2017 Iditarod Trail Invitational

Success on the Iditarod Trail Invitational is as much about gear and mental preparation as it is about physical training.

Frostbite is nothing to mess with. I sit here at my desk typing like a chicken pecking at feed with my right thumb and index finger wrapped up in medicated bandages. After a long couple of days and nights with freezing valve cores, thumb shifters, overflow, open water and -40 degree temperatures wand unrelenting winds my thumb and index finger were slowly freezing. Chemical hand warmers were no match at this point.

My local bike shop Speedway Cycles specs their Fatback Bikes with twist grip shifters. One year ago I purchased a Glacier Blue Corvus frame set and had them build me a bike from my existing parts. This included the trigger shifter with an aluminum paddle from my previous bike. Even after insulating the paddle with a piece of pipe insulation, the days of use with my poorly insulated thumb played a part in my frostbite. It has since been replaced with an XO twist grip.

While traversing the South Fork Kuskokwim River from Hellsgate I crossed a sketchy ice bridge. I made it across with little excitement but then as I got to the bank of the river my rear tire blew right through the ice and into water. I was fine but my bike immediately built up frozen snow and ice everywhere that the water had touched or flung onto including the valve cores. Normally this wouldn't be such an issue but in long distance fat bike events you can count on adjusting tire pressure many times. The first time I tried to adjust pressure nothing happened. Nothing in and nothing out. At that point I realized that those stupid little plastic valve covers might actually have a purpose. ;-P Replacing the front and rear valves require the use of bare hands. Not something I'm thrilled about at any temperature much less -20. I fought this the rest of the way as I experienced more overflow between Rohn and Nikolai. Each time with bare hands to replace valve cores. Whether the pump was extracting the valves, the cores wouldn't open up, use of metal tools to extract and repair the cores or just adjusting pressure this too played a role in freezing my thumb and index finger.

Enough about that already and onto the race report.

Lining up at the start. Photo credit Nicholas Blades

Laura is really short. 8-) Photo credit Laura Fox

2016 vs 2017 conditions. Photo credit Laura Fox

Photo credit Laura Fox

The .44 shoots and we're off! Photo Credit Arcticzone Drone LLC

 I have to start off by saying that racing as a second year veteran is much less stressful. There is at least somewhat of an idea what I'm getting myself into. Packing gear isn't a three month ordeal, clothing is a little easier to understand and trail and weather conditions are a little easier to read. Training is a little more pointed, food is a little easier to choose and just overall my endurance game is getting tighter.

We once again started off down the gasline trail and were treated with some soft conditions right away after riding on Pt. McKenzie Rd. The pace was nice this time, reasonable and calm. We got to Flathorn Lake and low and behold there was a merry band of bikers there to cheer us on!

Gasline Trail. Photo Credit 45nrth

My favorite biker, Laura Fox (Also 2017 Susitna 100 Women Overall Champion)

After taking a sip of a Chuli Stout I made my way across Flathorn Lake. For the most part, the pack of lead riders were stretching out a bit. We were settling into a race pace and made it across Dismal Swamp with little excitement. Entering the Susitna River is always grand feeling for me. Whether the Susitna 100, Iditarod Trail Invitational or just a social ride I always feel like I've hit a milestone of sorts. Additionally, you can look up river and see how far ahead your competition is ahead. :-)

About this time, you can pick out who the strong riders are, who's feeling well and who wants to be in the "lead pack." Fred West, Tim Berntson, Jay Petervary, John Lackey, Neil Belchenko, Peter Basinger, Adam Erritzoe and myself started to create a gap between ourselves and the rest of the field at this point. By the time we got to Scary Tree (intersection of the Susitna and Yentna Rivers) we could not see anybody behind us on the river.

The riding on the river was pretty nice, we dropped some tire pressure early on but as the night settled in and the trail hardened some folks pumped up their tires. I was not one of them. About 6-7 miles out of Yentna Station the lead pack picked up the pace a little bit. I thought to myself that I would pump up at Yentna. Bad idea, I struggled with the pace and softer tires.

Luck would have it, the lead pack stopped at Yentna Station for a small break. I decided to just fly through after pumping up my tires. I was able to close back some of the gap that had formed. More river miles went by and night settled in. I realized that I needed to follow my instincts and adjust tire pressures when I felt it needed to be done.

Skwentna Roadhouse recently expanded their building and how nice it was! Cindy was there with great food and her special ITI treats that she makes for us. I had a couple of Cokes, some Turkey Noodle soup and dried off my gear. Everyone at the checkpoint looked to be in good spirits, but prepared to have a long go at the next section. Some of us assumed that the trail from Skwentna to Finger Lake would be punchy.  Fred asked to ride with me and we left the checkpoint and headed out for Finger Lake after Pete and Adam took a shorter rest.

This next section of trail is exciting for me, we've finished with the Yentna river and we begin climbing up the Shell Hills. I wanted to keep my time gaps to the front group and I started to push the pace. Fred and I traded pulls and by the end of the swamp at the base of the Shell Hills we had passed  both Adam and Pete. I was feeling pretty good at this point and at the hills I wanted to ride them all but recognized that I needed to slow my pace down. After walking the tougher hills Fred and I got back to the swamps and flat lands that would take us to Shell Lake and further to Finger Lake. We found that the trail after Shell Lake Lodge was not only in smooth shape but that it was solid! From the sounds of the more experienced racers this was the best this section had ever been. We flew into Finger Lake early in the morning before the sunrise. Fred and I talked about how tired we were and possibly taking a rest there. The lodge made some great burritos and had coffee, hot chocolate and other goodies. I decided to get my drop bag and upload that prior to getting any rest. Well, like Superman, I apparently am powered by the sun and decided to power through to Puntilla Lake and Rainy Pass Lodge. I told Fred I was headed out and he wanted to go with but wasn't quite ready. We said our goodbye and onto Puntilla I went.