So you want to do a 24 hour Solo race?!! Brilliant, Here are a few tips.

24 hour solo racing is the new triathlon... Everyone seems to wants to do one! 


Over the past few months I have had loads of riders contact me (many who have never raced before) wanting to know a bit more about 24 hour solo racing.  If you are in that camp then this Blog is aimed at you!  I am not the world's expert and you really should take as much advice as you can. 
 I was initially inspired to race and then supported by Kate Potter of AQR coaching. I would never have raced if she hadn't sent me that first email saying go for it. I hope I can inspire you all to do the same!

In my mind 24 hour solo endurance racing is the perfect challenge. You say you are training for a triathlon and people say "Eton or London?". You say "I'm training for a 24 hour solo race" and people do a double take and pick their jaw up from the floor. 
I have written this blog more as a brain dump - kind of a guide for newcomers to the sport of endurance mountain biking.  
But before I start, if you have got this far and think it might be for you then my advice to you is just 

GO FOR IT!  

If you want a goal which lasts longer than a New Years resolution - this is it. But watch out, it is highly addictive!!

Training, 
How on earth do you train for 24 hours in the saddle? Everyone will tell you something different so just decide what works best for you.

• You just need to go out and ride your bike/turbo trainer-lots 
• Do regular rides through the winter to keep your fitness chugging along, then it's easier to up it a bit in the spring. 
• Set realistic goals targeting speed, strength and endurance. There is nothing productive in feeling guilty after setting unrealistic goals.
• Perhaps sign up with a trainer or coach.
• Get a strong core, your legs will thank you for it.
• Learn how to pedal efficiently, no stomping on the down stroke and learn to lessen the 'dead spots' in your pedaling circle. 
• As long as you get some good long rides in before the race, 5 hours without a break, you will do fine. 
• Make sure you do some steep hill intervals because those steep sharp hills can sap your energy if you are not strong enough. I found a 15 minute hill and sprinted up and down it until I saw stars. I wouldn't recommend this as a casual pass time as it hurts. 
• Look into the terrain of the race you will be doing. If it is known to be muddy/rocky, practice mud/rocks.
• Practice doing bike maintenance when you are tired.
• If you get bored, ride some more because that will help you keep going at the race. 
• Keep motivated! Get some mates to do some bike weekends with you, or even book a mountain bike holiday.  Try AQR holidays- absolutely brilliant, Kate and Ian are 24 hour experts and have helped me enormously. They might even be doing some skills stuff in the UK? 

Before the race

• Make sure your body is in good condition, learn dynamic core work, cycling specific stretches, yoga or sports massage. We spend a fortune servicing our bikes/cars but how much on our own bodies?
• Make sure your kit is all familiar and comfortable, tried and tested. don't wear anything new as it will hurt.
• Make sure you try anything new well before the race, eg. chamois cream, any energy products, new tyres etc
• Make sure your bike is in good working order, any small mechanical problem will be amplified over 24 hours.
• Bring a spare bike if you have one. It works well if they are compatible as you can swap components over if need be. Have one set up for mud and then you can swap wheels, etc 
• Buy spares, sort servicing well in advance to avoid last minute panic although many races will have spares for sale too. The are also mechanics at most of the races, some of whom work for free. Its good karma to give them lots of beer and cake to say thank you so remember to bring extra!
• Have spare brake pads, mech hanger, tubes, mud tyres etc

Which Bike is best for 24 hour racing?

Obviously I am biased. I ride a COTIC KP24. It is a full suspension bike designed around the hugely popular Cotic Soul frame (which is also my training / spare bike at races). The KP24 was designed specifically for Kate Potter to ride 24hr endurance races (hence the name...).  It has the Soul's perfect geometry for handling tight singletrack combined with the Cotic Hemlock's "ride over / ride down anything" handling.  It is light so I am not wasting energy, it handles brilliantly and consistently which gives me so much confidence, and most importantly, it is really, really fun and comfortable to ride for a long period of time. Sadly, they are not a production bike (yet - come on Cotic - please make some for everyone to enjoy :-)!

