3hr Enduro at OURIMBAH

Posting from the Athlete lounge at NSWIS.. :)

Sundays race was the latest round of our cross country series.  I grab a lift out to the race by james wilson, we arrived with enough to chillout have a chat with wayne gibson, these guys are racing a 12hr in a 2man soon so i was keen to see how they would push each other around ourimbah and it also meant good company on the trails,
   My warm up just consisted of the trails to the centre dirt road, as this is very techinical and you can end your race in the 1st km. along the dirt road and up the hill back to the start line. with a 5min call for the all riders to the start line.. 3min call and still no one moves.. so i head over to line up first. with just 2 other A grade riders turning it flattened my mojo. Through the race briefing and the count down was on. 3 2 1 pedal.
  Still no mojo.. 3 riders 3hrs no prizes..!!!!!!

So i sit on max's wheel for company and just follow his pace and watch his daredevil lines and catch him on the climbs.. we finish the first lap never being to uncomfortable and timing was elated to see him leading with the crowd questioning each other on what i was doing. Right well the legs are warmed up now, i let him set the pace to the centre fireroad i come along side max at the bottom of the climb for a little chat, muttered some words like have a good day or ride and set to work on the climb and pushing my heart rate to where i can hear myself breathing heavy. I was there to win, but not much work was required, but then thought what if i have a silly mechanical or better yet who can i lap today..

Yes sweet ive found my mojo and i get to thrashing the course and really having some fun smoothing out ourimbah in which takes i think quite alot of practice around that course, i was slamming a gel down a lap and trying to keep the TORQ fuel up so the fun levels stayed high,Timing in formed me that my first 3 laps took 1hr 22min.. I pick up a bottle on my way through, thoughts of doing 7laps has turned to reality lets go to legs, ripping around on my 4th lap i pass wayne on jelly leg climb and get james in the graveyard.
Now its lap 5 totally still having fun, hitting the descents hard because my turner flux just turns bumps to butter..Towards the end of the lap i have to stop and add air to my rear tyre.
LAP 6 and things are starting to hurt a bit now all those punchy climbs are crested a bit slower, after the roller coaster my rear wheel has begun to make a strange tingy noise..over redbelly rock and up the climb out the back where i stop to check for broken spokes.. nope not them.. Through the graveyard i determine its something to do with my brakes, the noise would go away when i applied the brakes but they didnt feel very good either, once out of the graveyard i could look down to my rear rotor. i could see the BOLTS HANGING OUT...oh geez all 3 of them had worked loose. i limped it back to timing, i pick up my torq tool then roll to timing, with about 10mins before the 3hr mark.i take wheel out the skewer off then realise there allenkey bolts.. i run to get one fix it run back put wheel in and with 2nd place may come in before the 3hr mark i went and hit the 7th lap. Happy to come home with the only rider doing 7laps. good times.

I pulled up quite sore in my lower back again, this is worrying me and looking at the variables to have it sorted by my next race.

just CHOPS :)