LIVESTRONG 24-hour Ultra Skate -- Seattle and beyond

[rodgon]

ok here they are.. since i was by myself all day they look like myspace pictures hahaha, but i think they get the point accross.

First of all i had to setup camp. here are the essentials of what i used. all day.


then of course my weapon of choice, fibreflex kicktail with the tail cut off, bennet 5.0 front and rts 129 back. my baby...


the food and resources.


the beautiful silverstrand view




first lap:

still strong yet measuring the pace.


the wind coming back up was killing me...


time to refuel and go again.


Second and third lap:

muscle spasms started to happen needed to rest for a few sec.


took some time to update people here on the fish.


Lap 4:

tired as hell... decide to go for the last lap here on the strand..


and much needed rest when i finished the 22 mile lap..



later on i was soo tired i just wanted to get to 100 but fell short... went home and slept.

ill have to really train for next time.

[wafflesole]

Right before i start, this is my version of events at Dorney Lake, UK
Other skaters are available
A proper evaluation etc will follow soon...

24 hours is a long time, you can fly half way round the world.
150 miles is a long way.
I managed to skate 150.5 miles in just over 17 hours.

Ben Hall was with me at Dorney, having decided that Hyde Park was the wrong venue. He had taken a fall and as you can see his knees were in a really bad state a week ago




so i was stoked to skate with him- for however long.

The first few laps were good, we were powering along, did lots of LDP (which is faster!) and just getting into it.

We were looking to cover 3 to 3.5 laps (9-10.5 miles) an hour and were doing that easily.
There was a triathalon on but it didn't get in the way.
We kind of split it into 2 hour blocks and skating together were getting 6 or 7 laps done easily.
Dorney is an amazing place, 3 mile loops on the smoothest flattest surface



At around 50 miles i got really tired, really woozy. I stopped and drank some energy drinks etc and I perked up.
Travel Monkey (John) and Alec came along to join us around the 70 mile mark (in 7 hours) and it was good to slow up for a bit and chill. It was at this time we heard that Both Dave Corntwhaite and Ben Stiff had pulled out of the London skate, leaving Keith (winnersh) skating solo. A lot of angry words were thrown about as we decided if we should go and get him or not.

Around the 90 mile mark Ben got hit by the same thing as me. We skated to the car and dosed up with energy foods.

'If this is the wall, then atheletes are a bunch of wusses'

Back on it now. Heading to 100. Passing 100 was a bit weird for me. Nothing really significant. We patted each other on the back and finally got word that Keith was on a solo mission in the Big Smoke. Good Man!



The day had been beautiful, really lovely but as it wore on we started to talk about the night skate. Night skating is new to us. What goes on in your head is all foreign.
As we stocked up on vittles and layered up for the next few hours, Dorney gave us one hell of a sunset.



The few hours after the 100 were really really slow. We were skating really fast but didn't seem to be making the miles. It really dragged on and it took an age to get to the 120 mark. Really depressing to look at your GPS and see no real change.

By this time we had been skating for 14 hours and I knew Ben's knees were hurting. We pushed on for another 3 laps or so and at 132 stopped for a break. Ben callled time on his skating. He had skated 132 miles in just over 15 hours. Legend.

I took a big break, chilled out for ages and pushed on. Skating on your own in the dark is a very strange thing. You think you are going slowly and go to push only to realise you are doing 15mph. Corners seem sharper and you seem to find every lump and bump in the normally smooth surface.

3 more laps, 1 more lap, 1 more lap.

I was still skating at 3 laps an hour but was getting really confused. I stopped to record the distance at hour 17 and when I got up couldn't remember which way I had come. I skated for a bit but kept running off in to the grass, on both sides.
I walked for while but was shaking and wandering all over the place so got onto my board.
Skating back to the car I tapped on the window, Ben woke up but didn't know where he was, or who I was!

So at 1.42 am - 17 hours and 20 minutes after we started - I sat down, wrote 150.50 in my book and told Ben

'I'm done mate'

more pics on the front page of SkateFurther | Long Distance Skateboarding

Thanks to everyone who showed up, phoned or sent texts. Thanks to James @ pavedwave.org and Dave Cornthwaite @ boardfree.co.uk for organising the event.



Big love to the 24'ers. Skatefurther.

nat

[pavedwave]

Congrats to everyone who clocked miles and pushed their own personal limits!!

San Diego Crew: glad to see the distance "fun skate" you made it -- the last minute logistics were tricky, yet it sounds like you found a pretty rad place to do this and had a good time. Maybe down the road you guys can throw something! Could always use more excuses to go to SoCAL.

Nat, finally I got some time to read through this - sounds pretty mentally gnarly, I can see with that perfectly straight course how it could get disorienting. Great to hear your story. Huge ups on hitting your goal.

Also mad respect to you Keith for sticking it out and doing some serious distance!

Trevor Gibson called us last night just from Denver as he was finishing up his ride, all solo in Washington Park. Dude sounded so stoked.

Now -- from the Seattle crew, are you ready for the new World Record??

Barefoot Ted -- 242 Miles in 24 hours!!!

