The Solo Mens Podium, from left -- 1st Place, Josh Tostado (Giant); 2nd Place, Dwayne Goscinski (DRJ Racing); 3rd Place, Matt Gersib, (Salsa Cycles/Monkey Wrench). Photo: Showen
Team Evil Unicorn (the four in the center - from left) -- Skip Cronin, Sam Rosenau, Mark Savery and Nate Woodman -- took it to the Expert four-man field, in probably the best race of the day. After 23-plus hours, the race came down to seventeen minutes, and two laps from the finish, it was a lot less than that! Photo: ShowenShowen's got more pics from the race here.
Complete 24 Hours of Landahl race results are here.
Don't forget to check out the first of my race reports on YourMTB.com.
Finally, I owe thanks to a few people who contributed significantly to my race effort this weekend:
Complete 24 Hours of Landahl race results are here.
Don't forget to check out the first of my race reports on YourMTB.com.
Finally, I owe thanks to a few people who contributed significantly to my race effort this weekend:
- CVO -- You hooked me up with everything I needed to make it through the night...
- Sami -- Thank you so much for all your help during the race -- the wheel truing, the Assos chamois creme, the Gold Bond (later, much later...). There were several points during the race that would have sucked waaaaaaay worse had it not been for your selfless and expert mechanicing and advice. And to have the opportunity to see you cook bacon in no shirt, in cycling shorts, well, that's just priceless. Thank you.
- Mod, Woodman and Skip -- Thanks for letting me take up a little corner under your EZ-UP Tent City. I really appreciated each of your words of encouragement. Skip, I really felt for you when you had your rear tire issues during the night. I could tell how frustrated you were, but you handled it with quiet dignity, and I respect that a lot.
- Thank you to my boss Jeff, for understanding that sometimes I have a higher calling than work. Not that I gave him much choice, but at least he's not holding it against me...
- A huge THANK YOU to Laird Knight of Granny Gear Productions and Steve Outing of www.YourMTB.com for giving me the opportunity to make the 24 Hours of Landahl my first 24 hour solo event. I learned a LOT of lessons and already can't wait until I've the chance to put what I've learned to the test.
- Speaking of Granny Gear Productions, the entire Granny Gear staff was awesome. The race production was first-rate, the electronic "RealTime" scoring was very nice, especially for Laura, who was following the race online, and the course was in the best shape I've ever seen the Landahl course in (and that's pretty good). How many races did you do this season that had hot showers? They had 'em at Landahl. I took one shower mid-race, and another after I was done. It was awesome to have. Some people (who will remain nameless) remarked that they took a shower after each of their laps... now that's luxury.
24 comments:
Nice work MG, you doubled my lap count and for that I have no words.
What I do have words for is that of another crushing display of Nebraska cycling at the local/regional/national level.
The best riders in the nation live here, and we prove it again and again and again.
Congrats on your strong finish! You get extra credit for doing it w/o an official support team! I knew you gave 100% when you were out cold after being home for 10 minutes. . .
Great job man. Congrats.
jm
way to go, mattyG! three tough weekends in a row... is it time to rest yet?
when you told me you did a 12hr the week before I thought you were nuts for being here! great job, it was a lot of fun riding with you and look forward to riding with you again in the future. glad you made it home safe it had to be tough. I know it was for me.
Thanks for the nice thoughts on the Rassy blog!
I gotta tell ya, I admired you a few years ago because you were smokin' fast. Now, not only do I admire you because of your mtn biking prowess (skizlls and speed) but also because you are somebody that all young aspiring racers can look up to.
Congrats on a great season and I'll see ya at the awards shindig on 10/19.
Cam
Solid riding Matt! I was checking in right up until SHouse picked me up for the bfr, and was chatting about it on the ride.
Spectacular showing for your first time out!
Outstanding job Matt! What an accomplishment.
Would love to hear more about it some time.
I am dreaming of doing one of these next year...
