Australian Solo Nationals 2010

Done and dusted for another year. I definitely felt like I was beaten with a big stick, but a really solid effort and some really good lessons learned for Worlds.

It was a great start to the race with black arm bands for Willo, and a nice easy first lap in his memory it really set the mood for a nice one. I had my powerbar drink bottles there too just for a constant reminder.

So the second lap and the race was on, settled into a nice rhythm, looping in circles counting the laps go by. It was pretty uneventful really (the way I like it), I was chatting to a few riders generally having a bit of fun without going too hard. The track was pretty much the same as last year with a few little changes, but seemed a little rougher than normal but the rain beforehand was definitely a bonus. Laps were going quickly stomach was a little tight so a little change in the fluid plan was the go and kept just pushing them out at a comfortable pace.

Night time came and the lights were on. It was the first time I had properly used the Radical lights and really I was impressed. These things made the night day and I think if I tried and had the energy of when I started I could have punched out similar lap times. Things were starting to go well stomach settled down, Kendra was running next to the track with me chatting and passing food, and it was all go again. Fenner was in my ear making me eat again (what I needed after my stomach settled) and it was all good again. The night went really well from midnight onwards I was pushing strong and having some fun. Whilst it was all going smashingly I did come a touch too close to a tree and clipped my pinky and over I went straight on my knee. I really thought I was out when I landed but got back up think whoa what happened and it was all good, then it was back to smashing it again ;). But generally this time is usually the hardest time but it was good to feel good and feel as though I could push that bit more.

Then the sun was coming up and it was killing me. My eyes were clouding over, as with previous experience I know that if I stop for too long during the sunrise it goes real bad so I tried to keep my heart rate up which is really hard when you can’t see where the front wheel is going ;). The early morning strobe from trees and the low sun go me bad, so if you heard me abusing something sorry I was wishing the sun would go back down ;). So hitting stumps riding off the track was becoming normal. I plugged away like this for hours it was hard, had no momentum and really was doing some silly things. Sometime after 10am I thought this is getting stupid my head was not in the game of riding into things and the concentration of the extra effort got to me. So I rolled for a break, so I could go out for an easy roll around for the last one. I knew positions and my opportunity were lost, but really felt it was getting unsafe. I went out and rolled the last one with Grantley and Clayton who had also been suffering and my eyes were a bit better, and came in for the finish.

Overall it was a really fun race and another good one I needed to get some confidence up for Worlds. I have some great mates out there who came to help me out, put helmets on me, put lights on, yell at me, and chat’s on the course, so a real thanks goes out to everyone for making it what it was. Kendra was awesome again, always there, never missing me had everything I needed each pit and I reckon she worked harder than me in this one with the short laps ;).

Also Adam McGrath awesome picture's mate, Radical lights your support is amazing, and Club Lime, thanks again.