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Hadn't done the Fling in 2010, but from what I'd read about the course changes, was hoping I might get in around 3:30. Had some issues with my de-veined left leg swelling in the heat earlier in the week and my right knee playing up from a lot of walking on Tuesday, but after a gentle spin on Friday, all seemed OK by the time I headed off to Bundanoon on Saturday.

This was my first event so had no idea what to expect really. Set off with a couple of mates who I'd been training with so knew we were about the same pace - but I got a fast line around the outside of a few slower riders at one point so ended up a few hundred meters ahead - that was to prove costly! Hit a fast rocky downhill about 10k in and heard what sounded like a shotgun, but was actually my rear tyre / tube giving up.

Wow got to the event car park around 6:30 thinking I'd have enough time for a warm up ride no no no people had already started lining up at the start line so I joined the que around 4 rows back from the front.The start gun went and the pace was on, remember thinking it can't keep going like this or I'm going to blow.Half way through first stage heart rate came down to more of endurance rate,went through transition at Wingello oval on the front of a pack of four they all stopped for water and I was left on my own had to chase down riders around 200mtr in front to get onto a wheel

What a great day out. The riding was fun, conditions were perfect and the track was fast.

Another great fling for me.
Been watching Dicko and Brian train the house down for months and with a little less time available my training consisted of some solid commuting and a few weekend rides. Two rides over 3 hours since since August. I was interested to see how I would go.
My plan was to stick on Dicko's wheel for the first stage but he took off like a rabbit through the crowd and I had to relax and let him go, looked for Brian and he was gone too. On my own, pretty usual place in the singlespeed world.

After a year of constant chest infections I've finally had 2 months of good health so came to this event feeling positive despite the extra 5 or so kg I'm carrying (thanks for noticing my gut on the start line ps, I'll have to go to Jenny Craig now!). My goal this year was sub 6hr - I did 6:28 last year.

This was a great day out, probably the best of the three events I have done this year, well organised and a great atmosphere.

Started the race hoping to finish under 3hr15 so thought I'd start in the appropriate start time. If I'd know the course and how open it is for the first 10km or so I would have gone in the earlier group as I felt I could have gone harder at the start (some people did suggest this). Reached the transition about 1hr 10 and decided to fill up with water and grab some fruit, had I not done this I would have finished just under 3hrs as per my garmin (2:59).

What a difference a year makes. I actually felt that my training going into last year was better but I know that the heat and my execution on race day let me down. This year was a slightly different story but I think I just felt a lot more relaxed. We camped which meant dinner and into bed early, up before the 6 AM bagpipes for breakfast, coffee and last minute checks.

My first time trying a race saw me enter the half fling. My plan was to average 20kp/h and finnish in under 3hrs.

Last year I rode with a mate who pulled out at the half way point, so in the ensuing year I’m pretty sure that I bugged him on no less than 1000 separate occasions that he had unfinished business that needed to be completed and that I would see to it that he entered and barring terminal mechanical or physical failure that he finished this race.