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Wasatch Back 50
Heber, June 8, 2013.
USCS Race 2, combined series race 7 of 14Thirteen
UMB racers hit the Wasatch Back 50 on Saturday June 8. This is the first
of two 50-milers among the four races of the Utah State Championship
Series. The course was the brand-new Coyote
Canyon Loop northeast of Heber. The weather was sunny with a warm
morning. Temperatures remained pleasant for riding during the day, as a
northern breeze blew against riders along the Riverview (Sorensen) Trail on
the lower altitudes. We had 7 podium finishers in this tough race.
Second-places went to Dallin Hatch, Mitt Stewart, John Higgins, Bruce
Argyle, and John Twitchell, with third-places to Brock Jeske and Meghan
Sheridan.
Left: John Higgins is in a string of
riders on the southern end of the race loop.
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This new trail was finished just in time for the race. This
photo is from a trail workday on June 1st.
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Temperatures were already in the 60s as riders prepped
for the 8 am start just
above the UVU campus.
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Hydration and calorie
management are critical during a race of
this length. There were two feed stations with free food and drink. |
Racers could pre-stock their
own supplies in drop bags to be
delivered to the lower feed station on Coyote Lane. |
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Racers assemble at the start
line just above the canal
on the hillside above the UVU Wasatch Campus. |
Getting up to the Lower
Riverside trail involved a nasty hike
before reaching the race loop. Glad we only did this once. |
| UtahMountainBiking.com Team Racer Results |
| Mini-Endurance (28-mile) Men 35-plus: |
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Left: Corey Spencer hustles
along the
shakeout trail on Lower Riverview,
taking 5th place in the Mini-Endurance
race.Right: Much of the
climbing was done on the
cooler north side of the mountain, where
groves of aspen provided shade. |
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Left: Doing the full 50, Dallin Hatch heads
downhill
through oak brush toward the Coyote Lane feed
station on the way to 2nd place in the Sport Men
19-29 group.Right:
Brock
Jeske missed the course markings
and had a three-mile detour down to the finish
area. He hustled back up to the race loop for a
longer race than the rest of us, taking 3rd place
in the category. |
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Left: Christian Burrell
rockets down
through the hillside on the way to the
16th place finish in Sport Men 30-39.Right:
If they had the chance, riders
could take a quick peek at the fabulous
views of valley and mountains. |
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Left: Mitt Stewart carves
a turn on the southern end
of Coyote on his first lap. Another 25 miles to go to
take 2nd place in Expert Men 40-plus.Right:
Powering the bike through the gambel
oak, Jason Sparks gets the 10th place position. |
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Left: Meghan Sheridan had
mechanical
issues including a blown tire sidewall.
After a GU-packet tire boot at the uphill
feed station, she was back in the race.
Meghan takes 3rd place in Pro Women.Right:
Some of the trail was still pretty rough
and rooty, although racers smoothed the track
considerably during the day. We'll remember
those switchbacks for a long time. |
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Left: Chris Cole rolls
off the hill at
the end of his first lap, but has a DNF
for the race. Roots versus derailleurs
was the mechanical theme of the day.Right:
Our cheering section. Sally and
Adam stayed all day, encouraging our
weary racers. It helped keep some of us
going. Thanks! |
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Left: John Twitchell powers
down the shakeout
doubletrack as he heads for the main race loop. John
takes 2nd place in Clydesdale.Right:
Paul Broadhead is finishing lap one, but doesn't
make the distance and is DNF -- as were five other
riders in his category. Hard race. |
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Left: John Higgins powers
a turn near the bottom
of the mountain at mile 23, on the way to the 2nd
place
finish in Men 50-plus.Right: Rick Morris
heads toward the finish line after
six hours in the saddle, taking 14th place in
the category. |
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Left: Bruce
Argyle heads toward the
feed station at the end of lap number
one. Now do it all again to finish with the
2nd place spot in Men 60-plus.Right:
The vulture is waiting to see if
any of our riders stops pedaling. |
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Corey heads through the
cactus-filled final stretch down
from the race loop to the finish line. |
Christian is done. And,
apparently, done in.
48 miles and 5900 vertical. Wow. |
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Dallin and Brock get their
award medallions and gift
certificates to Slim and Knobbys. |
Bruce's second-place medallion
rests on a granite boulder at
the race
site. A 50-miler earns you
some serious bling. |
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This was a brutal race. But it was fun,
satisfying and scenic. The roughness of the
new trail took its toll on racers' bodies, and the switchbacks added an
upper-body workout. Racer support was superb. UMB did well, with over half of our racers finishing
on the podium. Congratulations to all those who pedaled through the pain
to finish this epic. Special thanks to Adam, Sally and Kay, who spent all
day at the race supporting the team.
More pictures:
Kay
Hutchings photos (For support "above and beyond," thank you,
Kay!)
Resources:
GPX track of
Wasatch Back 50 2013 course
Satellite view Wasatch
Back 50 2013 Race Loop
Left: Layout of the course. Start on dirt road above UVU,
follow the doubletrack Lower Riverview Trail to Coyote Lane, crank up to the
Riverview (Sorensen) Trail and pedal around Coyote clockwise.
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