2012 SUb-9 Death March Recap

The 2012 Sub-9 Death March was a season opener to remember!  It's not ever year that Indiana residents (and visitors) are blessed with lots of sunshine and 60+ degree weather in early March, but on Saturday, March 10th, 300 riders made their way to the heart of the Hoosier National Forest in near perfect conditions for the second annual event.

Riders from across the Midwest began arriving at the Maumee Boy Scout Camp on Friday and many spent the afternoon familiarizing themselves with the winding gravel forest roads.  Teams checked in throughout the evening and as the sun set (and temps fell) those who stayed at the Maumee camp talked strategies by the campfire as they settled in for the night.

Saturday brought a cool, brisk start to the 2nd annual event and teams gathered inside the camp Dining Hall anxiously awaiting the rider meeting and drawing for the remaining two mandatory check-points. The grumblings could be heard from outside the building when the first check-point  announced was Lutes Cemetery, a new (and lengthy) addition to the 2012 event.  Fleetwood Cemetery, the nearest check-point to the start/finish, was the final mandatory check-point to be selected.

Shortly after 9 a.m. 150 teams left the Maumee Camp and spread throughout two counties using a combination of gravel forest roads and "back country" mountain bike trail to reach the various historical cemetery check-points.

Here are some of our favorite write-ups from this year's event:

~ Death March Returns - CyclingNews.Com

 ~ Life is an Adventure - Sheri Jane Blog

Within a few short hours the first teams began arriving and the stories from the day's adventures were shared while riders feasted on the Hot Naked Burrito Bar from Qdoba. 

Don Gallighar and Chris Wood of Team DRT (v 2.0) took home the 1st Place $500 cash prize in the Men's Division for the second year in a row.  The BikeReg.com team of Elizabeth Cobb and Sarah Fredrickson were the first Women's team to complete the race while the Speedway Wheelmen team of Janelle Ranschler and Scott Bond were first to finish in the Co-Ed division. 

Several lucky participants walked away with lots of great prizes from our event sponsors including SRAM Apex Shifters, XO Bottom Bracket and Crank, XO Hydraulic Brakes and more! 

A huge thank you goes out to SRAM and Hammer Nutrition for supporting this event.  We also want to thank Scott Spitz of More East Design for another "killer" t-shirt logo and Michelle Spitz of Two Pedals Photography for somehow always being in the right place at the right time to get the most unique event photos ever!

Mark your calendars for Saturday, March 9, 2013 and start planning now for the 3rd annual event!

Cheers,
Tania and Jonathan Juillerat
Event Directors
Sub-9 Productions