Beyond the South Downs Double

Where do you go after the South Downs Double?  Why does everyone stop at 24 hours?  These questions have been in my mind for a while.  To quench my appetite for more, I'm going to go that extra mile, well actually an extra 100 miles.  I'm taking on the South Downs Triple.

3 lengths non stop of the South Downs Way encompassing 300 miles and over 30,000 feet of climbing.  All this in a target time of just 36 hours.  Oh yes, I mustn't forget the 288 gates to negotiate.

The months of training are nearly at an end where currently I'm finalising all the logistical details required for such a feat.  Support has been fantastic from AQR coach Kate Potter and physio Anne Dickins.  The planned date is sometime in June 2012.

More information will be published here on this blog and updates will appear on Twitter @Hillburner

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Sun, Slopes and Single-track

His voice sill echoes in my head ‘Heels down Richard’ as I descent the rocky trail.  Ian Potter taught me so much last week with AQR in Portugal.

Climbing Hard

It was quite a revelation realising that my established beliefs and habits are the very things that are holding me back.  I’ve learnt to ride and train over the years through varied research coupled with trial and error.  To have world class athletes and coaches guide me in person and teach a better way forward, was an eye opening experience. 

Joining an AQR (A Quick Release) coaching week, at first was daunting with the high credentials of the other guests.  We very soon gelled as a group sharing experiences along with a friendly banter. 

Top of the mountain

Its not just about riding the bike, the morning classrooms sessions covered essential areas pertaining to peak performance, these included; nutrition, core stability, stretching, bike setup, tyre choice, and training programmes.  Kate, Ian and Anne are clearly experts in their fields where they shared with us a summary in simple English that we could all understand.

Anne Dickins, a physiotherapist specialising in sports performance, conducted an assessment discovering that my body is not as perfect as I thought; in fact my left leg is a bit wonky. This imbalance is affecting my riding and once corrected through her prescribed exercises should enable me to perform better.

The VO₂ Max test with the breathing tubes to measure lung capacity and breathing effectiveness was interesting.  I was pleasantly surprised by my high score.

The bike fit was entertaining; with Ian looking for the perfect riding position, and Anne understanding my body’s limitations.  Combining their blend of skills, adjustments were made to the bike to enhance performance.  As my body improves, further adjustments can be made on the bike.

Kate Potter explained how to get the most power out of my body using a combined programme of nutrition and training.  It’s not all about eating as much as I can whilst riding as fast as I can.

There was plenty of time during the week to spend on the bike enjoying the sunny weather.  We rode many rocky trails up and down the rolling hills, often stopping to receive technical riding tips from Ian Potter or to practice difficult sections.  Several videos were taken to demonstrate our riding posture and note areas for improvement. 

Throughout the day, frequent challenges were presented to us involving long technical or steep climbs.  Body positioning on the bike, even pedal strokes and appropriate pacing was essential to reach the top.

The rocky single track tested and improved the bike handling skills to clear the numerous obstacles.  With some fast descents, the grin factor was in abundance.

All too soon the week came to an end and we returned back to the cold and wet UK.  The skills and lessons learned will enable me to reach another level with my fitness and bike performance, so perhaps one day I will reach the podium.  


Thanks AQR.

It's All New

The new 29er bike is wonderful.  The carbon frame of the Scott Scale makes it super light and the big wheels just keep on rolling.  Thanks to Petra Cycles in Oxted for their friendly service.

Slime

Discovering that it is not possible to get 29er Slime tubes in the UK, Slime very kindly sent me a couple of their tubes.  For me, using Slime is very reassuring as it has saved many punctures.  On a few of occasions I’ve heard the hiss of air as a thorn penetrates the tyre.  Within a couple of revolutions, the hole is plugged as I continue riding.  This is a real tube and time saver, especially in race conditions.

Nectar Fuel

Always on the look out for new things, I was delighted to be contacted by the For Goodness Shakes people to try their Nectar Fuel.  It comes in a liquid format pumped from a container or in a sachet, making it very easy to mix.  The sweet taste is fine for short races where I would need something containing protein during a longer event.  In the couple of times I’ve used it so far, it has given me the extra burst I needed.

http://www.ride7ds.com/filmsbooks.htmlEndurance Within

Last week I read a book for the first time since 2003.  It was an enjoyable and moving experience on a subject that is close to my heart.  Rob Lee wrote ‘Endurance Within’ where I had the opportunity, with others, to help him get it to print.  Rob outlines his cycling career and describes some of his epic rides.  His South Downs Double was of particular interest where our preparation techniques in organising our own SDD rides were at opposite ends of the spectrum.  He describes his emotions during the epic rides in an honest way, that for me put some of my feelings into words.  There are not many athletes that have the courage to be so open where it gave me more of an insight into myself.  Thanks Rob.

