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Tsukuba Eight Hours Endurance Race 3. May

m o b

Speeding Up
Jun 22, 2008
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I would so much like to attend this race and finish with a top ten result and I am trying to get a competitive team in place. Who would like to join?

The race is held at the Tsukuba car racing track, basically a flat 2.045 km round course, on May 3rd (public holiday) between 10.00 and 18.00 hr. I have attended the race three times; actually it has been the first race ever I attended in 2003.

The roads are wide and there is no congestion, except for the very first lap. As there are a lot of weakers riders it is also nice to overtake a lot of other riders for a change. One rides for 20 - 30 minutes (or 5 - 7 laps) then the next rider takes over, one can rest for 1 to 1.5 hours.

This is a nice "training race", good atmosphere, cheerleaders, camping-like atmosphere but still a lot of excitement. Normally the weather is good and it is possible to go there in the morning and return home the same day.

Teams of 3 to 6 riders are possible, however I personally find that a four rider team gives the best balance of riding and resting. It would be optimal if we could form a mixed team, this would give us some chances for a podium place although it is not easy by any means.

The fee for this race is between 10.000 and 15.000 Yen, depending on the number of riders.

The application for this race has started last Saturday and as it is very popular I believe that we need to act fast.

Please let me know if you are interested to join, I can handle the paperwork and the upfront payment. If we gather more than four riders, we can also think about a second team.

Positivo Espresso report from last year:

http://positivo-espresso.blogspot.com/2008/07/racing-report-tsukuba-eight-hours.html

http://positivo-espresso.blogspot.com/2008/07/tsukuba-eight-hours-endurance-race.html

http://positivo-espresso.blogspot.com/2008/08/tsukuba-eight-hours-endurance-race.html

Official website [Japanese only] :

http://www.jccerc.info/
 
Definitely interested!

Hi mob,

Thomas and I were talking about this on the weekend, and I'd definitely be up for it. It's not far to drive for me, so I could also haul people/tools/spare wheels if required.
 
Semas has 10 teams ready to be signed up already...and counting... my 6th time. Great hard day out... (except for last year as it rained).

The race is won or lost on the first lap too.... need to get in the front pack and stay out there for an hour...then rotate about every 30 minutes...last rider has to stay out longer than 40minutes....

300+ teams many categories...
 
There is also a 7 hour endurance event at Fuji speedway the week before to get some training in!
Sat 25th May
 
Fuji Speedway

Yes, there are many races in Japan and unfortunately one cannot possibly attend all of them. I have raced at Fuji Speedway two times, one "normal" endurance race and recently a Mama Chari Race in January. It is definitely a nice track but much, much more demanding than Tsukuba because of the difference in elevation. Early in the season I prefer to race in Tsukuba which is only fast, fast, fast. By the way, Motegi, if you know, is somewhere inbetween, having one longer climb which takes out speed of the average.

OK, Phil, Thomas, shall I apply? Anybody else with us? What about Alan and Naomi, you would allow us to compete as a mixed team.

I am off to Austria (for Thomas: Sorry, Vorarlberg) on Friday and will return only by March 6th. So I would prefer to have the application done by Thursday this week.
 
We have a vacancy for our "A" team but need to know by tomorrow....

A few of our fast guys can't make it this year....

Let me know asap....

And if you can't get a team together here at TCC or Positivo... we will let you in our teams....

But we need to know asap.

Edited for more information:

Our A team is still very strong but we are looking for one more strong rider...
I'll be in our B team. (Currently A<B<C<D<E<F<G<H>I<J<K& L teams are almost ready for the application tomorrow or the next day...)

Most of our teams are full but we can arrange a team to suit your level.
4 or 5 or 6 riders.
Our club wants to finalize tomorrow but even if you want to enter as yourselves and use some of our riders that's probably ok.

You could call the team Positivo-TCC-Semas or variations...

We have a huge support pit crew, we stake out a large area with soup, drinks and food... (we add in a little extra yen to the booty and eat and drink it).

If you are looking for a challenge and feel strong then go in our A team. Otherwise just join us as a separate team...

