Up to my sister’s place in Woodend Saturday night, this makes for a shorter drive in the morning to Castlemaine. It’s going to be a warm one but I’ve got the heater on as I leave Woodend at 7am.
I rego up, then out for 2 warm up\recon laps. 1st impressions; Solid, jagged rocks, awesome natural elements. These blow my mind as I’m impressed with the trail builders’ ability to utilise what looks like heaps of naturally occurring features of the landscape.
I line up in the Elite race for the 1st time. It’s time to up the hurtagé and it certainly doesn’t disappoint. Actually it’s probably just plain hurtage because there is no sophistication to it at all with the jackhammer effect of the course and the pure speed of the Elite field. There’s not a huge amount that goes on through the race as I hang on for the 6 laps and finish last.
Lap one the field is tightly together as we get to the A-B line rock garden. Everyone’s down the A line cleanly and I think I was last in the line. This element has the effect of stringing out the field nicely and 2 packs form, ‘the Über fast’ and ‘the fast’. The elastic breaks on the guy in front and I go around and then put myself on the rivet in search of the next racer. I never see the next racer. It’s just me and the usual passing of some of the other classes. I think it’s lap 3 when I get the pointy end of the Expert field come up from behind. It’s Tim McColl and James Walker. I give them space to pass, try to hold them but I’m not able to.
Laps 4 & 5 really hurt good and it feels like my glutes are about to go splang from my hip bone! I come in for the last feed and fumble the bottle. ‘Heh, no matter’ and I keep it on. After the A-B rock garden I notice a person through the trees standing there. It’s the guy feeding me with a bottle! Ha! “LEGEND! Thanks heaps!” I get around and finally over the line for the 6 laps.
I get off my bike near my feeder & James W. Steve O’Brien is there too and offers to take my bike but I’m using it to keep me upright! Thanks for the offer :)
It’s a slow pack up as I’m finding it hard to do just about anything. Into Castlemaine for Coffee and food. More coffee at Woodend is needed too!
Results from the round are here.
Bucket-o-pics here.
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