NEW STUFF

I've added a couple new sections to our blog here.

The "My Favorites" section will have links to some of my favorite gear, places and people.

The "Events" section is our upcoming races that Off Road Fixation will be promoting in the coming year. We've added a couple more new venues and I'm looking at a couple more. Stay tuned for more details there.

NEXT UP - BERRYMAN

Off Road Fixation is again ready to toe the line at the 36 hour Berryman Challenge. We're bringing two teams this years with John Clausen, Nate Clausen, Johnny Woodward and Krista Patterson filling out our coed team. This will be Nate's first adventure race but he'll do just fine as adventure racing runs in his genes. While John and Johnny are veterans to the Berryman, this will be Krista's first shot at the green monster. Her last race, the LBL Challenge had her crossing the line just under the 30 hour limit. We are hoping not to exceed that time in this running as well. Pray for good weather!

I was planning to run this one as a two person open team with my son Matt but the Berryman curse struck again when he fell during a mountain bike ride at Landahl and hurt his wrist badly. He is just able to ride without pain on pavement now but didn't want to risk taking the team out if he found he wasn't ready for the grueling mountain bike this race always provides. I enlisted Off Road Fixation veteran Ryan Netz to fill in and we are back in business.

See you all in Van Buren!

Dusk 2 Dawn

We had a great time designing the race courses for Bonk Hard Racing's Sunflower State Games and Dusk 2 Dawn Adventure Races. John Clausen and I mapped out a course that had racers circumnavigating Lake Perry and even up into the Delaware River. We went long and hard with this one with a total distance at almost 70 miles. Nav was light at times but there were a few thick spots in the trekking sections that had even some of the best teams scratching their heads.

We had well over 100 racers for each race and I'm pretty sure most were still smiling when they left. Jason really has this race business dialed in and puts all the finishing touches in to insure we all go home happy campers. The breakfast was awesome and those shirts were amazing.

Matt did the race as his first solo and did pretty well at the helm. His bike and canoe times were top notch.

We couldn't have pulled the race off without the volunteers and I'd like to thank the Off Road Fixation Team that was out in force as volunteers. One of my co-workers, Jeremy and Autumn Price pulled the much needed safety boat duties out on Lake Perry. Deron Bennett took one for the team and spent the night out in a bug infested cove with Johnny Woodward. There were a bunch of others as well. Thank you all!

RANKINGS

Off Road Fixation is currently tied for 11th in the USARA National Rankings midway through the racing season. Way to go team!

We'll all be sitting out (volunteering) for the Dusk to Dawn Adventure Race in July but have the Berryman Adventure Race (36 hour) slated for September. We've got two teams for the Berryman. Our Coed (and hopefully national qualifying) team will be Johnny Woodward, John Clausen, Krista Patterson and Michelle Elliot. I'll be partnering with my son Matt for his first long course race in the two man open division. Go ORF!!

Other local teams to make the top twenty include Alpine Shop (4th), Inertia (7th) and Dynamic Earth (14th). Last year's National points leader, Eastern Mountain Sport, is currently sitting in 18th.

There is still a bunch of time left in the season. Look to see a bunch of these teams shaking it up as the season nears it's end.

TRUMAN LAKE OFF ROAD DUATHLON VIDEO

RESULTS? WELL NOT REALLY

We had a small turnout for the first Truman Lake Off Road Duathlon down at the Truman Lake Mountain Bike Park a week ago. I've been very busy with work and kids last week and haven't been able to post any pictures.

I would have liked to post the results but we had a slight (and by that I mean major) snafu that really negated all our results. Mac Vorce of Warsaw Parks and Rec had laid out and marked a sweet run and ride course for the race on Sunday. The field of runners were instructed to duck or go around a section of yellow tape at the end of the run as it was part of the bike course. The runners all finished out without a hitch and transitioned to mountain bikes. About two miles into the bike, one rider thought he remembered being instructed to cross yellow tape on bike as well and busted some, following the yellow trail into a swampy quagmire that he soon realized couldn't be part of the race. He headed back to the turnoff but not before the down tape had collected several other riders.

With the small turnout, I was cleared to compete on a borrowed bike (and pants). Well past my prime, I trundled through the run and transitioned to the bike near the very back of the pack. I figured I'd catch at least a few riders on the bike section. I didn't see a soul. I rode the first two miles hard. Seeing the tape down, I remembered Mac saying we wouldn't be riding the swampy section so I made the correct turn even without tape. I finished out the following 5 miles of bike, seeing only two bike tracks ahead of me. This couldn't be right. I figured at least one of those had to be Mac's when he hung tape. Now I was wondering if I had made the right turn. I continued on, not seeing a single rider and finished to much fan fair....in third place overall. What?

My son Matt took second. He was in first place until about a mile before the finish. The eventual first place finisher just passed the tape before the guy busted it. All the other riders, including Matt's co-worker and friend, Jason, had ended up biking 9-11 miles to our 7.5. They crossed the line smiling even after hearing how they had been thrown off course. We all had a good laugh and we handed out gold medals to everyone, and I do mean everyone. One kid about three was just standing there watching the whole thing and he won gold that day.

Oh, to make matters worse, Matt beat me soundly...riding my single speed. Dang kids these days have no respect for their elders!

The trails were in surprisingly good shape after a week of constant rain (except for the poor souls who ventured into the swamp). There were a couple sections that you could see mother nature was trying to reclaim but Mac and his boyz put in a bunch of work to keep it all clear for us.

I had a great time. I hope everyone enjoyed themselves even though the results really mean nothing. It was a great fund raiser for the Truman Lake Bike Park and Warsaw Parks and Rec. Thanks Mac for having us down.

NEXT UP - TRUMAN LAKE FAT TIRE DUATHLON

Now that a few of you have gotten a taste of the Truman Lake Mountain Bike Park, I'm sure more will be looking for the next event there. Off Road Fixation is more than happy to help you out as we present the Truman Lake Fat Tire Duathlon on Saturday May 17th. A 5K Run and 10K single track mountain bike duathlon set on the Truman Lake Mountain Bike Park Trails near Warsaw, MO. Entry is $15 (plus processing fee) until May 8th and $20 up to May 15. Race day registration is $20 at the bike park. Come on out and get you some fat tire duathlon!

Online registration is open.