LODI 12 hour

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So, Maybe they should have called this a battle, not a race....because that is what I feel like I went through.
The idea of starting a bike race at Midnight is an interesting one to me. It seems that the idea would be to race through all the worst hours of a 24 hour race this way, and indeed, I think that is what we did.
Preparation for this race was big from an equipment standpoints, lots of stuff, lots of people. The idea of supporting 6 solo racers through an event of this magnitude can become too full of "What-ifs". So for almost a week I what-ifed the trailer into shape. We scheduled to depart at noon on Saturday in order to get to the venue and setup the Bike Factory Racing Compound (as it has been affectionately named). We departed on time, hit Chipotle in F-burg and then got to the race venue by about 2:30 or so. Setup went smooth and John C. showed up with the Smoker to cook some carcass. After getting the compound fortified, I went out to hit a lap on the course as a preview of what was to come. I set up the Elite 9.9 Hard Tail and went off, one thing was decided early for me....suspension was key, it was gonna be a Top Fuel type of night....this course was custom made for a Fuel!!!!
The course was full of ups and downs and twists and turns. I think there were more 150-180 degree turns on that course than on any other that I have ever been on. And they were not the type of turn that supported momentum or speed very well, many required braking and then accelerating to navigate. One almost required a track stand!! The dirt was hard pack in many areas, there were lots of roots and some areas of dark boggy soil and loose sandy gravel...it was all here it seemed, other than large rocks....and maybe I am just mentally blocking those at this moment.
I tried to lay down for a nap at about 8pm or so, but Konrad had hired a live band to entertain the crowd, and they were right across from our compound....and the compound was not soundproof...I knew I messed something up. After tossing and turning until about 10:30 I gave up on sleep and got up to finish fiddling with my bike and lights....that and get a last minute snack and some coffee.
At the start line, my body was already in revolt.....It was weird to toe a line doubting your ability to digest food and complete the race, this added a sense of adventure to it all though.
Roll out was at a few minutes after midnight....a "paced" start of all the riders up a dirt gravel path and then a sharp turn onto single track. It was the normal chaos, tires rubbing, people stumbling and nearly falling. The back end of the field apparently got separated from the "pace" bike and made a wrong turn even.
The race paraded back through the start finish at the neutral pace and then game on!!
Steve Schwartz and Justin Riddle went early off the front...or so I heard. I had already resigned myself that in my current condition, it was "PACE, PACE, PACE!!!" or I would be a certain DNF and not just a probable DNF. Kevin M. was on a single speed and went early, he had a score to settle and a title to defend here. Dave "the old man" was here to race and Kevin was gonna milk the rivalry for all it was worth. As Kevin rode off, "The Old Man" sat patiently back and watched him go. The first lap went quick, as did the second. Then GI happiness set in. I will spare the details....but Bib Shorts are not your friends at such times...and probably added to the 30-40 minutes of time I lost between laps checking out the Special "high-volume" porta-potties that FREDEVENTS had rented for the night....nice touch on the advertising.
through the night laps my riding was steady, I used the granny gear liberally to save some pop in the legs for the morning if I made it there. My lights were perfect and other than laying the bike down in a corner once and slipping a cable housing funny, things were mechanically great. Come 5:45 the morning light was starting to come up and the realization was hitting, "we are not even half way through yet."
At sun up I was into the pit again, Dad and Shannon had laid down for a rest, John C. was up and on duty. He handed me some water and Electrolyte pills, I ate a pop tart and debated stalling long enough to not have to carry lights on the next lap....but realized that would be too long. On that last night lap, I was feeling reasonable. The stomach seemed to like the pop-tart and water combo better than the Cytomax that has always been my staple. So come the next lap I was carrying an extra bottle of plain water in a jersey pocket in addition to the standard Cytomax mix bottle. At about 7:30 I checked in at the table and asked placing. I was seriously tanked....Konrad was there, and said, "Get out there, you are in 5th place man."
What??? how had that happened...I felt sure I was in the teens....turns out that through the night the course had taken out plenty of people. It looked like the night had secretly claimed its victims on the super tough course. I rolled out of the transition area and to my pit....heartened that I was solidly placed, but disheartened that I had hours of hard work ahead. I grabbed another bottle of water, some Electrolyte pills, and a pop-tart...off I went. I decided I would try to use some of the energy I was saving all night. I put on a little surge and soon enough saw the guy in 4th place. He let me by on a short climb and I held steady ahead of him and soon could not see him behind anymore. I soon caught my brother, Dave (the young man) on the course....he was doing this to celebrate his 30th birthday...what a party. I chatted briefly with him, but knew I needed to keep going if I was gonna pull 3rd place back and leave 4th place behind me. Through the transition I was told that my 24 minute deficit to 3rd had been cut way down. I continued to push along, leaving it a gear or two higher than normal on the climbs, and pushing power through the flats rather than cruising along easy. It was feeling almost good. Soon enough I came though the pit again, I had done it 3rd place was mine. I put in one more lap and then was able to cash out my chips. 4th place was not chasing, and 5th was too far back to pull me in. so at 11:15 I handed over my bracelet to the timers table and left the course in 3rd place...10 laps done. the winner would ride until the end...doing 12. Second place finished his 11th lap just after I finished my 10th.
The Single speed race went pretty hard. Kevin had a mental and physical stomping moment.....the most painful introspective type of pain you can undergo in these races and avert physical injury. I have been there.....I am sure he blamed everything he could, bike, coach, tires, shoes...whatever....but in the end....you come back to yourself, and fall asleep quietly in a chair and hope that you did enough to be in the points at the end. He rode solidly, but his pack of matches only had so many sparks, and they all blew out before the fire was complete. Dave "the old man" patiently went on to win the battle, he put in 12 laps...riding up until the end. Ted G. chased him, albeit from a distance and came in with 11 laps at about 11:55 into the race....he could have gone again....but why? He was solidly the 2nd place finisher of a well fought battle. Dave T. took 5th in the Men's Solo. Denelle G. won the Women's Solo field handily with a 2 lap lead by the end.....and I think she even squeezed in a nap there somewhere.....she makes this sport look so elegant and easy.

A huge thanks to Shannon, "The Old Man's" young Wife, John, and Dad. Without you guys this would have fallen apart way earlier than it did.
Nice job team, I am proud of us all....we did a really solid race at probably the hardest lap endurance course I have been on.

-Shawn