Friday 16:00hrs - Day before the race, Quiggs and I do a 58min practice lap on a dry, dusty, freshly cut course. I feel ok, not great, not terrible. Enthusiasm builds and I'm focused on having fun to get me through the next 24 hours.
Saturday 09:00hrs - My supremo support team of Jane and Mark Zagorski and I arrive and set up what will be HQ for the next day.
10:00hrs - Social chit chat is had. My spare bike, a Rocky Mountain Altitude 70 is prepped for racing. Lollies are gorged upon.11:30hrs - A race briefing is mostly missed. I presume it's pretty much the same as always. I'm right. 11:48hrs - I brave the busy, wobbly, un-level, semi-trailer toilets for a final nervous bodily evacuation.
12:00hrs - Someone fast and presumably riding in a team gets the holeshot at the start and claims the prologue clams. 100 of them.
12:30hrs - Half way around my first lap and I'm almost already as muddy as it's possible to get on a bike. Enthusiasm is high. I'm sure I've settled into 'round-about 5th in Solo.
12:00hrs - Someone fast and presumably riding in a team gets the holeshot at the start and claims the prologue clams. 100 of them.
12:30hrs - Half way around my first lap and I'm almost already as muddy as it's possible to get on a bike. Enthusiasm is high. I'm sure I've settled into 'round-about 5th in Solo.
It's raining.
13:00hrs - I fear I'm burning through the new brake pads I installed at the start of the race. It's raining.
14:00hrs - Two laps in and I'm transitioning well. Ash Hayat and I are duelling for what I'm sure is 5th and 6th. I sneak a glimpse over the handlebars at my front brake callipers. A build-up of fine, silver dust confirms I've used up my brake pads...and some of their backing.
13:00hrs - I fear I'm burning through the new brake pads I installed at the start of the race. It's raining.
14:00hrs - Two laps in and I'm transitioning well. Ash Hayat and I are duelling for what I'm sure is 5th and 6th. I sneak a glimpse over the handlebars at my front brake callipers. A build-up of fine, silver dust confirms I've used up my brake pads...and some of their backing.
It's raining.
15:00hrs - Bike swap. Me to Dad "That bike needs new pads front and rear". Dad to me "You're sitting comfortably in 2nd." Wow. Bottle. Gel. Banana sanga smashed. I melt into the 5inches of travel of the Altitude and am overjoyed at working brakes.
15:00hrs - Bike swap. Me to Dad "That bike needs new pads front and rear". Dad to me "You're sitting comfortably in 2nd." Wow. Bottle. Gel. Banana sanga smashed. I melt into the 5inches of travel of the Altitude and am overjoyed at working brakes.
It's raining. The sun is not out.
18:00hrs - It's raining. The mud is crazy. I'm not so much steering as sliding from one bend/corner to the next. It's actually pretty good fun, I'm riding it well and I've made a gap on Ash. I think on one lap I even rode the whole track without having to hike-a-bike. Sitting in 2nd has motivated me somewhat.
18:00hrs - It's raining. The mud is crazy. I'm not so much steering as sliding from one bend/corner to the next. It's actually pretty good fun, I'm riding it well and I've made a gap on Ash. I think on one lap I even rode the whole track without having to hike-a-bike. Sitting in 2nd has motivated me somewhat.
20:00hrs - Laps have pretty quickly ceased to be fun and are plain hard work. Slow, even cadence doesn't work in the mud. Staying off the brakes doesn't work in the mud. My front derailleur doesn't work in the mud. I walk some of the climbs.
It's raining.
21:00hrs - I stop mid lap. I walk at least 3 or 4 sections that I just cannot muster the energy and skills to ride. I stop a couple more times.
21:00hrs - I stop mid lap. I walk at least 3 or 4 sections that I just cannot muster the energy and skills to ride. I stop a couple more times.
It's raining.
22:30hrs- My transition lasts too long. 1 minute. Then 2. Then 5. Then Quiggs comes through transition. He does a full kit change and encourages me to do the same but I tell him I'm done and stand there in awe of this tough endurance machine. I'm angry, jealous, depressed, sore and tired. But shit I'm glad I've decided not to do another lap in this crap.
22:30hrs- My transition lasts too long. 1 minute. Then 2. Then 5. Then Quiggs comes through transition. He does a full kit change and encourages me to do the same but I tell him I'm done and stand there in awe of this tough endurance machine. I'm angry, jealous, depressed, sore and tired. But shit I'm glad I've decided not to do another lap in this crap.
It's still raining.
Sunday 08:00hrs - The sun has come out. It's a different day and we could be on another continent such is the contrast in weather from a few hours ago. Due to reports of the track now being 'dry and superfast', 'tacky' and, unbelievably 'fun' again I'm encouraged to do another lap.
09:15hrs - I can confirm the track is dry, superfast and would be fun but my legs, bum and most other parts are sore and I still don't want to do another lap. That's it for my Garmin 24 2011.
It's not raining.
____________________________________________________________
Even to make it just 10.5hrs into a 24 I needed a lot of help and owe many thanks.
Sunday 08:00hrs - The sun has come out. It's a different day and we could be on another continent such is the contrast in weather from a few hours ago. Due to reports of the track now being 'dry and superfast', 'tacky' and, unbelievably 'fun' again I'm encouraged to do another lap.
09:15hrs - I can confirm the track is dry, superfast and would be fun but my legs, bum and most other parts are sore and I still don't want to do another lap. That's it for my Garmin 24 2011.
It's not raining.
____________________________________________________________
Even to make it just 10.5hrs into a 24 I needed a lot of help and owe many thanks.
First to my folks for being such great supporters. Together we're getting this whole deal down to a fine art. Dad is more experienced at replacing brake pads than I am and Mum's washed my bike more times than me too.
Dad couldn't have replaced any brake pads if they hadn't have first been supplied by Ross from iRide. Having shop support that I can confidently call on is invaluable. Next time I'm doing a team lap with you guys. That looked like too much fun!
Some people race solo with just one bike but I wouldn't want to, and the spare bike supplied by Simon Ross from Adventure Brands/Rocky Mountain was oodles of fun. Thanks! Everyone should test ride a Rocky Mountain Altitude. Yes, especially you Llew.
Cheers,
Cheers,
Zigga
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