TORQ in your Sleep 12 hour solo

I'd like to complete a 12 hour solo mtb race in 2017. I entered into a 6 hour solo event for 2016, but my anxiety got the better of me, so, to save myself the near-crippling worry that plagues me when something stressful is on my mind, I pulled out of it. I also let down @Howard, who I was going to do a 24 hour team event with. Oh well, a new year is coming, so time to try again.

This is the event I'd like to do: https://www.gorrick.com/racing/enduro12/

I've never competed in anything like this before. I did some longer rides when I was younger, but have become very unfit over the past few years and find myself leading the Badger rides in an increasingly overweight and frustratingly slow manner ( you're all used to waiting at the top of hills for me by now ). If I've any hope of finishing, It's going to require plenty of training; this is slightly complicated, as my generally anxious state often prevents me from being able to leave the house, even for something I know I'd enjoy. The Badger rides have been particularly helpful in this regard, as the worry of letting people down can override the fear of getting outside. @TomvanHalen has also helped recently, by getting me out for a few local rides, where I'm reminded that I have a long way to go, fitness-wise.

I suppose I'm posting this in the hope that It'll help me get my head around the idea of doing what's required. I realise it doesn't sound like much, on a forum consisting of ultra endurance athletes competing in 24 hour time trials and cross-continent races, but it feels like a lot to me.

Training won't start for a couple of weeks, but all the rides will be logged on here: https://www.strava.com/athletes/3011696 should you wish to heckle/inspire me along the way..

Cheers,

Pete

Pete, we're all here you for you mate, just ask and we'll do what we can.

Best of luck. I should be doing a 12hr TT this year, so I can slightly relate.

Behind you all the way man. Still reckon Kate and I should put an entry in

Good luck sir. Aim high and all that

Best of luck Pete! I'll be there for the 6 hour and my mums partner does the 12 hour every year. If you'd like to join us on a ride sometime around Deepcut, which isn't far from Minley Manor, you're more than welcome to.
And of course I'll be there to show support on the day!

Good choice of event. Don't have much riding time at the moment due to parental duites as you know but happy to try and fit a ride in when it gets a bit lighter if you want a companion/need motivation?

You could also come out for a run with me some time. It'll hurt but will get you fit :)

Thanks all!

Not sure if Norfolk road riding will be part of the training, but I'll gladly come out if you want some help with the fitness side of things, just let me know if you want company :)

Not sure if Norfolk road riding will be part of the training

Hoping to do lots of this. Need to shift a fair bit of weight :-)

Fucking go for it.
Aim to finish not be a contender to win.

Only done 6hour racing 5 times.
I could not win, no chance, goal was to finish, last the time, go the full 6hours, do as many laps as i could.
Better riders on way better bikes than me started dropping out from lap 1
5 times i finished, no DNF's here :)

Just break the event into rideable segments, say ride for 2 hours, then have a rest, then ride again, then rest, just break it down into manageable chunks.

Been roped into things with ex-squaddies, got one round a 24 mile sportive several weeks back. Fella is 28 stone, the goal was to just get round, when he needed to stop we stopped, when he needed to walk uphill we walked, then rested. On the flat he averaged 13mph.
He's so fired up he and another squaddie have entered the ride london 46 (guess who is roped in again) double the distance. His aim is to drop to 19 stone so he can ride a road bike, spurred on by our other 28 stoner dropping to 18.9 stone and getting a road bike, again the goal is just to get round.
He's already checking out times and average speeds to complete, and i have gone with modding the MTB if the weight loss dosen't happen, it's a big drop. But if we change his tyres and put a larger chainring on i can up his average speed.
(i will be in the lottery to event so might not get to ride round with them)

Have a crack at the event, just aim to finish, you will be allright :)

Cool, you know where I am, just holler!

Aim to finish not be a contender to win.

I'm not very competitive. Would just like to survive.

Fair play fella!
I didn't even know you had issues with anxiety.....

I've been wanting to do something like this as well....I cycle long distances quite regularly, but am only ever competitive against myself, if that makes sense. I tend to think of long rides as a nice way of getting somewhere and seeing nice things, rather than training. Just get on your bike and then think of where you are going to go.....I find that way, it's less daunting. If I set out, thinking I'm going to do 100 miles off road, I don't really enjoy it till afterwards, but if I just set out and make it up as I go along, the mileage total at the end is always a surprise....and I've stroked some nice dogs and spoken to some interesting folk along the way....double bonus!
Make use of the canal network too, as its traffic free with lots of good things to see......I'm more than willing to go for a spin with you, rota permitting as always!

:)
Making the finish line is the goal then. Survive until time expires.

That's easier than racing for a placing, to podium, or top ten, or top twenty, your riding (not racing) to finish.

Quite often the plodders finish and superfast shiny new racy bike types either knacker the bike beyond repair in a few laps or just push too hard and blow up.

Quite often the plodders finish and superfast shiny new racy bike types either knacker the bike beyond repair in a few laps or just push too hard and blow up.

This! Especially at this particular event. I've watched it a couple of times now and some of the riders attempting to bomb it around are actually in a group of 4 or so people, so they only have to do a lap every couple of hours.
Finishing a 12 hour event like this is already a huge achievement.

Now to decide whether it's worth fitting a suspension fork :-/

Absolutely. More grip, less fatigue.

More grip, less fatigue.

There is that. Part of me thinks that I'm really used to riding rigid now, but then if I use the sus fork over the Summer, then that's what I'd be used to around the time of the event.

Go for it dude! Followed on Strava for occasional thumbs up etc

It's a great event but it is mentally very tough to ride the whole 12hours.

I'd suggest that whatever your training you do some races beforehand. Gorrick is a great organiser - I'd consider the Gorrick 100 at the start of May even if it's just to do the one lap and the Summer Monkey in June.

Remove all thoughts of rigid from your head. It's a rooty course. Every little niggle magnifies and becomes painful.

12hrs is basically a Z2 effort with more on some of the hills just to get up. It's perfectly acceptable to walk up hills - I walked one from the start and still got on the podium.

We should do a guided ride down there - it's possible to do most of the course.

Aha, a man who lives and breathes these things :-)

Cheers for that. I should be around to do the Gorrick 100. Having the option of choosing how many laps to aim for looks useful. It's also far enough away that I'll have lost some weight/gained some fitness by then.

After a few years of SS, I'm going geared now, so will set myself a very slow pace.

Good luck with this Pete!

Dusting off the turbo trainer tomorrow. Let's see how long that lasts.

What a great race to aim for! I'm certainly no mtb guy but have done lots of endurance rodie stuff so just shout if you need a companion on a training ride. Does wonders for your confidence having someone to ride with, if you're just chatting away time will fly.

Good luck with the turbo - got any specific training plan on the computer or just spinning the legs for the time being?

Will follow with interest, would love to do something like this in the future (if for no other reason than to build a bike for the job!).