THE 100Ker

The day begins at 5am, i awake to some world cup soccer blurred by my roomies bling 29ers, with my TURNER FLUX tipping the scales at around 11.2kg, it was surely a very different pre race setup with no taper no pasta the night before, no weetibix for breakfast.
My pro roomies from clarence st whipped up some muesli and banana not sure what else was added, i guess that was later to be realised (thanks jen a true winning breakfast)

Driving over to the start, to a race ive only had a week to mentally prepare for, a race with around 90kms ive never seen, my first day on dirt since dirtworks and damaging my thumb..no nerves what so ever, but no race excitement either it was a strange feeling but i did have my mind set on just a sunday ride, there was no water bottle, no tools, limited food, but i was truly rugged up with skin longs on and a skin shortsleeve top on under an under armour longsleeve heat top (the red u see me in) my fav piece of cycling gear. and that very subdue green racing kit on the outside..
The warm up was a few kms out on the track i decided to drop pressure in my front tire a little to softer thumb pressure.

A very short race briefing and we were on the start line, matt reekie suggested to go to level 11 of hurt today which i was not to fussed about, but in my head i thought well im just gona pedal at full power till i have nothing,, will it last 20km 60km 80km did i have enough for a 100km.
The first 10km was loose sand and rocky when i seen the 10km marker i head sunk as i felt like ive been racing for an hour, we soon lose touch with the leaders, but me and anthony shippard with some other guys really keep the pace cranking, passing shaun lewis on our mission was a bit awkward, i just didnt know what to say to a good rider hurting so early.
20kms we get a glimpse of the leaders, it was so tempting to bridge the gap, at full throttle it looked very achievable and i was just out for fun and it was hard not to have a go at it just to see if i could get to them, the single track then began and i pulled right back as it was loose and very steep and i didnt wana hurt my dodgy shoulder.
It takes me a while to catch back up to anthony after the single track but when i do, we all stopped as a rider hit the deck pretty hard, hes was not to bad so once on his feet we ride off.
now with mark tupalski (sir chat alot) im cool with talking and riding but its my job during the week sundays are my day off and with dealing with my nemisis of sunlight flickering through trees i was at full focus in leading us through the single trail., By halfway mark had dropped of matt was back with me and anthony, poor matt with so many race kms in his legs soon drop off,

60km water stop took a while to show up which really hurt anthony running bottles he pulls in to refill i roll on by jump a puddle and chew a torq bar down, i was happy for him to catch back up so we could work together, the big wheels roll up with a heavy breathing rider on top.. we work n ride together, but the turner gets a gap on the next hill.

condoo single track soon approaches righto then something i know i gotta keep anthony at bay knowing i was in 4th was a good buzz but i just knew he could reel me in on this track, so how do i keep a rider away but recovering here so my legs have more power come the roads...

80km im still all alone and as each 50km rider approaches quite quickly i know im getting closer to the finish, the fear of my camelback going dry builds, i wait and wait for big wheels to catch up i constantly wonder if im still going as fast as i was 20km earlier, am i fading???? so i continue to chew on my torq bar.. saving my gells for a kick in the final 10km.

90km hmmm i hear wheels i look to see big wheels but i had to totally do a double look and i see its kyle ward and we put some hurt into each other up a long climb.. He then rides away and all i can think to say is "well played sir" he seems to have the power to finish the day off, but as we zipp through some single trail the 50kers cheer the battle on, and it gave me a real kick to catch him, i soon roll up beside kyle, "lets do it buddy" i say, he hangs his head and gives me a lil tap to say he was done!... so i stand and attack like a bull at an open gate never looking back.. bush bashing to over take 50kers, then seeing a mud puddle i knew was very close to the finish i give it all i got flying out onto the golfcourse, and now burying myself into a dark place to hold my position as i did not want a sprint finish with a gutter hop..
A big smile from jenni english as i ride through the carpark my legs could barely jump that dam gutter. 4hrs 16min i was astonished with my time as i come to a stop and just lay on the ground in a desperate attempt to find oxygen the race announcer says congrats on 3rd place...!!!

I was just all confused as i was riding my heart out for 4th how am i 3rd did i hear right? i struggle to even put a sentence together to talk to anyone.., i pull my phone out of my back pocket(forgot to leave it in the car) so i ring jemma to tell her the news still trying to catch my breath, i was completly trashed from the race i emptied everything i had in me, i received a very concerned hello as i did such a good time she was not expecting a call to say a result let alone 3rd.
I truly felt bad as she was not there to see the result of all my training..

