This Iceman report is not so much a race report, but rather the description of one ceremonial and annual instance that has now become engrained in my season as ritual each year.
For those who know me, you know I like my beer. I drink it often, and for several different occasions. However, there is one specific beer I have each year that I can always clearly identify as my absolute favorite beers of the year.
Iceman is a funny race…perhaps it is its timing, maybe it’s the allure and mystique it has gained over the years, and maybe it’s because it is the largest mountain bike race in America. Whatever makes this race what it is, one thing is for certain, it is a race that always perpetuates months or preparation and months of provoked thought post race. What makes this so funny is that it is simply a 28 mile race on an extremely technically neutral course.
Iceman takes place at a time of year when the road racers season has ended, so they end up racing it. Also, cyclocross racers are in the thick of their season, so they race it. The mountain bikers are always up to race, so they travel cross country to race. The combination of such an eclectic race demographic creates something special that other races just don’t have.
Not only does the race itself cause for elevated heart rates but the anxiety of the preparation alone has many people going anaerobic just thinking about the start gun. A good showing at the Iceman gives you hope and sparks unparalleled enthusiasm and dedication for the following race year. Likewise, failed expectations at Iceman cause you to deeply look introspectively at what you can do to make next season your best one ever. Regardless, this race is always held as a metaphor of where you will guide your future drive and focus.
The 2010 Iceman was not good to me at all. Both the legs as well as the machine beneath them did not want to cooperate with my mind’s intentions and expectations. However, this is not a race report…this is a story about my annual favorite beer.
For many people, myself included, the finish line at Iceman is the last one I will cross for that given race season. Every year, I treat myself to a cold one shortly after the line. This is always my most beloved beer of the year because it stands for so much more than its contents. This specific beer gets raised to another full successful season of good results, personal health, and loving family and friends. Not only does this beer celebrate the end of a journey but it also represents a clean slate and a fresh start, full of expectation and promise for the year and years to come. Beer can only taste this good after the arduous experience of a full season under your belt.
Despite what my Iceman result is each year, I am always thankful. This is what will keep me coming back year after year...my quest for the best annual beer I could ever have.
Beer of choice this finish line: Bell’s Two-Hearted
My vote for the Landlord of the Midwest: Brian Matter
See you all next year…
