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12 Hours of Pine Log - Mountain Bike - CycleOther


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Ebro, Florida
United States
Panama City Flyers Cycling Club
70F / 21C
Sunny
Total Time = 11h 12m
Overall Rank = 3/
Age Group = 12 Hour Solo
Age Group Rank = 0/
Pre-race routine:

Loaded up the car with my gear. Took some very basic camping stuff in case I needed to spend the night. Race was from 10a-10p so planned on cracking a beer and curling up for the night. Registered, got my number, and just kind of hung around waiting for the team from Dothan to show up. Once they arrived they agreed to help support me in my solo effort.
Event warmup:

Yeah right....uh, the first lap?
Bike
  • 11h 12m
  • 109.33 miles
  • 9.76 mile/hr
Comments:

I did a total of 14 laps and just under 11 hours of actual wheels turning time. We had a traditional Le Mans style start that quickly squeezed down into a wheel on wheel singletrack rip through what we later learned was the fastest part of the course. For the first couple of miles it was banked corners and hardpack with occasional patches of pinestraw which makes it slick.

At one point, there was a long wooden bridge that crossed a bog...the bridge was roped off and they had arrows directing us down below. The first couple of passes weren't too bad but after a few hours it was just a big mudpit. The black, thick, sticky stuff that sheds from your tires for the next half mile. I learned to really hate that part.

I rode the first 57 miles or so before my first stop. I had been using Perpetuem/Hammer Gel but I REALLY wanted some real food in me and also wanted a little time off the bike. My neck and hands were killing me and this break helped a ton in my next few laps.

Right around 85 miles I pulled in a second time to get my light mounted and put on a warmer shirt. The night laps went well and the light worked great. Only complaint about the light is that it is so easy to reposition. Right before a technical descent I had pulled my arm across my chest to stretch it some. As I was reaching back to the bar I bumped my light and swung it about 120 degrees to the left. This was right before I was dropping in so not only was it dark in front of me but I had a real bright LED shining in my face. I managed to stay up with one hand while trying to get it aimed the right way again.

My ultimate goal was to break 100 miles. On my second to last lap I had decided that after the next lap I was gonna stop and call it successful with 102 miles. As I rolled in, my support guys said I was in third place and that I would win $100 if I maintained it. This meant that I would have to ride at least two more. UGH. Once I finished 110 miles there was 48 minutes left on the clock. I decided to stop there because only full laps count and I would have needed to shave off over five minutes from my night lap times. I was pretty spent and figured I would probably get hurt in my attempt. This was a VERY good decision. The second place finisher was five minutes ahead of me and had attempted one more lap. He came in about 75 seconds past the cutoff so his last lap didn't count. That is exactly what I didn't want to have happen to me.
What would you do differently?:

Maybe I should have gone out a little slower but I don't know if that would have changed things too much. My lack of bike volume would have to be the biggest thing. Last time I even rode 100 miles was at least fifteen years ago and that was on a road bike. I think my longest mountain bike ride was around 50 miles and that was also 15 years ago. Basically it made this whole thing a mental challenge and I knew that was the case going into it.
Post race
Warm down:

Got my last lap counted and just kind of stretched in place waiting for the awards. Put on some warmer clothes and packed up my stuff for the drive home. Decided against spending the night. It was only about an hour and a half to a warm shower and my own bed. My friend the Red Bull kept me company on the drive.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Lack of bike volume and experience with this type of pacing.

EDIT: How could I forget....I was all packed and ready to head out the door when I asked Melissa, "I feel like I forgot something...any ideas?" She replied, "Got your light battery? How about your helmet? Oh, I know what you forgot...training."

Very funny...smartass.

Event comments:

Great event and a great group of people that put it on. Race shirt is pretty cool and the fact that they give out prize money is pretty cool as well. The course changes each year but the location remains the same. I also got a $50 gift certificate to a shop down in Florida but gave it to the second place guy since he lives near there and I am moving.


Profile Album


Last updated: 2007-09-25 12:00 AM
Biking
11:12:00 | 109.33 miles | 9.76 mile/hr
Age Group: 0/
Overall: 3/
Performance: Average
Approximate Lap Times: 1-40:01, 2-38:16, 3-38:30, 4-40:23, 5-43:47, 6-46:56, 7-50:07, 8-60:00 (Break), 9-46:28, 10-47:40, 11-55:26 (Light & Clothes), 12-55:22, 13-53:13, 14-52:07
Wind: Some
Course: It was a 7.8 mile loop that passed through the campsite/spectators twice. The course was mostly singletrack with a big variety of mud, sand, loose gravel, pine straw on hardpack, several wooden bridges sans railing, and TONS of roots stretched across the trail. Full suspension was almost a necessity! There were a couple very steep climbs...the ones where you can't stand or you will spin out but you can't sit because the front end will come up. There was also a short dirt road segment which I used for majority of my nutrition/hydration. Temps ranged from low 50s to mid 70s.
Road:   Cadence:
Turns: Average Cornering: Average
Gear changes: Average Hills: Average
Race pace: Hard Drinks: Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 5
Physical exertion [1-5] 5
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks?
Post race activities: Below average
Race evaluation [1-5] 4

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2007-10-29 5:39 AM

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Extreme Veteran
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Subject: 12 Hours of Pine Log - Mountain Bike


2007-10-29 6:23 AM
in reply to: #1027839

Veteran
146
10025
Texas
Subject: RE: 12 Hours of Pine Log - Mountain Bike
Wow, Mike, awesome race and really enjoyed the report. Go #1!
2007-10-29 7:12 AM
in reply to: #1027839

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Master
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Falls Church, Virginia
Subject: RE: 12 Hours of Pine Log - Mountain Bike
Awesome race, thanks so much for sharing your adventure. Congrats on the place finish, I can't believe you had such a great race....no, wait, I can! Love the pic of your legs.
2007-10-29 8:23 AM
in reply to: #1027839

Subject: ...
This user's post has been ignored.
2007-10-29 11:29 AM
in reply to: #1027955

Master
2249
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Colorado
Subject: RE: 12 Hours of Pine Log - Mountain Bike
NICE!  You are going to have SO much fun at the Old Pueblo!
2007-10-29 11:46 AM
in reply to: #1027839

Extreme Veteran
368
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Incline Village, NV
Subject: RE: 12 Hours of Pine Log - Mountain Bike
Awesome job!  And after all that riding, you had the mental clarity to calculate how long it would take you to do another lap.  Amazing!


2007-10-30 11:08 AM
in reply to: #1027839

Champion
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Michigan
Subject: RE: 12 Hours of Pine Log - Mountain Bike

congrats morty!! 

mel rocks.

2007-11-03 10:14 AM
in reply to: #1027839

Mesa
Subject: RE: 12 Hours of Pine Log - Mountain Bike
Good work.... you kicked some arse!

Edited by chile7473 2007-11-03 10:14 AM
2007-11-04 10:10 AM
in reply to: #1027839

Champion
19812
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MA
Subject: RE: 12 Hours of Pine Log - Mountain Bike

Congrats on a great race and hardware!

Love the comment as you left your house from Melissa...LOL!

Very smart of you to not try for the last lap...amazing how well you did with not so much training...very cool!

Next year I plan on doing a 12 hour bike race but on the road..seems like a fun challenge.

Nice RR! 

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