Back from the latest UK 24hr race battered and bruised (oh, and extremely muddy)

[GizmoDuck]

Thanks for the writeup Steve- sounds like a real epic event!

Originally Posted by redwelly

I came back from my double night laps (before the mud even), and asked Wendy to remind me that I never, never want to even try Solo. Please don't let me. I won't want to really. I'll say it again in public here, while I have just enough painful realism left. After this the rosey nostalga takes over and it starts seeming like a good idea again.

Sam

That's what I say every time....doesn't work.

Definitely consider soloing- it's not really much harder than riding for 12hrs. Once you're through the 12hr barrier everything blurs and it stops hurting because everything goes numb.

Ken

[steveyo]

Wow! Great write-up of a great event. Congrats to the uni teams.

Amazing effort!

[unicus]

Great write up Steve, the time you spent writing it is much appreciated, sounds like you really enjoyed it. I wish I could have been at that 24hr event, maybe the next one

[redwelly]

Originally Posted by GizmoDuck

Definitely consider soloing- it's not really much harder than riding for 12hrs.

First Joe, now Ken too. What kind of cruel conspiracy is this? Having tried these things, surely you should both know better. And Strathpuffer? Being not a huge fan of freezing to groundsheets, or mid-day darkness it has little to tempt.

Even if keeping lungs and heart functioning is ok, don't you get things like cramp? Is there anything more to do than stretch, warm up, and eat salt, and pink Rego protein after? Or is it simply a case of riding on with muscles of steely-solid burning torture?

So, I still haven't forgotten the agony, the torment, the desperate dejection, the delirium, the wild exaggeration for dramatic effect. Not quite, anyway...

Sam

P.S. Yes, Tue is really fast. And no, I'm afraid I didn't deliberately ease off (on those sub-hour laps when things were working anyway). Just a good dose of not-being-fastest.

[GizmoDuck]

Originally Posted by redwelly

Even if keeping lungs and heart functioning is ok, don't you get things like cramp? Is there anything more to do than stretch, warm up, and eat salt, and pink Rego protein after? Or is it simply a case of riding on with muscles of steely-solid burning torture?

Sam

Nah...just eat lot's and keep pedalling. We found the most important thing was too have a large variety of different foods- sometimes you feel like pizza, somethings you feel like chocolate, sometimes you feel like throwing up, so it's really nice to be able to pick and choose.

Once you get into 'the zone' the hours disappear pretty quickly.

[joemarshall]

Originally Posted by redwelly

First Joe, now Ken too. What kind of cruel conspiracy is this? Having tried these things, surely you should both know better. And Strathpuffer? Being not a huge fan of freezing to groundsheets, or mid-day darkness it has little to tempt.

Even if keeping lungs and heart functioning is ok, don't you get things like cramp? Is there anything more to do than stretch, warm up, and eat salt, and pink Rego protein after? Or is it simply a case of riding on with muscles of steely-solid burning torture?

Hey Strathpuffer is super-fun really. Much nicer scenery than your average 24 hour race, and much more of a small hardcore thing. Admittedly it was a bit cold and a bit muddy in parts, but it had a fantastic big climb and a fantastic uphill every lap, and you got to ride down a hill at sunset, past a beautiful loch and into a forest full of frost covered trees containing a lovely descent that went on for miles.

I think for any really long event the key thing is not riding quite so hard. I did an event involving running recently and got nasty cramp which lost me five minutes, if I'd gone slightly slower or not jumped over things so vigorously, I reckon I'd have done a bit better, but I find it pretty hard to pace myself in that kind of event. I'd guess from the times you get in events, you're going pretty much flat out all the time?

Joe

[phil]

No comment necessary!

[nathan]

Great stuff you guys. Sounds like a blast. Especial congrats going with just 2 on a team!

---Nathan

[skilewis74]

Originally Posted by redwelly

But of course, if someone has a magic cure for cramp (yes, I was downing salt etc), and can guarentee no mud... it could be a different story.
Sam

Lots of sleep before the race, pace yourself, vary your tempo, lots of fluids - water, etc. (I've herd Cytomax works great, but ask your LBS)

I also have a hard time pasing myself and go all out frequently and bonk.

I just started to learn but I'd like to be able to do an event like that. Maybee end of summer next year

Congrats on everyone finishing, and w/o serious injury!

[cyclingunilady]

is it O.K if i submit this write up to my local c.t.c section mag .as i ride muni .my fellow cyclists think i'm barmy wait 'till they see this

[steve.colligan]

Originally Posted by cyclingunilady

is it O.K if i submit this write up to my local c.t.c section mag .as i ride muni .my fellow cyclists think i'm barmy wait 'till they see this

Hi there cyclingunilady,

I don't mind you submitting my write-up as long as I'm credited for writing it of course. I'm pleased you think it's worthy of others to read.

Thanks also for asking first. If it does get published then please let us know - thanks

If you PM me your home email address I'll send you the file this evening, unless you want to take it straight from this forum.

Steve

[domesticated ape]

Just found this* on the Howies website, thought it might be amusing to you guys who did Sleepless


*Caution- contains a naughty word.

[cathwood]

Hey Steve.

Sounds like hard work to me. Much respect!

I read the write up from an internet thingy when I was on holiday in Turkey. The wet and the mud seemed a long way away then. I doesn't now.

Also, I couldn't help thinking that I want a Wendy.

Cathy

[steve.colligan]

Originally Posted by domesticated ape

Just found this* on the Howies website, thought it might be amusing to you guys who did Sleepless

*Caution- contains a naughty word.

Priceless!!

Looking at the timings published on the 'Singletrack' website, they weren't the only ones that couldn't hack it!

"When the going get tough, us unicyclist's get going"

Steve