Things to consider when choosing a bike for endurance racing;

• The biggest challenge you are going to face is wanting to stay on that bike past 3 in the morning.  The bike (and saddle) has to be comfortable. For this reason almost every endurance rider will ride most if not all the race on a full suspension bike.  If you are considering using a hard tail, think about a steel frame (the additional flex on a modern steel frame will help - the Soul is my spare...). 
• Lightness is key. The lighter your bike is the less effort you are going to have to put in over 24 hours.   
• Balance this argument with strength and reliability - light isn't always strong.  Unless you are a technically good rider you will wear out and break top end components... There is often a good value option below the top of the range that will be both cheaper and more reliable.
• Tyre choice is a very personal decision. Big tyres can get clogged up with mud and are heavy, but skinny tyres are less comfortable. You want something that you are familiar with, that works well for your style of riding and that suits the terrain - you will see most of the chat before a race on tyre choice! I however like the idea of having one set of tyres that covers all eventualities and just learning how to ride them differently - for me that means there is less to worry about! 
• Most importantly though is that your bike should be fun to ride. If you don't love it, you will blame it all the way round, you will not enjoy the ride and will probably want to give up and throw it into a tree by midnight.

What to wear while racing?

• Be comfortable, be light. Now might be the time to get into lycra and wicking cycling tops.
• I tend not to change clothes during the race if I can avoid it, as it waists time. So all my clothes have to be in good condition and really, really comfortable.  I will have masses of changes of clothes though - if it gets wet and miserable there is nothing like a fresh set of dry clothes to lift your spirits.
• I use arm warmers and knee warmers instead of long stuff as it is more versatile and quicker to remove if you get too warm.
• As you get tired you can struggle with regulating temperature. A wind proof gillet can keep the chill off - particularly at dawn, which I find to be the coldest point.
• Good gloves with padding can save your hands.
• Compression clothing can help with muscle fatigue. 
• Glasses. You will be dealing with all light conditions so make sure you have suitable lenses. 
• Shoes. Your feet can really suffer so make sure your shoes are comfortable. I prefer my trail shoes to carbon soled race shoes because I know they are lovely to wear for 24 hours. 
• Camel back or bottle? Camel back weighs more but it is easier to keep drinking from a tube. Bottle is easier to keep track of what you are taking in... Sorry - that's a personal thing, but most people will be using bottles.

The Pit Area

• All 24 hour races have camping. Check all your camping kit in advance to make sure you have tent pegs etc. Showers and loos are provided. (Bring your own loo roll. )
• All races have some track side camping, which is really useful if you are a solo. these places are a premium, so get there the day before if you can. The races may also have a solo camping area which is near the track.
• Do you have a willing helper to look after you? If you can find someone it does help. Sometimes a team will be happy for you join their camp. 
• Make sure you talk to your helper before the race about what you think you might need/your expectations of the race/what you want them to be responsible for, wwriting down any instructions beforehand.
•  If you decide to do solo- solo they have a covered solo area where you can dump all your stuff. Name everything!
• Providing Camping chair, waterproof gazebo, stove and a couple of beers will help  enormously for the morale of your pit helper.

Race Crate

My race crate is super organised, it has to be, because at 3am your mind goes a bit wonky ;-) Old milk bottle crates make good race crates. It has in it:

• instructions for pit crew,
• pad and paper to jot down expected 'in /out'  times and any notes.  (or a white board)
• Clock to measure expected time in.
• food
• change of clothes, 
• waterproof, 
• arm warmers, leg warmers, 
• tools, 
• tubes,
• lubes,
• Baby wipes, easy cleaning if the weather gets grim, 
• mouthwash/toothbrush (nothing better after 17 hours of sugary energy drink)
• first aid kit, sun screen, insect repellent, assos chamois cream.
• head torch to find stuff in the dark