All of you NE-guys, showed them again, how it is done.
wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute. four. i meant four. wow.
Good job Matty. I'm proud of you buddy.
Holy COW!!! Thank you all for your kind comments! I feel so fortunate to be a part of such a huge family that's connected by the common love of two wheels.
Extra credit... hee hee... You can take Mrs. Gersib out of the classroom, but you can't take the classroom outta' Mrs. Gersib! ;-)
But seriously, I know I've got more to offer in solo 24 hour racing. I learned a lot at Landahl, and actually felt pretty strong in my last couple of laps. The sunrise lap was absolutely beautiful. I've never seen a sun so red.
Em, you're right, it's four weekends in a row. It's time to rest. Sadly, that means I'm not going to make it over to Rob V's 'cross races in Iowa this weekend... Oh well, I'm sure he'll have an awesome turnout regardless.
Dwayne -- Thanks for the kind words, and congratulations again on your awesome race. It was inspiring to witness.
Christine -- You can do a solo 24!! It's hard, don't get me wrong. But it's hard in a "I'm going to learn about why I live" sort of way. It's definitely something I recommend you do simply to experience.
Dave, Ganz, Jason... Thank you all for the kind words and congrats. You Colorado boys give my buddies S-House and Daverill big hugs for me, m'kay? I miss you guys...
wait, one more... way to go matt, you're tearing it up!
nice ride man. you so cwazy. ;)
thanks guys... it wasn't my best performance of the season, but it was the best i had in those 24 hours.
the 2007 mountain bike season is really over for me now. in seventeen years of racing bicycles, this may have been my most fun, most satisfying season yet.
...and each of you were a part of it, in one way or another. THANK YOU!!
Hey Cam -- I just read back through my comments and realized I must've deleted what I'd written for you earlier... Not sure what happened there, because what you wrote means a lot to me, especially coming from a rider, and person, like you.
Thank you, my friend! See you on the 19th.
MG
matty-
i am truly impressed with this feat...been reading on yourmtb.com...so impressed brother, so impressed!
tj
thanks traci. i'm still the same me. i just employed an old bob hoyer saying... "persistence pays."
compared to the feats of my podium-mates in second and first (with sixteen and seventeen laps, respectively), my ride was decidedly human. and that's just fine with me. i had fun. a lot of fun. so much fun i cried at one point i was so happy... i can't believe i just admitted that.
... it was right at sunrise.
Matt,
I continue to be absolutely amazed at your drive, ability, stamina, guts, etc.! You must have gotten that from the Eisenmenger side, right?????? (chuckle here) Congratulations! Just when I think you've outdone yourself, you raise the bar higher, reach and then surpass it. You inspire me!
During the timeframe of your solo ride I was attending another volleyball tournament, wedding, and induction of a former basketball coach from HSF into the Hall of Fame at the Lied Center. Rather boring compared to your adventure. Again, congratulations Sunshine, and as always, I'm so very proud of you!
Love,
Mom
You're the best Mom. I love you.
I'm fortunate to have inherited persistence honestly from both sides of my family... My ancestors have been hard workers.
I was talking to Mitch today and we both agreed it wasnt how many miles we did but just the fact we did alot of them that mattered and that the greatest thing is we all got to suffer together. dude Im thinking transrockies or something in a couple of years, seems like something you would be in to? congrats again
Mad props MG!! Impressive performance for a 24hour vet indeed, but for your 24 maiden voyage, damn! Way to go GB...
Oh yeah!! TransRockies HERE WE COME!! That'd be SWEET! Before last weekend, that race didn't hold a ton of appeal to me, but now, it's got all the appeal in the world... Count me in Dwayne!
Butch, you're too kind. The guy that left the message right before you is the guy you really should be congratulating though. He rode four more laps than I did, for sixteen laps total and second place. Oh, and it was his first solo 24-hour race too! But thanks again. I am still humbly proud of how I rode... for my first solo 24.
Cheers,
MG
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