Oh okay I admit I talk like it's about to start being rationed.
National 24 Hour Championship 2011 Report
First things first, a MASSIVE THANK YOU to all those who helped with this insane adventure. Paul and I teamed up for helpers and we could not have even thought of doing it without you, so many friends and family selflessly giving up their time to work hard for you is a very humbling experience.
The important people are: Jean, Roy and Matthew Green, Ruth and Mark Tunnell, Keith Watkins, George Brent, Andy Knight, Mike Ingram and Phil Hawkes.
I first heard that a 24 hour TT was being run in the South about two years ago, normally there’s only one a year up in Chester, and the planning started then. I read as much as I could about it, which helped particularly with organisation but whatever you read can never tell you what it is actually like. Graham Axford (Mad Graham) has done two before so I took note of what he said... “think of doing back to back 12s, and then it’s much harder”
.There were four Addiscombe riding, Paul Tunnell, Graham Axford, Steve Davies, and myself. Not a bad turnout for a 24
and one that I’m sure many of the older members would be pleased to see as we tried our best to relive the spirit, if not the distances, of some of the clubs most illustrious ever riders. If you check out the club’s history you’ll see that Addiscombe were a real tour de force for years in a time when this sort of ultra long distance time trialling was more common and people lived on their bikes.Training consisted of lots of long “miles” rides, time in the saddle, eating on the bike (checking and testing food), night rides, and so on. Final preparation was a couple of weeks of logistics of working out what needed to be bought, packed, taken out with who, who was helping when etc. It’s like planning a military operation!
On the big day and George collected me and most of my boxes of stuff and drove me down to the HQ, Andy was riding down to meet us at the start. Arrive set up and sign in, where’s Paul? Oops he’s running late. He arrived with some top quality last minute faffing, George being a very calm head just told him to sort his kit and get ready while he got the bike ready for the start.
Up a little lane for the start, Mike Anton (of East Grinstead CC and top photographer) pushing us off, and away we went. Paul was off number 1 and I was off 27, Graham 32, and Steve 94.
There was a 20ish mile section to the first circuit and George, Andy and Ruth went off up the A22 to pass a bottle up just as we got to the first circuit before moving on to Balcombe Cross to set up stall as our feed stop on the Little Horsted circuit. What a feed stop
, George put up the big Addiscombe flag, a gazebo and table and had unsupported riders pulling in thinking it was an official feed 
.The Little Horsted circuit was the hilliest of the lot, plenty of drags and a couple of proper hills. I’ve ridden sporting courses that are a damn site easier! I did three laps of this stopping briefly each time at the “feed stop of jealousy” collecting a mix of bottles, fruit cake, lots of flapjack and a pot of rice pudding. Rice pudding is the food of Kings and if anyone does any long distance events take buckets of the stuff with you
.My parents arrived in time for my last feed and there I also had a bit of sum cream on my head as that was starting to go a bit red and they took on the boxes from George.
Next was a transfer of about 20 miles to the Pevensey circuit, which included a seemingly pointless couple of miles down a side out-and-back just to add another climb in
. I saw Graham for the first time here as he was heading the other way having been cut from the Little Horsted circuit earlier. I also Saw Steve for the only time in the whole 24 hours! He was unfortunately by the side of the road with a puncture but a helpful chap was helping him and pumping up his tyre for him. A bit further down the road I passed Graham and exchanged pleasantries before passing Steve’s wife and sister-in-law who were helping him so called out that he’d flatted but was on his way.I only did one lap of the Pevensey circuit, with its lovely lumps and drags up the A22 and, oh joy the climb up through Wartling. Which sadist put a bloody hill climb competition in the circuit!
I stopped at the top and sat down for a cup of tea and something to eat. I had a bad spell here and tried to eat a sausage but was struggling to eat anything. This was bad news, can’t eat, can’t ride. I spent more time apologising than eating as I was farting like trumpet
. I took something to eat on the way as I needed something and would try and eat it on the way.I was then moved on to the loooong transfer to the night circuit. Fortunately the mass of farting had cleared what was obviously a lot of trapped wind caused by all the energy drink I’d been shoving down my throat. Sorry for that image. I could now eat but the transfer was hellish.
