A COVID-19 pivot

Cool temperatures and a spectacular mid-September bluebird morning greeted the close to thirty riders registered to hit the 2020 Pulse Racing Epic 8 Hour Mountain Bike Relay on its fourth day.  The event's course was strategically laid out throughout the amazing rolling hills of pine and hardwood forests found throughout the Hardwood Ski and Bike recreation facility located in Ontario's Township of Oro-Medonte. 

Normally, Pulse Racing's Epic 8 Hour Relay event is a one-day affair with hundreds of cyclists ready to ride while organizers and volunteers oversee the timed solo and team relay race from start to finish.  But for 2020, the extraordinary times the global spread of the extremely contagious and potentially deadly novel coronavirus COVID-19 had created, organizers were forced to modify and re-imagine everything about their Epic 8 Hour Relay event. 

Safety first

The challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, meant that public health requirements and participant safety protocols had to be put in place to ensure the event could go ahead as planned.  It also meant a lot of creative thinking was required to re-think and re-imagine its format.   In particular, because daily rider registration was limited to 100, it meant turning this one-day event into a fourteen-day event (September 14th - September 29th).  Signs throughout the race area stressed maintaining appropriate physical distancing on and off the course.  Volunteers were kept to a minimum and racers self-managed their timing and lap-counting using the honour system. 

To ensure the least amount of interaction with other programs happening at Hardwood Ski and Bike, the course was set away from the main lodge and interaction between racers themselves was minimized by keeping the course in one direction throughout its length.

Pulse Racing's Glenn Meeuwisse seemed unphased by all the extra efforts required because of the pandemic.  As it says on the top of the Pulse Racing's website, Glenn's primary focus with so many of his races is to maximize success in the areas of 'fun, fitness and friends'.  He was super stoked that, in spite of the logistical challenges the pandemic presented for both organizers and participants alike, riders were going to be able to get on their bikes and hit the trails to experience everything his ten kilometre course had to offer.  

"how many times do you get the chance to ride the same race course twice during an event?"

A few silver linings

Some additional silver linings of the multi-day format included providing a chance for those more beginner riders to experience what an event like the Epic 8 Hour Relay offers in a less intimidating and overwhelming way because there could only be a maximum of 100 riders on the course on any given day.  Also, some riders mentioned that they had chosen to participate in this year's event as both a solo rider and as part of a team on two separate days.  As one rider who had chosen to register as a both a solo rider and team participant put it, "how many times do you get the chance to ride the same race course twice during an event?" 

Fun and fitness with family and friends

For two teams, the Norco Mini Shredders and the Not So Many Norco Shredders, registering for the Fall Epic 8 Hour Relay meant an opportunity to race with their mountain biking friends and experience the fun that comes with friendly competition between parent and child.  The Not So Many Norco Shredders team included Sara, Sara's husband Stewart and their friend Scott.  The Norco Mini Shredders included Sara and Stewart's daughter Marley, Scott's son Owen and their fellow mountain bike riding and racing friends Josh and Jackson.  Riders from both teams normally ride as part of the Durham Shredders Mountain Bike Club given many live in Durham Region and beyond. 

Focus on 100km

For both teams, the 2020 Fall Epic 8 Hour Relay represented the second time they'd had the chance to ride all together.  This year, both teams had the goal of collectively completing 100 kms - 10 laps of the 10 km course - over the eight hour time frame.  Each rider was pumped to do their part and happily shared lots of great feedback about the course with fellow teammates as each racer completed their laps. 

"An excellent course layout.  It's definitely been designed for every type of rider and there are go-rounds for any feature you might be uncomfortable doing." Stewart, Member, Team Not So Many Norco Shredders

Backing up these two teams on the sideline was an impressive support crew of moms and dads and younger sisters and brothers who got a great taste of what it's like to be a part of a mountain bike racing team.  In fact, Jackson's mom Linda was also registered to ride in the Epic 8 Hour Relay for the very first time on the upcoming Sunday as a solo rider.  A great achievement for someone who only started mountain bike riding a year earlier.

Together, each team reached their lofty goal of completing 100 km. Everyone who rode savoured their collective successes at the end of the eight hours and soaked up the sheer joy of riding and competing for the fun of it with the enthusiastic support of family and friends.

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