Food/drink

•  I put pre made up energy drink into bottles with an energy gel taped to it. so I can keep tabs on what I am eating/ drinking. I turn them upside down when used so I don't get mixed up!
•  I keep my coloured bottles with energy drink and clear ones with water so I can tell them apart easily. I tend to do one lap/one bottle  alternating between energy or water and gel. 
• Cut up energy bars beforehand to make it easier to eat.
• Classic items of instant food that people eat include- pot noodles, rice pudding, snacker jacks, salty nuts, sandwiches, jelly babies....
• Keep a flask of hot water so that tea is ready as soon as the rider comes in.
•  I usually stop at about 10 pm and eat something hot and full of protein. Its good to balance the carb and protein otherwise too much carb can make you hurl. 
• The race will have a catering stand so check it out before the race to see what you fancy, thermos food pot is useful here
• If you feel sick you are probably taking on too much carb, so stick to water for the next lap
• keep hydrated! Take on board electrolytes.
• Caffeine, yes or no? I'm not a fan of lots of caffeine at any time because it makes me shaky. However, some people need a shot of coffee/caffeine supplements to keep themselves awake through the night. 

Race strategy

• Don't be tempted to sprint because it is a long race. The first race is an experiment.  
• Team sprinters go really fast! don't be tempted to keep up, you are in a different race.
• Pedal efficiently and smoothly,  dynamic core training helps with this. Your fuel consumption increases massively if you don't pedal efficiently. 
• I break the race up into 3 hour chunks. Mentally its a lot easier to think about a three hour ride than hours and hours looming in front of you! 
• After 3 hours  check the bike,  clean, pump, lube and tighten as necessary. eat some proper food ( a sandwich) and off  you go.
•  It usually takes under 5 mins to do this but take as long as you need- try not to get too comfy in the pits though!
• Each three hours is a brand new start and I try to keep focused on the next 3 hours. 
• I like to ride the night laps with a head torch and a bar light, to make visibility easier. Beg, steal or borrow spare lights to get you through 8 hours of darkness 
•  The night laps are awesome but people often struggle with a low about 3 am. Recognise it, know it will pass and keep going. 
• If you make it until dawn, you have made it!
• I often have a list of topics in my head which I think about.  One per lap, or a mental play list of songs which I use to keep me pedaling (most races don't allow ipods). Somehow 'nelly the elephant' got into my head at the last race argh!!!!
• If it gets tough, get more cheerful, the support from other racers on the course is great- no one likes a grumpy bugger! 
• If you are struggling, do something nice, It will give you a buzz and help get you out of the 'black place'. Stop to help another competitor or give one of your energy gels to someone struggling more than you. Its amazing how good race karma gives you a lift.

Things to carry on the course

I have a wedge on my seat post to carry all my stuff. Some racers put it all in pockets, tape it to the bike or carry a camel back. If you put it in pockets, make sure it wont fall out.

• tube,
• Pump/co2 
• tyre levers, 
• tyre boot
• quick link
• multi tool
• emergency caffeine energy gel 
• mobile phone 
• neurofen
• lip balm (your lips can get really dry)
• mech hanger (and know how to use it)

 Recovery

• Pat yourself on the back and enjoy the smug feeling of achievement!!
• Recovery tights and recovery drink do wonders.
• Get a mate to drive you back home and pay him loads in beer and cake to unpack the car and sort out the muddy kit;-)
• Take Monday off work or make sure you don't have anything important in the diary.
• It takes me a good 2 weeks to 2 months to recover from a 24 hour race so be nice to yourself.
• Read my blog on "Recovery" on how not to do it!

I hope this gives you some ideas of what to expect. I encourage you just to enter and stop worrying about whether or not you are good enough - There is only one way to find out! 
Because a 24 hour race is made up of laps, you are never far from home and you can stop as long as you like in the pits to enjoy the carnival atmosphere around you.


  XC racer has a list of all this seasons races and its not too late to enter Exposure 24, the only solos only race there is.


Look forward to seeing you on the course, please say hello..... but I would rather you didn't mention Nelly the Elephant to me, one race with her is enough!

Oh "Bother"!! - update on my 24 hour race training

Friday morning and I am late for work! 
I sprint, heart racing to the station. I slide through the closing doors and as I jump on board I happen to glance down at my feet.  Something seems wrong. I take a second look… I have odd shoes on!! Oh bother (Actually I said another word beginning with b but for the sake of this blog let us assume I said “bother”!).  I am on the 7:46 heading to London Victoria with odd shoes on.  The doors have shut and I am stuck in my black, similar, but obviously different boots.

