Iceman Cometh Challenge News

Embrace Your Uniqueness: The Power of Being Yourself in Cycling and Life

As I sit here reflecting on my journey through the world of cycling, I can’t help but feel grateful for the lessons learned and the growth experienced along the way. One of the most significant revelations I’ve had is the importance of embracing my uniqueness both on and off the bike. In a sport where trends and gear can sometimes overshadow individuality, it’s crucial to remember that true strength and fulfillment come from staying true to yourself.

For years, I rode a freestyle 20″ BMX bike on trails, often surrounded by riders on traditional mountain bikes. At first, I felt a twinge of self-consciousness, wondering if my unconventional choice of bike was hindering my ability to keep up. But as I gained confidence in my skills and trusted in my own capabilities, I realized that it wasn’t about the bike I rode or the clothes I wore—it was about the joy and freedom I felt while riding. I learned to appreciate the agility and maneuverability of my BMX, using it to navigate tight corners and technical terrain with finesse.

Transitioning to a fat bike for year-round riding was another opportunity to embrace my uniqueness. While some may have questioned my decision to ride a fat bike on trails, I remained steadfast in my belief that it was the right choice for me. Sure, there were moments of doubt and uncertainty, especially when faced with steep climbs or challenging conditions. But with each pedal stroke, I grew stronger and more confident, proving to myself that I was capable of overcoming any obstacle.

Throughout my journey, I’ve come to understand that comparison is the thief of joy. When we constantly measure ourselves against others, we rob ourselves of the opportunity to celebrate our own achievements and progress. Whether I’m riding with friends or racing against competitors, I focus on giving my best effort and staying true to who I am as a rider. I’ve learned to trust in my instincts and abilities, knowing that my uniqueness is what sets me apart and makes me a strong rider.

So to all the fellow cyclists out there, I encourage you to embrace your uniqueness with pride. Whether you’re riding a BMX, a fat bike, or anything in between, remember that it’s not about fitting in—it’s about standing out and being true to yourself. Trust in your abilities, celebrate your victories, and never underestimate the power of being yourself in cycling and in life.

Thank you to our 2024 Iceman Cometh Challenge Ambassador Gerald Gaecke @geraldgaecke

Iceman Cometh Challenge Podcast – Season 2

Hello Iceman Nation! We have this month’s podcast ready for you to enjoy and get inspired for the upcoming Iceman Cometh Challenge! Before we get into the podcast, we would like to introduce our 2024 Iceman Cometh Challenge hosts!

Returning for a second year is Alex Primeau! Alex is a passionate mountain biker and a lover of all things cycling, from hitting the local trails with friends to exploring new routes and pushing his limits on two wheels.

As a volunteer at Norte Youth Cycling Club, Alex loves helping young riders discover the joy and excitement of mountain biking. He’s also a big believer in the power of bikes to heal and bring people together.

Alex has tackled some challenging races in the past, including Marji Gesick 100 and winning Iceman singlespeed. His favorite rides are getting dropped at Out n’ Backs and dawn patrol on the Old Mission Peninsula.

His most memorable ride to date was in the Northern Michigan woods where he proposed to his now wife, while she was still on the bike.

Alex once ate an entire 5-pound bag of Albanese gummy bears in one sitting. He loves exploring with his dog, Koda, singing karaoke, playing pool and Settlers of Catan.

Alex’s love for all things cycling shines through in every episode of the Iceman Cometh podcast. So, whether you’re a seasoned pro or a new to the mountain bike scene, tune in and discover why cycling is more than just a sport – it’s a way of life.

Joining Alex this year is Shannon Kochis. Shannon is a local mom, business owner and a fellow racer in the Traverse City Cycling Community.

Shannon takes advantage of any free time that comes her way and shoots out to the VASA for some fresh air and hero dirt. The Vasa is her favorite place to be, especially with the mix of 2-track and Singletrack options.

“Racing is fun, but enjoying the community around the rides and races is my favorite part of riding bikes”, says Shannon.

We are excited to have Alex and Shannon kick off the season with our first podcast host, Chad Schut! Head on over to the podcast and get out on the trails!

Rider Radio: Season 2 / Episode 1

Thank you to our 2024 Iceman Cometh Challenge Podcast hosts Alex Primeau @ajspartan92 and Shannon Kochis @sklove4.

Iceman Podcast

Looking for something to listen to while you are training for the Bell’s Iceman Cometh Challenge presented by Trek? We now have got you covered! Presenting Rider Radio, The Iceman Cometh Challenge Podcast! This podcast is made by Iceman Riders for Iceman Riders. Kicking off the first episode strong with the 2022 Pro Men’s Ice Champion, Alexey Vermeulen, and the founder of the Iceman Cometh Challenge, Steve Brown. This week’s hosts and Iceman riders Alex Primeau and Matt Haase talk with our guests about all things Iceman. We hope you enjoy the perfect listening for your time in the woods.

New episodes published monthly. Listen & download the podcast here or find us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

*Please be patient if you can’t find the podcast on all listening channels yet we are new to the podcast game and are getting it uploaded and verified as fast as we can.

Rider Radio: Podcast

Save the Date(s)

2023 is just around the corner and we wanted to make sure that you added some dates to your calendar!

FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2023 – Registration opens to the public at 9:00am for the 2023 Bell’s Iceman Cometh Challenge. Any participant that was registered for the 2022 race will receive an email earlier that week that inviting them to register. Be sure to add “Icemaninfo@iceman.com” to your safe senders list so you don’t miss these important announcements!

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2023 – Ice Cycle Expo at the Grand Traverse Resort & Spa. Pick up your race packet, Iceman Gear and shop all the local bike shops in one place, plus other gear from companies all over the country!

