Last weekend I raced the 12 Hours of Temecula mountain bike race on a 2 man team. This was my second year doing the event and the first year I did it, 2007, I raced on a 3 man team. For those of you not familiar with 12 and 24 hour mountain bike races you can choose to race on a 2, 3, or 4 man team, or you can charge it solo.

On a team you just trade off laps and solo’s ride the whole time. The course this weekend consisted of a technical 10 mile loop with over a 1000ft of climbing per lap.
Saying the race was hard would be an understatement. It crushed me and my teammate over the course of our 12 laps. During the race I got to witness some exceptional performances. Something I will not forget is watching my good friend Luke Wiens charge the race in the Solo Pro division.
He started to focus on endurance mountain bike events just this season and did not decide to enter in the pro division until the day before the race. He completed an incredible 11 laps to take 2nd Place. To put this in perspective that’s 110 miles and 11,000+ ft of climbing on a hard course in hot and windy conditions.
His performance was very inspiring and I thought people would be interested in what it takes to step up to races like this. So I had a chance to interview Luke this week to see what he’s all about.

James Walsh: What was your sports background before you got into endurance sports?
Luke Wiens: Before I got into endurance sports I was a skateboarder/trouble-maker. I was in a band up in Sacramento having a good ol’ time; until it got to the point of being too much fun. I realized I was going nowhere fast and started looking for a positive outlet. I had a friend who competed in sprint distance triathlons and rode mountain bikes on the side; it all started from there.
I grew up on bikes, what young boy didn’t. I could say I enjoyed bikes more then most though. I wanted to race BMX, but the constant relocation as a kid trumped that idea. I remember riding my bike 10 miles to soccer practice and then riding home when I was young; minus the swimming that’s the meat and potatoes of triathlon right there. So with that said, five years ago the journey began with a sprint triathlon and a budding mountain bike hobby.

JW: What made you want to start racing triathlons?
LW: I saw triathlon as a huge challenge packed into one event. I went to watch my buddy compete and was absolutely amazed at not only the event, but the people who were racing. I saw people of all sizes, ages, and ethnicity out there pushing themselves and having fun; I needed to be a part of that.

JW: What are some of the triathlons you competed in? Which was your favorite?
LW: I slowly worked my way up in triathlon as one should. I started with sprints then moved on to Olympic distance triathlons. From there I took the leap into the Vineman Half Ironman. After several years in the sport I finished Ironman Arizona in 2007. During the run to IMAZ, I fell in love with Xterra. I managed to qualify for the Xterra USA Championship in 2007 as well.
During this whole journey, Vineman was by far my favorite road triathlon. The scenery, people, and experience are second to none. Vineman is held in a great venue, one that can be taken advantage of well after the race. However, my favorite triathlon would have to go to the Buffalo Creek Xterra in Colorado. Never before had I raced in such an epic landscape. The trail is awesome, the lake is pristine, and the views make it the number one spot on my list.

JW: What made you decide to switch from triathlon to endurance mountain biking?
LW: Running injuries forced me into specificity. I reached a level of fitness in running where my body started kicking back. After battling with numerous running injuries over a couple of seasons, I got fed up and decided to employ a central focus. In 2007 I was lucky enough to race 24 weekends, doing everything from 10ks to Xterra to mountain bike races. I needed to pick one element of endurance sports and focus my energy.
Endurance mountain biking offered a challenge greater then Ironman. An attempt at riding 24 hours solo on a mountain bike seemed to me as being the logical next step. My passion has always lied with mountain biking and the idea seemed big enough to scare me a little, but not so big that it would be unachievable.

JW: What was your first endurance mountain bike event like and what did you do to prepare for it?
LW: I raced in Vision Quest early in March of 2008, and viewed it as my first endurance mountain biking event. For those that don’t know, the event covers 56 miles and over 11,000 feet of elevation change throughout the course. I had just made the commitment to switch from an Xterra focus to endurance mountain biking and my long distance cycling training was limited. I decided to take an easy pace and grind it out. I finished 82nd overall and was more pleased with the fact that I wasn’t utterly destroyed at the finish line (don’t get me wrong, the course is brutal). It was there that I realized that riding my bike for 24 hours could be accomplished.

JW: What did you learn from the first race and how did it change your training preparation?
LW: Vision Quest forced me to realize the toll sustained mountain bike efforts take on the body. Not only did the race require strong legs, but the back and triceps were also crucial parts of the whole package. I knew that endurance mountain biking was a different monster from triathlon and would require a brand new focus regarding training.

JW: What do you feel the most important aspect of training is for someone wanting get into endurance mountain biking?
LW: Miles, and by that I mean find a guy named Miles and ask him to be your coach. Just kidding, quality training volume is key when developing a training program for any endurance related sport. Endurance mountain biking is all about being comfortable on a mountain bike for extended periods of time. Coaches are limited in the sport, so seek guidance from someone who has experience or try a pre-built plan from Lynda Wallenfels.

JW: How do you balance off-road biking with road biking?
LW: I try to spend about half of my training on the road bike and half on the mountain bike. I believe developing technical skills are crucial to becoming successful and this can only be done off-road. Road biking offers a quality training medium; where as mountain biking offers the real race environment. Both of the stated are an essential part of training for endurance mountain biking events.

JW: What events did you race this year?
LW: This year I competed in the 8 hours of Hurkey Creek in the spring. The very next weekend I competed in the 8 hours of Coolest 24, rough! During the summer I raced at the local venue in the 12 hours of Temecula and then did several XC races at Rim Nordic. Moving toward my overall goal I competed in the Tahoe-Sierra 100 and then the 24 hours of Hurkey Creek in the fall. Lastly, I just raced in the 12 hours of Temecula to finish off my season with my best result yet.

JW: Which was the toughest? Why?
LW: The 24 hour solo attempt was absolutely brutal. During the afternoon the temperatures reached around 85 degrees to start everyone off with a little hydration deficit. As the night fell and miles accrued, the temps dropped to nearly 28 degrees which made every athlete question their motives. This massive temperature swing coupled with long hours on the bike made for not only a grueling physical test, but a mental civil war as well.
Try riding your mountain bike for over 100 miles to about 3am into below freezing temperatures, then ask yourself “do you want to continue?” Tough!!

JW: I know it takes a lot of preparation on the physical side but how does the mental side come in when you are training for and racing events that last up to 24 hours take?
LW: The mental battle in a 24 hour race is like nothing I have ever experienced. I thought Ironman presented a tough mental challenge, but I had no idea. When it is dark, cold and you find yourself alone, you can’t help but allow the demons to start wreaking havoc. Training cannot prepare you for what one might face in a 24 hour race. I think through pure race experience can you really develop a mental toughness for that type of event.

JW: Any chance you will get back into triathlon and some point?
LW: At this point I am starting to find a lot of success in endurance sports with endurance mountain biking. I would like to compete in another Ironman someday, but as of right now I really have no reason to switch. I love the races, the long hours on the bike, the massive challenges, the competitors, it’s all good stuff!

JW: Any more tips for anybody wanting to give and endurance event a crack?
LW: Start small and work your way up. Don’t blow yourself out with a 12 week couch to Ironman program. Enjoy the ride!

JW: What are your plans for 2009 and beyond?
LW: In 2009 I plan to progress in the sport of endurance mountain biking. I have reached a fair amount of success in my first season and I plan to expand on that. There is a chance I will take it yet to another level. There is a 5 day mountain bike stage race in Breckenridge, CO next July; will that be tougher then a 24 hour solo attempt? I hear the air gets pretty thin up there!