Here I am at 6:30am ready to race, did I know what was to come?
I knew I was going to hurt.
I knew I was not in top form...but I just hoped I could pull a trick somewhere!
Initially up the climb, I was not too far back of the lead group, only a minute behind. Then we entered the private property and I just felt the energy leave my legs. I wondered how I was going to continue to find anything extra apart from just pedalling and moving forward.
In the end that was what I had to do. Draw upon my local knowledge and just keep taking another pedal stroke. I dropped a chain, stopped and fixed it and watched no less than 4 girls pass me. Probably was going to happen anyway...my legs were sapped already and we were still in the private property in the Heavy Smoker section.
Finally when I reached the Mt Sabine fire tower I was keen to pedal a bit faster. West Barwon Tk and Noonday were my faves. The uphills hurt and the down hills were fast. I just kept focussed on what I could manage today. Not much - but enough to keep respectable.
Oh gee, it was hot - I have not mentioned that!
Anyway, let me fast forward to the best bit...6:39 minutes later I finished and it was a long time on the bike for me today. I crossed the line and was in a daze, sore, tired, exhausted, aching, thirsty but not hungry, just plain well OVER It.
Still too early about planning for 2011 OO, its still very early days in the pain epicentre.
A great kick up the butt to tell me where to head next if I want to achieve my goals this year.
On a positive note, thanks to De Grandi's for setting me up on my new fantastic Fulcrum wheels , far out they were the best! Thanks Giant Bikes for all your awesome support and the new Shimano shoes . I took the risk and wore them and they were stiff as! great shoes and not a blister or foot issue in sight. This is good news.
Great work to all you other crazies out there who thought this race sounded like fun..may we meet again one day soon to reflect on the race together, group therapy sessions to help us move on!
Its now Monday...another week...and time to get ready for supporting Normie boy at the Mt Beauty 6hr - I am excited.
A sleep in, well until around 7:30am was on the cards.
Here is my best mate, Soxy Boy, Fatty, Boxy, Fatty Fat Fat...he has many names but he is very cuddly.
When I woke up the sun was shining and the view from my room, spectacular.
Even the chooks and sheep were quiet for me today. Normally they are noisier than living on a main road at 7:30am on a weekday.
We have done all we can to get me to the start line in top form, but as things always pan out...something inevitably goes wrong.
Last week I was meant to go to the inaugral Husky 100km near Jervis Bay, and it was a hard call to make, but I pulled out on Thursday before due to illness.
Just dead tired, swollen glands and feeling like I was about to be hit with a cold of some sort.
Unfortunately for the race promoters , the rain set in big time and they had to call off the race. Lucky for me, I was at home resting.
I had 4 days off the bike and I was stir crazy, bored our of my brain and terribly agitated. Worse still, Norm was in Melbourne all weekend.
Finally on Monday I was back on the bike. My new sponsor, DeGrandi Cycle & Sport , has given me some new Fulcrum carbon wheels to use, and I got to finally test them. Also, some new bits from Giant to round off a new set up.
First ride - feeling like a new born foal, could not quite find my feet, or my wheels in this instance.
Second ride a few hours later, it was like the good old days of last week!
Good luck to everyone competing.
The weather will be perfect, the trails in awesome condition, an amazing array of riders from national champions through to first time racers.
Most of all I hope for everyone to finish safely and reach their own personal goals for the day and finish with a big dirty smile!
See you at the finish...and dont forget to smell the roses whilst you are out there riding.
Since my last update which was around the 25th Jan, things really havent slowed down...infact they have sped up considerably.
Saskia turned 16 and got her learners permit, thankfully
Norm has been taking her driving.
She has also gone back to school and started her school based apprenticeship in Fitness. She has also started pre season netball training and Thursday summer comp netball in Warnnambool.
So that alone is HUGE.
NO MORE just yet please!
One thing that was totally amazing over the school holidays though, was Saskia went for a MTB ride with the Harringtons and actually had a good time.
She was out ont the bike for a few hours - and survived. Wow!
Good work Saskia.
Then there is racing.
We had a great time at Forrest Feral Friday doing an Individual TT on the proposed State XC course for 20th March.
Now I am getting ready to head off to NSW for the Inaugral Husky 100km, ran by the great people at Black Heart Events, Matt & Amanda.
The 100km race is around the beautiful area of Jervis Bay. I am really looking forward to it. Thanks Matt and Amanda for providing accommodation too. Wish I could stay all week!
Jac, Christy, Darren, Joe, Ben, Juppy, John, Foxy, Normie, Steve & Peter were in attendance on Saturday.
So its supposed to be summer...but as you can see it was pretty wet. We kept riding into the clouds and it got colder and colder. The proposed route was supposed to be Forrest - Beech Forest - Lavers Hill - Glenaire - Apollo Bay - Skenes Ck and back to forrest. 140km all up, but we just went through the beautiful Turton's tk onto Beech Forrest. 35km one way and then on the return trip - much to Normies disgust, we ended up racing it back, mostly to keep warm. On the return to Forrest, the sun was shining and a better day emerged. 70km on the roadie with 1000m of climbing done.
I got home on Sunday night from the road trip with the boys back from the Nationals.
Drove home knowing that I would be seeing my dying cat. She was 18 and dying of old age. Saskia had told us this only 2 days ago that she had stopped eating and drinking altogether.
Within 30 mins of me arriving home she died in my arms of old age, very peacefully. this is a pic of her a few months ago sleeping in the sun on a window sill.
Forrest MTb & Cycling club is very lucky to have attracted so many enthusiastic juniors to its club.
so much so, that we decided it best to send them to the National Championships in Adelaide over the 14th 15th & 16th of January.
The hard work had started a while ago now, and thankfully all the boys have supportive parents who like to ride with them and are keen to see them have fun on their bikes albeit a bit costly at times.
Friendly competition had evolved with snippets being divulged of "secret training " ventures.
Here I am at 6:30am ready to race, did I know what was to come?
Its Friday - the day before the big opening race for me in 2010, the 
When I woke up the sun was shining and the view from my room, spectacular. 
Finally on Monday I was back on the bike. My new sponsor, 
See you at the finish...and dont forget to smell the roses whilst you are out there riding.
Since my last update which was around the 25th Jan, things really havent slowed down...infact they have sped up considerably.
One thing that was totally amazing over the school holidays though, was Saskia went for a MTB ride with the Harringtons and actually had a good time. 
Jac, Christy, Darren, Joe, Ben, Juppy, John, Foxy, Normie, Steve & Peter were in attendance on Saturday.
Within 30 mins of me arriving home she died in my arms of old age, very peacefully. this is a pic of her a few months ago sleeping in the sun on a window sill.
Forrest MTb & Cycling club is very lucky to have attracted so many enthusiastic juniors to its club.