July 2007 Issue - Cycling Utah

JULY 2007 cycling utah.com 17
Endurance Racing
12 Hours of Endurance Tests
Hearts and Minds
Above: Ellen Guthrie (Vanguard Cycling Team) completed 11
laps to win the female solo category. Photo: James Naus. Find
your photo at Zazoosh.com.
By Adam Lisonbee
It seems that after every difficult
athletic endeavor, participants are
looking inward, asking tough questions.
The third annual 12 Hours
of Endurance in Park City, Utah,
was no exception. “Why do we do
these things, knowing how hard they
are?” wondered racer Cris Fox. It’s a
question that plagues the minds and
hearts of endurance mountain bike
racers and it’s one that has no definitive
answer. Perhaps that is why we
each continue to come back and race
again. Maybe we seek to push our
minds and bodies beyond the limits
of normal behavior. Maybe we want
to know how deep we can dig, how
fast we can go, and how long we can
walk the line.
On June 23, eager racers descended
once again onto the trails at Round
Valley. The 9.5-mile loop is characterized
by fast, swooping single-track,
interrupted at times by razor-sharp
rock gardens. The climbing is gradual,
but it’s relentless for tired legs
and unmotivated minds. There is little
shade to offer respite from the baking
sun on the course, and each year the
heat has proven to be a major nemesis
to racers. But despite the challenging
conditions this year, people reached
new limits, crossed new boundaries,
and triumphed over the elements.
Bill Dark, racing in his first solo
attempt, said, “My neck was killing
me and my hands were getting very
tender. The soles of my feet were
burning and I was very tired.” But he
pressed through the pain and finished
10 impressive laps on the demanding
course. Solo winner Brad Pilling
admitted that “laps 8, 9, and 10 were
desperate for me. I wanted to quit
and my wife and support team were
doing everything to keep me on the
course. ‘One lap at a time’ was what
my wife Toni kept telling me.” Pilling
caught a second wind, and was able
to hammer out an 11th and 12th lap,
saying, “I crawled out of the depths
with an energetic 11th lap and a solid
54:34 12th lap. I missed the cut-off
for a 13th by 2:25.” For solo racers
and team members alike, the day
is long and arduous. But the hearty
souls who race these events are right
at home when the going gets rough.
Duo racer Carson Chynoweth said,
“This is one of the most fun—and by
that I mean long, grueling and painful—races
I do all season.” Perhaps
only in the mountain bike world are
the words fun, grueling, and painful
found in the same sentence. And it is
that sentiment that fuels the endurance
crowd. Carson continued, “The
racers, organizers, and spectators
create a positive and enjoyable atmosphere
that helps make this such a
great event.”
Boris Lyubner, creator and organizer
for the E100 series, was pleased
with the turnout for this year’s E12.
“Our attendance has increased each
year, and each year racers show
up and do amazing things on the
bicycle.” This year the drama of the
race really unfolded in the duo category.
Four teams were going back
and forth for the overall win. All day
long they traded spots, each rider
pushing themselves beyond his or her
limits. “Everyone on these duo teams
surprised me,” said Cris Fox, whose
two-man team finished in second
place. “They are all strong riders, but
I couldn’t believe how hard they were
pushing.”
The duo race came down to the
last lap. “We were doing 45-minute
laps for the first 10 hours, but then I
started to crack. Our lead went from
seven minutes, to three to one. We
ended up losing the race on the last
lap by just three minutes,” said Fox.
“Our lap times were over a minute
faster than last year,” recalled Karl
Vizmeg, who raced on the third-place
duo team. “But despite being faster,
we finished a spot lower in the standings.
The competition just keeps
getting faster.” Lyubner observed
that “everyone out there was going
so hard. We had a four-person Young
Riders team between the ages of 12
and 15. They finished fifth in the
four-man team race, which was just
amazing to watch.”
First time solo rider Lyna Saffell
said the race “pushed me out of my
comfort zone, but complete strangers
would pass me on the course,
and offer words of encouragement. It
helped me so much!” Lyna fought off
the heat and fatigue to finish beyond
her expectations. “I am so glad my
husband Bob was there to support
me, to keep me going through the difficult
ride.”
The course demands strong legs
and strong minds, the heat beats
down mercilessly, and the competition
gets faster and faster. “This year
we had a new record number of laps,
with a duo team turning 15,” commented
Lyubner. He also pointed
out, “It is great to see this race grow
in numbers, but it’s also great to see
what riders are accomplishing.” Chris
Holley, who raced with his wife K.C.,
didn't think 15 laps was possible on
this course. “Last year, and this year,
it took all our strength to squeeze in
a 14th lap. That these guys came and
did 15 is incredible.” If there is one
thing that each endurance mountain
bike race has in common, it is the
people. Endurance racers watch out
for each other, offer encouragement
and support, and when the race is
over, gather together to talk about
the day’s adventure. Lyubner commented
afterward that “we had pizza
and drinks and all sat and relived our
long, hot day. It was a great time!”
Indeed, it was a great time, and as an
event it is quickly becoming a summer
classic.
For results and more information
about the E100 series, visit www.
thee100.com.