David “Nonno” Robison of Dallas, Texas
2013 Results
- 6.1.2013 24 hours in the Canyon: Palo Duro Canyon State Park, Canyon, Texas. Solo: 1st Place 50+, 7th Place overall Solo 153 Miles in 23:28:18:38
- 5.4.2013 TMBRA Prayer Mountain Pedal: Big Cedar Wilderness, Dallas, Texas; Cat II 50-99 19th Place out of 24 1:54:13
- 2.2.2013 Dirty Dozen 12 hour Mountain Bike Race: Warda, Texas, 12 Hour Sport Male, 7th Place of 14.
2012:
- 10.20.2012- 10.21.2012 24 hours of Rocky Hill ; Smithville, Texas 5th Place Solo Sport Male; 14 laps; 24:22:54.12
- 10.5.2012-10.6.2012 24 hours of Moab ;5 Person Co-Ed 16th Place; 7 laps; 12:54:38
2012 Goal 24 hour Solo at Rocky Hill Ranch = Completed in Style!
Surviving a 24 Hour Mountain Bike Endurance Race
Recently, some biking buddies and I went to Moab, Utah to participate in a 24 hour endurance race. Moab is a mecca for mountain bikers here in America and around the world. Apart from the majesty of the Utah landscape, the results of our race were less than spectacular. The course was rougher than we expected and our plan fell apart before the race began. After each of us had completed one lap, we were asking ourselves if we would continue. As a team, we only finished seven laps and we finished in last place. Well, at least we had a good time!
During the 17 hour ride back to Texas, I considered my personal contribution to the race and I realized I did not perform to the best of my ability, not even . Personally I needed redemption!
The answer was another 24 hour race scheduled two weeks later in Texas. However, this time I wanted to attempt the whole 24 hours solo. I needed to prove to myself that I was able to do more than I ever did before, to actually complete something that most of my friends would never even consider. I did not need to win fame, fortune or even a podium position. I just need to finish, and to remove any doubt that I was committed to the effort and gave it my best.
The race was conducted on a small private ranch in central Texas called Rocky Hill Ranch. Here’s a GPX of the course: http://www.strava.com/rides/21675290. Some of my friends at the race are in a group called “Big Pig Racing”. They invited me to set up my pit area next to theirs and offered to help with mechanical problems, if necessary. My son, a university student, came with me to make sure I was hydrated and nourished, stretched and sane. I brought both my bikes with me, a Specialized Camber, and “The Beast”, a Cannondale Moto 4. The Camber is light and lean and the Cannondale is strong and reliable. Since I was going to ride for 24 hours, I had planned on using the lighter (25 lb) Camber for the duration of the race.
The race would start at noon on Saturday with a 1/2 mile Le Mans run to the bikes and we would ride the same 9 mile lap repeatedly until the time elapsed 24 hours later. Racers could stop and rest and/or repair whenever they wanted. Along with the solo riders there were also teams competing on the same course. The teams had a different strategy. Their goal was to ride every lap as fast as possible and “pass the baton” to the next runner as he started his lap. As a single rider, my plan was to ride at a slower, constant rate in order to endure the night.
At noon, about 96 riders (including myself) started the 1/2 mile run to the bike. I was careful not to run too fast and get tired before I got to the bike. In addition, the faster runners could get onto the singletrack first and I would not have to deal with them trying to pass on the trail. However, it was hard not to get caught up in the frenzy of the race. By the time I got to the bike, I was breathing hard and my heart rate was high. The first 2 miles of the course is all uphill. Most of the steeper climbs were on slopes covered with loose rocks, thus the name, “Rocky Hill Ranch.” As the race progressed, I had to constantly remind myself to slow down because I would not be able to continue at that pace, and my heart would explode. My son, Jordan, kept track of my progress and after the second lap, I was in 4th place. I was surprised, but realized that I was probably going too fast to make it through the night.
To further complicate the issue, the bike started to have problems. On that bike, I have a 1×10 drivetrain and the chain came off the front chainring, once on the first lap and twice on the second. When I returned from the second lap, I gave the Camber to my “Big Pig” friends for repair. The bolts on the front chainring were loose, this occurred in Moab, but I thought I had it fixed. I grabbed the heavier Cannondale, a fresh water bottle and a GU and I went out for my third lap. By this time, it was the hottest part of the day, about 84 degrees, my heart was still pounding, and now the bike was 50% heavier. By the time I finished the third lap, I was almost defeated.
When I came back, the Camber was ready to ride again, but the guys said that the chainring was bent, but it should be okay. While my son cooked up some pasta on the JetBoil, I took a quick shower to refresh myself and changed clothes. While resting and eating, my son and I wrote out some goals to help me get my mind focused on finishing the race. Each completed lap meant another milestone had been reached. The first goal was 5 laps – more than I completed last year at the same race (as part of a team).
