Are you rough enough, are you tough enough, are you nuts enough to try a 24-hour race? Then team up with your best fat-tire buddies, and check out these start times for the off-road kingdom's most epic enduros. The funky-and-getting-funkier 24 Hours of Canaan -- the granddaddy of 24-hour races -- took off in 1992 with just a handful of crazies. Last year's edition, in Davis, West Virginia, drew 502 teams and 20,000 spectators. This year (June 10 and 11), the largest mountain-biking event east of the Mississippi will take place at the Snowshoe Mountain Resort in Snowshoe, West Virginia. Race founder Laird Knight reports that the new course won't disappoint hard-core Canaanites. In addition to the 24 Hours of Snowshoe, Knight's Granny Gear Productions will host 24 Hours of Tahoe (at Northstar resort in Lake Tahoe, California, August 26 and 27) and 24 Hours of Moab (October 14 and 15). Event registration begins January 10 for all races. Finally, think twice before you sign up for the Colorado epic, called Montezuma's Revenge (in Montezuma, Colorado, July 14 and 15). Universally hailed as the most extreme race of them all, Montezuma features 34,000 vertical feet of elevation gain, 10 trips across the continental divide, and a 14,270-foot hike-and-bike ascent of Gray's Peak.
Coordinates: Granny Gear Productions, www.grannygear.com/amtri.htm; Montezuma's Revenge, www.montezumasrevenge.com
You can easily do these 24-hour races on the cheap, but those who know better don't. A solid support team is worth at least one extra lap -- and probably more. Solo rider Nat Ross, 28, the second-place finisher at last year's Moab race, may have had the event's most conspicuous setup: a 2,000-square-foot pit and a 10-person backup team. His main team of four worked around the clock, greeting Ross after each lap and giving him mechanical as well as physical support, including massages and food. The second team -- the "party" crew -- kept the vibe alive. Though his was a team of volunteers, Ross still took a financial hit. Here's the price for his 24 hours of pain: One 38-foot RV with beds, shower, fridge, and stove (four-day rental): $640; One keg of Dillon Extra Pale Ale (for the partying team): $50; Last-minute groceries for the support team ("Find friends who don't eat a lot," advises Ross): $240; Three coolers with a week's worth of preplanned meals: $150 (cost of food minus the coolers); One cooler of keg ice: $10; One cooler of Red Bull (energy drink): $35; Eight sets of Christmas lights (strung along the border of Ross's pit so he could identify it after finishing a night lap): free; One mechanic-masseuse-cheerleader (John Root, friend): free; One team manager (Leslie Ross, Nat's wife): free; Six hula hoops (for early morning laughs): $10; Assorted firecrackers (for midnight celebrating): $20. Total tab: $1,155
Coordinates: Nat Ross, lross@colorado.net
Riding 'round midnight isn't as dumb as it sounds. Bike-specific light systems provide safe trail riding at night -- honest. Herewith, four tips for going over to the dark side.
Don't buy a cheapo system. Get the brightest, baddest system you can find. Last year's Moab racers agreed that NiteRider technical lighting systems are among the best. The top-of-the-line models are the Digital Pro-12 Extreme (mounts on your handlebars and has six light levels) and the Digital Headtrip (mounts on your helmet). The latter runs on a 10-ounce, rechargeable nickel-metal hydride battery; the former uses a bottle-shaped version of the same battery.
Use two lights. A two-light setup gives you a better read. A handlebar light puts out a broad beam. A second beam provides a light for your eyes.
Conserve batteries. Most rookies keep their brights on all the time -- which drains the power in about 90 minutes or less. So when you can, use a lower setting.
Never ride solo. In case you crash, you'll need a buddy to pick up the pieces.
Coordinates: $329.95 (DP 12-E); $179 (Digital Headtrip). NiteRider, www.niterider.com
Laird Knight, who created the 24-hour race format, has a pet saying about his pet race: "It's not about speed or strategy; it's about recovery." What you put in your stomach, and when you do so, will have a lot to do with how fast your body bounces back at 3 AM. Here's how Knight eats for the big ones:
Prerace. The biggest misconception in endurance racing, says Knight, is the eve-of-the-race, carbo pig-out. The big feed should come two nights prior to race day. That gives your digestive tract enough time to do its work.
Race morning. Eat a hearty breakfast of pancakes, bagels, or oatmeal with raisins -- one of the finest race fuels out there, says Knight.
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