I was lucky enough to compete in this event in 2017, my first of many I hope. Probably the most memorable thing that I came away with, from the event, apart from the fantastic finish, was that I hadn’t trained hard enough. I had trained for months for it, but when you approach this race for the first time, nothing really gives you a heads up about what to expect. And it is tough.
When they say 24 hours, it’s really more like 36 hours and then a few more hours. You arrive at the track at 8.30 in the morning for a race that starts at 3pm and will go for the next 24 hours. You meet with your technical people, see the fans and talk to your coach and fellow drivers. You are thinking at this point that it’s going to be a long way to the end. We were unfortunate enough in 2017 that one of our cars had some technical issues in qualifying and that meant the team of engineers, managers and technicians had to work through the night to get the car ready. Although our team wasn’t the only one, but that meant we had one crew who had worked all through the night and were making preparation for the start that afternoon, luckily the excitement of what we are doing outshines the lack of sleep at this stage.
So this year my preparation has been extra long and detailed. I mostly do static work on the bike for my endurance/cardio training, the reason for this is that it is easier to keep abreast of the heart rate and breathing regulation that I practice. The car is quite a stable environment on the inside and it is better to practice on a static bike rather than when fighting traffic or going down a mountainous crevice for example, as you can monitor it exactly.
Whilst I brought a little bit of natural ability with me, this side of the work that I do I have had to learn and am lucky enough to have a coach who has not only been an endurance driver himself, but is also a skilled free diver. We work on an all encompassing approach to driving. The car, body, mind and skill all have to be performing at a high level for many hours. There are special techniques involved in the breathing recovery practice that are probably more specific to race driving than anything else. Having an abundance of energy available helps for the long hours and being able to draw on mental reserves when the body is tired is also important.
So with one week and a bit to go before the start I think I have prepared better this year than last. I certainly hope for a good result for our team, they work really long hours and the driver seems to take all the glory but it really is a BIG team effort. I hope they take time to enjoy the moments that come their way during the 48 hours!
James Allen Race Driver 