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Having improved by nearly an hour over the last 4 half flings that I've done, I was billing this as my main race for the year and knew a lot more about how to train, how to eat and how to race than when I first started a few years back. Sub 3 has been a long term goal for a while.

Preparation didn't go to plan though (I haven't adapted to training whilst having a young baby to look after and have also had a few injury niggles which meant I only did 1 ride of longer than 2 hours in the lead up to the race).

At first I was very disappointed with my time as this year I actually did some training and rode lots of hills, even rode broke back mountain, felt good, pushed where ever I could, drafted behind my faster mate, I literally had nothing left at 100 metres to go and had to granny gear over the line. But only 2 min faster than my fatter arse managed last year! Ok so I've calmed down now poured over all the stats and it looks like (for me, at least) the course was 10-15 min slower? General agreement on this?

The leadup to this race, my final one of the year, was perfect for me. Training started the week after the Kowalski and weekend efforts consisted of 3 - 3.5hr ride duration, up to 55km in length and I tried to get in around 1000m of ascent per ride. The hills of the Oaks, Wisemans Ferry, Cascades, Nth Turra and Ku Ring Gai NP provided a good challenge and, along with a quick pre work dash around Lane Cove NP each week I felt I was ready for my first Half Fling on 4 hrs riding per week which is pretty much my maximum given current life priorities.

Some other points for the leadup:

After reading the other accounts and it being my first Fling experience, I thought I'd put my ride down in print, too. Disclaimer: Chronologically, some of the tracks may have been in a different order to what is mentioned.

Kudos to all those in the race. It was ouchy! Kudos squared to those who did the full Fling, and cubed to the 100 milers! Wow...nuts...

Having heard all the good stories about the Fling I thought I'd give it a whirl, well the Half anyway. The timing of the event was perfect with the Mont a couple of weeks ago and a particularly busy few months coming up at work.

To say I was nervous for this years’ Highland Fling would be an understatement. There were a few new faces racing this year which just added to nerves. To top it off I was questioning whether my training had been sufficient. Normally I focus on a combination of base and interval sessions but this year just couldn’t find the time (or desire) to get up early for those long base rides – I guess having 3 kids sort of takes up any spare time you thought you might have had.

The Fling is my favourite event of the year and was the reason I kept getting out of bed early each morning over Winter. 3 weeks ago, as I was building my last pyramid of training for this race those familiar razor blades in the throat hit me. Doh! My chest cleared a couple of days before the race so I decided to have a go despite my throat & sinuses feeling crap.

A few years ago I decided that doing 20 Flings in a row would be a fun goal to set. At about 10am yesterday I decided I was done, 10 was enough. But I’m pleased to say that by 11:15am I was back on track looking forward to Fling number 11.

I’m not sure really where to start with this write up as I have mixed feelings about this year’s Fling, both of satisfaction on the outcome and the lingering sensations of pain in my legs that caused it.

Last year I finished the race in 5:23 and in 33rd in category (vets), this year I rode about 1 minute quicker and finished 2nd (for the last time in vets), I think this goes to show the toughness of the route changes in 2014 – the race simply felt hard, from beginning to end.

First ever Half Fling, second ever race, and I am equal parts shattered, disappointed and satisfied.

Even though I was going in knowingly underdone (life gets in the road of training more often than not lately) I had hoped to get around in 4 hours, but as I approached Wingello I realised that was not going to happen.

Phewww glad that race was over. After the Half Kowalski in September I was looking forward to riding the Fling. I decided to go the full, training involves riding up and down the Oaks for almost 5 weeks in a row, but that wasn't enough as the hills on the Fling are just nastier, longer and there's always another hill around the corner.