Golden Triangle Epic 50km Shorty Race

Just a couple of pics - story will follow when I'm not exhausted after work.  But the smile says it all.  

Having a great time racing

Trust Em Parkes to get air off that one....[insert smiley face here]

Long Time Since My Last Update

So what's been happening since October 2015?  Lots of work mostly, a bit of riding, couple of races, and my first Christmas with no Buzz.  I did, however, have a 6 month old Kip to babysit over Christmas which was a real treat for Beep and myself.  

Work?  Well I've got heaps of threatened species burns going ahead this Autumn, thanks to my most wonderful Vegetation Management Officers - thanks guys!

Christmas 2015 with Beep and Kip.  Beep didn't want to share her new toys with Kip, but by the end of the day my loungeroom looked like a teddy bear had exploded (which it pretty much did!).  

Beep opening one of her Christmas presents

Kip all tuckered out on Christmas night

First race of the year was the Snowies Mountain Bike Festival at Lake Crackenback.  Gav joined me for the 5 stage event.  The racing was great, the event really well run, the weather could not have been more perfect, and where we stayed was perfect and peaceful.  Our only complaint?....that it would have been great to have had someone to cook for us at the end of each day of the 3 days!  My other complaint was that I would like to be fitter next time I race the event.  

The stages were varied and great fun.  A minor crash on stage 4 left me with a forearm injury that pretty much knocked me out of stage 5.  I rode 15km of the 45km stage and decided to pull the pin when I couldn't hold the bars anymore.  But I had a great time and was able to cheer Gav and the other Panther Cycles guys on.  And I'm aiming to return to the event November 2016, fitter!

Gav & Juz about to start Stage 1 - gorgeous scenery....pity we had to watch the track!

        

Gav feeding and resting at Thredbo between Stages 2 & 3

Juz at the end of Stage 4 - bit dirty

Big Dog resting up for Stage 5 (45km marathon) - always with a smile

Sasha and Alex - the rest of the Penrith motley crew

Second race for the year was the XCO National Championships held at Bright.  Though no where near as fit as I would have liked, the weekend wasn't about the racing - it was the whole weekend of practice, catching up with people who I've known nearly 2 decades, race, meet new people, catch up with our amazing Em Parkes and watch her race, and much more.  

All my practice laps were done in extremely dry, dusty conditions.  Dust 3 inches deep was building up on the switchback descents and climbs, and the remainder of the course was fast.  Then in the 12 hours leading up to my race it rained.  And rained.  Nearly 30mm in total which turned the course into a red muddy, slippery course.  First lap was pretty sketchy but the second lap the track had dried a bit and was actually quite fast and tacky.  I had no intention of actually 'racing' due to my lack of training, however by the second lap I was in the swing and working hard to hold off another rider.  In the end I just held her off on the climbs where she was stronger, but smoked her on the descents!  I came through only just in front of Dora, who I would have happily and proudly placed behind, because she's just an awesome rider and really lovely person.  Congrats to Donna and Jane - a very strong ride by both of these long-standing racers.  

So what's next?  A local Bendigo Epic (50km) that will be a good 3 or so hours of rolling round local trails.  I don't there will be much 'racing', but a good opportunity to ride with lots of people who love mountain biking.  

The Vic State XC Champs are coming up very soon, and I look forward to hitting up the Jubber Land trails yet again.  And maybe a couple of 3 hr events over Winter.