Mandi Johnson

On September 18, I lined up for my third Fat Tire Festival cross-country mountain bike race. This year was different. Instead up waking up at 5 a.m. and leaving my bike in staging with 1200 other bikes for the 40-mile race, I slept in. Since I was just cleared for full activity a couple weeks prior from my knee surgery, I opted to race the 16-mile event with a few friends.

I didn’t know what to expect and the only goal I had was to ride as hard as I could. I lined up around 700th place in a mass of nearly 900 people and bikes. It was cool and sunny, perfect for a race. When the gun shot, it felt like five minutes before I could clip-in and start pedaling. The race started on a barricaded city street in Cable, WI. I didn’t see any major pile ups but there were few close calls.

I spent the first nine miles weaving in and out of riders and their bikes trying to make my way up to the lead pack. The course gradually narrowed and eventually got into the woods. By that time, I had finally joined a group of riders riding at my pace. I pinned it the entire race and was the 46th rider to cross the finish line at Telemark Resort. I finished at 1:00.27.1 which put me fifth in the 25-29 age group.

Next year, I’m applying for a preferred start and want to win.

Cheq 2010_1-web