D.B.A: Outrider Morroco 2008

Sunday

Outrider Morroco 2008

I have really missed riding in Morocco for the last few years. Working on a rally is real hard but very rewarding. I was talking with my Friend Ian who does some crazy Iron Man events and we were comparing the feeling of self doubt you get during endurance events. When people say you have to be fit to compete in a rally they are right. However mental fitness is the key element in my opinion. Strange doubts start to creep into your mind and 8 hours on a bike can seem like an eternity. By the end of the day you have been on a real rollercoaster of emotions. I think this is the only type of race I have competed (and helped to organise) in with the same sort of feeling!

4 comments:

Paul said...: It's said to be character-building. Never done a rally or enduro longer than 4 hours... and that was punishing. You got to be superfit.; 2 May 2011 at 06:43
747 said...: Nothing like it in the world. I can remember one night while racing the baja 1000, I got so freaked out and scared I wanted to cry like a school girl and then the sun started to rise above the sea of cortez and it was like heaven.; 2 May 2011 at 14:52
Anonymous said...: it's all in the mind.
wish mine was strong enough for a bit of that stuff!!.; 2 May 2011 at 19:02
Jolyon said...: I did my first rally last year the very relaxed Beacons Rally in Wales, I hired a bike and gear from Patsy Quick's Desert Rose Academy. I totally understand it. The way I describe it, I vacillated wildly from minute to minute on one hand pure utter dread for the next bump/rock/log/hill to absolute joy screaming out of a corner sideways the rear tyre scrabbling for grip.

I've already entered another for this year and hope to get a 2nd in before it gets too cold.

Half way through the 2nd day I was ready to quit, I managed 2 of 3 laps and way crashing more frequently on the technical parts of the course. On top of that I was aware that I still had to ride my road bike 180 miles home.

Fun times!; 3 May 2011 at 16:01