7hrs of stromlo

Team scv was leaving the coast early saturday morning bound for the nations capital, the greens were packed with lots of extra layers, the bikes on the back looking red and extra clean. So two sleepy riders were zooming down the highway neither to impressed to leave at 6am'sh, but we had to get to canberra so i could do a fitness workshop at 11am so with one little scare from a roadside speed camera we had arrived in a very sunny canberra but with a quick check of the temperature with the back of my hand on the car window, sunny days in canberra are quick different to the coast, but once in the shopping centre it was ok :) which had me thinking. Canberra a really cold part of australia which has a shopping centre where you have to venture outside to get to the next section??? atleast its in a straightline unlike the rest of the town, so once at the gym, it didnt seem right either....... i soon workout ive turned up at the wrong fitness first, lucky for me there was another workshop at 2pm..
Rego/spin class/practice lap/ the to our accomodation was how saturday arvo went by.

We were very lucky to have mr and mrs Mcavoy put us up for the night in a lovely warm house with a great view, filled to the brim we hit the sack.

The event centre was alive and buzzing by the time we arrived(alot later then usual) briefing had started and me and matt had barely had our race numbers on, so with a quick ride around the crit track to warm up (and canberra had def given us a very warm morning) to busy getting warm i nearly missed the start, so i barged my way into the pack, actually people really parted of gave up there spot for me so i was sitting nicely in the 2nd row, the start was frantic i had an inside line and didnt have to work to hard to stay at the front, matt had alot of chasing to do and was in fine form and got a great head start and buried the legs early to get into the singletrack, i just didnt have any racing mojo, after a leg smashing week i was happy just to pedal out a consistant lapping 7hrs thinking id be able to pick up a few places towards the end of the race as riders lap times started to fade..
With 3hrs down i was suffering constant glute/hipflexer pain, so frustrating i have not suffered like this on the bike since easter, i rode the syd 12hr so well i had the confidence i could achieve anything, but i had to get off and stretch in the pits, i looked at the ground when stretching, and then i just layed on it, and didnt move for like 20mins why im not sure, i was mentally beat...a crying baby was wat got me back on the bike, bellchambers rolled thru timing so i chased him down so i could have a riding buddy and follow some local knowledge around the course, i was 14th once back on the bike with a new seat height, which im not to confident in keeping but we will see how it goes fighting fatigue of all the climbing at stromlo..
Each time i came thru timing i was one place better so that gave me something to chase my 31min lap times were doing the job yea i was tired and sore but 7hrs felt like a cruze to the beach. pedal chew drink pedal pedal chew drink drink torq nutrition allows to go for for as long as u wanna pedal...

The race was done and i came 9th, was not to happy with that well not happy with myself, but looking at the lap times they werent slow, and 130 solo riders and no taper it would of been a better day if i truly had my race face on, but i left it home, i know wat my legs can do, ill let them lose next time, finally i could give kylie mcavoy a smile every lap i got a "go chops" the poor lady never got a smile from me but it was all over so now i was smilin..

where is matt????????? no idea i had not seen him all day weird.......
Matt rolls over the line in 4th place behind gurus of enduro racing, a mic was shoved straight to his mouth for an interview cool calm and collected matt had it under control "no fun going slow out there" got a few chuckles from the crowd.

No podium for the boys in green this wknd, i managed to win the dirtiest bike competition and the honour of driving us home as matt did more laps then me...

just chops :)


ive gotta change the name of this dam blog.... as soon as i make podium i send myself back to emergancy.... re-dislocated my shoulder while training on wednesday, its not to bad... solo world champs may not be possible, but there is no way anything or anyone is keeping me from racing the croc trophy!!!!!!!!