A small improvement

You see... it's because of days like this you should never say, "never again"!!

At the bottom of last year's post on the Ditrworks disaster I ended:

So, like I said last year, "Never Again!

And yet somehow found myself on the 100Km start line at 6:30 yesterday morning. Was keen to get away with the faster 6:40 start but something didn't feel right. A quick check revealed I wasn't wearing the backpack so mossied on back to the ranch to collect it before leaving 10 mins later.

So the plan this year was simple... drink loads and don't blow up!

Don't quiet know where the figure came from, but somehow I'd decided that keeping the heart rate in the 150s was probably the thing to do. Looking back, maybe I decided this when cruising on the road to the first climb. Luckily, missing the first wave meant I wasn't doing that in the pack with the likes of Cupcake, Steve 01 & Whisperer, instead teamed up with Craig and Tien for that and most of the first half.

Tien pulled out some time just before the first water stop but seemed happy to wait for Craig and I when we arrived a little later. In the following section I found myself pulling away from them though. Tien caught up after another 'bush break' (yes, I was sticking to the drinking loads policy) sometime before 50 but then think I lost him on the fun DH and techie stuff.

Got to 50Km stage about 5 mins before last year and hung around for 8m28 (inadvertent timing between first/second half). Best decision I made this year was to use wet lube and take some oil and a rag. There were quiet a few muddy holes on the trail, especially on that run to Clare's Bridge so cleaning the chain and reapplying lube worked wonders on a sorry sounding drive train.

While at this stop Dylan showed up and we decided to ride on and keep each other in check on the tech and head for sub-7 hour finish. Then just as we were pulling out Tien and Craig showed up but waved us off.

The next section was an exercise in self control. I allowed myself a couple of heroic moments on the big rock steps and section after where it's best to plough up a seemingly vertical wall than sneak round to the right. Sadly a walker was on the line at the steps so had to try a rather unorthodox approach and fell short 30cm from the top - very frustrating but felt good to get that far. The other challenge I powered up much to the amazement of the guy standing at the top of it - very satisfying Those two sections aside, rode the rest of this in a very subdued manner just grinding up it all - no walking though!

As Dylan and I approached the bridge he was talking about riding it, but then didn't, and looking back we saw someone fall onto a pontoon as they tried. Ouch! Good decisions made. Quick zip along the road to Womerah, easy peasy.

And then the fun began... I felt a little ill at the 72Km stop which was a small worry, but there were plenty other people looking in pain (as is always the way) so that always makes you feel better. Had been eating bars and bananas earlier but figured we'd be done in an hour or so, so any 'real' food eaten here would be a waste. Had a handful of the mixed nuts, a Gu and refilled the water and headed off.

This section was always going to be hard, but at least it was do-able. Only walked the one very steep section (yes, there is one that's noticeably worse - honest!) and one other small pinch here. All the time Dylan and I traded places along the trail and had a moan to each other and the usual, "Why?", "Never again!" comments - that always helps too. You always meet a few characters on these rides, and that was fun to have a bit of banter. Stopped for a few more bush breaks, all good in that department. Forced more Gu down, always with plenty of water. Caught Dylan shortly after one who quipped, "Bloody hell - have you just necked a Gu or something?"... LOL.

Jacks track was much more fun this year - not being delirious helps... didn't try for any air but had fun. As had been the case all day, seemed much easier to pass people going down hill than up.

After the road and final water crossing I gingerly pedalled away. The cold water made my legs feel rather odd and didn't want to cramp, and luckily didn't. Heard some screaming from behind and figured some weren't so lucky.

All this time I'd had the previous year's course in the Edge but hadn't looked too closely. On the final road though put in on the course display and watched the Km left tick away and really pushed all I could. Some dude came by but couldn't get on his wheel, very annoying. Still, passed plenty riders here myself so that was nice. Watched the Km turn to metres then over the last rise and past some cheering - very nice. Came to the last corner with someone I thought was actually going to go straight on, so gave them a wide berth and powered up to the line... Hurrah!

Annoyingly they made us get off the bike right there which gave me slight cramps even though I was standing on my heals with toes in the air. Jumped back on and spun it out round the block before finding the gang and relaxing. Very, very nice.

Training

For the record this is close as makes no difference 1 hour 15 mins faster than last year (which was my fastest - having been taking about half an hour a year off previously).

I actually tried to train a bit this year. In the month before the race I rode 261Km and 5,849m vertical. In the two months prior 693Km/16,053m.

Those figures are 120Km/4,819m and 217Km/7,095m for the same periods last year. So... ummm... training seems to help a bit

It also probably helps my stomach problems seem to be sorted. Hallelujah to that!

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