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...
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.
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.