New Year's Resolutions

It’s early January and I’m sure most people have given up or forgotten about their New Year’s Resolutions.  Out of principle, I don’t make any resolutions in January, instead I tend to review things once a quarter with an annual reflection in the autumn.

The highlight for 2010 was the 24 hours of Exposure race in Newcastelton.  Racing alongside many blog authors who I follow, it was inspirational and humbling to be a part of their world.  Receiving track side support from the Cotic / AQR race team was overwhelming as they rapidly cared for me and my bike before cheering me back out onto the course.  Attaining a worthy 6^th position in the dire conditions was a personal achievement. It was a privilege in August to be able to return the honour of pit crew for the Torq 12:12 race.

Seriously considering the 24 hour Solo World Championships in Italy, I started training back in October.  Due to a number of logistical reasons, I’ve decided to leave the Worlds until 2013 and go for the Exposure race again in April.  

Following JoeFriel’s model of periodisation, training is going well, placing me slightly ahead of this time last year.  I’m also exploring some deeper fitness aspects to improve overall performance, which hopefully will help me reach that elusive podium.

Having received so much from my cycling, I’ve decided to give something back in the form of an alternative blog.  Preparations for my events are meticulous, involving a huge amount of research in many diverse areas.  Some of this nerdy stuff is being collated so it can be made available for others to use.  Current items include; how to make a simple cadence meter for your turbo trainer, and how to graphically compare the gear ratios for 2 bikes with different sized wheels.  More items will follow later covering an analysis of sports food types, and effective charging times for lights.  Further details about this nerdy stuff will be released in due course.

2012 has the potential to be a fantastic year.  All I need to do is to make sure that it happens.

Summer Trails In October

‘Why was I wearing shorts?’ My legs screamed as the icy cold air tore through their muscles.  Leaving home early, I promised them they’ll thank me later once the sun comes up.

Taking it easy up Reigate Hill, there was an air of expectancy; I was going to have a good ride.  The weather forecast was good, the trails were dry, and I had recovered from a heavy gym session earlier in the week.

Overlooking Reigate from Coley Hill, the mist covered the quiet sleepy town with only the brave venturing out this early.  The sun’s heat stared gently onto the grazing cows.

Veiw from Colley Hill

Tearing across Banstead common, I could tell this was going to be a fast ride.  The Kenda Small Block tyres lapped up the dusty trails, gliding effortlessly as the trees rushed by.  I needed to slow down as this was a base training ride.  Although the temptation to speed was immense, I focused on going as fast as I could whilst maintaining a low heart rate.

Linking up with Stane Street, then over to Norbury Park, I picked up a few newly discovered trails and headed up to Ranmore.  The sun was now in full blaze as it poked through the trees in the woods.  Descending the steep South side of Ranmore, the fallen leaves covered the trail obscuring the roots, gullies and rocks.  I was knocking on the door of Fear whilst opening the window of Adrenalin as I hurtled down the track.

Finding a suitably steep route to get back on to the ridge, I leg it over to Newlands Corner with my average speed slowly rising.  Making the turn at the A25, I head back exploring a slightly different way to Ranmore. 

Squeezing in an extra loop, I clocked up 40 miles as I arrived at Bocketts Farm for a well deserved cuppa and piece of Tiffin cake.  Its never going to be as good as my Mum’s Tiffin but it’s just the ticket to see me home before lunch.

The final 10 miles was a long slog with lots of climbing.  Crossing over Reigate Hill I charge down the other side to get home.

With 50 miles in the bag, this was an excellent training ride in preparation for the Solo World Champs in 2012.  More on this later...

The Other Side of the Fence

“3 scoops of energy powder per bottle with a gel, and an electrolyte bottle every 3^rd lap with 2 gels.”  The pre race briefing for Torq 12:12 was very detailed as meticulous notes were taken.  Having ridden this race solo last year, see report, I knew the challenges that lay ahead for the riders.  This time, instead of riding I was staying in the pits providing support.  Involved in the race from a completely different perspective was a new experience.

The AQR / Cotic race team had 2 solo riders, Rachel and Simon, and a team of 4 consisting of Ian, Rich, James and Kate.  Another Ian was the chief mechanic, Ant did everything including taking photos, and Carole was ‘Pit Mum’ an essential role for keeping everyone fed.  I took on the role of Simon’s buddy to ensure he had everything for his solo ride.

