Red Granite Grinder 85-Mile Race Report - Pushing the Limits
Off road fun leaf and needle surfing through the Wausau School Forest. Photo credit: Mark Holbrook
WAUSAU - I’ve lived in Wisconsin for a majority of my life and moved to Central Wisconsin in 2017. It wasn’t until 2021 that I really became consistent with my cycling. I spent many of my miles riding solitary exploring the countryside and local rail trails. It also became an activity my family was able to do together. I remember seeing social media chatter for the 2021 Red Granite Grinder. and circled the calendar for 2022. I wanted to challenge myself and see if I had what it took to compete and finish in an organized gravel race. Working full time with two children didn’t leave much time for training. Thankfully my family was supportive and understanding. I was riding at least 3 times a week. Typically it was 2 shorter, high intensity rides and 1 longer distance (50+ mile) ride.
Pre-race
I had been planning on attending the Friday group ride, but after looking at the chilly forecast on race day, I couldn’t muster the motivation to ride in the snow the day before. I did go to pick up my bib and packet. It was a lively atmosphere with the live band and I even got to meet a Strava friend (Kevin) in person while waiting in line. I also made a last minute stop to Rib Mountain Cycles to grab a pair of shoe covers in case the forecast of rain came true the next day.
The next day I woke at 4 am, ate a small breakfast then made the hour drive to Wausau. I parked in the recommended municipal lot 15, there was no shortage of parking. After getting all my gear loaded onto the bike, I made the short trip to the 400 Block. I chatted with another 85 mile racer from the Twin Cities on the way, we made some jokes about “type 2” fun and wished each other luck. There was already a large group of racers gathered when I arrived and I was glad I had picked up my bib the day before. Before long the race director Shane gave us the pre-ride briefing and the racers started lining up on the road for the start.
I felt the electricity at the dawn start.
Starting out
This was by far the largest group I had ever ridden with and the start did not disappoint. The air was electric as 300 riders left under police escort out of downtown Wausau. In the excitement, the damp chill in the air didn't seem quite so bad. As the peloton moved out, Rib Mountain, covered in fog, was quickly approaching. I had never attempted a climb quite like this and was a bit nervous as I live in a relatively flat part of Wisconsin and there aren't many opportunities for hill training.
Pushing my bike through the idyllic landscape, I just wish I had picked my eyes up more to take it all in. Photo credit: Mark Holbrook
The climb wasn’t too bad at the start, but once the 50 mile route split off it got serious. I spent the next 15 minutes grinding in my lowest gear with snow falling off the trees as we ascended. I had to keep reminding myself not to push too hard on this climb, there was still an entire course to finish afterwards. But I was still filled with the excitement of this being my first race and probably pushed harder than I needed too.
Once I arrived at the top, I took a few minutes to stop and catch my breath and admire my surroundings. The snow from Friday had coated the tree limbs, creating a very idyllic landscape. After regaining my wind I ventured into the hike-a-bike section of the course. I was able to walk with my bike for a majority of the section, there were a few spots where I had to sling it over my shoulder to navigate the path.
Once we were allowed to saddle up I started down the technical descent. I am not a very experienced or confident rider with off road descents. I had to ride my brakes pretty hard for most of it. Much of it was over chunky gravel and there were several runoff timbers to navigate as well. I felt a wave of relief once I finally finished the descent.
More challenges
My relief turned out to be short lived as within the next mile I was turning into the Speedway double track section. Cutting through the woods, the muddy and sloppy track was one of the most difficult portions to navigate. I was able to appreciate the beautiful scenery of a forest in peak fall colors as I struggled with traction on the ascents and had to walk my bike in spots. I wasn’t alone in struggling through this part. I passed a racer changing a flat and watched as another nearly lost control with their hardtail MTB in the slop. Once I finally rolled back out on the road, my tires were completely caked in mud.
After a brief 4 mile respite on the pavement the road transitioned back to gravel as I entered Nine Mile Forest. By now riders started thinning out and as I followed the weaving road I couldn’t see any riders ahead for the first time. Before long the course turned off road into the Wausau School Forest for more off road fun.
