Saab Salomon Mountain Mayhem 24 hours 21/22 June 2003
The gang - Huge thanks to Zephyr for the Banners and flags we nearly look professional now.
Carl is getting ready to run them ragged
Meanwhile we try and hide the bikes among 380 other teams, not difficult.
I like the idea one runner is looking for a branch as a marker..Ha.
Got a bit heated at the end as well lads ehh, at least it all worked out well.
Two teams this year, the pups going for gold and the old gits trying to wrestle the vets crown from 5 times winners Pearce cycles.
Big thanks to Zephyr again and Richardsons for the drinks and support. Joan and Rob for the caffine and food, Nige and Matt for the lights, Kettering General for great needlework, Patrick Adams, and to all the riders and friends who gave us a shout on the way.
No thanks to Sandwell thorns, Flite saddles, X-lite stems, twisted fire-starters, West Midlands drunks, men in blazers and sore losers.
Here's a blow by blow account of how every arse numbing lap went for the teams....
Team Numplumz / Leisure lakes ensemble
| Lap | Rider | Time | |
| 1 | Carl Hulston | 00:45:38 | Super runner Carl does the run in 4:15 then comes through after a lap, looks like we are 4th, already 2 mins behind Rob Lee's team, Ben Services. Phil Hughes has played a blinder for them. His real lap time is 41:23 then. |
| 2 | Ryan Henry | 00:37:58 | Ryan shows his class on a clear track, a storming lap to pull back the now leading Scott Rose for Bens. 2nd place we are stunned. |
| 3 | Adrian Scott | 00:40:30 | 2 hours gone already, Bens put out their slowest rider as the backmarkers fill the course, so we take the lead. We are now officially gobsmacked. Mild panic sets in. |
| 4 | Lloyd Bettles | 00:41:32 | Lloyd shows that it will take more than 4 stitchs to slow him down with a cracking lap in the still baking hot conditions. |
| 5 | Carl Hulston | 00:41:54 | Carl through in 3:26:22 chased hard now by Marin at 3:27:41, Phil Hughes for Bens at 3:28:16, Pedalon at 3:28:37 and Ben Hayworth 3:33 |
| 6 | Ryan Henry | 00:46:05 | Disaster, 3 punctures in one lap what a nightmare. Superb riding even to put that time in with those problems, Marin take over as we drop to 5th. We then hear that Scott Rose for Bens has limped in with a collapsed back wheel, a bad lap for them at 1hr29 |
| 7 | Adrian Scott | 00:32:55 | Now its really messed up. A fire on the course causes a diversion which means Adi returns unexpectedly early, lloyd is not ready of course so theres a mad scramble to get back on track. The Organisers tell us that Adi will be given his previous lap time so we try and work out where we really are by adding 8 minutes to the time., What a nightmare. |
| 8 | Lloyd Bettles | 00:42:37 | Lloyd keeps it ticking along, results show us leading but we now have knowone on track to gauge ourselves by. |
| 9 | Carl Hulston | 00:42:16 | Carl and Lloyd start a little timing battle. Reports being catapulted by marshalls on the course, this is getting bizarre |
| 10 | Ryan Henry | 00:39:24 | Ryan flys past the camp on a Giant riders wheel, he's smoking, he's going by him. We all jump up and go mental as he puts one over the Elite race leaders, way to go. |
| 11 | Adrian Scott | 00:41:53 | 7hrs 30 gone and its dusky, Adi cranks up the Stadium 80 watt light in the woods and puts in another cracker. |
| 12 | Lloyd Bettles | 00:44:26 | Its fully dark now and Lloyds first ever night race lap is superb, we work out that the lead is ours again, consistent times means we are clawing it back |
| 13 | Carl Hulston | 00:43:45 | Carl makes sure the lead is ours, the fastest night lap challenge is on, the boys have a little wager on it. |
| 14 | Ryan Henry | 00:42:05 | Even with only 15 watts of light compared to the other riders retina burners, Ryan claims the prize. First and pulling away but tiredness hits the camp as midnight passes. With 2 teams racing and no helpers we find organising it all a nightmare. |
| 15 | Adrian Scott | 00:43:40 | The pocket rocket puts in another great night lap |
| 16 | Lloyd Bettles | 00:45:43 | The strain starts to show, its all about hanging on with no lighting hickups now, Lloyd does just that. |
| 17 | Carl Hulston | 00:47:41 | Somebody up there don't like us. Carl anchors up to stop hitting a fallen rider and gets clouted from behind by another rider. Trouble is he's 16 stone and poor carl gets squashed flat and is instantly sick. Limping back in he's sick again and looks really rough. Heroic lap. |
