“Eating wins races” – Syd and Macky (pro off-road cyclists)

Let’s talk fuel. Pre-race, during race, and post-race, all of the fuel! Now, I am not a dietitian or a nutritionist but I do know what works for me and maybe something I write about will work for you too! Fueling your body properly can make or break your performance on race day. Whether you’re gearing up for a sprint race, a gran fondo, or something epic like the Iceman Cometh Challenge, your nutrition strategy is just as important as your training. Yes, you can do all of the correct training but come race day, if your body does not have the proper nutrients it needs to succeed, you will not be able to perform at your best. 

Pre-Race: 

Proper fueling is not just important on race day, but leading up to your big event as well! Your body requires time to store what it needs in order to use it later during the race. We have all heard about carb loading. Maybe something you didn’t know is that you do not want to just carb load the night prior to your race. In fact, you should be carb loading 2-3 days prior to your event! Think pasta, rice, sweet potatoes, oatmeal, fruits, and whole grains.The goal is to maximize the amount of glycogen (your body’s preferred fuel source during intense exercise) stored in your muscles and liver. The benefits of carb loading include:

Increases energy stores: Glycogen is the primary fuel your muscles use during sustained, high-intensity efforts like a bike race. The more you have stored, the longer you can perform at a higher level before fatigue sets in.

Delays muscle fatigue: With fully stocked glycogen stores, your body doesn’t have to rely as quickly on fat for energy, which is slower to convert.

Boosts performance: Studies show that carb loading can improve endurance performance in events lasting longer than 90 minutes by helping you maintain a higher power output for longer.

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Drink plenty of water throughout the day and add in your favorite electrolytes if you are sweating more due to heat or your continued training. Lastly, try to avoid heavy or fatty meals. This can leave you sluggish, bloated, or with unwanted digestive issues. These foods are high in fats, fried, or simply larger portions. This can include meals such as a cheeseburger, fried chicken, pizza with extra cheese and pepperoni, large portions of creamy pasta, or loaded nachos. 

What should you eat the morning of race day? Aim to eat 2–3 hours before the race. Include carbs, protein, and minimal fat/fiber. For example, oatmeal with a banana and a bit of peanut butter, or toast with honey and scrambled eggs are good options. Of course, continue to hydrate and try not to eat anything new – stick with what your stomach already knows! 

Prior to the race start I like to eat a small snack and sip on a little more water. Typically I will go for a banana or part of a protein bar. This makes me feel ready, full, and hydrated!

During the race:

Now, it does vary how many carbs/calories you should intake during the race depending on race intensity, your goals, how many calories you are burning, etc. As a general rule, aim for 30-60g of carbs per hour of intense activity. When you’re racing or riding hard for longer than 60-90 minutes, your body burns through glycogen (stored carbs) quickly. Unfortunately, your glycogen stores are limited-typically enough for 60 to 90 minutes of intense effort. Once those stores run low, your performance starts to drop (a.k.a. “bonking” or hitting the wall). Nobody wants that feeling, it is the worst! So, back to my title, eating wins races!! We need to maintain our blood glucose level by refueling on the go. 

What does 30-60g of carbs look like?

-1 energy gel = ~20-25g carbs

-1 banana = ~27g carbs

-16 oz sports drink (like Skratch or Gatorade) = ~20-25g carbs

-1 pack of chews (like Skratch chews) = ~40g carbs

I personally love Skratch products and use several different items for racing. My favorites include the energy chews (any flavor really), super high-carb mix (Lemon-lime), hydration mix (strawberry lemonade), and recovery mix (vegan oat milk latte). I will fill one water bottle with the super high-carb and another with hydration on race day and always carry a pack of chews with me! In addition to Skratch, I will often eat a maple syrup pack, apple sauce, a fig bar, dried fruit, or a fruit bar! Don’t be fooled, I also LOVE candy on rides – Nerds Clusters, gummy worms, M&M’s, or Sour Patch Kids! 

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Are you catching on to a theme here? Drink water throughout the entire race! If that means wearing a pack to ensure you can consume enough water, wear one! Sometimes it is challenging to reach down for a water bottle if you are racing on a mostly single track course, so don’t be afraid to sport a pack on race day. If it is hot out, drink more water. If it is cold, still make sure you are drinking water! You may not feel thirsty but your body will thank you later. Pro tip, practice your fueling on training rides. Practice eating while riding and practice eating specific foods to ensure your gut will tolerate it. It can be tricky pulling out a chew pack, opening it with gloves on, and putting it back in a pocket without dropping anything all while still riding your bike so the more practice the better! Same goes for pulling out a water bottle and replacing it without stopping. 