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After eating, I took the Camber and went out for the 4th round. I was fed, hydrated, had a lighter bike and the temperature was beginning to cool down. I had a good ride, I actually enjoyed it and my heart ratewas beginning to calm down. The chain popped off only once so I thought I could live with that. When I returned, I was down to 13th place. No problem, I knew that my competitors would take some extended breaks too. I went straight out for my 5th lap, it was dark – I like riding at night. It was refreshing. Finally, I felt like I might last the entire 24 hours. Well, the Camber did not comply and it started to throw the chain more often.
Fifth lap completed – First milestone: more laps than last year (as part of a team). Place: 8
In the middle of lap 6, the chain would not stay on the chainring. I couldn’t ride it anymore. I tried to ride it as a scateboard. After a couple of miles, I managed to move the chain to a higher gear so that the rings were in alignment. It would stay in place as long as I didn’t change gears.I was now able to roll as a “single-speed.” I needed to switch to “The Beast,” the Cannondale.
6th lap completed: Milestone – more miles than the race two weeks before in Moab. 9th place (time lost due to drivetrain)
With the heavy bike, I was afraid I would struggle to complete the race. But she’s a reliable mare, so strong and confident. Also, my heart rate stabilized to a manageable pace. It was now night, is cool but not cold. The climb at the beginning of the course had me worried, but The Beast climbed it nimbly. After the initial climb, there was a long stretch of “rollers”, in which I was able to glide through like a “pump track.” I was looking forward to this section on each lap because I could just let the bike play, whipping and spinning through the trees. And the best part was, I did not have a lot of pedaling.
7th lap completed: Milestone – more miles than I’ve ever ridden in one day. 7th place (my competitors must have been sleeping)
8th lap completed: Milestone – more miles than my italian bud, Lorenzo, guessed. 5th place, how could it be?
When I finished my lap 8, Jordan was sleeping. He had a bottle of cold water ready for me and a Clif bar. I did not wake him up even when I returned on the next 2 laps. During the night, the battery died on my Garmin and I had to charge it for a few laps. I also switched the batteries for my light for fresh ones to finish the night driving.
9th, 10th, 11th laps completed, the sun began to rise. We were using my cell phone for a clock, but for some reason, it showed the time to be one of our later than it actually was. While I was out for my 12th lap, I was trying to make peace with the prospect that I would not reach my personal goal of 125 miles. Tme was running out.
Lap 12 completed: Milestone – 108 miles! This was the least I would have been satisfied with. However, I wasn’t finished! Jordan was awake and prepared breakfast while I put on dry clothes for the last time. While I ate breakfast, he checked my status (still 5th place) and realized our “clock” was wrong. I had another hour. Awesome! When I left on the next lap, I realized that as long as The Beast would hold up, so could I, but as I said before, it’s reliable, it could easily outlast me.
Lap 13 completed: Milestone – I matched the guess of my Italian look-alike, Joseph Reversi, 187 km (117 miles)!
I had more than an hour left so I knew I could get another lap in as long as I left on the next lap before noon, the rules allow that lap counts if I finished before 1:30. My “Big Pig” friends asked if I wanted to go for another round, my response was “Of Course”. I left for the last lap at 11:00. At this point, my legs were like stumps. When I reached each hill, I struggled to climb off the bike at the first sign of resistance. When I reached the rollers, I was still able to have fun whipping through that section. Then there was a bigger hill to climb followed by two dry creek crossings and finally a long, straight, fast descent before the finish. When I finally rolled over the finish line after 24 hours and 23 minutes, and I was totally exhausted and totally elated.
Lap 14 completed: Major Milestone – I had completed a 24 hour endurance race without giving up! I rode 126 miles (201 km) and matched my personal goal and the guess of Sergio Barboni, frequent photo contributor to Singletracks.com . (However, I was not able to beat the estimate of Ironman James Castagnani 250 km – another time perhaps)
Regardless of whether or not I gained anyone’s respect, I earned the respect of myself! I completed a race that most people I know would not even consider, and finished in a respectable position – 5th place. I owe my survival to my training (which was the fun part) through Coach Zoe Nance, to The Beast (the strongest bike I’ve ever ridden), to my son Jordan (of whom I am very proud) to make sure that I was well fed and hydrated, to my Big Pig friends who helped with mechanical problems, and my Italian friends – the “sherpa of the Sibillini” who unwittingly provided much of the inspiration for me to endure the night!
Here is the link to my Garmin during the race (minus about 4.5 hours): http://connect.garmin.com/activity/236272427
Here is the link to the final results of the race (look under “Male Solo Sport” David Robison): http://www.redbarnsystems.com/timer/2012/RockyHill/mtbResults.asp
- 6.16.2012 Smurf Boy Rowlett Creek 40+ Male: 27th of 39th; 4 laps: 3:59:39