24 Hours in the Desert

We finally made it to Borrego!

Every year folks from around the world meetup in Borrego Springs, California, with the goal of putting down as many miles they can in 24 hours. Mostly matched up against top of the line aero carbon TT bikes. I did it on a steel fixed gear I used to deliver pizzas with, the All City Big Block. 

My All City in the early days. Still smells of pepperoni.

I crewed for Meaghan Hackinen during the 2019 24hour World Time Trial Championships. She's fast, amazing and I love her. Meaghan had set a new Women's course record that year and I got this crazy idea I wanted to get a record of my own. The 24hr Fixed Gear Category was the target and I already had the bike!

We both signed up the following year and I started to focus on putting down big rides on the fixed. I debated gearing and started some structured training. I even rode virtual Borrego Springs laps with an indoor smart trainer. My efforts seemed wasted when our plans for 2020 were a bust when the world got Covid and the race was cancelled. 

But that gave me another year to dial it in. In 2021 we put down some solid rides and I broke the self-supported double century barrier. My target distances were getting bigger and my technique was changing. After some fast and playful rides around the Okanagan I was ready to tackle the 24hrWorlds. Unfortunately while travelling to the event I got Covid. Meaghan and I both had to go into quarantine a week before the time trials. We were out of the race before it even started that year. Still itching to use all that built up fitness we gave a self-supported 24hr a try. It really could have gone better.  

NW Competitive Adventure trackstand!

With a couple years of lessons and failures I was ready for 2022. My original target for my age group seemed too easy now. My appetite for miles had gotten bigger. I wanted the Overall Fixed record. Joseph Lawhorn set the course record in 2017 and I was going to take it. The goal was now 415.2 miles in less than 23 hours 54 min 48 sec. But could I do it on a bike built from the spare parts bin?

I've wasted so much time drooling over frames, wheels, power meters and aero cockpits. Seeking out marginal gains where they existed and I could afford. Just to be clear, I am not wealthy. I didn't and still don't have the funds to upgrade anything new. My equipment gains came from used parts bin at Bike Farm (a commuter focused bike kitchen) or the hand-me-downs from a friend's upgrade. Seeing all the beautiful wind tunnel tested TT bikes at the start line and the riders in matching kit that must have cost tens of thousands of dollars. I'd stress over whether my All City was up to the challenge rather than if I was up to the challenge. I'd say to myself "Forget marginal gains and train for major gains.", "Don't buy upgrades, Ride upgrades.", "Whoever trains the most, Wins".  

"But let's be honest, 

Stickers make it faster 

and my bike has a lot of stickers 

so it must be fast."

24hr Fixed and Women's record holders

It's not the bike that wins races, it's the plan. I had crewed for 24hr races and a couple RAAM events but never been the show. This isn't a bikepacking event where you live off chocolate milk and gas station hot cases. This is supported and plans gotta be made. Which has a great advantage because you can get anything you need to complete your goal. You just gotta have it there and make sure your crew can make it happen for you. Days before the race we gathered supplies from grocery stores and made food schedules for lap splits. Organized all sorts of clothing and tools speculating on various challenges and scenarios.  100% up time is the goal and no second can be wasted. 

Thanks to the years of training and encouragement I received from Meaghan Hackinen and the awesome support I received from my crew members  Laurie Hackinen, Carol Wray and Randy Horton; I was able to beat the Overall Fixed course record by three minutes thirty-nine seconds!