An Olympic downhill skier and a budding mountain biker are the 2015 24 Hours of Adrenalin solo champions, after action last weekend (July 18-19).
David Anderson and Kara Lilly recorded 17 and 12 laps, respectively, to take the overall title for the 19th annual 24 Hours of Adrenalin race at the Canmore Nordic Centre, which again attracted nearly 5,000 bike enthusiasts to the park.
Anderson, 35 is a Calgary resident, but no stranger to the Bow Valley. A 2002 Olympian and past member of the Canadian Alpine Ski Team, Anderson coaches the Sunshine Alpine Racers along with his wife. He recently bought a home in Canmore, and plans to spend even more time at the Nordic Centre in the near future. He clocked 15 laps during his last attempt, and knew he’d need to squeeze out another two to be on the podium.
“I’m feeling pretty darn good. Tired as hell, but it’s nice to come through and get the number of laps I wanted. That was the goal when I signed up for it,” Anderson said.
The cagey endurance beast bided his time early on, as two other soloists staked out an early lead.
“For the first four or five laps, there were two other guys in the hunt. They took off and I didn’t see them for a while. They hit the wall. One guy started taking breaks,” Anderson said.
The alpine pro felt strong until 6 a.m., when fatigue became evident again.
“The first year I did it, (3 a.m.) was the hard spot. This year I was good until 6 a.m. and on lap 14 it fell apart. I got my wind back for 15 and 16. Lap 17 was a cruiser to make sure the other guy couldn’t catch me,” said Anderson, who completed 297 kilometres in 24:05:47. Scott Lahrs was second, with 16 laps.
Anderson’s support crew kept him well fed, supplying him with energy at the finish and midway point on the course, allowing him to carry less food around the track.
“I ate about three dozen bananas and drank as much as I could,” Anderson said.
A seasoned marathon rider, he trained for the event by entering several long distance races across Alberta on his Rocky Mountain Element, and clocking as many miles as possible early in the season. He put the 24 Hours race on his radar after his last attempt left him hungry for more.
“When I got through it the last time, I was completely exhausted, but it was a sense of accomplishment. It felt good and I looked for it again,” Anderson said.
Lilly recorded 12 laps even though a late night crash slowed her down considerably. Always on the lookout for a challenge, Lilly first signed up for 24 Hours of Adrenalin last year three months before the race, even though she didn’t own a mountain bike. Since then, her training paid off and she relied upon her intensity to fuel her goal. A background in skiing and soccer paid off.
“You work so hard on something like this and for things just to connect, it’s awesome. I’m also exhausted,” Lilly said.
In pursuit of an intense personal challenge, Lilly pursued a steady pace over her 12 laps, pushing the descents and flats to make up time on her opponents. On pace for 14-15 laps, She injured her knee in a late night traffic jam, which slowed her final four laps.
“I wanted to stay consistent, try and bank laps before the dreaded witching hour and just have a steady mind,” Lilly said.
The win wasn’t possible without a strong support crew, and Lilly said hers were “like NASCAR.
“The biggest thing was having a variety of foods, as you never know what you want. My crew was amazing. They had a tray with drinks, electrolytes and salt tabs. My transitions were quick, maybe two minutes long.
She was one of just three female soloists in the race this year. Lynda Lawrence and Jenn Armstrong finished second and third, respectively.
For the first time in years, 24 Hours of Adrenalin had perfect weather throughout the entire race. Organizers announced a sold-out field, however, many riders noted there was more room on course this year, with larger gaps between the riders.
The events crew had several new faces, as the race is in transition in the lead-up to its 20th year. Less attention was paid to the soloists as they crossed, with local character Crazy Larry’s leather lungs absent from the finish line.
The 10-person team of Onyerleft recorded the most laps on the day with 24, followed by Jasper’s Cory Wallace and the Freewheel Fatties five-person team, with 23. The Town of Canmore five-person squad locked up first place in their age category, after an initial registration mix-up with Team Planet Foods - HoneyStinger.
On the wildlife front, Conservation Officer Arian Spiteri said there were several black bear sightings during the race. Cougar tracks were also found on course.
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