A week on it still feels weird to see 3rd next to my name in elite and against the whole field.

a shout out goes to matt flemming>>> bad luck champ on a day that should of ended in your favour not mine..

So hows the expectations i feel for the next time i race???

ONE HAPPY CHOP :)

Husky prep

A long weekend on the couch watching tv and dealing with this flu bug has not been alot of fun, but the high quality of sport has kept me sane.
I ventured off to the gym today to help another instructor teach a spin class and just ease my legs and lungs back into it... and bought some very nice looking 400seriess skin longs.. mmmm warmth.
Ive ordered some 2xu tights but my cold tired legs have gotten to impatient for CRC... hope they arrive soon, one for road and one for home would be nice and will do a product comparrison test when ive worn both.
Once home it was straight into the torc recovery drink mmmmm and into the new skins..

My week truly kicks off in a big way every tuesday.
615am spin class
home for breaky
930am boxing class
then ride 30km to tuggerah
teach 30 school kids oh the bliss
30km ride home finding food before during or after the 30km
muesli and fruit from bodyfuel cafe my fav on a tuesday.
415pm RPM class
4min ride to the next gym
where i enjoy a good hot shower before my 630pm spin
then crawl home for food and bed
wednesday is a 60km round trip to tuggerah to teach boxing arriving home at 9pm
thursday is a 6am class 5mins from home then another trip to tuggerah for a 930spin class
friday is just the standard friday flogging at 530pm..

i guess team turner will head down south on saturday to get into the vibe for sundays race
with one hell of a hot field in the elite category.

im not sure how ill be feeling or can go, i havnt really been on the dirt since dirtworks, so ill be riding with some sense of safety, but i do hope i find my race face and just let it slide..

watch out for the boys in green....

Question>>>>> buy my 3rd pair of s-works or sidi???? any other shoes??



just chops.

BACK ON THE BLOG

I did dream of starting new blog about "team turner" just read the next enduro mag i hear we get a mention.. Alot of life has kept me away from blogging alot of life actually all of my life has been through the spin cycle since riding the kona 24hr last year..
Two shoulder dislocations has stopped me from racing anything and everything im trying to keep it intacked for worlds in october, my small business has been gurgling down the drain so funds have kept me from traveling away to races as well, the rest of my life has changed as well, but the one thing that has not change is my direction "PODIUM TO EMERGANCY BACK TO PODIUM" so my blog will hold the same meaning.
The best change ive had in all the shit ive been and going through is my "PIT BUNNY" (gf jemma) to see her in action check out the video from the national 24solo championships.. (in big bunny ears)
It was her 1st time as pit bitch and did a fantastic job never missed an order actually i didnt even had to place an order, the most stress free 24hrs i have ever had and sending me to bed when noticing signs of hypothermia was the right option thanks jem.
Ok i may have lied a bit about the stress as i missed the shut off time to register but russ let me after 10am on raceday..
I had to leave it to the last minute as i didnt know if i could scrape together the cash and i spent my last dollar to race that day but to me it was worth it, in all the ups n downs of my world me racing with my team mate matt reekie is when my life problems turn into just pedaling and thats when im free.
Once again matt gets the edge on me while i bonk during the night, but i enjoyed everypart of the race yes it hurt yes i couldnt even hold a knife to butter toast the next morning, but getting to ride for 24hrs away from the world is priceless.. so was the practice lap with jason english all smiles and laughs during that lap..

SO WHERE HAVE I BEEN??

Dirtworks>>>> i like starting elite controlled n cruzy. tire problems slowed me down again this year and big thanks to troy glennan for helping me when i crashed n split a tire, i found out later i chipped some bone off my thumb hence why we had a lot of trouble getting the nut off the valve., another tire cut after the 50km mark but i rode the bridge n still broke the 5hr mark..

SO WHERE AM I GOING????

looks like im doing the husky....
thinking of chasing the croc ticket again
everywhere on my turner flux its a rocket and loves beating the traffic with 1inch slicks on, it was even seen passing a cervello p3 in a road race a few weeks back..100km 2hrs 55min is that alright roadies???

As the year rolls on im slowly turning my life up the right way, im just focused on The world 24hr champs and not dislocating my shoulder before it, so i must not crash.. and will get the opperation it needs after worlds.

ill be keeping you posted on the races ill be at as i pay for them and ride them.

>>>>>>nothing changes unless you change them<<<<<<<<<<

just chops.