I just ran across a link to this newspaper interview with Kevin Eccles, post-24/9, on the WORS board, via Mountaingoat. I made the difficult decision this year not to go to 24/9. I convinced myself that it wouldn't be the best mountain bike party of the year like it has been in the past, since it was no longer Nats, and since Granny Gear had taken it over and raised the fees (which would mean a lot of people wouldn't go). I mean, you couldn't even figure out what the fees actually were without starting the registration process! So I went on hearsay, that they were very high, seeing as how they weren't easily accessible. But really, I just knew I would need a weekend at home in the middle of the long season after alternating between traveling to WORS and WEMS races in WI every single weekend!
And I did need that weekend at home. I did the Chicago Criterium, which felt like a special opportunity to me. Not having raced in Grant Park in a long time, I knew it was an opportunity that might not come around again for me. And I got to watch a pro race in downtown Chicago, not something that happens every day.
But I still felt like, as someone on the WORS board put it, I was "missing the prom". I really missed being there. Even with the controversy over the new promoter and the negative comments by people. It turns out that there would have still been many friends and acquaintances to cheer on, many of whom ended up in close, exciting battles! It may be going back on the calendar for next year, probably as a last minute decision. If you haven't read how the race started, you might enjoy the article. It tells the basics of the story, though it left me wanting more details.
Showing posts with label 24/9. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 24/9. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
Friday, August 01, 2008
Good Luck at 24/9
GOOD LUCK to the many WORS and WEMS friends who are taking on the challenge of racing all night at 24 Hours of Nine Mile this weekend!!
I hope to be up there cheering you on, if all goes well.
Team Sprout - Good Luck and Go For It!!
Last year it was such a great feeling to be watching the awards ceremony on Sunday morning and to realize that most of the people on the podium were WORS and WEMS racers!! I'm sure I'll be seeing most of you up there again, though in different combinations.
I hope to be up there cheering you on, if all goes well.
Team Sprout - Good Luck and Go For It!!
Last year it was such a great feeling to be watching the awards ceremony on Sunday morning and to realize that most of the people on the podium were WORS and WEMS racers!! I'm sure I'll be seeing most of you up there again, though in different combinations.
Monday, July 30, 2007
You Can Sleep When You're Dead
The moon was out in full glory for the 24/9 racers this weekend. Perfect timing.
Congrats to ALL of the WORS and WEMS peeps who made huge efforts and rode well at 24 Hours of 9 Mile! As for the podium, It seemed like there were familiar faces in every category that got called up. If I try to list everyone who I saw up there I am sure I will forget to mention someone. It was great to see so many people I know donning stars and stripes jerseys, and so many others who gave their all.
Being Nationals, it was no surprise that Chris Eatough was in the number one spot on the podium for 24 hour men. And Pua Sawicki was atop the women's 24 hour podium - though she could barely climb up onto it, she was so spent from her race!
Big congratulations to Chris S. and his support team of Kim and Mountaingoat. Chris dug deep and finished 8th in the national 24 hour solo men's category in his FIRST ever 24 hour race! And this is after doing his first two 12 hour races ever in the last couple of months. A very impressive ride! Super-organized race preparation. His support team was a well-oiled machine - Kim and Mountaingoat seemed like seasoned pros at the support thing - they had it all figured out, as far as I could tell. Even at 4 a.m! I learned a few things from watching them.
Stars and stripers that come to mind (of which there are many) for congratulations include Ronsta and Jerry for their two person 24 hour duo - and I think I am the only person who was tempted to take a picture of Ronsta sleeping in his chair but didn't actually take one! Barb told me it might wake him up - this was at about 4 or 5 a.m.. I notice he got Loser of the Week for his chair snoozing......Doug Swanson, Brian Matter and the LaLonde Bros. and support team of Chris and Chris crushed their competition.... Rayana and his 4-man team won their category and got to wear stars n' stripes.... there were the junior women (Sam, MurphyKate, Megan, and I think Sarah?) who called their team "Teenagers doing it all night long" (or something like that).... Ed made them say it into the microphone rather than announce it himself.... Russell and crew won in the Clyde category, I believe.....I'm sure I am forgetting people....
In other podium placings, the Junior men (Nate, Mitch B. etc.) got 2nd place and had a great and inspiring race against a 1st place team much older than they are.....Reckless Racing (Tony, Ed, etc - Chicago area riders) got 2nd in Clydesdale... ... Renee and Michelle (Mad Forcs) in the women's 4 person team, also Katie and her Cowgirls in that same event.....Jay and his 4 man team....and I'm sure I'll think of more when the results are posted
Rachael and John along with Casey and Zoe had a four-person spectator/support-their-friends team. Glad it worked out for them to go up after all.
