Back Yamma 100km

I wasn't going to write up after this event because I was a bit disappointed but thought I would, just for my own future reference; looking back, I'm glad I kept going and didn't pull the pin.

This would be my first 100km race. I've done plenty of 50km's, 4hr's, a solo 6+6 and a heap of team enduro's but I'd never stepped up to the 100km. I go OK over short races, like club rounds and 50km's, but I don't have the endurance to go the full distance.

I signed up to the Back Yamma a few days before the race, coming off a month of less than normal riding - but completing the Oaks 100km on the Sat prior in under 6hrs and feeling OK.

I had no expectations and just planned on sitting in about the top 1/3rd off the start and riding at a consistent pace. Big Steve tried convincing me to start up the front and see how long I could hold the front group but I wasn't keen for it. As it turned out I was one of the last to the get to the line after riding down the start fireroad as a warm-up and Steve made room for me in the top 15 or so riders.

The start was pretty sedate but we rolled on pretty well. Once we hit the single track, with the low sunlight, it was impossible to see the track and I was struggling to hold my line. Within 5 or so km Big Steve was cruising behind me and we were the last 2 in the front group. By 10km the leaders had ridden off the front and our second group started to splinter a bit. On one of the early fireroads, the front of our group ramped up the pace a bit and dropped 3 of us - luckily Big Steve powered his SS back onto the group and I just sucked his wheel.

I couldn't match Steve's early pace and ended up in a bit of limbo for a while. Later, Steve broke a spoke, which jammed his freewheel and I came past again. Steve and Brian caught me around 35km or so and I was looking forward to working together to keep rolling on.

I rode off the front a little down a descent and, unfortunately, I took a wrong turn at about the 40km mark and got lost. I eventually found my way back on track, but had lost close to 7min according to my trace and my motivation was pretty low. I was almost going to pull the pin but thought I'd at least ride out the rest of the race.

I came into transition and grabbed fresh bottles and a jam sandwich and headed out for a solo TT. The start of the lap was slow compared to the initial train but I felt that the rest of my lap was quite fast and I was pushing on OK. I reined in a few riders along the way but fairly quickly dropped them all and had to go solo all the way.

My 2nd lap was a 2:12:49 which I'm happy with looking at Brian and Steve's 2nd lap times. 15th overall is pretty good and I probably would have only picked up 1 place without missing the turn.

Still not sure the 100km stuff is for me but the monkey is off my back.

Ian