If I had an office job I guess I could have got away with this blunder by hiding my feet under the desk.  Unfortunately, as a Physio my feet are on show to my patients all the time; either as I demonstrate exercises or as they lie on their tummies on my treatment couch, staring through the face hole seeing nothing but my feet. "Bother!"

I mentally curse the reason why I am standing on the 7:46 in odd boots, ready for a day of humiliation.

Thursday night had been spectacularly late. This morning I had overslept and got dressed in a panic. I grabbed the first shoes I could find and ran at full speed to the station.  I know what you are thinking - Party season it may be, but the late night was nothing to do with going out.  I had not been out on the tiles drinking, nor had I been embarrassing myself dancing the night away at the work Christmas do.  I was actually riding my bike ‘til 3 am.

What????!!!!!! Yes, that's right, I was in my pilates studio at home, music cranked up until it made the walls shake, drinking nothing but water, spinning away on my turbo trainer ‘til the wee hours.

Why??!! Well, the previous weekend Ian and Kate Potter (I have blogged about them before - from AQR (A Quality Ride coaching) had come over to spend the day with me and Simon. We spent a portion of the day talking over our goals and aspirations for next year. Kate is a wealth of knowledge and has tonnes of experience of all things bike racing and training.  I was excited to learn that she too had just booked into Exposure 24 – The UK national 24-hour solo championships. We are both going to be racing at this event! (thankfully in different classes) and had so much to share!

To compete in a solo 24-hour race you have to be a bit bonkers. To train for a 24-hour race you have to be completely insane.  Kate and I had a fun time talking through the seemingly crazy training techniques we have used to prepare ourselves for 24 hours in the saddle. One thing she suggested, which initially even I thought was particularly crazy, was nocturnal turbo training. She admitted to getting on her turbo trainer and pedalling through the night to get her body, and more importantly her mind, used to 3am exercise. Eventually, as she explained the rationale, I started to see the merits of this approach.

Another suggestion she made was to practice doing bike maintenance when exhausted to simulate a mechanical problem in a race situation… I had struggled at the World Championships trying to mend my bike after 17 hours of riding so this clearly made sense.  So now to find a suitable night…

Thursday night I found myself wide-awake at just past midnight and “jiggy legged” (Is it just me who gets this?). I remembered my conversation with Kate and thought, why not jump on the bike now? Timing was perfect as Simon was in America and the kids on sleepovers – I had the house to myself and Simon would be similarly exhausted when he got back, so why not!? I actually began to get quite excited about the prospect of dusting off my collection of 1980s music (which the kids never allow me to listen to) and to spending a few hours with Bon Jovi, Duran Duran, Foreigner and Peter Gabriel reverberating round the house.

By 3 am I had had enough of my solo Karaoke party. I jumped off the bike, took the rear wheel off and changed a tube. It took ages because my brain was knackered and still banging around my skull from the exceptionally loud music, but I did it, hurrah!! I showered, collapsed into bed and instantly fell into a coma.

The next thing I knew the alarm was going off. I must have made myself slightly deaf, as it had been going off for a while. Oh “bother” - I was late!!!


So here I am on the train in my odd shoes, aching legs, heavy head, slightly deaf, wondering how I am going to cope with the day. The day....???? I am looking at the Metro newspaper belonging to the man in front of me. Friday. Friday? Friday!!! The significance of Friday gradually sinks in. I don't work on Fridays!  I remember now I had chosen Thursday night as my nocturnal training session as I knew I could lie in on Friday. I had forgotten to turn the alarm off and I was on the train for absolutely no reason. Oh double “bother”!!



As the train pulled into East Croydon I stepped off and walked across the platform, hoping no one would look at my odd boots, to wait for the next train home.



I was very cross that I had been such an idiot in not turning the alarm off, but had no regrets at all about staying up half the night on my bike.  I really enjoyed my nocturnal turbo spin down my 'musical memory lane' – it had been a long time since I had spent a night alone with Simon Le Bon ;-) I had had no distractions. Just me, the CD player and my bike – a perfect start to my training for next season’s 24 hour races!

