strathpuffer 24

i'd already been driving for 2hrs before the sun started to rise. this is my favourite time day, anything is possible and when the colours are right it makes me feel invincible. passing the snow dusted fells of the lake district, with the dark orange sun creeping up into the sky, it was a glorious morning. was this a sign, it felt like a sign and what with my usual 'race preparation' i needed something. feeling just as under prepared and under trained as usual, i decided to take comfort in this familiarity. i made a promise to myself. this year strathpuffer would not beat me, i would ride until the end. i would ride until the sun came up. i knew i wouldn't be fast or even smooth over the technical ground but i would keep going.

having spent my hotel budget on ice spikers i was camping on site this year. as it turned out the snow and ice also had other plans. this year the air was moist and warm, the course rocky and muddy, no excuses. i was woken on the saturday morning by the adventure show, they want to get the perspective of solo racers and asked the question i'd been dreading, "how do you train for an event like this?". after much laughter i headed to the start line.

the first fire road climb went for as long as i remembered, the rock section just as tricky, the singletrack just as twisty, the mud, well this was a first but not nearly as bad as it looked. and the views, the views were beautiful. you'll have to take my word for it, as in the interest of 'pushing on' and not making excuses i left my camera in the tent. keep on spinning, keep on moving.

still taken from this ace little video

and so it went on, slow grinding lap after slow grinding lap. but i was enjoying myself, i was riding my bike, the company of fellow riders was great and the marshals ever cheerier. lap 6 was ridden by the light of the moon. it was stunning, nearly the best lap of the whole ride. then it was time for lights. again, i just pottered on in my own little world. aware that i'd been lapped by both the men's and the women's solos but it really didn't matter. another tea cake and a sip of coke and some more up hill grinding.

things got a little harder during the night but it's the same for everyone and it's that sense of camaraderie that gets you through. that and the fact that the light charging guys let me stand by their heater whilst i ate cold pizza. back on the course and back to chatting with anyone willing to slow their pace for a while. this is the unique thing about 'puffer you get all sorts and everyone has a story for their reason to ride in circles for 24hrs. from the proper racing snakes to folks riding in wellies.

by 6am i was really flagging. an extended pit stop nearly ended it all but i remembered my promise and climbed back on my bike. i kept thinking, 'just one more lap'. i managed to trick myself into doing another 3. by 9am the sun was up but too cloudy for anything magical. just one more lap. and this was the best one. back to riding the rocks after my loss of confidence during the night, views of snow dusted hills, everyone was smiling. i'd bloody done it, i'd kept going. 17 laps and i could finally stop and sit down and not worry about having to get back up.

and to top it off i'd managed to ride into 2nd*. totally unaware that jo had been asleep for a few hours and was now chasing me down. she finished just 4mins behind, i'm glad i didn't know!! i can't recommend this race enough, the course is great and the atmosphere is fantastic. well worth the drive.

oh, and happy new year folks!!

*out of 3 women but sounds better than 16/50 overall.