Hardwear Sessions

"It doesn't get easier; you just go faster" - Greg Lemond

Ego
As climbed up the fire road pre-riding the 9 mile loop race course of 12 hours of Temecula, I reflected on a long season of endurance Mountain bike racing. 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo, Boggs 8 hour, Cool 24 Hour Race against Cancer, Grasshopper @ Lake Sonoma, 12 hours of Weaverville... I figured I about seen it all... Wrong!

Course
The fire road climb was unrelenting with pitches approaching 20% with loose sandy rutty sections with baby head rocks strewn about generously. Rocky drop offs led to switch back descents, mixed with inches of dust and sand covering loose rocks. Every lap had about 4 hair razing loose rutty chutes covered with sand. Either you let go of the brakes and hoped everything worked out or you got off your bike and did the walk of shame. I opted for the former.

Race
So at 9am 130 solos and other racers made a parade loop through the camp ground and began was to be a very long hot day. Super steep exposed fire road climbs in 96F, with loose technical single track descent. I stayed with the big dogs from the factory pro teams for the first 2 laps then started to cramp a bit so I took it back a notch to pace myself for the full 12 hours. After about 6 hours of racing other solos started asking me what lap I was on. After 8 hours they were asking me how many laps I planned to do. I told one racer, "I don't know man, I just pedal till someone says I can stop. The cumulative affect of the hot weather, steep climbs and nerve racking descents, felt like it was taking years off my life.