A bike is for 'life' not just Christmas

I found myself Christmas shopping with the kids last week. Hideous experience!!

My "early christmas present" in the snow

The shopping centre was full of stressed people walking the wrong way,  trying to think what their loved ones might want for that special gift. A perfect present that would hopefully make the recipient happy.

I  was struck by the number perplexed, huffing men and exhausted, brow knitted ladies with their screaming toddlers, all carrying vast numbers of over laden bags (and their screaming toddlers!).

I found myself wondering, at the risk of being a little 'bah humbug', what's the point? They might be looking for a present to make their loved ones happy, but how many of those gifts would prove to be short lived, impulse purchases- soon to be forgotten after the initial excitement and pleasure of Christmas, and eventually ending up most probably as land fill.


I don't know about you but shopping doesn't really make me 'long term' happy. I like occasional shopping, but I find that most new things have a relatively short shelf life before I forget the happiness they gave me at the outset. I read somewhere that buying things gives five periods of pleasure:

researching what to buy
buying it
receiving it/initial use
re using it
talking it through with your friends.


Most purchases give pleasure at the receiving/ initial use stage and some even give pleasure for the first few outings- new shoes or a new car? But these items soon become part of your everyday world and you just expect to use them.

Some purchases give pleasure during the research and the first few times you talk it over with your mates, for example a holiday.


For me there is only one thing I can think of that gives pleasure in all 5 phases- from researching through buying, using and talking to mates- and that is a bicycle!

Without a doubt, it is brilliant to be able to plan the purchase of a new bike. So many delicious frames and components to think about and buy. The first ride makes you grin as you find that the hours of taking advice have been worthwhile. It doesn't matter how many times you ride your bike, your pleasure ratings stay high for every ride. Not only that but when you chat to your mates about the ride you get even happier!   Lots of manufacturers guarantee excellent workmanship, but how many can claim to guarantee happiness?

My new bike arrived last week after months of researching. It arrived in the post and I had to negotiate pretty ferociously with the kids to let me know where they had hidden it, as we have a strict "no new things after the first of November rule" in this house!

After I rode on the Cotic KP 24 at the world championships I guess it is hardly surprising that I ended up choosing another Cotic - But which one, and more importantly which colour ;-) ?.... Kelvins suggestion that "because I am a girl" I should get one in every colour, was amusing but not that helpful!

Building up my new bike in the chaos of the dining room.

At last! My first ride on my new bike. There is nothing quite like riding a brand new bike for the first time. I wanted to look at it as I was going along, admiring the fantastic colour and form. (Looking down and examining every aspect of a new frame on the go is not to be recommended- pride comes before a fall 'n all that!).

At one point we had to cross a stream. Not wanting to get my new bike dirty or wet I stopped, lifted it up and walked through the water. Guffaws of laughter from my riding buddies and I realised what I had done. Yes, this was a cherished new item, but the Soul was designed to be all season, all weather, all conditions - even in the snow!

Our bit of Surrey had more snow than Wales last week, and while every one went out sledging or snow balling I went out on my bike. I stopped to chat to an 'Urban skiier' who thought it odd that I should want to plough through the snow on a bike. ("which is surely made for summer not snow?"). I chuckle to myself at the irony.  I am not sure it looks totally 'normal' cross country skiing, dressed in C and A ski kit along the high street in suburban Surrey either.

Snowy trails

What does it matter, we are all having fun in the snow! But I have a slightly smug feeling inside as I cycle past the 'grown up' kids trying to go faster than their 'real' kids on the snowy hillside.

I know that when the snow melts and they put their skis, sledges and ski kit in the loft,  I am still going to be riding this bike. I will be zipping along my trails with adrenaline pumping out of my ears and a wide grin on my face.

My Soul- both mine and my Cotic "flying"

So go on, put a new bike on your wish list - a bike is for "life", not just for Christmas ;-)

All about cream... Thank you!!

