I guess I decided I needed something really hard to look forward to this next year, so I signed up for Marji Gesick 100. I was getting frustrated missing out on Leadville 100 entries and have been really enjoying ‘real’ mountain bike races more lately.
I’m planning on spending more time in the gym and on technical MTB trails this year, but TR has been an amazing tool for me working full time with kids to stay fit and still compete in races.
For all those who have done this race, how has TR been as preparation? What training plans have worked well for you?
Also, any gear and nutrition tips? It’s a bit daunting to do a 12-16 hour race without (m)any aid stations on course.
Don’t give me any bad ideas… But, for real, it’s crossed my mind. I got the single speed set up dialed on my Epic Evo which might be a pretty fast ride for Marji… maybe… maybe…
I haven’t finished this race, but lots of friends have, and I have ridden up there a bunch. I don’t know your skill level on weirdly technical MTB “trails,” but I would add a bit of trail running/hiking to your plan if you aren’t the type of rider that can clear everything the trail throws at you. The second half is death by a 1,000 cuts. Have a good plan for lights unless you know you’re gonna be fast. There’s a whole bunch of neutral aid on course. Everyone loves to party at this race and watch everyone have a bad time
Im in the the MG100 in 2026 as well. 2nd attempt (crashed out in 2024). There’s a bunch of stuff in the Fb pages but not easy to sort through. Yes to the Syd and Macky vids, yes to strength training. Figure out a way to beat yourself up on your existing rides. The trails on MG are relentlessly technical so your whole body will take a beating all day.
I’m using TR and SSing when outside.(Sans shifting as I don’t have a dedicated SS). I live in flatlandia with short, non technical trails so trying to make the most of the riding. On TR I selected XC Olympic for my first big ride of the summer, then switching to Rolling Road Race as the type of event for MG. I feel the surges will help me prepare, and also trying to do them at different cadences.
Granted i only did the 100k so I was even LESS tired and it was ONLY 9h, but I really did not find the course that technical compared to how people were describing it. Compared to the shit I have tried to ride in Pennsylvania and stuff, while technical at least everything was ridable.
What got me in the last 18 miles, which is everyone’s demon, was I was just too tired to do anything more than basic moves. My joints and knees were so sore from the ‘lumpy’ terrain that i just didn’t have the energy to stand up and move around on the bike any more. I would absolutely suggest some weight training and stuff to keep your joints and muscles limber. Moreso than any other event i wish i had more than the 100/100 mm of travel on my xc bike just to take a little bit less load onto my body in the earlier sections of the race.
I highly recommend doing your tempo/SS workouts with bursts added. Theres lots of really really short punches and having them not cost you matches makes a huge difference. The vast majority of the climbs are short, so 1 min punchers, again like the bursts, are super useful in your specialty/build phase in the final month before the race – not so you can do them faster, but so that they are not anywhere near as taxing on your body. Finally, make sure you get some cycling shoes you can walk in. Unless you are a BEAST you WILL be hike-a-biking ESPECIALLY in the last 18. If you have shoes where your clete juts out super far, or you get blisters, you will be miserable. For perspective on pace, I did the first ~48 or whatever miles in 5 hours. The last 18 took 4. And I placed extremely high (12th) so everyone else had it worse not better. The walking and mental exhaustion of the final bit is brutal. I love biking, and because of how awful it was I will never do marji again. I am so grateful for the experience and the challenge, but it is absolutely brutal.