I don't know if I'll get to post any pics before I leave town - I should be packing and doing laundry for a trip tommorrow instead of writing not to mention sleeping (I am writing this very late Sunday night) but I may not be near a computer again until the weekend. I was also hoping to catch up on entries from the last couple of races one of these days. Not today.
I had a great time being there and seeing everyone. I'm glad I didn't race - that was the right decision. It would have been more fun to have gotten there earlier but this was the only way I was able to go. I made it home on 3 or 4 hours of sleep. I was thinking about all the cars on the road that had people with leg cramps and no sleep... I hope everyone made it home ok. Traffic kept stopping suddenly north of Madison. I had to slam on the brakes more than once.
When I got home after so many hours of driving it was ride vs. nap. So, I went for a road ride at dusk with lights and saved unloading most of the car for later. It was a perfect night to be riding, even as it got dark. Glad I dragged myself out there.
I didn't notice the saying on the back of the brown race tee until I got home - You can sleep when you're dead. I have always liked that saying. Perfect for this event.
Congrats to ALL of the WORS and WEMS peeps who made huge efforts and rode well at 24 Hours of 9 Mile! As for the podium, It seemed like there were familiar faces in every category that got called up. If I try to list everyone who I saw up there I am sure I will forget to mention someone. It was great to see so many people I know donning stars and stripes jerseys, and so many others who gave their all.
Being Nationals, it was no surprise that Chris Eatough was in the number one spot on the podium for 24 hour men. And Pua Sawicki was atop the women's 24 hour podium - though she could barely climb up onto it, she was so spent from her race!
Big congratulations to Chris S. and his support team of Kim and Mountaingoat. Chris dug deep and finished 8th in the national 24 hour solo men's category in his FIRST ever 24 hour race! And this is after doing his first two 12 hour races ever in the last couple of months. A very impressive ride! Super-organized race preparation. His support team was a well-oiled machine - Kim and Mountaingoat seemed like seasoned pros at the support thing - they had it all figured out, as far as I could tell. Even at 4 a.m! I learned a few things from watching them.
Stars and stripers that come to mind (of which there are many) for congratulations include Ronsta and Jerry for their two person 24 hour duo - and I think I am the only person who was tempted to take a picture of Ronsta sleeping in his chair but didn't actually take one! Barb told me it might wake him up - this was at about 4 or 5 a.m.. I notice he got Loser of the Week for his chair snoozing......Doug Swanson, Brian Matter and the LaLonde Bros. and support team of Chris and Chris crushed their competition.... Rayana and his 4-man team won their category and got to wear stars n' stripes.... there were the junior women (Sam, MurphyKate, Megan, and I think Sarah?) who called their team "Teenagers doing it all night long" (or something like that).... Ed made them say it into the microphone rather than announce it himself.... Russell and crew won in the Clyde category, I believe.....I'm sure I am forgetting people....
In other podium placings, the Junior men (Nate, Mitch B. etc.) got 2nd place and had a great and inspiring race against a 1st place team much older than they are.....Reckless Racing (Tony, Ed, etc - Chicago area riders) got 2nd in Clydesdale... ... Renee and Michelle (Mad Forcs) in the women's 4 person team, also Katie and her Cowgirls in that same event.....Jay and his 4 man team....and I'm sure I'll think of more when the results are posted
Rachael and John along with Casey and Zoe had a four-person spectator/support-their-friends team. Glad it worked out for them to go up after all.
I don't know if I'll get to post any pics before I leave town - I should be packing and doing laundry for a trip tommorrow instead of writing not to mention sleeping (I am writing this very late Sunday night) but I may not be near a computer again until the weekend. I was also hoping to catch up on entries from the last couple of races one of these days. Not today.
I had a great time being there and seeing everyone. I'm glad I didn't race - that was the right decision. It would have been more fun to have gotten there earlier but this was the only way I was able to go. I made it home on 3 or 4 hours of sleep. I was thinking about all the cars on the road that had people with leg cramps and no sleep... I hope everyone made it home ok. Traffic kept stopping suddenly north of Madison. I had to slam on the brakes more than once.
When I got home after so many hours of driving it was ride vs. nap. So, I went for a road ride at dusk with lights and saved unloading most of the car for later. It was a perfect night to be riding, even as it got dark. Glad I dragged myself out there.
I didn't notice the saying on the back of the brown race tee until I got home - You can sleep when you're dead. I have always liked that saying. Perfect for this event.
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