Today I had the perfect opportunity to say "thank you" to all the wonderful people who have helped me to make it to the 2010 world solo24hour championships.

Last week I received an email from BBC Surrey radio asking if I would like to come in to talk on their morning show. Initially I was reluctant. My success in live broadcasting has been somewhat, er, interesting. After winning at "24/12" (in July) as a pair I was interviewed with my race partner Ant. Somehow the only thing that came into our heads, which then inadvertently came out of our mouths... and then got published online was, "It would have been good if there had been more opportunities to eat ice cream on the course!".  Huh?

After much thought I decided that I would agree to go on the radio, but that this time - to avoid embarrassment and make sure I said what I wanted to - I would prepare my answers in advance. Like a pro I emailed the news editor a brief about the race and a link to my blog.  I made a list of everything I wanted to say... OK, I knew that I was going to shake with fear but it was radio - no one would notice... Most importantly, I would get to say a big public "thank you" to everyone, making the nervousness worthwhile.

The night before the interview I dreamt of what I wanted to say. 

"...this race would not have been possible without a few fantastic people who gave, not because they had to, but because they wanted to. After I qualified in May, 'the Worlds' was just an impossible dream. Out of my reach financially - in terms of the cost of trip and lost earnings, physically from lack of training and lack of skills on rocky terrain and lastly, logistically. How do we get team plus kit to set up a pit in Australia - we normally take a van load of kit to a race!?

Initially I had contacted some of the big players in the bike world for assistance. The same answer of 'no'  was repeated in various disguises.

I was almost at the point of not going when things started to change.....help came in abundance not from where I was looking but from my friends and local contacts" 

I woke in the morning slightly less scared, confident that I would not talk about ice cream!

I arrived at the radio station in good time and waited, expecting someone to run through what was going to happen. 

Suddenly a lady appeared, "This way.. you are on next.....". My heart jumped into my mouth - what?? I found myself whisked into a room where a massive green mike was stuffed in front of my face.  Opposite sat a man chatting into his mike, he looked nothing like Frazier Crane - I was thrown before I started!
  
I'm not sure if he knew that I had raced at the world champs... He was certainly not keeping to my carefully prepared mental script. Almost from the start we were off at a tangent and heading fast down a path that I did not know how to get out of. He wanted to talk about chaffing and saddle discomfort and before I knew it, the words "chamois cream" came out of my mouth and reverberated around the room - what is it I have with cream and live interviews!?  I mentally screwed up my crib sheet and threw it over my shoulder. Chamois cream, although an acceptable norm in the cycling world, must seem at best odd, but at worst downright pervy to the rest of the world.  I watched in horror as the interviewer latched onto this concept and asked if it was like "Anchor squirty cream", miming his imagined method of application. I blushed - a lot.  


My perfect opportunity to say "thank you" disappeared as I desperately tried not to say the words "minty arse lard" or "bum butter" on live radio. In that respect I succeeded - much to my relief - and the interview was brought to a rapid close to get another interview in as the show was running late, but I couldn't help feeling that I had failed spectacularly because I had not managed to say "thank you". 

I hope that this list below, of people who cared enough about me to make my impossible dream a reality, know how grateful I am.  Without you I would never have reached the airport let alone 4th in the my category at the world championships.

      THANK YOU TO..

Neil Hammerton, a local businessman and fellow mountain biker wanted to help us. His company Natterbox  sponsored us to go to Australia as Team Natterbox. Not only that, but his product (voice hosting) would act as my virtual switchboard allowing me to go out and train/go abroad knowing that all my phone calls would be redirected intelligently to where ever I wanted. 

At the same time Peter Flynn, a friend and owner of Candela Capital, offered his help too, saying that I had helped him in the past and he wanted nothing in return - just for me to "go for it". Actually he said, "if you don't win I want my money back", but I think he was joking..?

Petra cycles from Oxted, my local bike shop have been incredible all year. Chris, the talented mechanic, always on hand to look after my bike. I'm a typical girl in that I'm not good at spanners and grease - Chris has been ever patient in keeping my bike running smoothly throughout the race season and dropped everything to prep my new race bike to make it work for me - only a local bike shop can really get to know you...

