12 Hrs of Rim Nordic

By Singletrack Dirt
Jun 24, 2009

This weekend my racing partner, Mario Correa and I raced the 12 Hrs of Rim Nordic held in Running Springs CA. We did this as a training race for the Breck Epic in July. This race was day two of a three-day block for us. The 12 Hrs of Rim Nordic is part of the 12 hr endurance series Jason Ranoa puts on: www.socalendurance.com

They are always great courses; never a freeway (which is a surprise for So Cal) and the laps are no gimme. The race started at 6775 ft, which is a lot for us sea level dwellers, and each lap had 1100 feet of climbing. We took 2nd Place in the Co-Ed Duo category. Our main competition was Team Holly, from Utah a rippin' fast XC team.

See the full results here.

Mario and I both did seven laps, sadly my last lap didn’t count. I missed the cut off time by three minutes. I knew it was going to be a long shot to make it in before 9:00 ( half of my lap would be in the dark). This was a train through so out I went, jealous knowing Mario would be drinking a Stella in the pit.

Mario’s times were like clockwork, literally. His times drifted about one minute over the course of 12 hrs. It was pretty unreal and a great benefit because we had no pit crew so I knew how much recovery time I had. After the race I talked to Mario about what it was like.

Did you know you were going to be that spot on?

Mario: No, that surprised me. I rode sections of each lap differently, but I also ran Into traffic at different points on the course so I think everything evened out overall by the time I got back to the transition area.

I know we train with our own check points in mind for these races, did you have the same times for the first check point at the top of the climb?

Mario: Yes it was always 19 minutes and change to the start of the fire road at the top of the climb except for the first lap; I didn't check my watch on that one. That was my only checkpoint for this race. If it were a 24 hour race I would have had two more.

Did you ride the fire road portion the same or is that where you experimented with riding style?

Mario:I experimented on everything from the fireroad to the start/finish. Like I mentioned earlier though it all evened out in the end and I think that was because of traffic.

So the bells we got for the stage race have been adopted as the passing bell… Did you have to talk at all? Any disadvantage to the bell?

Mario: It was the first time I used a bell in a race and I'm going to stick with it. Its' great for passing. This course had alot of singletrack and many racers so I used it much more than I thought I would. My comments to other riders was mostly "nice job", "way to go", "keep it up" and "thanks" I don't see any disadvantages to it.

Hope you said thank you when you blew by everyone.

Speaking of thanks, we owe a big one to Jason Ranoa and his wife Heather. Jason Ranoa is a great race director super chill. He and his wife both race so they get it: the desire to wear headphones, the endless questions regarding times, the thrill of a great course. Here's what they had to say about the 12 hrs of Rim Nordic...

When did you start putting on races?

We put on our first race in 2005 - the Inland Valley shop challenge

Is this how you make a living?

No, My wife Heather and I are fitness trainers and own our own training studio in Murrieta, CA.

Why do you do it? Is it b/c you get to ride moto on the trail?

I do love to moto on the trails, but the main reason I put races on is because we need it. There are very few endurance mountain bike races on the West Coast. Especially in SoCal! These events are a great way to get people together to make memories and rip up some great trails!

How often do you and Heather ride/race?

Heather races Pro XC. We generally follow the National XC series during the year. I will try to drop into a few races during the year if I can fit them in. Promoting races has really cramped my racing style. To much digging and not enough training!

What is the biggest challenge at any race?

The biggest challenge would be the general coordination to get the venue and setting up a super fun and safe course.

Do your kids make the race signs?

Actually they do! Well partly anyway. I love doing things like making the signs with my kids. Its something they like to do to be part of the race. They are 9 and 10 year old little ladies. I suppose it would be cheaper and more efficient to have the signs made. But what fun would that be!

What have you done differently to attract riders in this crappy economy?

I think we provide a great environment for the average rider to come and challenge himself or herself. Our races don't cater to the elite athletes. Although many top level pros come out. Our races have a very grassroots feel with a laid back atmosphere. But we also try to give back as much as possible to the racers. Our raffles are second to none and the amount of cash giveaways that we provide is pretty unheard of.

What do you do right in your eyes as a course director?

Bottom line is - Its not about me!

What’s YOUR schedule on race day? Do you ever bonk?

I bonk about 10:30pm after the race. My schedule on race day is very systematic. I try to follow a schedule to get everything under control and done on time.

What’s been the biggest surprise at any give race?

The biggest surprise has been the amount of folks that come out and race. We are one of the last races to offer same day registration. So we never know exactly how many racers will show up.

Biggest disappointment?

Biggest disappointment is when something goes wrong and it affects the racers. For instance the timing at The last Rim Nordic race. My timing system is awesome and my timing team is top notch. But we had a minor glitch at the end of the race. Of course it was fixed asap. But racers had a slight delay. I dont like that! I like everything to run like butter!

How do you know when a course is too hard/dangerous for endurance?

I fancy myself an endurance junkie. I like to race all kinds of endurance events. Plus I like to go to alot of endurance events. So just from experience I try to adjust my courses according to my riders. There is a method to the madness. I also have tag teamed with some of the best promoters in the business. I have learned alot from them.

--Heidi Volpe

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