Bontrager TwentyFour12, Newnham Park, Plymouth

26th July 2008

Position: 2nd, 12hr Solo Women

With very little in terms of race preparation for this event, riding for twelve hours from midday to midnight was going to be a challenge. I'd heard the course was about 7 miles long so set myself the goal of 10 laps and then see how I felt, regardless of what was going on in the race.

The first lap went really well: the course was bone dry and fast and flowing with lots of interesting singletrack sections. Olive my dekerf, was riding brilliantly and the sun was shining. As I passed through the arena for the first time I looked over to Paul Davis and said "this is going to be fun". The next couple of laps were definitely fast and fun. I attempted the stream crossing every lap but it was getting ridiculously deep thanks to the sluice gates being opened up stream - hub deep in fact.

I was lapping in just under an hour and had enough water and food to stop after every three laps. At the end of lap 5 I was still going really well but had had a headache for most of the race and realised I hadn't been drinking enough in the sweltering heat. I stopped and forced myself to drink some more. My commitment waivered slightly here as I realised I was half way to my goal of 10 laps but not yet half way through the race. Still, only 5 more laps to do, and I was enjoying myself.

The next couple of laps seemed to pass really quickly. I was particularly enjoying one section of singletrack, out of the bombholes, flying down the gravel track and then swinging in tight left, off the drop, hopping over the rock slab and staying off the brakes to thread through, round and over various other obstacles before plucking up the courage to leave the ground completely (both wheels at once!) off the log drop. This whole section just got faster and faster as the race went on. My confidence in Olive grew with every lap; that is one of the benefits of riding these things solo, you have plenty of time to sort your lines out.

At the end of lap 8 I pit-stopped again to refuel and even though it was only 7pm it was a good time to put my lights on ready for the last few hours in darkness. It was at this point that Paul, my so-called Pit Bitch, told me I was battling it out with Ruth Owen-Evans for first place. I was quite surprised to find I was so highly placed and my usually dormant competitive streak took over. I've raced against Ruth a lot over the last 18 months and knew we could have some fun for the last few hours (we had no idea how far behind 3rd was.)

On my 9th ascent of the steep tarmac climb a couple of miles into the lap I psyched myself up for another 3 laps (not including the current one, i.e. another 3 times up that damn hill). At the end of lap 9 I realised my error. On my 10th ascent of the steep tarmac climb my heart sank as I realised I had to do it another 3 times! I started to hyperventilate and got quite emotional, I just wanted it to be over! Riding a bike for 12 hours is stupid. By the time I'd got to the top I'd pulled myself together (a bit). From here the lap was pretty good fun with not much climbing to speak of, and I was really starting to nail the bomb holes and getting slightly over confident on the log drop off.

It was dark by 9pm and the arena and race had taken on that slightly more relaxed night-time feel that 24 hour races have. I had my Exposure Enduro and Joystick lights on full beam (something I don't normally have the luxury of) so I hardly had to slow down at all on the some of the downhill sections. Bombholes are fantastic at night! I stopped for the final time after lap 11 to put some extra layers on - this brought my total pit-stop time to around half an hour for the whole race, very unlike me, it's normally half an hour every stop.

On the 12th ascent of the steep tarmac climb I started talking to another rider in the mens pairs, they were on their 12th lap as well. This made the lap go quickly and the distraction was appreciated as I'd had enough. My lower back, hands, forearms and upper arms were hurting and I was having trouble changing gear - my right thumb had pretty much stopped working. One more lap to go! Relief swept over me. Every section ridden was 'for the last time' and took me closer to the end.

Disaster! Just as I entered the last section of singletrack, both my lights failed. It was pitch black in the trees and I took a step forward only to trip over a tree root; this was going to be a long walk back... A few minutes passed by before a rider came by, she asked if I was alright and offered to help me home as she was on her last lap as well. Thanks, whoever you were!

I finished at twelve minutes past midnight: 13 laps and 93 miles covered, only 15 minutes behind first place and a full 3 laps ahead of third. A great big thanks to Ickle Paul Davis and Quad Ben Tawse my pit bitches, Rory at Exposure lights for sorting out the brackets for me, Joolze Dymond for taking excellent pics and Martyn Salt & gang and Keith Bontrager for putting on another excellent event with a cracking course. And thanks to Britain for finally having a summer, although 30 degrees is taking the mickey slightly...

The North Face Wild Boar 24, Grizedale, Lake District

18th May 2008

Position: 1st

The first running of this 24 hour mountain bike event by the organisers of the Grizedale Mountain Bike Challenge. Over 100 teams ventured deep into the Lake District to tackle what promised to be a tough climbing course with technical, rocky descents - it's the Lake District, what else would you expect.

So this was the race I'd chosen for my 'One solo 24 hour a year' challenge. With it being only four days after finishing the Tour of Ireland I knew one of only two things would happen:
1)I've ridden myself fit, become an elite athlete over four days and will be pinging along at a great pace thinking nothing of spending hours at a time in the saddle;
OR
2)I'd still be completely knackered, my legs would feel like lead, the burning sensation in my lower back would return on the first lap and I'd barely be able to sit on the saddle.

I'm not an elite athlete. My legs have never felt so heavy and weak in all my life! Due to some unforeseen circumstances before the race and lending a hand to the organisers I actually missed the run at the start. I'm glad. It was about a mile up a steep, rock strewn gully to the top of the hill to pick up the bikes - I think it took the fast guys about 7 minutes.

After I'd got some lunch I made my way to the top for the first lap and set off on the current shining star of my stable - Hyacinth the Maverick ML7. I set off down the fireroad and around the first very loose, stoney corner, then up the long fireroad climb before the first section of downhill - a wide, rocky, fast track. Line choice is essential on this kind of trail, well, unless you're riding a full suspension Maverick with 5" travel forks, then you just ride through everything.

