie, I’ve never had more fun or been more relieved to get lapped in a race than I have at a cross race. It’s all out the entire time, but there are whiskey hand-ups and what else would you want after 45 minutes of a heart rate at 190? All jokes aside, its the perfect thing to do on a Sunday after a long Saturday single track ride. It will whip you into shape for those punchy Iceman climbs in no time and the skills practice can’t be beat! So don’t hang up those skinnies yet! Get out there and get miles in whatever way brings you joy. If it gets you in the saddle then its applicable to your fall racing. I can’t wait to see you all at Iceman! I’ll bring the whiskey hand ups!

A huge thank you to our 2024 Iceman Ambassador Meg Hagerman @hagermanm

What’s up, everyone? ICEMAN is right around the corner! We’re officially a month out, and I can feel the excitement building. I’ve been getting in some miles here and there—maybe not as many as I’d like. Life has a funny way of sneaking in with jobs, family commitments, and everything else. But that’s part of it, right? Most of us aren’t full-time athletes. We have other things going on, and that’s okay.

As we close in on race day, I’ve noticed a lot of chatter: What bike should I ride? What tires are best? How much food should I carry? And don’t get me started on the endless debates about tire pressure! Here’s the thing: Everyone was a rookie once. I remember when I first rode the ICEMAN back in 2021. My prep? I showed up at my wave start time, threw on a CamelBak with a few snacks, and rode with my tires at 15-20 pounds of pressure because that’s just what they were. It wasn’t perfect, but guess what? I finished, and I had a blast.

At the end of the day, you’re racing against one person—yourself. Unless you’re gunning for a pro sponsorship (in which case, you might want to sign up for the pro race), your goal should be to push your own limits, enjoy the ride, and take in the experience. I can tell you, nobody ever became a pro off ICEMAN alone. But plenty of people have made lifelong memories, met great friends, and grown as riders. That’s what it’s all about.

Let me be clear—it’s not about how perfect your gear is or whether you hit every technical section just right. It’s about having fun, learning from the mistakes you make, and simply enjoying the day in the woods, regardless of the weather. This race is meant to challenge you, whether you’re a rookie or a seasoned vet. Maybe it’s your first time out here, or maybe it’s your grand finale for the year. Either way, don’t lose sight of why you signed up in the first place.

ICEMAN isn’t just a race; it’s a community. So be kind out there—help someone if they need it, give a nod to the faster folks, and encourage those who are taking it slow. We’re all in this together, and a little kindness goes a long way.

And when the race is over? Hug your family, head over to the beer tent, and soak up the good vibes with your fellow riders. Grab some food, share your stories, and just live in the moment. Because here’s the reality: None of us make it out of this life alive. So while you’re here—while you’re riding, while you’re breathing, while you’re living—make the most of it.

Enjoy the ride, ICEMAN. Don’t take life (or yourself) too seriously. After all, we’re here to have fun, aren’t we?

See you at the start line. Let’s go ride! 

PS: I am in a Turtle Jersey with Bright Orange Shorts during the race.  If it’s post race, I usually rock a cowboy hat of some sort. If you see me make sure you say “HI!”

Thank you to our 2024 Iceman Cometh Challenge Casey Smith @casey_thetractorguy

With the end of summer and start of the fall season I have noticed lots of changes. The weather has been changing and so have the rides we go out on. I have started riding almost every day of the week in preparation for the Iceman Race! The fall season is a great time to lock-in and start winding down to the race days. People race way more in the fall for mountain biking compared to the summer season, just because that is how the schedule works. 

At the end of summer, I started to participate in the MISCA races downstate. MISCA has a big sponsorship with ICEMAN and I was so happy to find that out.  MISCA has helped me to prepare for the Iceman race and the challenges out on that course. There are all types of terrain downstate that have helped me to be a strong rider and become more confident. 

Slowing tracking into the Iceman season has many layers to it that have been developed all summer. I have been working extra hard on my nutrition and my hydration. Now that the fall season has come around I am starting to work on my biking techniques and my daily riding. After taking a break in the summer to just have a biking free couple weeks I noticed my legs can recover faster and I am ready to start riding almost everyday again! I have started working more on my recovery, because of the MISCA races being every Sunday and having to fit in TCTF and P2P it’s important for me to have healthy muscle recovery. I have been stretching lots and making sure I drink lots of water and electrolytes before and after my race. I have been very strict on making sure to get good sleep and eating lots of carbs leading up to race day. 

