Race Recap: 12 Hours of Cumberland
On Saturday, June 22nd, I took part in my first 12-hour mountain bike race in Cumberland, BC - UROC’s The 12 Hours of Cumberland. The course featured a 7.5-ish km loop, and the objective was to complete as many laps as possible within 12 hours on one of the longest days of the year. I got up early and arrived at Village Park by 7 am to set up my pit and tent. My hydration plan involved drinking one water bottle per lap and preparing about 10 bottles: 4 with plain water, 4 with electrolytes, and 4 with sports drinks. For nutrition, I brought a variety of candy, granola bars, PB sandwiches, and fresh fruit to keep my energy up and prevent a “bonk” from happening later in the day. With no concrete strategy in mind, my primary goal was to ride 100 km within 12 hours, making this my longest MTB ride to date. A bit daunting but I was ready to try! I packed my riding gear with food and tools, aiming to have fun and remind myself why I love riding.
And we’re off…
The race started at 8 am, so I picked up my race plate and chip around 7:30 and went for a mellow spin around the field to warm up. I lined up near the front at the start line, feeling excited. After a rolling start, the race officially began once we hit the main logging road. Initially, I struggled to maintain my endurance pace as many participants were in teams and not conserving energy. I went out too hard but eventually found my rhythm. The descents were fun and allowed me to gain time with other riders.
Every time I passed through the pits, the cheering crowd kept me motivated. My tent was conveniently placed by the course, enabling quick water bottle swaps each lap. My mom's support at the pits was so appreciated. She reminded me to eat even when I didn’t feel like it, making sure I was properly fueled. During the first half of the day, I focused on eating solid foods like granola bars and drank my electrolyte-filled bottles to make sure I’d survive through to the end of the race.
Hitting the wall
Around hour 5, I started to zone out, unsurprisingly. Swapping bottles at the pits became second nature. Physically, I felt surprisingly consistent and dare I say, good? That all took a turn at hour 9 as I started to face a mental challenge. My feet and hands were sore from constantly riding, my lower back was cramping, and I was getting sunburned. I put on some music to keep myself going and when I rolled through the pits during the 2nd half of the day, I would quickly reach for some fresh fruit to refresh me and sports drinks to boost my energy.
At hour 10, Lucy Coldwell, another rider in my category caught up to me. We motivated each other on the long climb back up the trails, sharing our plans for the rest of the ride. I gained valuable time on the descent and entered the final lap alone, clocking in at around 11 hours and 35 minutes, which didn’t leave enough time for another.
When I finally stopped at my pit after the finish, I felt dizzy and unwell but incredibly hyped for making it through the day. I cleaned up, sat down, and let the enormity of it all sink in.
I had completed 18 laps, totalling 142 km and over 3000 m of elevation gain. I was the top female solo rider in terms of time, coming in almost 2 minutes ahead of Lucy. But we both did 18 laps, which was quite an accomplishment for us both!
Check out the full results of the 12 Hours of Cumberland.
See you next year, 12 hrs!
Throughout the day, I enjoyed chatting with other solo female riders and how we encouraged each other. The camaraderie and respect among the riders of all categories was fantastic. Big thanks to UROC for organizing such a rad event!
Thanks to good hydration during the event, I felt much better the next day than expected, though my feet were very tingly, and my muscles were a bit sore. Not too much of a surprise there given my efforts.
Overall, the 12 Hours of Cumberland was an incredible experience, allowing me to push my limits. I’ll be back next year for more :)
About Jade
Jade Blouin-Comeau is one of our RLG ambassadors for 2024. She joined our program to connect with mentors and hone her skills and has since gone on to crush the national enduro scene. She hopes to inspire future young shredders through rides and hangs within the mtb community.
