Wombat 100 Part 2

Monday, 15 April 2013

I've discovered that my favourite thing about these races is crossing the finish line.  The stuff in between the start line and the finish line is tough  - 50k for me is a long way - I don't ride for hours and hours in training, I just commute a few times a week and maybe do a long (2hr) ride every few weeks. So 50k is a big day out.  

I do like to ride on single trails though. I like swooshing around smooth corners and down hills, I like to overcome trail obstacles even if it takes a few goes, and I like being out in the bush. Unfortunately the Wombat 100 just confirmed that these big races are not for me.  I'm a mid-pack rider which is quite respectable in a field of mostly blokes, but this means I'm bang in the middle of the trail congestion - and on the Wombat course that meant stopping every few minutes on the fun single trail. Me and the riders around me all had to stop and queue up on steep uphills, steep downhills, tight corners, narrow bridges and of course the little obstacles I enjoy so much. Basically everywhere.   It was worse than anything I'd experienced on the Cape to Cape or the Capital Punishment race.  Blerk.  

So as a result of the slowish single trail, the congestion, a crash 15k in (when a bush leapt out at me and grabbed my handlebars) I came into the halfway point just wishing that the race would end. Luckily a gel and a  vegemite sandwich cheered me up a bit and I set off for the 2nd half determined to finish. What I didn't realise was that the 2nd half was mostly fire trails - which, while more boring are a lot faster than the single trail - so it seemed like no time at all before I only had 10k to go. Yay! I really enjoy the last 10 k - it means I'm really close to being able to stop!  

After a  few more little sections of single trail, lots of sections of fire trail, and even some hills (which I didn't mind)  and I crossed the line three and a half hours after the start.  About 45 minutes slower than the same distance at the Capital Punishment Race. Relatively speaking I was further back in the pack this race but I recon I actually rode quite well on the single trail when I could, and I felt fine on the big long hill so I'm ok about the result overall. Jon did really well too considering his physical state - but he's understandably a bit disappointed that he couldn't ride his best.

So what have we both learnt from this? Well as we waited for our delayed flight home from Melbourne Jon and I were able to come to the following conclusions: 

  • One big mainland race a year is more than enough. I'm not sure I'll do any more actually.
  • The good thing about Tassie races is that there's hardly any competitors and very little trail congestion.
  • The bad thing is that there aren't as many fun places to go
  • I recon i would have had way more fun just getting out and riding on the trails with Jo and Clare (who didn't make it to the race)  - and it would have been cheaper too
  • On that topic, no trip to the mainland is cheap - abandoned kids, frequent flyers and free entries or not
  • Melbourne people have very good trails all around - they are spoilt for choice in fact
  • It's possible to fit two bike bags as well as a bike in a box and a large bag in the back of a Toyota camry - who'd have thought!

So that's it. We're home safely and were very thankful to the parents of Zali and Jett's friends for looking after them and for mum and dad who had them on Sunday night when our plane was delayed. And we appreciate that we're really lucky to have been able to go away and enjoy the time together as well - actually that was probably my favourite bit of the trip! But now it will be nice to spend some time at home..

 

my hand at the finish after taking off my gloves. The rest of me looked pretty similar!

 


