Its getting tougher in the old blokes' category

Knocked almost an hour off last year's time and only moved up from 36th out of 43 to 33rd out of 44. That same time would have made 27th in 2008, 13th in 2007 and would have been one off the podium in 2006! Seems you've got to get much faster just to stand still in Super Masters these days.

Anyway, I felt I had a good race...

After getting up at 4.00am, it was a quick run up through fog patches to Wiseman's, where the Webb's Ck ferry had quite a queue. Turned around and went over as the only car on the main ferry and was in St Albans in less than an hour and a half from home. Watched the elites start from a few metres down the road then edged into the back of the queue thinking I'd head off in the 2nd wave (aiming to do between 7 and 7.5 hrs). But I was too far back and there were still heaps of people in front of me (as well as behind) waiting for the 3rd wave.

Wright's Ck hill seems to get longer each year - the walking is getting harder Felt good at the first stop, so just ate some banana cake and headed off again. Made it to Ten Mile Hollow feeling like I was still able to push (instead of just survive like last year). I was under 7 hr pace at that stage and its easy to forget just how much slower that second 50 can be. Topped up the camelback, ate more food and then ground up the Western Commission track - I suck at hills and get passed by many. Found the pace on the techy bits of the OGNR track a bit hectic at times and nearly went otb with a front wheel wash out on a sandy rock landing, but just managed to hang on. Had a slow trip down Shepherds Gully as I got stuck behind some slower riders and didn't have the balls (or skill) to head off the main line at speed.

Had some more food at the feed station while watching a few folks fall in, almost fall in and stop on the bridge, while quite a few made it across. Watched a female competitor wade the river and decided that was the go for me rather than risking a full dunking. The cold water was good for the legs but I ended up with a fair bit of sand in the shoes and wet shoes & socks for the rest of the ride. Shorts had almost dried by the time I hit the Woomerah trail. That track just keeps throwing nasty little ups at you almost right up until you see the welcome sign of some bush fire brigade volunteers marking the turn off to Jack's Track. Jack's was a blast this year compared to previous as cramping was reasonably under control and my back was feeling good. The joy of that last plunge before hitting the road and knowing you've only got a few km's time trial back into town is diminished a bit by that crappy river crossing and the noise that sand and water makes in the drive train at that stage of the race.

Had some young bloke drafting me most of the way back into town. I let him get ahead at one stage and tried to tuck in, but he was so small it didn't make and difference to the effort required, so I passed him again and he got on my tail again, only to pull away in the finish chute - ingrate!

Didn't stay for the presentations and headed out north to Mangrove Mtn and the F4 - took about half an hour longer, but it wouldn't take much of a ferry queue to make it the quick alternative - if you don't mind 35 km's of winding dirt road.