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100km Events
Hoping for some advice from past 100km event participants....
Unsure of which one to train for. Have just started building fitness now (am reasonably fit but not 100km fit) and looks like there's a few 100km races later on in the year. Have never entered a race but will do a few this year prior - Choc Foot etc etc.
I was originally looking to do the Angry Doctor. Based on past experience has anyone any recommendations....
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The Angry Doctor would be one of the hardest so I'd recommend not doing that as your first ever 100k event (like I did!). The Highland Fling is a great enduro to start out with....Much kinder on thye legs than the AD.
and have only done one 100k event so far (The Fling) which is actually 110k so yeah take what I say with a pinch of salt.
I have heard the Angry Doc is hard, it has quite a lot of climbing from what I hear, I will however be doing it this year as well. Last year the Fling was good, the heat made it tough going and some off the additional climbs where tougher than last year.
Personally I really enjoyed the Fling as my first Enduro and am racing Willo, Capital Punishment and DW100 this year so far with intentions on doing the Doctor and Fling again.
Well I've heard people say the Fling is the easiest of the marathons. It is not technically difficult for sure. So I guess 'difficulty' then comes down to what sort of target time you are setting yourself. I'll do it again this year, hopefully faster.
Although I haven't done the Doctor I plan to this year and I spent the summer riding what I could of the course routes (a lot is still hammered after last year's storm). I'd rate it about the same as the Fling.
Dirt Works is the other one I'm doing this year. Once again never raced it but I've ridden most of the course. The OGNR poses some technical challenges but once through that it's fire trail stuff.
IMO if you can get yourself to a point where you can ride 100km on dirt (or 200km road) then you could have a go at any of the above three (Dirt Works probably out for this year). Probably more of a consideration is whatever is going on in your life at the time of the year it's on.
I was in the same position as you last year and was intending to make the Angry Doctor my first 100km event. I missed registration and as it turns out, that was a fortuitous thing because I had no idea it was one of the harder events and also because of the unfortunate weather.
The Highland Fling was my first event and it smashed me, mainly because I was having so much fun in the first 30km that I did not drink enough water and the heat around half way absolutely punished me. Still, I really enjoyed it as it is fantastic location, the locals seem to get well into it (I am sure those who attended fondly recall the couple who had put their own hose and water barrel out the front of their house for riders to use!), it is well run and there are great places to stay.
How good are they? Well I have signed up to Capital Punishment and Dirtworks (and the Mont but it is not a 100km event), will probably sign up for The Husky and will definitely be back for the Fling. None of them are "easy" but it is definitely satisfying to finish and I now look forward to doing better and better!
Best advice Monkey_do is to hook up on some Nobmob rides and talk to everyone as most of us either regularly compete or at least have competed. Being endurance events you'll need to get a handle on your food and hydration requirements. Doesn't matter how fit you are, if you get these wrong you won't enjoy your day.
Every event is hard if you smash yourself to get a target time but if you're just out to finish and enjoy the day then all of the races are fun and not too difficult. The event organisers want to avoid having to send helicopters in to take people to hospital so tend to set courses that are not too technically challenging but every event except for the Husky has hills that will rip your legs off and have you in the fetal position crying for mummy if you go too hard but are all very doable if you don't push yourself.
The easiest event I've done is the Husky Enduro and entries opened last week. It's on in June from memory.
The Angry Doctor is quite a hilly race and the Highland Fling also has some big climbs late in the race when your legs are no longer listening to your brain.
is worth a look. Quite a flat course, so it won't rip your legs off, but on the other hand you're on the gas pretty much the whole time. Winning tme for the hundred km was under four hours, five hours would put you midfield, so at least it's over with quickly!
The course was fun. Not technically challenging in terms of obstacles, but good cornering skills (such I lack
) will improve your times significantly.
This one runs later in the year, some time in September.
Husky is the most 'do-able' 100km, but the Capital Punishment is also pretty cruisy - given out of the 100km, there is 12km break in the middle of it.
Its too close now though for you I reckon.
Enter the Husky - you wont regret it.
Eat, drink and be merry, all the way around.
as your first event. Last years inaugural event was great.
I've only been racing for a few years, Dirtworks was my first Enduro. Feel free to read about my event experiences here http://nobmob.com/user/761/results
Thanks all for feedback and input. Much appreciatted.
Looks like i'll enter the Husky to initiate myself and get a taste.
Then look to do the Angry Doctor or Highland Fling.
You will need to practice log rolls before the Husky. Nothing to technical, you just need to know how to ride them without slowing down. Find somewhere to practice or watch a video beforehand.
IMHO there are no easy 100 k races, some are just hillier than others. My first 100 km race was the Angry Doctor. I jumped in at the deep end and just made it out. I trained for eight months leading up to the event and was feeling good but the flu hit me two weeks out{ most likely from overtraining}I finnished the race but it was a tough day. My theory is that you can finnish anything if you're determined enough but there is a difference between finnishing and riding/racing. I think people underestimate the highland fling whilst AD is hilly there is a lot of descending to recover on.Where as Highland fling is very pedly if that makes sense. In my prep for AD I worked out a 100 k loop around my area (hills district) and did that 3 or 4 times in the lead up. I also did some solo enduro's just with a kilometre aim rather than a place . So i did the Nowra 6 hour with the aim of hitting 100 kms. I also bought a rode bike and effectily didn't drive for 6 months. Jumping in at the deep is not my recomendation but every 100 after it has been easier. However If you want one to ease into it Back Yamma is probably your best bet. You will have 6 months prep and there are a whole bunch of enduros and xc races you can use as prep. Good luck
Ok I'm a bit biased (and haven't done Back Yamma - hoping to get out there this year) - but I'll say Husky 100ker is a nice easy way to get into it! (disclosure I am one of the organisers). Why - it's not that hilly, definitely not rip ya legs off chuck ya guts up swear at the next freakin rise type thing. Husky 100ker was designed to be fun (and hey I'm a chick - I like fun - although I do Cat 6 race most days too and from work on the bike - only chucked once so far).
AG was good fun, but I kinda got over the climbs as I got through it. Fling was awesome fun - the variety of single track in there was brilliant - but the extra 10k just about killed me (especially since I was trying to do the averages in my head the whole time).
I'm planning on riding Back Yamma this year, and hopefully one or two of the other series races, also the Coffs 100ker (pleasure and pain) but that's not an easy one (especially if it's been raining).
Warning - if you do do Husky you may get me throwing myself at you for a hug at the end as I did to many last year. And no it wasn't just caffeine and sugar!