The Fat@$$ Chronicles: 24-Hour Challenge

Next week an event takes place that will rank among my favorite and least favorite experiences on a bicycle at the same time: the National 24-Hour Challenge. The event I love to hate. Hate to love? Ah, the joy of completing that first circuit, mixed with the trepidation of heading back out. The elation of a personal best one year, only to be followed by deflation the following year after completing only 75 miles.

Every Fathers' Day, the Rapid Wheelmen, GR's cycling club, puts on this grueling nightmare/dream. I've participated three times, each one ending differently than the last. It's cool to compete against yourself and see how you stack up. Oh, and you get the pain and suffering of the short, sharp, steep hills in Barry County,MI.

Here's how it works*: starting from Thornapple-Kellogg Middle School, you take off at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday. The first loop is about 125 miles, and each rider must complete that loop to continue. There are three checkpoints along the route, and you must have your event number punched at each location to prove you were there. Riders must complete this125-mile loop by 5 p.m.
*disclaimer: I haven't done this in a couple years; these are the rules from my last run.

Once you complete the first loop, you may begin the second, about 25 miles in length. You may do as many times around the second loop as desired, but at least ONE is required. Once you have completed that one (riders must be done by 8 p.m., I believe), you begin the "night loop" of 7.5 miles. There's one important kicker on the second loop, though: if you're not off of it by 8 p.m., the mileage from the loop you are on doesn't count! No half-loops are allowed, so you plan carefully...

Once you have completed the first and at least one of the second, there are no more time constraints. You are allowed to enter and leave the night loop at will; the event is simply 24 hours, not "ride until you drop," though that does happen.

Year 1: I finish the first loop in decent shape, do my single second loop. Brother-in-law Mark does two of the second loop on his quest. We begin the night loop together, and do several. At some point around 1 a.m. I begin moving my brake/shift lever in a vain attempt to turn on my bright lights as if in a car. Having enough of my faculties still about me to realize that I am in danger, I head in for a nap. After a couple hours I get back out and do a few more night laps, finally quitting about 6 a.m. Total in almost 24 hours - 202.5 miles. I will be happy tomorrow. Right now I want to lie down... And eat Peanut M&M's, which my lovely wife had the forethought to purchase. 5 pounds of them... It WAS Fathers' Day, after all!

Year 2: Feeling like a much stronger rider and knowing the course, not to mention a lot more pre-ride miles, I figured I could better my previous year. My goal was between 250 and 275.

The day dawned HOT and humid. I don't remember the temp when we started, but it had to be close to 80 already. Checkpoint 1 was good at mile 36. Somewhere around mile 60 I started feeling not so great, but figured I could make the 75-mile check. Around 68-70 I was seriously thinking that lying down in the road and letting a truck run me over would really not be so bad at all. I called Dana and told her to bring the van to the checkpoint - I was done at mile 75. When we got home the next day I was very surprised to learn I had lost 9 pounds in 48 hours! Holy dehydration!! I gained 6 of it back on Sunday...

Year 3: Ah, the wind.... And the hills... And the heat. It seems I can do 2 out of those 3, but that's it. My brother and I did the first loop and called it quits. It seemed that every time we turned we ended up into the wind. Feeling weary we decided we'd had enough. Now if you'd like to hear some excuses in addition to the above-mentioned elements, I can tell you that the night before we ended up sleeping in our cars. Dana and Erin ended up in the gym; the third member of my faithful crew, son Nathan, slept in the van, and I ended up in the Pacifica. Because the torrential downpour that occurred during dinner pretty much wiped out the entire campsite at the school. We returned to carnage!! Gave a whole new meaning to "pitch the tent" as I threw it into the trash can when we got home. And as flat as the floor of my station wagon-type car looks when you put stuff in it, it just ain't that great for sleeping.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch... One summer Tuesday a few years ago I was opening the shop at 10 a.m. as usual, and was greeted at the door by an older gentleman. Looking pretty fit and determined, he said good morning, and proceeded to walk into the shop to look around. "I need a new bike. I want a Cannondale Synapse carbon.... and I have about three grand for a budget." Sweet. And I sold him a Cervelo RS. He needed a new bike because the one he borrowed didn't fit him very well, and he was quite sure he could do better. Better than the 400+ miles he had just done in the 24 Hour Challenge... (You remember that one, right? The one I did the first loop of. I could feel my accomplishments circling the drain...)

Since then Bob has gone on to finish in the top three in his age group every year, though can't quite squeeze that first place out. He's a great guy - has a farm north of town, and apparently rides his bike a lot. A whole lot.

Other notables we have run into include a guy who ended up competing in the Race Across America (those guys are really crazy!), and many folks just seeing how they can do. The times I rode, the top male finisher ended up with 475-ish miles (do the math 475/24 = 19.8 MPH. For 24 hours. Which doesn't count the checkpoint stop time, etc. Dude.) AND the top male finishers were in the 40-49 age group. That really surprised me. The RAAM guy we met was maybe 30; he finished 2nd that year. (boy, was he pissed when he found out the one rider had passed him at some point!)

Would I do it again? Absolutely. It is difficult, though, to do something like that at this time of year, at least for me. My job doesn't quite fit the demands of the training required, but I could make it work if I really tried. The sense of accomplishment in knowing that with every pedal stroke I am riding farther than I ever have in one day is pretty cool. And the folks you meet are pretty cool, too. My biggest challenge is the nutrition and hydration required while on the ride. It's hard to figure that one out. But yeah, I'd do it again :)

Here are some pics from the 2010 ride: