Mulbrooks Madness- Report

Where to begin... as you can guess the whole day turned into a complete disaster. I have never had so many thing go wrong in a single race before, the only thing I didn't do was puncture!

Pre-Race
The drive over from Canberra was good I always enjoy the last 30k to the coast seeing how hard I push the car through the corners...it always brings a smile to my face and much yelling from the wife to slow down if she's in the car!
The directions were kinda straight forward but also a bit vague...2k out of Mogo turn into Mulbrook Road then another 6k. I found the right into Mulbrooks Road then started counting the 6k. It's always a bit disconcerting when the road goes from seal to gravel to single lane.... and you know that there is no way you can move over if another car comes flying around one of the downhill corners.
About 1/2 way a couple of signs started appearing so I didn't shot off down one of the side tracks. About 1k on the gravel and I was thinking "I've ridden this road before....oh shit it's that bitch of a hill at the 65k mark on the course!!"
Nearing the top of the hill I spotted the start area, a small clearing to the right. Looking around I was surprised at how few cars there seemed to be...oh well should be some good riding at least if not much racing.
Rego, put the bike together, can of creamed rice, powerbar, throw the kit on and it’s time to line up.

The Race
We get told we are starting down the fire road about halfway…..get there and there is no flat. So uphill start, no flat, out of the Dog and onto the middle-ring.
We get the go and it’s all very chill up the fire road, hard left through timing and onto the single track. I’m sitting fourth at this stage, just following wheels waiting to see when one of the lead riders lays the lead down….nothing.

Me...about as good as it got all day copyright Russell Baker


So we cruise through the first couple of single track sections and into the third. Over one of the small jumps and my saddle bag goes flying off the back of the seat. Shit have to stop, it’s got the car keys, multi-tool, tube, and CO2 inflator. I’m think it’s just come off the clip, and easy fix. Oh no the clips come off with the bag! So undo the
zip and the whole mess spills out as I’m trying to fish the multi-tool out to reattach the clip.
Riders are streaming past as I’m standing there fiddling trying to get this thing back under the seat. Finally it’s back on, and I make sure it’s tight this time. Mentally it feels like I have been standing there forever but it’s probably only 3 minutes. Off and going again trying to smash it but keep a steady tempo to try and make time back up.
I catch up to a slower rider and try to flick out to get past through what seemed like a reasonably open section of track and the front wheel slips/ grabs on the wheel track and I’m suddenly being flung sideways at …..The trees I didn’t notice before. Shit! The way I’m going over it’s going to be face first into the trunk, I manage to get my left arm up to protect my face as I go in.
Normally I try to keep my hands on the bars when I can but in this case I figured protecting the face was a good idea which I did. However I managed to run the forearm right across the face of the tree taking skin off my forearm, upper arm, shoulder, left side and back…but hey my face is alright ;)
Picking myself up cursing at how stupid that was, I jump back on the bike and start the chase all over again. The arms stinging and I can see blood slowly leaking from under the sleeve but I just ignore it and concentrate on riding and mentally accessing the rest of the body… seems as OK as it’s likely to be after a close encounter with a tree.
I roll through timing for a 47min lap, not much I can do about it but keep going and keep pushing. I make the second lap in 45min, halfway I picked off about 5-6 riders through the lap. Coming into lap 3 and my back starts to go, initially it’s a slight pain and I think I’ve probably tweaked it going into tree…but it steadily get’s worse. So I’m in and go of the seat trying to stretch it, then up the long fire road climb I start getting cramping. So I try backing off the pedals, but the twinges keep coming then at the top of the climb my right leg locks. I haven’t cramped in ages, but when it happens I know it’s bad. I get it through the tendon running down the inside of my leg and it just goes into total lock.
Now on a road bike you can kind of coast and try and stretch it out, unclip but at least keep some momentum. On a MTB doesn’t work like that, so I jump off and start walking. Slowly the leg unlocks and back on the bike again. Another lock up and I’m off. After doing this 4 times I know that there is no way I’m going to make another lap. Combined with my back going into spasm every few minutes its game over for the day. Rolling the granny up the remaining climbs before the rundown to timing, I keep going straight instead of hooking hard left for another lap.
So all up for the day 2.25hrs riding and a fair bit of fun. I’m a bit gutted about not being able to do the final lap, but I have a feeling if I tried things would have gone really pear-shaped.

Other News
I was supposed to be doing the national Masters Champs this weekend but someone screwed up the dates…I’m blaming Cycling Australia, as I know when I registered the road race was the Saturday. But when I got the information this week it’s now the Friday.
Given that Friday is my last day with my current company before I start my new job Tuesday I’ve been put in the position where I just can’t race so I’m a bit bummed about that.

But something to cheer me up
But on the bright side I got a couple of boxes from overseas yesterday including a new front wheel from hope built up with their Pro 3 hub. Notice the funky rotor.
Also an order of new tires from Schwalbe.

Box of goodies