Overall I am just very excited to see all the hard work fall together for the Iceman race and I can’t wait to see how much progress I have made from last year. But until that day I am going to keep working on the little things then get to my big goal of Iceman Cometh Challenge!

A huge thank you to our 2024 Junior Iceman Ambassador @pipershumar

Fall races are here. And there’s a lot of them! With living in this beautiful area it’s hard not to enter in all these amazing events. From an Ironman, to a marathon, to iceman, I’m in the middle of doing it all this fall. Recovery has never been more important for me so I can make it to the start line of the next race. 

I often find that rest days or recovery workouts give many athletes anxiety. I know I used to feel that way. My “rest days” used to consist of power yoga or lifting days because I figured “hey I’m not biking or running today this still counts as rest, right?” Rest days are not only to allow our bodies to heal, but also our minds to recover from the constant go go go that is required to juggle our everyday lives and training.

My top tips for recovery days are:

SLEEP – 8 hours is the goal. I know it’s not always possible with kids, babies, work schedules, but do what you can. Getting a good night sleep can be maximized by avoiding caffeine in the afternoon, skipping that beer or glass of wine with dinner, and staying away from screens at least 1 hour before you hit the hay.

FOOD – just because it’s a rest day, does not mean you need to eat less. Oftentimes you’ll be more hungry on rest days and that is just a sign your body needs that fuel to recover! Listen to your body, it’s smart.

RELAX – this is key for the mental aspect too. I’m normally awake before everyone in my house and my favorite activity before I head to work is making a nice cup of coffee, throwing on my compression boots, and putting on some feel good TV. Sounds silly, but hey everyone has their thing to help them turn their minds off and just chill.

Work hard, rest harder. 

Thank you to our 2024 Iceman Ambassador Allyson Klug @allysonklug

2023—my first Iceman. Man, it felt like Christmas morning as I counted down the days to registration. I was literally glued to my screen, the refresh button getting the workout of its life, making sure I snagged my spot before it filled up. And when I locked it in? I was over the moon, ready to dive headfirst into the ultimate Michigan mountain bike race.

The build-up was serious. I made it a point to race every month—part of my routine for the year. A lot of training rides, runs, long grinds, pushing hard to prepare for what was coming. When they finally released the wave placements, I landed in wave 43, practically at the back of the pack. No surprise there—first time riding the Iceman, over 40, and rolling in on a fat bike. I wasn’t mad about it. Every race uses waves, and let’s be real, the older you are or the slower they think you might be, the further back you go.

I could’ve requested to move up since I’d been crushing races that were similar in distance and elevation all year long, placing in the top 5 and top 20 in a few. But I held back. Iceman is a legend, and I wanted to experience it in its full glory, start to finish, no shortcuts. So, I accepted my spot in wave 43 and got serious about my training.

As the race approached, the nerves kicked in—mixed with a hefty dose of excitement. I’d spent months dialing in everything: crack-of-dawn rides, hitting trails fast and hard, testing tire setups and PSI like it was a science experiment. Whatever edge I could find, I was going after it, knowing I’d need every bit of it come race day.

The weekend of the race, I was lucky enough to crash with some friends at Timber Ridge—hardcore Iceman vets who’ve been doing this for years. Their advice was pure gold. We talked about the infamous “conga lines” that form in the single track, how to find those key moments to attack, and where to save energy.

The expo, though, was a bit much for me. Huge crowds aren’t my thing, but I soaked it in anyway, grabbing all the swag I could for my kids (and a few goodies for myself, including some fresh Iceman gear). I glanced at the long line for packet pickup and noped out of there—deciding to join my group for a ride on the last 10 miles of the course before circling back for the packets later. Best decision ever.

Iceman is known for keeping things fresh each year, tweaking the course just enough to keep everyone on their toes. Riding those last 10 miles ahead of time was huge. I knew what to expect on race day, from the flowy, fast sections to the small bumps and drops. It made all the difference, especially when things got tight in traffic.

Antia Hill? Total game-changer to know it has that sneaky false summit—you’ve gotta dig deep and keep pushing. The downhill under the powerlines, followed by a sandy climb, was another key section. And don’t even get me started on that new single-track shortcut that dumps you into the infamous woodchip hill climb. Knowing the 90-degree turn that forces you to nearly stop right before the climb was like having a cheat code. I was ready.

