I have to say, it was such an privilege to work with you all and be a part of this effort. Obviously, you are all amazing athletes but also really great people. There was not one harsh word, or even a hint of impatience amongst you with one another. Your three person teams literally dominated the field,. How do you do it? (Spend 24hrs together racing with no sleep and not kill each other)
A: [Doug.Thormahlen - Team2] This team has always been about friends first, then team second. So event like this really gives us a great opportunity to hang out together for more then the occasional training ride. Having 24 hour support by Ray and his family was a huge part of our success. Getting per lap updates and encouragement kept everyone motivated and relaxed so all we had to do is just ride.
[Team 2-David Summitt] I have so much respect for Doug and Brian, there is no way we could win unless we all worked perfectly together. I know that each one of those gentlemen gave all they had.
Q: You obviously all spend an enormous amount of time on the bike. How do you go about training for a 24 hour race?
A: [Shawn Heidgen – Team 1] Fortunately, I’ve got a lot of years and a lot of miles on the legs so I think that helps a lot. For me, no real specific training other than trying to just get as much time on the bike as possible. I probably averaged about 8-10 hours/week leading up to the race, then put in a big 3 day block a week prior, then rested until the race If you’re a newer rider, I’d definitely try to build endurance and overall body strength/conditioning. Having a strong core is a must, it’s not just the legs you need.
[Doug.Thormahlen - Team2] This was my first 24-hour event, so didn’t really know what to expect. Getting in some longer training rides during the previous few weeks helped.
[Team 2-David Summitt] A typical training week is: 7 hours on the bike- 4 hours running- 5 hours of Yoga
Q: Any advice for newbies wanting to try it NEXT year? Equipment, gear, strategy, etc?
A: [Shawn Heidgen – Team 1] A huge part of the race is just being consistent and taking care of yourself. Stay hydrated, eat as much possible, and ride within your limits. Line up some support- you will need it. And be sure to test out your light system and ride at night prior to the race, this always seems to be the place where we gain a lot of time.
[Doug.Thormahlen - Team2] Be prepared to ride about 100+ miles eating dirt.
[Team 2-David Summitt] Go pre-ride the course, start out on a 5-6 man team, make sure you know how your body reacts to certain food and drink while you are training hard, make sure you have a GREAT support staff. Go into it with no expectation except to have fun. Pray to the Lord on each lap and thank him for giving you the ability to do it.
Q: Team 1, this is your second attempt and second win, very impressive! What’s the “secret formula”? How do you beat a 5-6 person teams with half the people?
A: [Shawn Heidgen – Team 1] Thanks!! We’ve managed to put together a great team- chemistry is so important. It really is a 4 person team (they should count our support/mechanic Ray for sure as a team member). Honestly, although we are all very competitive people, we really are there to have fun and we do. I think the positive energy just fuels us even more and oh yeah….we’ve got Thane on our team
Q: Team 2, noticed you used a combination of Cross and Mtn bikes..why and any advantage and disadvantages to either?
A: [Shawn Heidgen – Team 1] I’ve got to admit, I thought the Cross bikes were a huge mistake prior to the race. Boy did they prove me wrong! I couldn’t do it on a cross bike, but it sure did work for them- Great job Team 2!!
[Doug.Thormahlen - Team2] Just a personal preference, but the course was well suited for both. I rode both bikes and for me the MTB was just more comfortable.
[Team 2-David Summitt] Cross bike will be faster climbing but requires really good bike handling skills on the decent, Mnt bike way better floating through the sand. I personally love my cross bike, but would not mind riding the Mnt bike.
Q: Team 2, also worthy to note that in the end you guys were only about 7 minutes behind the overall leaders (5-6 person team) whom completed 46 laps, you guys were credited with 45 I believe, how do you keep such a consistent pace through the whole 24 Hours?
A: [Doug.Thormahlen - Team2] Tried to think of each lap as a time trial with the goal to get to the top of the hill as quickly as possible so you could bomb down and make up time.
[Team 2-David Summitt] I can only speak for myself, but there is no way I am going to let my team down, I will give everything I have every lap.
Q: Race highlights and low points?
A: [Shawn Heidgen – Team 1] High- the camaraderie, the competition, winning, great weather, the vibe of the event, the amazing support from the Roskes, having friends and family come out to support us, hearing the all the funny things people say during a 24 hour race …Low- getting passed by a guy in tennis shoes on the climb, knowing that a few of the guys weren’t feeling their best ( but they somehow pushed through it which was amazing)
[Doug.Thormahlen - Team2] Highlights: being together with friends for 24 straight hours; Low Point: fighting back stomach crams and trying to get enough food and water (lost about 7lbs).
[Team 2-David Summitt] The first lap was a blast! Riding at night was so much fun! Low point, driving home that night and getting a calf cramp and almost driving off the road. [Note: David's first lap was a 28:15]
Q: Any plans to do other 24hr or other endurance type races nationally or internationally?
A: [Shawn Heidgen – Team 1] Brian is trying to talk us into 24 hours of Moab….You know me- I’m up for anything
[Team 2-David Summitt] I am very interested in 24 Hours of Moab. I have always wanted to do Leadville 100 ( the running and the riding races) I would like to do Breck Epic.
[Doug.Thormahlen - Team2] To early to tell, ask me when my monkey butt has healed.
Q: Noticed you had “Road Lab/Test Pilot” tagged on your clothing. Is all your gear race tested/proven?
A: [Shawn Heidgen – Team 1] It is now! I wore some prototype jerseys and bib shorts during the race for testing and they were awesome. For the first time, I only wore womens specific chamois during the race and it made a huge difference.
[Doug.Thormahlen - Team2] This is the perfect venue to try out new product designs and materials to see how they perform under extreme conditions.
[Team 2-David Summitt] I love the clothing! We are so blessed to have such a great sponsor. I love showing off the brand and look forward to the huge success that Pactimo has been gaining each year.
Q: What next? Do it again next year? All women? Juniors? (“Open mammal” category maybe? ..Man, monkey, bear on a bicycle?)
A: [Shawn Heidgen – Team 1] At least three Pactimo teams next year! We’ll need to find another Ray and Elliot though, I think taking care of 6 people and 6 bikes was the limit. I still don’t know how they did it, they were always doing something for us the entire 24 hours. Not only did they not sleep the entire time, they were happy about it.
[Doug.Thormahlen - Team2] Knowing this group this is probably just the beginning
[Team 2-David Summitt] Next year we need to have 4 or 5 teams and a SOLO! We could have our own tent city.
Q Final thoughts, comments or reflections?
A: [Shawn Heidgen – Team 1] Just thanks to everyone who came out, raced, supported, cheered, etc. I had a blast!
[Doug.Thormahlen - Team2] This was truly a team effort and because of that we were ultimately able to pull out the win in the final hours. Because of our great support both mechanically and emotionally, the positive energy in our camp was contagious and kept everyone pumped and ready for the next lap(s). Much to my surprise the dark hours were some of my favorite laps. The temperatures were cooler and all I had to do was focus on the beam of light in front of me (and pray that some creature didn’t decide to run out in front of me). The Sigma lights we had were incredible, they were bright, light weight, and reliable. Thanks again to Ray and family for their support and also to all of our family and friends.
[Team 2-David Summitt] Thank you so much for the support! There is no way we could have done so good without you and Elliot. Thank you Karl and Pactimo for organizing everything. Thank you Brian and Doug for leaving it all out there. Thank you Lord for giving me the ability to perform such physically demanding activities.
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