My First 4hr Solo event

I knew before the race even started how slippery the track could get. I got caught out in the rain while warming up for the first attempt at Wylde for the Round 1 race. But I wanted to race it anyway to see everyone sliding around for my own personal lols

I had brought 2 bikes with me as I was still undecided which bike I wanted to do the race on. My old Giant Yukon Hardtail with rim brakes running a 96er set up (29er front wheel, 26 back wheel) and my 2011 Giant Trance with dual suspension and disc brakes.

Being a slower rider I started closer to the back and decided I would start with the Hard Tail.

What a sloppy start and I don't mean my performance. Gun Barrel Highway was a very slow pedal with everyone taking there time and being cautious in what became very slippery mud very quickly. The Bottle neck backed up quickly but every one was polite and waited their turn to get onto the single track.

That noise, the sound of so many wheels just rolling across the slippery mud was amusing yet slightly disgusting at the same time. I got my lols listening to the fellow riders comment on the mud with a nice variety of jokes.

It wasn't long before the mud cakes built up and all traction was lost. The climb up to multiple choice became a walk again. I didn't want to but the track was choked with walkers. Even the decent was clogged with walkers, but I jumped back on the bike and took the Multiple choice line that no one ever seems to ride. With no one having ridden that line yet and the grass roots rebaring the soil it wasn't difficult to ride down and pass all the walkers.

Approaching the 6km interchange I contemplated calling it quits but I wanted at least one lap on the board and It had also stopped raining so I knew it wouldn't be much longer before the track dried up so I pushed on.

The Mud cakes were getting real bad now. I started loosing traction on one corner, put my foot down and stopped. This was a mistake as I soon found out that once you stop, the wheels just locked up like a hand brake with all that mud pinched between the frame and wheels. The rim brakes did me no favours either. The bike would not roll! I found a stick and started clearing out the mud. I managed to get the wheels spinning again and got back on my way. The wheels would keep spinning as long as I didn't stop.

I passed roly poly and almost got undone on the tiny pinch after it. I had stopped. I found a new stick and started digging at the mud around my bike again. I got rolling and approached the roll down into the large little pinch. The rider in front of me didn't make it and I had to lock up the brakes half way up. Again I had stopped and had to clear the mud. Thankfully, this was the last time I had to stop and clear mud. I was able to keep the bike up and keep riding.

By the time I got onto Pleasure and Pain the hero dirt was starting to show. Thank god for that as I was approaching one hour and was still on my first lap.

I love that sign on the Fence straight, always reminds me to have a drink and its one of the few places that you can with out any issues. I'm on zig-zag descent one of the only sections of track that was slippery for almost all of the race and I'm taking it very cautiously, suddenly I have the race leaders lapping me travelling so fast without a problem, I let one past and he jumps of a mound with a little whip! I'm amazed as I can barley keep my bike up right.

I finally complete my first lap in around 1 hour 8 minutes

Knowing the sun was out and the hero dirt was out to play I decided to push on taking the Yukon for a second lap. Straight away there was an amazing difference as the mud was actually now flying off the bike and I was travelling a lot faster with batter traction.

I completed my second lap in around 50mins.

During the second lap my toes where getting sore, not sure if it was the shoes or socks but when I got back I decided to change it up. I swapped my shoes over and swapped the race plate over to the Trance.

OMG!!!! It was bliss. No more mud, hero dirt and my toes where no longer hurting!!! I was riding fast again. Well atleast for a while but that sun really turned up the humidity and I was becoming dehydrated. There just, my water bottle wasn't big enough. I preserved as much as I could around the whole lap but could never get enough. I finished my third lap in around 50mins. Not bad for myself considering it included the shoe and bike swap.

I grabbed my Esky of ice and filled a bottle with the melted Ice cold water and sculled the full bottle. I topped it up again and sculled that also. That felt so much better, I needed that. I grabbed my last pre-filled bottle and headed out again. I knew I could make it back for a 5th lap but decided there and then this would be my final lap.

I cruised around enjoying the hero dirt until I hit the interchange and the showers had came back. Thankfully it didn't get to bad but spots where getting slippery again. It was just after recovery roll approaching the Gas line paddock that I saw Stephen Tomczyk was only a few seconds behind me. Well, more like about to lap me for the second time but I decided I would do my best to stay ahead of him and beat him to timing. I figured I had a good chance as there was only 2 long climbs remaining and I had gears! I also knew that Steve had seen me and he would be doing his best to try and catch me so I gave it everything I had.

I started to punch it, I pushed harder than I did the whole race and tried not to think to much in the slippery spots pushing my self to go faster. I thought he would get me on the climb up Pain, but I was still out in front. I turned to see he had made a gain and was getting closer. I continued to push it hard.It was on fence climb I thought for sure he would get me but I reached the top and I was still out in front and knew my chances had dramatically improved. From here it would be a fast return to timing. I continued giving it everything and on more that one occasion lost traction to both wheels but some how managed to keep upright. I also discovered Grip rings don't like the wet. Every bump they would slide back and forth across my bars basically eliminating any grip I on the handle bars. I held on for dear life and at some points it was just my finger tips around the handle bar itself between the rings.

To my delight I had beaten Steve to timing, I think I even increased the gap a little. Stephen rolled into transition and confessed he had tried to catch me when he first saw me near Col-de-Cecil. He gave me kudos, grabbed his next bottle and went out to finish with a fifth place with 7 laps.

I was done and happy with my result. I completed 4 laps and finished 45th out out the 69 solo entrants.