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2023 – This is the DAY! Join your friends and family as you ride the Bell’s Iceman Cometh Challenge presented by Trek from Kalkaska to Timber Ridge Resort in Traverse City. Celebrate at the BISSELL Celebration Zone with your favorite Bell’s Beer and cheer on the racers as the finish!

UPDATED Bell’s Iceman Cometh Challenge Course

With the reports of rain coming into the area there is a small reroute in the Sands Lake/Broomhead area of the course. This is approximately between kilometer markers 25 and 23. You will now continue north on Sands Lake to Broomhead. Turn North on to Broom Head and continue for about 1km. This will then take you to a left turn that will place the you back on the original race course.

The updated course has been posted on Ride with GPS. A course map marking feed stations and checkpoints is posted to the Iceman website.

It’s Here! Updated Slush Cup Course

Here is the Official Course for the Bell’s Iceman Cometh Challenge. Reminders: Still watch for logging activity and do not go on to the airport property until Race Day.

~~The Meijer Slush Cup Course is published as well. Below are images of the race routes~~ This just in! We have an update Meijer Slush Cup Course for 2022.

Happy training and we will see you in November!

Bell’s Iceman Cometh Challenge presented by TREK Official Race Course

2022 Meijer Slush Cup Course

33rd Bell’s Iceman Cometh Challenge DRAFT Course

Our inboxes are flooded with everyone wanting to know what the course in 2022 is going to look like and (oops) The Year of the Owl flew onto some screens before it was fully ready. While we were trying to give you, a 100 percent finished course to ride, we got delayed working around logging operations in some areas.

In the meantime, our friends out at NMMBA were working at the speed of light to get the rest of the trail ready. We know some have been out riding the course area based off past years and others have been asking so we thought you’d rather have a tentative course than wait any longer.

This DRAFT course is close to the final. We are working with the DNR to keep the riders away from the logging activity. So please note two very important items regarding this course:

NO ONE is allowed on the airport property until race day per FAA regulations
Be aware of your surroundings while biking this course

Without further adieu here is

The Year of the Owl

Prize Money Increase for Ice(wo)man

The Iceman staff is excited to announce additional cash prizes awarded this year in the Women’s race. “We are adding $2,910 in prize money to the pot this year and 6 additional women’s categories,” Executive Director Kat Paye stated. Bell’s Iceman Cometh Challenge is striving to continue to create more equitable racing for women. Since the inception of the Pro/Cat 1 Race, the Iceman Cometh was one of the only races in the Nation to pay women the same amount as men. As our team continues to bring women to the forefront of Mountain Bike Races while maintaining a competitive field, the following category changes will occur:

Retired Categories: Women 30-34, Women 35-39, Women 40-44, Women 45-49, Women 50-54, Women 55-59
New Categories: Women 30-32, Women 33-34, Women 35-37, Women 38-39, Women 40-42, Women 43-44, Women 45-47, Women 48-49, Women 50-51, Women 52-54, Women 55-56, Women 57-59

We can’t wait to see all the Ice(wo)men in November! Keep training.

Closed Waves — Wait…What???

As it turns out, during the wave review process we discovered that some people were less than honest (or there was an obscene amount of typos) when people were requesting the wave they qualify for. This means two things. 1. Wave assignments will not be posted for a bit while we dig through the numbers more thoroughly and 2. All waves will be considered open at this time.

IF you are already registered and have questions about the wave you requested vs. the one you may have qualified for, please check your inbox. We sent out an email with some details.

A note on waves that do fill. If you qualify and apply for a wave that is full, you will be placed on a queue list for that wave. As space opens in the wave, we will move people in the order they were registered. The queue list by wave will be posted after the wave placements are solidified and sent out.

Thanks all for hanging with us as we work through something new.

We Hear You!

And we agree, you will have the option to drop your time from 2019 when calculating your average time for your wave placement. We have had a few other really great questions come across email and social media over the last few years, here are the answers.

Can you give us a few examples of how to average our results?

Sure! In fact, we made a calculator to help out as well. You can download it here.

If you only raced one year since ~~2017~~ 2016, you can use that time to calculate your wave place. If that one year is 2019, we can’t change that. So if your time is greater than 2:59:47 and that is your only year, then you can enter any wave after wave 28.

If you have three times and one of them is 2019 and it is dragging down your average (because it was a very muddy year with long waits and longer times), average together your other two times.

Are you really double checking this information?

Yes. You will be asked a series of questions during registration (we will send these out to you head of time). These numbers will be compared with our list and we will verify your average calculation before placing you in your wave. Last year our information from the two different platforms and two different timers didn’t gel and led to many wave place errors. We are hope that this new method will fix past errors plus provide you your wave placement sooner.

What if I qualify for wave 3, but its full so I’m placed in wave 5. Is there any hope of moving up?

Yes. As people vacate their spaces during the transfer out period, those that are already register will be moved as space allows before the people that are transferring in are placed. This is also done on a first registered first placed basis so sign up early.

I was in wave 8 last year; this year it looks like I will be in wave 10. Why?

If it appears you are dropping in waves from 2021, we have a reasonable explanation. First, we raced 1500 few riders in 2021 which allowed some people to ride in an early wave placement and second, when we had the wave issues in 2021 we didn’t move anyone backwards. You kept the wave you were in even though through the recalculations we did it may have scooted you back a few waves.

Why aren’t you using overall place instead of time?

Unfortunately, there is no perfect world and place can be just as flawed as time. For example, in 2021, with 1500 fewer riders, which means places could vary greatly over a full race year (like 2022).

What do I need to have ready for registration?

Just be sure to look up your times here a head of time. You’ll need those and your average. Sign in to your bikesignup account early. If you have issues getting signed in follow the instructions to reset your password.

Have additional questions?

Please email icemaninfo@iceman.com.