AQR.(A quick release holidays)  Ian and Kate potter have been my guardian angels from the start. Not only did Kate inspire me to race in the first place but they have been generous with their advice and experience. They run AQR, a guiding company in Luchon, southern France and came to my rescue when I realised that my skills were vastly inadequate to ride the technical terrain at Mt Stromlo. A week under Ian's tuition gave me the confidence I needed to conquer the rocks. Not only that, but they also lent me Kate's designed for the purpose, prototype, 24 hour race bike - a Cotic KP 24 which I had ridden all week in Luchon and fell in love with. It is the perfect 24 hour race bike. (please make more Cy, it really was fantastic!)


Exposure Lights. Rory Hitchens lent me the brand new 6 Pack light and Joystick with piggyback batteries galore, giving me light throughout the 12 hours of darkness, without a recharge. The brightness of these lights was awesome, not only causing possums to fall out of trees (yes really) but allowing me to ride confidently without fear of hidden rocks, corners, spiders or snakes. 


Clare Fone at Westminster Physiotherapy and Pilates Centre for allowing me to take lots of leave to train and indulge my dream of cycling at the Worlds.


Sudhir Daya, Physiotherapist at WPPC, who helped me finely tune my core with a set of exercises that made every inch of my body shake. 


For Goodness Shakes for their recovery drink, allowing me to train 'the day after'.


Maxxis for providing amazing tires that gripped, rolled and bounced in exactly the right amounts.


Richard Sterry, fellow vet solo endurance mountain biker, who helped me with advice, lists and logistical planning.


Oxted MTB, the group of people I ride with at home. The best riding buddies anywhere! They tweeted, face booked and texted all through the race - keeping me going in my dark moments. 


My girlfriends and our families who avidly followed my progress, offering support and encouragement through out the year and the race. In particular Simon's family for learning how to use facebook and twitter, blasting them into the scary realms of social networking ;-)


Ducan for making me ride every Tuesday, for making my tires tubeless with minimal swearing and mess and willingly using my pink flowery screwdriver for any of my diy catastrophes. 


My Kids for tolerating me being distracted for the last 6 months and for believing that I could do it. For wanting to come to Australia to help wash my legs and dust my bike, but also for understanding that their school work came first...


Ant Jordan, long time friend and the other Natterbox race team solo rider for making our trip to Australia an absolute hoot. The most cheerful and upbeat 24 hour racer anywhere. An inspiration. 


Carole Armstrong, the best Pit Mum in the Business. I have never had bite sized banana and warm tea fed to me at 4 in the morning with such care. 


Team GB for being the loudest, most enthusiastic pit crew in the solo arena.


Deborah Reynolds, owner of Magnolia Cottage Canberra. The best rented accommodation in ACT by far, who lent us all the camping stuff we needed for the race weekend - saving our excess baggage allowance. 


Jolyon Welsh, acting British High Commissioner, for supporting us and the GB team at the race and to Simon, his staff member and bike mechanic, for pre race bike building even though his wife was expecting. 


Steve at Provision for our superb race kit - it takes a real bike pro to produce that kind of race quality clothing, at the price and in the turnaround times we needed. 


Kalibizar of Oxted for the fabulous team tops - and Ned in particular, who put in so much personal effort to make sure we looked right as a team.  




Lastly to Simon, my Partner and Pit Manager, who had no idea what he was taking on when he met me:-) for embracing all my bonkers plans and enhancing every one of them.




  

Recovery.........

The recovery process is an important factor post 24 hour racing. It normally takes me at least two weeks and probably up to six weeks to feel like my legs are anywhere near normal again. So imagine my anxiety when I found myself taking part in a 5 hour endurance event in Thailand less than 4 days after the most strenuous 24 hour race I have ever done…



The mud was tenacious, the rain freezing, my muscles more beaten up than after the World’s.  Worst of all, I had to wear nothing but a hairnet, flip-flops and a pair of black mesh ‘boy-shorts’ throughout!  As you may have guessed, this event had nothing to do with bicycles. We were ‘’treating” ourselves to a day of post-race “pampering” in one of Bangkok’s finest spas...



