Tag: Kalkaska

2023 Iceman Course

The Northern Michigan Mountain Bike Association has been riding, racing and assisting with Iceman course prep for many years, but 2023 marks the first year that NMMBA has officially taken the course reins for this iconic event.  Tom White, trail development lead and NMMBA board member could not be more excited.  We tapped into his insights and designs for the 2023 course and beyond.  We got an earful and lots to share with racers, volunteers, spectators and weekend trail users. 

In the continuing evolution of the Iceman course, NMMBA’s first move was to talk to the founding father of the Iceman, Steve Brown to get his take on how the course and the race has evolved over the decades.  The goal of NMMBA is to maintain the Iceman legacy while keeping up with forestry plans, weather patterns and ever changing forest users and uses.  Thirty years ago the forest between Kalkaska and Timber Ridge was a seldom used network of leaf covered logging roads with some classic Northern Michigan sand traps along the way.  Today, we are sharing the woods with so many other users  and it is a great thing but presents challenges for those pedaling under their own power.  These realities shaped our goals into three buckets:  a safe/rideable course, a sustainable course and a more mountain bikie course.  Roadie body suits, slicks, drop bars and aero helmets are cool and all, but we want to build a course where those things hang in the closet till spring.

So what does the 2023 Iceman course look like?  It breaks down like this:

The start is largely unchanged.  Getting 5000 bikes sorted out and moving rhythmically through the first 3 miles of the race is a huge challenge and keeping the start safe and preventing racer pile ups in the first two minutes is the goal.  To accomplish this we brought in gravel and strategically pulled off sand and placed gravel to allow two lanes wherever we could.  We also created a center mound between lanes to discourage spontaneous and sketchy lane changes that create pile ups.  Nobody wins the race in the first mile, but crashing yourself or others out can lose the race and the ride experience in an instant.

As racers pass through the Dockery Road intersection the course and soil transitions into more luscious loam and delicious single track flavor.  At this point the starting line butterflies are gone and riders are well into their groove and should be traveling with their race day mates.  The single track pieces in this section are mostly flat to down hill and should allow racers to flow and even take advantage of a little recovery.  It should be noted that no single track was added simply for the thrill of it.  Every piece of single track eliminates hub deep sand sections that are no fun for anyone.  Make it Stick is back after the forest management of last year and is in excellent shape.  Be sure to listen for the drumbeats as you climb through that section.  The Hero Section gets chopped into two halves with the first half being replaced by the downhill berms of Uncle Tom’s Cabin as you skirt around the newly and artistically harvested section of beech, ironwood and maple.  The second half of the Hero Section now incorporates a unicorn of a grassy two track with a single hot line through it.  Finally, the Hero Section finishes with a new downhill/flat section of single track known was Tighty Whitie as it glides between two large white oaks as it takes racers off a busy and sandy ORV trail. 

After Broomhead Road the course picks up speed as racers turn left into the newly added Time Saver Two Track.  This is a sand-free two track with a mild hump and drop off that is just enough to make you smile.  The Time Saver 2T transitions into – you guessed it – the Time Sucker Single Track.  The Time Sucker ST is 100% flat and full of turns as it routes racers around a nearly impassible section of sandy gas line trail. 

The next sections are known as the Three Sisters with one sister that is more popular than the others.  However, we added a Step Sister to the mix this year and eliminated a major wash out that would have required most to push their bikes.  The Step Sister is only half the length of a football field, but infinitely better than pushing a bicycle in the lead up to the Williamsburg Road crossing.

As the echoes of the announcer at Williamsburg Road fade racers will notice mile 18 on the dashboard and feel the comfort of the familiar 25K classic Iceman route and the final 10 ish miles until racers get to dance with Steve Brown’s perennial serpentine finish.  Be sure to leave some legs before that for the hills of Boonenberg, Anita’s, the Ice Crusher Climb (CC climb), Wood Chip Hill and the final Icebreaker Climb.

The Northern Michigan Mountain Bike Association is honored to be partnered with the absolutely fantastic Iceman group of volunteers, the Michigan DNR, the racers, event sponsors and the Cherry Festival Foundation.   Without which this incredible event would not be even remotely possible.  It must also be noted the entire race from Kalkaska to TC travels entirely on public/state land.  This is the only way this race could exist.  Only the first 60 seconds at the race start and the final 2 minutes at the race finish are on private lands.  Every other inch of the course takes place on shared use public land where hunting, motorsports, hiking, horseback riding, camping and forestry management are ongoing.  Please enjoy the entire 2023 Iceman event while keeping in mind we are all sharing a common space with many other equally important users and uses.

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How to have a successful first Iceman race!

Iceman is a race unlike any other mountain bike race in the country. As the largest point-to-point mountain bike race in the US, Iceman is truly a unique experience. First timers to Iceman may be surprised by some of the logistical challenges that can arise. Here are my tips to having a great day!

