I saw Simon shooting back through the start for his second lap at a ferocious pace with a massive grin on his face.

“Slow down!” I shouted.

This was a 24-hour pairs race, not a 2-hour blast around our local trails. Although I had competed a 24-hour pairs before, this was Simon’s first and I knew how easy it is to push too hard in the early part of the race and just blow up.

Most people seem to think that 24-hour solo is the hardest race category. I would have to disagree. A 24-hour pair is often much harder.

In my mind this is worse because you think it’s going to be easier than a solo as you are sharing the work, meaning you push too hard and risk blowing up. The stronger rider also goes faster, so the other rider gets less recovery and gets more and more tired, requiring a high level of awareness of your partner and communication in the short change over, which gets harder as the night draws on.

Simon and I had never raced together before. My usual race partner (Ant has a wonderful gift of understanding me even when I am exhausted and incoherent) had broken his collarbone. Simon, my domestic partner, had gallantly (naively?) stood in at the last minute.

To race a 24-hour pair well you have to know both you and your partner’s strengths and weakness. Simon and I are fully aware of our domestic strengths and weaknesses, but the fact that I know he is a great cook and he knows I am rubbish at ironing is actually not that useful in a 24 hour race.

And as for that 4 am change over, Simon and my communication at 4 am has usually been limited to “stop snoring!” or “give me back the duvet!” Not particularly useful, so you can imagine that I was a little anxious. This race could be Pandora’s box.

First changeover happened after two laps and I got my first taste of the course – ok I get it now, this course is fantastic – no wonder he was smiling so much.

Technical, yes, and hilly, but with so much reward. Everything from roots, rocks, rivers, open moorland and free flowing singletrack, with the most ridiculously steep climbs thrown in to keep you on your toes. This was such a fun course, despite there being no let up. This was going to be a true test of endurance, but it was grin factor ten, tempting you to ride it faster than you really should.

At 5 hours in the pit crew were ecstatic. We were in the lead of the 24-hour mixed pairs – but only by 4 minutes. This pressure could make it difficult to stick to our ‘happy laps’ game plan. At the next change over we established that despite riding reasonably ‘fast’ we were both smiling and that we would ignore our position and just keep enjoying the course. The sun was shining and as the course dried out it was getting better and better.

Nightfall arrived and lights went on. We were now in the lead by 11 minutes but I didn’t want to know. At midnight Simon and I decided to give each other an opportunity to sleep by doing 3 laps each. I was really looking forward to this longer stint on course – I could relax into my 24 solo pace and concentrate on smooth efficient riding.

Lap three of my night stint and I was suddenly aware that it had cooled down. Dew settling meant the course had become slippery and I fell, misjudging some off camber roots. After my hypothermia problems at Exposure 24 (just 2 months before), I went into a sudden panic. I was out on the open moor with no one else about and I was petrified of getting cold.

“Focus! Keep riding safely. Up the pace to keep warm and don’t stop,” I told myself.

The last run into the campsite is an awesome, fast flowing down hill section. My full suspension Cotic KP 24 shot down it like an arrow. It was such a great end to a lap that I half hoped Simon wouldn’t be at changeover, giving me the chance to keep riding. But there he was – looking as fresh as at the start of the race.

My turn to sleep. I have the ability to fall asleep instantly and anywhere. I lay down in the tent and nodded off in seconds.  I woke an hour later with a sore back – something to do with my multi tool and pump still being in my back pocket. Doh!

I met Simon in the changeover and he was early – he was still putting in some good lap times. I said we were up by two laps, and we quickly established that we were both smiling and that we wanted to keep riding – who wouldn’t we?
We agreed I would do two laps and off I went. As I rode around that lap I thought about how the whole Cotic / AQR Holidays team had been helping and supporting each other throughout the race. I reflected on what a difference a year had made.

Meeting up with Kate and Ian at their base in Luchon the previous Summer transformed me from being the support rider in this event the last year – let’s face it, Ant had always put in the lion’s share of laps in our pairs – to being very much an equal partner this year.

Not only that, but a year before this course would have freaked me out, particularly at night.  I have learnt so much from both of them. It was impossible not to keep smiling with this the fun course, legs that were coping well, being part of a brilliant team and with Simon nailing his first 24 pair.

After my second morning lap I flew down the last descent and into the changeover area. Simon, at 6ft 4in, is hard to miss, but a second quick scan and he clearly wasn’t there. I rushed over to the pits where I found him mid conversation.

“Wow you were quick”, he said.

Half of me was pleased that he noticed and the other half annoyed that he wasn’t ready for me.

“We have won”, he said. The second place team had stopped through the night and we were five laps up. The third place was back on the course, but with two hours left it was impossible to make up five laps. He said he would go out if I wanted him to, or I could go out again, but he would prefer to save his energy for our holiday.

Then it dawned on me. We had won! But that wasn’t the plan! Women can be so unreasonable sometimes it seems.

I am now lying on a beach in an activity centre in Turkey writing up this blog and reflecting on what is easily the best race I have ever ridden in. It has nothing whatsoever ever to do with first place. It’s simply because we had so much fun. If you can smile for 24 hours, keeping riding is just easy.

See the full story at Anne’s blog http://annedickins24.blogspot.com/2011/08/from-mojo-to-mojito-lesson-in-happy.html?m=1