The pace was slower than expected at the start of the race & I was already looking for a chance to gain some places hoping that I could keep in touch with the lead riders for most of the race, but it did not take long to loose touch as the first lap unfolded. When I got around a rider & picked up the pace I was drifting into the corners on the loose pebbles & had to steady the pace a little to stay on the bike. Plan B was to ride at a fast a pace as possible while the course was open before lapping the slower riders where I knew the pace would slow up but the track would be swept free of the loose pebbles on the 10 km circuit. As the race unfolded it did not take long for the pebbles to brush away & I was able to carry more speed into the corners & save more energy noticing my heart rate coming back down to a more sustainable percentage.
It did not seem to take long & I started to lap some of the riders while taking my mind of the race. There was a 30 km, 50 km & 100 km race distance as well as teams out on the track making up the triple X & most of the riders were from the Northern NSW MTB clubs which made the race a bit more of a social atmosphere as I called for track when they had the chance & giving encouragement to as many as I could when I had the breath to do so.
Time seemed to go by fast as the laps added up with a cheering crowd every time you rode through the feed zone & the riding became easier as the 30 & 50 km riders finished leaving the course for just the 100 km riders to finish.
Happy with the result I finished 2nd behind Peter Selkrig in the 40+ category & 6th overall.
Recovery included a leisurely walk along the beach with the family after a 1.5 hour drive back home & a 10 km run/walk up North Brother mountain the next day ( not the best recovery idea :-)
I would like to thank the Nambucca crew for holding such a well run event with such a friendly atmosphere on a great track & I look forward to the next endurance event to be held there.
Results Here
Some of the highlights of the race