12 Hours of Cumberland

[glenowyn]

This year because the 12 hours is pretty close to the BCBR I didn't think it would be a good idea to do the race solo. I have raced it solo for four years. Last year I ended up having back problems which lasted too long. I twisted my friend Kate's rubber arm to be my partner. We had partnered up before as the mad jammers for the dirty duo race in North Van, a trail run, mountain bike race. It was different doing the race with a partner. We did 3 sets of 4 laps about 2 hours of riding or waiting. The laps, the fastest man in the world, Sam Whittingham was doing 21 minute laps, my laps were about 24 to 26 minutes. 15 minutes of logging road climb to slash which took you into the single track. Finishing up the usual route through mud, shale. tangles of roots, high bank berms, across the creek up the road to lap point in the peace park

This race is famous for its s*** bike laps. Grab one of the two bikes by the pooper and get 2 s*** laps for one. I had time to try out the bikes, when Kate came in I grabbed the BMX style bike and headed up the hill. I got a compliment from Sam when he passed me that I was hauling on it. I also passed 2 people on the bike. When Amanda passed me I looked at her 29 " wheels and my 24" and thought it probably should have bigger wheels. The race is hard to do. It has a rhythm up until 12pm its pretty festive. people turning in fast times. After 12pm, especially around 2 pm the day seems like it will never end people taking extended breaks, around 5 is decision time how long are you going to keep riding how many laps will keep you safe. Around 2 pm people starting stratigizing with the s*** bikes and they are hard to find. The team we were competing with did 3 - 4 s* bike laps.

so I learned to get into a TT position and use my legs and glutes up the hill and logging road Kate started the race so I had the finish. My final set I wanted to get 5 laps in in 2 and half hours. There was not a lot of room to have anything go wrong. That was the motivation on the final hill climbs, to go harder in case I messed up the roots on the bottom and needed some extra time. I was really happy that even on the final laps I kept learning new lines to make the trail faster and with smart line choices and sloppiness didn't creep in. I was also happy to push it hard right to the end soloing it makes it hard to finish up with fast laps. We finished with 5 minutes to spare and 27 laps completed with 1 s** lap our competition had 22 laps with 3-4 s** laps. The men's team completed 31 laps. Sam Whittingham won the men's solo with 27 laps and 1 s** lap. Kate and I got her mugs. There was one team of a family with 2 boys that competed. Super fun event more people should try it out.

[Roland]

Sounds like good times, like I always say: "I'll do it next year."