Race Report #2: Test of Endurance MTB 50 Miler Blodgett, OR, June 18th

Late risers—this marathon XC race was for you. Instead of having to be awake for one of those am, crack-of-dawn starts, riders were able to roll up to the line at a more respectable 9:30 am for the start of the Test of Endurance MTB 50-Miler in Blodgett, OR. Beginning at the Blodgett School (about 16 miles west of Corvallis, OR and 30-minutes' drive east of Newport), the course winds for two 25-mile laps in the shadow of Mary's peak, the tallest in the Oregon Coast Range. Racers climbed a total of 8500 ft and crested hills up to 20% grade.

The race began under an overcast sky in moderate temperature. Racers shot out for a fast start along rolling double track before spreading out for an extended fire road climb. I went out too fast at first (my heart rate monitor read 190 bpm for far too long to be good for one's health), but by mid-lap I had settled down to a zone that wouldn't cause any lasting damage. The 25-mile lap cut through dense forest and sections of clear-cut and traveled along large portions of single track. If the fire road and double track climbs tested racers' endurance, the muddy single-track climbs tested our patience. Riding on the grassy edges helped me avoid losing traction in the mud, but it ended up costing me. The grasses and tiny sticks that my tires kicked up passed through my derailleur and wound around the cassette. I stopped once to try and pull some of the plant life out, but finally decided that Nature had won this battle.

If the muddy climbs were challenging, the mud-bath descents were thrilling. It is always surprising to learn how different sections of drying mud respond to running your tires through them. Needless, to say, I surfed much of the course. My Voodoo Sobo performed super well during the race—a hard tail was perfect for this mostly smooth course (it would have been buff if not for the mud.) My WTB Epic Wolf tires were not specifically designed for mud, but they kept traction in all but the final descent (through liquid mud). I remember pointing my bike one way and realizing it had decided to slide sideways instead.

It was during the final two miles of the 50-mile race that the skies opened up to pour down rain, accompanied by a terrible crack of thunder. The booming rumble that followed made me go colder than I already felt from the mud and rain. After crossing the line I worried about the other riders behind me, caught in the downpour. But they all eventually trickled in, as I waited in the warm, dry Blodgett School gym.

As a regional race, the Test of Endurance was well-organized—and well-attended, considering the other endurance events going on at the same time—the NORBA marathon in Mont St. Anne, the Test of Metal in Squamish, and the Cream Puff 100 in Oregon scheduled for the following weekend. There was a good vibe at the event as well, with friendly volunteers and competitors, both. The aid station officials were always smiling and encouraging as they handed out cliff bars, fluids, and electrolyte pills, and all the riders I encountered were quite pleasant during and after the race. The course itself was user-friendly for the most part, with single ribbons hung from the occasional tree branch and some signage to mark the trail. Despite some early minor confusion (notably for racers on the beginning turn of the first lap, and for this racer on a later turn), all of us were able to find our way home and come in out of the rain.

Thanks to Mike Ripley, Race Director of this event and other Mudslinger Events for putting on an exciting, well-run race, and simply for being a nice guy. Special thanks to Starker Forest, TTT Timber and the residents of Blodgett for their help and use of the land. Thanks as well to Cyclotopia, Cliff Bar, Vitamin Water, Mountain Cycles, and Kona Brewing for their sponsorship and support in the event. - Angela