Today is throw back Thursday so I thought I’ll try something slightly different!
2 years ago, I was invited to be in a team with 3 guys to do the 8 hour at Killarney. Now, 8 hour is not too difficult but it was on a motorcycle and that motorcycle is a 150cc Honda on a karting circuit. Workout of note!
When I started on the Wednesday afternoon, my laptimes were dead. Thinking I’ll be lapped 3 times over before the first lap is not fun and it’s a worrying sign. Riding a bike on the race track, very different and very fun but oh so nerve-wracking! Not to mention the scorching temperature that is experienced in December times here.
Saturday roles up, with a hint of cooler temperatures. No rain was predicted, but this is Cape Town and its known for being the most abnormal climate in the world! 4 seasons in one day.
Qualifying happens, I decided to sit out because I didn’t want to interfere with the gents who were setting hot laps!
Right, here we go. It’s 9 am and the boys are ready for the run up start. Drop the flag and away we go! Almost straight into an immediate safety bike with a huge accident. Was a humbling experience and now I’m going, “great, so this is what happens?”
Now, a little run down of this event. It’s an 8 hour event of solid racing. 3/4 man team with a limit of 45 minutes per stint. The motorcycles are basic and fun. International event too so we have big names appearing from national and international!
A bit of a spill from one of our riders and now we are in the pits. Rushing around, and suddenly I am summoned to the seat. Galp. First time in race conditions, okay, breathe. Just breathe. Have fun and enjoy it. I had fun in this first stint, having my own little battle (not for position as I found out!) on track. Down the inside, around the outside for a few corners! Joys and fun times. Endless amount of fun! Then I am nearly 30 minutes in and arm pump starts to punish me and I cannot manage anymore so in I come.
When you enter the pits, you have to stop the motor and its pushed to the next guy. I’ve now stopped and suddenly the bike comes into the pits again.
What are you doing here again? Aren’t you on the track?
To my surprise the tyre is off the bead! Now that is dangerous. This was from the little spill earlier on by my teammate.
Fast forward to my next stint, we are a few laps behind our nearest rival and a few laps ahead of the guys behind us which means we are sound and happy where we are! For a bunch of amateurs and one professional! Solid next session and I continue to push getting myself to the best times set by me! A solid 55s, from a 1 minute 3. I managed to anger a few guys, without any intention, as I blocked them a few times! But hey, you’re behind me, work you’re way past me. Right?
After a solid 35 minutes, I pulled in but now as a typical Cape Town day will go, I have to now get prepared for the worse news of the weekend. A potential threat of rain. Fun and games.
Let’s do this. Next session, a few drops but nothing too bad. Keep focus and enjoy. Nothing to fancy in this session but definitely a few spills from everyone around me. After my team begging me to come in, lap after lap, I finally pull the trigger and pull in. Just enough time for the next rider to get a few dry laps in before the heavens opened.
In all the time the of the 8 hour, this is one of the first times to rain during the race. We are prepared. Let’s do it! Going out after one of the teammates had a fall and bent the one piece of the handlebar clip – on. I was essentially riding the bike sideways on the straight part of the road and in the wet! Fun and games was had, jeez, it was fun! Wet tyres corner a lot better than what your mind thinks and I cannot believe how well they stick when warm. It sticks more than the dry tyre!
Eventually, after a short last stint I’m in and that was it. We had another 30 minutes to go and we finished. 8 hours later, with smiles and tears all around, we had done it! A bunch of novice riders who wanted to have fun and conquered it.
I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for cheap racing. I would do it again and again.