申込書記入と参加費は、お店までお願い致します。
お手数ですが認印をご持参して下さい。(シャチハタ可)

応援の方もピット要員として入場料が無料になるようにしますので
お願いします。

参加費(ラップチャート・昼食・飲み物・
トン汁・補給食代で\1500-)

5名チームは一人/¥12,500-
6名チームは一人/¥11,500-
応援は1人/¥1,500-
お願いします。

保険加入の案内
任意で筑波耐久レース用の保険が用意されています。
1口 ¥500円です。
入院(日)5,000円、通院(日)3,000円、死亡24,000千円

希望者はお知らせください
★チームの保険はレース時除外となっています。
 
Tsukuba Team finalized

Peter, Thanks for all your ideas.

Finally we got a team together consisting of Phil, Alan, Naomi and me. Thomas has unfortunately other commitments. I will submit the application tomorrow before leaving for Europe, I will be back on March 6th. Hope to see you in Tsukuba.
 
You guys will kick Ass!

...Phil, Alan, Naomi and me...

That's an awesome team you've put together!
A "podium" finish is not out of question either.

Will definitely be waiting to hear the results, and read the report!
Good luck Guys! And Gal!

T & N
 
For your planning and training pleasure....

コース2070mを
1位 155周しています これは ave 40km/h × 8時間です
100位 136周しています これは ave 35km/h × 8時間です
 
On a side note.... ¥15,000 per person!:eek: Someones making some coin!
We used to pay about that for motocycles and there weren`t 300 teams of 3 riding!!
 
Tsukuba 8!

Anyone interested in Joining? Need one or two more members for a team.
Will be aiming to win the Mens road class by at least several laps!!:eek:
Failing that, just to do our best and enjoy the event. Much more likely senario!
Possibly have transport from Tokyo and can guarantee cakes and cookies!!:p
 
Good luck to you and your team, Pete. An application mix-up meant the Mob Squad is out of this one, but we have signed up for the Hitachinaka Enduro at the end of May instead.
 
Good luck to you and your team, Pete. An application mix-up meant the Mob Squad is out of this one, but we have signed up for the Hitachinaka Enduro at the end of May instead.

NEWS FLASH:

First Place in our class out of 56 teams. (same class you guys were going to go in... :p )

22nd overall out of 308 teams.

(that includes the one lap penalty we got for coming in too fast on our first pit change.

Tried to keep the report as brief as possible...
 
Congratulations!

Kudos to you and your team--that must have felt great, especially clawing your way up from 3rd to 2nd to 1st... Sounds like you had an excellent strategy and the legs to make it work.

Excellent video too, much better quality than most race videos I've seen... Have been wanting to do that myself for quite a while now.
 
Thanks Phil.
The video was harder to do than I thought.
Mounting it with about 20 strips of gum tape and I was certain it wasn't going to come off. Each piece of tape overlapping a different part of the handle bar and camera so it would have taken about 18 rips for it to have fallen off.
The only visible parts of the camera were the 2 buttons on top and a hole big enough for the zoom lense to pop out of.
If the lense popped out I knew it was 'on'. Then I had to guess if I was actually shooting footage with the next push or not. I attempted to take 3 clips but there was only one on the memory card when I got home. :warau: I'm sure I'll get the hang of it...that was my first attempt. I'm going to try and shoot the whole TOJ on the 24th in the same manor. A little dangerous trying to push buttons at 40kph.

The race was great. Still bathing in the glory. Getting as much mileage as possible out of it. Finally had something to shut my son up about who always complains that I go in these races and never win anything... He is actually talking to me with a bit of respect for the first time in years.... :angel:

Are you doing the Saitama TT next week?
I drove your main rival to the course on Sunday... he is psyched up and ready to fly...
 
Congratulations

Wow, splendid result.
I am sure that if we only have attended, we would have battled it out between the two teams of us. So now we are under pressure to come up with a good result at Hitachi Naka on May 24th. But I am sure we have a strong team assembled and I will train hard.

How was your strategy, how many laps did you do about before you changed the rider ? I read on your blog that you did 11 laps in one row which would be 33 - 45 minutes - this is quite long but probably it can be done provided you stay within the fast peloton. If you are on your own, I think it is pretty impossible to stay out that long.

The video is really good. It is hard to imagine that the average you tube user will look at it for more than 3 seconds, but for the race fanatics among us it is good stuff.
 
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