Wagga 3 Hour

I was and wasn't looking forward to this race. Was, because it was going to be a good test of what I'm in for come April 20 and Dirtworks 100. Wasn't, because I knew it was going to hurt, and I thought I would go stir-crazy riding around in circles for 3 hours.

Well I was suprised. The race went really well, the course was fantastic - albeit a little chopped up towards the end - and I was really happy with my performance. After 3 laps last year and wanting to die, I pulled off 4 laps and felt pretty fresh (relatively speaking) afterwards.

The course was awesome, Pomigilana (sp?) Reserve is a great spot, and MTB Wagga have done an awesome job building the course, and the overall network of trails through there. They'd cut some new singletrack in since last year, and my word wasn't it tricky - think off camber switchbacks while trying to thread yourself through trees that are just slightly wider than your bars - but the old favourite sections were in there as well - especially the gully sections in the last 1km.

Only 2 mishaps for me - one over the bar when I stupidly let my front wheel drop off the side of a narrow traversing singletrack. The other was significantly worse, ploughing at full tilt into a tree and going for six. I have a large tree-shaped bruise and scrape on my right shoulder, varying parts of tree embedded in my right hand and left ankle. Go figure. I think it was the shock of it more than anything that shook me up, I limped back to camp, cleaned up my chaing, relubed and went out again. But waking up this morning the wristed is feeling pretty stiff, and the shoulder a little on the sore side. Toughen up buttercup, I reckon.

A good day out, and feeling better about the Dirtworks 100. 100km with about 2000 metres of climbing. Yesterdays effort was 44km with 1200 metres of climbing. So I just need to do that twice...

Obligatory Glory Shot