Twentyfour12

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BY: Rob Smith

Published: 9th August, 2010

About a month before this year's Twentyfour12 I emailed Martyn and asked if I could change my 12 hr solo entry into a pairs place as I didn't think I could ride solo and then head off on a course with the Navy. Selfishly Martyn wouldn't let me! So I was left with no option but to ride solo. 

After 12:38.11 of riding I'm rather glad that Martyn said no.  First 12 hr solo event and I ended up with a top ten finish!  And the strangest thing of all I actually enjoyed the experience so much I'm going to give it another go next year!

I'm afraid I don't have much of a story to tell, everything went really well, no mechanicals, no major crashes and I think I managed to smile for most of the event.

I'd always had a plan to split the event into 4 stretches stopping every three hours or so for some food.

At the start there seemed little point in jostling for position so I hung around and started from the rear of the race. 

The camaraderie at these events is great and as I rode around and through the pack I made loads of new cycling friends; perhaps it's the pink top, or the common goal of having to ride for 12/24 hours but everyone was friendly, cheery and on the whole polite when it came to passing.

 

Still not taking things too seriously, at the beginning of the second lap, I managed to grab one of the Ice creams that Martyn's team were giving out at the top of the hill.         

Another couple of laps and I stopped for a break, refuelled with a can of rice pudding and I was off out for another stint of 4 laps.

 

Think it was somewhere during this next session that the weather took an unwelcome turn and it started to rain! But the trails were holding up well, well except for the section of the carriage ride after the splitter! I was in eighth according to Martyn as I stopped, this wasn't something I expected to hear but we stuck to the plan rather than dashing back on to the course and I tucked into a hot jacket potato, Brioche and jam and chocolate spread sandwiches.

During the next session the weather really started to make a difference and my semi slick tyres and lack of skills were beginning to show their limitations. Limitations that Matt Page obviously didn't share as he came dancing past me for the umpteenth time on his way to a convincing victory in the twelve hour solo cat. Only managed three laps this time before stopping for a final break and despite the weather and miles already ridden I was in high spirits and I don't think the caffeine gels had anything to do with it.

More brioche and sandwiches and I was out for the final two hours of riding. The last two laps were a bit of a struggle, being a bit optically challenged I have to wear glasses and there's nothing they like better than rain, cold conditions and the hot air for fogging up! So you can guess how much I could see when I got to the top of the Cliff climb, I have to admit to a bit of a bottom lip tremble, and perhaps the toys did exit the pram before I had a quick chat to myself, told myself to Man up, cleaned my glasses and with a combination of riding and running completed the lap. Seeing the Wiggle pit all closed up as I rode into the solo area to start my last lap at around 1130 was "humbling" to say the least!

No choice now, come this far, can't let everyone down etc etc. The last lap was pretty similar to the preceding one, a combination of riding and running but this time I had the company of Jim, a friend who rode with me at my first 12hr event, Twentyfour12 the second up Cheltenham way. 

Think it took about an hour and a quarter but that was it, my first 12hr solo event. 12:38:11 40 mins off the bike and 3 laps behind the British 24hr solo champion.

When the tents were dried and the results published it turned out to be quite a good set of results for Team "Thursday Night Training"

Jay and Maddie winning the open cat with Team Certini-McCaulay, my 9^th place and 5 and 6 in the solo 24hr for Rich and Ben. A win for Carla's WXC team in the 12hr open female and an 8 place pairs finish for Duncan. So those cold winter evenings doing strange things with single feet were obviously worth it!

 Got to thank

Certini for sorting me out with enough illuminations for a small house got to love Exposure MaxxDs!

Team Certini-McCaulay's for all the encouragement, barracking and good natured banter and use of their Eazi-up.

Snapper Chick AKA Janet Burroughes for the action pictures.

And of course Jane, Long suffering wife and number one pit bitch!