| 18 | Ryan Henry | 00:43:44 | Suddenly there seems like no riders on the course? We all stand around confused then a wave of riders flood in. On track holdups as a drunk on the course is arrested cause more havoc, luckily Ryan escapes the hassle. |
| 19 | Adrian Scott | 00:44:39 | Adi shows his Endurance, this boy has really matured this year into a different rider. |
| 20 | Lloyd Bettles | 00:46:05 | Pedalon now lead at 14:12:30 we now drop to 3rd at 14:20:30 with the correction time added. |
| 21 | Carl Hulston | 00:46:29 | Carl bravely battles on despite not being able to eat or drink anything without throwing it back up. We start to worry big time. Dawn helps the time keep respectable. |
| 22 | Ryan Henry | 00:41:55 | Ryan utilises full light as he goes out neck and neck with Pedalon on track and grabs 30 seconds back. |
| 23 | Adrian Scott | 00:43:46 | Its now 6am and adi again shows great consistency. |
| 24 | Lloyd Bettles | 00:45:46 | Tiredness starts to show, lloyd starts to feel his knee too. Pedalon and Marin are cracking off 43/44 min laps, its now all about holding off the Army team in 4th. |
| 25 | Carl Hulston | 00:46:26 | Carl would rather be in bed but the other riders need sleep so he does his best. Once he gets back its straight to bed with a Resolve but how much longer can this guy ride on an empty stomach? |
| 26 | Ryan Henry | 00:41:50 | Ryan stakes the claim for another little wager we have for most consistent lap times, 5 seconds apart. |
| 27 | Adrian Scott | 00:43:47 | Adi stuns us again, he's grinning like a Cheshire cat and takes the CO2 gun prize with a 1 second lap difference, then his seat brakes in half, some you win, some you lose. |
| 28 | Lloyd Bettles | 00:44:25 | Lloyd now matchs it compared to his lap 12 time, another winner. |
| 29 | Carl Hulston | 00:48:25 | Carl just survives, its all over for him. The team relief is huge as he limps home for a deserved sleep. |
| 30 | Ryan Henry | 00:42:27 | Marin come in 1 minute ahead on track and still going strong, two of their riders have done the Idita bike 1000 mile race, they are not going to crack. |
| 31 | Adrian Scott | 00:46:33 | At last Adi shows he's human, if he dosent want to do that last lap he dosent show it. |
| 32 | Lloyd Bettles | 00:47:14 | Lloyd survives and dosent even cry never again, in fact he's talking about solo, must be sleep deprivation. |
| 33 | Ryan Henry | 00:43:44 | Wow Ryan steals the consistent lap challenge by matching his lap 18 time, and comes in 2 minutes before the 24hr time to boot. |
| 34 | Adrian Scott | 00:58:13 | Adi just has to finish, which is damn lucky as he snaps a chain this time out, all that grinding paste dust finally does the damage. |
| Rider | Laps | Fastest | Average | Total |
| Adrian Scott | 9 | 00:40:30 | 00:43:59 | 06:35:56 |
| Ryan Henry | 9 | 00:37:58 | 00:42:08 | 06:19:12 |
| Lloyd Bettles | 8 | 00:41:32 | 00:44:43 | 05:57:48 |
| Carl Hulston | 8 | 00:41:23 | 00:45:19 | 06:02:34 |
| Total time: | 24:55:30 | |||
| Average time: | 00:43:59 |
Adi smiled the whole 24 hours, glad not to be doing it solo is the reson
Adi, Lloyd, Carl and Ryan just about able to stand at the finish.
Not our Idea of perfect preperation for a 24 hr race, hey lloyd. Respect is due.
Midnight tactics are planned, coffee, Redbull or Beer.......
Team Numplumz Friday night old stars
| Lap | Rider | Time | |
| 1 | Ron Rutgers | 00:46:49 | Ron Shows his leg speed with a 4:45 run and a lap time of 42:05 we reckon |
| 2 | John Smith | 00:41:35 | Pearce cycles have a 1:15 lead over us already but are they leading? John is gutted as he has to stop for over a minute to tighten his loose handlebars. That field of bumps is causing hell. |
| 3 | Bob Mitchell | 00:43:41 | Bob pulls out a blinder |
| 4 | Jack Peterson | 00:42:17 | A lap on the Surge proves fun even on the bumpy course. |
| 5 | Ron Rutgers | 00:42:37 | Ron pulls us to within 54 seconds of Pearce after 3hrs 30 Keswick Vets are the leaders, we are 10th overall too. |
| 6 | John Smith | 00:39:56 | Superb lap, 45 secs to Pearce now. |
| 7 | Bob Mitchell | 00:45:45 | The bumps cause havoc again as Bob loses his chain twice, some tinkering is needed, or air out of the tyres. |
| 8 | Jack Peterson | 00:43:10 | The Whyte smooths out the bumps, but suprisingly there's not a lot in it time wise. |
| 9 | Ron Rutgers | 00:43:22 | Ron can't match Jack for the first time this year, another in-team fight is born. Traffic on the course is proving hard to pass. |
