National 24 hour Time Trial

[Mohammad L]

Steve and I for this epic event held on the weekend. Only 3 hours sleep the night before as I was ensuring I had everything for the event. Up at 4.30am for a 7.30am departure from London Euston station to Crewe where I had to change for a train to Chester. Didn’t realise it would be an eventful journey. I had three items of luggage, one being very heavy as it had all my drinks in it. It was such a struggle and I was knackered when I got on the train. At Crewe, one of the train crew members was supposed to let me off with my bike and he never turned up – luckily the drive noticed me on CCTV and came to my assistance. As a result of this delay, I had only 6 mins to get to my next train five platforms away . Had to leave my luggage briefly while I ferried my bike across first. Station staff then stopped me and annoyingly lectured me on security and unattended luggage. Fortunately, the train was delayed and just managed to get onto the service. Arrived at Chester and got a lift from the course organiser to the HQ in Farndon. The first nightmare over.

3 and a half hours before my start at 13:59. Met Steve at the HQ who was off 30mins earlier than my time. In the meantime, handed my food and drink to the signing on steward for it to be transferred to Prees island, a major base in the event where the two main race circuits converged.

Anyway, two main circuits featured in this event – a long 40 mile section and a shorter 13 mile one. Felt really good in the first 4.5 hours, keeping it steady and working hard. Average speed gradually increasing to 22.3mph by 100 miles which I completed in around 4 hrs 29 mins. Then struck with severe nausea and took a break for about an hour – could not eat proper food as my appetite was poor. Still feeling a bit sick, I went on the short 13 mile loop, and it got worse. So, decided a different approach – got off aerobars and sat upright. Felt better and did a few more short loops. Dusk was settling in and marshals were redirecting riders back to the 40 mile circuits. I was feeling surprisingly strong and did a lap before taking a 1.5 hour break (feeling sleepy). Started to shiver past midnight and one of the helpers lent me his high vis jacket to put on. A few more laps and kept taking 30 min breaks in between. Appetite was suppressed so not eating well. It was pitch black at night – we were riding on unlit roads - I just felt so alone. It was spooky for me, never having ridden at night before.

After 17 hours, I hit the wall. Switched to small ring for first time. My legs were like jelly, my butt was non-existent and I was freewheeling for most of the time, getting out of the saddle every 30 seconds. My mind was going – I couldn’t concentrate. It was demoralising – after every 13 mile loop, I was taking a 30 minute break! Finally, we were redirected onto the finishing circuit ( 12 mile lap) and I punctured on the first lap, which to my annoyance took 40 minutes as I just did not have any strength to get the last section of tyre onto the rim. Stopped in total for about one and a half hours on the finishing circuit - no will power whatsoever. As I passed the HQ, i was genuinely considering abandoning the event even though there was just an hour to go. I decided though to continue and somehow I hammered it in the last 40 mins covering 16 miles. Don’t know where the sudden energy came from but switched to big ring and was absolutely flying! The whistle blew and then I rode 10 miles back to HQ which seemed like an eternity – I thought I was going to faint.

Results

Steve : 370.867 miles

Mo : 358.679 miles

Steve came 43rd and myself 48th out of 103 competitors. Congratulations to Steve for finishing and getting a 42 mile pb on last years result! Well done!

I was genuinely disappointed with my mileage as I was aiming for at least 400 miles. I was scheduled for 430ish but after 17 hours I was just trying to survive and finish. I don’t think 3 hours sleep night before, nausea, a suppressed appetite, 5 hours 50 minutes stopping time, an extremely sore ass for 15 hours and no support crew was exactly ideal. In a way I’m pleased I did and finished the 24 hour but one thing is for sure – I’m not going near this event again and I’m never going again with my bike on a train up to a TT again! I don’t know what I was thinking doing that! Hats off to Mersey Roads Club for an extremely well organised event and to all the helpers who mack such an event possible.

..... Then a 3.5 hour train journey back to Euston - throbbing head, no sleep, babies wailing - very unpleasant. Got a take away and retired to bed. Woke up and thought - did that really happen?! An extremely sore ass and dead quads laid that doubt to rest....

Cheers, Mo

[simon Lythgoe]

Good God that sounds horrific! Well done, really impressed with the will power to finish! well written too, you really tapped into the pain.

[Andrew G]

Massive congratulations Mo, don't be dissapointed with your milage, finishing is a major achievement and not something to take lightly. As you discovered 24 hours is a long time and you can have all the plans and schedules you like but sticking to them is a different matter.

Stunning achievement to do this in your first season, and to do it unsupported and getting the train up on the morning of the event!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Congratulations Steve, look forward to your report, and I'll get polishing for you. Really pleased to hear you both finished and got through it.

