2019 Filthy 50 Overdue Post (forgot to publish)
I have loved The Filthy 50 since my first trip to ride this race in 2016. Trenton is an amazing race organizer and host. He attracts the best people to his events. The Filthy 50 is like an autumn reunion of the 'gravel family'.
At the start area for this year's race, I was milling around when a rookie rider asked about my Garmin. We started talking and she let me know that this was her first gravel race. She had a ton of questions and I was happy to share my experience and knowledge. Funny thing, every couple minutes, we'd be interrupted by another rider calling out 'Chris!' and stopping to exchange greetings. It was a very warm and happy feeling to have so many people stop to say 'hi' - I'm honored that this pack of gravel weirdos accept me as part of their family!
I told Trenton that he needed to promise we were coming back to Lanesboro and this course next year. It's that awesome! (spoiler alert, 2020 will be back in Lanesboro)
2019 was a new course and host town - Lanesboro. Great change, I didn't think it could get better than Stewartville ... Lanesboro showed me that there's another level of awesome!
The early cross-winds were really ripping, I was happy to have drop-bar to get under some of that wind. Groups had really been split up, I spent a lot of miles riding by myself.
We started with temps around freezing with the threat of snow/rain mix. Happily, the precipitation held off for the first half of the ride and was never as punishing as the 2018 conditions.
I started the race looking to podium for fatbiking men, so I rode out strong. In fact, after the first climb at mile 5, I was getting too hot. I opened my jacket and put my gloves in pockets. I rode with bare hands up to around mile 20, until we turned into the strong winds.
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| Early miles with bare hands |
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| Rolling throw the check point - I've got a podium goal, right?! |
I rolled back into Lanesboro in the snow, riding by myself. Turning the corner to the finish line, and there's Trenton with arms open. He let me know that I was first place, and I dropped some R-rated language in response. After the hug, the best thing was Trenton telling me to go pick up my bag of meat (prize for first place)
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| The podium with my trusty and fast drop-bar Pugsley! (2nd & 3rd hadn't finished yet) |
I was 92rd place of the 429 people checked-in for the 50-mile route. 348 riders finished The Filthy 50; 81 riders who took the start, did not finish (DNF).
I'm so happy to be the fastest fatbike, but as a bonus, Trenton shared the following in a race recap:
A brand new Filthy course means new Filthy records!
Fat Bike Men - Chris Nelson - 3:34:50
I'm gonna have to go back in October 2020 to defend my course record!
YouTube link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Qs9ghpc5j8&t=5s |
| The End (lame joke, I know, but I'm not sorry about it) |
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