Eager Beaver 2.0 100 Mile gravel grinder - Race Review Part 1

So the anticipated Eager Beaver 100 mile gravel grinder race weekend was upon us.  To avoid cottage traffic, English Jim and I headed up Friday just before noon.  When we got to Highlands Nordic (the race venue) it was too early to set up (there was a kids camp going on), so we grabbed our bikes and headed out to pre-ride the beginning of the course.  The first 10-15 kms of the course are a steady descent...which was great in the plus 30s temps...however, of course....meant it was all uphill on the way back.

Jim, lovin' the hills 

"My calves are so pumped!  Check it out....CHECK IT!!!"

The hilly return to camp was a great preview to the race.  DanOfSubstance, the 'father' of the race promoter, SubstanceProjects, is a great fan and regular participant of the classic gravel grinders in the US...specifically the Iron Cross of Pennsylvania.  This basically meant that there would be road, gravel, fireroad, doubletrack, and rocks...enough variety to have the racer wonder what would be the best bike to ride; but the defining element of the race would be the climbing.  With almost 1600 metres of climbing jammed into the first 80 kms of the race...if not approached smartly, could have racers blowing up early.

The best thing about the climbs (if there can be a good thing), for this area of Ontario (Blue Mountian? Georgian Bay? ...ish...), was the spectacular views once at the top...if you were in any condition to appreciate them...

 Almost Saskatchewan??

 Open vista...

Anudder

A race omen??

Anyways...once back at camp, we get set up...grab a beer or 5...and settle in to heckle the golfers on the neighbouring course...and laugh at fellow racers who pull in and wonder if we are the registration desk...

Yeah...as the first part of my race schedule was quite packed, and my 'A' races are over...my race mojo is still not back up to optimum levels...so I approached this one as a fun event.  Having never done, a 100 mile gravel race, I determined to enjoy the thing...not aggressively push it, and see how it went.

 After a great nights sleep...we wake up, have a relaxing breakfast...help DadOfSubstance (yeah, Dan's father) set up the Start/Finish area...then get our own bikes and gear ready....

Jim is ready...dig that bike badge!!

As we get ready, a very friendly pretty young local girl tried to entice me back to bed...(shhhh...don't tell Lois!!)...

Uh-oh....an omen for the race??

Anyways...as we get ready...racers arrive...many familiar faces...JeffS with his fancy new carbon fatbike (like he isn't fast enough already!), Burnsy, Damian, BrentSpinner, PinoyRyder, Schultzy forced to race his SS as his race bike is cracked, some of the lapdogs...Andrea, Unglued, RocketDog (also SS); SteveS who is racing the 100km version of the race as was EnglishJim.

SteveS has a great write up of the 100Km.  Check it out here.  RideCycleSpin

It was a damp morning...and the forecast was for lots of rain...but many riders filtered in...

Great to see the support for Dan's races...especially a new one...perhaps a demand for more local gravel endurance races!?

Race photogs and videographers discussing strategy...

I'm pretty sure one of them is the ninja ApexTed in disguise...

So, to stay true to my ride rather than race approach to this race I lined up at the very back of the start paddock to force me to take it easy...Burnsy, and SteveS were back there too.  The gun went off...several minutes passed before we actually crossed the Start line.

Dan heckled me from the veranda above..."Riot!  Slow down...you're overdoing it!!"...or something like that.
"I'm red-lining already!!", I responded...or something like that...

After a short grassy climb...the first 10-15kms had us speedily descending down gravel roads and rocky laneways.  Many dropped bottles littered the rocks...and at least a dozen riders repairing flats!!  Why so many flats??  Bad tires?  Improper pressures?  Wrong lines through the rocks?

I pass Damian in one of the laneways as he chats with a crew of friends.  We descend through a lane of downed young saplings...

Burnsy...still smiling...walking over the slippery saplings...

Andrea...still smiling...

Raf...always smiling...crazy man on a fatbike!!

There was some speculation as to what brought the saplings down across the race course, but it was determined it was the farmer attempting to grade his very rutted lane...or was it???

Then the course had us out on a short bit of road...as I caught up to Schultzy on his SS mountain bike, a small group of roadie types zipped past us very fast...and already breathing heavy.  I don't think they knew what was directly ahead.  The MurderHorn....possibly the most difficult climb in the race.

Something like this...

It is a 4 staged climb...just when you think you are done...there is another long steep climb...and it was loose, damp, slippery rock.  As we head up the first stage we pass the roadie group...already walking.  Onto stage 2...Schultzy stops to walk his SS (a gear ratio, 2 to 1...crazy for this climb...I'm surprised he made it as far up as he did!).  Stage 3...many racers walking the climb...I look down to my garmin and notice my heart rate is holding in the mid 170s.  That is huge for me...and not maintainable for long.  I remind myself that I am in this one for fun...and waffle in my own mind with what I should do on this monster climb...

And with that...I am running out of time for today...
all this thinking hurts my head?
have errands to attend to?
The Olympics are on?
I'm just lazy??

I will post part 2 tomorrow....promise (threat??)...

Stay posted!!