World Solo 24 hour

After a good lead up, and really mentally prepared, I felt ready for this one. I knew it would be hard and after a week of getting over jetlag and adapting to the high altitude I was "only just" ready in time. I had a chance to pre ride the course and it was tough, rough and steep. I felt comfortable with it and knew there would be some walking for everyone.

Well the race started really well starting from 70th I made really good ground in the run, some training at Club Lime put me in good shape for it.

Then the climbs begin, really it is a granny climb and plugging away upwards the heart rate was up at 170+ for most riders, and talking to Jason English his was up around there for the first 3 hours at least. There were roots, rocks everywhere with no real clean lines on the most of it so pushing away, trying the be conservitive, and keeping speed up was my objective.

It was a hard course to ride fast, single tracks were rough, fire roads had steep pinches, but I did manage 67 km/h on a down hill section. Things were going well, 2 hours in I could really feel the heat it was 36 degrees and really trying to keep the fluids up and heart rate down. I was sweating and covered in dirt, but kept at it. Adam Kelsall a fellow Aussie in my cat past me around this point with a cheer of Aussie Aussie Aussie. 4 hours in I was in 6th and in the next lap I got to 4th. Rain had come to cool things down a little and I was happy with that, I really needed to re hydrate. The next position to go for was third, I had to catch Adam he was 15min in front of me. I pulled 8 minutes in 1 lap and in the next caught managed to catch up. But as soon as I saw him he was off charging to get away. At the end of this lap, with some great work from Kendra (I am sure this was how I was gaining time to Adam each lap) I got past him with another quick stop. He chased me down on the up hill, but it was on after a few friendly words and I was off, trying to pick some quick lines on the downhill, then a quick fast walk up the long rooty climb, that almost everyone was now walking I could not see him. I tried to keep the effort up but some cramps slowed me a little, and I was hoping to gain some time in the pits again. But Adam was back with me up the climb.

The climb was hurting me, and hurting bad not my legs but my bot bot. Pushing on mostly standing I was trying hard and it was taking it out of me. I knew I was losing lots of time, I was getting no rest, and it was getting real ugly down there for sure. I got to the feed zone, and waited while Kendra got an extra pair of knicks to put on. This did not help at all but battled through to finish that lap.

We really did not want to pull it at this point and the option was to go out with some flats and runners to do what I could. But 1 look from Kendra of what was going on down there, and it was not worth the risk of going any further. I won't tell you the words the medic expressed, but he was shocked, and he did see lots of action that night. I saw the medics take 2 riders off in stretches plus there were calls for cancelled laps every 10-20 mins, I am sure they saw some bad things out there.

I don't really know the reasons why, with wearing some of the best knicks (skins) and cream I don't really know what I could have done. It was really rough and maybe I just sit too much, although I thought I was standing quite a lot.

I am happy with how I went and I know Adam and I would have kept battling. I did feel really strong and that was the only bit that hurt in the end. Just dissapointing to have to pull out due to something I could not prevent.

Thanks to all for your best wishes, and encouragement. It has been a great experience, and have meet some great people here. Thanks to Fenner he has got me in great shape and have really improved my riding speed and endurance. Kendra was fantastic in transition she had everything and did everything I needed. She was so encouraging out there and really kept me pushing. It has been a big commitment for us to do this race, but now it time to enjoy our holiday and relax for a bit, and treat her to some us time.