Kona Sleepless in the saddle

Catton Park August 14/15th, not actually racing this one, but there as my mates helper on his attempt to turn in a top ten position.
Helpers, or 'Pit Bitches' as they're known in the trade are there to provide help with food and water, minor mechanics and race times and positions.
Unusually in this game we call 24 hour solo's, the weekend weather looked spot on for chalking up a good placing. Dry, hardpacked, sunny and warm, perhaps a little too warm though. However, Nick-No-Balance's ethnic origins, and the fact he has very little surface area would all go towards helping him.
The race started at 2pm with the mandatory run to spread the field. For the next six hours all I really had to do was keep my rider watered and fed.
Straight away my experience in this sport told me that there would be many riders that would 'crash and burn'. Riders were going hell for leather, taking advantage of the dry fast conditions. I told Nick not to worry about his position until about a good seven or eight hours in, and to keep it steady and concentrate on the long term. Of course I did'nt need to tell him any of this, he knew what to do. Sure enough right on schedule riders started pulling out, tired and dehydrated. Now we could look at the standings, they were'nt bad.
The next casualties would come in after midnight. Riding tired in the dark can really make you think twice about what you are doing. And seeing youre tent and sleeping bag each lap can weaken many a mans resolve.
The dark and rain took more riders out. Nick was now within reach of his target. Even the previous years winner was no longer in the running. Nick had also by now ditched the full suspension Trance for the Kona Unit singlespeed, and soon realized why it was the weapon of choice for so many soloists.
During a short'ish break from helping, Nick had gone into 11th overnight with Rod Mason in 10th. Nick had been shaddowing Rod all the race, though it was very unlikely he could pass him. During the final hours some confusion set in, the bike Nick was running had no computer and the pit timing computers were running a few laps behind. We knew Rod had ridden to 9th, so was Nick 10th?
On the final lap I went on course to shout some last words of encouragement, it was then that I heard over the race PA that Nick was 10th. As soon as he passed me I ran to the finishing straight. He seemed to be taking for ever, then he appeared. As he wheeled down the course to give big Pat Adams the obligitory high five, the PA again annouced Nick in 10th. He had done it.
We were both very happy, but at a loss as what to do next after 24 hours of racing and mooching about. Nick after some time decided to wait until we had the official results before announcing it to the world. Unfortuneately this proved to be a wise move. What had happened overnight we don't know, but Nick was still 11th.
That is still an outstanding result, though he found it hard to swallow. We both came away from the Sits with many lessons learnt, Nick knew what he could do, and I had seen what not to do.
Needless to say we will both be back next year, though I might have a pop myself if my riding and 12 hour races go well.

Bontrager twentyfour/12

Woo-hoo done it.......finished the 24/12 I'd been so looking forward to.

The venue was the Cotswolds Farm Park, and I arrived there Friday the 13th. Any idea that this was going to be a stroll in the park soon went the minute I turned my Landrover into the race arena. Within yards I was struggling to keep the motorized 4X4 in a straight line, Jesus I had to race on this.

At the arena I met Aaron my co soloist and the rest of the Buzzards MTB club, the Buzzards were feilding a soloist, male duo, female duo and team. Though far more important than that, they had a massive dry tent and biggerer BBQ.

On Friday afternoon we all went out on a course recce. This was the chance to see if the 96'er rigid singlespeed would be ok. Well it was'nt. Geared it was, and the singlespeed badboy went back in the car.

One thing I'd say about the course, it had something to throw you off every few yards, mainly bombholes, roots, fallen trees, northshore and the slippiest off camber singletrack I've ever seen. One to take it steady on then.

At the start of the race I was feeling at ease, and seeing the guy on the start line next to me with his forks on back to front made me start giggling.

12 O'clock and we're off, downhill through Sallys Secret and STOP. Lap one was bottleneck city. Though great for checking the course out.

Lap 2 was different, nice and flowing, all the bits that scared me on lap 1 I just did without a thought. This is good I thought.

Laps 3, 4 and 5 go by without incident. And I start to think I'm going to do this. This is the point to feed up sort lights and lube the bike.