| 10 | John Smith | 00:42:19 | We notice a fight on our hands 10th overall with DeLaunne A just 2 mins ahead and Evans with Martin Eadon just behind us. |
| 11 | Bob Mitchell | 00:46:12 | Semi dark as Bob keeps ahead of Evans |
| 12 | Jack Peterson | 00:45:09 | Lights on for a full lap, headtorches are great but whats going on. Evans fly past me like they have an engine. |
| 13 | Ron Rutgers | 00:47:23 | Ron's first night lap |
| 14 | John Smith | 00:45:07 | Smiffy takes us through midnight with the winning night lap for this team, another darkness virgin down. |
| 15 | Bob Mitchell | 00:49:19 | Bob looking good in the gloom |
| 16 | Jack Peterson | 00:48:39 | Jack nearly blows a gasket hauling the Whyte up the climbs. The liver is pounding and some serious decisions for self presevation might have to be made. Time for Bed, can't face food. |
| 17 | Ron Rutgers | 00:47:55 | Ron returns and Smiffy misses him. Ron heads on out again on a suicide lap, with hind sight he should have waited. Smiffy is gutted |
| 18 | Ron Rutgers | 00:53:27 | Ron runs out of light for a quarter lap, just shows how waiting around at the changeover for a few minutes would not have been lost time in this case. A lesson learned for us all. |
| 19 | John Smith | 00:45:55 | Smiify blows his legs off trying to make amends, these things happen we console him with. |
| 20 | Bob Mitchell | 00:48:44 | 15 hours gone and keeping it steady is all we need, Bob reports Evans just gone through. |
| 21 | Jack Peterson | 00:44:52 | Back on the Surge and I'm in love with hardtails again, pass Martin Eadon early on and leave him for dust, real fun lap and no pain, The extra sleep is good, fully light now helps too. |
| 22 | John Smith | 00:44:01 | We spot Pearce cycles 7 mins ahead, are they fading we hope. |
| 23 | Bob Mitchell | 00:51:32 | Bob hits the wall its 7am and we still need all 4 riders, Evans grab it back and Spokes pass us too, 13th place now. |
| 24 | Jack Peterson | 00:45:42 | Pass my mate Mark's team Spokes rider and put a minute into him, who needs suspension. |
| 25 | Ron Rutgers | 00:45:51 | Ron keeps the heat on after a good rest, Mark for Spokes re-passes us though. |
| 26 | John Smith | 00:48:47 | Smiffy now hits the wall, its all about finishing now, we stop checking the results. |
| 27 | Bob Mitchell | 00:48:26 | Bob refuses to let Jack take his lap (big sigh of relief) and keeps us in the game. |
| 28 | Jack Peterson | 00:46:18 | Big traffic lap as all the fun teams get back on course, its just Caffine holding this together now. i ride with Ned Overrand for a while, just an honour to stay on his wheel. |
| 29 | Ron Rutgers | 00:46:02 | Ron shows there's still life in him on his final lap. |
| 30 | John Smith | 00:46:42 | The final push and its hot out there at 24 degrees. |
| 31 | Bob Mitchell | 00:49:09 | Bob gets passed again by Evans, Shame we never knew we had re-passed them. (lucky for you Ron, we might have sent you out again) |
| 32 | Jack Peterson | 00:46:33 | Bob passes the batton with 15 mins left. I hang around with Adi, to see if he wants me to ride shotgun for the fast boys final lap wasting about 45 seconds. No chance of catching Evans, I do 3/4 of a lap with Team Specialized before smoking them., A great way to end a fun race for me. |
| Rider | Laps | Fastest | Average | Total |
| John Smith | 8 | 00:39:56 | 00:44:17 | 05:54:22 |
| Jack Peterson | 8 | 00:42:17 | 00:45:20 | 06:02:40 |
| Ron Rutgers | 8 | 00:42:05 | 00:46:40 | 06:13:26 |
| Bob Mitchell | 8 | 00:43:41 | 00:47:51 | 06:22:48 |
| Total time: | 24:33:16 | |||
| Average time: | 00:46:02 |
Not the final lap again, Mr Specialized wonders if anyones noticed his teamate Ned Overend is a bit handy for the sport class
Q.E.D.
One lap (click for bigger ) It just isn't level anywhere, even the bit round the lake.
| Edward Mair - solo nutter | |
| Lap | Time |
| 1 | 00:56:42 |
| 2 | 00:49:45 |
| 3 | 00:52:20 |
| 4 | 00:54:17 |
| 5 | 00:56:22 |
| 6 | 01:00:34 |
| 7 | 00:56:41 |
| 8 | 00:57:14 |
| 9 | 01:12:54 |
| 10 | 01:09:11 |
| 11 | 01:08:26 |
| 12 | 01:11:18 |
| 13 | 01:13:19 |
| 14 | 01:03:51 |
| 15 | 01:20:53 |
| 16 | 01:06:31 |
| 17 | 01:00:20 |
| 18 | 01:00:12 |
| 19 | 00:59:10 |
| 20 | 01:02:58 |
| 21 | 01:07:42 |
| 22 | 01:16:29 |
| 23 | 01:20:19 |
| Best time: | 00:49:45 |
| Average time: | 01:04:14 |
| Total time: | 24:37:28 |
Ed Mair after his 23 laps, he's wearing half the course there. A fantastic ride from the Ironman.