2008 24 Hours of Great Glen - part 2

After 3 turns out on course, two of which were a single lap and the most recent turn being 2 laps, I was ready for a good long break. Since the other three guys would be completing 2 laps each before I needed to get back on course I had some time to actually lie down and shut my eyes. I tuned into the iPod and turned on some calming music, then passed out at some point.

I suddenly woke up with the sudden urge to relieve my backed up bladder. In an effort to maintain hydration, I’d been drinking a lot of fluids, and a lot of fluids mean a lot of trips to the closest facility. I went to scramble out of my tent as fast as I could but was instantly paralyzed as my legs locked up with cramps. After a few agonizing minutes I crawled out of my tent. When I returned to catch some more rest I was unable to sleep. I was far too worried and agitated that I would be unable to pedal my next turn; that my legs would lock op again. Taylor had suffered a bad cramp himself earlier and I was also worried that if it happened to me we might be down two riders if we both continued to cramp. So I lay there, half asleep, moving my legs every so often to keep them loose. When I finally got up my legs were doing better, but as we’d all suffered a bit in the dark we’d fallen off our original pace.

Our lights hadn’t helped us to their full potential either. Jake and Taylor had both suffered from light failures and had to switch to their back up systems. It’s not the easiest change in the middle of the woods in the dark. That’s part of 24 hour racing though, whether with bikes or cars or some other mechanical device. Failures occur. Few are those that manage to emerge from the 24 hour time period unscathed. Those that minimize the damage and repair time do the best.

Shortly after the sun began to light the world around us, the traditional bagpipes began playing at 6:00am. Each year a gentleman in traditional Scottish clothing lifts our spirits at dawn with some beautiful songs.

At nearly 6:30 I took the baton from Jake and began my final turn of two laps. I rode strong and consistent. Usually the second lap of a turn is slower, but this time I’d actually ridden a half minute faster.

I began to do some math in my head in the last 2 miles of that 2^nd lap. I figured if Lee could hold a 55 minute pace or better on his two laps and if Taylor could do the same during his single lap turn we would be able to squeak out another lap, getting Jake on course just before noon. This was likely my last lap of the race, I would have 6 laps complete. Of course, we wanted to accomplish as many laps as possible to boost our position in the standings. I relayed a vague message to Lee to get off some 55’s as I handed him the baton.

Back at camp I recounted my math to Taylor, who found a significant flaw. Jake would get out on course, no doubt about that, the real question was, would I get out again after Jake? The race was on now, the laps needed to be 55 minutes or better. Soon it didn’t seem to be an issue, Lee had held pace and Taylor hammered his final lap. Everything appeared set for Jake to get a fast lap in and that I would head back out on course.

I headed to the timing tent, prepared to take the baton, waiting, watching the results cycle through on the projector screen, and waiting. The waiting was killing me now. It was all I could do though.