The ride to the night circuit finished with a lap of it to take me to Henfield where the night shift were going to be stationed with our feed stop, and was 62 miles of hills and rolling lumps. It incuded Scaynes Hill which is one hell of a hill to shove in after that long on a bike. Although I could now eat my legs were starting to ache a bit now and the night closed in around me. My mood darkened along with the sky and I really limped to the support crew with my legs screaming at me.
I arrived at about 11pm with every muscle fibre in my legs in screaming agony. I was ready to call it quits and pack but sat down for the much needed hot meal, a chunky broth, and a cup of coffee. I had another rice pud and decided to do a lap of the night circuit and see how I felt after that.
After about 40 minutes off the bike including a change of clothes I got back on and set off. Instantly my legs felt much better, pain free and almost back to normal, I was a happy bunny. Our night feed was manned by Mark, Keith, and Matt (my brother) and was another “feed stop of envy” complete with gazebo, table, and a big sort of arc light running of the van
. I think they were a bit surprised to see me again so soon and in so much better spirits as I’d been so close to the edge when they’d last seen me.I set in to a routine of lap, stop for coffee and rice pud, set off with a sausage to eat on the way round the circuit. It worked wonders, as did the joyful spirits of Matt, Keith and Mark each time I stopped. They were equally amazed at some of the speeds Wilco and some of the others were still pounding round at, and amused by Paul when he stopped who seemed to be keeping himself awake with maths filling them in with the rough average speed he’d worked Wilco was doing based on the occasions he’d passed him
. Paul had only stopped for about 20 minutes for his feed and I’m delighted to say after his chest infection was going well and didn’t seem to be having any problems. He had a garmin on his bike and after his first full lap of the night circuit it told him we’d already done the same amount of climbing as an ascent of Alp d’Huez 
. TT’s are flat eh , Paul said it was a 24 hour Sportive not a TT .During the night my Mum and Dad went to the other side of the circuit where a village hall was open to provide sustenance and rest for those that needed it. They had a rest but it was too noisy to sleep so they got the sleeping bags out in the car, unfortunately the noise of disc wheels and so on stopped them getting any actual sleep but they managed to rest up and shut their eyes for a few hours to recharge their batteries as much as possible.
Around 2am the mist came and it was very low. It created a real atmosphere as you scooted on through the dense mist on the unlit circuit. Visibility was basically the tunnel of light you created which with the mist had a soft focus edge to it, the descents were fun navigating yourself at speed round the bend just by following the “romantically lit” white line down the middle of the road. Descents yes, but that means hills too and there were two on this circuit. Actually I used every gear from 53/13 to 39/26 on every circuit on the course such was the terrain.
Full marks to all the marshals through the event but particularly on the night circuit, standing out all night waving their torches and seeing us round safely.
Just after my last coffee, rice pud, sausage stop I was turned off for the next transfer so I pulled in and called in to let the crew know. This transfer had a couple of drags until we got back to the Little Horsted circuit, unfortunately to avoid a right turn on to the circuit we had to go left and climb what felt like a wall to a roundabout to loop that and come back down. As reports I've read about riding 24s have said you do get a lift as day breaks signalling the end of your ride through the night, and you can start to see the light (literally) at the end.
More pain on the hilliest of the circuits stopping for the now traditional coffee and rice pud with my now back on shift Mum and Dad after returning my brother back to the station for his train home. It was great to see Mike and Phil here as well although they’d had a bit of a panic trying to rearrange everything and squeeze it in to cars as Keith had sadly become unwell and had to go home in his van.
I was still feeling okay although my legs were understandably a bit achy and my shoes were now on very loose to ease my feet a touch as they were getting a bit tingly. My Mum told me Paul had stopped for about 20 minutes shut eye on his last lap but was still in good spirits before he set off.
