May 15th Racing- All Over the State

Saturday May 15th was a busy day for Mom & Pop Racing. Jeff John lined up in Chelsea, MI for the 1st annual (hopefully) Heart and Sole 13.4 mile bike race. The Heart and Sole Race was held in conjunction with a 5 and 10k running race to benefit the Grace Clinic at the Chelsea Hospital. The course was touted as being held on gravel roads with a couple of hills, well I can attest to the gravel roads and the “couple” of hills, because obviously my nearly three week hiatus from the bike took its toll on me.

The race started on the hospital grounds and worked its way north through downtown Chelsea and then onto the gravel and dirt roads north and east of town. I went out fast with the front of the group, hoping to hang onto former teammates Tom Sterling and Lee Shaw’s wheels. That was a great plan until the railroad tracks downtown. This is where I blew up (lack of riding/ training) and started to fall apart both physically and mentally. Well about a mile later John rolls up behind me and yells for me jump his wheel. I yelled back for him to keep going and I’d find my way to the finish. All I could think was “wheel hell, I need a tow truck”. That’s the last I saw of John until the finish line. The rest of my race was a battle to survive. So much so that I thought I was hallucinating when an older woman on a hybrid outfitted with a kick stand and fenders passed me like I was standing still. I realized that she wasn’t a figment of my imagination when I heard her yell out, “On your left” as she went by like I was standing still. I guess I better get back on the bike and work to get my early season fitness back. John had a great race and blew my doors off by nearly 5 minutes. Great job, John!

Later that day I got an update from Jimmie who had gone out to Stoney Creek Metro Park for the 12 hours of Stoney Creek Race. Jimmie and Melissa (PrecisionMTB.com) tore it up again with Jimmie pulling in a solid effort and finishing fourth overall. Jimmie is killing it in his second season back on the racing scene after a short layoff. Melissa finished 3rd in the women’s class in the six hour race. Great job to both of you!

While the rest of us were racing Todd and Wendy were hanging out at the Hare Racer in Adrian. They were there routing on Wendy’s son who race din the kids race.

Once again thanks to our sponsors, Original Gravity Brewing Company, Zilke Vegetable Farm, and Midwest Wheelsmith for their support. Without them, Mom & Pop Racing would still be a pipe dream! Oh, Yeah, big thanks to the moms and pops who stepped up also!!

Mud, Sweat, and Beers

A little late on the race update but anyway, this race was a lot of fun. Me, Melissa and Adam Wheeler choose to do the 20mile race. They started all skill levels at the same time, the three of us lined up together about two rows back from the front. The start gun went off and it was a bit of a free for all, I nearly got pinched by two riders. Once we hit the first climb things began to settle down and thin out. After that it was a lot of rolling terrain with some fast two track down hills as well as some paved road sections through the neighborhood behind Mt. Holiday. This course was hard and fun at the same time, you had to be on the gas the whole time. For those of us that have been racing for a while, Mt Holiday use to be the finish for Iceman as well as the gathering place for the awards. It definitely brought back memories. It was a great day, I finished 12th, Melissa took 4th in her first expert race and Adam took 5th in the single speed expert.