It seemed like a good idea at the time - a day in a spa in Bangkok to soothe our aching bodies before we headed up to the northern hill country (with our bikes).

Simon and I naively looked through the menu (neither of us spa experts) and choose a 5 hour option - Jacuzzi bubble bath then exfoliation, tea, Thai full body massage and a facial thrown in as this month’s special offer – how lucky are we!



So, I have been brought to the treatment room, a dimly lit chamber with wooden carvings of Buddha everywhere, 2 black marble slabs, a massive bath and mood lighting.  The lady gives me 2 small packages.  I stifle a giggle as I discover a hairnet and shorts.  Standing there admiring myself in the mirror wearing said items I discover as I experiment with their elasticity that the shorts could happily keep me covered from my chin to my knees. Without warning the door opens and Simon comes in carrying the same packages - they ‘do’ couples together... I am afraid - very afraid!




Once in the bubbling Jacuzzi I try not to laugh at Simon who, wearing the same as me, is trying to look comfortable in a metro sexual, “this is not a problem for me”, kind of way.  Above the Jacuzzi is a massive stone Buddha looking like he is smoking a joint.  On closer inspection it is a merely a water spout coming out of his mouth used to top up the bath.  2 Thai ladies walk in laden with bottles and gesture for us to get out of the bath. They are neither as young, nor as pretty as the ladies at reception. I can see Simon looking conned - I am a tad relieved.



I lie on my front and get covered in gritty mud- the type that eats away at brake pads. It sounds like someone is sweeping the drive and as the Thai lady sets to work grinding the mud into my pores it seems that the top layer of my skin is being eroded - this must be exfoliation… I end up feeling about an inch thinner and am certainly a lot pinker when she finally finishes. Turning over as instructed I see Simon’s face- a look of bewilderment and mild amusement.



I know how long it takes me to wash my bike when it is as muddy as we are and I wonder how we are going to get clean. At that moment, a torrent of cold water, slowing to a tepid trickle empties from the ceiling- its raining?! There is a long oblong showerhead over both marble slabs which soon washes the mud into a grey pool onto the floor- efficient, no doubt but I was left shivering with shock and cold. In true ‘mountain biking in the rain’, style there is a cup of tea close at hand. Simon and I sit, still in our black pants, huddled next to a naked, grinning Buddha, trying to warm ourselves with steaming jasmine tea.



So far I have got muddy, cold and soaking wet, but I still wasn’t prepared for what my muscles would feel like after the next stage - back on the slab for an oil massage – like they were being torn off my bones with a blunt instrument. The oil massage was more painful to my back and limbs than at any moment during the 24 hour race.



By the time this was over it was four hours into the “treatment” / endurance and I found myself using the same tactics of mental and physical survival that I use for racing … only this time lying on my back covered in towels with only the facial to go… an hour of agony from lying still on my bruised back while my face was polished, scrubbed and covered in grease.

At last it’s over and Simon sits up looking totally exhausted. He can’t quite open his eyes, His hair is sticking up, his face bright pink with small dollops of face pack around the edges. His body is covered in red marks from the massage and his pants are at a jaunty angle – he looks like he has just ridden over Mount Stromlo for 24 hours!



The irony of the situation suddenly makes me burst out laughing. Luckily Simon, who could so easily have had a sense of humour failure about what we have just been through, smiles back and just shakes his head.



Dressed and out into the foyer we gingerly sit down, only to be offered a pink blamange to eat… what?!  Again the irony makes me laugh.  I tend to use For Goodness Shakes recovery drink after exercise- and this reminds me of their Superberry flavour, so here we are doing much the same…



Recovering from a 24 hour endurance event with another endurance event in a Bangkok spa is definitely something worth trying simply for the novelty value. But in future I will stick to the more conventional approach of recovery tights and recovery shakes. I know the tights look just as ridiculous as mesh boy-shorts, but they are slightly more acceptable to wander around in. And if I am really honest I am not sure I see the point in paying to get covered in mud, rained on and pummelled- I can get that for free when ever I ride my bike!