Blogs

Loved the track, apart from the two ascents of seismic hill, and loved that the track was dry this year after getting bogged often last year. Better time than last year (shorter / faster track?), but drifted significantly in the overall and super masters rankings.

You often hear people using the term "serious fun," but when you think about the term, it's really an oxymoron.. I mean, if you're just having fun, like out at a party, even if it's a lot of fun, you're not taking something seriously. And then when you're serious about doing something, say a job, or for me, a university degree, it's rarely fun. Or is it?

I had pretty low expectations going into this, having done virtually no riding in the 10 days leading up, and still coughing from a flu that lasted almost 2 weeks. But I was feeling OK and was on a new bike (Giant Anthem) that I only picked up on Thursday. I really approeciated having dual suspension today.

I rocked up an hour late this morning due to a need to reschedule an appointment with the real estate agent, but that turned out well.

I arrived about the same time as a bunch of guys from Parkes who know their way around.

So while I didn't quite get the kilometres in I was hoping for (only 17) I had a great time following the wheels of some guys who knew their way around instead of having to fluff around with a map and a compass.

Great race on a great course. Looking forward to next year already. It's a shame the trails are so far from home as I'd love to ride them more.

Maybe a skills test is needed for anyone starting in wave 3 or above though. The first 15km were so frustrating because of guys who obviously had the fitness but no skills and walked any obstacle bigger than a marble. It wouldn't be so bad if they moved to the side to let people who were still riding past! *Rant over *

I wasn't going to write up after this event because I was a bit disappointed but thought I would, just for my own future reference; looking back, I'm glad I kept going and didn't pull the pin.

This would be my first 100km race. I've done plenty of 50km's, 4hr's, a solo 6+6 and a heap of team enduro's but I'd never stepped up to the 100km. I go OK over short races, like club rounds and 50km's, but I don't have the endurance to go the full distance.

Had another blast racing around the dry and dusty tracks of Back Yamma Forest this year.

From the start we were off in a cloud of dust, with a bit of jockeying for positions prior to the first bit of single track. I’d been a bit casual about the start, so was in a large bunch and settled down to about 10th place in a train once the single track started. Must have been a few dozen on ahead as well.

Yee-haa. My first mtb race in just over five months is done and dusted.

So,

I got on a bike 4 months ago knowing nothing of the sport or anyone in my group of friends and acquaintances who rides. I basically wanted to drop kegs and get fit and was very quickly surprised how much I thoroughly enjoy getting out for a ride when work and family allowed it.

My inner competitive streak was tweaked when I realised how much racing has a part to play in all this, and so I had been looking for a pathway into racing that wasn't going to flog me, whilst still allowing me an opportunity to get a taste of racing.

Being a smaller race with a couple of big climbs, I figured this race might be my chance to get somewhere near the podium - something I've never done. I looked up last year's results and the winning time for my age group was about 2:20. So I had my target - to be under 2:30, and as close as possible to 2:20.