Doug's story: Hardcore 24

BaseCamp athlete Doug Rusho shared his experience at the 2025 Hardcore 24 mountain bike race in New York.

Well, my first 24 hour solo race was an experience. I met it with equal parts excitement and anxiety. I trained as best I could in the 4-5 weeks prior, but this type of effort is way out of my wheelhouse. The day of, I packed up a lot of gear, everything I could think of from parts, lights, tools, camping stuff, nutrition etc. The car was loaded to the hilt, minus a pillow…damn it!

Arrived to Ontario County Park, overcast, hot and humid, with rain/thunderstorms predicted for the evening. Set up my Basecamp, folding table for water bottles/race nutrition on the fly, and parked my tent away from the course as per tradition for some peace and quiet.

Riders meeting went way long, so my warm up was much abbreviated, but I have 24 hours to “warm up.” Turnout was light unfortunately, around 90 riders solo and teams, and none of the local fast guys I knew were there. My initial goal was to ride 5-6 hours from the gun, so planned a very conservative start, basically a Basecamp endurance ride on trails. Easing off the line I found myself in fourth just before heading into the woods, right into a descent. I caught the 3 riders ahead quite easily and realized I needed to get ahead of these guys. The descents are the easy part, I am not giving away free speed.

I worked my way through carefully without any big efforts and picked off the last rider about halfway through the 7 mile lap. Settled in and started lap 2. By the end of this lap, despite a very casual pace things started going a bit sideways. I already had a one episode of a hamstring cramp. My right tricep had blown up, and I was getting numbness in both hands and feet, very strange and new to me on this course and in general.

By lap 4 the struggle was real. I had more cramping now in both inner thighs which has been an issue the last few years, can’t figure this one out. My hands and right arm were a mess, requiring me to shake them out every few minutes before and after descents. i was taking in 90 grams of carbs plus electrolytes every hour, plus extra water. On top of the external physical issues, I now was also getting nauseous. This has also happened in the past during rough mountain bike races lasting more than 3 hours, but not every one, another mysterious issue. I soldiered on, and maintained pretty consistent laps, continued to fuel, and manage the body issues. Basecamper and local Trish Vantucci and her team gave me lots of encouragement every time I passed through tent city and “the hero loop”(paved cart path) back to the start/finish hut. They get the award for best team name, “3 Hens and a Doodle.”

On lap 6 grabbed some brakes on a speedy descent, no rear brake. Pads were still there, and strong pressure on the rotor. Turned out the center lock ring had unthreaded and the disc was no longer connected to the wheel! Tightened it by hand, finished the lap, and made a quick pitstop at Basecamp to secure it with proper tools. Went out for one more lap, inner thighs cramping horribly, but came in at 5 hours and 15 minutes, goal achieved.

I planned a 3 hour break before heading out for the night laps stint. Started refueling with real food immediately, and taking in lots of water. I was in 1st but only by 15 minutes, and the ten other 40+ solo males did not stop. Kristen, Hannah, Brynn and Murphy, were on their way to visit during my break and bring me a pillow thankfully. Just before they arrived, the thunder starting approaching. I scrambled to fortify the basecamp pop up tent with two side covers and a janky water proof top, and set up the chairs. They arrived and it started to sprinkle. Murphy was going bananas, wanting to visit every rider, dog, and campsite. Then the storm hit. Thunder and lightning went around us, but it slammed, flood watch type rain for at least an hour. We hovered in one corner of the pop up tent trying to stay dry. Luckily I picked the best two sides to put the side covers on.

We joked around a bit and I told the family to head out, the forecast showed continuous rain. They left about 8 PM, and of course, 2 minutes later the rain stopped. I rigged up my lights and prepared to get very wet. My 3 hour break sent me back to 6th place, but the recovery was needed and part of the plan.

The course handles water very well, not too slippery or muddy but standing water everywhere, and the heavy rain dropped some leafy branches in face slapping territory, adding a new descending dynamic. I scored big with my custom front fender crafted over the winter, keeping most of the slop out of my eyes. My first night lap was blast, I love riding at night. I set a goal of 3-4 laps. Lap two was going great, until I caught another rider who was a good descender. We hit the fastest and most dangerous descent on course, sending it. I caught an edge and oversteered as my front wheel crawled up the high side of an embankment, and then it broke away, sending me head first, straight towards a large tree. I ducked the tree and side swiped it with my shoulder and side of my helmet, disaster averted. The other rider heard the crash and stopped to make sure I was ok. I resumed, and a few minutes later the inner thigh cramps came on hard. I finished off the lap and decided on a short break.

