RealBike Insurance MTB Cruise

Report on my first "race"

Drove down Fri afternoon hoping to get a bit of time to go for a ride. Left home about 12pm, it started spitting about Campbelltown then got heavier and heavier. Driving into Canberra was down to about 80-90 in the 110 zone because it was so heavy.
Drove straight up to Mt Stromlo and it was not as heavy, but it obviously had been. Scrapped the ride but waited until 6pm and registered.

Off to hotel, have dinner, watch tele, crash.

Up bright and early, at track just after 8am to check out what's what. Watched the 100milers come through on their first lap (56min for the 18 odd km, single speed and all!!)

Watched the 80km and 50km guys go, then time for me on the 30km. By now the weather had picked up and the sun was shining and it was quite hot and humid.

Had no idea what to expect, had no idea how to pace myself etc etc.

First lap, pretty messy with people of all abilities out there. Decided to start from the back, just to see what the track looks like. Bad move, got well and truly stuck behind others, not concerned, it was for us newbies.
Made up loads of places and ended up with the lead bunch and then we promptly got lost. We started following some of the 50/80km folk! Whoops.

Found our way back to the track (we think) and went past the start finish. 2nd, 3rd and fourth lap, past a few folk, was past by one or two, having the time of my life, really enjoying it, pacing myself pretty well I thought. So, lap 5 finishes, I've taken it easyish as I was going to have a red hot go on the 6th lap only to find it's only 5 laps!! For some reason I'd thought it was 6 laps of 5km, but it ends up it was 5 laps of 6km, d'oh, do I feel like and idiot. Sure enough, my computer tells me it's about 32km done. Oh well, there's nothing left to do but go again anyway! So, this time, I have a go and knock 3 minutes off my previous best lap........, that'll teach me. It still meant my place wouldn't have changed though so no biggie.

I do have to say though as I had no idea what the track might be like, the 10 and 30km races were on a fairly easy bit of track. By the sounds of things the longer races were on a much trickier track. I did nearly jump on and go for a lap. Next year I think.

So, a fantastic time, well organised (even though we did get lost first time round, although as we find out later it was definitely our fault as we just didn't see a sign!) well run and most I talked to had a great time. I did run into an older couple of folk who had come off on the 50 and 80 and weren't feeling so well so I hope they are not so bad today.

EDIT: Fixed up a bit of grammar and spelling!