I wanted to enter the Sleepless in the Saddle 24 hour race in August, but there are too many people for one team and not enough for two, so at the moment I’m out 
My only hope is to find three other people… clutching at straws because I think Steve has already asked everybody, but:
anybody… please… :o
Rob
when in August is it?
Rob - they have a pairs category too, so if you could find just one person that’d do it you could.
Pairs is a nice way to race 24 hours, not too much that you need to spend half the year training, but enough so that you spend more time riding than you spend travelling. Might be a bit harsh for a 1st race though.
Kit it’s 12/13th August. http://www.sleeplessinthesaddle.co.uk/
Joe
Joe: I’m not sure if I’m up for doing it as a pair, mainly because of the amount of night riding involved - I’m not exactly experienced at off-road riding in the dark and I’ve only got enough battery capacity in my bike lights to run a 10W bulb for about three hours, which I reckon would be good enough for being in a team of four. I know I could buy more/bigger batteries, but I don’t want to buy extra kit that I’d only use once or twice a year.
And twelve hours of riding at race speed sounds a bit hardcore to me anyway, at least for my first real event. All my competitive cycling up to now has been road time-trials 
(unless you count Audax, but they’re not really competitive).
Liam: you up for it? Won’t have to wait for next year’s SSMM then!
I don’t care if we’re a slow team, I just want the experience.
Rob
I’ll happily lend you my lights, heavy and bulky but 20 watts for 3 hours (I think…)
I have not done Sleepless before - this will be my first year - but if it’s half as good as the Mountain Mayhem which is organised by the same people then it’ll be an absolutely brilliant weekend.
It’s not easy - if it’s like SSMM each lap will be up to 10 miles long, and you will probably have to do two laps in the 24 period to qualify - but it’s up to you whether you want to ride round just for the experience or whether you want to really push yourself to the very limit to see how fast you can go.
I wrote this on the Singletrack forum yesterday about the Mountain Mayhem; I imagine Sleepless will be very similar.
Well I had a blummin’ amazing weekend. Two days camping with great friends and good beer (some of it free!) surrounded by thousands of absolutely awesome people, all of whom showed nothing but boundless encouragement to everyone, even us loons of the one-wheeled persuasion.
Everything going on at the event made for a great atmosphere when not riding, and when out on a lap the encouragement from spectators and marshalls was truly awesome. The bottom of the first gravelly descent, the section after the watersplash, all the way across the campsite and, hell, all the way round the track was just packed with people screaming support right until the very end. Even though the bit through the campsite was a bumpy climb, each time I went through it I had a massive grin on my face because of all the ace people on either side. When lurking at the end, sampling free beer and cake, the friendliness of the group was great despite not knowing anyone else there.
I even loved the course; it was all rideable if you were feeling energetic, the first bit of twisty, rooty singletrack through the woods was lovely and the singletrack on the last half of the lap right down to the campsite was wonderfully fast and swoopy.
If you’re even considering the possibility of thinking about doing it, do it! You may regret it at 3am on Sunday morning, but come the end of the race you’ll be grinning for days.
Phil
hmm… looks like we have the same problem
:o Same Day too!
I’ll be riding as fast as I can - I just said that in case people were worried about me thinking they’re too slow. I’d much rather do it in a slow team than not do it at all - after all, I don’t know how good I’ll be myself yet.
If I can’t raise three team-mates I’m going to be reserve for the other team and Tue’s co-driver for the journey, so I’ll be going either way.
Rob
Bummer. I think we’re unlikely to be competing for the same team-mates though 
Rob
The intention of my post was to try to persuade anyone else who might have been pondering to do it… although reading it back I appear to have forgotten to actually say that. Bah!
Good luck in your search…
Phil
Rob- I can loan you some more lights and batteries. 10w smart light set rejigged to be helmet mounted and forthe battery to go in a back pack. I won;t be fit enough or free of baby enough to do the race myself tho.
Hi Rob,
Sorry I think one 24h/year is enough for me, although I had been considering it before SSMM, I need to spend a little more time with the family.
I talked to Liam tonight as he came round for his first 29er & 36" rides, but I think previous commitments eliminate him this year.
Keith
Hi Rob.
I’m sorry to hear about this. If there is anyone between Cornwall and the race track that NEED A LIFT TO SAY YES then that isn’t a problem. I’ll happily exchange the VW Polo for a couple of sizes up.
…EARTH CALLING SELLWOOD…(last seen orbiting Exeter)
I’ll also get hold of Kevin from Falmouth. He might be interested.
Keep cheerful - Tue
I’m sure that if I told Tom what the problem was, he would volenteer even before I finished the sentense… He has got a fake beard somewhere.
Don’t worry too much Tue. If we can raise another team than that’ll be cool, but I’ll go anyway as a reserve if we can’t (I can always put poison in your food the night before so I get a ride ;)).
I’m very aware of the fact that it’ll be my first attempt at something like this - I think I should do fine, but I don’t want people going out of their way to get me a ride then I turn out to be useless :o
Rob
Ah, I’m afraid I’ve got an altogether more nautical engagement for that weekend.
Another year perhaps.
Ok, so it looks like I’ve been convinced. I did have a previous engagement for that weekend, but that’s changed now, so I have told Steve that I’m in.
Seemingly Steve and I will be a pair (he’s the mentalist suggesting it, not me… I’m just impressionable 
), and there should be another team of four.
Of course, if there were any others willing to make pairs, it could make it a really fun game…
It also means that I’m on the scrounge for lights again, if anyone has superfluous illumination going.
Can’t wait for it. SSMM, the Blackpool run, Sleepless… it just gets better!
Sam
UPDATE:
This continues with a glowing invitation from Steve over on this thread… go on, it’s fantastic. You know you want to!
You really are insane!
After the Mountain Mayhem I’m really looking forward to SITS, even though I’m doing it in a terribly conventional and boring manner. Say hello when you overtake me up the hills… 
All the 24 hour races I’ve done so far really have been a highlight of the year. It’s like a muni weekend but moreso, with loads going on and hundreds of people encouraging you to keep going and try harder.
Phil
You can rely on that Phil… 
I’m assuming that John and yourself will camp with us unicyclists?? Unless you’re tooooo ashamed to. We will still talk to you - just! 
See you in a couple of weeks. Incidentally, what length cranks do you want on the Coker for the Blackpool Run - 110’s, 125’s or 150’s? Most of us will be doing it with 125’s and I think that’s what you had on last year. Don’t forget to bring a nice comfy saddle - you’ll need it. 
Steve
That’s superb news. Thanks Sam (and Steve!) - I owe you one for that. See you all there.
Steve: When/how do you need my details and money?
Rob
If you’ll let us in to the unicyclist encampment that would be grand. I promise to try not to set fire to anyone with a flame-throwing gas stove this time…
I think I did the Blackpool run on 150s last year, but 125s seem worth a try this time.
Phil