Racing Reflections

Yesterday was one of the first times I've really pushed myself in a race since Easter 2012, when I put myself in a world of pain with compartment syndrome in my calves.

I didn't realise I was going to race that hard yesterday, it seemed like just another day of strapping on the race plate.

At the back of my mind though, I knew I was lining up against a talented SS chick who has been training hard and racing heaps of late. She was just out of sight at the start line, a few rows in front of me.

Within 500m I was riding her wheel, and within 2km I had passed her. Which left me with only one option: RACE!

I pushed myself as hard as I could, and to my disbelief it was actually on the downhills that I was putting time into her on my rigid steed. Then every hill she would creep back closer as the old legs showed the weakness of the 12 month plus recovery from injury (still don't have full strength in the right leg). 

I found energy reserves I didn't know existed and ignored levels of pain that were begging me to ease off.

50km in we went through timing and I heard the call that she was 50 seconds down. Then we hit the mud glue on some nasty up hills and my lead was shredded back to well under 20 seconds.

By about 60km, as we climbed a steep and seemingly unending serious of switchbacks with rock gardens, the inevitable happened and Frankie passed me. The problem now was that I hadn't drunk enough water or eaten enough food. I was exhausted, borderline "bonking" and trying to claw back the lead.

We must have covered the next 15km at the same pace as she was always just 60 seconds or so in front. Then we went uphill again and I lost her. I kept on fighting though, something I haven't done since the National 24 Hour Championships in Easter 2012.

At the end of the day, after some 90km of single track and mud, I crossed the line with a time of 5 hours 12 minutes and 40 something seconds.

The condition of my bike at the end says it all:

I was happy though. Happy to be beaten by the better racer, happy to have given it my all and happy to have come 2nd by just 4 minutes.

Next time I race Frankie will be WEMBO. I don't expect the race to be so close, and truth is I don't really care. I'm more excited about the friends who will be lining up alongside me and the prospect of my first 24 hour race since Finale 2012 and my first ever wearing Freedom Catalonia!