Michaux Maximus

By Brad Walker:

The Michaux Maximus is the first of a 3 race series that takes place in the rugged and unforgiving Michaux State Forrest in central PA. Gettysburg Bike and Fitness puts these races on every year and they don’t dissapoint. If you like single trac, lots of rocks, and climbing then the Michaux Endurance Series is for you! So I make the trip up into the hills of PA and get lined up at the start for what will hopefully be an exciting 20 miles on the single speed. I hear from other riders that there is a really long steady climb at about the half way point and I think to myself that maybe I should start pre riding courses. I decide at this race that I don’t care what happens in this race that Im gonna race to win except if someone gets really hurt which anyone should stop and help. So they give the green light and the single speed group takes off down a mile long stretch of gravel road that apparently leads to single trac…again, pre riding would help with the unknown. So I find myself in the lead into the first section of singletract only to be passed by another rider like I was sitting still, no biggie…lots of miles left. I keep a steady consisitent pace and Im reeling in the geared group that went off ahead of the single speeders, luckily everyone was nice and let me pass of the climbs, nothing is worse than climbing slower than your ability on a single speed. I keep chasing the guy who blew past me but cant see him. At about mile 10 or so Im riding along with a few geared racers who are keeping a good pace and helping to pull me along. I start hearing riders say something about a huge climb coming up, again…I should really start pre-riding….we start the accent of a long multi mile climb and I leave the spinning to the geared guys and start mashing away….never have I climbed this much in 20 miles and my choice of gearing put a hurting on me. I finally finish the climb from hell and want to pass out but there is no time to recover as the next few sections were very technical rocky decents where my heart rate was still in the high 160’s. I keep chasing but again I never see the guy nor was anyone ever on my tire in the single speed class. I finish the Michaux Maximus in 2^nd place about 7 minutes behind the winner but 16 minutes ahead of 3^rd place and 10^th out of 85 in the 20. So maybe the sports psycologist isnt needed for now…maybe I do belong.