I like to think that I am pretty meticulous when it comes to my sport and racing. I like to go into an event knowing that I have done the necessary training and gone over my equipement more than once to ensure everything is where and how it should be.
That is why, lining up for the Highland Fling 100miler MTB event on Sunday, 13th November, frustration, generally sums things up for me. Having gone over the bike before packing it into the car for the trip down to the race the day before, everything was sweet. However, taking the bike out of the car the next morning (race morning), I no longer had any rear brakes!
Nothing, zip, zero and desperate last minute attempts to get the brakes to work had no effect and I resigned myself to yet another race without a fully functioning bike (Husky 100). Still, the weather was warm, no rain was predicted and this was a new challenge in that it was the longest single-day MTB event I had ever attempted - so lets go out and have some fun.
The early pace to the first feed zone was, as predicted, pretty high as I hung with the lead group which included World 24hr champion, Jason English.
An incredible athlete. If you look at him, he looks nothing special with his hairy legs and slim but not super-ripped frame. But the guy is a machine and when he starts to wind it up, no-one can hang with him. So I was happy to still see him as we exited the first feed zone with the front bunch of around eight. I was feeling ok and happy to have the first 23km under the belt in around 55mins, it was now the first of two laps of around 60km. This is when I decided to just go my own pace, the guys soon put the hammer down and I just couldn't keep up down the tricky downhill sections with only a front brake.
I settled in with a bunch containing all 100km riders, who started with us 100milers and we all worked together to get to the second feed zone in around 2hr15.
Things were starting to heat up now and I was starting to feel it. Cramps were now my barometer of effort level - push it a bit too hard and cramps would bring me to a dead stop. I was cramping everywhere, even in my fingers as gripping on tight down the technical sections took it's toll. I have never cramped so badly in a race and up some hills I just had to push through the pain, if I stopped, I would never be able start again!
The dry conditions also meant my chain lost all lubrication and now I was battling chain suck in the small chainring up the slow steep climbs and I therefore had to leave it in the big chainring which meant more effort and more cramps. I was starting to loose my sense of humour!
However, on this second lap, I was now starting to catch slower 100km riders and aiming for each one up ahead gave an immediate goal to focus on and kept the mind from focussing on the discomfort of the cramps.

Back through the feed zone for the third and final time before the last leg back to the start/finish area, a section of 37km and Kate was on hand to hand out the oh-so-sweet ice-cold bottles and give a last few words of encouragement ("Jason went through about 50mins ago!").
The track ahead was now quite busy with 100km back-markers and it was getting all very social as I shared a few words with others as I came past. The route also held a last few surprises, a la "Cape Epic" style, with a hill climb nick-named "the Mont Ventoux of dirt" around 10km to go!
I crossed the line cramped, sore, tired, thirsty but oh so happy. This is a brilliant race in a fantastic location and real challenge.
I held on for 6th place in a time of 7hrs28mins.
Back next year for sure, just with new brakes!