400 Miles, 5 Days, 2 Wheels - One Tough Employee

Child Welfare Services supervisor Laurie Horton and her husband, Steve, during the 400-mile endurance race.

You might jump at the chance to travel around the county seeing the Juan Bautista DeAnza trail, Penasquitos Canyon, Lake Hodges, San Diego Bay, Torrey Pines and other sites. But what if you had to do it as part of a self-supported endurance bike race that covered 400 miles in 5 days?

Laurie Horton, a Child Welfare Services supervisor for the Health and Human Services Agency, was one of 49 brave souls who set out when the race started in Idyllwild. When the bikers crossed the finish line, Horton was one of just 26 who survived the grueling race.

“Every mile ridden in endurance biking is equal to two miles of biking on the road,” said Horton. “So this race was the equivalent of 800 miles, or eight stages of the Tour de France.”

Endurance biking is done on dirt trails and off-road. There are no first aid stations, no rest stops and no water stations – even during the 60-mile stretch of desert riding.

“You’re completely on your own and you base the distance you travel each day on your water and food supply,” she said.

Bikers are able to stop by convenience stores or even restaurants along the way, but that all eats away at your biking time.

“We never stopped at restaurants – too much time,” Horton said.

You start biking in the dark and end the day the same way. You have to carry everything with you on your bike – 20 pounds of gear in Horton’s case, including a sleeping bag, change of clothes and any food or water she felt was necessary.

Horton did the race with her husband to celebrate her 50^th birthday. It was the first multi-day race she’s competed in.

“I never mountain biked until my husband and I were married 11 years ago,” she said. “I never even rode a bike as a kid, but I turned 50 this year and wanted to do something big.”

Her first endurance race was seven years ago in Arizona. It was 25 miles long.

“My husband did it with me and he had to promise me he wouldn’t leave me behind,” Horton said. “We were the last bikers to finish.

“I was so beat up, practically in tears, and I just wanted it to be over.”

You might think that would deter a person from doing it again. Not Horton.

“I never thought I could do it, but it was such a sense of accomplishment, I was addicted.”

Horton enjoys the workout she gets and she rides most Saturdays and Sundays, and she puts in 4-5 hours during the week at spin class. All this exercise helps clear her mind and relax from the stresses of her 17-year career with Child Welfare Services, she said.

“This job is so stressful and this helps you work up a sweat and cleanse your system,” said Horton. “It really forces you to concentrate when you’re riding and to be in the moment”

Horton plans on competing in 4-5 races this year.