After a well timed ten minute food stop I complete lap 6, albeit slowly with a full belly. I arrive back at the pits to a briliant sunset. I have probably only got the chance of doing two more laps now as darkness has set in and I would have to pull something out of the hat to be in before 12 midnight, to give me the chance of getting in 9 laps.

Lap 7 in the dark goes without a hitch.

Lap 8 is started in the knowledge it would be my last, and that fact is hammered home when I start to get stomach acid. I decide to knock myself out on this lap knowing a beer, BBQ and soft chair await me at the end. Sometime after 12 I roll in. Just a downhill cruise to the camp is all that's required of me. In the camp Aaron is laying on the floor, welcome to solo world a say. Aaron and myself both knocked out 8 laps. The team managed 10, the male pair packed and the ladies pair got a podium place in third.

After 12 hours and a bit I was sat drinking San Miguels and downing burgers whilst watching the 24 hour riders slog it out until midday Sunday.

It was'nt long before the talk turned to future events, better lights and tyre combo's. And already D2D later this year was more than an idea.

12 or 24 soloing....................never say never again.

The preparation months

Ooooh my first 'Big' event of the year is almost upon me. I signed myself up for the Bontrager Twentyfour12. I plumped for the 12 hour solo catagory, and the singlespeed sub-catagory. So in three weeks time I'll be on the start line of another 12 hour event.
I decided against the 24 hour race, as my previous efforts have gone to pot for one reason or another.
Though strangely I feel more nervous about this shorter race than I ever did about the full on 24's. I think in the past I either fooled myself that I could pull one off, or went out there knowing I could'nt do it. 12 hours however is do'able. And I think I might even find room to be a bit competative!
All that remains is one huge nagging doubt, based on the fact that I've felt good for some time now? Odd I know, but I worry that I feel good because I'm not trying hard enough, I only have the encouraging words of my peers who think I'm riding strong to ease my worries.
A little side dish to this event is a 'rivalry' between myself and another local rider whom I know very well. Both of us stomp the same grounds, but our individual approach to the event could'nt be more different, think the Tortoise and the Hare.
As the date for the race draws closer, I think all I can do is stay on top of my fitness as it's far too late for any leaps and bounds in that department. So now all my attention is fixed on the logistics of the event, or in other words what I'm going to scoff.
Anyway it's not far off and I think I'm almost there, well at least as there as I'll ever be. Only the day will tell.
www.twentyfour12.com

A hard nights racing.

I decided to enter myself in the FNSS round at the Milton Keynes Bowl, one of those good ideas at the time sort of things. Though as Friday evening drew closer I started to get nervous and wondered if I was doing the right thing. I was worried that I was about to be totally humiliated by a bunch of skinny race whippets.
A few hours later it was too late to turn back, I was in the race car park heading off to register. Minutes later with the bike all numbered up I went out for a practice lap.......Oh my God, that really is off camber, wet off camber. It was hard to beleive I was in Milton Keynes.
7.00pm and counting down to the start, the seniors have set off before us vets, thank God. A few minutes later and we're off, Jesus it's hard already!
I don't want to be at the back. At the top of the first climb I take a peek over my shoulder and I'm delighted the field is split in two big time, and I'm in the first group. The lap goes on and I'm already feeling it, however I manage to pass some other riders and I've stayed on the bike.
The second lap is caning me. So I settle in behind some riders just happy not to loose places, a technical or puncture would be very welcome right now! By now the short hills and off camber singletrack is unrideable. So taking a leaf from my old cross days, I jump off and start running. I mentally pat myself on the back for all the cross country running I've been doing lately. It's that, that keeps me in contention with the faster on the flat riders.
Lap three and I'm feeling good, so I tell myself to work harder. Burying myself and running the climbs and off camber sections see's me past the few riders I was keeping an eye on. Then another falls in front of me on the last lap, so another place gained. Now it's just head down and over the line. It's a good feeling, just dampened by the first seniors lapping me as well as the rain.
The finish. I'm absolutely buzzing as well as cold wet and coughing up mud and grass. When's the next one? Looking back, the bad weather was a disadvantage to the fast race guys otherwise I'm sure we would have been lapped far sooner. Mud and rain the great leveler.
From now on I'll be keeping an eye out for anymore xc races. I think I may have the bug.

