SM100K MTB Race Report

September 9, 2020

Story by Jack Levine

The morning started off cold and I didn’t want to have to change into my skinsuit. I was a little nervous not wanting anything to go wrong in my first 100k mountain bike race. The race started with waves of ten people starting around 10 seconds apart. I was lucky enough to be in the second row, so when the race started I latched onto the front group. I was basically towed for the entire first road section into the beginning of Narrowback, the first big climb.

Mountain bikers posing with bikes at the event

I felt really good going into the decent, having done little work for the first seven or so miles. At the very bottom of the mountain was a stream crossing and the water was high from the rain the previous day. I hit a hidden rock and went into the stream. It would not be the last time I got wet that day.

Still feeling good on one of the road/ gravel sections leading into the Wolf Ridge climb. At around mile sixteen and a half the race turned into the double track before our second mountain. Not even a mile into the intro I endoed into my second creek crossing. To be fair I had never ridden the trails around Stokesville. The water was almost two feet high, and I couldn’t see the bottom of the line I chose.

I quickly realized after getting back on my bike that my Garmin head unit had fallen off when I crashed, one look back at the water and I knew the chances of finding it were very slim. As I continued forwards I turned on my watch to track my race.

Wolf Ridge was mostly a hike-a-bike up the mountain, and very little of the later parts were rideable. The descent coming down was long enough that it made up for all the walking. Somewhere on that descent I, again slipped in a small creek and fell off my bike.

Very close to the bottom of Wolf Ridge I was caught by Oliver Snydal and his dad, who started ten seconds behind me. My goal for the day was to be the first person under eighteen finish, so I was disappointed to see I was now behind him. Around mile twenty three the race came to a large gravel section where I was in a group of seven being towed by Oliver’s dad. Around mile thirty the gravel turned into a road climb up to the first drop bag aid station. I was feeling strong so I made a small move on the other side of the road and quickly had a gap on the people I was with. I soon reached NCVC’s own Kyle Baca and rode to the aid station with a comfortable gap on Oliver.

I got one of my bottles refilled, and headed on my way to the Hankey Mountain climb. (Asides from walking the streams instead of riding, the only thing I would change from the race would’ve been to get a Coke from my drop bag.)

It was only a couple miles to the beginning of the double track up the mountain. Oliver, being towed by his dad, caught and passed me around a mile in. As the climb continued we would flip flop a couple times. In the last hundred yards of Hankey, I had to get off my bike and walk a bit. I didn’t feel bad about it because everyone around me was struggling to ride as well. When I reached the summit I had been dropped by Oliver and his dad, so I decided to take a break and have a gel and chipmunk some food for the descent.

I was extremely tired from the climb, so I was hit with a whole bunch of energy when I got to rest on the downhill. Midway down, I passed the Snydals stopped on the side of the trail, and it looked like Oliver was squatting by a tree. I felt bad for him but had to keep moving. I was given a new spark to try to gain as much time as possible on what seemed like my only competition. Not a quarter mile later I got a stick through my front spokes and flew into the bushes on the side of the trail. Somehow I was fine, and mostly unscathed.

When I reached the bottom I was greeted by mile forty five, and my second drop bag. I was happy to get my bottles refilled and have a bit of food. I was most excited for the mini cherry coke that had been waiting for me the entire race. I had done a complete one-eighty from the top of Hankey.

I was onto the biggest road/gravel portion of the race. The next ten miles flew by, I was going very hard in the TT position, only saving energy for the last climb before the finish. I quickly reached Hankey again, and after passing a few people I didn’t see anyone near me on the road. I powered on and took the turn halfway up the climb to head to the finish. I was solo for the last uphill section and into the finish, where I was happily greeted by my dad, and a Gatorade. Not thirty seconds later did Oliver and his father cross the finish line. Which was enough time for me to be the first person under eighteen to finish.

I was super happy camping at the Stokesville Lodge Friday and Saturday night. The trails around the campground are fantastic and the campsite was very good. It was awesome to be at the race because everyone there shared the love of mountain biking.