From the pages of Peak Region Cyclist
By David Pico
There will be a massive crank spanking in Palmer Park this weekend.  By “crank spanking”, I mean that the 24 Hours of Colorado Springs, which will also serve as USA Cycling's 24 Hour Mountain Bike National Championships -  will be held on the beastly trails of Palmer Park. The fun begins at noon on Saturday. (See schedule below.)

These trails are frequented by runners, mountain bikers, and horse riders.  Modern day vaquero’s.  The park trails have become the favorites of local riders since the park opened about ... I dunno, a million years ago, when General Palmer himself rode a mountain bike through the park and declared that it shall remain one of the uncivilized pieces of Americana in the center of Colorado Springs, untouched by suburbia, where cavemen and dinosaurs can live in peace.

Click for map of the Palmer Park Course

I think that’s how it went, anyway.  The other uncivilized area is Manitou Springs, and it doesn’t look like they will be joining us on planet earth for quite some time.  Stay weird, Manitou.  We love you, we need you, we just won’t be introducing you to our mothers anytime soon.

For 24 hours straight, some of the best mountain bike competitors in the U.S. will be ripping through the ups and downs of jumbled rock and gravelly trails that we get to blast through any day we wish.  Colorado Springs is getting the center stage spotlight that it deserves.  On a 13.5 mile course zigging and zagging through the trees and shrubs, riders will be giving it all they've got.

Needless to say,  you should probably not ride in Palmer Park this weekend, lest you get swept into a whirlwind of little guys and gals on big bikes trying their best to navigate the rugged trails as fast as they can without crashing. 

The excitement of the 24 Hours of Colorado Springs being at Palmer Park is beginning to eclipse the excitement of last year's event at the Air Force Academy.  Having a race on the Falcon Trail made for an enticing trip for out-of-towners.  For local riders, there is an excitement floating in the air about tossing their wheels on Palmer Park dirt for a good old fashioned rip snortin’ heel kickin’ throwdown. Here is what some of our top riders had to say about the big event.

Kelli Emmett: Ohh...I am very excited to see the race in Palmer Park.  There are so many great techy trails that require riders to have a little technical ability in order to do well.  Plus, I like how the venue is closer to town and easier for people to come out and watch the race.  
I love Palmer Park.  It’s always a great way to sharpen up technical skills.  I always feel like I learn something when I ride there.  It’s entertaining and fun!  I just don’t feel like I am riding a dirt road for hours on end.  It feels good when I clear technical sections that maybe I have never done before. You always need to be paying attention.  No zoning out allowed!!

To riders new to Palmer Park: Practice, Practice, Practice. Locals have a huge advantage because they can dial in the course before the race.  So, anyone preparing for their first time should get out there in the next month and learn the trails and find lines. Most sections are rideable and it’s just a matter of finding the right line. Grab a friend and ride the course together and maybe they can show you how to ride some of the tricky sections or you can discuss how to get over certain obstacle. Feeling confident going into a course is best prep you can do for any race. Besides training, of course.

Russell Finsterwald: The move from the Falcon Trail to Palmer Park will end up being a better course and venue for a national championship event. With more technical riding, a better opportunity for spectators to watch, I don't see why it won't prove to be a better venue location.
Palmer Park is an excellent piece of mountain biking in Colorado Springs. The terrain is so much different than anything else we have. It's a great place to work on your technical skills.
To some riding Palmer Park for the first time I'd suggest "looking before you leap." There's a lot of different parts that could catch you off guard and send you too the ER pretty quick. Building knowledge of the trails is a good place to start!

Daniel Matheny: Love it!  It will bring 24 hour Natz to the heart of a metropolitan area and showcase our trails.  When I came to town five years ago I got lost and to this day it’s still slightly true. The trails in Palmer Park are unique and many will really like them if the course is put together well. It will be a different Colorado race course, as it will have less big climbs equaling big descents, but a lot of corners and punchy hills. I love riding there because it’s technically challenging in spots but has flow. 
For riders new to Palmer Park, go slow to go fast!  What? I know that doesn’t make sense, right? Basically don’t force the bike to go fast, but find the flow and it will come.  It’s kinda like Chi or “the Force” from Yoda’s teachings!

Kalan Beisel: I think the race being moved to Palmer Park is great! It’s a great place to ride smack dab in the middle of town! There is nowhere to get bored pedaling on this course, the technical rock gardens and fast, flowy single track will be sure to make any racer want to come back for more! When preparing for the race, I would recommend working on pulling up on the handlebars. There are a few spots in Palmer Park that require popping over rocks and railroad ties, which can really start draining the energy stores a few hours in.

Doug Johnson: Palmer is an awesome place to ride, it's fast and technical, just the way I like it. Passing is always an issue at the big 24hr races. The Palmer course is a pretty short loop, mostly singletrack and no long climbs, so there is going to be a lot of "on your left" out there.
A fast lap time is going to be determined by getting a good flow thru the corners and technical sections. It will be a fast race. I think Tinker Juarez holds the record for the most miles covered in a 24hr race, something like 240 miles, you may see that fall.”

Alison Dunlap: I love Palmer Park and I think it is some of the best riding in town.  I like riding there because it has a little of everything.  It reminds me of Moab.  It is challenging and technical but also fun with some incredible views.  Plus you can ride there almost all winter.
Best advice (for riding Palmer Park) is to keep your head up and your shoulders and arms relaxed.

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There you have it.  The locals speak.  To sum up their thoughts, October 1-2 will be 24 hours of dirt-smacking, pedal-mashing, gear-spinning fun, right here in Colorado Springs.

It’s all been brought to you by 24 Hours of Colorado Springs race director, Tim Scott, who says: As a rider and lover of the outdoors, I work, play, and live in Colorado Springs.  Bikes have always been a part of my life.

According to my mother, I took my own training wheels off at age 5 after a half-day of practice and was drifting corners by dinner with bandages by bedtime.  Years later, I would meet the love of my life, Laura, while working part-time at a local bike shop...she got a Rockhopper, I got a phone number. 

After an amazing sequence of events, international drama, star alignment, and divine intervention, the second year of our mountain bike race is hosting 24-Hour Nationals.  You are invited to participate, to spectate, to drive by and smile as one of the greatest tests of human endurance on our planet takes place two blocks from my house at our city's largest and most beloved Palmer Park.
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For more info on the 24 Hrs of COS check out the online issue of Peak Region Cyclist where there is a video interview with the 2010 24 hour mtn bike race champion, Cameron Chambers and his duo team partner, Daniel Matheny.
Go to www.24hoursofcos.com