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I went into this race having no idea what time i was going to do as i wasn't here for it last year and had a shocker (for no apparent reason) the year before.
I knew i was fitter than previous years but having had a throat virus for about 4 weeks in the lead up i knew my training hadn't gone exactly to plan.
I arrived just before dark on Friday and set up camp with my riding Buddies from Manly.

… and I’m glad I did cause it was difficult to even walk it with my jelly legs at 68km - I’m sure I would have fallen in if I had of ridden it.

Proud to have completed my first 100km race (in fact my first 100km ride….) without falling off. Was aiming for around the 6 hour mark based on previous 50km efforts and achieved that goal!! Very stiff and sore that evening and the following day but recovered quite quickly on Monday to start planning the next big race!

What can I say, it was almost a perfect day !

I hadnt been able to get out for a big training ride with the group, and had done a single ride on GNR in the lead up. From the pre-ride it seemed many of the lines in technical sections had changed or even gone, and I had noted the reports of the condition of Jacks Track. I wanted to continue to improve on result from last year and was motivated with the impressive riding from the other boys in our riding group.

Anyhow, just a quick summary

Mentally Challenged !

Unlike all the races leading up to the Convict, I was feeling mentally and physically drained from the last 5 mths of training and racing. So I knew this weekend was going to be hard, but given it is my 'local' event and the last event of this years first half of racing I knew it had to be done. On top of this, our training group had a couple of recent hit outs around the course and even though mentally I wasn't quite there I was still riding physically strong.

Started the year at 85kg after having a nice break after the fling.
I have trained hard and consistently since the start of the year and turned up on race day at 78kg.
I am a dedicated single speeder. It is my only mountain bike! I took a gamble and decided that I would put a harder gearing than normal on my bike, suffer up the hills so that I could make gains on the many flat sections. I had a goal of cracking the 5 hour mark thinking I would be bloody lucky if I achieve it.

About 3 weeks ago I had just had 2 weeks off the bike and wasn't feeling that motivated to train. Then I went for a casual ride one saturday and enjoyed it so decided it was still possible to do my first sub 5 hour dirtworks/convict race. Reality struck the next day when I got dropped by the slower C grade bunch out at west head.
So I did what any disorganised person would, some serious last minute cramming and I got to the start line thinking 4:45 was a possibility.

Despite Huw Kingstons Highland Fling, held in NSW, being the unofficial National Marathon Champs, the Convict 100, really always feels like the NSW Marathon champs to me.
If you race an MTB in the state, you have to be there. Its one of those dates in your calendar that gets marked in first….

What an awesome race.

For those that don’t know, I raced the Australian Marathon Championships 2 weeks ago in Atherton. I had a week up there prior to just dedicate to riding and relaxing, the race was unbelievably hard taking over 7 hours to finish so I knew I had a pretty good prep coming into this race.

One week prior I did a 95km mtb ride averaging 20km/h which felt good so I just needed to avoid getting sick in the week leading up and I should be good.

UPDATE: My friend Graham kindly came along to watch, first at the canoe bride and then at the end, and has a short clip of the river crossing

http://youtu.be/vn3sEe5Z2jU

BACKGROUND:

This being the first endurance mtb race I entered in Australia back in 2009 I will always come back and enjoy the challenge that it presents. Last year was the first time I managed to ride under 5 hours (4:51) and this year I set myself a target of wanting to finish in the 4:30-4:40 range. Although I've not followed any structured training since mid 2012 I have ridden a lot of base kms and in the last few weeks I upped the intensity to try and build some endurance as the Womerah Range is always a battle for me as fatigue takes hold.