12 Hours of Amelia

Hialeah, FL
Saturday January 07, 2012
by: Kerry Drake

This year, there was no sliding around on Wisco winter streets for months in anticipation for the new year of racing. Gone Riding put on the 12 Hours of Amelia the first weekend of 2012 in the Miami area. In Florida, the only off season is when you get tired and declare it so. I went into this race intending to use it as a "practice" race for the upcoming 12 Hours of Santos. The goals were to figure out how to eat, how to pit, and to put in at least 120 miles. I have never had a serious go at an endurance event, but since I don't feel warmed up until a classic distance XC race is almost over; why not? There was a lot of talking during the first lap of the day. I found it surprising that other racers were already worried about who was up front "getting away". I kept it steady and didn't waste any precious calories hollering. I laid the bike down in the 2nd lap and had to take the singlespeed out while the Spearfish had the derailleur fixed by our friendly pit neighbors. The course was slippery to me and it took a few laps to "get it". I had no idea where I was in the placing or really who I was racing against yet. I did know that Bob McCarty, So. Florida's resident fast guy, had lapped me somewhere around lap 6 and he was racing a 12 solo as well. Unless some crazy vines picked up Bob and pulled him up into the canopy, 1st place was locked up. Sheri kept me fed proper and I never got close to feeling bonkish or hungry. My only difficulties were the pains associated with sitting on the bike for that long. Once the ibuprofen kicked in and my body contorted to fit on the bike better (8 hours in?) I was way more comfortable and starting having more fun. At the end of the day I missed the cutoff to put in lap 14 so lost the chance to break the top 5 by 5 minutes. In hindsight I was too comfortable. If I want to podium in these kinds of races it will have to hurt more. Lots more hurt. I can't wait for the next one because I am hooked. Stats: 6th Place Solo Male. 13 laps. 119.6 miles (lets call it 120). 11.5 hours. Lessons learned: My pits are way too slow. Pace needs to hurt more. Need more light!!!