Jenson USA riders endure in Temecula
The numbers are hard to comprehend. Nearly 90 miles of trail ridden, with some 11,000 feet of climbing. All in one day, and in temperatures soaring above 100 degrees.
The thought alone is enough to make your legs wobble and sweat seep from your brow.
Yet that's what Jenson riders Mark Mumea and Rod Leveque endured on June 14 during the 12 Hours of Temecula mountain bike race at Vail Lake, Calif.
The monster days by Rod and Mark earned each a spot on the podium. Rod finished 2nd in the expert solo men division, while Mark one-upped him on the toughness scale with a 2nd place finish in the solo men singlespeed category. That's right, one gear.
Racers attacked the event either solo or as part of two, three, four or five person teams.
The goal was for either the soloists or teams to turn as many laps of the 11-mile course as they could between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m.
The course offered little respite for the racers. It had not an inch of shade and was patrolled by angry bees and suspicious snakes. By noon, scores of riders began dropping out in bunches as the heat made portions of the route nearly unbearable.
At that point, the race became about who among the survivors had the force of will to fight the pain and stay in the saddle.
Rod and Mark each plowed through the circuit 8 times, slurping down gel packets and gulping gallons of sports drink to stave off cramps and exhaustion. Rod also overcame a broken chain on his first lap.
Another 12 Hours of Temecula is scheduled for Nov. 15.
