Eddie's Race Report:

Jimmy McMillan took off like he was on fire and I followed.  I felt great, the legs were moving with ease and there was no stress that this guy was attacking from the gun.  I know this course like the back of my hand and I used that to my advantage, taking all the smoothest lines and maintaining as much momentum as possible off the many short descents.  Jimmy put a minute or two into me on the first 3 laps and still I was calm. 

Finally on the fourth lap two of our crew let me know that I had passed him in the pits and he was backing off.  This meant that could I ease up on the pace just a little to be more consistent through the night.  By nightfall I was just starting to feel the effects of the Conyers course. 

The millions of little stutter bumps that slowly wear you down.  I was eating well (unlike my experience at the 24 hours of Vail Lake) and when my parents showed up with pizza I quickly scarfed a piece down and then stopped myself short of eating another knowing what that would feel like out on the course. 

Our pit crew was top notch: Richard has worked with me at 7 out of 10 24 hour races (and countless shorter races), Hodge & Cody of Addictive Cycles have more race support experience than anyone I know and my parents are always very helpful, usually supporting the support crew.  I stopped in the timing tent around 2:00 AM to finally check the results. 

I didn't really want the details prior to that, but now that course was beginning to tear up all my contact points (hands, feet, butt) I wanted to know just what pace to keep.  I was up almost 3 laps, so all I had to do was manage that lead until the end.  The course is painful no matter how fast one goes, so I knocked a few more fast laps out and lingered in the pits a little longer than I usually do. 

The Faster Mustache team who was pitting next door kept us all entertained in the AM hours.  Around 10:00 AM I was able to call it a day with the lead I had, so I helped clean up the pit and waited for Namrita. 

I was beaming (ok, beaming as best I could after racing for 22 hours) with pride, not only for finally pulling off a win at this venue, but that Namrita and I did it on the same day!  Many thanks to Vassago Cycles, Hodge & Cody, Richard Walker and Mom & Dad for all the help. 

I also want to thank all the locals that raced and/or volunteered that provided encouragement throughout the race. 

It helps so much.

 

Namrita's Race Report:

I knew this would be a really tough race even though the women's field was small. Racing for 24 hours is always intimidating because anything can happen and, well, 24 hours is a long time to be on a bike, especially in "race" mode!  

I would still have to put out a hard effort because I wanted the win in order to keep the lead in the points series.  I had a minor issue, no, make that a big issue with my suspension fork acting up again.  My backup bike was my trusty rigid (and pink) Vassago Jabberwocky singlespeed.  I love this bike more than anything, but unfortunately a rigid fork is not the sensible choice for racing 24 hours at Conyers. 

It was only a few laps into the race before my right arm was really bothering me from the jarring of the dysfunctional suspension fork and I was alternating between riding that and the rigid bike.  I had to succumb to using Ibuprofen but I made sure my hydration and fueling was spot on so I didn't have any issues with dehydration or "bonking". 

I can honestly say I have my nutrition dialed like I never have before, and I owe that to everything I've learned in school over the last two years.  Still, this was the bumpiest course I've ever raced on, and I was experiencing some bad pain with my right arm being inflamed and swollen. 

I contemplated a DNF more than a few times but I kept telling myself that I'm not a quitter.  I would ride until I could ride no more, and then I would walk everything I couldn't ride.  In the morning, I was having to walk climbs and descents because my right arm hurt so badly and I could barely hold my handlebars. 

I couldn't let my pit crew and sponsors down, though, so I kept at it until 11am when I finished in the lead with 3 laps up on the second place female.  I am so thankful for having such top notch support at this one and for having such awesome sponsors.  Sharing the victory with Eddie made the win a million times better, I was so proud of him! 

I was also really happy because now that we've both won at Conyers we never have to do a 24 hour solo race there again! 

Next time we will join up with a team for this one.

Special thanks for the pics to: Carl Mesta and Mark Duffus