Kingston, ON, Canada
September 03, 2016
So why do we drive so far to races? This race is the perfect example. A fun course, great organizer, good prizes, tasty post race food, and just overall an awesome vibe at a race. We are in this sport for the experience, and all of the Substance Project Races, put on by Dan, give the full experience that a race should.
After a busy week at work for both of us, we left on Friday afternoon to start the journey. We cooked dinner at a rest stop and then slept overnight at a Cracker Barrel. We finished the drive race morning and arrived at the race site with more than enough time to get ready in a leisurely fashion.
The race includes both a marathon at about 40 miles and half marathon at about 20 miles; the full marathon essentially just being two laps and the half marathon one lap. The race is held entirely on private property; access to the trails is via membership to the club that maintains the trails or of course for racers on race day. And what a great job this club does, these trails are awesome. The trails and thus race course have a little bit of everything. The race starts off on a gravel road and then enters some tight and twisty single track. There are a few areas where the trees are so close that those with wide bars would have to find a tricky way to get through. Also in this section there are a few boulders built up to have fun on and ride over. After this single track the course opens up to double track trough soyfields and past apple trees. Then comes one of the best parts of the course; like a big playground for cyclists. There is a pump track, then over a made-made obstacle area with a bridge and boulder. Then the course goes through a barn. Yup, right through an old bank barn. After the barn, it's more pump track followed by a line of dirt jumps and table tops. I maybe got off the ground a few inches on some of them but I did see Joël really launch off some. Next came fast and flowy swoopy single track, which had a few really long bridge crossings over swamps next to beaver dams. After the swoopy single track came the infamous Route 66 trail, regarded as having some of the most difficult rock gardens of the course. And that it does. But of course Joël and I really enjoyed this part of the course best..it has rocks and climbing. And lots of each. After Route 66, there was a mix of twisty, turny single track, some grassy field riding, a little bit here and there on gravel roads, and then some fast and flowy single track to the end of the lap. After the end of the lap, there is a bit of riding to get back to the original start area that included riding through a corn field. This was surreal; riding on a path not much wider than one's handle bars through corn stalks higher than one can see over. Fun and horror-movie like at the same time.
Besides a fun and challenging course, this race has everything a racer wants and needs. Multiple fully stocked aid stations and a neutral feed zone where racers can put their own person nutrition. The course was well marked with course arrows and wrong way Xs along with course tape at places. Post race festivities are what I really look forward to at this race. There is a pool to go swimming in along with post-race burgers and picnic food. Racers all hangout and relax around the pool. Awards take place pool-side, and winners jump into the pool from the podium. Awards always include beer, can't go wrong with that! Camping is offered at the race site both the night before and the night after the race, which many racers along with their families take advantage. The night after the race a campfire is built; racers, race volunteers, and the race organizer all hangout around the fire.How did we do racing; we both took first place. Joël tied for first overall and was 1st in his age division. I was first overall female and first in my age division.
Joël and I can't say enough good things about this race; both the riding and race atmosphere make it worth the drive.
Sorry folks, no video this year. But here is the video from 2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blLFtV8WXI8.-Jess and Joël