The official start was on Saturday August 24th, 2024 at 11AM exactly. The Track was an outdoor track made inside the race horse venue Polena in Lenart v Slovenskih goricah, which was already homologated and used numerous times for cycling world records. First time by yours truly in September 2008 for my first ever 24h world record.

I wanted to go for this record for multiple reasons. First one was to see what my old(-ish) body is still able to do in such long arduous events and how it will compare to my previous ones. Besides going for the 1000km record, my biggest wish (goal) was to add my 20th 500+ mile 24h attempt to my “collection”.

I used my Spiegel Hurricane Time Trial bike which was set up a bit too aggressively for my liking, but in the time frame available, I just had to hope my neck would hold up for the duration of the ride. Obviously it did! The special bike part I have to mention is the Infinity Bike Seat E3, which is the most comfortable bike seat in the World and made my ride free of butt pain.

I used the 4Endurance Nduranz Energy Drink, plus their bars, gels and jelly gums. Plus lots of water and ice for cooling down as well as hydrating. The nutrition & hydration was spot on.

Usually the best part of my attempts are the first hours, this time around it turned into a heat & wind driven suffer. The first hour was OK, after that with the temperature already above 30*C, my power dropped and my hourly average was way lower compared to my previous attempts. Already in the second hour my skinsuit was white with layers of salt, which is never a good sign for the things to come. I was a bit deflated seeing how quickly my traveling speed was dropping, but kept on pushing, drawing on my experience that ups and downs are normal in ultra-cycling and I just had to be patient waiting to regain some power.

I mean I was still on the schedule for the 1000 WR, but my 500 mile 24h goal would be in jeopardy if I didn’t regain some power / speed. It did happen in the cool of the night, surprisingly (or not for me) my speed went way up after 14 hours passed, so about 1AM local time. With the temperatures at 20*C now and no winds, my traveling speed went back up to 36+km/h. If I could hold this for some hours, I would be saved. And I managed to do it all the way to 20 hours or so, when the heat and crazy strong winds returned.

Did I mention I also struggle with some heel pain with high temperatures? Well I do and this time was no different. I had to massage my heels often during the first afternoon and even more so on the second day. A loss of time for sure, but it made it possible for me to continue riding.

I had just one 56 seconds stop in the first 24 hours, for changing the dying front light. The long pit stop came after finishing the 24h, I needed to stop for a shower because of all the salt coming out of me. After a quick massage I continued for the remaining 154km. I changed the clothing and due to the excessive heat, I also changed the helmet from a TT one to the road helmet. I passed the 1000KM mark at 29h 31min 35sec. 

I am happy with the ride. I do wonder how I would have done in more normal temperatures. With the conditions as they were I did my best and am so proud it was enough for a few new world records (to be conformed by WUCA). 

I guess I am not too old for this anyway… ;)

Slovenski ultrakolesar Marko Baloh je preko vikenda 24.-25.8.2024 v Lenartu v Slovenskih goricah postavil nov svetovni rekord na 1000KM. Dosedanji svetovni rekorder na zunanji pisti (outdoor track) Španca Francisca V. Rordigueza 31h 23min 01sec je izboljšal za slabi dve uri. Novi svetovni rekord je 29h 31min 35sec (ko bo potrjeno s strani WUCA).

Marko ima že veliko izkušenj s svetovnimi rekordi v ultra-kolesarskih disciplinah. Svoj prvi svetovni rerkord je postavil leta 2002 na velodromu v Češči vasi pri Novem mestu (kronometer 12 ur). Leta 2008 je postavil 24-urni svetovni rekord na odprtem velodromu in leta 2010 na zaprtem velodromu, kjer je tudi postal prvi človek, ki je v 24 urah prevozil na kolesu več kot 900km (903,75km). Zadnjič je rekorde uspešno postavljal v “Covid letu” 2020, ko je postavil svetovna rekorda na 1000km in 24 ur na cesti v kategoriji 50-59 let.

Podiranje svetovnega rekorda je potekalo na Marku že znani lokaciji hipodromu Polena v Lenartu v Slovenskih goricah, kjer je Marko postavil svoj prvi svetovni rekord v 24-urnem kronometru leta 2008 s prevoženimi 890km. Hipodrom Polena je športni objekt, namenjen za konjeniške, kolesarske in ostale prireditve. Zahvaljujemo se Kolesarskemu klubu TBP Lenart in Občini Lenart z županom Krambergerjem na čelu za uporabo objekta. Krog je uradno homologiran na 959,10m, torej je bilo za 1000km potrebno prevoziti 1042 krogov in 617,8m. Rekord je potekal pod okriljem svetovne ultra-kolesarske zveze (World UltraCycling Association = WUCA) in Guinnessove knjige rekordov.

