After feeling crap due to a virus at last years Fling i was determined to beat my place and time of 11th in Masters and 5hrs 10mins.
I knew i had a sub 5 in me somewhere. I just had to dig deep and find it.
Although I'd consider myself the fittest I've ever been ( having done 34 races to date this year) I knew i didn't have the distance in my legs as most of my training and racing have been sub 2hrs. Which in turn has brought my top end through the roof but has done very little for my endurance.
So a few weeks ago i did a 90km Mtb ride and was feeling pretty good at the end which gave me the confidence to at least think I'd finish the Full Fling without pulling the pin early on.
My pre race carb loading consisted of 5 beers and half a bottle of red on Friday night and 3 beers and the other half of the wine on Saturday night whilst camping. To some, this may sound like like a lot but it's fairly typical of me and you wouldn't want to change your diet drastically just before a race now would you? ;). I also know i should be super hydrating so also keep plenty of "proper" fluids going through the system as well.
The morning of the race and it's much colder than the previous day, I'm up super early and have finished my oats and had a litre of fluid with more than 2hrs to start time.
Those 2hrs went pretty quickly and before i knew it, after a quick warmup i was on the startline. No pushing in this year as the weather had obviously kept people from getting in too early and catching a chill.
All the other SXC Boys were close by and off we went.
The start felt OK and i had a good spot around 10th place up the road and into the paddocks. My legs didn't feel great and i slowed a bit going up the first short climb.
I got into a group and we all seemed to stay together till Wingello. I lost that group after filling my bottle and having a pee (that must have been the other litre of fluid after breakfast?)
Down the Fireroad i was with Michael Faretta and a another Mate, we just managed to get onto another group and stick with them for a while.
After more firetrail and the new sniggle, we reached the wall and i decided to walk as i didn't want to hurt myself too much and everyone else was doing the same.
I was first into the Singletrack with another rider catching me. I was pleased to see it was Brian and we rode( or he dragged me ) all the way to the second feed station where i was planning to fill my pack and lube my chain. Bri rode on and i lost him.
Up halfway hill and i was feeling ok, riding with a big group behind me, I kept seeing Michael here and there but was wondering where Dicko was? I knew he'd be coming past soon.
Just on the last climbs before the fireroad into Wingello again, Dicko appeared and we rode for a while, He bridged a gap and rode with another guy whilst i was 500mts behind in a larger group. We all swapped turns into Wingello and i stopped again for drink refills and other secret potions!
I hooked up with a Mate and we rode the firetrails into the paddocks where i lost him and rode solo, passing all the 50km back markers and feeling pretty good all round.
I was confidently passing guys who I'd seen earlier in the race and rode fairly comfortably up brokeback where i was gutted to see The first lot of Elites catch me ( my plan was not to get caught !)
Further along on "Your Call" i saw a familiar kit of a team mate, It was Brian, who was having a crappy time and wasn't feeling the best. We popped out on the road and agreed to ride back together.
I crossed the line with Brian to be greeted by Dicko who'd got there about 5 mins earlier.
I felt the best i'd ever felt at the end of a marathon despite the lack of distance in the legs.
Dicko, Bri and Myself had come in 40th, 41st and 42nd overall respectively! Maybe we should have worked together to get a faster time? Maybe we'll sort that out for another race?
Mind you, With Bri and Dicko training for the Cape Epic and Myself concentrating on Cyclocross, Lap races and XC, I can see this being the last Marathon i finish anywhere near them.
Well done to the Other SXC boys, Doc, Gary and Michael. Some of you never had ideal races but still did good in what was pretty shitty conditions.
As for beating the 5hr Fling? I was a little disheartened to see my Garmin clock over that magic time but was happy to find out, due to the conditions and different course with more singletrack that overall times were slower across the board.
Till next year(When maybe I'll do the Half????)