|   World Solo Championships - INCREDIBLE! | Jim #145
Sep 5, 2003 9:01 AM | | 24 Hours of Adrenalin World Solo Championships
Labor Day Weekend 2003 - The Whistler Experience
INCREDIBLE!
The thrill of the 24 Hours of Adrenalin World Solo Championship rushes through my veins. The magic of the ultimate challenge and amazing camaraderie makes it all so very addictive!
Friday morning - The friendly and ultra-professional Trilife crew is getting set up, and as usual, they do anything to help. I scope out my 10x10, and mingle with some of the other solo racers everyone is excited, and a little bit scared, even though no one admits it.
The ultimate 24 hours of truth is just around the corner.
A million emotions fill my head, as I remember all the people back home asking ".and tell me why you do this again?" My kids want to know how much I'll win, when I win my son is convinced its $4, yes $4 he wants a new mountain bike, so I better win big grin.
The weather is perfect - I meet a new friend named Dave we talk a bit and then decide to take a practice lap to check out the course. Wow - this baby is going to hurt on Sunday morning!
Friday afternoon I marvel at the amazingly crazy "Freeriders" coming down Whistler their bikes are built like tanks, and they sit on them like Harleys I'm thinking this might be my next adventure as soon as I pay up my life insurance.
Saturday morning the tension builds as everyone arrives at their sites. It is truly awesome to see the best mountain bikers in the world gather to do this race I pinch myself a few times and act like I'm having fun I am, but geez, this is a little nerve racking! Everyone is dreading the foot race to kick off the event most of us know we suck at running that's why we ride, right?
Saturday 11 a.m. the soloists gather its great to hear the crowd roar as we each get introduced. It's awesome!
HIGH NOON - GO! We run up the hill and back down to gather our machines and take off and the smile on my face couldn't get bigger it's such a personal thing sometimes it's hard not to hold back that lump in your throat and shed a tear of enjoyment. You're in a bubble, alone, yet you are aware of everyone and everything around you. What a rush!
Dusk The laps are getting harder and I'm dreading the night I slip out before 6 with a few other racers to get one more lap in without that extra lighting system weight as if that makes any difference!
Darkness - The night falls and everything changes. My wife (which happens to be my awesome crew) tells me to get my butt out there after some moaning and groaning I do, and it's fun, sort of - grin.
Chris Eatough he just keeps flying past me lap after lap as I yell words of encouragement. He obviously doesn't need my encouragement at all, but I can't help myself. I have never appreciated all the champions and heroes in this sport as much as I do in this race.
Morning another beautiful day in heaven, back out on the course. It's getting rough and my crashes are getting a little wilder. The photographer asks me to repeat my near face plant into a stump. I'm becoming more of a hiker than a biker now.
Done what a feeling the crowd is wild and the feeling is awesome. Everyone is congratulating each other with smiles and admiration.
Now we are one!
I can't stop smiling as I permanently imprint every second of the final race moments in my brain.
Fast forward to the fantastic banquet where everyone tells stories of the race with friends as we sit back to enjoy the festivities the film summary of the race blows my mind.
Congratulations to all the racers and thanks to everyone who made this incredible event possible - you are all world champions!
See you next time!
Jim |
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