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closeNovice, expert bikers to battle mud, grueling climbs in Extreme race
Bob Reinert/Northwest Guardian
Phil Sussman/Northwest Guardian file
Dan Becraft (foreground), of Seattle, and Steve Jensen, of University Place, compete in the March 2009 Extreme Mountain Bike Race.
If you love to pedal and get muddy at the same time, this is the event for you.
The fourth annual Joint Base Lewis-McChord Extreme Mountain Bike Race on March 27 at 9 a.m. will feature enough technical challenges to satisfy expert riders but not too many to discourage first-time competitors.
Glen Campbell, 46, of Seattle, has found the race to his liking.
“The first time I did it, it was by far the toughest, short distance mountain bike race I have ever done, due to all the climbing,” Campbell said. “I grew up racing (road) bikes pretty much all my adult life and got into mountain bike racing about five years ago.”
Campbell’s wife, Joanie Campbell, won the women’s beginner race last year.
“Our main focus is ... the Soldiers,” said Dale Eichhorst, JBLM sports programmer. “A lot of them go buy mountain bikes in the PX, and so they have the bikes readily available.”
And this is the perfect opportunity to race them. They can choose from the 7-kilometer recreational, 14K beginner or 28K sport classes.
“The route is the same as last year’s,” said Eichhorst, referring to the popular cross country course that begins and ends at Soldiers Field House. “Last year it changed, because we extended the course down to the south some. This year, no changes.”
“The course is one of the (most fun) and challenging courses that I’ve done,” Campbell said. “The course offers something for everyone, all ages, from beginner to expert.”
The entry deadline is Wednesday. Active-duty military, family and retirees can register for $5, DOD civilian employees for $15, and other civilians for $20.
This is the only pure bike race on the JBLM calendar. Thirty-four riders turned out for it a year ago. Earlier this week, 26 had registered for this year’s race. Eichhorst expects many more next year after deployed units return.
“Next year’s (race) will be filled all the way back up,” Eichhorst said. “I think we’ll have close to a hundred bikes next year.”