Mountain biking: Kevin Gover not slowing down

Kevin Gover is training for the World Solo 24-hour Mountain Bike Championships. Photo / Michael Cunningham.

Waking from bed at 2am for a toilet stop and then hopping on a bike to do the Tour of Northland bike ride without stopping may sound crazy to some, but to Whangarei's Kevin Goverit isn't.

The registered nurse at North Haven Hospice says it is something he can do, so he is goingto do it.

Gover recently won a bronze medal at the World Solo 24-hour Mountain Bike Championships in Australia .

There is something about the chirpy 56-year-old that is refreshing and reminds one to live life to the full.

While riding a bike for 24 hours may not sound enjoyable, Gover says it was something he learnt to do from a young age as his family did not have a car and commuted via bike.

"Some people think I am crazy, but when you hit 50 you have to start getting up once a night to pee, big turning point in my life," he joked.

"A few years ago, when I was training for the 2010 [Adrenaline Solo World Mountain Biking Championships], I got up at 2am to take my pee, got on my bike and did the Tour of Northland on my bike and got home at 7pm that evening.

"As far as the competing is concerned, I started doing 24 hours to see what it's like, if I could do it.

"Then, in 2009, I was the over-40 national champion and that qualified me for the 2010 Solo World Championships [where he came away with a bronze medal in the 50-54 age group].

"I can do it, and I seem to have a talent for it. I kind of enjoy it, and I enjoy the solo aspect of it, I've never been a team sportsperson and I enjoy the endurance of it [also]."

Gover admitted there were tactics involved with surviving a 24-hour race, saying that it would overwhelm you if it was not broken down into digestible steps.

"You break it down to short term steps, and so racing 24 hours you think of the finish and break it down lap-by-lap. The 24 hours can be quite daunting if that's your only thought so you break it down to each lap."

Like the race itself, Gover said there are tactics to recovering from having his butt planted on a seat for 24 hours.

"We went touring in the campervan, my wife and brother and law did a two hour mountain bike ride south of Sydney [and did] lots of eating and sleeping.

"That first week you're sort of on that world champs high, whether you got a medal or not, and then it's after that you start noticing things happening. It's a matter of being sensible - eat sleep do a bit of exercise, really light, no focus, just spinthe legs."

The next world 24-hour mountain bike championships (in Scotland) could be on the cards if everything falls into place.