Although we all had our roles, we all did everything.  The well oiled pit machine was able to turn a rider and bike around in about a minute.  Having experienced this frenzy of activity on the Exposure 24 ride in May, it was very interesting seeing how it all came together.  The ETA of each rider was calculated and as the time approached someone was on lookout duty to spot them ride across the hill, giving us a 2 minute warning.  Prepared bottles, gels, clothes, mug of tea, bowl of warm water and flannel were all on hand for the rider whilst the mechanics were armed with the pressure washer, lube, spare lights and a spare bike.

As the rider approached, rapid instructions were given for what they wanted which were immediately produced by the swarm of busy pit crew surrounding them.  The warm flannel for the face wash was never requested, but always appreciated.  Notification of their race position with the lag and lead times was provided before the rider was cheered back on to the course.

Whilst clearing up the aftermath of the pit stop, notes were taken on food intakes, lap times and any other useful details, before the preparations started for the next time.

 

As the day progresses there were numerous tasks to occupy us between the laps; preparing the pit area lights for the night time, modifying the gazebos to cope with the heavy rain, refilling water bottles, drying clothing, checking race positions, updating Twitter and endless bike maintenance.  In addition to this Carole provided us with numerous cups of tea and food to keep us going.

7 hours into the race, I realised that I had hardly sat down.  There was barely time to get a 5 minute rest before Simon was due in again.  The 5 minutes, however, was just enough to keep me going until the finish.

One the race had finished, the riders still needed feeding and sorting out so they were warm and dry.  Cracking open the beers and firing up the barbecue with tasty burgers and sausages was especially satisfying. 

The celebrations were well deserved with Rachel winning the Female Solo, the team came 4^th in the Mixed Team and Simon had to retire after 8 hours from 6^th place.

The next morning after little sleep, bacon butties washed down with tea, provided the energy to pack away all the gazebos, tents and other equipment.

The AQR / Cotic team presented such a friendly atmosphere with uncompromised support to their riders.  Receiving such effective race assistance makes a huge difference to riding the race, whatever the weather.  It’s not surprising to see that AQR / Cotic have gained podium positions at all the many events they have attended this year.  I was delighted to be involved to see how it works.  Thanks for an amazing experience.

Big Dog – Throwing away the rule book

As the trees parted revealing the dry twisty trail, with the wheels gliding over the knobbly roots, I found an incredible sense of unity with the bike. Flying round the blind corners looking to catch the next rider, a sense surrounded me that this was the moment. The moment for which riding is all about, giving your all for the buzz, the excitement and the passion of racing on two wheels.

The Big Dog race was such fun with a wonderful course, the thrill of riding was evident all over the park. Loads of top names jostled for position as a sea of prizes flowed from the numerous sponsors. The air hummed as riders completed their lap on a high, to pass the honour onto their team mate to enter magical woods.

Spot the Redhill CC gazebo

Pausing between laps was a novelty for me as normally I ride solo. The burst of energy with your heart rate predominantly above 90% for the 45 minute lap got the juices flowing. I was also much more relaxed beforehand as I had no race plans, no lists of equipment, no nutrition schedules and no timing sheets. After throwing all my kit together at the last minute the night before, I sat back with a beer, which I normally bann before a race.

The shock of the first hill on the course was quite a wake up call as I had hardly warmed up. Hitting the single track trails for the first time took a while for me to get my eye in. The trees bent together with barely enough room for the handlebars to squeeze through, and the roots caught my wheels trying to trip me up. Fighting with the off-camber corner the other side of the A27 reminded me of the wasp nest disturbed 2 years ago. An attack from the blighters coupled with a reaction, brought my race to an abrupt end. This time there were no angry bullets as I climbed the rooty trail.



Picture by Alan Gayle



The fast flowing single track on the second half brought a smile to my face before I was spat out in sight of the finish line.

It was just the 1 lap, then I could rest. What a luxury, what do I do? This novel experience felt quite odd, perhaps I should be out doing another lap?

Relaxing with a cup of tea and wandering around the stands of bike goodies, I soak up the atmosphere of the arena. As my turn approaches and I hit the trails again. Wiser with the roots, I pick better lines and climb the hills. 20 minutes in with my heart thumping, the feel good factor overwhelms me. This is awesome! I tear through the single track with the trees giving way and power up the hills overtaking anything in sight. What a feeling of delight as the wheels skip over the roots and hold tight round the corners.

Coming to an abrupt end, the finish appeared leaving that buzz of excitement resonating in my bones.

A fantastic day, thanks to my team mates Gareth and Alan, the Big Dog crew and all those involved.

The Aftermath of a 24 hour Race

So you’ve sat on your bike for 24 hours, pedalled your socks off all night, created several buckets of sweat, burnt off 23,000 calories, consumed 30 energy gels, drank several gallons of liquid, and not slept for 30 hours. How do you recover from this?

