10.10.06 - Scott 24hr 2006:
Getting Going
Saturday October 7th was a mild and sunny morning with a light breeze, so straight away we knew it would be a great day to throw a leg over a mountain bike. Riding out to Kowen Forest east of Canberra I had car after car passing me with bikes on their racks, roofs or boots. I could sense this year's Scott 24hr Race was going to be huge. As I rolled over the hill into the forest I arrived at the Kowen fire tower, which sits above the race course. All I could see below was a massive cloud of dust, as if a herd of bulls was being unleashed. This was going to be really huge!
As we approached midday our team, Swell Design Group - The Beer Battered Fish, were getting pumped. Although this wasn't my main focus for the year, it started to feel like it with the atmosphere being so good. The vibe was strong and the morale of our team was contagious. Once we were setup and kitted up in our schmick new clothing from 2XU I was even getting nervous. It was time to head up to face the painful run.
Run Run
The huge field all looked pumped for the run, with a few gun runners sporting running shoes instead of stiff carbon soles. There was an unconfirmed rumour of a $500 prize for the first runner to the bikes. This turned out to be false, but it made for a fast start in the end. As the starter got set everyone kept edging forward restlessly, then finally we were put out of our waiting mysery and into the physical pain. I made an effort to get up near the front and out of trouble by following the guys with running shoes. As long as I could keep up with them I knew I'd be safe. Running felt weird, but I stayed up there, entering transition in the top ten. The great thing was that as soon as we got there all the runners had to swap their shoes. So I got on the bike, spun out softly, and looked back to see the rest of the field way behind. I was on my own with a nice lead already.
Free Roll
After easing into it to recover from the run, I built up the pace to make sure I got to the infamous switchbacks first. It was cool ripping through those, knowing that I was getting a traffic-free and dust-free run. I kept building up during the lap and felt good. Earlier on I could see a train of guys chasing me, but I made sure I got out of sight to help them lose hope. By the time I hit the last third of the lap I'd caught the tail-end of the solo riders. Most were really good with moving out of the way. I'm always conscious of how much of a pain it'd be to move for riders, especially if you're hurting a bit. In the end I had a pretty good run and finished the lap first, over 2mins ahead of the next guys.
The Hunted
Wayne was next onto the track, with a lot of 'hitters' heading out for the hot lap, traditionally the second lap. With a thousand dollars up for grabs he was always going to be hunted down fast. Col was up after that, keen to get a sub-hour lap. He missed out by seconds. It was a great ride. He was followed by Thomo, our ring-in Olympic Triathlete, who put in solid laps all weekend. It was great to have him on our team. Anton Kept up the pace on his Scott dualie to keep us in the top-three, which was awesome. I didn't expect to be up there in the top-five, so this got us all even more motivated. Phil was lucky last and he also rode solidly to keep us up there. Everyone was going strong and this was critical for team morale. The first round of laps always sets the scene for the weekend. So we were set for a good one.
Back in Black
I went out on my second lap as it was getting dark. It was the point at which it's dark, but the lights don't seem to help much. But after the half-way point it got darker and my Cateye Double-Shots came into play. After a clear first run the traffic and dust was crazy. The blanket of dust was so thick you couldn't see where corners came up and where bumps and other obstacles were. This was the only lap I wished for a dualie. Again, all the boys put in solid second-round laps. And the vibe in our tent was great. The second Swell Design team was there and they were all great guys too. It was nice just hanging out, with enough time between laps to actually rest rather than just thinking about the next chamois to put on. Avoiding gels, bars, and caffeine was also good. My gut thanked me for it! We held fourth place all night, not far off third and even second. So we made sure our bikes ran smoothly and we didn't blow up on our laps.
New Day
As always, once sunrise hit everyone was keener. We just had to keep going the way we had been and we'd be up there. Everyone looked surprisingly fresh. Our schedule worked well and no one had overdone it. With a lap or two each to go, we were all on home stretch and dreaming of bacon and egg rolls and beer! By now the track was cooked - deep ruts, thick dust, exposed rocks and roots, braking bumps, and the occasional bike part to negotiate. The traffic was worse too, with many tired riders trying to finish off their weekends on a high note. It was good to see everyone still having a dig. It wasn't over till the clock hit 12:00, or even longer for some. In the end we all finished strongly and held on to fourth in the Sixes. Thomo crossed the line to be greeted with a keg. It was a well-earned one.
Bring It On!
Overall it was the best combination of fun, pain, and socialising I've experienced in a long time. The warm weather, challenging track, solid competition, and friendly atmosphere made it well worth the effort. Unlike all the past 24hr races, I've come away saying "I'll do it again!" So thanks to Swell Design group for a class weekend. And thanks to the boys in both teams for being easy going and for putting your bodies on the line out in the deep dark forest!