Otway Odyssey

So, my goal for today at my first attempt is 8 hours. I have been anxious leading up to the race due to its reputation and now that I am on the start line I am pumped. The weather is mild which after the night before has come as somewhat of a bit of a surprise. Over night 26mm fell over The Otways.  Everyone is wondering how the course will be affected. No need to worry.  We will all find out soon enough.

 

Off we go and I have positioned myself without too many hassles. The pace is comfortable with the occasional banzai warrior racing past.  Onto Wild Dog Ride. Happy with climbing and passing people up the hill.  Heart rate is fine and I look down at my Garmin and notice the gradient is at 11%. Why did I add that data field and how steep is that anyway?  Get to the hairpin and look down to see a line of riders snaking back down the hill.

 

Holy cow, what a cross wind. Put the head down and use the other riders as shelter.

 

First bit of descending and I am passing people around me. I think I have finally getting the bike dialled in. The XTR brakes are awesome. Well, not quite, my bum is getting sore.  I swapped the bars out for carbon earlier in the week and they must be different enough to change my riding position. Nothing for it now. Will attend to it at the top of the climb. 

What's that beeping?

 

Quick stop, saddle adjusted, gel downed and back into it. Another tarmac road section and I am feeling good.

 

Still more beeping, phone or car key?  At this point I don't care. I feel strong and moving forward.

 

Time to get off the road and onto Old Coach Road into what I can only describe as wet concrete render.  Riders are shooting off into all directions to avoid the slop.

 

There is water everywhere and some people are hitting it head on. Their bikes are going up to the hubs. Hope they are carrying lube.

 

The trail "drys" out for a while and still making good time and descending comfortably. Yep, spoke too soon. The trail is getting cut up and the bike is getting sucked along in the ruts and washouts. Slipping, sliding with wheels locked out.  The back wheel overtakes me and I land on my bum in 200mm deep water. Ha.

 

The trail turns diabolical. Totally unridable for the next 6km. It is the most soul  destroying, sticky clay that I have ever seen. In some places it is so pure that it can be used to throw pots. After 50m of pushing, you stop retrieve a stick and then proceed to remove as much mud as possible from the bike, tyres, derailleur and shoes. Push and then repeat.

 

The weather is getting cooler and spots of rain are coming down. Still beeping. Now I am too tired to care.

 

You have got to be kidding. My bike stops rolling downhill. More filth removed just to get the wheels to turn.  Today is the worst conditions I have ever ridden in.

 

At each of the three creek crossings people are trying to find water deep enough to wash their bikes. I only care about my shoes. Struggling with the mud and the drinks station comes at the perfect time. No more clay.

 

Clean the glasses and point the bike down the hill. Super fast and clean descent. Having some fun and a regain a bit of focus. Glasses are fogged up and get stowed as I hit Red Carpet for the timed 8km descent. Back into some sort of rhythm. Head isn't quite there, still with the beeping, but I manage to catch people. My time for the descent is 17.37. Ok with that considering I was held up for a while in a train of six.

 

Eyes are stinging and do so for days to come from all the crap that has picked up by my tyres. One of the benefits of seeing I suppose.

 

More single track and now I am making lots of small mistakes. Incorrect entries and existing to corners to my position on the bike to tackle any technical terrain and still with the bleeping beeping.

 

Heart rate spikes as my front wheel on side of a longitudinal tree root and the back wheel on the other. Wheel plus wheel equals  high side bike exit into a tree fern.  Another soft landing.  Come to a sign "Corporate Ladder" That can only mean up.

 

Another mistake and another fall into a deep bowl of a hole. I am stuck on my back with the bike on top of me. I feel like a turtle and feel like I tore my calf in the deal.  Days later I work out it was just a corky. Relief. After what feels like an eternity I manage to roll over and drag myself out of the hole.

 

 

I can no longer cope. I am cold, wet and in pain. The mud has broken me. Mentally I am spent.  Beeping, will you stop with the beeping? The rest of the ride into transition is a blur. Arrive at the football ground in 4h 43m and I bump into Ben who has already finished the full distance and me tries to convince me to keep going.

 

I am ahead of the time I had set for myself but I am too fragile to tackle the last 37km. After all the small mistakes to date I don't want to turn them into a big one.

 

So angry and down on the myself since for not getting through the race.  Need to remember how that feels and use it for motivation next year.

 

What did I take away from The Otway Odyssey?  The new carbon bars were easier on the hands and shoulders, not as much numbness and shoulder pain.  Awesome.

I am still struggling to get enough solid food down.

If there is a bucket load of rain overnight run narrow tyres to allow greater clearance, not that it would have made that much difference in the clay and pack a spatula.

 

 racedata

 

...and the beeping a 10 minute reminder in my calender for The Otway Odyssey.