The MidSouth '24 - Mettle Race Report
Quickly becoming the unofficial start of Gravel Season, Stillwater’s MidSouth has built a reputation as being the most fun and approachable event on the calendar. Mettle had it’s biggest contingent yet in this year’s edition with 6 riders finishing on the day.
Sarah, Mikey, and Randall celebrating good things with a little Red Dirt Foundation.
6 Mettle riders took to the start in mid-March this year with different stories and goals. For half the squad, it was their first ever event. For some, it was their first 100 and for others, another challenge to better previous years and maybe even overcome some forever bad luck on the red dirt roads of Oklahoma.
Firstly, there’s some new kit in the photos. We ordered a test gravel kit and went a little nuts with the design to see if the fit and additional 27 pockets were worth it. Themed “Candy,” we just went for some fun and a little help from our Generative art accounts. The jerseys are even equipped with a mesh pocket (we’re calling it a jacket tunnel) just for carrying chips.
Hurty legs can find a seat anywhere.
Stress Started Early
3ft of snow dumped on the folks traveling from Colorado the Thursday before the race. It was wild. A few drove halfway the night before but Randall & Larissa lost power at 3am and never saw anything turn back on. Even the duo from PDX had to reroute their flights because of the weather - thankfully the bikes made it too.
Midsouth is neither “Mid” nor “South
FKA the Land Run 100, The MidSouth takes it’s name from the ambiguous cultural ID of Oklahoma. Definitely not the south, but south of the “Mid West.” Not fully “Mid West” but definitely not Ohio. Whatever, it’s a vibe that really has no equal in the North American gravel scene. Focused on inclusion and the true Spirit of Gravel (welcome everyone!), 1st timers are shocked at the energy of this race. Even better, the town rallys around Bobby as much as any other town hosting a gravel race but with way, WAY more hotel rooms.
And as the kids like to say, there’s nothing “Mid” about going cross-eyed with new and old friends on the bike.
Nicest Weather for the Early Start
Unlike 2020 where the start was delayed because actual torrential downpour and lightening, we had a nice 50 degree waiting room where Randall lined up at 7:15 like a crazy person. The grid fills fast and while MidSouth claims no “call-ups” and “no one person is more important than another,” they again backed up 1500 people to shepherd in the pros to the start line - something they either need to own or stop tip-toeing around.
Same Course as 2023, Just a Little harder
A creek crossing in the first 15 miles is fun for the thin, strung-out, pointy end of the race but entirely unnecessary for 95% of the rest of the field. This is a feature that really adds nothing to the event other than frustration and some good videos of people taking OTB dives into the water (like our good friend Richard AKA Bicycle Crumbs).
Home on the Range
Stillwater has a special place in our hearts. 3 of us went to college there and a fair few grew up as toddler Cowboy fans, watching football games when it was still Lewis Field and had cigarettes and hot dogs for sale. We grew up and drove around on these same roads, venturing into fields to smoke weed out of beer cans. It’s wild to be back racing where we used to be black-out drunk, singing Cross Canadian Ragweed songs.
As mentioned, the course was a bit looser with two, 1 mile long stretches of fresh sand, leaving only the gutter being rideable. Not quite Flanders but it had similar effects at the quicker end of the race. They also kept the short bit of single track at around Mile 80. Another feature that’s pretty cool for the first 50 racers and something that made a good impact, but otherwise not adding much besides massive congestion between the 50 milers and 100 milers. Payson has a great video of the last 20 miles that is a fun watch.
The Last Emo Bits
Randall always asks the team after a race, “What did you learn?” It’s intended to illicit any response, especially if the day didn’t go as planned. There is always something to take away that’s more important than the result. Sometimes it produces some golden nuggets:
I learned to stop doubting myself - that I can (still) do hard things even though I am not a runner anymore. I was reminded of the EXTRA joy in doing hard things with people I care about, and that the finish is much more rewarding when you know all your teamies made it in as well. I also learned to always have a gold battery and that our kits are “subtle yet spicy”.
-Larissa
Success, failure, and all the things in between are often better served with good company. I am grateful for all the short cut’s Randall has shared. I’m certainly further along with him than without.
-Mikey
Then you get that hug from Bobby. A hug that feels like you’re the only person he’ll hug that day. That’s a pretty amazing feat each year and it’s rad there was a whole gallery dedicated to riders getting a photo of their hug.
Hi-fives to the team and everyone that achieved a goal this spring. Can’t wait til next year and fingers crossed for another good weather forecast.