Tales from the Saddle: Hannah's Unbound Race Recap

Image by Jared Gab

Race Report from Sunflower Ambassador Hannah Glatter

I had expected to be more anxious lining up for my first Unbound 200. The hype and lore of this event is fantastically familiar as a former staffer of Sunflower, headquarters to the legendary Dan Hughes, and countless finishers of the event. However, coming into this race with my best preparation afforded me internal calm from beginning to end.

Images by Jared Gab

Adapting to the chaos was the name of the all-day game. A guns-a-blazing neutral rollout and an unfortunate bout of imposter syndrome had me off the back of the elite women’s field within the first couple of turns. I shook off the disappointment of immediately failing my number one goal – to get a baseline of where I stack up and to learn from the pros – and rotated with one other popped rider until we came to the infamous 3-mile mud marathon at mile 10. Photographers poised for the mayhem suggested riding in the grass along the barbed wire, so that’s what we did as much as possible. That’s not to say I still didn’t have to carry, push, and clean my bike! It was quite heartening to catch and pass several of the women I had let myself be intimidated by as I steadily pushed through the carnage. “I have a chance to not be last!”

Most of the elevation gain was in the first half of the race, and the big early climbs stung extra with weighed-down equipment, angry drivetrains, and the quickly intensifying sun. The humidity was oppressively thick. I had prepared to skip the water oasis at mile 42, but thankfully thought better of that idea. Bottles topped up, I fought the headwinds to the Eureka checkpoint at 79, by which time my 1.5L Camelbak and both 26oz bottles were completely empty.

I received the most pro-level support from the Sunflower Outdoor & Bike crew. Within just a couple minutes I was back on my way with a clean bike, new shoes, an ice sock on my back, and all my planned nutrition for the next leg. Thank you to Jared, Marcos, Eric, Bill, and Matt for the cheer and for treating me just as if I had been in the running for a podium!

Images on left and right by Jared Gab, Center image by Matt Gilhousen

The next 50 miles of the course were the least eventful, though darkening skies lurked with a promise to soon make things interesting again.

Sure enough, at about mile 140, as I began the trek to the highest point of the course, a popup thunderstorm swallowed me up and caused intense flash-flooding on the primitive rocky roads of the open range. Thankfully I had pre-ridden this part of the course with friend and fellow Sunflower Ambassador Paulina a few weeks before. Even though I couldn’t see where my tires were going due to running water obscuring the way, I could trust myself and my ability to ride out whatever I may hit. I blinked away the intense muddy water spray on the long descent and felt relief and that I was “home free” as I rolled to the Madison checkpoint.

The Sunflower crew worked their magic again. Back to clean shoes and even clean socks and gloves this time. About 40 miles left. Everything is starting to hurt, but I’m sent away with encouragement to try beating the sun.

I didn’t believe them, but it turns out beating the sun would have been achievable at my pace if not for a pesky second mud section. This one was much wetter and slicker than the first, interspersed with the peanut butter that can end your day in a second. The ten minutes here was the ten minutes shy I was of beating the sun.

Image by Jared Gab

Rolling into the finish chute came with a warm wave of accomplishment. 15 hours in the saddle! The announcer mispronounced my name in a surprisingly common way – “From Lawrence, KS! Great job to Hannah Glatner!” After receiving assistance getting off my bike, I was ambushed with high fives, fist bumps, and hugs from Jared and other Sunday Chug friends.

As it turns out, about a third of our field had not finished. I placed 34th out of 39 finishers and 57 starters. Not last at all!

After a good long sit, I hobbled my way over to the Free State beer tent and told the staff there that I only got to race because I had received one of their giveaway entries to the event. The cherry on top of the experience was getting to pour my own finisher beer!

Left image by Jared Gab, center and right images by Taylor Chase

Overall, I’d say that my success at Unbound 200 was primarily thanks to having reasonable expectations, high hopes, and the support of the whole local gravel community behind me. It also helped to be comfortable with a nebulous definition of success. Though this was my first 200, I’ve ridden and raced enough gravel in Kansas to know that a day with perfect conditions is rare and the day is unlikely to play out how you planned. Find comfort in the preparation and embrace the unexpected.