My spirits were still high just before rolling into the first aid station. I cautiously approached the bridge after warnings of slippery conditions. Photo credit: QCWilly
After another 2 miles of winding through the woods, I came up to the first aid station. I happily laid my bike down to take a quick breather. By this point I felt as though a majority of the 85 and 144 mile racers were ahead of me, but there were still a dozen or so riders at the aid station grabbing an espresso or topping off water bottles. Despite all the off road riding to this point, my spirits were still high and I felt good.
After leaving the aid station it was a short 1.5 miles before turning off the road onto the Nine Mile Forest double track section. The crack of firearms pierced the cold air as I went by the Marathon County shooting range. This section of doubletrack was fairly benign compared to the previous off road segments and was a welcome respite.
Grinding gravel
Twenty-five miles from the start of the race I turned out of Nine Mile Forest and hit the road. The type of riding changed considerably at this point. The technical off road riding that demanded your full attention changed to a gravel road grind that allowed your mind to drift off while your legs spun. At first I enjoyed the change, then I turned west into the wind for the first time and knew this was going to be a slog. I spent the next 18 miles grinding through the wet gravel, hills and wind. The other racers were quiet and my earlier thoughts of a “competitive” finish time were drifting farther out of my mind with each passing mile. As we approached the Edgar ATV trail I felt my chain bind when switching gears on my front chainring. A quick back pedal and the chain finished shifting without incident, I silently hoped this was a one time fluke.
I was relieved to finally turn out of the wind onto the Edgar ATV trail. I quickly noticed a small concrete foundation, all that was left of an old signal, a hint of this trail’s past as a former rail line. That knowledge brought me some small comfort and distraction as I began wondering about its history while I pedaled. I gained an appreciation for the history of these abandoned rail lines when working in the railroad industry. Some of my favorite riding is on Rails to Trails around the state. If you know what to look for, almost all of these trails have relics that hint at the trail's past. Ballast poking through along the edge of trail, discarded wooden ties left in the woods, and old milepost boards are the most common.
More off road
My nostalgia ended with the trail in Edgar. I saw some other racers peel off to the BP gas station with several bikes already leaning against the building. I debated on stopping myself but decided to push on. I knew going in and warming up would just make it that much harder to come back out into the cold. Shortly after the gas station it was back into the woods on the Scotch Creek trail system. What would it be like to ride a gravel bike on a mountain bike single track course? That question was answered in Scotch Creek. The narrow trails had plenty of roots and rocks that proved too much for my skills and gravel bike. I had to walk my bike in more than one spot. It was still slow going in the rideable parts and my energy level was bottoming out. I hadn’t eaten since the first aid station and I was feeling the consequences. After emerging from the trees I stopped and dug out some Oreos I had tossed into my bag on a whim and did my best cookie monster impression. The sugar rush helped lift my spirits. I sent a quick video message to my wife and pedaled the last two miles to the second aid station.
Wearing down
Arriving at the aid station I laid my bike down and forced myself to eat again. Between the cold weather and difficult course I could tell my body was getting worn down. I lingered for a few minutes trying to regain some energy before topping off my water bottles and heading out. Shortly after departing I tried shifting into my larger front chainring and the chain just fell off. Luckily nothing was damaged and I was able to quickly seat my chain but I decided it wasn’t worth the risk of trying to shift my front chainring any further. I would spend the rest of the race in my small front chainring, unable to fully take advantage of the downhill descents.
Crossing the finish line with my wife and children cheering me on. Photo credit: QCWilly
The first 50 miles of the course had worn my body, the next 20 miles were a mental grind. This part of course was navigating the crushed red granite gravel roads and never ending rolling hills. By this point in the race most of the other riders were ahead of me and I would only occasionally catch a glimpse of another rider in the distance. Left to my own thoughts, doubts started entering my mind if I was going to be able to finish the race. Houses, farms, and hills all rolled slowly by as I watched the miles slowly tick off on my bike computer. I wished for pavement or flat terrain but neither came. My will faltered going up a particularly steep hill. I dismounted and began walking my bike up the rest of the hill. As I made my way to the top, Kevin and a small group of other riders pulled up beside me and checked on me to make sure I was ok. He had suffered a mechanical issue earlier with his rear derailleur and lost almost half an hour.
Celebrating my finish with my biggest cheerleaders!