1) Prepare for a long day. One of the biggest mistakes one can make in preparing for Iceman is assuming that you will be riding your bike for less than 2 hours. Certainly, many folks will have sub 2-hour races. However, if you are a first time Iceman participant, you will likely be seeded back in a later wave. This means that the single track will likely be congested, and you may end up out on course longer than you expect. My very first Iceman, I failed to realize this and only brought one gel and one bottle of water. While this would have been adequate for a sub 2-hour finish, it was not nearly enough for a late wave start on a muddy race day! Be generous with your nutrition preparations!

2) Prepare for variable weather. This race takes place in northern Michigan in November. Weather is variable and the forecast can, and will, change rapidly. Race days in the past have been below freezing or a balmy 55 degrees. There have been dry days, snowy days and absolute mud fests. Don’t look at the forecast on Monday and choose your wardrobe. Pack for all the possibilities.

3) Plan ahead for the finish. This is a point-to-point event. Unless you have a very patient spouse/parent/child/friend driving from Kalkaska to Traverse City, with your fresh clothes and gear, you will need to prepare a drop bag. Drop bags will be delivered to the finish line. There are showers at Timber Ridge, so pack some bodywash and a towel. Pack plenty of layers so you stay toasty–you won’t want to be too cold to enjoy the afterparty!

4.) Embrace the two-track and seasonal roads. Many folks will plan to use the wider two-track and seasonal road segments to pedal easy and catch their breath. However, if this is your first Iceman and you are in a late wave start, this isn’t the best strategy. Again, this is a 5,000 person bike party. The later waves will suffer congestion on the single track. I promise, you’ll be able to catch your breath on the singletrack. Use the gravel road riding segments to make your passes and relish that quad burn!

5.) Keep perspective. If this is your first Iceman, it can be easy to be overwhelmed by the sheer number of people out on the trail. Remember that we are all just people who love bikes–don’t be afraid to ask for help or advice. Practice courtesy and respect in passing and being passed. Finally, don’t forget to enjoy the ride!

Thank you to our 2023 Iceman Ambassador Elaine Sheikh @elaine_muskrat

Other races I like to use to prepare for Iceman

I like to schedule in at least one long event in the summer each year. I like endurance racing in its own right, and summer is the perfect time to spend long hours on a bike. But endurance events also provide a benefit to late-season races like Iceman-it’s easier to stomach the 2ish hours of pain at Iceman when I have memories of 6-12 hour efforts that are fresh enough to conjure up! Here are 3 of my favorites from over the years:

A selfie I took with Tobi Tungl! We both raced Coast to Coast, so we actually met in person for the first time during the race. We got to ride together for a few miles and then saw each other occasionally throughout the rest of the day!

Triple Trail Challenge: This is a fundraising event for the Poto MBA that covers 50-ish miles of the Potowatomi, DTE Energy Foundation, and Waterloo-Pinckney Trails. This includes a huge variety of trail styles, so it’s a ton of fun and it lives up to the “Challenge” moniker. I also grew up right in the middle of the area so there are lots of fun memories baked in along the way. If you’re looking for something totally unique to test your mountain bike skills in a low-stress environment, you can’t go wrong with the TTC.

Lumberjack 100: A legendary Michigan event. If you’re into endurance and mountain biking, LJ100should absolutely be on your radar. This race takes on its 100 miles of singletrack in 3 laps, so you passthrough the start/finish area twice in the middle of the race. This makes it really fun if you have friends, family, or teammates to share the experience with as you can see them intermittently for laughs and support as you slowly transition from nervous and full of energy to exhausted and (hopefully) full of stoke!

Coast to Coast: As I shared earlier in the summer, the 204-mile gravel race from Lake Huron to Lake Michigan was my new endurance endeavor this year. Many aspects of this race really go without saying. It’s long. It’s hard. It feels really good to finish. But more so than probably any other rave I’ve done, Coast to Coast really is about the journey it takes to reach the finish line. The course is masterfully designed, and it traverses a huge variety of terrain. Thus, it’s not only a big test of both physical and mental endurance, but also a test of adaptability across all flavors of “gravel” from smooth hardpack all the way to rooty ATV trails and long stretches of deep, dry sand. Time will tell whether I notice any impact on my Iceman experience in 2023 after racing Coast to Coast, but for now I’m feeling as confident riding through sand as I ever have in my life, so maybe that’ll pay off if we have a dry fall!

As much as I love each of these races, one thing I strive for is to try at least one new event each year. There are so many out there-what event do you think I should try in 2024?

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

How I use other races to prepare for Iceman

For many riders and racers in the Midwest, Iceman is the last race of the season. Training is planned for this one race in (sometimes) questionable Michigan fall weather. I like to prepare for this big event not only with structured training, but also in participating in two races earlier in the season to see where I’m at with my fitness.

