100 Mile Fling on a hard tail? Tick that box!

I can’t exactly explain why I signed up for the 100Mile, there are many excuses that mask the complete lunacy of doing 100 (it’s actually like 165K’s and 3500M of climb) miles on a mountain bike, but I think the best reason is that 100K events just seem so “yawn” and don’t represent any real challenge

I started mid pack and tried hard to maintain my plan for riding at a steady pace, steady pace meaning not pushing efforts up hills, not chasing the people going hard at the start, spinning whenever I could and keeping food and fluids going in at a constant pace as I knew it would be a long day so I needed to maintain my nutrition strategy

The first stage went fast, hit the 100Mile high lounge and loaded up on food and water; now the people at the Mile High lounge are just awesome, it would be nearly worth sighing up for the 100M and not making the second Wingello loop just to get the “privileged” services that are on offer here.. just awesome people.

The first Wingello loop went to plan, no real efforts and plenty of food and water going in, a reasonable stop at the half way lounge and then a steady pace into Wingello to do it all again.

Turning right at the timing mat for that second loop, instead of left.. a moment of thought to just do the full fling? I would of if I hadn't talked myself up for the 100 Mile.

The second Wingello loop was a lot more fun through the single track, at one stage I noted 100K up under 6hrs and I was still feeling strong.. could it be that this was going to be easier than I had imagined? Then climbing the hill into the ½ way feed station I got the first real indication that perhaps this may hurt; My heart rate dropped and I felt slow and got the first real hit of cramps.. then Frankie caught me on her single speed. (single speed 100M..? respect!!)

The last half of the Wingello loop hurt.

The last stage hurt more.

Leading up to the fling, I’d done some long road rides of similar distance and some long MTB rides and so I thought that I’d be able to cruise through this one, but I can tell you that the 5 gorges ride does not even register on the pain level when compared to this one.. not even close.

Garmin registered 9:29 of moving time, I can say that I thoroughly enjoyed perhaps 6 of those hours. The hour or so of constant cramps (both legs front and back.. like knives!) ; I didn't enjoy.

Packing up the camp site after nearly 10 hours of highland fling MTB goodness? an interesting affair..