I ate a bit, sat with my feet up for 30 minutes. Cleaned off the drivetrain and went back out for 1-2 more laps. I Cramped within 10 minutes of starting, almost pulled the plug on the lap, but they went away and I had a very nice lap time. I decided to call it there, and rest for the evening. I had picked up one spot to 5th, 12 hours in, 10 laps completed, hovering around 47 minutes/lap. Took in lots of food and water, cleaned the drivetrain, lights back on the charger, and headed off into the darkness for some sleep around midnight, which was also part of my plan.

Sleeping was comical. It felt amazing to unload and lie down, but you can’t really get comfortable, and you are so tired, yet still wired. Then the wind came, gusting in microburst intervals every other 30 seconds. My tent was making a racket, and I got up to fix it, bad idea. Full on seizure of inner thigh cramps, and I could not figure out how to stretch and stop them. I started yelping like a pack of coyotes. I attempted to quiet the tent to no avail, contorted my way back into bed. Now I have to pee. Same deal, cramping and yelping. Through trial and error I finally figured out how to get from my sleeping bag, out of the tent, and up to a standing position without seizing up. I had to push out the tent feet first sliding on my butt. Next, barrel role to a plank, then walk my hands towards my feet downward dog style, without bending my knees, hip hinge upward, and I was successfully vertical. Did I mention I was naked for all of this?

The wind intervals continued and then it started raining off and on. I cautiously rolled around until 5 AM, no sleep. At this point I was not feeling too positive, worried I would not be able to ride much more, with the potential cramping/tricep/and hand issues. Took in some breakfast, and went out just before 6 AM for a “one lap at a time” approach, still sitting in 5th place. The 6th place rider had the same number of laps as me but had left 15 minutes earlier. 4th and 3rd were not out yet, even and 1 lap ahead of me. 3rd place was within reach.

Once rolling it was like a brand new day. I was on fire. No cramping whatsoever, still some hand and foot numbness, tricep was a non issue. I also fabricated a slightly different riding style. I started standing more, with the slower speeds, traction was easier to maintain, and the lower intensity seemed to keep my quads fresher for controlled standing climbs which would normally kill me. This may have also reduced some of the strain in my inner thigh muscles from seated pedaling. I also focused on going easier on the easy climbs, but continued to bomb the descents. My lap times were faster than the day before and on a wet course, what was happening?

The on and off rain stopped around 8 AM and the sun came out, bringing the humidity with it. The wet course turned to surface peanut butter, not really any harder to ride through, as it was just sitting on a hard pack of small flat rocks and clay as a foundation. However this abrasive concoction of Earth matter, was brutal on the bike, coating everything and me. The constant grinding of my drivetrain made me cringe, envisioning dollar signs flashing by at the cost of a new Sram Transmission cassette/chain/chainring set…ugh. It did get slippery, but in a fun, drifty way. Ticking off lap after lap, I was flying.

Every few laps I would wash off/re-lube the drivetrain and did one kit change as I could feel the mud IN my shorts not just on them, talk about grinding. The bike must have weighed 40 pounds, I could barely lift it on the stand. Once I had to remove my shoes and scrape off the top of the insoles as the clay was molding into a new orthotic which did not play well with my arches. Knocked out 7 laps by 11:35 AM, with a chance for one more. However checking in with scoring, I had moved from 5th to 3rd and it was locked in.

Went to my pit, and collapsed in my chair taking it all in. What a turn-around. Was not too hungry at the time, just sucked down a lot of water and started breaking down camp, waiting for awards. I finished 3rd, 17 laps, just over 13 hours of ride time, 8,000 calories burned. All that mud, sweat and suffering, got me a jar of Almond Nut butter for the podium. 2nd and 1st place completed 19 and 22 laps respectively. They did not take any extended breaks, true Solo warriors. I never met the winner as he was showering during awards. Talking with the race director, turns out he is an avid mountain biker, but has never raced before. Saw the race and thought he would try it. Are you kidding me???

Days later, clothes have been dutifully hand scrubbed before entering the house, bike has been pre-washed, but now must be completely broken down including the frame pivots for bearing checks. Soreness is mostly gone from the cramping but I still have a little numbness in some fingers and toes.

I have been asked a few times, “Would you do it again?” Hmm…I would, but without a doubt, it is way more fun as a team. Both the faster riding and more than anything, hanging out in tent city with teammates, telling stories, talking bikes, and just chillin’ in the fantastic venue that is Ontario County Park.

So who would like to join me next year on the Basecamp Hardcore 24 team(s)?