06/16/2026
Hey everyone! While I'm putting together some dates for our Hammerman course previews... a quick cautionary tale!
While the changes for our 25th anniversary have shortened the length of our bike and run courses.. that does NOT mean they are easier! Parts of the new course, especially the starting and ending miles, are probably harder than anything in the past course.
One of our past Hammerman champions was considering coming back to play again this year, so they went out to find the course and check it out. While they haven't ridden a mt bike in a while, they are no slouch, to say the least. While navigating the last stretch of Old School on the cut through the Candy Mt uphill switchbacks, they overcooked some rooty drops and crashed HARD! Hard enough to break their neck! After an emergency C6 spinal fusion operation, their prognosis is very good and are expecting as close to a full recovery as could be possible from said fracture. Very fortunate to be sure, and we are super glad it wasn't any worse.
The take home for you all: If you are not INTIMATELY familiar with any of the trails we are using.. SLOW DOWN!! If you find yourself gaining speed and are not 100% sure what the course looks like around the next bend, or over the next root or drop... STOP and go check it out. It's not worth a couple seconds to risk any kind of injury... keep it within your current abilities and knowledge of the course.
If you have signed up.. or even if you haven't signed up.. and I just scared the crap out of you, good. Come join Jason and I to see the course in a group learning setting. That way you will know the course and what to expect on race day, and be able to practice it over and over... the more you know it, the faster you can ride it! Then you can sign up after you know what you are in for.
Healing JuJu to our broken friend, you will return to play again, no doubt!
Andy
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