Angry Doctor

So the Angry Doctor...how angry? I think mildly annoyed to tell you the true.
Well it's over and done with for the year and I can cross it off my list of things.

Pre-race
Having never done the race before or ridden in the area I was expecting something like the Oteway Odyssey course, a sh!t load of climb and little respite but what I got once out there was a lot easier and dare I say it...enjoyable.
Prior to the race I made the decision to race the hardtail rather then El Salt due to the amount of climbing. Word also came out 2 days prior that there had been some rain and trails had packed down....to who said that you were WRONG! I made my choice to swap the tires over to a Raven/ Crow combo.
I was also keeping an eye on the weather forecasts, with the temps predicted to hit about 30ish I decided to use 3x 500ml bottles figuring that worse case I would be taking 3hrs to complete each 50k loop.

Race Day
A nice early 3am wake up and choking down some breakfast to get on the road saw me out the door about 3.30ish. Only saw 2 lots of Kangaroos on the road so was pretty happy about that. Arriving at Mogo about 5.30 and with enough time to stuff down my first can of creamed rice before rolling over to rego and signing in and getting my numberplate and back to the car. Time for a 20min kip, more creamed rice and change into my gear load the pockets up.

-500ml bottle with Clif salty lemonade mix
-3x packs of Clif shot blok margaritta
-1x Clif Bar
-2x 500ml bottles on the bike

ready to rock

Start Time
I got over to the start area early sat down and watched people roll in. There was kind of a subdued buzz about the place as the weight of what was about to happen became a reality. I also like bike watching to spot the latest toys, though was a bit disappointed as there was nothing really flash that jumped out on the day.
At this stage I still hadn't made up my mind as to whether to start in Group 1 or 2, with Group 1 being under 5.45hrs. My mind was made up after I saw Big Jase and Kevin lining up in the front group.
We line up and get the kind of a race briefing and then we're off! Left on the seal, left again then onto the forestry road and into the first hill. At this stage it's a swarm with people going left, right, and centre. I try to just the keep the pace high and start moving up through the other riders. Out onto the main fire road, and I can see the front group about 150m up the road it's looking like about 20 riders at this stage. An I make the decision to not try and jump across and just ride my own pace. Up up up down and into the first single track section and it's here that I realise how badly I have stuffed up my tire selection for the day. The tracks are all loose over hardpack, with probably about 5-7mms of loose through the corners. Immediately my sense of being competitive goes out the window and starts to become OK how can I do this without dealing myself?

Loop 1
Surprisingly I'm not getting passed my many people through this section, but I have turned into an annoying yo-yo. Anytime the trail points up or it's a fire trail I'm on the gas clawing back time and positions I loose through the single track. At this stage the climbs we're hitting aren't that long or hard so I'm quiet happy, I also have no idea where I am as I didn't bother to look at the map before the start. Glancing down at the powertap occasionally to check how I'm going for time against the kilometre markers I figure I'll have done the first 50 in about 2.30hrs.
And round and round we go, up, down, left, right it all becomes a bit of a blur at this stage...it's still fun and effort hasn't kicked in yet.
Into transition right on 2.27hrs, drain the last bottle. 3 off 3 on empty out the pockets fill 'em up again and out. I don't give myself time to think in and out again.

Second Loop
Some where about the 60k mark is where the body started to feel the full effects of my efforts so far. My back started killing me, I go from being able to stamp the pedals to turning them, all the flow goes out of my riding and it feels like I am hitting every bump on the trail. Out through the single track on the long fire road climb, and this is the part of the course where everyone is feeling it. The sun is finally out in full effect. Surviving the long grind to the top, followed by more single track and it's about now that I start looking at the distance on the powertap, comparing it to the course markers and just generally playing mindgames to keep myself amused. The final aid station takes forever to come into view. I stop and scull down a bottle of gu mix on offer refill again then back on the bike for the final 20k.

Are we there yet?
Title says it all another 3k and I'm just wanting it to be over. Even though there is some wicked singletrack through here the care value is 0. So I keep it together over the last few k's and roll in for a time of 5.33hrs.

Post-Race
Results are up now, the time was good enough for 50th place and 25th for the open category. Looking back over the decisions I made, I'm happy with the use of bottles rather then a hydra-pack. Food, maybe could have eaten a bt more, but didn't blow up. The hardtail I'm OK with as well, I got pretty beat up towards the end but thats to be expected. I think the tires were probably the biggie, lack of grip was just plain embarrassing at times....so anyway there is another race in a weeks time back at Mogo using the last 14k of the course so I can make so equipment changes and test my theories.

Energy burnt: 3685kJ
TSS:427
Np:241w
VI:1.31
HR:154bpm