You are hereBlogs / Fatboy's blog / I beat Shaun Lewis in the Convict 100!
I beat Shaun Lewis in the Convict 100!
Ok, I beat him because he dnf'd. I'll take it anyway.
I started with a few hot Nobmobbers around me - Steve01, ps & the man of the moment Dicko. Just ahead of us in the first wave was the always easy to spot on the start line Antsonline. I was really hoping Ant would get a podium this year as he's been getting close and of course us Nobmobbers all claim him as one of ours!
After last year losing a lot of ground through illness I've managed to be on the bike a bit this year. While I have traveled a lot for work which means zero training those weeks, I have managed at least 4 days a week when I am home. Most mornings I get 1-1.5hr in before work around the 3km bike path at Parramatta Park on my mountain bike. I've never done any road riding before which I believe has been my Achilles heel as I go well on climbs and techy but as soon as we are on the fire roads and grinding away I get passed like I'm standing still.
Anyway the race started and we all kept as a bunch for a couple of km until we started to split into packs. I stayed in the 2nd for a few km but got dropped as the pace was high and I didn't want to blow my burners too early. Problem was the 3rd group was 200m back and I found myself in limbo until we got to the big climb at 13km. I kept an easy pace until the 50km feed zone where I arrived in 2:45 about 10-15min behind my usual pace. All part of the plan as I usually start to slow in the next 20km then die on Woomera so I was keeping fuel in the tank.
I was going to whinge about my 7min wait at the kayak bridge but then found many of those behind me waited 30min - ouch! I actually threw my bike over my shoulder and ran for the river thinking I'd wade across and save 5min but was advised it was neck deep...
Over the next 15km or so I was climbing those never ending climbs on Woomera thinking how damn strong I felt and how I'd smash my 5 1/2 hour target. I was basing this on the fact I normally have to walk every pinch climb there as my legs are jelly by then but this time I was standing for all the climbs. It wasn't until I hit the big downhill with about 10km to go when I suddenly realised my conservative strategy had failed and I wasn't going to beat my target. I continued on to the finish gutted that I hadn't beaten my previous best yet I was much fitter & stronger so it all came down to being way too cautious with my strategy.
I did the same thing last week at Canberra where my times showed I was running around 350th for most sections then 200th for the climb and descent of Stromlo at the end of the race. Far too much fuel left in the tank at the end. I've managed to get fitter again but haven't adjusted my racing accordingly.
Oh well, I still had a great day out and can't wait for more.
- Fatboy's blog
- Login to post comments
- Bookmark & share
Firstly 5:52 isn't slow, its actually a pretty good time. Secondly your right about road riding. It doesn't have to be a drop bar roady, a flat bar commuter will do fine but getting used to sitting on 30+kph on the flat for long stretches will make you faster on the flat bits in an mtb race (well it worked for me anyway).
Also agree that there is a lot that most of us get wrong with our race execution, either too slow at the start or not eating enough etc. etc. The main thing is not to keep making the same mistakes.
Anyway good to here that you had fun as thats why we all do it.
Sounds like you still had a great day Craig. I was hanging around at the start with Wayne, Brian etc taking photos so not sure how I missed you? anything under 6 is a fantastic effort in my opinion. I'd love a sub 6 in the DW. Well done mate, catch up properly at the next race.
Good effort Craig ! You need to give yourself that extra push - you never know what you can achieve.
My favourite quote at the moment:
"Only those who risk going to far can possibly find out how far one can go"
Look forward to having a few beers with you after a race one day rather then just saying good luck at the start !
You have to blow up occasionally to find that limit and then go beyond it. If it means chewing stem for the last 30km then so be it.
As a famous roadie one said:
‘I’D RATHER FINISH SHATTERED AND LAST HAVING ATTACKED A HUNDRED TIMES THAN FINISH 25TH WITHOUT HAVING TRIED"
I wasn't going to do Husky as I just dont enjoy it but I think I'll have a crack and try to turn myself inside out. It's a good venue to do that as it's not far to the main road from anywhere on the course so I can get the ever prescent service crew to collect me like last year and get emergency beer flowing to resuscitate me
Phil - can't believe your comment about 6hrs. Based on your 50km time you do realise you would have done about 4-4.5hr for the 100 don't you?
Yes I have to agree if I had kept that performance thru to the second fifty I might have wound up with a sub 5hr time. To be honest tho I really thought I was going to struggle hence the downgrade. The time I did the 50 in blew me away! I had no idea I could punch out a time like that given my zero hours on the bike. I put it down to 3 things:
1. Get in the lead group and let the peleton suck you all the way to the hill
2. It's only 50km so no need to leave any gas in the tank for Womerah, go smash yourself!
3. Muscle memory. My legs knew what they needed to do.
In hindsight maybe I should've done the full ton. Yeti and me did miss the GNR this year. But then again maybe not, I have torn my left calf, not too bad, but who knows what damage I could've done if I had pushed on another 50km on top of the injury?