Hypno Toad

Just added this to my to-do list, this is gonna happen!

"135 miles Deep Winter across Northern Minnesota on rugged, scenic Arrowhead State Snowmobile Trail from Frostbite I-Falls to Tower, MN" - https://www.arrowheadultra.com/

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50voltphantom

I read about that yesterday. I'm 99% sure I could never complete that ride.

chriskmurray

Never would I have imagined that the Arrowhead would come down to a sprint finish! I am super excited to see Jorden win, not only does he race for my company but he is a great guy as well!

V73

I would love to do that someday. Minnesota is a beautiful state. I doubt I could ever place very high though. It is downright jaw dropping that Jorden Wakeley (the winner) biked 135 miles in 15 hours. That's an average of 9mph if he biked constantly, more if he took any considerable breaks. Over terrain like that, that's awesome. Now I have something crazy and difficult to look forward to when I'm older!

-V

scoatw

That race was neck and neck among five riders throughout the whole race, with a photo finish at the end. And most of the trail was groomed with not too bad of weather. Next up is the King of endurance races. The Iditarod Trail Invitational.
You can catch it here. Iditarod Trail Invitational Jay Petervary, who finished third by a whisker in the Arrowhead, is signed up to do the 1000 mile trek to Nome.

Nick Bain

I just talked to a runner who has ran it and finished it 3 times, like it was just something normal to do.

Hypno Toad

AND THEY'RE OFF!

The 2016 Arrowhead 135 started this morning and my riding buddy is off and riding. This guy is a beast, I met him on gravel grinders. He gave me the the idea to bike to the Westside Dirty Benjamin (gravel century), 'cause he wanted to make it a royal. It was a great day of riding! Now I'm watching his Arrowhead 135 live and hoping to follow him up there in a few year - I have A TON of prep work to know that me and my bike are up to this challenge, plus I need to buy a lot of the gear. For starters, I will be riding the Frozen 40 next month and I'm planning a solo fatbike metric century this Friday.

jrickards

I'd love to ride these routes mentioned above but I'm not a racer so it would be more of a "tour" or recreational ride.

Hypno Toad

You're not alone. I have no dilutions, if I get to this event, I won't compete to win this event. I would compete to finish this event. And my friend riding, that's his style too. He loves the challenge of pushing himself and exploring, but the "win" has nothing to do with beating other riders. He's a really fun guy!

FrozenK

I wish they'd make trackers mandatory so I could follow the race on Trackleaders. Only one of the leaders is showing on the Trackleaders this year. I want to vicariously race through their feed

Hypno Toad

Agreed! I just checked on my riding buddy, he's at mile 56 after nearly 8 hours at 7 mph pace, projected finish time 19 hours. That's one long days ride!

Hypno Toad

Facebook update on the race:
"The morning updates are done. Our 1st skier has arrived. New record by 5 minutes! Second skier not far behind. Interestingly the conditions favor skiers this year and hinder everyone else."

Two bikers finished last night, most spent the night on the trail.

FrozenK

I was rooting for Will Ross, he is from Anchorage and a really nice guy. But ending 3 minutes behind Petervary is nothing to be ashamed of. And this was Will's first try on the race.

The people who spent the night on the trail... I've done long days on the bike. But to ride 15 or 16 hours, in the winter and then bivvy? Mad respect for all those dudes.

scoatw

I wish the Discovery channel, or someone would film this and the Iditarod Trail Invitational. You could have Les Stroud interview the riders out on the trail. And I could watch it all from my couch.

Hypno Toad

Right! Sounds like fresh snow slowed most of the bikers. Those rider that went straight through, they are STRONG BEASTS. My buddy spent the night on the trail, finished 24th with a time of 31 hours and 13 minutes. DAMN!

bikemig 

Not quite as tough as that but this looks good, CIRREM

FrozenK

Another thing that you have to consider on these winter races is that the trail conditions the leaders rode may have been completely different from what the guys behind had. As you have probably experienced, a few inches of snow, and just traffic can change things where you go from rideable to "push fest" in a matter of minutes. It happened to me on a race in Talkeetna three years ago (the first 20 or so guys rode ~70% of the course. The rest of us probably pushed 70% of it)

Carrying on for 31 hours is an amazing feat. Your buddy is a tough guy.

Hypno Toad

Totally! I know he ended up walking, he had live GPS tracking and you could see the point where snow bogged him down and the leaders were able to continue to ride.

