24 HR - Hot August Nights 2007

Well - my 24 HR solo season for me has come to an end this year with the conclusion of Hot August Nights 07.

I gotta say I am really pleased overall with the progress, started this last year at Hot August Nights in 06 and completed 9 laps for a 28th spot. This year I did ride both events; Summer Solstic and Hot August Nights. I was skeptical at first if I could do both events but I am happy I just keep on pushing, learned more this year in both those races that will really drive my off season.

Summer Solstic

Great course up until last weekend I was proud of the 12th place finish and 12 laps. Rollers, not too tough and perfect weather --- the night was chilly but thats better than too humid!!. Got to meet Mark Hendershot, that was pretty cool (finished 3rd I believe at the recent US 24 Nationals..) Got the goals out that I wanted, in getting 12 laps. Its funny the days after the race as I jot down my thoughts in conjunction with the notes from my support team (my wife, she writes down times , pit stops what we did - lenght of time, etc) that I start to realize I could have gotten more. It fueld a bit of my fire heading to June but it was hard, one thing on this style of racing is it just hammers your body. I was having a hard time getting motivated until Mid July, and then it started to come back plus I swapped up my training, not so much endurance riding but lots of good 1hour 1.5 hour intensity sessions. One day per week I drove around Southern Ontario looking for the best stuff to climb!! ( found it Waterdown Hwy6 if anyone is interested!!) -- Kelso isn't bad but there is only one hill to climb really, the ski hill!

Hot August Nights

Smaller field and I was short on support my wife being pregnant the heat was going to not be fun for her. Not to mention the Friday setup - it poured I mean pured that night. Race start I thought I had lost 2 lbs in sweat and I wasn't moving!! I wasn't that passionate about the track either, while I liked to climb and trust me these aren't like big climbs I just call them bothersome because it always feel the climb is off a sharpe left to me and I got no means to get any carrying speed into them... but thats my issue... and I took it on as a challenge. Race started great and on laps 3 and 4 at about the 4K to go mark there was a small technical climb I crashed there twice, HARD... to the extent I thought I wasn't going to keep going.... I was able to gather my head and just road easy for a couple laps and that section I walked the rest of the race.. not worth it to me.

My planned pits were working out decently, a pit every 2 laps... but it really became a pit ever 1.5 laps due to where my site was. One of the lessons learnt was not to be in the pits for a long time. I was in there way to long in June and with no support my plan was 10-15 mins max. This worked out most of the time there were a few that went 30 , 2 of them to be exact --- but the plan seemed to be working, by 11:00 Sunday I was in 7th spot. I wasn;t sure on timing as I came in on lap 14 at 11:50... had no water left and when I heard I could get out one more lap all I had to do for it to count was be in by 1:30 I went for it. I took off at 11:58 and was across the line at 1:05 I was happy - no water,, but happy!!.

Fuelled up and gave out my contgratulations to the guys camping around me. The winner( I always seem to share my site with the winner) Was a fast kid, I say kid cause he looked like 15 but boy could this guy fly!!! Great family support he had and were just great to share a site with!

End Result

6th - 15 laps a peronal best

Next year??? I think I will only do one race got a new family addition on route!!.. hopefully I can try for 18-19 laps. My goal is to be able to 20 laps or more...

So the offseason begins --- first training..... a bit of R&R and fun rides!!.... its nice to get back out and just ride for fun and not be on the bike at 5:00 am, and get to hook up with friends....

And looking at the time..... I am a bit late for one

Ride on folks!!