sorry i missed you guys

Due to a late arrival and opting for a motel, then turning up late in the morning and farting about only to realise that the race had started, i missed the usual social aspect of this ride.

Anyway, after struggling through the main pack at the begining i found a decent pace and was making good ground. i passed a few of the guys early on then caught up with whisperer at around the 55km mark who was having cramping problems. asked if he was ok then went on my way feeling strong and fit. shortly after(i think?) i saw deano who wasn't feeling too good either( not suprising as he'd hardly ridden since mogo) after a bit of two'ing and fro'ing with whisperer he finally dragged me into the 80km transition.

On arrival i was very suprised to see junky sat stretching( anyone who knows him would know he should have been close to finishing by then) he'd smashed his knee on a tree early in the race and didn't look happy. hope everything's ok mate?

Anyway, after filling myself up with red bull and refilling my pack with water and 'death powder' i shot off feeling great.

About 2km down the trail, i take my first swig from my one and a half litre pack and realise ive put enough endura/gatorade mix to make a forty gallon drum of the stuff. this stuff was so strong it was giving me an instant sore throat but i was too far down the trail to turn back and dilute it further.

About 2km's later i started feeling sick to the point where i had to pull over, take my glove off and self induce a couple of projectile vomits.
all this was at about the 95 km mark.i plodded off not feeling too hot but was confident on finishing albeit a lot slower than i intended on doing.

About another 5k's on i was crossing the second to last water crossing when i got a flat. i was very calm and fixed it in a fairly quick time, back on the bike and about 4 km's down the trail and felt the same tyre going down( silly bugger thought it was a pinch flat but was obviously a thorn of somesort and i didnt check the tyre when i put the new tube in. i didnt want to change it again as i was so close to the finish and i thought i could get away with using my last air canister to pump it up and it would get me to the finish,,,,,WRONG! about 5km's from the end it was flat again. after asking a few guys for a pump without luck a gut who id seen a few times throughout the race pulled over and saved me, he recognised the nobmob jersey and was from queenscliffe ( thanks mate, forgot your name but you're a legend) anyway, that just got me to the finish line with the tyre being completely flat within two mins of crossing it.

I saw deano at the line who had pulled out with knee problems( and i know thats no lame excuse as deano's normally a machine)
anyway, i was looking for but never saw any of the other guys from nobmob, sorry i never got to see you all but hope everyone had a good ride. thanks steve for towing me along for a bit.

All in all, i had a great time even with the misshaps of the last 30km. my first fling but not my last.

See you all at ourimbah.