The King of all 24 hour racing, WEMBO 24 is the World Championships of 24 hour MTB racing and this year it just happened to be held in Armidale, Australia. I saw a glimpse of light peering through a narrow window of opportunity. I was finally able to work a bit less, train a bit more, afford a new bike and travel to go all in - 100% for the win. For the first time in my life I could negotiate the barriers to optimise my performance - the job where I make just enough to get the bike, work a bit less, live in my epic basement, and afford my beloved ice dog bath on the deck. This was it - I had a superb hand of cards - it was time to play.
I dialled in every aspect of racing - experience (a smidge, #3 in 24H racing), research and practice aiming to put together a stellar performance. This included new-bike day, training specifically across 20 weeks (riding/gym/swimming), self-physio (putting everything I know to the test. N=1), nutrition plan/practice, mental training and strategy, course ride/review and a bizzion other 1%s. Every aspect must be dialed as it's the difference between first and second and even third. Could I optimise every aspect, minimize risk and have it all come together on the day? Only very specific 24 hours would tell…
I dialled in every aspect of racing - experience (a smidge, #3 in 24H racing), research and practice aiming to put together a stellar performance. This included new-bike day, training specifically across 20 weeks (riding/gym/swimming), self-physio (putting everything I know to the test. N=1), nutrition plan/practice, mental training and strategy, course ride/review and a bizzion other 1%s. Every aspect must be dialed as it's the difference between first and second and even third. Could I optimise every aspect, minimize risk and have it all come together on the day? Only very specific 24 hours would tell…
New bike day. My Hei Hei was turning seven and on its last wheels, I saw a fellow rider had a 20 lbs bike as compared to my 27lb Hei Hei and I did not want to repeat the devil's cardigan - bringing a sword to a gun fight. We had options with two in mind - Orbea Ozi or Scott Spark. The Orbea was the winner considering it is their only XC bike based on a 120mm front/rear platform (I’ll take the long-travel and dropper for a good time, thanks) and we could actually get one. Does it EVER perform. The slacker headtube angle and longer chainstay resulted in a long wheelbase allowing more stability in downhills and easier on technical climbs. Link-assisted single pivot with a flexstay stiffened up the rig and reduced weight. The remote lock-out allowed stiffness on the flats and epic-squishness in the descents. Just brilliant. The Orbea was a stiff, fast racing machine as compared to the Hei Hei which comparatively felt like a whippy and poppy noodle out for a good time, but ready to retire. My Hei Hei holds a special place in my heart and soul as we’ve raced many races and have had many good times, however, I needed a new machine to match my approach to this race and the Orbea fit the bill. Pure business. Party-time later.
Training was ridiculous. I created a skeleton plan and executed. Between the Tassie Gift Nov 2022 and volunteering for the Enduro in March 2023 was dedicated to heavy lifting, riding Maydena and having fun with friends. This was followed with a twelve weeks getting back into proper training and re-building the aerobic engine leading to the Devil Cardigan. Next followed was twenty weeks of specific training for WEMBO. This was plain ol’ load management. Building volume on the weekends, intervals with increasing intensity, gym to maintain strength/stability/mobility, a swim to remain sane and a balanced human, and a fun ride with friends on Wednesday nights. As time went by, gym weights decreased, weekend ride time/speed increased on the gravel bike and slowly transitioned to the mountain bike. On the mountain bike, weekends focused on eating/drinking and finding fuels that worked and practicing laps as similar as possible to what the course would be like. As life has flux, risks of getting sick, working Saturdays, and the capricious climate of Tassie’s winter, things were shifted around according to the ebs and flows. This all summated to a 60%-ish 1.5ish week taper… anymore I’d lose my mind and my fitness.
Nutritionally speaking I had a not-so-extravagant diet of all the delicious things - veg, beets, potatoes, burritos which somewhat matched how much I was riding to ensure fueling the fire and recovery after. For race practice, I tried the Team-Sky rice cakes which were great in training but not so great on race day. Tailwind has never failed me since I discovered it in 2015. Despite practice alongside trial and error, the race day diet was the biggest failure. I had a beautiful plan drawn out on the back of a pizza box for Dylan to follow - a steezy 12,000 calorie which ended in 6000 cals which somehow something happen. Luckily I had quite a few kilos of potatoes the two nights prior to raceday.
