Bravo Bundanoon

I love this event. I loved it last year and I loved it more this year. I love the children's paintings in the woods, I love the water bottle free thing, I love the way the village really get behind it, the organisation that's just first class, the volunteers that rock (along with their beards!), and of course the track. OK so it doesn't have heaps of single track or testing technical but it still has great sections and some good long fire trails to get some rhythm time. It's no walk in the park.

Last time I was down here I saw the Bundanoon dash I though I would have some of that action, so I put my name down. To be honest I was a lot more nervous about this race than the big one the following day. I had the whole day to fettle with the bike and try to keep calm and work out some plan but how much planning can you do for a 10 minute race anyway? Eventually I found myself on the second row behind and surrounded by guns. The race was a blur from start to finish. Following the car down the road I though I would surely crash on every pedal turn, the pack at were rabid and riding bar end to bar end. At the bottom of the hill the car pulled to the side and my heart shot out of my mouth (where it stayed for the rest of the race). Amazingly I found my self in the lead pack all the way around the dirt track, this was it - I was in the tour de France and was going to take yellow, if I didn't have a heart attack first. It was great seeing and feeling how completely mental a short sprint can be at this level, I couldn't believe I was still there. Then at the bottom of the hill they all took off. I looked down to check my heart and back up to find the 9 riders where gone. Literally, I couldn't see them. So dropped the suspension, and locked it all out, dropped into the bit dog and smashed my little legs off. I vaguely remember crowds of people lining up on each side of the road closing in and cheering, clanging cow bells. I was Lance Armstrong, dancing on my pedals. I heard some support for me but have no idea who from. Please heart, keep working. I got to the top of the hill and saw the finish line but just could not stay out of the saddle, my legs were shot, all in less than 11 minutes. But wait... there's a guy ahead! I can catch him! I'm Lance Armstrong, this is the Alpe d'Huez. Get up again and PUSH... and..... argh my legs..... just.. got.. him. I came in tenth place and a big smile on my face, oh and I set a new max heart rate Flipping EPIC fun, why doesn't everyone one do this, it's insane!

So, the next day. I was in for the hundred and whatever kay race. I didn't really care where I came because I had the day before as a top trumps excuse card, which was great because it took a lot of pressure off. I started with Gazza way to close to the front and within the first 5 kays fell back to my rightful place a great many riders back. I rode side by side with many familiar faces, Linco (well done on a wicked time mate), Bryn, Gazza (who was having a shocker with his new bike but still managed to spank my arse), Rob (who spent most of the time telling me how slow I was going, thanks for the encouragement mate ), Dr Eggs on a frankly very silly quest to take his SS around 100miles, and for about 2 minutes the entire elite peloton. For once my race plan was perfect in every way. I couldn't believe it. I came in at around 6 hours with no cramps, a perfect average heart rate, and more in the tank.

Watch it all go wrong at the next one.. when is that again?