Friday, April 19, 2013

Gravel Dude Challenge Announced

For updates click here.

For a couple of years now I've wanted to put on my own triathlon challenge.  Not a race, but just an event to see if I (or anyone else) can do it.  So here it is:

1st Annual Gravel Dude Challenge (aka IronMatt)
  • What: a 2.4 mile swim in a gravel pit, a 112 mile gravel road bike ride, and a 26.2 mile trail run (these distances are a total coincidence, I swear)
  • Date & Time: Saturday June 29th @ 7am (just happens to be my 35th birthday)
  • Location: West Peterson's Pits north of Ames, IA
  • Entry Fee: $0
  • Prizes: a warm feeling
  • Support: none (well okay, I'll have the bike ride go by a convenience store for you)
Let me know if you're interested and think you can do an unsupported  gravel/trail triathlon of this totally coincidental distance.  Remember this isn't a race and you can't win.  Maybe we'll ride/run together.  Maybe we won't.  I supply a route and you do your best to complete it, that's all. 

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

So here's what I think: I like this conceptually, but having just done IM Wisconsin last September, I'm thinking that 2 months is not much time to train for an iron-distance event. Many of us are pretty much ready to hammer out a 2.4 mile swim at any moment, and the 112 gravel bike ride, that's doable, but a trail marathon on two months notice? Even if it were run on gravel roads vs. trails, that's still a significant training load.

Now if both the bike and run legs were on a gravel loop such that you could pass by a store or your vehicle every 20 (bike), 5 (run) miles, that would make this event doable IMHO.

Good luck, this is a great idea, especially after the gaudy spectacle of a sanctioned IM.

Jim said...

Matt
Love your idea. Don't know if I can attend but love your idea.
Hey if your looking to get your legs in shape check out a ride I'm organizing www.superiorride.blogspot.com
We may be doing it in the snow the way this spring has been going. Jim R

The Pitbull said...

Matt,

As you know Clar and I hosted many free events of the same length. A huge tip of the Bell Biker helmet to you.

I will be there.

CJ

Matt Maxwell said...

Anon: It will be challenging.

Jim: I'd love to make it up for the Superior ride, but I'm doing support for a ride down here.

CJ: Looking forward to seeing you there.

Anonymous said...

What a great idea! I'd be really interested, but timing bad for me this year: marathon weekend before and 2 weeks after, and will be off mtn biking in UP on proposed date.

Anonymous said...

I might cancel another planned vacation to do this. What's your drop-dead date on registering?

-Charles Showalter

Matt Maxwell said...

Deadline is 7am on June 29th, but I will probably only print out a few copies of the directions/maps so knowing earlier would be good.

This is getting to be a bigger deal than I expected. I can't believe people actually want to do this.

Unknown said...

I like this, I'm training for an ironman, I'd like to give it a test run before hand! Where do i find more info!

Matt Maxwell said...

Kevin, sorry I haven't been checking back on the blog of late. I have a little more route scouting to do before the big day, but pretty much all the information is up there. I will have more route details within a week and I will post that on my blog along with a link from this page.

Matt Maxwell said...

Go ahead and e-mail me at istarluin at yahoo dot com if you have any more specific questions/concerns.