Back Again to 24 Hours of Great Glenn

 

24 Hours of Great Glenn

Mount Washington, Great Glenn House

Gorham, NH

Aug 3-4, 2024

Jess: 134 miles, 18 hour ride time, finish time 24 hours

Joël: rode until dark then ate bacon, drank PBR, slept and took photos

Back again to Great Glenn for the third time at this event for the Nankmans. Everything about this race makes it worth returning back to numerous times. The course is a good ride- fun yet challenging. The venue is a great place for camping for the weekend. Fellow riders are friendly and make for a pleasant time out on course.  The race organizers put on a good event- food, a circus tent as race headquarters, award ceremony, beer- all run smoothly and efficiently.

Bonus: the floating bridge.  Adds fun and I admit a bit of fear to each lap.

I am writing this almost six months post event so I can’t remember details. Thus this is a short and sweet blog post; hits upon the important details.  But, having done this race numerous times, all the fine details and event specifics can be found on previous blog posts: 2021 event click here, 2022 raced but no blog post.

Both Joël and I entered solo 24 hour; myself women over 40 and Joël single speed.  It had already been a full year of long distance races for both Nankmans; many 12 hour solo mountain bike events, ultra endurance gravel races (UNBOUND XL and GRUSK 270 just to put it in perspective), and 24 hour mountain bike races.  We arrived at Great Glenn feeling a bit haggard and uncertain of how things would go; have we raced ourselves into fitness or were we tired and unrecovered? Only way to find out was to ride.

The event started well for both of us.  Feeling strong and enjoying the ride.  The weather was hot but beautiful, no rain in the forecast and the sun was shining.  Both Joël and I were pedaling along doing what we need to do- eating, drinking, chatting with others, pedaling along in our long-term comfort zones.  The sun set and night riding started. My favorite part of these 24 hour events.  Animals come out, the temperature cools off a bit.  People slow down and the riding seems to be more low-key and we are all out there together just to endure and enjoy.  Both Nankmans were still feeling good. Until all of a sudden we weren’t.

Bonus during the dusk laps: "Temptation Corner"- bacon and beer hand-ups!  Kept us going through the next few laps.

Just a few hours into the night riding I was already feeling lackluster, just not wanting to be out there but still pedaling.  I came to the van and there was Joël putting his bike away and cleaning-up.  He said he was done. The prior months of long rides, hard training, and busy life and work schedule had caught up with him.  Nine hours in and he decided he was finished.  Being that I was on the verge of not wanting to ride it made choices more challenging for me about what to do. I was currently the top place in my category and either first or second female overall.  I really didn’t want to loose my position but both my mind and body were shutting down and seeing my husband call it quits made things uncertain for me.  I decided to continue on, slowly just to keep moving but yet still uncertain about how the next few hours would unfold.  I also was feeling the past few months of both physical and mental fatigue and it was catching up to me quickly.

Another lap or two in and I suffered the same fate as Joël.  I arrived at the van and that was it, I decided to stop, I was depleted. However, I was not sure if I was completely depleted or just to the point where I needed a break.  I ate and drank enough to replenish and restock calories and hydration.  I put on extra layers to stay warm but did not take off my current kit and clothing. I wanted to be able to rest and restore my body but I didn’t want to get too comfortable that I would not want to possibly go out again. I was still uncertain if I would take a nap and then keep riding or if I would call it quits completely. I was not going to make that decision until later.

I laid on the floor of the van and immediately feel asleep.  A few hours later I awoke and felt better. Not great but not ready to stop.  I decided to start pedaling again and see what happens. During my nap time I had relinquished the top spot but was not far behind and in addition the third place women was now not far behind me. It was race on!  I was feeling better and better each lap and all of us top ladies knew it was now game on; we all had to keep riding to not loose our positions.

Fast forward a few hours. The sun came up.  It was invigorating to know the last few laps of riding were upon us.  All ladies were still pedaling strong and we kept going until the end. It truly was a race to the finish.

By the 24 hours mark I finished second in the women over 40 and third overall women.  My time sleeping was the key factor in my personal results. I rarely if ever sleep during these long events, and if I do it’s a just a 30 min quick nap. Rarely do I sleep for hours and hours. But this time it was needed.  And the same goes for Joël.  Sometimes our physical and mental fortitude is just not there. Too much racing, too much going on in life…physical and mental stress takes it toll. And that is what happened and Great Glenn. But, we each made the decision that was needed for each of us, what we needed, and what was right for us at that time. 

As the saying goes “you need to know that sometimes you need to hold and sometimes you need to fold."

Another year of Great Glenn.  Despite not going exactly how we wanted still a good time for the Nankmans.  Riding was wonderful with a great course and beautiful mountain and forest.  The people and friends we connected with made for a good time.  Beer and food at the event along with the pre and post race festivities made for a fun time.  Camping at the race site and treating ourselves to dinner at the Glenn House (a local mountainside hotel) completed the weekend.  Certainly a recommended event and one we will be back to.

Bonus learned when camping on the way home- the T-shirts glow!

All made possible by:
Saucon Valley Bikes
Lupine Lights North America
Main Street Gym
Liv Cycling

-words by Jess

-input and photos by Joël

-photos by race photographer