Ted raised the bar and I think this record's going to stick for a while. Rest of the Seattle details will go up here in the coming days--

pavedwave longboarding :: Pavedwave / Skatefurther / Boardfree 24-hour Ultraskate IV

flickr photos from our ride
LIVESTRONG IV, 24-Hour Ultraskate, June 14 2008 - a set on Flickr

Base Camp:

[pavedwave]

Up for grabs to the next $75 donation to our LIVESTRONG page is this Subsonic Mini, a little deck Scott had some fun building over last winter. I'll pay the shipping ( US 48 )

LAF Grassroots Fundraising - General Donation

L: 26.75"
W: 8.75"
WB: 12.5"
Green Stain



Thanks for the support Scotty!

[pavedwave]

About the donated HyperCarve COMPLETE --- I set the auction bar a bit high at first, but Breamo would like to get someone on this board soon!

Gravity wants to give this baby away, so if you're interested, the first PM or email I get, and respond to, then put in your donation of $100, and it's yours!

pavedwave@comcast.net, or PM me on the Fish.

[pavedwave]

just spotted some cool news from Ken up on NWLB

Forum thread: Ultraskate Food Drive Results!!!

"...almost *400* lbs of food for the food bank!!!..."

[Gecko]

I've been meaning to make a donation, but I'd assume that Scott's mini has been given away already. If not, let me know! I'll totally up it to $75!

BTW, is thet Scott in the picture?

[kenofseattle]

Yes, that's Scotty. It was the first time I've met him and the first time I've ever seen his boards. He's officially a very cool cat trust me. He brought his family along to support James and Co for the skate and put in the serious hours. Also, the finish work on his boards is top drawer. Just beautiful designs and finish work. Whatever his prices are they're probably too low. I saw the mini with the ribcage graphic in person and it is HOT! I'd put it on my wall because it's more art than skateboard.

[Gecko]

Trust me, I know the work is top notch! I've got 2 of his boards and I've talked to him on the phone a time or two and traded several emails. He seems like an awesome guy. Funny how it's just nice to put a face with a name.

Great job to all of the skaters that racked up all those miles. I skate 5 or 10 and think it's a long way.

[pavedwave]

thank you for all your support Gecko -- your Ribcage Subsonic is on da way!

here's another shot of the master craftsman. his kids had a blast skatin around the lake with my daughter, we hope to do a repeat this fall!

[Boston Cream]

I was wondering if their is a general time that the next 24 hour skate in Seattle. I would love to make a trip down and join you in the fundraiser.

[Gecko]

I was wondering if their is a general time that the next 24 hour skate in Seattle. I would love to make a trip down and join you in the fundraiser.

Just pick a weekend in September, James, and I would look into some airfare prices.

[Boston Cream]

Just pick a weekend in September, James, and I would look into some airfare prices.

Well i only live maybe a five hour drive away and i would like to give my work some notice to me doing it.

[pavedwave]

congrats and thank you LISA TAPANG! -- who just snapped up the Gravity Hyper Carve for her son! awesome dealio, I'm surprised it lasted this long!

Breamo and Kevin at GRAVITY you rock -- thanks for your generous donation and support on our ride--

Gravity Skateboards: High Performance Retro and Longboard Skateboards


Gecko n' Boston --- our fall 2008 ultra is tentative, we'd like to schedule when / where we have more certainty for dry weather-- so unless a few more people commit to the full 24, we might hold off on the next one until next summer. For sure we're planning on an ultra the weekend before or after the Summer Solstice 2009.

[rodgon]

ifyou guys decide to go for the fall ulstraskate im done to do it here in SD. now knowing what im up against physically im sure i can pace myself and cross the 150 miles line. keep me posted and ill keep the SD peeps posted as well.

thanks!

[pavedwave]

Rodrigo, Gecko, Boston, and anyone jonesin' for a reason to get out and shred for miles and miles...

OCTOBER 10th is the current date we're shooting for Ultraskate V

Keeping Oct 17th open as a backup in case it's wet

Get your PUMP on!

[rodgon]

time to do some training.

[pavedwave]

Nice Rodrigo, hope you might get Trevor, Galac and maybe even Yandall on board??

This message from Ted just in...

"Okay, I am going to do all I can to make sure that I am BACK up here for this 24 hour event.

I am totally untrained, so it will be simply a nice long ride for me.
But would LOVE to do it and see A LOT more folks come out and just GO for 24 hours...OKAY?!!!

BFT"

[kenofseattle]

Rodrigo, Gecko, Boston, and anyone jonesin' for a reason to get out and shred for miles and miles...

OCTOBER 10th is the current date we're shooting for Ultraskate V

Keeping Oct 17th open as a backup in case it's wet

Get your PUMP on!

I'm hoping it rains out the Oct 10 date. My birthday is October 9 (hint hint) and I will be taking a little vacation with my gf that weekend. The weekend of the 17th is wide open and I should be completely refreshed and ready to rock.

[Gecko]

Okay, I'll know for sure by this weekend, but I think I am going to try to make this.
Too bad you won't be around for a b-day drink, KoS.