Michaux Curse of Dark Hollow

Yesterday's Michaux race had beautiful weather, low humidity, highs in the 80's - racers had 3 options, a 10, 20 and 40 mile loop. I did the 40 miler, and other GHSH'ers did the 20. I rode my only currently assembled mountain bike, a 2003 Kona Unit 26" single speed with rigid surly 1x1 fork. After this race, I've decided that Michaux is definitely not the place I want to be racing rigid- and based on the bone rattling, I think I'll change to a suspension for the Wilderness 101 (August 1st).

The race went well with me endoing while trying to find a place to pass a couple of people in the first 45 minutes, I bent-or-jammed-or-broke my right index finger and then slowed things down for a little bit. I caught back up to a handfull of single speeders before we got to the lake and I started to feel better and pick up the pace. By the end of the race I was dragging, but when I reallized I was at the end, I actually had a lot of juice to race it to the finish. My time was 5 hrs 19 minutes. Overall I was very pleased with the day as this was the first endurance race I've done where I didn't have a period where I was basically misserable and I didn't cramp! I think being on the single speed had a lot to do with that as I went from sitting to standing a lot and the hike-a-bike sections gwave me a chance to give my back a rest. All-in-all a great day and make me less nervous and more excited for the 101.

MK