Oh, and your legs ache, your arms ache, your back aches, your neck aches, you’re covered in mud, you don’t know what you want and you can’t think straight.

You’ve just competed in a race at European level, everyone is praising you for your achievement, and you feel like a jabbering wreck and want to curl up into a ball and go to sleep.

I gulp down a recovery drink as I’m escorted to the shower with wobbling legs. Anyone would have thought that I smelt or something. I’m handed my prepared ‘Finish’ bag with a change of clothes as I shut myself in the tiny cubicle. Fumbling with my fingers that had little sense of feeling, I awkwardly operate the shower controls to eak out a squirt of mildly warm water.

Removing my sodden clothes with arms and legs that didn’t bend very well while bashing against the walls, must have looked like a poor impersonation of Houdini getting out of a straight jacket in a box.

Eventually, looking relatively mud free I emerge from the closet and wobble like Scott Tracy from Thunderbirds back to the pits.

It’s an odd experience; you’ve spent many months slogging away in the gym and on the bike, pushing your body that extra bit each time. You’ve deprived yourself of indulgent foods and alcohol, limited your social life as you focus on your race. You’ve thought for hours about the logistics of the event and meticulously planned every item of equipment. You set out on a journey that will last all day and all night, where you only have yourself as company. You’ve then gone and pushed your body far beyond where it has ever been before, tolerating immense levels of pain until they hurt no more.

And then you cross the finish line. You’ve done it. You can get off your bike and say “Yes! I’ve completed the 24 hours of Exposure” which no one can take away from you. The achievement is awesome.

Discovering I had qualified for the World Championships was doubly awesome. The feeing is just amazing, making all the training so worthwhile.

So how do you recover from a 24 hour race?

I couldn’t eat much immediately after the race so I consumed recovery drinks and found a fruit salad the most palatable form of solid food. I stretched my limbs as much as possible, but the 7 hour drive home cramped up in the car was most uncomfortable.Sleeping very well that night, I had a massive protein craving in the morning. Whole packs of sausages and bacon were cooked and devoured for breakfast.

A gentle swim loosened up my joints and a sauna helped to sweat out the toxins. Compression tights encouraged the blood flow and a gentle spin the following day finally made my legs feel more normal. Gentle Pilates sessions and regular stretching loosened up the limbs to regain some mobility.

Amongst the physical recovery, the car needed unpacking and the vast array of kit had to be cleaned and put away. It took virtually all week. Hitting the caffeine after a month of deprivation improved my state of consciousness to just above Zombie level.

Also, in my muddled condition, I had to write reports for my blog and the Surrey Mirror. This in some ways was harder than the ride itself.

A physio session sorted out a torn muscle in my calf and the various knots that appeared in my neck and back. The nerve damage causing a pins & needles sensation in my left foot took longer to heal.

It was 2 weeks before I got back on a bike, which was a slow and social ride with friends. The next week I ventured a bit further but still had to take it easy.

Four weeks after the race I set out for a ride with nothing much planned, only to find my legs were like coiled springs wanting to pump the pedals and power the hills. I take advantage of this renewed vigour and complete 50 very hilly miles in a personal best time. From this, I consider myself suitably recovered.

Was it worth it?

Ask a new mother if it was worth going through pregnancy and labour pains to have her baby.

How often can you get a pass to spend all night doing what you enjoy most, being on your bike?

Bring on the World Championships as I want to do it all again!

24 Hours of the European Championships

Very clean before the start

Stopping overnight, we completed the 400 mile drive to Newcastleton in Scotland where Rock UK were hosting the 24 Hours of Exposure.  As one of the very few events in the world dedicated to just solo riders, it attracted top riders from 7 countries jostling for the coveted title. My brother Dave provided support for the weekend, where we also joined forces with the Cotic / AQR Race Team.

With 130 competitors for the 24 Hours of Exposure, a further 110 riders took part in the 12 hour race finishing at midnight.  Everyone gathered in the village square on the sunny Saturday morning entertained by a local band.  After signing in, the controlled start at noon was led by a piper and the local cycle club. We headed through the village at a relaxed speed, then went up the hill to the race circuit.  Although fairly spread out by this stage there was a bit of congestion as we funnelled into the single-track. 

Signing on

Each lap was just over 11 miles long with more than 1500 feet of climbing, which is similar to 5 times up the chalky path on Box Hill.  The long rough climbs provided me with good overtaking opportunities as I kept the pressure on the pedals.  The course was rich with smooth flowing single-track featuring berms, jumps, dips, drop-offs and a few rocks in awkward places to test the concentration.  Some of the open sections were covered with large shingle the size of tennis balls, and the grassy parts were extremely bumpy making the going tough.



