Date of Race: May 30, 2026
Posted (finally): June 19, 2026
Unbound lived up to its name this year.
Spoiler alert: I finished all 206 miles and nearly 10,000 feet of climbing. To get there, I rode through multiple thunderstorms, relentless mud, calf-deep water crossings, sustained 20 to 35 mph headwinds, a torrential downpour with hail, and a broken chain just six miles from the finish.
The first 15 miles were fast and electric. Standing on the start line with 1,250 riders, the excitement finally hit. Then the weather arrived.
From roughly mile 15 to 75, rain and thunderstorms were a constant companion. Once the storms rolled in, all of my time goals disappeared. The mission became simple: have fun, stay safe, and finish. I backed off the pace, rode conservatively, and walked whenever I felt it was the smart choice—whether the obstacle was too technical or there were too many riders around me.
The sun finally appeared around mile 75, and for a brief stretch everything felt perfect. Then came the headwind.
From mile 90 to 110, we battled sustained 35 mph winds. I tucked into a paceline of five guys, and even drafting we were only moving 6–8 mph. It was one of the toughest mental sections of the race.
The middle miles brought some classic Unbound adventures: carrying my bike through calf-deep floodwater under a railroad tunnel and hiking through long stretches of mud that turned the course into a slog.
Then darkness arrived.
At mile 180, while crossing the bridge by the lake, the skies opened. Torrential rain, hail, lightning, and brutal crosswinds forced me off the bike because I genuinely worried about being blown sideways into the water.
Instagram Post that has the video at the finish line when that storm hit.
That was the first moment I thought about quitting.
Instead, I focused on making it to the next hill. Then the next mile. Then the next.
A few miles later, I linked up with another rider whose bike computer had frozen, and we worked together through the storm. Somewhere in the darkness I hit a muddy patch, slid into a water-filled ditch, and recorded my only crash of the day.
Then, at mile 200, disaster struck.
My chain dropped and turned into the worst tangled mess imaginable. I hadn’t repaired a chain in years and couldn’t get it apart. Two riders—Jack and Michelle—stopped in the dark, rain, and mud to help. After 20–30 minutes of fighting with it, we got the bike running again.
Those final six miles felt like a gift. Instagram Post with my finisher video.
This wasn’t the race I expected. It was, without question, the hardest physical thing I’ve ever done—harder than any Ironman I’ve completed. Yet through all of it, I never doubted my fitness. What I learned is that endurance isn’t just physical. It’s the willingness to keep moving when conditions become ridiculous.
Huge thanks to Jack and Michelle for saving my race, Rachel and Patty for taking care of me afterward, my spouse and all the GirlsGetGritty teammates for the encouragement, the volunteers who make Unbound possible, and my coach for preparing me for a day that demanded everything I had.
And yes… I finished dead last in my age group.
But a finish is still a finish. Where Grit Meets Glory! 🤘