# 24 Hour Racing



## chas (Aug 10, 2006)

I realize there is a separate forum for MTB riding, but do any of you roadies also indulge in the offroad action as well? With the new 986 mountain bikes coming out, we somehow convinced Look France that the bikes needed extensive testing on American soil and managed to get our hands on 4 of them - the only catch was that we had to show them off at the 24 Hours of Adrenaline event at Laguna Seca this past weekend. If you're an MTBer and have never done a 24 hour race, get yourself a team together and sign up TODAY! This was my first 24hr race, and probably the most fun I've ever had at a cycling event. The bikes rode awesome, the course was fun, the event organization was absolutely top-notch, and everyone I saw out on the course was quick to give each other encouraging words no matter how much they were suffering. I can't wait for next year! :thumbsup: 

If you've done any 24hr. races, I'd love to hear your stories.

*[email protected]*

_Foggy morning at the campsite_:









_Le Mans start_: 









_Ted (he's our finance guy) heading out for lap #1_: 









_Robert (he's our operations guy) after his first lap_:









_986's getting ready for their night laps_:









_Chas (he's me, our inside sales, etc. guy)after his 5th and final lap - ready for a beer and a bed_:









Unfortunately I didn't get any photos of our other two teammates - Ming and Carrie - with my camera, but I'll post some more when I get a chance.


----------



## hairscrambled (Nov 18, 2004)

chas said:


> I realize there is a separate forum for MTB riding, but do any of you roadies also indulge in the offroad action as well? With the new 986 mountain bikes coming out, we somehow convinced Look France that the bikes needed extensive testing on American soil and managed to get our hands on 4 of them - the only catch was that we had to show them off at the 24 Hours of Adrenaline event at Laguna Seca this past weekend. If you're an MTBer and have never done a 24 hour race, get yourself a team together and sign up TODAY! This was my first 24hr race, and probably the most fun I've ever had at a cycling event. The bikes rode awesome, the course was fun, the event organization was absolutely top-notch, and everyone I saw out on the course was quick to give each other encouraging words no matter how much they were suffering. I can't wait for next year! :thumbsup:
> 
> If you've done any 24hr. races, I'd love to hear your stories.
> 
> ...



How'd you like the night racing? I did one in AZ a few years ago. The night laps were cold and dark. There was no moon. I mean dark. 24 Hours of Adrenaline did a nice job.


----------



## rkj__ (Mar 21, 2007)

*Oh ya!*

*Here is a recycled blog entry from my first 24h last year.

*


Ok, wow, i really needed that sleep. I was in bed for 16h, which should make up for the night of sleep that i missed.

Alright, lets get started. Never before have i done a 24h race. As afaik, i have never rode my bike over 55km in 24h.

After the last 8x12 race in st. caharines, i was talking to norm, about whatever. Well, then a friend of norm, (John; not an MTBR member) came up and said hi. He was looking to fill a 5-man team, and was having some trouble. This was the first time i ever met him, and he offered me a spot. I considered the offer, but though; what about lights? Well, norm offered to lend me some, so then it was an offer i could not refuse. Thanks so much norm, you are a great guy

So, friday, i wrote my last highschool exam, then had to pack. I used the list ddakin posted. Thanks so much ddakin, you list was very useful for a first-timer like me. It was pretty fool-proof, and there is nothing i wished i had packed, as i had everything i needed, and not too much extra stuff.

John had an econoline, so he picked everyone up one by one. As i met the team, i quickly gained the understanding that this would not be taken super seriously. We never were able to get a 5th man to fully commit, so we were a team of 4, each of us just looking to do our best.

Rider 1: Me. Young 17yr old kid, with racing experience, including o-cups at the sport level.
Rider 2: Took up riding in the last few years, has some racing experience, including the solstice event last year.
Rider 3: 240lb rider, who spends most of his ride time on his freeride bike, a cannondale gemini.
Rider 4: 40yr old rider, who very recently took up MTB, no previous racing experience.
Rider +1: Unable to fully participate due to health reasons, but did ride one lap for us.
A nice patch-work of a team indeed. All good guys, and I enjoyed spending the weekend with them.

So, we got there, checked in, set up, and then we were good to go.
I opened things up for our team. I did not get to the line very early, so i was well back from the start line. On the first lap, it was extremely congested. The first half of the lap, i passed tons of people, and after the first half, i found a place i was comfortable, and traffic was no longer a problem for me the rest of the race. I did not run into a single a**hole the whole race. No issues passing, or being passed at all.

So, um, ya... we rode our bikes and it was fun We rolled through the order twice, which took us into the night time. Rider +1 also did his one lap during that time. I then went for my first night ride of all time. It was my third lap. Riding at night was not a huge issue for me. The main thing i noticed, was that i was on my brakes a ton.
After his second lap, rider #4 shut down for the night, so after my first night lap, i only got 2 laps worth of rest before i was out there again, this time with an HID upgrade, as norm was done his night lap. Even better. Riding at night was barely a factor, but still i was careful.

