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My 10th Convict!


Fatboy's picture

By Fatboy - Posted on 04 May 2014

Re: This ride meeting: 
Convict 100 2014
Status: 
Finished
Time: 
05:08:32
Position (Overall): 
111
Position (Category): 
55

I've come a long way since that first event where 7 of my weekend warrior mates entered with some sort of notion it would take 3-4hrs so off we went in our baggies and heavy huck bikes, me with about 4 gels and a muesli bar. That year the course was a lot more difficult. It was a clover leaf, each with a big climb. The first was Jacks Track - going up what we all know as our fast descent not far from the finish. We did Blue Hill and another similar climb not far from there. After the first loop most of our team gave up and left so 3 of us persisted finishing 9:51! All I remember was being incredibly hungry...

I have this rivalry with one of my mates from that initial race who these days does a lot of road riding but every year enters the event with the soul purpose of beating me but every year is groundhog day - he goes too hard in the first 50 then dies on Womerah just like clockwork and I get him by an hour. My wife has noticed him posting a lot of rides on Facebook over recent months so clearly this year is looking better for him so I have 2 goals this year - 1. go sub 5:15 and 2. beat Yatesy.

I got into the start chute early and was entertained by our own @antsonline giving expert opinion over the microphone. He was gutted to be missing the race through injury but seemed to fit into his new role comfortably. New career?

Looking around I could see all the usual suspects who would blow me away. One old face who hasn't been around for a while was @philberesford who has been mainly road riding. When we started I was surprised at the pace of the pack. It appeared nobody wanted to get out front and push so it was all quite an orderly ride all the way to the big climb at Blue Hill. This gave me about 10km to catch up with a number of mates. Once we hit the hill the pack spread pretty quickly though. Unfortunately just as it got steep about 5 guys ahead of me all stopped leaving all of us behind with no option other than get off and walk. I'd just been telling Phil how good my back has been but walking this hill had my calves screaming then my back packed it in...aaarrrgghhhh!

Once I got the chance to ride I spun for a while trying to manage my back pain. Coming to the first downhill with water bars I had to stop and help a guy who was lucky he only cut his head open. He was keen to get riding again but despite not showing any signs of concussion I told him he can't continue and instructed someone to stay with him and prevent him from riding until the medics arrived. I took off then stopped at the first water station where I briefed the medics and sent them back.

Once I hit the single track around 35km in the pace was frustratingly slow. At 40km I spotted him. Yatesy must have snuck past me when I stopped for the medical situation.I sat on him for a while and assessed if I attacked he wouldn't be able to go with me. I didn't let him know it was me on his wheel and as soon as he went left around a puddle I went right and smashed it without even saying hi.

I took a few mins at the halfway feed as I filled my Camelbak then took a bit of time fumbling around for my electrolyte tabs and then lubed the chain. By the time I got going Yatesy arrived. He did a quick refill and was only just behind me going up the hill from 10 Mile Hollow. I had a real incentive to drive my pedal strokes.

When I arrived at the canoe bridge I filled a bottle which ended up being dead weight I dragged around till the finish. As it was windy everyone was taking the walk option across the bridge so I rode and made a few places. I noticed the guy behind me looked strong so waited for him and suggested we do the road section together. We smashed it and overtook another 4 or 5 riders and we were going that fast as we blew by them they all tried to hitch a lift but none could keep up. Once we then got to the big climb to Womerah we were laughing at how incredibly fast our trip was then he took off while this fatboy lifted his slightly obese frame up the never ending climb.

I was really happy with the way I rode that section as I normally drift off and spin but this time I kept driving my pedals even when I was down in my easy gear. Crossing that finish line more than half hour ahead of my pb was extremely satisfying. 5:08 and no Yatesy in sight - goals 1 & 2 achieved!

I quickly went to my car and got changed as I really wanted to greet Yatesy at the finish wearing jeans just to mess with his head. It worked as he crossed the line in 5:39, looked me up and down then instead of celebrating his fastest race by a long way looked solemn realising I had smoked him.

Post race we sat with mates Adrian and Katie where we told our war stories. Yatesy said he was behind me going up the climb from 10 Mile Hollow but knew if he rode up to me I'd just turn myself inside out to smash him so he chose to hang on for as long as he could. I said it was a pity he hadn't as I may have gone sub 5hrs had he been keeping with me Smiling

jp's picture

Excellent ride Craig and a great writeup. That's a very good time for the 100, and great to continue the Groundhog Day!

Brian's picture

Great ride Craig. You've gotta love all the races that go on in the race.

doc's picture

Great yarn Craig

And congrats on a top result, backing up well from last weekend !

hawkeye's picture

Nice work Craig. Putting your mate in the hurt box Eye-wink Laughing out loud

Tristania's picture

And kudos for stopping to help someone who was injured. Glad that you sliced a good portion of an hour off last year's time.

Scottboy's picture

I know who to follow around on my marshall laps at the next race then wont I youll keep me motoring along , good job

philberesford's picture

Good riding out there Craig, was good to catch up and chat. Fantastic you shaved some big time of your previous best. I think you got the jump on me when my chain dropped on the first rock garden climb on the GNR. I was leading out a big train then boom suddenly I was at the back.

Fatboy's picture

Thanks for all the positive comments guys, a week on and I feel very satisfied my 4:15am starts are paying dividends. In fact this year I've been exceeding my goals I set last July with Gordo when I said to him my average time in enduro's is winner + 50% and I want to get to winner + 30%. This year I've consistently been ahead of that goal.

Problem I've got now is I'd like to go quicker but don't like the sacrifices so not sure I really want to go quicker. He wants me to do interval work on a trainer. I tried it for 2 months then gave it back to him. I'd rather a 5hr sufferfest on the trails than a half hour interval on the stationary trainer. Next is my 15kg of extra weight which is fine on the flats but when I need to climb. That would mean a lifestyle change...

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