Pre race briefing with Dave



The second lap was my best and most enjoyable.  With riders spread out, I could blast the single track and power up the hills.  Then the rain came!  Some of the trails got slippery and mud splattered everywhere.  With 4 fast laps completed, I stop for a break to put on some dryer and warmer clothes.  Monitoring my Nutrition carefully and using compression tights, my legs just powered on.

As the sun set the lights came on.  In many places a thick mist appeared where the light beams glared back obscuring the ground.  Getting familiar with the trails, I continued to push on at speed into the darkness with limited visibility.



One of the dryer laps



 Setting out at midnight for lap 9 in heavy rain was hard.  With an extra waterproof I slid back out onto the course.  Riding most of the circuit alone as the 12 hour riders had finished made it tough.  I decided not to stop after this lap, otherwise I would not have got going again. 

Pulling in after each subsequent lap, a pattern emerged.  Swamped by 5 support crew; the bike gears were washed and lubricated, food was stuffed in my mouth, the CamelBak was refilled and gels were replaced in the pouch, all within about 90 seconds.  The Cotic / AQR (A Quick Release) team were awesome who thought of all the details.  At one point someone used a warm flannel to wash the mud off my face and swapped over my wet gloves.  I wasn’t used to all this pampering.

Parts of the course were un-ridable with 6ich deep mud.  The final grassy descent was like an ice rink with no grip whatsoever, pure balance and concentration kept you upright.  Puddles invaded the single-track sections splattering mud everywhere.

Wearing out the rear brake pads, I continued the lap with just the front brake.  Cotic / AQR were brilliant as they changed both set of pads in just 7 minutes. 

One of the joys of riding through the night is experiencing the first light of dawn.  It’s such a wonderful sight that makes all the pain from the night time evaporate away.  A new day had dawned and all was forgiven.





The Pit area beside the course

Entering the last part of the ride, positional information and lap times were crucial for a good place.  I’m informed that I’ve only got time for 2 more laps.  Knowing the end is in sight, I push a bit harder.  Reaching the pits, they turn me round very quickly saying that I’ve just got time to get in 2 more laps.  I had prepared myself for just 1 lap, but this extra lap would need me to dig really deep to find sufficient energy.

The local school children had designed posters that were positioned around the course.  One apt picture of a bicycle had the words “Don’t Stop or you’ll Lose” wonderful motivation from the local community.

I've finished!



  I stay in the middle ring forcing my legs to power me up the hills.  Still overtaking riders on the climbs, I finish the lap with just enough time for one more.  Relieved to reach the final lap I give it my all to complete the now deserted course.  Thanking all the marshals who had also stayed up all night, I climb each hill for the last time.

Reaching the finish after 23:40 hours, I clocked up 165 miles on the 15 laps, with 23,000 feet of climbing.  Out of the 30 entries in the vet (over 40) category, I’m really pleased in achieving 6th place.  I equalled the results of the Portuguese national champion and came 23rd over all out 130 entries.  


To my surprise, I was awarded a spot prize for ‘Valour’ displayed during the race - Wow!

Ready for the UK Championships

Am I ready to take on the UK Mountain Bike Solo Championships?  In a word, No, but I’m prepared as I can be.  The months of planning are soon to become reality when the starting gun fires for the start of 24 Hours of Exposure on 7th May.  Riding with the top endurance riders will be an honour, yet daunting as I rub shoulders with those who write the many blogs and tweets I follow.. 

Preparations are meticulous, as always, to give me the best opportunity for an excellent ride.  So many of the seasoned 24 hour racers appear to turn up in their flash vehicles and team kit with new bikes, showered with sponsorship deals and full support crews.  It seems that many others have connections within the cycle or fitness industries to gain a competitive advantage.  I’m simply driving the 400 miles to Newcastleton with brother Dave and we are going to do the best we can.  Dave supported me for my South Downs Double ride in 2009 and has kindly agreed to help me for the 24 hours of Exposure.

Much of my training has been on the North Downs around Ranmore and Box Hill.  The 12 mile course for the race consists of 1800 feet of climbing per lap, which is the equivalent of 5 times up Box Hill.  Detailed research on nutritional information has helped me piece together a formula to provide sufficient energy during the 24 hours.  The 2 bikes are ready for action and just in case it rains, a spare set of wheels are primed with tyres more suited to mud.

Do follow me on Twitter www.twitter.com @Hillburner where we will provide updates on my progress.  The latest tweets can be seen on the right of this blog.