This past weekend was the Hardwood Fatty Frost Cross Fatbike race and whoooeeee what a day it was! The guys at the Bikezone were kind enough to arrange a rental for me of a Salsa Mukluk, so at 10AM Saturday morning, I headed north to give it a spin. Got to Hwood, set up the bike and hopped on just in time for the start. There were 28 of us, 3 women, attempting what we were told was Canada's first Fatbike race? really? - gotta be at least Ontario's...
The course was to be a 3Km loop; as many laps as you could get in in 2 hours time...no sweat right?? Ha...ha ha...Hahhahahahahaha!!! The day had turned to a beauty spring day of 8 degrees and the snow quickly turned very soft. I had to rethink what I would wear cuz it really was hot out - jersey, arms and summer gloves won out. Plus, I switched shoes to the Pearl Izumi XAlps cuz I knew there would be a lot of wet running, and we all know how cranky I get when my feet freeze ;)
The course went out the start around the back cross field, then up into the BMX track, before heading back out to the back double track loop, returning to the S/F again. Some people rode relay style, some solo - I opted for solo - and i can honestly say, I left my guts out there. It was really tough going - very slippy, slushy fun. Crazy fun! I lost count of how many headers I took into snowbanks, and they all made me laugh hysterically...all but one...I bit it going pretty fast on a slippy descent and fell so hard I heard my neck crack, and my innards flip into a knot. I got back on and shook myself off, carried on and didn't think much more about it, but I had busted my rear shifter. Ah well, only a couple laps to go, and all the shifing really just gets in the way ;) Finished out the 2 hr. 15 min. mark with 8 laps - redlined the entire time and was exhausted! Holy work batman....but it was awesome. Thanks to Hardwood for spearheading this event - good times and great chips and salsa offered up by tasty Neal Bros. - great ending...
Now, three days later, I am still having trouble eating (Sunday was a write off...) as I think I really did pull all the muscles around my guts, and as soon as my tummy gets churning to digest, the pain sets in - sux really, but it was worth it :) (PS - Woolwich Dairy now makes the most unbelievable goat milk ice cream, and it doesn't hurt so bad on my wounded tummy :) just sayin'...:)
Thanks to Bike Zone Barrie, Muskoka Outfitters, Hardwood Hills, and Neil Bros. for a really fun day in the sun!!
Here's a little link to the news broadcast from Sat. night - you'll see the race at approx. 7mins 34secs mark (thanks Meredith!)
http://www.ctvbarrie.ca/2013/03/saturday-march-09-2013-ctv-news-at-6-webcast/
The course was to be a 3Km loop; as many laps as you could get in in 2 hours time...no sweat right?? Ha...ha ha...Hahhahahahahaha!!! The day had turned to a beauty spring day of 8 degrees and the snow quickly turned very soft. I had to rethink what I would wear cuz it really was hot out - jersey, arms and summer gloves won out. Plus, I switched shoes to the Pearl Izumi XAlps cuz I knew there would be a lot of wet running, and we all know how cranky I get when my feet freeze ;)
The course went out the start around the back cross field, then up into the BMX track, before heading back out to the back double track loop, returning to the S/F again. Some people rode relay style, some solo - I opted for solo - and i can honestly say, I left my guts out there. It was really tough going - very slippy, slushy fun. Crazy fun! I lost count of how many headers I took into snowbanks, and they all made me laugh hysterically...all but one...I bit it going pretty fast on a slippy descent and fell so hard I heard my neck crack, and my innards flip into a knot. I got back on and shook myself off, carried on and didn't think much more about it, but I had busted my rear shifter. Ah well, only a couple laps to go, and all the shifing really just gets in the way ;) Finished out the 2 hr. 15 min. mark with 8 laps - redlined the entire time and was exhausted! Holy work batman....but it was awesome. Thanks to Hardwood for spearheading this event - good times and great chips and salsa offered up by tasty Neal Bros. - great ending...
Now, three days later, I am still having trouble eating (Sunday was a write off...) as I think I really did pull all the muscles around my guts, and as soon as my tummy gets churning to digest, the pain sets in - sux really, but it was worth it :) (PS - Woolwich Dairy now makes the most unbelievable goat milk ice cream, and it doesn't hurt so bad on my wounded tummy :) just sayin'...:)
Thanks to Bike Zone Barrie, Muskoka Outfitters, Hardwood Hills, and Neil Bros. for a really fun day in the sun!!
Here's a little link to the news broadcast from Sat. night - you'll see the race at approx. 7mins 34secs mark (thanks Meredith!)
http://www.ctvbarrie.ca/2013/03/saturday-march-09-2013-ctv-news-at-6-webcast/
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