One of these races is Ore2Shore in Negaunee, MI. The Ore2Shore Hardrock is a 48 Mile Point to Point race from Negaunee, MI (where Iron Ore was first discovered) to the shoreline of Lake Superior in Marquette, MI. It is a similar format as Iceman, with some added technical sections aka “The Powerlines”. This race is fast from the start and leads through the beautiful scenery of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I’ll be heading back this year with the goal to improve my last year’s finish time of 3:13:34.

Peak2Peak is another great “warmup” race for Iceman. It usually takes place at the 3rd weekend of October at Crystal Mountain, MI. The course is a 12 mile loop with a mix of two-track, singletrack and a fun downhill to the finish. 2022 was my first year racing Peak2Peak and I was able to finish on the top step of the podium for the Women’s Sport cat. I’m excited to race three laps on this fun course this year.

Thank you to our 2023 Iceman Ambassador Nina Waschenfelder @ninasmtblife

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

Summer favorite places to train

Hey there! As the summer sun lights up the sky, discovering the roads less traveled is one of my go-to’s for staying motivated throughout the summer. Iceman will be here before we know it. So, gear up and let’s dive into my summertime motivation guide!

Explore New Horizons: Summer is the perfect time to break free from routine and explore the uncharted roads. Seek-out new or hidden trails, scenic countryside gravel routes, and embrace the thrill of the unknown. Every ride can be an adventure.

Set Summer Goals: Let’s not wait until fall to start our training. Set mini-goals for the summer, whether it’s achieving a specific mileage, conquering a challenging course, working on technical trail skills or improving your speed. These achievements will build our confidence and keep us focused on the bigger racing goals.

Rise with the Sun: Mornings in summer are pure magic! Wake up early and experience the tranquility of dawn. The crisp air and the promise of a brand-new day is a fantastic way to stay motivated on the sizzling summer days. Overnight rides when you can ride all night and see the sunrise are amazing too (some of my favorite rides are overnight).

Fuel Your Body: Summer brings a bounty of fresh fruits and wholesome foods (the local farmers markets are fantastic!). Take care of your body with nutritious meals, and don’t forget to stay hydrated. Proper nutrition keeps our energy levels up and our body performing at its peak!

Embrace Nature: Take time to appreciate the scenery around you—breathe in the fresh air, feel the breeze, and let nature be your muse. Don’t feel like riding today? Go out and pedal around for 20minutes with no plan, just absorbing the world around you. Great stress reliever too!

Document Your Journey: Capture the memories of your summer rides with photos and videos. Stravarecordings are great and now with videos attached to rides it’s a way to document each one individually.

So, my fellow Iceman peeps, let’s seize this summer and make it a season of determination, adventure, and many campfire stories to tell in November.

Thank you to our 2023 Ambassador Tobi Tungl @tobitungl

Summer Riding Tips

Summer is such a fun time to enjoy the great outdoors in Michigan. Sometimes, it can be easy to have a little bit too much fun! As we juggle busy summer events such as weddings and graduation parties, along with the invites for beach days and down-river floats, it can be easy to let training fall by the wayside. Here are some of my tips for staying in shape while still enjoying everything summer has to offer.

1.) Be proactive. If you are planning vacations or work tips, it’s a good idea to put those in your training schedule as soon as you know about them. It sounds commonsensical, but you’d be surprised how easy it is to forget about the effect travel has on training. You probably shouldn’t try to get off a 5 hour airplane ride and roll right into VO2 max efforts. If you schedule your workouts appropriately, you can focus your intensity training to occur prior to travel. This allows you to enjoy your trip and use it as a recovery period.

2.) Be flexible. You may not be able to take a bike on vacation with you. However, there are other ways to stay fit and have fun. One of my favorite things to do on vacation is to rent a bike or go for a run. You get to really immerse yourself in a city in a way that you just can’t replicate in a vehicle. As a bonus, you may become the person in your travel group that knows where all the cool cafés are! There are a huge number of shops that rent bicycles. A pair of cycling shoes and shorts takes up very little room in your suitcase. If you go through the effort of packing them, you will be far more likely to call a shop and rent a bicycle for a day.

3.) Be intentional. Everyone has different goals. For some people, racing at their very best is the focus of the year. If that’s you, set your intentionality on limiting external distractions. You may need to say no to that beach day invite if you already took an easy day for the week. However, for many of us (myself included), the goal is to squeeze every last drop of fun out of the summer. If that’s the case, then understand that sometimes training will look a little different than the ideal. Sometimes your aerobic rides will be replaced with fun hikes or a quick bodyweight workout in a campground. That doesn’t mean you will be out of shape come November. If you continue to focus on maintaining general bike fitness, the Iceman specific race fitness can be honed in on during September-November.

4.) Be coachable. It is very hard to be unbiased in assessment of oneself. I strongly recommend a coach to help you get the very most out of the time you can commit to training. A coach is not a necessity for having a great time at Iceman. However, if you want to really maximize your training benefit, a coach may be the missing piece of the puzzle.

I hope you have a fantastic summer filled with bikes, friends and fun!

Thank you to our 2023 Iceman Ambassador Elaine Sheikh @elaine_muskrat