Committing to an ultra-cycling event can be an all-consuming task, bringing you to the edge of your physical and mental limits. The Norfolk 360 can lead you there if that's where you want to go, but this gateway ultra event breaks it down into four loops. Ride one at a time, see how you get on and perhaps take on another loop. Greg Nay volunteers overnight at the All Pace Races event and reports back on his experiences...

This weekend I am volunteering at the All Pace Races Norfolk 360 event and the excitement is building up as I make my way to basecamp. On the train to Norwich, I've been watching the event unfold over on Dotwatcher.cc. By the time I get to Claxton Village Hall, most of the riders have finished Route 1; a 108 mile (174 km) ramble up to Wells-next-the-Sea and back. Along the way, dealing with a section of coastal pinewood, a ride through the sprawling Palladian style Holkham Hall estate and passing a monastic ruin.

All Pace Races is the brain child of Tom Levy and the clue about the events he runs is in the name, all paces. The Norfolk 360 is a gateway event into the world of ultra-cycling. With four routes that amount to a total of 360 miles (580 km) of riding, you have 36 hours to tackle as many of the routes as you can. You must ride them in order, but you can ride to your comfort level and if you are feeling up for it, go that little bit beyond. Each route has a similar 70% road to 30% off-road split and each one explores a different section of the Norfolk landscape. The routes all start and end at the village hall, so having that central hub helps keep the mind focused on the loop at hand and breaks the ride down into manageable pieces. There is a great set-up here with plenty of space to bunk up for a kip and to store your gear.

At this point I have now settled in to my responsibilities as a volunteer, which include stamping brevet cards, staring at dots on a screen and chatting to weary participants. The hall is busy and some riders are setting off on Route 2. Others that have already had a day of it are chilling and making the most of the village hall's facilities. This is all paces and everyone is doing it in their own stride or perhaps pedal stroke. It was good to see a range of participants at the event, from complete novices to veteran ultra distance riders.

The second loop of the event is where most of the riders will be sucked in by the darkness. A stand out section of single track from Long Stratton that will spit them out near Diss and facilitate their way into the dreaded sandy tracks of Thetford. It is now 10pm and the lights have been dimmed in the hall. There is just the cold electric glow from the computer screen. We watch little dots move across a map, each dot a rider that is on a unique journey, one that we can only ponder about. You can see when they are at a petrol station fuelling up or when others are stopping in odd locations. One has been nicknamed crypt keeper Tim. Being a dot watcher sure does make the mind wander.

On the screen we can see a gaggle of riders hanging out at the McDonald’s in Thetford. High on salt, fat and sugar, we shall see them arrive in a steady stream over the next four or so hours. Will the riders stop for a kip or hit Route 3 in the ghostly hours, when the cold creeps in and the strange noises start out from the forest?

If you've ridden an ultra before and been one of those dots, you can definitely identify with the riders out there on the course. This makes it all the more important to always keep an eye on them. The organisers are just a phone call away and there is a broom wagon just in case. I was always happy to greet a rider that had been out for quite an extended period of time.

23:21 - Many have now finished Route 2 and all you are hearing in quiet whispers is about the sand, the sand! They may be having a moan, but you also know that it will be a great memory that they ride away with from the event. Perhaps though not the best time to tell them about the steps included in Route 4. A handful of people are crashing in the hall, some are fashioning bin-bag overshoes. Improvisation is key - cable ties, grass filled tyres (yes, I've done this). The night does weird things to you. Your layering is never right. The longer you're out there the potential for more faffing increases.

For those heading out into the night, I salute them. It takes a will of steel to just carry on at this point - well, legs of steel and a strong mind. Perhaps even a stubbornness to ignore discomfort. 

Route 3 will see the riders cruise along Marriot's Way, a sense of familiar since they had ridden it on Route 1. At Lenwade they hook over west towards Castle Acre, where you guessed it there is a medieval castle and not to be forgotten another priory left destroyed by our man with a plan, King Henry the VIII. Here they drop down through the castle's ancient stone gatehouse to the southern wall of the priory and its tender flowing stream, quiet to the passing of time and the crunch of fine gravel under wheel. Now east to seek rural Norfolk lanes and rolling off-road farm tracks.

3 a.m. and the chaos has spread over two different routes, no actually make that three now. Rider 63 came in and stopped for a total of six minutes. Some riders returning are like phantoms, present but not there. Others chat away, happy to see a smiling face and a welcome return to the warmth of the village hall. Others make their presence known by the harmonising sounds of their snores. At a table sits a lone figure eating quietly and staring blankly at the wall, perhaps envisioning what's to come or what they have already been through.

Ten minutes later and rider 108 is back. He goes to his car and reloads for Route 4. With a fresh set of carbed-up water bottles and gels, he heads off for the final loop. It's another breeze out to the coast. A chance to take in a deep and well-deserved intake of North Sea air before heading south on the concluding leg of a long journey. It will just be a case of tackling the Paston Way and its series of wood and earth steps that take you up and over abandoned railway bridges. This should wake you up and stir some emotions, perhaps towards the organiser, perhaps about why you are doing this. Did you want glistening smooth tarmac all the way? This kind of huff and puff is what makes the roads seem like a fast-flowing river of black tarmac. You can't enjoy the smooth if you ain't had a bit of the rough.

It's sometime past seven in the morning. The first rider to finish all four of the routes is an estimated twenty minutes away. After watching this dot flit across the screen all night long, my eyes were burnt out and the moment had come. It was time to step outside into the cool morning breeze and witness this series of data points become flesh and bone. With an air of excitement, we all welcomed in rider 108, albeit with hushed tones as we were in a residential neighbourhood. 

With all the commotion over, it was back to the tasks at hand. People were still coming in from a variety of different routes. With time left to complete another loop before cut-off, riders were making a quick turnaround. The people who had bedded down for a couple hours were now stirring and gearing up. A few more were calling it a day - everyone riding at their pace.

It was also time for me to head out. Having been up for 24 hours, my volunteering capacity had reached its limit. Originally, I had planned to ride this event, but surgery had thrown a spanner in the works. So, in the end I volunteered and what I found out was twofold. That it is so much fun and secondly that the organisers of all these independent cycling events would all appreciate having more helping hands. Maybe this year as you look over all the cool rides that are happening, perhaps have a think about giving volunteering a go.

All Pace Races next event is the 3x60s on the 11th of October.

Images courtesy of Alec Seaman