Pissed and blowing my own trumpet…

http://www.32sixteen.com/mountain-mayhem-24-hour-solo-racing/

Yay my thread’s famous 😆

@monkeychild My page stats say hardly.

Seriously though since posting the above link I have sobered up, got rid of duplicate ramblings on there, and added more to the above page. Feel free to ask me direct questions in the comments there.

How long is the run?

Last year it was about 1.5 miles. Usually it’s about 1/2 mile.

Lenght of run changes. About half mile tops

No as Gee says last year it was far longer. Usually shorter.

Didn’t do MM last year. Previous recollections was about 10-15 mins???

Was the run longer last year to string out a bigger entry?

Yes, sorry, run/walk was longer last year. A few 3 mile runs just to get the legs used to it will do you.

Usually it’s no more than a 5 min jog/run. Last year was insane. A good 10-15 mins.

I’ve done the run a few times in the past…

This year I am going for “pre-emptive persuasion” to try and get someone else to do the first lap.

However, I suspect being prepared might be necessary 😕

Proud mincer here, ran a rigid Scandal 29er with SB8s. When the track was wet there were a few bits that caught loads of people out.

It’s less techy than a trail center, but it also gets much more churned up. I saw FAR more riders coming off than I’d see at a day at a trail center. The downhill bits are pretty rutted and the heavy traffic means you can’t always change lines when you want.

Passed lots of riders with 140-160mm trail bikes and Camelbaks on the uphill sections on the plus side. Not sure why the “mincers” are the guys on smaller bikes, rather than the guys turning up like they’re set for Mega Avalanche.

If you want a good time you need to do a reverse triathlete change from running shoes into cycling shoes or learn to run in your stiff soled shoes.

I hated the start last year. Running for 10-15 minutes over rock hard ground wearing carbon race shoes isn’t much fun, I had blisters on my feet before even getting on a bike.

Yes indeed Andy… And then after all that pain my bloody tyre exploded…

I really struggled at Mountain Mayhem last year, but then again it was my first ever race and the torrential rain started on my lap, before I’d even got to the Kenda climb. :/ The singletrack sections were fine, it was the wide downhill cart tracks I had issues with. By ‘issues’ I mean going over the handlebars…

I much prefered the Sleepless course, surprised myself by agreeing to do Mayhem again. :s I like the atmosphere of Mayhem, and the idea of taking part, but didn’t go a bundle on the actual riding. The view on the way up to the Obelisk was nice, when the sun finally came out. 😛

Yes indeed Andy… And then after all that pain my bloody tyre exploded…

shhh. some people are still unhappy you “borrowed” a track pump “left by the side of the track”. How clumsy of us soloists…

what bikes do you recomend for these types of events?
thanks

Very clumsy, yes.

GB

Lets hope it stays dry this year !

Think if it was any more technical you would have some serious crashes, organisers have to take into account rider fatigue at 3am and a extreme variety of ability. Surely with most 24hr courses there is always this fine balance to get right.

For those who moan, make it a bit more interesting by having fun!

Like me and my mates:

DSCF1345 by ciderinsport, on Flickr

All for charity mate!

http://www.justgiving.com/team-SUMO

what bikes do you recomend for these types of events?
thanks

Depends if your on a team or solo. If i was on a team for mayhem, I’d want a nice light race geometry hardtail. If solo then 4 inches of travel front and rear max is all you need.

Think if it was any more technical you would have some serious crashes, organisers have to take into account rider fatigue at 3am and a extreme variety of ability. Surely with most 24hr courses there is always this fine balance to get right.

True there is a balance, but don’t think mayhem have quite found it yet lol. All the other 24’s Ive done were more technical, and on a much more fun course so less boredem. It drives you to want to ride a certain section smoother each lap.

I hope people aren’t confusing “fun” with “technical”. A fun course isn’t always technical, and visa versa. Fast flowy singletrack is fun but not technical a lot of the time.

“I really struggled at Mountain Mayhem last year, but then again it was my first ever race and the torrential rain started on my lap”

Lol – It was dry last year (relative) if it really rains on that course you know about it! Which year was it with the Land Rover climb that was about 1ft deep mud soup?

“I hope people aren’t confusing “fun” with “technical”. A fun course isn’t always technical, and visa versa. Fast flowy singletrack is fun but not technical a lot of the time.”

Quite agree with this I actually prefered Mayhem when it was at Sandwell, which is odd because the course wasn’t in the slightest technical, in fact some sections were on tarmac. However it did have some fast fun singletrack sections which made it great.

