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First time fun


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By homerj - Posted on 31 May 2010

Re: This ride meeting: 
Capital Punishment 2010
Status: 
Finished
Time: 
03:34:35
Position (Overall): 
241
Race Category: 
50km/Male/Open

First race and loved it. Got to the start around 6am and stayed dry with some others under the coffee mans tent before busting out to the start at the last minute. Best decision ever was to enter in an early group despite the lack of race experience.

Even being in the second wave the starting climb was a bit slippery in places and I have to admit even walking over one rise after losing momentum on a rock. From there on down through Majura was awesome as we overtook a few people and were gigling with joy at having some decent single track to ride. There were a few sections (turns and switchbacks) that were getting boggy and I felt for what the 100km guys were going to face. But that soon faded as we launched into another gully to get some air on the other side.

The glasses were tossed as being pointless by this time and the thrill of riding blind took over, it felt like watching Avatar for a while as lumps of mud and clay flew into your eyes in an unstoppable arc in motion capture slowness through continual blinking. The connecting ride over the grass and onto the untimed section was a bit of a drag, would have flown by in the dry, but made it easy to have a chat with fellow riders and have a bit of a laugh.

The fire trail to stromlo saw the energy fading and the small climbs seemed to get very hard. It was easier to blame the clay than my fitness. The feed station at about 28 or 32 km had the best tasting muesli bars in history (mental note to pack better food next time) and yet another friendly, cheery volunteer helping out and even opening our food as numb fingers become very clumbsy.

The single track through the last pine forest started out great but soon saw about 10 of us walking and talking about Kokoda track (without the guns, dysentry and death) and feeling the legs start to cramp.

At this stage I was wondering if Stromlo would be open. By the time we got there the cramps were coming and any attempt to stretch the hammy's lead to quad cramps which meant i went from touching my toes to violently throwing my torso back like a fish that has just been thrown on deck. Started to lose a few spots here and was swearing at the mountain.

Was very keen for the top that never came and when I thought I made it there was another one and then another one. A few negative words were thrown around about the planners, mud, mountain biking, Grizzly Adams, and Kevin Rudd (it was his fault) before rolling over the crest to launch into the awesome downhill. What a top way to finish.
Had to pull over once for the guy flying behind me without brakes or peddles who was screaming ("don't stop my momentum") and really felt for the guy changing a flat with the finish line in site on the downhill.

Flew down, resisted the temptation of the jump marked "caution, caution" at the bottom as I knew my fatigue would have resulted in a tumble that Nadia Comaneche couldn't get out of.

rolled towards the finish very satisfied and actually glad the mud made it such a very memorable event for a first timer.

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