Conditions were looking to be dusty and perfect in spots on Saturday for the race on Sunday. So far this year, Mother Nature has had some strong feelings against perfect dirt. The rain clouds opened up Saturday night and did not finish until 6AM Sunday morning. When you are in Indiana and if it just has rained, be prepared for ruts, swallowing mud holes, and sections that feel like ice.
I prepped my bike for the water and mud as much as I could. One thing I have learned from GNCC racing is to always have mud supplies packed in the van. Weather might say one thing and then it changes. Always be prepared no matter what. One less thing you will have to worry about.
The Indiana sticky mud is always tough to navigate. I struggled to find traction, constant spinning, and looked forward to seeing water that was trustworthy. I got stuck a few times but mostly spent a lot of time on the ground. The ground was very unpredictable. It was hard to no when you were going in and out of traction until sliding out. I did 2 laps in this race and was very thankful to see the checkered flag. Last time I did a mudder at Ironman Raceway, I got stuck in a root in the middle of the field and spent my race sitting Indian Style backwards on my bike directing traffic. With that being said, I was happy to finish! I came in 5th place.
As the saying goes, if it was easy, everyone would do it.
