DARGLE FARM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I was first introduced to enduro racing at this place and was over the moon when the sydney 12hr was moved to this venue.
To make it to the track before sunset the car had to be packed on thursday night so we could leave from jemmas work fri arvo, did a pretty good job for feeling very frazzled from all things that keep changing in my life at the moment. I only forgot a few things so luckly matt was around on fri arvo to help cart stuff over with me on the 30min ride to jems work, So now everything was packed into a 3door barina, and off to the farm.
We awoke to a very fresh morning but with aid of a very good bonfire i was toasty in no time.
GAME TIME: The aim was to race david ludenia over the 12hrs winner gets a free entry to the croc trophy.
So with lots of pre race interviews between me and david and 2 other leading riders brett bellchambers and jason english the race got underway.
With out much thought i smacked it hard off the start racing to make the single track i knew you could lose minutes in there if one person put a foot down, once out onto the fireroad to the end of the valley me and mark tupalski laid down some more power it was just to much fun..
So when brett and jason caught up to us on the next lap we had a good laugh about it all and settled into a more managable pace which was still above what i thought i could withstand for 12hrs.. I just tried to stay focused on eating right and getting enough fuel in, but my mind was just on were david was, i knew he could see me, i wear bright green its not hard to miss, but he blended in, so once i began requesting intel from the pits, in which they declined to tell me my ride was becoming very stressful and not alot of fun... with the following lap ending in a spectacular over the bars dismount into my marquee and a loud arguement wit my support crew my day was only getting worse, but then mark caught back up to me and we had a chat and he cheered me up and got me focusing on the big picture and not the game with in the game, so i got back on the job for doing all i could every lap..
Around and around we go...i never hated a lap never hated a section, my fav part of these races is learning new lines on the course and watching the track evolve its what keeps me entertained.
With lots of photographers out on course there was alot of chances to smile to hide the pain, and thinking back now i dont even recal an unhappy rider or one in a great hurry, this event came with such a good vibe, the event centre was a very EPIC centre with red bull and beer being given away my pit crew were having there own party while i was out building a new hurt box.
Another great moment from the race was catching up to a lil train of riders in the forest section which was being led by kath bicky i was happy to just sit on the tail and grab a rest, once out on the fireroad none of the other guys took there turn to pull us along, and i had not once grabbed a lift from another rider on this section either, "give the poor girl a break" and i jumped on the front to the elation of kath, and it really lifted my spirits as well as we chattered for around 2-3km before i said my goodbyes and pedalled on.
The temperature out on course was always changing depending on your location, but i was rugged up from the start(for which i got a good amount of sledging for from the canberra riders thinking they were in a warm enviroment) my 2xu compression longs and an Underarmour longsleeve top which is all very breathable but keeps the wind off you as well, when the sun went away the lights came out to play, and with a light on my helmet and handle bars my lap times never dropped as i could see everything i needed to see. thanks to light and motion for your lumens, just bringing short finger gloves was not the best idea, so when it began to hurt to shift it was time to stop and soak up the bonfire we had to pass on everylap and then ride away from, with always a helpful cheer from jenni english and gav who truly rounded out the cheering from the bridge to the very end of pit lane.
The night had truly set in and with a time gap of around 20mins my mind began to switch to waking up well the next day and being able to handle my week in the spin, lap times started to slip a bit as stops became longer and the climbs were sometimes walked, one more stop to put on a jacket and soak up more bonfire to the amusement of the MC, i had time so i couldnt see why not i had already surpassed all of my expectations and was very impressed on how great i felt considering the amount of riding the friendliness of the track would of helped..i took on some extra torq gels to finish the race off, i was told i only had time for one more lap, i took it at a cruzy pace just incase i could sneak one more in, but i came in at 12hrs 35seconds just as well because my light had there warning flash on for atleast half of my last lap..
Rolling over the line to second place to jason english in a 12hr race and a free entry to the crocodile trophy, i did not sleep at all that night my life was buzzing my head was spinning..
massive thanks to ROCKY TRAIL ENTERTAINMENT for making the best events..
PODIUM CHOPS :)
Sunday, August 8, 2010
AT THE CIRCUS
A 50km race in the southern highlands starting and finishing at wingello forest.
We arrived just before sunset after reading all the latest mtb mags over coffee at the ye old bike shoppe, nestled under the big pines of the forrest the waiting game started and so did the cold weather, it was quite an unsettled sleep i never excpect much when in a tent but some nights are worse/better then others.
With the a wake up call to loud music straight from huw's collection any dream was soon switched to a nightmare, with no choice but now crawl out of the tent and face the onslaught of alll the arriving performers some wearing not enough clothing the day had begun, the oats were cooking teeth chattering and huw blabbering, but thats wat i come to his events for his bad/dry sense of humour (it later paid off)
Once i got up the courage to slip into my lyrca with the added dummy spit over putting on my girlfriends 2xu tights and not my own (which were soon found amongst the clothes i used for my pillow) any pre race yoga stretching was all taken care off in that tent, i headed out on course to check out the water bar that nearly claimed me last year..
