4 season winter 3hr hit out

Didn't quite get my training right for this one but did OK.

I'd been doing 1 long ride (time wise) a week with a fair bit of climbing in it. but, being time strapped was relying on Tuesday night racing to keep my speed up and struggled to get time back that up. I really needed some more aerobic stuff and some intervals work thrown in.

In the weeks leading up I'd noticed my speed had dropped off on Tuesday nights and recognising my error managed to get a couple of spinnerval sessions on the trainer, a little late but better than nothing.

I scored some new wheel off ebay and they turned up on Tuesday so Thursday I somehow managed to find the time to strip my bike down, perform some much needed maintenance and swap the wheels over. They had come with tyres. My fav, maxxis crossmark on the back but the front had a ******** (cleverly disguised name) on the front.

Now I had never ridden with one of those but it was a 2.2 and looked like it would offer plenty of corner grip. Something I thought would come in handy so I made a cardinal mistake and left it on with out a chance to get to know it....

Weather report looked a little iffy but Race day dawned in a blanket of fog, normally good sing for a fine day.

By the time I had the ute loaded up and paperwork all printed out the sun was out and it was looking good.

I headed out and began setting up the track then headed back to the event center and started taking rego. For most of the morning I was in a tee shirt in our little spot out of the wind and in full sun but about 30 min before race the clouds blew in and I reckon it drops 5 degrees.

The thought that I hadn't tried the new front tyre on dirt did enter my mind but report was the track was nice and grippy and this thing looked to have aggressive side knobs. I was wrong.

Any way come race start and I'm lined up 4 or 5 rows back. I get a good start and hit the single track somewhere in the top dozen or so easy into the little DH sections through the Dump run and I almost loose the front end once or twice but all good.
We get to the climb and I just feel wooden. I watch the fast guys ride off into the distance and by the top I'm in a sort of no mans land. There is a group of riders off in front and another an equal distance behind and I'm pedalling on my own.

Out through the Ersberg section and I still feel a bit leaden. I pop out on to the fire road and see the riders behind are Beggsie and DJ. Two riders I look up to and expect to pass me any moment.

Even though I'm feeling slow I must be doing OK. Every time catch a glimpse of Beggsie he is just there. he makes Up a bit of ground one section and I pull away again the next. I keep thinking if I can stay in front of him until the next section I'll be happy. If I can be in front of him at the end of this lap I'll be stoked...

The track is in great condition. I little bit of moisture through the week had settled the dust packed every thing down.

I try to settle into a rhythm I can keep for the full 3 hrs. I feel I'm way off race pace but lap times are only 1 or 2 min off Tuesday night times so I can't be doing to bad.

By lap 3 I'm feeling better. I've adjusted my style a bit to compensate for the wishy washy front tyre and manage to hold DJ off until mid way around lap 5 and jump on his tail for half a lap or so hoping he'd drag me up the fire road but he gets away from me.

Looking back I realise I can't see Beggsie. DJ had pulled me away from him.

I'm feeling good until about halfway through lap 6 and suddenly Baggsie is back on my wheel. i didn't evens see him coming. I'm not feeling it and he blows on past.

I start lap 8 and have a dilemma I've sucked down a gu (realised I had gone too long with no fuel)and was feeling better. If I push hard there was a glimmer of hope I'd get back in time to head out for a 9th lap, TBH if I match my first 6 lap times I'd shit it in.

I cruz down the dump run. Hamstrings give some little twitched threatening to cramp as I head up the climb. Maybe I don't want that 9th lap

I settle back to an easier pace and spin the legs out keeping a quick cadence to fight off the cramps. about half way around I notice Dukesie is coming up quick. Oh Man, where'd he come from. I'm going to have up my pace a bit.

I take it up a bit but still he is slowly closing on me. I'm at that stage where I'm making a few small errors, not enough to slow me down too much but enough to make me a bit less efficient and eat into the zero energy reserve.

Coming into the fire road stretch home I look back and Garry is right there. and he is up sprinting... Pig headedness kicks in and I get up out of the saddle and give it all I had, get up some speed and then sit and try to grind to the finish.

It was just enough I hold Dukesie out (just) and cross the line not too long after they close the track.

I finished 9th in open men, something like 12th over all.

Pretty happy with that. 8 laps and top half of the field was my goal. Got the 8 and got into the top quarter.

Big thanks to all involved in helping to put this one on. Greta effort Ladies and Gentlemen. Top effort/