Tathra is awesome - that's if you like hills that is !

Day started very cruisey with a low key vibe around the event centre. Locals everywhere checking out the event and would have to be the friendliest event and feel for an event that I have been to out of town.

Anyway race started with a lemans start us in the middle of an oval our bikes down near the goal post. Matt and I started probably mid pack and cruised out to the Mimosa National Park where the real challenge began.
The firs 15ks in the park we climbed over 600m and it was relentless. each bend was greeted with another climb. Matt who I was riding with on single speed left me about 10ks in - on a single speed he just had to hit every hill with momentum. Me - I had the luxury of gears and took full advantage of them. I grinder hard trying to avoid granny and gradually picked of some places one by one. I don't think anyone was really expecting a 15k climb.

Then the fun began - basically narrow fire trail / double track downhill with some pockets of single track thrown in - DOWN. So fast and fun - water bars galore to launch off.

Pushed thru without stopping at the 20k water stop and thought shite we have another 20ks to go. Guess what came next - more climbing - not as aggressive this time but basically constantly up with some rollers every 3 - 4ks. Continued to push hard as was starting to really gains some places.

Finally got back to the event centre - 40ks - and was feeling it. Next 10ks great / awesome / fantastic single track - but you guessed it more devastating climbs. I was in agony here as cramps began to set in and all I could do was spin to make any progress. Each climb was greeted with fast twisty slightly tech downhills with narrow bridges over gullies that you would hit at speed.

Made it back to the event centre completely nackered. Mat making back about 10 mins ahead and taking out 2nd in the single speed age cat.

Would not have liked to do the 100k only the top 2 made it under 5hrs and that was Jason English 4:40 and Ben Henderson 4:55. From these times that looked like they had a hard day as well.