Michael DeNino Racing

I am very pleased to say I successfully completed the Shenandoah 100 (100 mile mountain backcountry mountain bike race) in 10 hours and 6 minutes, placing 152nd out of the 550 riders. The Shenandoah 100 attracts top mountain biking pros as well as amateur riders from all over the country. The race has existed since 1999 and is now one of the premiere ultra endurance mountain bike race events in the country.

The race started at 6:30 am, just as the sun was starting to rise. The first part of the race was one of the toughest simply because the pace was so high. The race started on a paved road before turning onto a winding fire road. After reaching the second checkpoint at mile 31 the race started to settle down and I was able to get into my own rhythm. For the remainder of the race I really went at my own pace, trying not to use up too much energy too soon.

Completing the race was the most difficult thing I have done in my life. I had to concentrate and stay mentally focused for the entire race, which in itself is physically draining. The terrain was rough and the climbs were miles long. When you would reach the top of a climb you had only seconds to rest before you were plummeting down the side of a mountain on rocky narrow single track. Towards the end of the race you are not only feeling the pain in your legs but in your entire body, it’s really something you have to experience first hand to truly appreciate.

Whats great about this type of race is that there is a sense camaraderie amongst the competitors because everyone is facing the same challenges. It makes for a really great atmosphere. Now that I have the experience from having completed the event, I know what I need to work on in order to be more successful at this event and others like it in the future. Below is a video compilation of the race.

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Andy Lally (Dacula, GA), Craig Stanton (Long Beach, CA), Mike Simon (Montgomery Village, MD) and Michael DeNino (Gaithersburg, MD) have teamed up to take on the 24 Hours of Big Bear mountain bike relay race.

“I am really looking forward to the challenge,” says Lally, a two time winner of the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona. Lally, who currently races in several premier auto racing series in the United States, including the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, ALMS, Rolex Sports Car Series and Koni Sports Car Challenge, recently started competing in mountain bike races where he has seen success early on.

Craig Stanton is a long time veteran of all things athletic and all things racing. Stanton has 20 years racing experience, including competition in NASCAR, ALMS, Grand-AM, USAC, Score and SCCA Pro. Stanton has also competed in several adventure races and 27 triathlons, but he is best known for his work behind the wheel of a GT sports car.

Mike Simon has more cycling experience than motor racing. Having competed in a 24 hour mountain bike race in West Virginia six times, Simon is extremely experienced with the terrain and weather conditions unique to the location of the race. “We are all aware of the challenges we will be facing.” says Simon “I’ve been on the podium at this race twice before, but this time I have my eye on the top step.” Aside from his cycling experience, Simon has competed the ICA and Formula Yamaha WKA karting series.

Michael DeNino, the the youngest of the four, recently competed in the inaugural season of the SCCA Pro Racing Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup with strong results and was recognized as the most dedicated driver in the 2008 season. Aside from his touring car experience, DeNino also has experience in junior formula cars, karting and cycling. Continue reading ‘Racing Drivers Take on 24 Hours of Big Bear Mountain Bike Race’