Post Race:

Is there anything much better than a post-race meal? Sometimes the thought of eating a giant slice of pizza is all that gets me through the last few miles of a race! Ideally, you should consume a mix of carbs and protein about 30-60 minutes after a race. This could include a recovery shake (this is where the Skratch recovery mix comes in to play for me) or chocolate milk. You guessed it, continue hydrating and consider an electrolyte replacement. Then of course, eat a full meal within 2-3 hours post-race. For example, stir-fry with rice noodles, tofu or chicken, and mixed vegetables or a burrito bowl with rice, veggies, and beans. If you aren’t hungry right away, start with a small snack and eat later. 

Proper fueling is more than just eating before a ride-it’s a strategy that starts days before and continues after the finish line. Dialing in your nutrition plan helps you perform your best, recover faster, and enjoy the ride more. Happy fueling my friends!

Thank you to Haleigh Dunn @life.with.haleigh for being our 2025 Iceman Trailblazer!

Training for the Iceman Cometh Challenge: Building Strength and Skills for Race Day

The Iceman Cometh Challenge is one of the most thrilling and challenging races I’ve ever faced. From the tight singletrack to the big hills and sandy sections, it demands everything from endurance to technical skills and mental focus. What has made this race even more special for me is the community that comes with it. Having friends surrounding me, both on and off the course, has really helped boost my confidence and pushed me to keep going, no matter how tough things get. The encouragement from fellow riders and the shared goal of tackling the course together makes the experience even more rewarding.

Over the past few years, I’ve learned a lot about what works and what doesn’t when preparing for the race. In this post, I’ll share what has worked best for me when training for the Iceman, from building endurance to improving technical skills and strength, all leading up to race day.

Endurance Training

Endurance is the foundation for a successful Iceman ride. The 30-mile course requires you to keep pushing through tough terrain for two to three hours, depending on your pace. In the beginning, I would just do longer rides on the weekends with my stepbrother. We often rode the same route at 5 a.m. every Sunday, which felt somewhat boring, but we worked up to completing a 24-mile course at a 13.5 mph pace easily.

As I progressed, I added hill sprints and intervals into my rides, gradually increasing my speed. Since joining the MISCA team, I still go on long rides every weekend, but I’ve shifted from doing only long rides to steady, longer interval-based 45-minute base-building workouts. These have made a huge difference in improving my fitness. I appreciate that they’re shorter and easier to fit into my schedule.

My favorite base-building session looks like this:

  • 5-minute warm-up at around 60 watts
  • Three sets of:
  • 4 minutes of steady pedaling at 75 watts
  • 2 minutes of harder effort at 85 watts
  • 5-minute recovery
  • Then three sets of:
  • 5 minutes of tempo effort at 75 watts
  • 2.5 minutes of harder effort at 85 watts
  • 5-minute recovery
  • In the first set, I stay on the lower side of my power target, and in the second set, I push a little above my target

Since joining the MISCA Devo team, I’ve been working on interval training to improve both endurance and speed. One of the sessions that really improved my speed was:

  • 7-minute warm-up
  • 3 repetitions of:
  • 30-second sprint (85–90% of max effort)
  • 30 seconds of gentle pedaling or coasting
  • 5-minute recovery
  • 5 repetitions of:
  • 30-second sprint
  • 30 seconds rest
  • 10-minute recovery ride at moderate effort
  • 5 more repetitions of:
  • 30-second sprint
  • 30 seconds rest
  • 10-minute cooldown

Another one of my favorite training methods is hill repeats. I’ll go to Anita’s Hill and sprint up it, coast down, and repeat

Strength Training and Cross-Training

Strength training has become a key part of my routine, thanks to my MISCA coach. We focus on building functional strength and improving balance, stability, and mobility—all super important for handling the bike on rough terrain.

Some of the most helpful exercises I do include:

  • Lunges, squats, and deadlifts
  • Side-loaded lunges and squats
  • Overhead marches
  • Bridge variations and plank pillar holds
  • Hollow body holds and penguins
  • Banded reverse lunges and banded dead bugs
  • Rows, chest press, and tricep dips

For mobility, I’ve been doing:

  • Hip openers, frog squats, and figure 4 stretches
  • Leg swings, jumping jack variations, and skaters with a twist
  • Side bends, forward bends, scorpions, windshield wipers, and alternating one-leg hugs

These workouts have been both fun and really effective. They’ve helped improve my overall comfort on the bike, especially during long efforts and when handling rough terrain.

Recovery is just as important as the training itself. Eating right, foam rolling, and stretching are part of my routine and have helped me stay strong and injury-free.