Having a group of other riders near gave me the mental boost I needed and I tried my best to keep them in sight. Other riders pulled alongside and chatted as the last aid station drew near, helping the final few miles pass. I laid my bike down again at the aid station and lingered for a good 15-20 minutes trying to gather what was left of my strength. Setting out for the final 15 miles I quickly ran into the Billy Goat Hills and caught the last sight I would see of another racer. The climb proved to be too much and I had to dismount and walk most of the hill. The multiple cleat marks in the gravel provided some comfort that I wasn’t the only racer who had to walk it.
Homestretch
Rolling into Brokaw and my wheels finally touched pavement once again. I savored every moment of the long descent across the Wisconsin River and through Brokaw knowing the final climb of the race lay just ahead. I wanted to finish strong on the last hill. I put everything I had left into that climb but the energy and excitement that had carried me up Rib Mountain nearly 8 hours earlier was utterly spent spread across the preceding 80 miles of course. I made it maybe halfway up the hill before I once again was walking with my bike to the top.
The last 5 miles into Wausau passed in a blur, the knowledge that the end was close kept my legs spinning. As I approached the Dudley Tower I was overcome by a wave of emotion as the realization that I was going to cross the finish line finally set in. Rolling down the 400 Block I could hear my wife and children cheering as I crossed the finish line. It will be a moment I will forever remember and cherish. Only a few minutes later, after some post race hugs from my children, I got to witness and cheer as Matti Rowe crossed the finish line and won the 144 mile course for the 2nd year in a row. Adam Bird finished right behind him in 2nd place, a truly impressive spectacle to witness. The next thirty minutes were spent sharing the experience with my family over a hot meal and cold beer. I even got to see and congratulate Kevin on his finish.
Lessons Learned
Now that I’ve had a few weeks to reflect on the experience, I can offer some lessons learned for other new or first time gravel racers looking to sign up for next year's Red Granite Grinder.
Incorporating hill training will be beneficial for my training next year. Photo credit: QCWilly
Incorporate hill climbing into your training. I live in a very flat area of Wisconsin where hills are hard to come by. In hindsight I wish I had made an effort to travel a little bit to find some hills to train on. The Red Granite Grinder was my 2nd longest ride and had more than double the elevation gain of any of my previous trips. My body paid the price for this oversight.
Get your bike checked by a mechanic before the race. I knew my bike was overdue for maintenance leading up to the race, but I didn’t want to lose valuable training time. I figured it could wait to go to the shop until after the race. I rolled the dice and paid for it. The gearing on my bike got cut in half after the front derailleur stopped working, making the race more difficult for me than it had to be. If you are even entertaining the possibility of signing up, get your bike checked well in advance of the race.
Bring a friend or fall in with a group, be social. One of the perks of paying to participate in a race is that you're surrounded by a group of people that all have one thing in common, a love of cycling. I spent a majority of the ride going solo and it was a lot of time for my mind to dwell on how difficult it was in the moment. I wish I had made a greater effort to engage with the other racers. When I did, it helped distract my mind and made the race more enjoyable. At the very least try and fall into a drafting group when riding into the wind.
Don’t compare yourself to others. Seems like silly advice, right? You signed up for a race! If you're like me and this is your first race, nothing will steal your joy or crush your spirit faster than comparing yourself to those around you. Everyone is on their own path. Others may have been racing for years, have more time to devote to training, or have a top end bike and equipment. The only person you should compare yourself to is a past version of yourself. Even if I hadn’t been able to finish the race, I still would’ve accomplished something I could not have imagined doing a year prior.
Lift your head up from time to time. I had to remind myself to pick my eyes up off the road and admire the landscape that I was riding through. This is a beautiful part of the state with rolling hills, farmland, and forests in peak fall color. Don’t allow yourself to get so focused on the ride that you miss the beauty around you. In hindsight I wish I had done this more.
I signed up for the Red Granite Grinder to challenge myself and the 85 mile course did not disappoint. It ranks as one of the most challenging experiences of my life. It was a truly incredible day that was made possible by the IRONBULL staff and an amazing group of volunteers. Thank you to everyone involved who made this great event a reality. I already have the 2023 Red Granite Grinder circled on my calendar. I am planning to bring some family with me for the ride.
Banner photo: Pushing my bike atop Rib Mountain State Park in a winter grinderland. Photo credit: Mark Holbrook
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