After prepping my transition area and then redoing it after some neighbourly advice I head off for a warm up run. On my return I met up with Thomas Dibley of Wiggle and we head over to the start line. We were escorted from the start line back into transition to do some sort of loop and before we knew it we were back at the start line but instead of vein near the front we now had some 100 odd people in front of us - great!
After a run down of the rules the klaxon sounds and 200 runners start the 10km leg. In no time I was moving up the field eager to settle into a rhythm but given the volume of people in front it was proving difficult. With a sharp right hander we started the first muddy section and with people sticking to the dry area I got my feet wet and went or it. After a kilometer or two I settled into a rhythm I was 'comfortable' with and I tried to maintain it. Not knowing what the course was like I was slightly apprehensive as I heard that there were a few steep hills to contend with. Steep didn't begin to describe them. The second lap had my calves screaming - I had no idea how I would be on the final lap after the riding! I would soon find out...
As I ran along the concrete straight into the transition area I would see whether it not Tom was right about my choice to use of laces - apparently a rookie error. After what I thought was a relatively quick transition I was on my bike and heading down the first hill.
Over the next few miles I was comfortably overtaking people knowing that I was likely to lose a few places on the last leg. The 18km cycle leg consisted of 3 laps of a mix of hard pack trail and some fairly wide single track. With the exception of a few muddy sections and little lung busting ascents it was running fairly quickly. Despite being prepared I didn't take any gels until I was into my second lap. I could feel the initial twinge of cramp in my calves but tried to ignore it. As I climbed up the ascent into the start arena the rider in front of me came off. I tried to go around but lost traction and put a foot don only to be welcomed by some of the worst cramp I've ever endured. At the side of the track I'm trying to work my muscles free but my calves are ridiculously tight and my feet are pointing straight down. After a minute or two I'm able to hobble and get up to the fire road. Unfortunately my legs didn't want to work and I fell off my bike... thankfully there wasn't a whole load of people watching... taking photos...
With a bad mood brewing due to my own nutritional stupidity i'm back on the back and heading out for my final lap. It isn't long until I'm catching up those who overtook me during my cramping fit. I felt strong as I rolled the bike into transition and headed back out for the final 5km run.
Leaving the water station it may have been the screaming of my legs or the loneliness of the section but this fire road was definitely twice the length it was the time before! The course was now quite slippery in places and I was taking care not to instigate a reason to cramp again. The hills had become harder. Not only the ascending but the descending. I could feel myself getting slower and the occasional runner was overtaking me. Near the end a runner passes me and tries to smile while joking about a sprint finish. The finish line was a beautiful site and I crossed in 35th position which I'm really pleased about given it was my first time... and definitely not my last!
I'm now looking forward to the mudman!
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