I do have a real strategy. I plan to roll over the start line at midday on Saturday at Waipa, ride the course till a point where I can slip away and ride home to Lynmore. Then I'll pick up the race at 11.30am-ish on Sunday morning. Longest. Lap time. Ever.
It is a big challenge for all those taking it seriously, which will be everyone else.
I'd dearly like to have the strength, leg and lung fitness and stamina to do a 24-hour race justice.
I am looking forward to witnessing one of the toughest races on the mountain bike calendar.
The event doubles as the New Zealand 24-hour solo championships, where it isn't just physical fitness that counts. There are psychological and even emotional hurdles to overcome.
Local rider, John White is a former world 24-hour solo world champion (in Canberra in 2013) in the 60-plus category. John followed that up with second at last year's worlds in Fort William in Scotland.
"At midnight you've been on the bike for 12 hours and the body is telling you it's time for a cuppa tea and bed," he told me before he left for Scotland. "Everything is turning pear-shaped. Mountain biking at night is somewhat two-dimensional for me with trees and rocks jumping out from all directions." John will be joined on the start line on Saturday by legendary Australian endurance racer Jason English. He won his fifth consecutive 24 hour Solo World Championships Open Men's title in Scotland. That's a remarkable statistic.
The 24 Hours of Nduro is a dress rehearsal for the WEMBO 24 Hour Solo World Championships when Rotorua hosts them in February 2016.
Five dollars of every entry in the Nduro will go to a very good cause. Local rider Lance Tavinor, from Cyclezone, is raising money for Kidney Health New Zealand. His brother and fellow mountain biker, Grant, is very ill with kidney disease and Lance is undergoing tests to see if he is a compatible donor. He is entered in the 24-hour solo category and is taking pledges for how many laps and kilometres he can do.
You can also make a donation: givealittle.co.nz/fundraiser/lancekranksitforkidneys.
One thing that is important when illness strikes is a sense of humour. Lance is a very funny guy, but we've seen a more serious side of him since Grant was diagnosed.
I'm sure Lance won't mind this week's photo, though. He was one of the infamous Bike Vegas Croucher's team at the Singlespeed Worlds in Rotorua in 2010.
For more information and online entry for the 24 Hours of Nduro teams and solo categories (and 12, 6 and 3 hour options) check out the website: n-duro.co.nz