[Lucyap]

Congratulations Mo and Steve, good effort

[Sylv]

[size=150]PR PS[/size]

[carl f]

That proper hardcore Mo!, very well done too you on finishing and achieving what most people inc myself wouldn't even consider
With the lack of preparation and rest the day before along with lugging your gear up on the trains,stress etc no wonder you suffered for it
Perhaps think about getting some cheap digs near a big event you enter next time to get a full nights sleep and rest
Anyway very well done to Mo and Steve and recover well
Great report

[Ghaleb]

Well done Mo!!

[Marcus]

Mo
Don't beat yourself up, this was an epic achievement. You have confirmed that cyclists are tougher both physically and mentally than any other mad beast known to man.

Chapeau

[SteveD]

After Mo's epic voyage of self discovery my ride seems serene, even mundane, by comparison. I had the luxury of driving up on Friday to stay with Sue's mum in Wrexham who lives about 5 miles from the HQ and start. We also stayed over after the event and didn't get home till late Tuesday night so today is the first time I've had access to the forum. I was able to have a leisurely Saturday morning preparing before driving over to the HQ where we met up with Mo who told us of the problems he'd had wtih the trains. By this time Mo had already made arrangements for his food and gear to be taken onto the course and seemed ready to go.

My plan this time was the same as last year which was to try and enjoy the ride as much as possible with no targets, no schedule and no pressure (I had no idea Mo had set himself such an ambitious target). Having said that, last year's experience and my training rides suggested that I should be capable of around 350 miles especially on the much flatter course and with generally good surfaces. At least the weather was good to start though the wind got up steadily from the south-west during the second half of the event. The starting temperature was also very comfortable.

The good conditions meant the early miles were quite easy and the first 100 went by in a surprisingly fast 5 hrs 10 mins - a bit too fast maybe but it was probably worth making the most of the conditions which were set to get harder. Hadn't seen much of Mo in the early miles but he did catch me at around the 165 mile point when we had a brief chat in the dark. I wasn't too happy at this point as I'd lost contact with my support team after an unexpectedly early switch from the short circuit onto the longer one and I was running out of steam and getting hungry so I told Mo I was going to stop at the next turn and get on the phone. Mo in turn said he'd been ok up to this point but was beginning to suffer - prophetic words as it must have been shortly after this that things started to go seriously pear shaped for him. Mo then went on his way and I stopped to make my phone call. Luckily my team had almost caught up with me and were just a mile up the road so normal service was resumed.

The next couple of hours in the dark were uneventful apart from one of my rear lights managing to leap off my saddlepack. Luckily I heard it land on the road and was able to pick it up pretty quickly. By this time we had the long circuit sussed out and the food stops were working out very well - I just needed one longer stop of 15 mins shortly after the 12 hr point to recover a bit. I was slightly over 200 miles for 12 hrs which was only about 10 miles further than last year so I was going to need a good second 12. I knew things were going quite well as various milestones went past - 300 miles with several hours to go, last year's 328 still with plenty of time and then
350 and still not out of time.

As it got lighter the wind was picking up and the southbound legs were getting harder and harder but at least the northbound legs were ok and the wind was behind me for the longer run up to the finishing circuit which was a bit more sheltered. The down side was that the finishing circuit had some patches of poor road surface and a particularly nasty long drag into the wind (the sort of climb you could spin up on the big ring when fresh!). The first lap was ok (passed Mo who had punctured) but I started to struggle after that, particularly with numb and burning feet. I was encouraged to reach the 360 mark on the second lap and had just had enough time to make 370 on the third and was lucky to finish by the timekeeper right next to the HQ ! My second 24 was over and I'd really enjoyed it again. As Mo said the organisation was very good and there were plenty of folk to cheer you on (and even cow bells).

We were beginning to get a bit worried about Mo as time was ticking away after the last riders had finished. He did eventually turn up in a bit of a dehydrated state having ridden a good part of the circuit to get back to the HQ. He was clearly not a happy man but he did recover fairly quickly vowing never to ride another one (at least not this year). Given his problems Mo's ride was pretty spectacular and it would be a shame if he didn't ride another (with support) when this one is a dim and distant memory.

[joyce]

Congratulations to both of you.
Hope you are both feeling pleased with you rides.
Another holder of the 24hr.Trophy .
You should both feel very pleased with yourselves.
Enjoyed the write ups.
Chapeau!!!
Joyce,

[Andrew G]

Good to hear about your ride Steve and super supporter Sue .

Glad you enjoyed it again, I'm almost tempted to do another . Sounds like this course is a bit flatter, worth the trip?

Congratulations on winning the Old Boy's trophy .

[SteveD]

If you do decide to do another one, Andrew, then this course is certainly worth a visit. I would say the combination of flatter and smoother roads is worth around 15 miles over the Sussex course in the same conditions. In fact, having ridden this course I think I would find it quite difficult to contemplate riding the Sussex course again.

As far as my ride went I think I was close to the limit of what I can do with my 'enjoy the ride' approach - to go any further I'd have to change my training and approach and it would probably mean less enjoyment and more pain. I'm not sure I'm up for that but you never know.