Fall Epic 8 Hour MTB Relay Race....the Review

So Fig and I tag teamed the other two 8 Hour races this year, but as the organizers were not holding a series of the three 8 Hour races (which we were gunning for)...we decided to try something different for this race.

As it ended up Fig found himself joining CptSydor and VVagabond who needed another male for their 4 person mixed team.  I got challenged by Unglued to solo the 8 hour on a rigid single speed...by his  words..."like a real man"...(sounds really funny...those words with a British accent...).

Anyways, so I set out in search of a rigid single speed to borrow...and was quickly satisfied by misconceptionz, who had one to lend.  So...nervously registered as solo singlespeed the week before the race....and spent that week trying to become familiar with a new-to-me rigid singlespeed ride.

Come race day this was the steed...

Parked beside me was this gent...

Dskunk....one of the fastest fellows on a singlespeed in these parts...so I knew I was about to get my butt handed to me.

Even my new skin suit wouldn't likely help...

Maybe I should have worn what I used to wear....

OK...maybe not...

Then at race time line up in the paddock...Martin to my left, Jeremiah to my right...CptSydor in front of me...just great, in the centre of all these fast guys!

I kinda felt like....

Anyways you get the idea...

I was a little nervous...and had not had a chance to pre-ride the course so was completly in the dark about what to expect...

But then bang....we were off...

And I actually hung in there fairly well...a great first few laps...

A couple of early climbs were not too tough...

A couple of roots to climb over mid-course...not too tough...

A very rough new trail through a hay field...shook the heck out of the hands on the rigid...

A fast but rooty decent into some sandy curves shook the hands and shoulders some more...

Then Wiggly...a twisty climb...was tough but doable on the singlespeed for the first 7 or 8 laps...then it became a wall...screaming at me to get off and walk in the later laps...

The last two kms....a welcome descent into the finish...

Emily Batty passed me on lap 4 (and again on lap 10)...only mention it because it's not every day you get passed by a world cupper and it may not ever happen again (yeah...cuz I am going to be that fast...).

Finish lap 9...heading into lap 10...I drop off my now dry camelback for a refill (yes, my cambelback also contains my tools, tube, etc.); and continue on lap 10 while my 'crew' refilled by camelback.  (FYI...my 'crew' consisted of my wife 'Lois', my mother mamaRiot who is visiting from Saskatchewan, and my son Matt who is visiting from Windsor).

FYI...this is what is going on in Saskatchewan right now...

Gotta throw some good cultural info in, by government standards....

Anyways, that jerk Murphy decided to come out on my lap with me...just as I was starting up Wiggly it happened....a flat...about as far from the start/finish as I could get...and no tools...

So run, run, run...for a half hour or more...in carbon shoes...fun eh!  Not so much...and I got passed by about 13 million other racers...many offered to help (Jerehmiah, CptSydor, Stefan, Unglued, 13Stone, Kevin, Dskunk...and others) but didn't have the tools I needed.  Finally, Ondrej comes up on me...and asks what I need...and offers to help;  first I asked him what place he was in...

He said, "I'm in fourth".  I said, "Get the hell going, man!"...Ondrej is very competetive and was killing himself to get on the podium...so with the threat of a Metis backlash he continued but graciously left me his supplies.  Another racer stopped to make sure I had what I needed;  then Martin stopped to make sure I was doing the right job and to mention he was physically finished anyway and was calling an end to his race.

Within minutes I was repaired and back on to finish lap 10...which turned out to be an hour and sixteen minute lap...rather than a thirty-something minute lap...

And the running had cooked me...I finished up lap 11 with not enough time or energy to get in another lap before race finish.  11 laps with the flat...when I should have been able to push out 12 or 13...disappointed but it's part of the game...

Dskunk skunked me with 14 laps...and came in second overall in singlespeed solo!!  Congrats Dave!!
Serious taught me a serious lesson with 13 laps...
Unglued got that 12th lap in ahead of me...

But there will be a next time.  I really enjoyed the singlespeed experience...and now have one of my own on order...

Is it too early to look forward to next year??

Other notes of mention...(C-sharp?....Post-it??...Dear John???...)

JeffS and his daughter KT came in second in the Two Person mixed Cat...and came in second to...Emily Batty and Adam Morka....two pros!!  Very cool!!!  But the podium is like home to Jeff now...and will be for KT...

(Hey thanks Jeff for 'letting' me use your pics!!!)

And CptSydors team of VVagabond, Fig, and Anouchka??...came in FIRST in the Four Person mixed Cat...Very nice!!

Oggie!!!???  Was a no-show.  Oggie, you were missed!

And Ondrej???  He did it....he destroyed himself but fought to make third place...by seconds!!  Well done Ondrej...and thank you for the help!!!   :)

And finally...another thank you to misconceptionz for letting me borrow the bike...though Lois may not be so happy I am now adding another arrow to my quiver...

So now what???

OK then...until next time...

Stay posted...and that's no bull!!