I’ve also included cross-training to keep things interesting and challenge different muscle groups. Running and hiking have been great for building cardiovascular fitness, preparing me for the more demanding sections of the course. Even indoor rock climbing has helped improve my grip strength and balance, which definitely pays off on the bike.

Technical Skills for Tight Corners and Sand

The Iceman’s singletrack is tight, and mistakes can cost you precious time. Practicing cornering and bike handling was a big part of my training. I worked on leaning just my bike while keeping my knees wide and my weight centered, which helped me stay smooth through tricky turns. Riding the trails near Brighton, which are packed with roots and rocks, helped sharpen my skills. Even though the Iceman course doesn’t have rocks, those challenging trails forced me to improve my balance and control, making me faster and more confident overall.

To prepare for the sandy sections, I practiced riding loose gravel and sand pits at a local trail. The key was to keep my pedals turning and stay light on the handlebars to let the bike float through the deeper sections. This focus on smooth and controlled riding has made a big difference in my race prep.

Putting It All Together

In the final weeks before race day, I started combining everything: endurance, strength, and skills. I practiced race-pace rides that included hills, corners, and sand, simulating the Iceman conditions as closely as possible. These practice rides gave me the confidence to know I could handle whatever the course threw at me.

Training for the Iceman isn’t just about logging miles—it’s about building strength, mastering bike handling, and finding the mental focus to push through tough moments. The time and effort you put in will pay off when you cross that finish line, knowing you gave it your all.

Thank you to Kedzie Ruckle @noelkedzie for being our 2025 Junior Iceman Trailblazer!

Greetings all of you Iceman LEGENDS!

I’m excited to be a part of the Iceman ambassador program and to be a guest blogger in 2025. This year will mark my 6th Iceman appearance, and I stand firmly in saying it’s the best party in the woods with 5000+ people doing hard things on their bikes.

As I started typing this, I initially thought I’d talk about kicking off the season and getting your “race legs” under you early in the year—my undergraduate and grad school studies were focused on exercise physiology; so I thought that might be a great topic to share some insight on. However, my mind shifted quickly after I typed that line above: “doing hard things.” The beauty and the magic of Iceman lay within its wide range of individuals—national (and global) cycling professionals, the serious amateurs, the moderate and beginner amateurs, and of course the “joyriders” just out there to do something hard while crushing some snacks (and maybe a cold one or two) on course. Each of these cohorts make Iceman what it is: a place for everyone to thrive in whatever way that looks like to them.

One of our good friends (Pauly H.) turned my wife and me onto a book by Steve Magness called “Do Hard Things.” Without giving away the book (because I highly recommend everyone read it), the general concept is that toughness is a skill, not a personality trait. It can be trained like anything else. True resilience is about psychological flexibility, not stoicism. If you’ve attended Iceman in any form, then you’ve seen this on display at every skill level—including our local friends sending it over “Make It Stick” last year… EPIC. *Shoutout to TP*

In reflecting on this, it brings to mind the big question: Why do 5000 people (and another 5000+ of their friends) show up the first weekend in November to ride a mountain bike race that starts at 9am in temps as low as 29°F? The answer? It’s personal. That’s what makes Iceman so special. Every rider has a different reason for showing up—and every one of those reasons is valid. Whether you’re chasing a podium, hammering to beat your PR, high-fiving strangers while rocking jorts and a banana costume, or just soaking in the wild energy of a race that’s as much festival as formal, you’re doing it right. There’s no “correct” way to race Iceman, other than to enjoy the hell out of it. We all ride this thing a little differently—but what unites us is the energy we bring to the trail and the community that is built around it. I’ve been fortunate to race around our amazing state, and even more so fortunate to have done a few races around the country, and I can confidently say that not a single one compares in energy to Iceman. I can’t speak for what a UCI World Cup is like or anything of the sort (I’m very much somewhere between the moderate and serious amateur rider), but I get the chills every time I come cranking up Woodchip and Icebreaker and see all the people cheering, handing out dollar bills, and looking for high-fives along the gates. That is this community. No ego and no selfishness; just positivity, support, and literally the best vibes in the woods. 

Firecracker 50 MTB Race – Breckenridge, CO

So whether you’re already deep into your training plan or just beginning to ruminate on what costume to wear, just remember: Iceman is what you make it. It’s fast, it’s fun, it’s chaotic, and it’s unforgettable. Let’s keep it positive, keep it rowdy, and make 2025 the best year yet. I’m looking forward to sharing more with you all throughout the 2025 season!

See you all in the woods.

Thank you to Mark Daisy @markdaisymusic for being our 2025 Iceman Trailblazer!