From Trail God to A&E in one day!

Can a new bike be possesed?

My new Inbred is chucking me off on most rides, though I must admit the new bike tempts me to do things on the trail that I would'nt normally attempt.

However, I think I know what it is. My previous bikes were 80mm travel...arse high....nose low jobs, and just to hop a fallen twig took a Herculean effort to lift the front wheel. The Inbred however responds all to easilly to any rider input, it's just one step away from voice command!

Anyroadup, I cleared a couple of fallen trees that I had been gagging to nail for ages. Then the other evening I decided to clear the said trees whilst maintaining my normal riding speed.

I hit the second tree, gave it a pull on the bars and a quick stomp on the peadal and................................

I ended up flipping the bike and lading on my back across the tree trunk, legs one side, head and shoulders the other. My first thought was 'wheelchair'. Then I realised I could'nt feel any pain, that bloody worried me, then the pain came thank God!. but I could'nt move. Luckilly the mobile was in the side pocket of my pack, and with it I called my missus to collect me, and some mates to collect my car.

A&E was quiet on Wednesday evening.

After some x-rays it was concluded that nothing was actually wrong with me, technically I was just hurt.

So now I'm sitting here pee'd off because I was about to get some running in and do some more treking with my daughter as well as soak up the dry dusty trails.

The shoes will just have to wait.

Oh err new bike btw.

Here it is, one of your actuall limited edition of a 100, 853 On One Inbreds in Pompino Blue.

All glued together with full XT, 819 tubeless, Mono Minis, RF bars, Hope stem, Thomson post, Candy's, SRAM block & chain, Schwalbe tyres, and Bomber SL forks.

It's not 'just' about the bike.

It's been quite a while since I last posted, but then again that's probably due to my search for the more rounded lifestyle. That's not to say I've not ridden, oh no. I've had some quality rides in the last few months.
All three bikes are working perfectly now, infact I'm having 'Fettle Withdrawl' symptoms. Just nothing seems to be letting me down right now. Which has meant some fast route times and a hankering for just 'pushing it' a bit. Though just pushing it a bit recently had me flat on my back, winded, bleeding and bruised. So I've kind of reined that one in a bit.
Getting back to the title, I'm making the most of the summer to do other things. Like today, I decided not to ride but to head out for a long walk on the Ridgeway with my daughter and Toby the dog. You know it was great to amble along trails that I'd normally fly down. And without trying to sound all 'arty farty' I actually noticed the shapes of the leaves on the trees and the delicate grass on the chalky downs and err stuff. Hiking and camping is definately going on the 'should do more often list'.
I've also done a good deal of that other manly past time........DIY. Proper big jobs like roofing the garage, bunging up facias and gutters, and putting in new lights for my garage workshop.

However, riding the bike is the thing I still like to do when I've got some spare time and the family are happy to live without me, but more often now I prefer to do it alone. That way I can tailor every ride to suit myself. It also means that when I do meet my mates I enjoy it more.
I do have to keep an eye on my fitness a bit though as I've entered the Twentyfour12, just the 12 hour bit and I'll be soloing that on my singlespeed. With that in mind I try to have one half decent ride a month. It's only a bike ride after all, I don't have any goals, aims or targets to meet and I certainly can't be arsed with pulse rates (as long as I've got one I'm happy) or pedal revolutions and all that faff. To me these things are just like festivals, but instead of bands and mud they're bikes and mud. Happy times.
If you're interested the next 'goodun' I'm doing is the Bucks Off Road Classic 100k. I've decided I'm to ride that singlespeed as well. Partly to tick the 100k singlespeed box and partly because I'm a twat.
There is also a rumor going around that I might do the Three Peaks, we'll see.
Right now though riding wise I'm totally happy just to ride my local trails, the sun, the Pines, the sand and the lovely smells are all I need to make me one happy biker.

I'll pop back if anything special happens. Right now I'm working out how to get the contents of my Camelbak into a saddle bag, I hate Camelbaks and their kind. Freedom is what I want.

TTFN.