The race course had parts of the fast flowing singletrack found on the red run also linked up with natural rooty sections which when ridden fast didn't matter how tired you were, you always had a grin on your face.
The start of the race was led out by a ambulance onto a tarmac hill climb to spread every one out ( this is so much better than doing a run to your bike), i found myself in the front group and kept a good pace, the course was a bit damp in the morning and the roots in the woods were fun to say the least but the sun shone all day and the course grew faster and faster. I was leading by lap 3 which i didnt expect, but i knew greig brown would be on my tail soon enough as he had punctured. Greig caught me and i rode 2 laps with him at a pace i didnt think was to bad, it was at this point in the race where the sun was hot and i really should of been concentrating on drinking lots and eating but this never occurred to me as i was to busy trying to work out a plan when to try drop greig. I made my move on lap 7 and got away from him only to be caught on the next lap where i cramped at the top of a steep climb and watched him ride off into the distance. From this point onwards the dehydration hit me and i had a couple of slow laps, i set my own rhythm and just enjoyed the course while drinking lots. I came round and found some energy on lap 9 only to have a mechanical, the chain jumped off and got jammed between the cassette and the spokes. I had to use brute force to get it out and it seemed like it took forever to do. i came in from lap 9 with half and our to go down 12 minutes on 1st place, i didnt need to go back out and do another lap to finish in 2nd as i had a big gap on 3rd but forced myself out on another lap. This was a bad idea, the first 3 quarters of the lap went well but i had a major bonk that hit me like never before i actually fell off on a smooth part of the trail, i had to ride the last 2km in 1st gear with my head nearly resting on the handle bars it took me forever to get back. Still i finshed in 2nd which is better than i expected and enjoyed it all apart from the last 2 km.Well done to grieg who got the better of me again we were 1st and 2nd at 10 under the ben.
Damian also came in tired but with a excellent 3rd position in senior vets completing 7 laps, Mick also rode a good race with 8 laps, he managed a respectable 11th place.
Big thank you to liz for looking after me through the race, making and passing me drinks as i past by.
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| solo seniors |
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| senior vets |