Then, the beast of the Icebreaker climb—that long, drawn-out grind. From there, it’s tight singletrack until you hit the final stretch into Timber Ridge Campground. Knowing how to handle the transition from dirt to pavement on that last sharp corner saved me from a potential wipeout that caught a few pros. From there, it’s all about that final push to the finish.

Race day? It was everything and more. I could barely sleep the night before, the anticipation buzzing through me. I woke up early, grabbed some coffee, and chatted with the crew I was staying with about what was ahead. We loaded up our bikes and headed to the start line. Almost everyone in my group was set to start nearly two hours before me. Even though the morning air was crisp, almost biting, the atmosphere was electric—alive with excitement and energy.

To stay warm and loosen up, I rode around the airfield, getting my legs ready for what was about to come. When it was finally my wave’s turn to enter the chute, I felt a pit in my stomach—nerves and excitement wrestling for control. Then, as soon as the buzz signaling the start rang out, something clicked. I sprinted off that line harder than I ever have before.

Crossing the finish line, I hit that post-race wall—completely bonked. I stopped next to someone I knew, barely aware of where I was or what had just happened. Once I snapped out of it, I headed back to refuel—shower, change, and my go-to post-race treat: a pint of chocolate ice cream. Afterward, I soaked up the vibe, which is something words can’t fully capture. Iceman isn’t just a race—it’s like a mountain biking festival. I’ve been to big events and festivals before, but there’s nothing quite like Iceman. The energy is electric, the people are incredible, and everyone’s sharing this wild, rugged, muddy experience together. It’s like the best rave you’ve ever been to, mashed with the most intense, joyful mountain biking event imaginable. You leave it with an overwhelming desire to come back, year after year.

See you all on November 2nd! Find me out there—I’ll be trading bracelets, snapping selfies, and sending it with every bit of PLUR energy we can summon. Let’s ride!

Thank you to our 2024 Iceman Ambassador Gerald Gaecke @g_dub83_

While physical fitness and technical skill are vital components of success at the Iceman Cometh, perhaps the most important piece of the puzzle is mental toughness and pragmatic pacing. The demands of this 30+ mile race will push you to your limits in every way.

Those who can simultaneously embrace the discomfort, manage their effort levels, and resist going one too many times into the red before the finish will be the ones much happier at the end of the day. Developing mental strength and an intelligent pacing strategy is critical.

Whether you’ve raced Iceman before or not, taking the time to mentally rehearse and visualize every part of the course is huge for preparing your mind. Use photos, videos, first-hand accounts, and detailed maps to deeply picture what you’ll experience. If you can pre-ride, please do so! Fall in northern lower Michigan is stunning.

Of course, no amount of visualization can fully prepare you for the discomfort and fatigue you’ll experience at Iceman. You have to deliberately manufacture opportunities to desensitize your mind to suffering during training sessions. This could mean adding extra mileage or climbing more hill intervals. Or maybe it’s throwing in surprise surges or hill repeats at the end of endurance rides when your body is wrecked.

The key is pushing your mental limits frequently under extreme duress so your brain becomes accustomed to overriding discomfort and distress. Build up that grit piece by piece until suffering is second nature. I like to hit those dark places and push through, it’s a process to understand what your brain does to you and know you can get through it!

I recommend that you determine reasonable start, middle, and finish time goals based on your fitness, course intel, and race-day conditions (ever forget mudman!). From there, script out planned heart rate, power, or RPE zones for different sections of the course.

Break things up into manageable chunks like going through the two track opening trail, targeting a specific climbing RPE as we hit the first section of single track and cadence on the major hills, and make sure you are saving something in the tank for the last 10 miles where the real fun begins on the Vasa.

Focus only on hitting those process goals for each segment, try to ignore your overall position or anyone else’s pacing. Ride your own race! 

I recommend you cultivate a saying like “smooth is fast” or “you trained for this” to quickly reset when the suffering hits or your mind starts to wander. Having these trigger statements ingrained makes it simple to get back on script.

With a clear mind, repeated discomfort training, and a well-designed pacing plan, you’ll develop the composure and focus to tackle the Iceman this fall. The miles of fun will make sure you are ready for that cold Bells Beer brew at the finish

About the author: 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.