2013summary
K.I. Day 3 Saturday, 28 December 2013
K.I. Day 2 Friday, 27 December 2013
K.I. Friday, 27 December 2013
Belair National Park Wednesday, 25 December 2013
Special Talents Monday, 23 December 2013
The K2K Sunday, 22 December 2013
Takeaway Sunday, 22 December 2013
Morning Paddle Wednesday, 18 December 2013
Before and After #28 Wednesday, 18 December 2013
Milestones Sunday, 15 December 2013
Run-Sheet Sunday, 15 December 2013
Gingerbread Houses Sunday, 15 December 2013
It must be December.. Sunday, 1 December 2013
Not at all the plan..not even a bit Sunday, 24 November 2013
in other news.. Thursday, 21 November 2013
Winners are grinners! Saturday, 16 November 2013
Before & after #28 Friday, 15 November 2013
Triple Tops Mark IV Sunday, 10 November 2013
Lake Rosebery Paddle Sunday, 10 November 2013
Tullah Challenge Saturday, 9 November 2013
Assumptions Friday, 8 November 2013
Halloween Orienteering Sunday, 27 October 2013
Chocolate Saturday, 26 October 2013
Fine and Windy, with a chance of Sulkiness Saturday, 26 October 2013
Archives.. Friday, 25 October 2013
Freycinet Challenge - Part 3 Friday, 25 October 2013
In safe hands Friday, 25 October 2013
Freycinet Challenge - Part 2 Wednesday, 23 October 2013
Freycinet Challenge Part I Tuesday, 22 October 2013
Dogs and Babies Saturday, 19 October 2013
Mt Amos Sculpture Trail Friday, 11 October 2013
Contrasts Thursday, 10 October 2013
Walking Machines Wednesday, 9 October 2013
Fishing Wednesday, 9 October 2013
Mt Graham Wednesday, 9 October 2013
Restraint Tuesday, 8 October 2013
Overnight Hike Tuesday, 8 October 2013
Harrowing Journeys Part #4 Tuesday, 8 October 2013
Harrowing Journeys Part #3 Monday, 7 October 2013
Harrowing Journeys Part #2 Monday, 7 October 2013
Harrowing Journeys - Part I Sunday, 6 October 2013
McComb Swimming Carnival Wednesday, 2 October 2013
Fishy Update #3 Wednesday, 2 October 2013
Lift Lounging Wednesday, 2 October 2013
not so much riding Tuesday, 17 September 2013
Sensational Sydney Tuesday, 17 September 2013
Fishy Update #2 Tuesday, 17 September 2013
It's Back! Saturday, 7 September 2013
one of these things.. Saturday, 7 September 2013
Piñata Update Saturday, 31 August 2013
Fishy Update #1 Saturday, 31 August 2013
Home-Made Friday, 30 August 2013
We should have gotten meerkats Friday, 30 August 2013
Rainbows and Puppydogs Monday, 26 August 2013
Redbanks Sunday, 25 August 2013
Soccer Season Saturday, 24 August 2013
Bookweek.. Friday, 23 August 2013
Jon in the Winter Challenge Wednesday, 21 August 2013
Well this is quaint.. Wednesday, 21 August 2013
Winter Challenge 2013 Sunday, 18 August 2013
Preparation. Saturday, 17 August 2013
Proclamation Day Saturday, 17 August 2013
Inevitabilities Sunday, 11 August 2013
Saturday Afternoons Saturday, 10 August 2013
Sunrises Saturday, 10 August 2013
Re-surfacing.. Saturday, 10 August 2013
look! Saturday, 10 August 2013
Magic Melbourne Thursday, 1 August 2013
Sunday Paddle Sunday, 21 July 2013
Saturday Paddle Saturday, 20 July 2013
The novelty is over Saturday, 20 July 2013
Happy Birthday Me! Sunday, 14 July 2013
and in other news.. Saturday, 13 July 2013
Egg Island Circumnavigation Saturday, 13 July 2013
The Icebreaker Part IIIIII - wrap up Tuesday, 9 July 2013
The Icebreaker Part IIIII Tuesday, 9 July 2013
The Icebreaker Part IIII Monday, 8 July 2013
The Icebreaker Part III Monday, 8 July 2013