Mental training and strategy were huge. I read tons of books, learned lots of things, practiced a lot of strategies and researched who I was racing to be 100% bulletproof. This was the black-box alongside the “why”... No one will ever understand and it would take a novel…
And the race began. I went out hard with Hollie for a few laps to gain a lead and actually send the descents like a proper XC race. Then settled into a sustainable pace just on the edge and await Kate to catch me which I knew she would as I was aware she REALLY wanted this win and suspected if anyone was training harder and smarter than I was it was probably her. Somewhere out there Kate caught me and squeaked by and my job was to keep just close enough to keep the pressure on, let her push hard and perhaps just a bit too much and blow up. Then I’d respond near the end and take the big W - Nino Schurter style...
The First 6 hours were like a fast XC race and pits were quick and efficient. We practiced swapping hydro packs on/off and grabbing food/lollies. Pitzone stops were far quicker and more efficient than last year’s 24 (second 24 ever) and I had my faffing down to a zero.
The next 12 hours included putting on lights and swapping batteries. This slowed the pits to 1-2 mins compared to Kate’s 30 seconds of just grabbing the other bike and rolling out. Around 2am I had a sense my lights were going to fail despite Dylan’s peek at the 2 battery line mark. Out there on the far side of the course the headlight failed. Few minutes later the front failed and there I was. Left in the dark. Luckily a few other riders were about so I followed at a distance in their line of light, trusting my skills and coordination to respond to the unknown rocks and terrain. After so many laps it was already second nature as if “riding in your sleep” but I still fell over a couple times. It was a slowish lap by 5 mins but was also a break. I smashed some potatoes while Dylan sorted the batteries and off I went. Aware of my calorie deficit I tried to force feed a kiwi and lollies and try to not let them come back up.
The First 6 hours were like a fast XC race and pits were quick and efficient. We practiced swapping hydro packs on/off and grabbing food/lollies. Pitzone stops were far quicker and more efficient than last year’s 24 (second 24 ever) and I had my faffing down to a zero.
The next 12 hours included putting on lights and swapping batteries. This slowed the pits to 1-2 mins compared to Kate’s 30 seconds of just grabbing the other bike and rolling out. Around 2am I had a sense my lights were going to fail despite Dylan’s peek at the 2 battery line mark. Out there on the far side of the course the headlight failed. Few minutes later the front failed and there I was. Left in the dark. Luckily a few other riders were about so I followed at a distance in their line of light, trusting my skills and coordination to respond to the unknown rocks and terrain. After so many laps it was already second nature as if “riding in your sleep” but I still fell over a couple times. It was a slowish lap by 5 mins but was also a break. I smashed some potatoes while Dylan sorted the batteries and off I went. Aware of my calorie deficit I tried to force feed a kiwi and lollies and try to not let them come back up.
The dawn broke and lights came off. 6 hours to go. Feeling great besides the inability to eat more and pedal any faster my heart rate just wouldn’t budge for more speed. I was close behind Kate and ahead of "The Diesel" - Chelsey. I kept putting in the laps and now just pounding Coke-Cola. It was an interesting experience to have no struggle- zero - in the mind but the body just won’t go without more fuel. Somewhere with 3 hours to go, I snuck up and saw Kate. She was a few minutes ahead. I saw her drop into the forest then again on a short switchback which lead to a longer switchback climb. As I started the second switchback climb she was gone and my hallucinating brain could not comprehend where she had gone. I was not going that slow, surly! But she was gone. I kept pressing on, pounding the Cokes lap by lap and with 2 hours to go there wasn’t much I could do. With the calorie deficit I was going as hard as I could with the none-fuel I had. Soon enough I was out on the final lap and walked the black diamond "climb of shame" - as I called it - and rolled my way to the finish line 8 minutes after 12:00. I got off my bike and my back muscles spasmed and I was stuck here on the ground for a good 10 mintues. My body felt like a giant salty sausage and if you’d wrapped me in white bread I’d be a sausage sizzle for the win. My hands were sore but not as bad as in the past. I took a shower and awaited to heckle the crap out of Kate in again (like I did last year) once she rolled across the finish line… She held me off till the end once again and was World Champ!
