Race Day! Mule Skinner Gravel Classic Report

Today is Monday May 12, 2025 and last Saturday i did a race.

The Mule Skinner Gravel Classic in Lone Jack, MO. 33 miles.

This was the third time I've done this race and my first race since the Little Sugar mountain bike race last October.

Race report in a nutshell... i crushed it.

More specifically... i finished 22nd out of 57, felt better than i thought i would, had a blast.

For the past 3 weeks i've been sick or recovering from being sick so i approached this race very casually. That's not really a change to how i approach most races but this one was just a little extra.

Ride casual, as Han Solo would say.

With 3 minutes until the start i was still by my car working on tire pressure. But no worries, i rolled to the start line and had about 30 seconds to plop my butt on the top tube before they said go. i spent the first 20 miles in a decent group of about 5 guys. None of us really made a strong effort to work together but never the less it was nice to have company. Especially the big strong dude in the turtle on the road jersey that i tucked in behind for long stretches.

The weather was perfect and the ride was perfect. i pushed myself but always within reason. i wasn't wearing a heart monitor (rarely do) and the Tom Petty lyrics "you've got to listen to your heart - its gonna tell you what to do" became my mantra. But like i said, i rarely wear a heart rate monitor (and i don't have a power meter) so this was nothing new.

i use the force when riding... you cant trust computers.

Mainly i bring all that up because realizing during the ride that those Tom Petty lyrics are my perfect racing mantra really made me smile and remined me how bad ass i am and because you need to know how bad ass i am im telling you now.

Anyway...

Our small group or riders broke up with about 10 miles to go but i could always see at least one rider, which was good because despite being smart enough to download the route on my Garmin cycling computer i was unable to get it pulled up with my 30 seconds of free time on the start line. 

i made it to the top of the final steep steep climb without walking and without cramping (thank you salt stick chews) and was reminded of the time X and i did this race and she cramped going up the climb and she had a mini freak-out because apparently she's never cramped before and didn't immediately understand what was happening to her body. 

Anyway...

In the last mile or so the big strong turtle dude emerged and then passed me, which i thought was cosmically fitting considering i sat behind him so much early on.

Upon crossing the finish line i found the beer and then proceeded to find some old friends, a few of which i even remembered to take a pic with.

It was a great day!