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Fling 2013 - Death by Cramps
As my first Fling this was a real "learning experience".
I've had a mixed last six months since the Mont with rib displacement, a couple of winter chest infections, infected sutures needing 3 weeks on IV antibiotics (and no riding) and then another bloody headcold. Each one just as I was starting to get some training traction. But I've had a good last month or so ... so when PeteB suggested I give the Fling a crack on the back of some reasonable recent training sessions I thought why not. It's only 50-odd km, how hard can it be?
Well, today I learned that one 3 week cycle of base training does not prepare one for racing in anger.
I felt pretty good at Wingello oval and had been riding at a good pace playing tag with Lach but then in one of the single track sections at 40km or so I had a slip on a wet tree root and went bush to avoid hitting the deck ... and then felt the first cramp hit me in the hamstring. Then I found my pricey prescription Oakleys had come off ... uh-oh!
A quick backtrack on foot and I found them where id gone off the trail but now I was off the train and battling cramps every time the trail pointed up.
The last 16km consisted of spinning where I could, walking where I couldn't and occasional panic stops to crouch on my haunches when a bad one threatened to lock me solid.
I was in a pretty dark place for awhile and I felt sad for the guy a couple of bikes in front who went down hard in the rocky singletrack and was clearly worried about a fractured hip. So with my disappearing stamina I walked a lot of the damp sand covered rocky obstacles and I think it was the right call.
Brokeback mountain was never gonna happen but funnily I only lost a few bikelenghts to those riding.
So I was very pleased to finish and it looks like I even managed to reel a few in the last couple of km ... but I clearly didn't have as many matches to burn as I thought.
I'll be back next year if only to show this course who's boss.
The bike performed really well. Perfect steed for this kind of course. Too bad the engine sucked!
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You seemed to be going pretty well each time you passed me up until that point!
Yeah ... I thought so too!
You did well. You were certainly a lot ssmoother than I was. A couple of poor line choices on my part like getting on the off camber side of the fire trail and you instantly put 50m between us.
I think sticking with a group on those fast flat open exposed fire trail sections might help a bit too.
Bad luck on the cramps.
I agree that it was a bit (very) slippery on that last single, I saw a few people mess up there.. walking it was the safe choice for sure. Even the fire trails had very slippery rocks, I saw one guy on a niner hard tail have a true butt clenching moment at speed.. I tried to chase him down to congratulate him on the save.. but never saw him again
The new section would have been awesome in the dry.
in the dry. I was thinking it would be good to go back and practice it a few times in the dry ... if you could find it!
.. I think it's one of those bits that are off limits except for their annual outing at the Fling.
Yes, it's all on private property - Jumping Rock Station, where the owner kindly gives us access every year for the Fling.
Cramping makes it a tough day out - we've all been there, and it's no fun at all. You did well to finish.
Well you've answered the other question.
Shame about that ... would be a superb track after a bit of bedding in.
Indeed cramps suck; just adding insult to injury. I'm sure we've (to some extent) experienced it at some point in some race or other, but know that I still religiously follow the nutritional information you gave me after my infamous CP this year which I much appreciate and hope to see you around Terrey Hills sometime soon.