Think it’s been three years since I did one.
Just had my first mountainbike ride in fourteen months.
But I have been training hard on the road, raced in the vets and the local cx league.

Plus it would have to be on the fifty quid bike as featured in one of my earlier posts.

Think I’ve had a long enough rest from them now. Think I’ve done eleven 24 solos and the first one was the best, I was all out of enthusiasm by the last few.

Edit. Done the following solo.
MM both at Sandwell and Eastnor
SIS at Trentham and the new place?
CLIC
Strathpuffer.
Done a load of 12 solos elsewhere.

Only one way to find out.

Indeed, I suppose I have to be convinced that I’ve got the drive.

What’s new course wise?
Eastnor got on my wick, and Catton was great until it rained.

24 Hrs of Exposure has one the best courses, as does Relentless 24.

From a soloists view i.e one you can settle in on and ride all day. Or do you mean technical and a hoot for team riders.

As a soloist I find both a bit of a hoot.

I have an entry at 24 hours of Exposure for solo male vet that I am now unable to do if anyone is interested

C’mon oldgit, we need more old fellows doddering around the course slowing down those impetuous young chaps. It improves their passing skills. 🙂

relentless is EXCELLENT. a great race. no fuss really know how to put on an event!
plus it’s not a massive field, so easy to blag (i came 3rd in my class last year!)

Only one way to find out.

Fight?

I’m looking to have a go at at least a 12 hour solo this year, I’m looking forward to giving it a go.

24:12 ?
good course if it stays dry, nice vibe too .
lots of soloists too , waay betterer than MM eastnor

I liked 24/12 just did the 12 solo, but never once got off the bike except to wee.

C’mon oldgit, we need more old fellows doddering around the course slowing down those impetuous young chaps. It improves their passing skills.

I’ll actually be a Grandad by then as well 😐

its nice to ride a nice course in a 24hr solo, but it becomes insignificant about 10hrs in as you go into overdrive and you only start to countdown the mile markers to the start/finish line so you get a glimpse of your loved ones and teammates drinking hot tea and eating burgers…a true misey fest…but one youll remember for the rest of your life:) enjoy

You’re unlikely to win one, as I suspect you know, but sure you can finish (another) one, as I suspect you know!

I didn’t mean blag a win. I meant blag getting through one without training off road for 10 hours at a time.

a true misey fest…but one youll remember for the rest of your life:) enjoy

Yeah it’s the remembering bit that’s the problem!

Of course you can, as I said. Plenty of people take 4 hours off in the night, it’s like 2 long rides separated by a short gap. If you’re stubborn enough to just keep plodding on you’ll do just fine.

I like 24/12 fwiw. From vague memory, your solo issues are more mental/reflux related than fitness? Have you ever finished a 24-hour solo?

Edit: I guess what I’m saying is that in your position, I’d be looking at the other factors which have maybe been an issue in the past for you and addressing them in advance – diet (reflux prevention), you had back pain no, somewhere I bumped into you a few years back (bike set-up?) etc, mental approach etc. I’d have thought a lot of road-based fitness would be fine. Says me as a rubbish soloist 😉

Oh, and the nice thing with 24/12 is the course is generally fun to ride repeatedly, especially last year when it ventured up onto the moors, and there’s a cracking atmosphere, plus the location – touch wood – seems to mean it’s less prone to collapse into a mud fest.

You’re right I get bad acid reflux around the 12 hour mark. I didn’t get it at the early ones and I’ve never worked out what causes it. It is bad though and the pain lasts about a month afterwards.
Mental issue? just rain really as I’ve never done a totally dry one. The last one I entered I almost bailed before the start when I heard rain falling. To that end I had thought about going over to Madrid to try and get a dry one in.
I’ve never had back pain or any physical issues at all, stomach and head only.
I also think I’m stronger and more disciplined now, years ago I just rode a lot, but racing most weekends builds your resolve.

But going back to the reflux problem, it’s really bad it actually floors me. That would have to be addressed, the problem is I can’t bring it on in any other way than riding for over twelve hours.

Edit. yes I have finished them, but always had sleeps which seems totally pointless. That’s why I liked the 12s because they were non stop, but I did have crew handing me food.
The last one I did with you was the Bonty in the pouring rain and axle deep mud, I never stopped on that but did have to fight off acid on the last lap.

Edit. yes I have finished them, but always had sleeps

…so you never really finished one then? 🙂

I was thinking of having a go at one this year – until I smashed me ribs 😥 so decided to leave it a year and just concentrate on easy trail/road riding this year to let body fully recover. I’d say you’d do it no probs, the body don’t forget, all that experience is priceless.

The last one I did with you was the Bonty in the pouring rain and axle deep mud, I never stopped on that but did have to fight off acid on the last lap.

LOL, yes you did, cos I stopped and spoke to you and you definitely weren’t moving 😉 That was the race where I definitely ‘didn’t break my finger’ despite it being a very odd shape and mostly unusable for months… Isn’t self delusion ace? My finger I mean, not your stopping. I seem to remember your back being bad, but obviously my six brain cells aren’t all at the races.

Anyway, do 24/12 and I’ll see you there. I have unfinished business with that one 🙂 The only thing wrong with it is that it’s miles from here.

btw, is ‘blag’ not originally slang for robbery with weapons? And has come to mean ‘getting stuff for free’ particularly among journos, not that I’d know about that. Or armed robbery for that matter.

Deffo never stopped or had back pain? Though I needed a wee every lap at the same place, just after the descent out of the arena. Walked a few bits but never stopped.

Strangely I did break a finger at the very next race. Slid along the mud like George best after a goal, but right into a tree. My fingernail still grows in two…..I am cloven hoofed.

Blag has always meant trick your way in, then later to get things for free. Don’t know about armed robbery, but an old friends dad did time for armed robbery where a guard was killed, he didn’t hang as they never found out who coshed the guard. He’s a fairly well know artist now. I’ll ask him.

I’ve done a few, think the longest ride in the run up to any of them was in the region of 4 hours.

You’ll be reet.

Blimey I’ve done four ride over that this week. We used to do silly distances and times.

once you can ride ‘for a while’ it’s all in the head. If I were to do another, I would do more longer rides, but I wouldn’t be doing stupid distances several times a week – I don’t think it’s good prep in the grand scheme of things.