This was my 3rd W2G

Getting ready to start I looked around and thought something was odd, it then occured to me there was a lot less riders than the Past 2 years. Looking at the results I see there was 300 less competitors than the last 2 events. 25 male riders from my catergory are DNS. The Race down at Kowen must of been something special or there was alot of people sick with the flu.

I had 2 goals at this event and 1 game plan.

Goal 1 - new PB
Goal 2 - Ride all hills
Game Plan - Team up with a fast rider after the bottom gate. I've never done this intentionally before and wanted to give it ago.

My usual Oaks ride would be to fly real fast down the first 2km of the trail. But this would usually burn myself out and I would struggle on the climbs. I've socially rode the Oaks before without placing a foot down but not in a race.
This time I took it casual and didnt ride any faster than the riders around me. (Hated this as I was using the brakes more than I wanted to).
But when I hit the climbs I was riding up them quite alot easier than normal.
I succeded in riding everyhill, but I found that I was not pushing it as hard as I normally would on the flats and downhills.

I hit the Helipad and thinking of the long big ring pedal to the finish line I though I could use some chemicals and took a Poweraid on the ride through. Threw it down the throat and tossed the cup. I almost gagged on it, was made with double the recomened dose Im sure.

Out of the helipad I hit the down hill fast. I started getting distracted by noticing the eroision since I last rode the Oaks. Leading upto Dead mans Left I slowed down I corner to early. But soon was pedaling hard again. Approaching the the Gate a faster rider from an Older age group was coming up on me and overtook me, YOU BEUTY!!! I hit the Pedal hard and got on his tail. I then Overtook him thinking he would jump on my tail but he didnt. Instead he overtook me again. I got on his tail again for a little then Overtook him again, this time i moved in front of him to give him draft. But he moved to the overside of the track and overtook me again. As he passed he made a joke saying he couldnt compete to my giant legs. I said, lets take turns drafting. He nodded and moved in front of me.

We continued drafting and overtaking all the way to near the end of Bennetts Ridge. I was loving it, couldnt believe how much easier it is to pedal and recover while drafting another rider. We flew passed alot of other riders struggling on their own. I lost my new friend when the fatigue got to much and I dropped off.

I finally reached the end. At the Time I thought I had a new PB thinking last years time was 1hr12min but later found it was actually 1hr9min. So I missed out on a new pb by 1.5mins but Im ok with that as i was very pleased I rode all hills and achieved my game plan of teaming up with a fast rider for the Long Big Ring Pedal to the finish.

At the finish my new friend was waiting for me, he thanked me for the drafting and told me he usually road rides and this was his fist Mountain Bike Event. He had never thought of Drafting on a Mountain Bike before but was very suprised how well it worked. I forgot to check his number and didnt ask for his name so he currently goes unnamed.

My Goal for Next year will be to beat the 1hr mark.