Dirtworks 100kms

2 weeks ago on the Saturday night me and Clifton put two bikes on the roof of his car and drove up to St Albans (near the Wisemans Ferry). Camped out in a tent with these awesome camping stretches borrowed from Jing and Felix. Such luxury we had.

With a 5 am start, both eager to start only to get it over and done with.

So with actually 105kms to ride, with surfaces ranging from dirt to tarmac this would be the longest distance I will have ever ridden in one hit.

Fuel with a bacon and egg roll and half a muffin, the rain was holding up and at 7.30 sharp we were off. The track was wet, very vet but it was ok considering the rain was holding up.

The first challenge came up quite early in at about 10 kms in. It was quite difficult to ride up the mountain climb, there was just too many people, very steep and it was 1km long. I came out ok, after that was the 25km feed station. Bumping into the Clifton and Alex they headed off first, I had a snack on banana bread and some fruit, a minute or two later off I went.

Quite early after the first feed station I had gotten a terrible stitch in my right abdomen, and it was quite painful. After one climb I just had to pull off to the side to rest, it was much to painful to even breathe. With that rest stop it didn't help at all I just had to suck it up and keep riding. This stitch lasted 10kms with me raising my right arm at any chance I could to stretch out my stitch, it didn't help at all.

At 50kms was the second rest stop and by this time apparently the pros were already finishing the race! There was a nice makeshift bike shop there for any emergency repairs. I took use of their lube station (which was very necessary) and filled up on a bit of water. I didn't fill up all the way because in the first quarter of the race I didn't even drink half my water. Bumped into Alex because he snapped his chain, when it got repaired he took off again.

Riding again the stitched came back into full throttle again, ran out of water at about the 60km mark, I was quite scared because of that. Thankfully I bumped into Alex again because his tube was leaking air, gave him my pump and he gave me some water. So grateful for that.

At 70kms was the 3rd and last feed station, I stopped for a while stretching and watching the other riders ride or wade across the infamous pontoon crossing. If you didn't have the guts to ride across you would wade across waist deep in water with the bike. I had the intention to ride it no matter what, so even if I did fall off I intended on wading back to the start and riding it again. I made it with the first attempt with my hand in the air.

Then for the next few kms I was riding with Alex again. The second major challenge was nearing with a mountain profile of 300m of vertical climbing. I was dedicated to climb this without stopping. I was told that the highest elevation would be at the 86km mark so I was just concentrating on that number and peddling with all my concentration. At the 83km mark up a steep pinch my quads had a very funny/erratic twitch. After that my muscles just gave way and I collapsed. I don't think anyone can comprehend what I was feeling when I say this but I cramped up both legs, I cramped up badly, I was screaming like I was going to die and for a few seconds I honestly thought that I was going to lose my legs forever and I was wondering on how I can lead my life from then on. There was then about 8 other riders crowing around me, all of them brain storming ideas on how to cure my cramps. One guys started rubbing my quads another guy graciously popped an electrolyte tablet into my cammelbak. I was so grateful for all their help and concerns I don't know what I would of done without it.

I had such bad cramps because during the race because all I was fuelled on was water, gels, fruit and banana bread and no salts. I was lacking in sodium badly and so after that I was helped up and was advised to walk it off for a bit.

The next 20 kms was the slowest ever I have ridden 20 kms. I walked up any sort of hill with no power in my legs, it was very strange because I can say I had energy to move but no power, very frustrating it was. The last road section I thought I could power down but no I couldn't my muscles almost started that strange erratic twitch and I almost cramped up again.

I finished though in just under 8 hours with over 2 hours of stopping time, terrible I know. But I'm glad I did it. I now have accomplished something I thought I was utterly stupid for doing.

I have now ridden 105 kms in one ride.

This would be the only other time I ate maccas. Last time before this was when I blogged about it.