Marko je bil z doseženim izjemno zadovoljen: “Moj optimizem gede rekorda na 1000km se je izkazal za upravičenega. Vreme nam ni šlo ravno na roke, zaradi močnega vetra in vročine so bile prve ure namreč daleč od pričakovanega. K sreči mi je v hladu noči uspelo dvigniti hitrost in tudi vročina v zadnjih urah me ni ustavila, samo malce upočasnila. Spotoma sem uspel tudi popraviti svetovna rekorda na 12 in 24 ur za kategorijo 50-59 let. Najbolj sem pa ponosen na rekord na 1000km, ki je generalni za vse kategorije. Najlepša hvala navijačem, ki so mi predvsem v zadnjih urah dajali potrebno energijo. Zahvala gre tudi moji spremljevalni ekipi, ki so imeli vse pod kontrolo v vsakem trenutku vožnje.”

Slovenski ultrakolesar Marko Baloh bo v soboto 24.8.2024 ob 11. uri v Lenartu v Slovenskih goricah, startal s postavljanjem svetovnega rekorda na 1000KM. Aktualni svetovni rekorder na zunanji pisti (outdoor track) je Španec Francisco V. Rordiguez s časom 31h 23min 01sec.

Marko ima že veliko izkušenj s svetovnimi rekordi v ultra-kolesarskih disciplinah. Svoj prvi svetovni rerkord je postavil leta 2002 na velodromu v Češči vasi pri Novem mestu (kronometer 12 ur). Leta 2008 je postavil 24-urni svetovni rekord na odprtem velodromu in leta 2010 na zaprtem velodromu, kjer je tudi postal prvi človek, ki je v 24 urah prevozil na kolesu več kot 900km (903,75km). Zadnjič je rekorde uspešno postavljal v “Covid letu” 2020, ko je postavil svetovna rekorda na 1000km in 24 ur na cesti v kategoriji 50-59 let.

Podiranje svetovnega rekorda bo potekalo na Marku že znani lokaciji hipodromu Polena v Lenartu v Slovenskih goricah, kjer je Marko postavil svoj prvi svetovni rekord v 24-urnem kronometru leta 2008 s prevoženimi 890km. Hipodrom Polena je športni objekt, namenjen za konjeniške, kolesarske in ostale prireditve. Zahvaljujemo se Kolesarskemu klubu TBP Lenart in Občini Lenart za uporabo objekta. Krog je uradno homologiran na 959,10m, torej je za 1000km potrebno prevoziti 1042 krogov in 617,8m. Rekord poteka pod okriljem svetovne ultra-kolesarske zveze (World UltraCycling Association = WUCA) in Guinnessove knjige rekordov.

Marko je pred preizkušnjo izjavil: “Glede rekorda na 1000km sem previdno optimističen. Upam, da nam bo vreme naklonjeno (brez dežja in s čim manj vetra) in da se nam bo ob stezi pridružilo čim več navijačev, ki mi bodo dajali potrebno energijo predvsem v najtežjih zadnjih urah vožnje v nedeljo popoldne. Vabljeni vsi na hipodrom Polena v Lenartu, tisti ki nimate časa pa na moje kanale socialnih medijev (IG, FB), kjer bo vožnja ažurno spremljana. Ekipa se bo poskušala javljati v živo vsako polno uro”

Vabimo vas, da pridete na hipodrom Polena kadarkoli od starta v soboto, 24.8.24 ob 11h do nedelje, 25.8.24 okoli 16-17h, ko se pričakuje zaključek dogodka.

I thought for a long time whether to do a write up after a disappointing crashing out of Race across the East. So, here are my thoughts.

Crashing is unfortunately a part of cycling, it’s just a fact. But when you love it, even the crashes cannot keep you away from doing what you love. Ask my mom, who has offered me a blank check to stop cycling after one of my bad crashes in the early 1990s. And here I am still racing 30+ years later. Cycling is for me the most beautiful sport in the World and I have a privilege as a coach to show the beauty of it to people who share the same passion with me. So just naturally you can expect me back in the trenches after the wounds heal up.

Ultra-cycling unfortunately is a sport of the highest highs and the lowest lows of any sport you can think of. At RAE it was merely minutes from feeling on top of the World after changing from salty & smelly jersey/shorts to fresh ones, to turning into a turn full of gravel and a moment later spitting blood and checking the rest of my body how badly hurt I was. As a few bruises were way too deep to continue, we had to decide for going to ER and 10 stitches were needed to patch me up. 

I am feeling bad for my crew who did an excellent job as usually, for my sponsors who are expecting the best from me and somewhat for myself too, as lot of hard work has been put into this inaugural RAE. We were on a way to achieve the time I set out to do (36h) and that would mean being at least very close to the first place. I guess that’s a definition of an unfinished business, right?

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