So what makes a mountain biker desire to start a race at MIDNIGHT, and keep riding 8 mile laps, rotating laps with a team mate for a 12 hour period ending at noon the next day? I dunno... I certainly can't stay up much pass 9:00, let alone attempt to stay up all night! But there's something unique about the 12- and 24-hour races...something cult-like, something luring that 
makes us want to go back for more repeatedly. Here's a really cool race report from some 12-hour groupies from last year. This will be my 6 or 7th (can't remember!) 12 or 24 hour race...and I've just realized all but 1 have been with my teammate for many years now, the one and only Donna Weiser. Her hubby and her have been doing these types of races for much longer than I. In fact, it was THEM who got me into these thangs with Ole Bull Midnight Madness being my first 12 hour race. There's ALWAYS comraderie and a family atmostphere at most mountain bike races and Xterra races, but its more family like when you do a sleepover -- or is that lack of sleep-over -- in a commune like situation. We're gathered around campfires (sometimes), sipping on pressed coffee to stay awake, bundled in blankets to stay warm, and if we're really lucky, we may have some mud and raindrops to play in too. We eat food off a tiny little grill or propane-fired bunson burner, or better yet, packets of dehydrated yumyums make it to our plates. Sounds like fun, huh! Well, it actually is. Its nothing but shits and giggles the whole weekend. So early Saturday, we're heading south to Fredericksburg Virignia to the 12 Hours of Lodi. Last year, Amy Breyla and Loretta Torres, two MASS regulars, were the only duo girl 
team. They turned laps between 1:05 and 1:15 -- nothing less of mega-fast for girls! (the boys were averaging about 1 hour laps). Donna has always been the strategist of our team races, and she's strategizing on this one too. At first, we planned to do double laps; but we've since found out some interesting facts about the body's adaption during and shutting down after endurance riding and we'd be better off doing single laps to keep things in check. Donna hasn't confirmed that yet, but I believe that's the route we may go since the source of our info is a reliable, reputable source. So off to Virginny we go in a day or two. Watch for the race report on Monday morning!
makes us want to go back for more repeatedly. Here's a really cool race report from some 12-hour groupies from last year. This will be my 6 or 7th (can't remember!) 12 or 24 hour race...and I've just realized all but 1 have been with my teammate for many years now, the one and only Donna Weiser. Her hubby and her have been doing these types of races for much longer than I. In fact, it was THEM who got me into these thangs with Ole Bull Midnight Madness being my first 12 hour race. There's ALWAYS comraderie and a family atmostphere at most mountain bike races and Xterra races, but its more family like when you do a sleepover -- or is that lack of sleep-over -- in a commune like situation. We're gathered around campfires (sometimes), sipping on pressed coffee to stay awake, bundled in blankets to stay warm, and if we're really lucky, we may have some mud and raindrops to play in too. We eat food off a tiny little grill or propane-fired bunson burner, or better yet, packets of dehydrated yumyums make it to our plates. Sounds like fun, huh! Well, it actually is. Its nothing but shits and giggles the whole weekend. So early Saturday, we're heading south to Fredericksburg Virignia to the 12 Hours of Lodi. Last year, Amy Breyla and Loretta Torres, two MASS regulars, were the only duo girl 
team. They turned laps between 1:05 and 1:15 -- nothing less of mega-fast for girls! (the boys were averaging about 1 hour laps). Donna has always been the strategist of our team races, and she's strategizing on this one too. At first, we planned to do double laps; but we've since found out some interesting facts about the body's adaption during and shutting down after endurance riding and we'd be better off doing single laps to keep things in check. Donna hasn't confirmed that yet, but I believe that's the route we may go since the source of our info is a reliable, reputable source. So off to Virginny we go in a day or two. Watch for the race report on Monday morning! 
2 comments:
VILLIE FISHA!!!
Hi! It's Amy. Just wanted to say my duo partner was Diane Vettori. Loretta raced ast he only solo woman I believe. Great job!
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