24 hour race psychology

I am not sure what drives me to get on a bike and ride for 24 hours solo. The personal challenge? The comraderie with fellow racers, promoters, and my pit crew? The shear effort and expendature of energy involved starts well before you ever toe the start line. Months out you mark a spot on your schedule for the year, you pedal, you run, you lift, and you stretch all year long aiming for that one crucial day. The focus from months out is tremendous.
20 weeks ago I was in Base training mode- Lots of miles, often on the Mountain Bike, often pedaling gravel and paved roads.
12 weeks ago the build phase of my training commenced, longer tempo efforts, intermittent LT efforts, basic skills work.
2 weeks ago Build ended and peaking for this event began: an emphasis was put on short hard efforts, toping off the ability to scramble up a hill. Through that time though, still long tempo efforts continued. More time was spent at LT or just below LT. Bike riding hurt more than usual.

Now, here we sit, 1 week and 1 day from the Burn 24 hour. Physically am I ready? Mentally am I prepared? Will my nutrition plan pan out? Will my tire selectionby the correct one?

My peak and training for this race will pale in comparision to what I do for the 18 hours on the farm race, that is my real focus for the year, but that does not downplay at all what goes into next Saturday and Sunday.

Over the past several years there are a few things I have learned:
1- never corner your self in with a plan that is too specific. Flexible and slightly vague seems to work better.

2- At one week out, prep all your equipment- bikes get new chains, swap cassettes if you need to. New brake pads, new tubes in the saddle packs and new tires go on and new sealant in the tires.

3- Ride EVERYTHING you will use on race day prior to the event exactly as you anticipate having it set up. Leave nothing to chance or that 'I set it up right mentality.'. Get out there and pedal and move the bike. At 3am, your whole effort can be derailed badly when your new chain suddenly has a bad quick link or you didn't notice that broken spoke in your race wheels.

4- bring along a pit crew you know and can trust. It is as important that they can joke with you at 230am when you are cramping a hamstring as it is that they can tune your suspension or gears. (Good cooking skills help also!) Marcus and Jenny get to play this role for me this year. They will have some help as well from Hugh, Erica, and anyone else unlucky enough to be in the pit at that hour when I come through somewhere between pooping and puking mentally and physically.

5- finally--have great equipment. If you are gonna be on it for 24 or more hours, have confidence in what you are gonna be on.

For me: the most reliable part of the whole thing is my people and my equipment: My Trek Top Fuels and Elite Hardtail. Equiped with Bontrager and DT Swiss componetry keep me rolling safe and efficiently through it all. Jenny and Marcus will do everything they can to keep me going mentally and physically.

So what does this all mean; I have no idea, but my bikes are prepped, My lights are charged, my food is selected, and all that is left to fail is me. So bring it on, let the games begin!

-Shawn
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