XC Racer Blog Post

2412 Solo - Job Done!

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BY: Michelle Sanwell

Published: 9th July, 2012


'Risk of Death' was the weather alert given by the Environment Agency for the area which the 24/12 was taking place - and if you were camping out on the Friday, you would have woken up to either a rogue Gazebo in your pitch or five inches of river water in your tent!  

Torrential rain, gale force winds and mud - mud, mud glorious mud - everywhere!  If you were a hippo - marvellous, but apart from my arse, I am definitely not a hippo.  luckily it wasn't cold, and the soil round there is clay so at least I could think of it as an extreme way of putting on a face mask!

The countdown began, I had taken at least three trips to the wonderful porta loo's and sure I needed another number 1 (or was it a number 2?) oh, the decision to bolt and go was taken away as the starting horn went and the front riders raced off through the sodden grass to get a lead on their competitors (xcracer team in the lead of course!), I however, was next to a chap in a tutu and another in a sombrero so had predicted a less competitive edge to their riding!!  

hmmmm a wee or a poo?

I fought with the chap in the tutu for the back position - I won

'Slow and steady Mick' that was all that kept repeating in my head.  Thanks to legend Ant White and his fantastic personal helpline for mad crazy mothers wanting to feed a mid-life crises, I had taken on board the advice for staying on my bike and having no longer break than 10 minutes or I wouldn't get going again - lactic acid, joint pain etc.  If I was to pass on any advice to would be 24 hour soloists, it would be this - DON'T STOP!!!!   I had another rule of muscle use - if I felt my legs being used to their full muscular capabilities then I knew I had to back off - cadence is the key, muscular fatigue would be my ticket out of there, so I headed out repeating all these personal rules to myself.  

Lap one - DONE!  Gel pack glooped back, onto lap two - DONE! Lucazade Sport, necked.  Wow, this so far was really great!  Yes the course was unbelievably muddy to the point where it was just impossible to ride at certain sections, let alone push your bike through the mud with out fully clogging up with heavy thick mud, stones, twigs and I'm sure a small vole or two.  But i had the best advantage out of any rider on that course-guaranteed, I had trained with Millie (my youngest daughter) in the buggy - running up steep cornish hills whilst feeding rice cakes and raisins to her along the way - bonus!  


Lap three - Done!!  My amazing husband and pit-bitch Matt was like 'Where's Wally' and kept popping up around the course with gels and full bottles and the odd neck massage - he was my rock and kept me going even though his feet and trousers were wet.  That is team work!  

Come 8pm I had my lights ready to go and had my mind in a great strong place - fairy land I think the professionals call it.  At one point I was chatting to another rider and he commented on how dull I had my lights (obviously to have them on full would have drained the battery), but I told him I was solo and had been training really hard for the past year to do this.  He asked how I was able to ride with such dull lights and I told him that I ate loads of carrots, instead of laughing, and sympathising with my poor mind starting to go, he just rode off ahead, I never really got to explain to him that I was only joking - oh well!  

I really don't enjoy night riding, but I saw a horse with a tiny foal on the course and then a young deer - I thought that was amazing!  At around 1.30 am I had a melt down. I was pleased to be past the half way point, but still so much further to go.  My course angel popped up and fed me peanuts, marmite cashews (these are amazing!) and two gels, he gave me a proper bear hug and told me how proud he was of me.  I was off again.  The next lap and I was totally buzzing!  If you only saw me once every lap, you'd think I had schizophrenia - I'm happy/I'm crying/I'm really happy again!!!  The cloud by this time had cleared and it was like a proper summer's night - if you don't take into account the foot of mud below!

Several changes where made to the course, I passed at least two ambulances and medics - thanking God it wasn't me that time.  


My bike was holding up beautifully - absolutely no technical issues so-far.  The only problem I was having was on the very very muddy sections, my fat tyres were clogging up and getting debris jammed between them and the frame, but for the majority of the course, having the fat tires on was an advantage, so I could live with the odd de-clogging!  Infact the bike was more than holding up, it was positively pushing me forwards through the course.  I was so comfortable, of course I had mud mixed with vasiline rubbing around (you know where!) but my back, legs and tail bone were not feeling bruised or uncomfortable. I would not do an event like this without serious bike, it was a major factor in me being able to complete the 24 hours.  After training for over a year, asking my family to commit to me training and help me through the event, I would want the best bike and this is it - but I am doing a full review if you want too read more about how it fared!  Any how - Back to the event!  

The birds started tweeting and the sun started to appear - what a high!!  It was like a drug, the overwhelming joy of breaking light was enough to push me on.  The early laps were quiet for me, I had to focus and conserve every bit of energy I had, I wanted to ride all the stuff I had bottled out of in the dark.  At about 8am, I started to flag a little and then from behind heard "Ey-up lass"!  Verity Appleyard from our very own xcracer team was there encouraging me along - bombing past with a super smile on her face!!  what an ambassador to the sport - the whole xcracer team are constantly a source of encouragement and really a great team to look up to - thanks Verity for your boost there!!


10am came and I sped down the field for my final lap to start (not that I had a choice as I had worn my brake pads nearly completely down!) and I see my family - my three beautiful children, my husband and Pop's - so proud of their mummy, but not very keen to kiss a stinking minger!  Tears started welling up and I was shunted on by Matt to go complete my 24 hour solo epic!!

One last time - oh joy!  Not that I hated it at any time, just so grateful to not be doing it again!  Back to the grassy slope coming into the arena and through the finish line, I shot past Keith Bontrager not having a clue who he was or how much he has done for the sport itself-  I understand now that he stands at the finish line personally greeting and shaking the hand of every finisher - sorry Keith!  I was headed for my children, husband, Pop's and friends who helped make this all possible for me.


11 laps in all and I was so proud of myself.  Over!

For me this was one of my life 'tick boxes'.  I don't want to do this again, and so please to have achieved such a great result.  I came 16th overall solo - that's out of all the men, many of which are team riders for various top teams.  I wrote in my last blog that doing this, and having a normal life (children, jobs 'real' commitments) achieving a competitive result was not possible.  I was wrong.  I've done it.  

It is a choice to succeed in what you want to achieve.  You have to decide on your level of commitment and stick to it.  if you want it enough (And you have to really want it) you can achieve anything.  

I feel positively high today and sure I'm about to crash soon - but I will look after myself this week, some advice from a good friend was to treat it like a pre race week - go to bed early and eat well.


Thank you so much for the support that I have been given.  Full review of the Santa Cruz Blur to follow this week!

PS. I KICKED ARSE!!!!!





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Michelle
 

Michelle Sanwell

XCRacer Advertising Sales Managing Executive Director Chairperson.

Giving casual endurance events a go after a 10 year break from XC racing. Mother of 3.

www.xcracer.com

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This blog post was written by a third party and their views do not necessarily reflect the views of XCRacer.com

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