Next it was up a short piece of the official North Face mountain bike trail with a couple of short sections of North Shore boards in: nothing too tricky but a taxing little climb. Out of this onto more fireroad to the steepest part of the course, and it was steep! Narrow, wooded, twisty singletrack that dropped off the edge of the world - one of those sections that is actually easier to ride with your weight right off the back of the saddle than try and walk. I managed to ride it each lap but it got slightly trickier as the line got worn away, good old Hyacinth!

More fire road. Some climbing. Some really steep granny ring climbing; this was a good indication of just how shot my legs were, I was in the lowest gear with no energy at all, last week I'd done a steeper road climb than this in a huge gear! A short section of fun, flowing, grassy singletrack and then onto more fireroad. Four miles of it to be precise. If I have a criticism of this course, it's too much fireroad - but then you'd worked that one out already.

Finally the last section and what a piece of trail it is! Long, wide and swooping, covered in rocks the size of babies heads. Sweet. There were a few big drops thrown in to keep you on your toes and some interesting rock slab sections as well. This is the kind of trail that'll make you go out for another lap just so you can ride it again.

I did three laps that evening but knew I had no chance of being competitive so rode down the boulder strewn gully to the camp site and arena to get hot food and relax for the evening. I'd already decided not to ride through the night, I'd be better off getting a good nights sleep and then going out again in the morning.

6am and I'm told the only other female solo rider has quit after doing four laps, so another couple for me and I'd won. I set off steadily in the morning sun, taking my time and enjoying the stunning views over Coniston Water. I managed three laps before I called it a day and was feeling rubbish. A total of 6 tough laps, 60 miles and around 12,000ft of climbing. Another win in the bag (hey, you have to be in it to win it and I was the only one in it, so I won it). One day I'll ride one of these things 100% fit and healthy and might actually compete properly.

So a very different event to other 24 hour races in this country with a very different layout, but those are the sacrifices you make to hold a race in the Lake District. Hopefully this event will be back next year with a few improvements and course alterations as it has the potential to be a really good, challenging and unique event.

Watch this space I guess...

G2 Revolver 12hr, Sherwood Pines

19th April 2008

Position: 4th (last)

The first in my long line of endurance races over the coming weeks: a 12 hour night race starting at 8pm with 10 hours of darkness. The late start meant lots of hanging around in the arena, I didn't bother with a practice lap. Over twelve hours of racing you get to know a course quite well.

The first few laps went really well. I was completing the 7 mile lap in around 43 minutes. I'd decided I was going to use this as training rather than a proper race so planned to go strong and steady for 3 laps then stop to refuel and do another 3, and so on. Amazingly at this point I found myself in 2nd place.

The next two laps were equally as fun as the first three. The course was riding really fast, the singletrack was zippy, rooty tree-lined fun with very little climbing and the fire road was big ring all the way. It was a grin fest. By the sixth lap the novelty was wearing off. It was getting cold now, the course was starting to drag and only four and a half hours had passed. I stopped for a long break and to get some proper food.

At 1.15am I set off for another couple of laps. My heart wasn't in it now and even putting my iPod on didn't make a difference. So at 3am, after 8 laps and 56 miles, I turned my lights off and climbed into my sleeping bag.

Obviously I was in last place but it was a good days work as far as riding was concerned. I have to say a great big thank you to Rory from Exposure Lights for lending me one of the new long running Joystick lights with piggy-back battery and extra long running, Turbo-Maxx lights to get me through the night.

Whyte Enduro 50k Marathon, Thetford

13th April 2008

Position: 3rd

My first race of the year was a last minute decision which turned out to be a good one. I love riding at Thetford so at worst I knew I'd turn up and enjoy myself. Luckily, the weather was good after a week of snow and heavy showers. Thetford is a fast, rolling course with no real hills, just tight, twisty wooded singletrack which is fantastic fun! The first of my four laps wasn't fun. I arrived just half an hour before the start of the race, had to register, change and get my stuff sorted. It was all a bit of rush.

Sadly I only had time to put some air in my tyres before I lined up, which meant doing some very last minute brake adjustment on the start line. I'd neglected to check the tension on my Surly 1x1 as well, an error that almost caused me to quit. Within the first 3km I'd had an 'almost off' after a touching of bars, and 3 chain malfunctions. (Due to the short and tight abundance of whoop-de-doos that can cause a hell of a lot of frame flex.)

I managed to hop back on the bike each time just in front of 4th place, but was getting fed up. If it happened again during this lap, I was going to quit. It didn't. If it happened in the same places on the second lap I was going to quit - 2 laps is plenty for a first race. It didn't.

By the end of lap two I was feeling pretty good. It was only another couple and I was actually really enjoying myself in the warm April sun. I hadn't drunk enough though and was starting to get a headache. Half way around the third lap I found myself having a long conversation with some guy as we chugged up a long and draggy climb. He was puffing and answering in monosyllables. I was doing a complete course critique - hmm, maybe I wasn't trying hard enough...

Final lap and I decided to go for it. I didn't realise I was in 3rd and had no idea who was up ahead, but decided to push as hard as I could. It turned out to be my fastest lap - obviously I hadn't been trying hard enough. I was surprised when I crossed the finish line to hear Dan Jarvis call out my name in third, I thought he'd made a mistake.

But no, it was true. Third place, a glass trophy, some exercise, some fun, some whooping through the trees and out of the bombholes and some catching up with friends after the long winter break. Luckily I'd finished before it started to rain and just after the prize giving it started to bucket down! Time to go home and treat myself to my last Easter egg and a nice bottle of red wine.