When i got back from my second night lap, everyone was sleeping. Um, ok. So i knocked on the window of rider #2's van, and shook it with no response. Ok, the team is tired, i'll give em a one hour break. Went and layed down in my tent for an hour, but never fell asleep. The night was very damp, and cool as well. So after an hour, i went to knock on the van windows again. Again, no response from rider number two. So i was like, f this, multiple hours with nobody on the course is not going to happen. So, i went for the sunrise lap, (my second lap in a row.) Started dark, finished with the lights off, and the sun up. When i got back, rider #2 was still sleeping! Ok, this time i made sure he got up. I needed a break, and was very tired.

Riders #2, 3, and 4 all went for another lap, giving me some time to lay down, but still did not sleep. At the end of that round, it was some time in the ten o-clock hour, and riders 2,3, and 4 were done. Still with lots of time left, i was not willing to pack it in just yet. I was exhausted, but not ready to hang up the bike, and see the last hours wasted. I was in no hurry, and took all the time i needed to get one more lap in. It was a greatly reduced pace. This lap, my 6th, was simply for the love of the sport.
When i returned, the timing chip was handed in, and we were done.

Lap totals:
R1: 6
R2: 4
R3: 4
R4: 3
R+1: 1
Total: 18.

Reflections:
I am so glad i had the opportunity to participate in the event. I thought The course was very appropriate for the racing format. Lots of singletrack. Areas to stumble up beginners, but nothing to phase an experienced rider with some technical skills. The course obviously took some abuse, and did get quite rough in many spots. I only got one of my laps under an hour, but I feel great about how i did. I did over 100km, and that was enough to drain me, that is for sure. I tried my best to nurish myself well. I was eating pretty constantly, as well as drinking. I think i did a good job in that respect. The weather was great, no complaints there either. The shirts were nice, and i will wear mine with pride. Just camping was fun. It has been a few years since i have sat around a campfire late at night. I used to go camping lots as a kid, but not quite so much over the last few years. Meeting new people who share a common passion is always a plesure.

All in all, I am very happy i participated. Never done anything like it before. Never before have i missed an entire night's sleep. I have never before had a reason to keep me up past 5:00am. Never before have i rode my bike through the woods at 35km/h in darkness. Never before have i challenged myself physically for such an extended period of time.
To conclude:


----------



## chas (Aug 10, 2006)

hairscrambled said:


> How'd you like the night racing? I did one in AZ a few years ago. The night laps were cold and dark. There was no moon. I mean dark. 24 Hours of Adrenaline did a nice job.


I actually really enjoyed the night laps. After we got our camp set up the night before the race, I decided to test out my new lights by riding some of the course. Unfortunately with the way the course was set up, once you're a couple miles into it there aren't many options for cutting the lap short so I ended up doing the entire thing. At first it was kinda spooky being out in the middle of nowhere with no one else around, but once I got used to it I pulled over for a while and turned off my lights so I could check out all the stars (don't see too many of these living in the city). During the race the night lap went a little slower than the others, but the Light in Motion headlight I was using was amazingly bright, so downhills were no problem. As I was heading up the final 4 mile climb, the infamous Monterey fog started rolling courtesy of a pretty stiff headwind and visiblity went down the tubes, but I was still having a blast - all part of the 24h experience, right? I was hoping to be the one out racing at dawn so I could see the sunrise, but I missed it by about 15-20 minutes  .

*[email protected]*


----------



## DMFT (Feb 3, 2005)

*- Chas*

You don't /won't have to wait 'til next year, they will be having another event at Laguna in Sept. :thumbsup: 

You guy's couldn't convince Skippy to tuff this one out as part of the team eh???
If you happen to put a team together for Sept., our shop will gladly wrench for you guy's at the event. Laguna is our backyard! 

- Last thing, PLEASE ask the boy's across the pond to make that bike with the pedigree of the rest of the Look line........700c / 29" wheels!!!!! It will bring more sales.


----------



## rensho (Aug 5, 2003)

Yep, as a diehard LOOK fan, I'm not even remotely interested in the 986 since it has 26" wheels. 

Please bring on the 29ers...

Nice to put the face to the name. 

I did 25 HOA at Laguna in 2005. It was a blast doing it as a part of a team.

Nice pic of the start; great shot!


----------



## slowdave (Nov 29, 2005)

love a good 12-24 hour race, have done many, i started this road bike (obsession) as my wife calls it after about years on the mtb as training for my first 24 hr solo race. Still the most fatiguing event i have ever done. Now i limit my enduros to team events and have heaps of fun and beer, 

ps just added a 595 ultra to my stable which now includes elleworth truth, specs rockhooper, giant tcr and full record 595 ultra.


----------