FrozenK

That is tough. When you end up pushing, and with a loaded bike, that is tough.

Hypno Toad

I have an new hero of the Arrowhead 135 (sorry Justin)



Facebook post:

WE DID IT! This Arrowhead 135 I called "against stereotypes"
Arrowhead 135 have special place in my life. Last year I told Dan that when I finish this race I will able to have baby. After finished AH in 2015 3 month later i get news that I am pregnant and doctor said that baby will born at the end of November. In that moment I started to dreams about AH 135 2016 . Every day during the pregnancy I rode my bike and dreamed.
In September (2 month before Yeva was born I asked Dan "Can I will registered for the race?". "Yes ". It was the best YES from my lovely husband.
I rode my bike by the last day before baby was born. I started to training (1 day after Yeva was born. I am very good remember my first training - all my body hurts.... result of running was terrible.... But every new training was better than before. I run half marathon with a baby in a stroller. I did 2 short races on the bike. Mentally I was ready for AH135. When Yeva was just born I freeze enough milk for baby. I made plan that Dan will show up with Yeva at the 2 check -point for the breast feeding. I realized that it will be one of the biggest adventure in my life. My lovely husband never said to me "you crazy". He was agree about all and let me do it . That is WHY I love him , he know what important to me. Next question - how to pumping milk? My breast pump to heavy and big.And you need to keep all your stuff with you.
One of my Russian friend gave to me portable pump. Thank you Anna Gomelsky a lot. Pump worked wonderful.
Now no more questions and no more reasons DNS and DNF to me.
Before start I am nervous. DO I thinking about all and prepare all ?
I do not planning to racing in this year . Main goal to finish. With breast feeding and pumping during the race (each about 15-20 minutes ) you could not thinking about racing. I relaxing during the race. DO not worry about my place , just keep going. Only at the 3rd (last) check point when Christina Julian told me that I am 3rd women - I do not finish my coffee ( upset) and go to the finish, only pumping milk ( in that moment racer inside me woke up again).
I did it . I mean WE did it . Without Dan i can not to do this. He is hero of this race.Stay with 7weeks baby 30+ hours without so long practice. He is awesome man, husband and dad.
Race was hard mentally . When you push your bike in many hills , many times... when your middle speed most the time 5-6 miles per hour...its is hard. But you realized that this is Arrowhead - always will something hard (that is why this race one of the hardest of winter race in the world).
Thank you everyone who said good support words (during the race it is really helping). Thank you for cheering. Thank you everyone who believed in me. I love you all.
Special thank you Roberto Marron for the sleeping bag .
Thank you Carol Vold for keeping Nadia all this days .
Thank you Alex Oenes who one day opened to me world of endure race
Than you organizers and volunteers of the race (you all so sweet and awesome)
Thank you my *****goose Race Team for support
THANK You DAN! I love you!
I hope my experience can help for women who scared to have baby and thinking that you can not to do what you doing before. This is stereotypes . You can , if you WANT and have right partner with you.

reverborama

Sveta is incredible. And was that a picture of Justin you posted? I expect to see both of them next week at the Stupor Bowl. I'll be working a stop in south Mpls.

Hypno Toad

Yes, that's a pic of Justin off of Facebook. I'm headed out on a business trip and will miss the Stupor Bowl, bummed.

Leebo

Need to check out the qualifying races in order to race. I know it fills up quickly.

Hypno Toad

Right! I'm no where near ready to race. Lots of gear to buy, lots of cold weather training & learning, and qualification events. I know I will not race the 2017 race, maybe 2018, but I'm targeting 2019.

I did ride a fatbike metric century on Friday. It was a ton of work, one of my hardest rides. I was on paths and roads (nothing like the conditions on the Arrowhead). So all I need to do for the Arrowhead 135 is ride twice as far, on snowmobile trails, with 30 lbs of gear, in the middle of nowhere, and .... Yep, I have a long ways to go!

reverborama

They did a news article about Sveta on WCCO:
Minnesota Mom Finishes Grueling 135-Mile Winter Bike Race ? While Breastfeeding « WCCO | CBS Minnesota

I ran into her and Dan at the Bike Swap in Blaine yesterday. As I was walking up to them another fellow was leaving after speaking with them. He was saying something about being inspired by her. I told her that, on the contrary, she made me feel worthless! Got to see the new baby, too. Very cute.