Convict 100 - 3rd time lucky

About 3 weeks ago I had just had 2 weeks off the bike and wasn't feeling that motivated to train. Then I went for a casual ride one saturday and enjoyed it so decided it was still possible to do my first sub 5 hour dirtworks/convict race. Reality struck the next day when I got dropped by the slower C grade bunch out at west head.
So I did what any disorganised person would, some serious last minute cramming and I got to the start line thinking 4:45 was a possibility.
I thought the start and ride down to the first hill was a lot less dangerous this year. If only we can get the organisers to "suggest" in the strongest possible manner that you don't need to be at the front of the bunch if you plan on walking that first hill. I recon that at least 30 people stopped and got off an walked on the first bit of steep stuff. Now I know that some of them got balked by others but it would be a whole lot simpler if they drifted to the back of the bunch. It really isn't going to make that much difference to their time.
Anyway I got to the top of the hill without getting taken out this year and while I wasn't feeling that great pushed on over those rolling hills as best I could and hoped that things would get better the further I went. A few people went past before the 28k water stop and my average speed was OK so I kept riding at that pace.
I got the bike serviced last week and it had been perfect in the mid week test rides however kept dropping the chain every time I changed up to the big ring on the front. After a while I worked out that I could change up see the chain had fallen off the big ring then change down and straight back up again and it would work the second time. Weird system but it seemed like a better option that stopping.
I normally go pretty well along the GNR section and it felt like the pace was OK so I was happy to sit on wheels and follow the people in front. A couple of Gazza's mates came past just before we got to Clare's Bridge so I hopped in behind them as I knew they were in my division. I stopped for water at the 50K water stop and when I got going again Johnny and Mark were a few hundred metres up the road. Then a guy in Avanti gear came flying past me so I held his wheel for a while and he towed me past Johnny and Mark. I had another reasonable ride through the remaining rock gardens and then followed Johnny when he and Mark went past again. I was pretty keen to have someone to work with along the road section either side of the kayak bridge so followed them down Shepherds Gully. I had to sneak past someone though one of the rock gardens so I hope I didn't scare them to much with my passing manoeuvre.
We had a chat along the dirt road into the kayak bridge and they assured me that Gazza was miles in front. Although I hadn't seen any of the people in our division for a while I was pretty confident there were 3 or 4 people up the road somewhere.
I had a quick stop for water and as there was no queue I rode straight onto bridge. After a small wobble I got my act together and was riding across OK when I looked at the last 2 or 3 canoes and there was a big difference between the right plank and the left one. Fascinated by this my front wheel decided to wander from the left plank to the right plank. That part went well however it was the gggggrrrring sound when the wheel tried to move from the lower right plank back to the left plank that was now about and inch or 2 higher that got my attention. After a while gravity started to take over and I was looking for somewhere to land as my body was going left. Not sure what happened next but I was pretty confident that if I bounced off the canoe I would at least get to the bank.
I think we will have to rely on eyewitnesses like @Fatboy's wife or maybe photographic evidence to work out if I got a somersault with a twist in my dismount as I cant actually remember. I was just thankful that I didn't end up like Gary did last year with a few stitches above his eye to remind him that its not smart to use your forehead to bounce off a plastic canoe (sorry Gary, I hope your over last years crash by now and can almost laugh about it).
Anyway after picking my bike up and climbing up the sand I rode up the grassy hill with Mark. We looked for Johnny and Mark said he was about a minute behind so I guess he stopped to eat a few things and then walked across. Anyway I managed to catch the guy in front and we worked together and ended up with a group of 4 when we started the climb together.
Now the last 2 years the quicklink in my chain has come apart on this climb so I was pretty tentative in the early section despite there being no quicklink this year. I got to the top OK and felt reasonable on the rolling hills and watched my average speed drop below 20kph for the first time. The front derailleur was still dropping the chain and by now the mavic rear hub had moved past the noise stage to the dragging and overpowering the rear derailleur spring on the downhills. Its not a good look to glance down and see your chain sucked down past the tyre on the inside of your chainstay. Anyway I got to pedal down all the descents and my average speed slowly picked up again. This is the first year I haven't been able to ride the last river crossing, the sand was just too soft and deep on the bank. I even fell off my bike when I tried to get back on it after the river so lost the wheel of the guy I had been riding with.
Thankfully some very nice 50k riders came along and towed me to the finish. Happy with my time but more happy to finish without having to stop and deal with a mechanical issue.
Congrats to all those who finished and well done to the quick guys who take me out training.
I like this race and will be back next year.