Chequamegon 40

Bikes lined up at the start of the Chequamegon 40. Mine is at the other end!

It's been a little over a week since this years Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival. If my recollections and memory didn't fail me, this was number 19 for me. And it was my first 40 in about 10 years. To say I was nervous is quite an understatement. I just wasn't sure if I was ready for 40 miles on a course like Chequamegon.
I've been racing fairly well this year. The only problem is all my WORS races have been around 15 miles. I did have a 24 mile race a few weeks before Chequamegon, and did well and felt strong. But 24 miles of mostly flat ski trails is not quite like the roller coaster ride that is "the 40"!
I got to the start area around 8:00 a.m. and put my bike in the start area-behind over a thousand bikes! I knew I should have gotten there earlier if I wanted a better starting position, but I figured I had 40 miles to improve my standings. Next year I will get there a little earlier, as it took me over two and one half minutes to actually reach the start line!
After that, I had a good race. After the road roll out, I hit a bit of a bottleneck when we actually hit the trail. Again, I just took a deep breath and kept telling myself to be patient. After all, with 1900 riders, I knew I wasn't going to win-DUH! Things finally opened up and I settled in for the long ride to Telemark.
It was a perfect day for the race. Things started out chilly-34 degrees when I left the hotel-but warmed up nicely. The course was in great shape, maybe a little dry and dusty. Only a couple wet spots, and those had a way around them.
Since my number one goal was to finish, I just settled in to a hard, but what I hoped was a pace I could hold. I passed when I felt good and followed a wheel when I could. Although I had to get off and walk a portion of the Fire Tower climb, I rode strong the rest of the race-in my opinion! After the Fire Tower I think I passed more than I was passed. I finished hard and felt like I had a few more miles in me.
All in all, I am very happy with my race. Sure, I wish my time was faster, but I always want that. I raced smart, felt strong and most important enjoyed myself. My Specialized Epic worked flawlessly - no surprise. And I was surprised that my training got my through the way it did. Maybe, just maybe, I'll add some endurance next year and see if I can't knock a few minutes off my time.
Until next time, thanks for checking this out. Gotta go........