Was feeling a bit iffy all week before it, camped out the friday night and didn't sleep much was coughing most of it and the constant rain wasn't helping banging on the tent roof. The plan a month before was to do really well and hopefully make a top 20 place.
I awoke by mick telling me it was 5.15am, it was dark and still pissing down. I got up and changed drank some porridge(because i forgot spoons) and got my self to the start line for 6.15.
6.15 is a bit late if you want to be anywhere near the front, i was placed a few hundred places back, luckily once the race had started it was led out at a slow pace by a pickup and i did a mad sprint for the front.
Once the pickup left the top guys let everyone know who they were, the pace was unreal i was coughing my guts up straight away and let them go. I ended up on my own pretty much from the start, the leader group had left me and i was ahead of the 2nd bunch.
The weather was bad it still wasnt properly light and was drizzling with morning mist, i slowed my pace as i wasnt racing i just wanted to complete it. The odd person caught me and we chatted about how bad this was going to be. I was covered in mud and was wet to the skin after 5 miles (only 95 to go). I was feeling ok considering i wasnt well but a problem soon hit when i got to the top of the first major climb and i couldnt ride fast enough to keep myself warm, i was cold by the time i had done any flat or downhill. I reckoned i was in the top 30 riders or so and new the conditions were bad as i saw a few good riders pull out who were in front of me by the 20 mile mark! I carried on knowing that if i took it easy i would easily complete it.
The course was wet, muddy and slippy, from the 5 mile mark i could hear my xtr transmission grinding away (not a good feeling). I was determined though to do it even if it wasn't at a race pace. At the 40 mile mark i hit a problem going down a decent, my brakes weren't working! I had to hold my rear brake lever to the bar just to remind me it wasn't there. I had to ride just using the front brake which was fine until one of the front pistons sieze'd up and pumped my lever up. I got myself to the half way point at 50 odd mile at 4hours 30 feeling ok considering and had to call it a day, i had no pads, and was coughing my guts up. I wanted to carry on but the lack of brakes meant i couldn't, they where fine on the singletrack decents (which were fun even with no brakes) but it was the fire road decent's where you'd hit 30mph in no time and had to brake for a corner that was the concern.
So that was it from me, half way and pulled out with numerous other people. Gutted but will be back next year as i loved 99% of the 54 mile i did.
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