What a weekend--since this event was announced in 2009 and then racing my first 24hr solo in November2009 everything was revolving around this one race, my everythought anytime i trained or raced i had this weekend on my mind, countless spin classes where spent dreaming and pushing ourselves to the top of stromlo in preperation for the worlds..
Every part of this event was massive 400 solo riders in pit lane or should i say pit city, rows and rows of riders, i had entered in the elite category where your position was seeded on your previous races over 24hrs, so to be some how camped 4 doors down from jason english and across from cory wallace (who i did not know at the time but you will here lots more of) was pure luck and great entertainment for my pit crew..
Race DAY: whats done is done today is here, 24hr solo racing does not make me nervous, it scares the hell out of me!!!!!!!!!!! cameras where shoved in our faces while we trying to set up and get the bike in order, once i picked it up from the mech tent they had to fix my freehub the night before never a dull moment when it comes to a 24hr race for me.. It was great to have so many mtb buddies from the central coast there, none of them had seen me race a 24hr so it gave me extra fuel to go the distance, likewise for my mum and dad had never even seen me race my mtb let alone my new gf tarren, so mum dad and tarren this is mtb racing welcome to the world championships!!!! no pressure in the pits eh??? The start is near time for my meditation (sitting on my bike quietly shitting my self in deep thought) ive always used mental visualization when competing i find it truly helps running your mind thru what has to be done.
Number 64 james lamb of australia>>>>>ya could hear the coasties cheer as i jog up to the start line, standing under the world championship banner next to my team mate matt reekie we look up then look at each other both looking hell scared!!!! BANG and where off running how does one control ones energy at this point, manic start!!!!
From manic to frantic to just not happy-i shred my tire thru pork barrel and struggle getting the valve out to put in a tube, using a sandwich bag to plug the hole i limp back to the pits to see worried faces as im coming last in category.. i would continue to suffer tyre problems till midnight with cutting more sidewalls and even ripping the bead off on tyre big thanks to joel sandry my tool man for the race for spotting that pure luck, but he was my driving force the man takes no bullshit...So from midnight the fight was to the suprise of ppl in pit row as i would yell at myself to pump the legs and pump my crew up...was loving the graveyard shift maybe im a sadist????? but i fought until i could see the sunlight and oh it was a COLD night!!!!!!
I came to ride the distance on such a destroying course we got the maths a bit wrong as our watches didnt match the race clock so i finished 18laps in 23hrs 55min and thought that was enough everyone in my tent had enough of playing the waiting game, all my training paid off my crew did a fantastic job and just like every 24hr tears flowed at the end..
I WENT TO WORLDS.....Tick.
CHOPS
Yew'
ReplyDelete