No Fuss Relentless 24
October Sunshine for Relentless 24
Stu Thomson / 18.10.2010
Last weekend saw No Fuss Events hold Relentless 24, their final event of 2010. Relentless is one of the original 24 hour races in the UK and one of the toughest events on any to do list of Endurance Mountain bikers.There are countless positives to draw from the 2010 No Fuss season. With record entry levels, some of the best courses in the UK and the introduction of several new and original event formats No Fuss have certainly set the benchmark for event organisers in the UK. Yet as much as No Fuss participants keep coming back for more Endurance themed pain/pleasure (delete as applicable), every No Fuss regular will tell you the common theme for 2010 was the rain … Not for Relentless though.
The blistering sunshine seemed to catch everyone by surprise, As the tent and caravans packed out the car park on Saturday morning murmuring’s such as “this isn’t right, I don’t have anything with me that isn’t waterproof!� and “did you bring any shorts with you?� were heard all around Fort William’s Nevis Range.
With a midday start time (according to the No Fuss clock, which is generally 12.30 to the rest of the World) the atmosphere in the morning was a mellow one. It’s one of the greatest thing about No Fuss Events it the social pre-event banter that flows around the venue, it underlines the ‘Mountain Biking for everyone’ vibe of the events. It’s not really about the winning…
With the sun shining down and the stunning autumnal colours on their finest display (seriously check out the event video!) around the slopes of Aaonoch Mor the mood around the venue was fantastic. The race got underway amid the usual chaos and hilarity brought on by the ‘Le Mans’ style running start. The Nevis Range course was perfect for endurance racing; fast rolling with a great variation of gradient and singletrack. The afternoon seemed to fly by and darkness arrived before you even had time to say ‘Simon Cowell’s on the TV.’
It is a long night at Relentless 24, which undoubtedly adds to the physical and mental challenge of the event. With sunset before 7pm on Saturday and sunrise just after 7am Sunday darkness laps make up more than half the event and as any 24 hour rider will tell you, once you cross through the midnight barrier the next few hours are the toughest both on mind and body. See All Event Posts
