The correct way to DNF

Was really hoping for better after last year's DNF... and was pleasantly surprised... in a cheeky sort of way

Unfortunately I've had almost two months off the bike earlier in the year (even though I actually said it was only one previously) and done basically no exercise in that time. Looking at my logs beginning of July was when I got back on the dirt which gave me a rather worrying two to get that fitness back.

Things actually went quiet well in the lead up and I'd done what I thought was a reasonable amount of training for this race. So although not feeling super confident thought I could at least finish this year.

To that end I had a plan to ride very slowly and conserve energy all the way, setting my HR alarm for zone 3 max (well 148BPM which sounds about right for me) and heading off at the back of the 3rd wave. There was lots of traffic last year but going at the back of a fast wave proved a good tactic - I was able to grind up the first climb nice and steady and came to the first single track almost alone. Weeeeeee... no one here to spoil the fun but did begin to catch people shortly after coming out of that.

It's a bit of a cop out... but there's not much really to report about the first 50km. I was just going along at a sedate pace, pulling back when the HR alarm began to bleep but not really trying any harder when it was silent. Passed plenty of people going down hills (breaking 70kph in one place which is my all time fastest speed on dirt) and only walked up a couple of climbs.

There were some enjoyable moments in the sniggle of course and a bit of fun shouting, "Run, run, run!" at the guys walking across the creek bridge as I rode onto it

Stopped for a few minutes for a water top up at the first stop but not for very long.

Later in the stage I began to get some pain in the lower back and took some Panadol which did SFA for that.

Then began to think to myself, "Well - this course is OK, but there actually is a lot of firetrail here". OK - so some of it is hugely fast firetrail but all the same, it's just firetrail. And there was the dust of course... making crackling noises under the wheels sort of like fresh powder snow. Although to be honest I didn't find the dust that bad at all as wasn't in much traffic. Although one rider suggested the dust was to blame for the hideous noise the rear hub was making - it sounded like all the spokes were about to explode out of the wheel despite them all being nice and tight still.

So sometime later, around 40km perhaps I thought to myself, "Geeze, it's a bit hot too, and what sniggle there is isn't worth the firetrail kays, and my back hurts, and my rear wheel sounds f*&^ked... think I'll stop at the 50".

Then I ran out of water with 5km to go despite topping up the bidon and backpack - must have had 4 litres in total by then.

Trundled into transition in 3h43 and thought, ah... that's a nice day out, it'll do.

Luckily I then found Junkie, Cupcake, Tien & Buck who'd set off in the wave before and had been sitting around for some time. Buck & Tien left for 5 more hours of pain while Junkie (who always planned to bail), Cupcake (who was stoked to have had blown his front forks) and myself chilled out, got cleaned up, watched the pros come in and relaxed some more.

Aside from the slight pain in my back I felt completely fine and really like I hadn't really done much at all... which of course in comparison to what was expected I hadn't

So quiet happy really... that's the sensible way to DNF this race!

Garmin thingy here: