I’ve been a longtime slowtwitch lurker and have never felt the need to enter the fray. Having just returned from a “family” weekend at Deep Creek Lake to scout out the SavageMan course, I’m feeling inspired - and humbled.
First of all - WOW! It is incredibly beautiful in the mountains of western Maryland. I live less than 3 hours away in Washington, DC and can’t believe I haven’t learned of this multisport athletes utopia earlier. Forget driving 90 minutes for day trips to Skyline Drive - my new cycling destination is weekends in western Md.
On to the course. First the swim and the run, because, while they are A+ courses compared to virtually every other race I’ve done, it’s the bike that is truly memorable.
Swim:
The lake is clean, clear, and beautiful. However, at least on a sunny Labor Day wknd, it’s also full of powerboats and tubers/skiiers/wakeboarders. Swimming from the boat ramps where the race is held was out of the question, so I asked a park ranger and he directed me to a quiet, wake-free cove about a mile from where the actual swim is held. A few kayakers and I had this long narrow cove to ourselves. It started to get shallow and grassy so I turned around, but apparently had I continued a few hundred more meters I would have hit the end at a beaver dam. Oh well, next time.
Run:
The run course is very nice. For much of the course you are running alongside the lake or through the state park campgrounds, which is pretty cool. It is definitely a hilly run, but not insanely so. Apparently last years course had a 600 foot climb (twice) on trails to the top of the mountain, but that’s out this year. There was about a 1/4 mile stretch on a trail to a turnaround that seemed to go straight up. I didn’t know exactly where the turnaround was, so may have bailed early, but that one will get everyone’s attention. The 13 miles I ran seemed plenty tough to me, so you will hear no complaining from me that even SavageMan has been wussified.
Bike:
For everyone who complains about drafting, complains about the wussification of the sport, it’s time to put up or shut up, because this course requires you to HTFU. I had heard firsthand reports from folks who raced last year and read up on some ride and race reports from the race forums site, but I was still caught off guard. Anyone who does this race without first scouting the course is at a serious disadvantage. My attitude has changed about the race: I am no longer racing the SavageMan. I will be participating in the SavageMan, just looking to enjoy the experience, clear the Westernport Wall and get my brick, and get to the finish line. And I suspect my overall result will ultimately be the better because of it. There will be carnage…
So, from what I had read I was expecting a 18 mile downhill cruise to Westernport where the fun would begin. Well, imagine my surprise about 1 mile in when the first hill of the day hit: Toothpick. So by the end of the 56 it’s pretty forgettable, but at 300-400m and at least 10% grade, this was my first indication the SavageMan course would live up to the hype. The next 5-6 miles were nice rolling rural farmland (what’s this 18 miles downhill to Westernport crap?) and then the first big descent. Four miles of narrow, twisty, canopied road with a creek flowing alongside. Absolutely stunning! Then about 6-7 miles of gradual downhill following the Savage River, which was raging with white water and full of kayakers. Having dropped close to 2000 feet I was ready to hop in the car with one of the kayakers and head back up to do it again, but no, I pedaled on into Westernport. Dumb move.
If there was any part of the SavageMan course that did not live up to expectations, it was Westernport. Westernport was a bit of a letdown, and while the Wall was hard I was expecting a little more. The other 55 miles of the course are about as beautiful as it gets and on phenomenal roads; Westernport is pretty rundown and ugly and on crap roads. Oh, and did I mention Westernport also goes straight up the side of a mountain. There’s about 4 increasingly steep blocks and then The Wall. I stayed seated and got up it pretty easily and then stopped for a minute to check out the bricks at the top with everyone’s name in them who made it over in 2007. (ok - so I needed the rest). Very cool.
Then the fun began. The next 3/4 (?) mile or so seemed to go straight up and it seems they just laid down a new chip-seal road so there was a lot of loose gravel that made getting out of the saddle next to impossible. That ought to be interesting on race day. Finally I got over that stretch. I knew the climb from Westernport and over Big Savage Mtn was about 7 miles at average 6%, but what I didn’t know was that after that initial mile out of Westernport it’s essentially flat with some good stretches of downhill for like 3 miles, so pretty much all the climbing is done in about 3 miles of it. Man, I don’t even remember the back half of the climb over Big Savage. All I remember is that it started steep, got steeper, and around every bend just kept going up steeper yet. And that the pavement was brand new and baking hot. Finally a downhill and then - BAM! - even steeper than before. Finally over Big Savage and some amazing vistas.
A very technical 3 mile descent, this time on brand-new, flawlessly smooth tarmac, and now it’s time for the knockout combinations after the softening body blows of Westernport and Big Savage. I must refer to the cue sheet now to refresh my oxygen-starved memory of the details of the repeated beating I took. There was about a 3 mile gradual climb out of Savage River Forest that was quite enjoyable as I found a steady tempo (and still that awesome new tarmac). Tempo ruined by the nastiness of McAndrews Hill switchbacks, about 1/2 mile at well over 10%. A descent through New Germany State Forest and then a right turn - SMACK - Otto Hill. About 3/4 mile of at least 10% and this is not so funny anymore. Worse, the anticipation of what’s to come now has me frightened. I’ve been warned about Miller Hill, and of course was ready for Westernport and Big Savage, but had never heard a peep about McAndrews Hill and Otto Hill. And those had just put a serious wallop on me. Another technical descent brings only dread, because I know the elevation’s all coming back soon enough. And there it is. While still on the descent, as if to further taunt you and eliminate any pleasure taken from brief moments of going down, you see a road in the distance just go straight up a hill that deserves a ski lift. Never did I doubt that I would soon see arrows painted on the road directing me to take it. Killer Miller. The first half mile was a good 15% and I was chaperoned by an old dog WALKING beside me. Miller eases off over the next half mile but does not give in until well after you have. I stopped at the top and took in some awe-inspiring views, and had my come-to-jesus adjustment to my raceday strategy: no racing, just finish. This is as good as cycling gets. Some more rolling hills through beautiful farmland on vacant roads and then the final kick to the groin while you lay knocked out on the canvas: Maynardier Ridge. It’s short, but holy crap, it is steep. And the cemetary at the top, oh so appropriate. There’s 12 miles still to go, but I have long since thrown in the towel and am now just counting down the tenths of a mile to the finish. Thankfully the terrain flattens to “just rolling” as the lake nears.
This ride took me 3:45 and I was pretty well ruined when I got back to the park. A “normal” 56 mile ride at that effort I would do well under 3 hours. I looked at the 2007 results and can’t imagine how anyone rides that course in 2:42. I know I’ll be putting some wagers down on the slowish side for Guess Bjorns Bike Split. Without a doubt this was the toughest “short” ride I’ve ever done. Skyline, Mt. Weather, Marshall, Blue Ridge all pale in comparison.