By DREYMA BERONJA

Journal Staff Writer

MARQUETTE — Facing challenges one pedal at a time.

At this year’s Polar Roll, a winter adventure race held in Ishpeming, Start the Cycle members were able to overcome new challenges.

Start the Cycle is a group cycling program in Marquette County that introduces youth to a life full of success through winter fat tire biking and summer mountain biking, according to its website.

STC selects Polar Roll team members from the previous year’s Ore to Shore mountain bike race finishers.

“We use the rental fleet of fat tire bikes provided by the Noquemanon Trail Network at the Forestville Trailhead,” STC President Laura MacDonald said in an email. “This year we selected five first-year team members who have never fat tire biked in the past.”

Along with the five members of the team, there were two junior mentors and three adult mentors racing. MacDonald said junior mentors are experienced team members who are at least 18 years old and have gone through mentor training.

“We offered 10 team spots but had fewer participants choose to join the winter program this year,” MacDonald said. “However, we have more team members participating in other winter activities, such as swimming, skiing and wrestling, than ever before.”

Having STC members participate in the Polar Roll offers youth on the team new challenges, according to MacDonald. She said the snow, ice and trail conditions can create a more unpredictable race than summer riding does.

“A misunderstanding at the start line got us off on the 30 -mile race instead of the 15 -mile course. We had to adjust, pivot and restart. This created the challenge of regrouping and moving forward quickly,” MacDonald said. “Every team member and mentor worked together to recover (from) the mistake.”

One of STC’s junior mentors and one of the youngest riders were unable to redirect the short race course due to the course speed. The two were too far into the wooded single-track trail. but they successfully navigated the most challenging 16 miles of the long race course.

“Unfortunately they did not complete the race, however, they kept positive attitudes and worked through their disappointment,” MacDonald said.

STC’s mission is to introduce youth to a life full of success through biking, providing the structure for participants to achieve goals, cultivating a sense of belonging and building resiliency.

“We believe participating in the Polar Roll helps us continue to work towards this goal,” MacDonald said.

For more information on STC and how to participate, visit online at startthecyclemqt.org.

Dreyma Beronja can be reached at 906-228-2500 ext. 248. Their email address is dberonj@miningjournal.net.