Mayhem where it is these days I think is let down by the amount of grass you have to ride over. I always think that if the race started on the Sunday, ie once the course had beded in, then it would be a lot nicer to ride.

Which year was it with the Land Rover climb that was about 1ft deep mud soup?

Sounds like 2004? That was the first year I rode MM – truly a baptism of mud.

Hated the LR climb

Have vague memories of “snowboarding” sideways on down the edge of a cornfield at 2am.

I’d forgotten all about that field !

It was funny just watching people not being able to stand up on it, let alone ride a bike down it.

Which year was it with the Land Rover climb that was about 1ft deep mud soup?

rkk01 is right, that was 2004. It was nice and sunny to finish. I got tan lines and everything.

Whilst I agree with others about the non techinal aspect of teh course, when you’re tired and easy course often becomes more challenging! I remember I made some epic wrong line choices 😆

Really really look forward to this years!

I’ve not read all of this but did do my 1st solo at Mayhem last year. So in no particular order:

Didn’t really have a specific training plan other than my usual weekly riding and xc racing. The longest rides I did were circa 5/6hrs with one 10hr blast along the SDW which actually worked quite well due to the climbing. But mainly I was in the 2-4hr bracket but 3+times a week.

After 12hrs it’s mental, prepare yourself for the low point, I expected mine at about 3am it came at 2.36am! Keep eating and drinking, I used flat coke and sprite and alternated with water, used real food until about the 18hr point when I finally had to start on gels and energy bars. IMO if you start on gels and bars/drinks too soon your body could start to reject them, stomach cramps etc! Each to their own though and you’ll need to know what suits you fuelling wise before you start. Me fig rolls, bananas were the way forward.

The best advice I had was from Mr Page (24hr European champ, Mayhem winner) and that was don’t stop! My pits were literally 3-5mins tops, grab a bottle, a bite of a sandwich, porkpie, go go go. My longest stop was 8 mins for a change in shorts and a quick curry! Some get their times down less than that. But if you can, keep moving once the engine is warm keep it ticking over!

On the hills which Mayhem had lots (2more laps and I would have climbed Everest in 24hrs)after about 10hrs I picked 2 small parts to walk on (I was running a ridiculous gearing 30-42, 11-36 on a 29er)it just allowed me to stretch out and was faster than riding by that point anyway.

FWIW the course was the worst I’ve seen at Mayhem IMO and I wouldn’t solo there again, would try Bonty or Exposure but not this year!
Oh and for the record I did 17 laps and came 7th on my 1st 24hr solo attempt.

P.S. For me the in hindsight the riding was the easy bit, it was the feeling utterly chinned for 2 weeks after with little feeling in hands and feet and still not back to normal on a bike for about 6 weeks.

P.S.S take a spare bike so your pit team (aka the long suffering wife) can clean the mud etc off re-lube whilst you keep going!

2001-2003 were scorching. I remember 2003 in particular – I think it was the hottest weekend of the entire year. People were sheltering from the heat rather than the rain.

2004&5 were epically muddy, but the cornfield in 2004 was a true highlight of slipperiness!!

2006 was dry, dusty and sunny.

2007-8 were wet, 2008 with sideways torrential rain in the night.

2009-11 not that bad, although 2011 was a bit wet at the start.

We must be due another hot one??!!

GB

2004, Saturday

2004, Sunday

I’d rather have another wet one than a hot one.

I’d rather use my paddling pool for cooling down than washing, but each to their own.

GB

Gee +1

You take a paddling pool when there are duck infested lakes available for playing in. You are pro

😉

At least if the course was wet it would make it slightly technical.

Your stomach (eating/drinking enough is a skill)

On my recent LEJOG, I found that “proper” food was much easier to eat – no sickly sweet tastes to get tired of- digested easier without bloating, and provided more sustained energy for back to back 16 hour days.

I’ve suspected this the last few MMs.

It’s our first go at Mayhem this year and we’re in the team category.. what’s the deal with rider changeovers? Does the course loop back near the start so that you get a heads-up for when your team member is almost round?

Does the course loop back near the start so that you get a heads-up for when your team member is almost round?

Yes it does. From what I remember from last year, you wind through the start finish area and continue on to a different part of the course about 2/3rds the way into the lap.

frogstomp, that is one of the challenges of the event. Knowing how long your team member takes to do a lap so you are there ready for the change over. As the start fininsh is so full of people and tents you can’t see people until they come into the final straight.

I sugest you get there early on Friday afternoon, set up and then go for a test lap. You will get an idea of a time for a lap when you are not gunning it then take off 10 minutes and that is your “lap time” has worked for us for the last 3 years.