I was turned off after I think my third lap, felt like 30, for the transfer down to Pevensey again and the finishing circuit.
On every circuit the support was great with lots of other support crew and friends from other clubs cheering you on, once down on the finishing circuit and there was more which really helped in those final two hours, particularly at the top of the hill at Wartling who were very vocal. Rob from Lewes Wanderers always gave a big shout as I winched myself over the top with what he described as a “glazed look of death” on my face
, but he said most looked the same at that stage.I caught up with Graham again on the finishing circuit on the A27 and we had a bit of a chat and we both stopped at my parents’ car on our first lap of this circuit. They’d stopped for petrol on the drive to it and it had a costa attached, their coffee and croissants (with rice pud obviously) went down very well. We both hauled our carcasses back on our bikes and set off, Graham dropped back a bit and I saw Marco and Mike (MTBer from E Grinstead) drive in the opposite direction and give a shout. Later on they came back passed and stopped at the top of the hill to cheer the Addiscombe on.
I checked my watch and had a bit of a think. I can carry on at the same pace, which was surprisingly reasonable at the time considering, and get to another timekeeper or two. This means another slog up the A22 climb to finish at the timekeeper at the top of that hill and an awkward spot to meet my parents. I opted instead for the slight ease up and ensure I finished by the lovely Frank Cubis’ timekeeping spot, save myself the A22 slog and finish at a nice spot for collapsing in to a car. I got to Frank five minutes early so pulled in and sat on the kerb for a couple of minutes, still a few more left so I popped up to Frank when there were no riders passing and asked if I had to wait until 12.27 was up to walk past him and he said not to worry and made a note of my finishing mark.
.Hurray, the year’s big target achieved! I am so happy to have done this and pleased as punch to have got through it and finished, it is unquestionably the hardest thing I have done. A monumental physical and mental challenge that I can now cross off the list
. I had a call from Joyce on the way home and she was very happy to hear the good news and delighted to hear that all four of her Addiscombe boys had finished. It is actually pretty good going to have all four start and finish.I was in bed at 8.30pm last night and asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow for 11 hours uninterrupted deep sleep
.The bike: I rode my lovely titanium road bike in standard trim, normal wheels, no tri-bars. It was comfortable and trouble free for the whole ride, although I think when I clean it up I’ll treat it to a new chain.
The morning after: Still grinning like a Cheshire cat and I don’t feel too bad physically. There was a slight tingle on the edge of my feet like pins and needles but that’s nearly gone. My back’s a bit stiff but no more than your back always gets a bit stiff if you stay in one position for too long. My legs aren’t too shabby either, they’re only stiff like they always are after a hard long ride (which I think this qualifies as
). Apart from a few old man noises when I get up out a chair I seem to be in surprisingly good shape. Off work today and tomorrow to rest and recover and enjoy the sun.It takes a while to calculate the milages so I don’t know what I’ve been given yet. Unfortunately my computer got zeroed at a feed my accident but it said 80 miles or a bit less when I looked at it near the feed, and said 260ish miles at the end so I think I’ve done somewhere in the region of 340 miles which tallies up with the distances given on the course description.
Perhaps he should reflect on the advanced ages of most of the field (he was a mere boy); he may be back when he's past the 50 age mark! There were three over-70 year-olds riding! I have to admit that at times I was concerned that my age might mean my helper abilities would fade badly midway through the night. But the great buzz and friendship of this event put that right out of mind. I certainly felt how great it is to be a 'real' cyclist again. Good way to sample the beauties of East and West Sussex - my driving-miles tally was 265! Only downside was seeing how poorly Keith ('Sonic') looked with his tummy bug near the end - hope you are now recovered, Keith. And, after his sterling efforts through Saturday afternoon, quite staggering to learn that a few hours later, George could turn in a staggering PB of 3-55 in the ECCA '100'. Are these men human? certainly I don't think Andy Wilkinson is, setting a Comp Record on this testing 24 course!