I was so stoked it was unreal. I would have loved to have won but I was still so increditable stoked with second in a VERY stacked field. I finally had my chance in life to race at a world cup-ish level and all the women (and dudes) were world class. Everyone but me was some level of 24H World/National Champion or XC/Gravel National Champion but I knew if I had the opportunity, I could also be competitive. I had a great hand of cards and played them to my best ability. Nutrition, lights, and maybe experience as this is only my third go at 24H racing were the weakness links in this performance. But still so incredibly stoked. Given Kate and I were in the elite men’s field we would have been 3rd and 4th. It doesn’t get any better than this.
I was so stoked it was unreal. I would have loved to have won but I was still so increditable stoked with second in a VERY stacked field. I finally had my chance in life to race at a world cup-ish level and all the women (and dudes) were world class. Everyone but me was some level of 24H World/National Champion or XC/Gravel National Champion but I knew if I had the opportunity, I could also be competitive. I had a great hand of cards and played them to my best ability. Nutrition, lights, and maybe experience as this is only my third go at 24H racing were the weakness links in this performance. But still so incredibly stoked. Given Kate and I were in the elite men’s field we would have been 3rd and 4th. It doesn’t get any better than this.
Having the opportunity to do this was so great - the chance to spread my wings and fly.. To train and race like a pro. To get the nice bike, know how to train, travel, get there early and pre-ride. Know the course and the lines. Have all the small bits. To have my trusty Dylan in the pit zone doing everything for the best outcome. Looking forward to doing this again would be amazing. But it takes time. Luck. Money. I loved the training and the racing and most definitely was not a fan of the two weeks between. My mind was unsure what to do, I got irrational thoughts like the grocery store is going to run out of bananas because a 24 hour race is intown!
Anyway, to be able to do this again would be unreal. If the peeking light of opportunity is spotted again, I can learn from this race (and Kate), improve and execute. Until then, we took a vaca to the middle of Australia to see the giant rock Uluru, scout out thorny devils and then return to life on the sleepy island of Tassie where the hills and mountains call and I fall back into the daily routines dreaming of the next big adventure. An honor and privilege to do what I have and hopefully I can have another chance to chase the dream.
And for those of you who never believed I couldn't pull something like this off and said riding bikes is a “hobby” or a waste of time - Shake-n-Bake baby because I just licked that stamp and sent it!
Also, if you had a read, I hope you may have learnt something. Training for this is bloody hard work - which I absolutly love - and there are no shortcuts.
Huge thanks to Dylan my trusty partner for his support in the pits
Ride Bellerive for supporting me and Dylan
New England Mountain Bike Club - the trails were EPIC
Kali Protective for epic helmets the last 9 years that I ralley but can't wear racing in AUS.
GoPro - share the stoke!
Revolution bicycles - stoking the inside fire!
Crank Bicycles (Paully) - being RAD
Armidale Bicycle Center - the headlamp mount was stellar!
POC - winter gear and helmet. I don't completly freeze in Tassie!
Orbea - your Ozi is SICK.
My Bike Fam! Dylan's Fam. My Grandad (sorry, I still love this)! Stepdad (gym is happy place!)
My work + Australia - it's okay - you can take time off to bike race.
Kate - thanks for training and loving this ridiculously awesome sport as much as I do and invest so much into training.
Nino Schurter - lifetime of inspiration.
And for those of you who never believed I couldn't pull something like this off and said riding bikes is a “hobby” or a waste of time - Shake-n-Bake baby because I just licked that stamp and sent it!
Also, if you had a read, I hope you may have learnt something. Training for this is bloody hard work - which I absolutly love - and there are no shortcuts.
Huge thanks to Dylan my trusty partner for his support in the pits
Ride Bellerive for supporting me and Dylan
New England Mountain Bike Club - the trails were EPIC
Kali Protective for epic helmets the last 9 years that I ralley but can't wear racing in AUS.
GoPro - share the stoke!
Revolution bicycles - stoking the inside fire!
Crank Bicycles (Paully) - being RAD
Armidale Bicycle Center - the headlamp mount was stellar!
POC - winter gear and helmet. I don't completly freeze in Tassie!
Orbea - your Ozi is SICK.
My Bike Fam! Dylan's Fam. My Grandad (sorry, I still love this)! Stepdad (gym is happy place!)
My work + Australia - it's okay - you can take time off to bike race.
Kate - thanks for training and loving this ridiculously awesome sport as much as I do and invest so much into training.
Nino Schurter - lifetime of inspiration.