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This might be a daft question but I am entered into Mayhem for my first 24hr solo attempt.
Done others as a team before but none solo.
Question is will I have access to 'pits' can I take the camper van and my 'crew', read a few friends, keep me 'serviced' (alot of innuendo here!) from there i.e. food, get changed in there etc. or is there a sealed off pit area at Mayhem that I wont be able to leave?
Obviously as part of a team I have been free to come and go, get food etc..
I can't find this info on the website so I'm asking the massive...
Been training, that's going ok, just starting to worry about nutrition, drink and how many changes of clothes I might need etc..
Cheers for any help, tips etc.
Don't know the specifics of Mayhem, only done that as a team, but from other solo 24hrs most important advice would be food. Take lots and all kinds, you will get wierd cravings (tinned peaches for me) take stuff to satisy them. Bugger eating healthily, just get food down you, pies, pasties, doughnuts, rice pudding (escecially good), pasta salad, bananas, etc, etc. I tend to start eating 'real food' ie not gels, at around 3hrs and then little and often thereafter, maybe a mars bars or equivelant calories every hour.
Other important advice, take every piece of riding kit you own, buy some more gloves and take them too. Buy more brake pads and take them as well (and a spare bike if you have the option)
Lastly, a spare light and asmany batteries as you can get your hands on. You will feel a right twonk if you run out of juice mid-lap.
Most of all, remember solo 24hr riding is a mental game. Whatever you do just keep moving.
Stop round the Columbia-Bikefood tent (the bright orange gazebo) and say hello if you see us, we'll give you all kinds of helpful (and possibly contradictory, everyone is different!) advice.
Yes you do get a pit area, yes your mates can hang around and sort you out. You aren't meant to leave it I don't think but no-one will complain.
Mayhem isn't a Park Feme event so your free to come and go as you wish. There's a solo camping area but you can camp where you want, my advice would be to get a spot as close to the course as you can.
Soloists get a big marquee with tables/chairs provided so you can set up your own pit area in there, it's right next to the course.
There's a camping area for solos quite near to it as well and a row of portaloos nearby.
No restrictions on coming and going as you want although you're unlikely to be high up in the results if you wander off for a shower and something from the food tent!
andrewh has some good advice ^^. Take every single piece of riding gear you own, all your spares, if you've got a spare bike then that too. Also if you plan on stopping for any length of time have some tracksuit bottoms or similar that you can just pull on to keep warm, kit that you don't mind getting muddy.
There's a dedicated solo camping area and pit marquee, but you don't have to use them.
I rode solo two years ago and parked near the course, but well away from everyone else under some trees, because I wanted some shade for my dog.
I've seen people with their own private pit areas all along the course as it goes past the camping area.
Yeah it gets surprisingly cold in the middle of the night, so if you stop you will want some REALLY warm clothes to keep yourself ticking over.