The gun goes off and the circus starts with a roar, with a flurry of madness we all fight for a wheel..a long chain of elite of the elite riders leading us out, not fast enough for my mate anthony shippard (3rd) so i step it up and move up to the front to see wat the show was like and was then swallowed by the bunch, still in touch as we complete the first loop of 6km but it then throws us to the water bar i dont like, i ride it like a panzy and the bunch is gone, hmmm but here comes the hills but my legs just would not go, my heart rate wasnt going as high as i know i can push it, i felt slow.. smack bang into THE WALL... and i was reduced to a walk, righto singletrack time, i was missing corners bouncing off everything, i just was not with it..
i come thru transition and pick up another bottle to take on the final ring of the circus i started it with a big frown, i could see my team mate matt reekie far in the distant looking bright green, my legs still would not follow orders..
i was riding very safe as i did not wana flick myself off on a water bar like so many riders did just not worth it, i rode the brakes down the hill to a lil creek crossing i looked up and went nope no way my legs today will ride this hill in the dog.
Left click....still in the big ring.grrr fiddle... Left click.... still would not drop down.. sigh....
40-32 it is then, its just a training ride now chops i thought to myself, so i grinded away n grinded and grinded n grinded, pretty big hill that one, i soon see 10km to go sign hmmm, for some reason my legs finally turned up to play the game and for as far as the road stretched or the eye could see, matt reekie was at the end of it, the hunt was on, i pulled back 98% of that gap, he got me by 20sec..
i felt like i had a bad ride, i felt i had more, i knew i had more, but it wasnt to be.
my time was 2hrs 2min barely 3min off 3rd place and 14min quicker then last year, so i look at the numbers to cheer me up on this performance..
The most fun was had at the event centre catching up with everyone and congratulating close friends on winning performances.
At the presentation which we all stayed for to either get free wine or see how huw would give away stuff, he played the name game, picking on peoples name that related to the event or mountain biking, he gave away a ticket to race in NZ which is were his sponsor ground effect is based "any kiwis"???? so he gave them a stir so with my last name being LAMB i had myself a free tire all very funny..
thanks for reading.
chops :)
We arrived just before sunset after reading all the latest mtb mags over coffee at the ye old bike shoppe, nestled under the big pines of the forrest the waiting game started and so did the cold weather, it was quite an unsettled sleep i never excpect much when in a tent but some nights are worse/better then others.
With the a wake up call to loud music straight from huw's collection any dream was soon switched to a nightmare, with no choice but now crawl out of the tent and face the onslaught of alll the arriving performers some wearing not enough clothing the day had begun, the oats were cooking teeth chattering and huw blabbering, but thats wat i come to his events for his bad/dry sense of humour (it later paid off)
Once i got up the courage to slip into my lyrca with the added dummy spit over putting on my girlfriends 2xu tights and not my own (which were soon found amongst the clothes i used for my pillow) any pre race yoga stretching was all taken care off in that tent, i headed out on course to check out the water bar that nearly claimed me last year..
The gun goes off and the circus starts with a roar, with a flurry of madness we all fight for a wheel..a long chain of elite of the elite riders leading us out, not fast enough for my mate anthony shippard (3rd) so i step it up and move up to the front to see wat the show was like and was then swallowed by the bunch, still in touch as we complete the first loop of 6km but it then throws us to the water bar i dont like, i ride it like a panzy and the bunch is gone, hmmm but here comes the hills but my legs just would not go, my heart rate wasnt going as high as i know i can push it, i felt slow.. smack bang into THE WALL... and i was reduced to a walk, righto singletrack time, i was missing corners bouncing off everything, i just was not with it..
i come thru transition and pick up another bottle to take on the final ring of the circus i started it with a big frown, i could see my team mate matt reekie far in the distant looking bright green, my legs still would not follow orders..
i was riding very safe as i did not wana flick myself off on a water bar like so many riders did just not worth it, i rode the brakes down the hill to a lil creek crossing i looked up and went nope no way my legs today will ride this hill in the dog.
Left click....still in the big ring.grrr fiddle... Left click.... still would not drop down.. sigh....
40-32 it is then, its just a training ride now chops i thought to myself, so i grinded away n grinded and grinded n grinded, pretty big hill that one, i soon see 10km to go sign hmmm, for some reason my legs finally turned up to play the game and for as far as the road stretched or the eye could see, matt reekie was at the end of it, the hunt was on, i pulled back 98% of that gap, he got me by 20sec..
i felt like i had a bad ride, i felt i had more, i knew i had more, but it wasnt to be.
my time was 2hrs 2min barely 3min off 3rd place and 14min quicker then last year, so i look at the numbers to cheer me up on this performance..
The most fun was had at the event centre catching up with everyone and congratulating close friends on winning performances.
At the presentation which we all stayed for to either get free wine or see how huw would give away stuff, he played the name game, picking on peoples name that related to the event or mountain biking, he gave away a ticket to race in NZ which is were his sponsor ground effect is based "any kiwis"???? so he gave them a stir so with my last name being LAMB i had myself a free tire all very funny..
thanks for reading.
chops :)
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