The Icebreaker Part II Monday, 8 July 2013
The Icebreaker Part I Sunday, 7 July 2013
Nerves Wednesday, 3 July 2013
Frosty Toes Wednesday, 3 July 2013
Going Up Wednesday, 3 July 2013
Aurora Chasing Wednesday, 3 July 2013
Monster Cake Wednesday, 3 July 2013
Dark Mofo Wednesday, 26 June 2013
Mona Wednesday, 19 June 2013
Working in Miniature Sunday, 16 June 2013
Wheels.. Friday, 14 June 2013
Aurora Chasing Saturday, 8 June 2013
Tas Sprint Champs Saturday, 8 June 2013
Beautiful Bicheno Saturday, 8 June 2013
Saturdays Friday, 7 June 2013
Soccer Buddies Friday, 7 June 2013
Utensil Update III Friday, 7 June 2013
Doing the Hard Yards Friday, 7 June 2013
Small Change Sunday, 26 May 2013
Sunday Morning Paddle Sunday, 26 May 2013
Work Friday, 24 May 2013
Not great value Friday, 24 May 2013
Today was not a good day for Mr Fish.. Wednesday, 22 May 2013
Utensil Update II Wednesday, 22 May 2013
Utensil Update Friday, 17 May 2013
Having fun with the children.. Thursday, 16 May 2013
Mini Cupcakes Wednesday, 15 May 2013
Ye Olde Hobart Sunday, 12 May 2013
Dog People Sunday, 12 May 2013
Early Mornings Sunday, 12 May 2013
North West Bay Sunday, 5 May 2013
Tip Trip Sunday, 5 May 2013
Sculpture Trail Friday, 26 April 2013
New Bike Monday, 22 April 2013
Wombat 100 Part 3 Wednesday, 17 April 2013
Wombat 100 Part 2 Monday, 15 April 2013
Wombat 100 Part 1 Monday, 15 April 2013
Disco Zali Sunday, 14 April 2013
Spirit of Tasmania Saturday, 6 April 2013
Last Day.. Saturday, 6 April 2013
Mt Buller Summit Friday, 5 April 2013
What we're not doing this winter.. Friday, 5 April 2013
Jon's Ride Friday, 5 April 2013
you win some, you lose some, and then you get sick.. Friday, 5 April 2013
You win some, you lose some Friday, 5 April 2013
Luna Park Friday, 5 April 2013
Metropolitan Meerkats Friday, 5 April 2013
Bendigo and surrounds Monday, 1 April 2013
Cape Huay and the Three Capes Project Monday, 25 March 2013
Tarn Shelf Walk Sunday, 24 March 2013
Canberra Sunday, 24 March 2013
Capital Punishment 50k Monday, 18 March 2013
The Best Bike Bag Ever Friday, 15 March 2013
Lovely Kids Saturday, 9 March 2013
Beach Shadows Saturday, 9 March 2013
The best leg Monday, 4 March 2013
Summer Survival Monday, 4 March 2013
Sunday Night Dinner Monday, 4 March 2013
Bruny Island Paddling Weekend Sunday, 24 February 2013
Cuteness Friday, 22 February 2013
For Dr Evil Thursday, 21 February 2013
Almost Perfect Thursday, 21 February 2013
Lucky lucky lucky Thursday, 21 February 2013
Complaints Thursday, 21 February 2013
My thoughts exactly! Thursday, 14 February 2013
Lunchtime Ride Thursday, 14 February 2013
Our new pet Sunday, 10 February 2013
Modern Family Sunday, 10 February 2013
Blue Dragon Part 2 Sunday, 10 February 2013
The Blue Dragon Part 1 Saturday, 9 February 2013
Wardrobe! Thursday, 31 January 2013
Mad Monday Monday, 28 January 2013
Jetty Beach, Bruny Island Sunday, 27 January 2013
Thursday night paddling group Sunday, 27 January 2013
News Flash Thursday, 24 January 2013
Sunday Paddle Sunday, 20 January 2013
I have perfect eyebrows. Thursday, 17 January 2013
Little Adventures Sunday, 13 January 2013
Maria Island Friday, 11 January 2013
Face painting Friday, 11 January 2013
before & after #27 Friday, 11 January 2013
bang for your buck Monday, 7 January 2013
Surfing at Maria Island Sunday, 6 January 2013
Slide of Doom Sunday, 6 January 2013
Picture Perfect Sunday, 6 January 2013