World 24hr Report

Where to start: [ here you go Rach]


Well I am going to start by saying thank you to all my family and friends the have helped me at and up to this race. Kiri, Chris and Al where my crew for worlds and they did a great job. We also had Rodney and Bec form Super sports down and Mr Ay Up himself, Thanks very much for all your support guys.



And to the race:



What was my plan? Well I decided that for this race I would start slow and let everyone bury themselves throughout the arvo and hopefully come home strong. In my mind I was hoping to get myself into the top ten. Easy plan hey.



We all got called up to the start and before I knew it we where off round through transition and though to where our bike were be held. Chris had my bike and all I had to do was grab it get on and pedal. As I was running I pulled up from my run to grab my bike when my feet fell out from underneath me and I ended up flat on my back on the sealed bitumen. GROSS not the start was looking for.



My feet found the pedals and I was off, the plan for me was to set 1hr 10min laps for the first few hrs and go from there. By the end of my first lap I had cleared the course in 50min, to fast for my plan. I slowed up and cruised the course making sure I had the lined dialed before night fall. By the time night fell I was sitting in mid 20's in elite right time to turn it up a little and start heading for the top ten.



Over the next couple of laps people were dropping the pace while I was maintaining it, ever lap I came through, I would jump up 1 or 2 places. I could tell I was doing well because my crew were excited, I was talking , Joking and actually coherent throughout my race. My race continued like this until about 2 am then the pace dropped off which is ok but not ideal.



Ok once that glow appears in the sky I will be right with a bit of luck I will be able to up the pace and drag myself up just afew places. Well it was not to be I was lapping just shy of 1 and half hrs and I couldn't put any pace on. I couldn't put my finger on what was wrong the whole morning, legs felt ok, food was good and I could descend fine but just no power to go up hill. I wanted to pull the pin at 21hrs or so but with my crews help I got around the course, then on the last lap it became obvious what was wrong, going up the first lot of switch backs I could hardly get a breath in it was like I shallow breathing.



I am not to sure whether this played a factor for the whole morning or not, I am not to disappointed with my race considering that everyone suffered and pulled out for alot of reasons but I do feel I could have done better. That's racing.



I just want to congratulate Crummy on his race, it is probably the best 24hr he has ever done in my eyes, he has trained super hard this year and finished top 20 outright. Congrats mate U deserve it. Also congrats to all the Auz guys and girls that smashed there race.



I need to say thanks to all the people that make racing that little bit easier for me



Ay Up: for the the lights and other support they have given me throughout the year.



Super sports: for my trusty steads they were perfect for ripping the Stromlo course apart.



Ospray: for the hydro packs, I don't usually ride with a bag on my back but because of the length of the course and no second feed station I decided to. The bag was really good and it was the little things that made it great like the magnet on the mouth piece. [Reveiw to follow]



Infinite nutrition: Not saying that you can do a 24hr on nothing but this stuff but it would be the closest thing out there. This is really good gear [review to follow]

KWT: for hooking me up with my tread. Bike sticks like glue when your rolling with Onza.



I need to say thanks to Pedal pwr plus, Action cycles and Cognition for the help they have given me throughout the year, all of these shop a great and only to happy to help you out.



Last and not least Australian Aerospace [ my work] the company and all the guys and girls from work have been really great with all there support. Alot of them can't understand why I do 24hr racing and at 3 o'clock in the morning I don't either. LOL But thanks heaps [for all you 24hr riders out there I should be able to convince work to give you a discount on your next helicopter purchase]



That's it for 2010 for me catch you at the lunarC in Jan.