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.

World 24HR

Track Sick

Lets Roll

Catch you when my legs are ripped off.

Bozz

Esanda

I need to put out a massive thankyou to Esanda.

Al cheif pit crew and soon to have her first race under her belt works for Esanda, Al approached them and asked if they would like to sponsor two riders to do the Boonha marathon. She got the go ahead and I was lucky enough get my entry paid for.

So thanks very big to Esanda for the entry. It is very hard to find companies that are prepared to support riders.

Thanks heaps

Update

Well hope all your prpearation for Worlds is going well. Mine is ok but as always I could have done and do more, the joys of work and family.

Anyone want to give me a full time wage to ride?

Well I have been going over the bikes and trying to get them prep. and dailed in for worlds.

I am running my Carbide Sl with pretty much XT/XTR, 2X9 Arozine cranks and Onza Canis tyres.

And my Carbide XC2 with XT, 2X9 Arozine cranks, ZTR Alpine wheelset and Onza Canis tyres.

I have to make a special mention to a couple of people who have been helping me out along the way.....

Firstly my work, Australian Aerospace, who have been awesome in supporting me & my riding. They're giving me time off work to get down there and race this year. If anyone out there wants a helicopter I'm sure I can sort out a deal. :-)

Supersports, for sorting me out with my trusty steeds. I feel sorry for anyone on a hardtail in 3 weeks!

Ay-Up Lights.....need I say more? But after leaving one of my light units sitting in a bucket of soapy water for a week - it worked first time without fail.

Cognition, for sorting me out with all my extras & spares. These boys are located at Noosa & are more than happy to sort anyone out with gear or answer any questions/problems you may have.

Infinite Nutrition, have recently hooked up the Ay-Up team & myself with all our nutritional needs. It's a one stop drink which takes care of the majority of your nutritional requirements, apart from the good stuff like pizza & pancakes :-)

That's it for now.

Later

Tomac Diplomat 29er Review

Here is a review done on the new alloy 29er by Tomac http://www.mountainflyermagazine.com/view.php/sneak-preview-2011-tomac-mountain-bikes.html

Some food for thought guys. There just might be one at World 24hr.

Stay tuned for good friend of mine Mick Pearson words on the Carbide Sl he rode last night.

Ay Up D2D

Well what were my expectation for the race:

1. Don't have the nutrition problems i suffered in the Merida 24

2. Ay Up need to be on the top spot

3. Have fun

I rocked out to Canugra about 12 on Saturday to get set up relax and enjoy the atmosphere before the start, my ace crew consisted of Al, Stacey and Soz. I had a roll around the course before the start of the race and like the 24hr last year it had loose sand on the corners, fare bit of grass and those hills thrown in for good measure. It was great to have all the Ay Up boys all in the one place.

Before I knew it was time to line up for the start, the gun went and I found myself settling in around 5th before the grass hill climb. I was hoping to have a good race but my legs were not 100% because I was backing up from the Merida 24hr. And thats about were Russ layed down his race intention, he put the foot down right from the word go. So I jumped on his back wheel and for the next few hrs the lead changed between us but not by more then afew minutes. In this situation you need your crew to have everything down pat and Al, Stacey and Soz did. I rolled through the pits without even stopping alot of the time. Big thanks to my crew

Early Hrs: by this stage I had put some space between me and Russ so the plan was to stay consistant hit my lines and not flat or crash, O and stay on top of my nutrition. Which I managed to do.

By the end of the race I had put a lap on the Russ so I was well clear, I rocked around for my last lap and finished with 10min left on the clock.

So in the end I finished 1st in the solo field. Really stoked

Did I achieve my goals:

1. No nutrition problems

2. Ay Up rider on the top spot Yes

3. Have fun you bet

Thanks to my sponsors Super sports for my sick ride [Carbide sl] and to Onza for the glue that sticks to the track and Ay Up for the best lights ever. Thanks to Ay Up for supporting this event they put alot of prizes on for evevryone. A big thanks needs to go out to Andy and Jo for all the effort they put into the race. Thanks

Stay tuned for Carbide Sl reveiw