Masters Race report by Stuart

Sometimes, I don’t know why I race. Actually, most of the time I don’t know why I race. I guess everybody has their own and differing reasons for putting up with the pain, preparation, expense, nerves, pain, inconvenience, danger, selfishness and pain – did I mention pain? But there are rewards, even for non winners – which means most of us.

The alarmed arrival of race day brought the usual wakening of nervousness and questioning of “why do I do this?” However, once the pre-race routine of breakfast (porridge and fruit bread plus coffee and Sustagen sips), clothing/gear collection and checking was underway the nerves settled. Fortunately the weather was as different from last year’s event as is possible to get, so the wet weather gear was not required, but it was a bit chilly. Perhaps winter really is coming!

Arrival at the race headquarters at Roleystone High School was without drama. The new SPCC tent was already set up near the finish line by Pete and helpers and looked ‘a treat’, even though its full effectiveness of shelter from the rain or blazing sun was not to be tested on this day.

Most of the SPR crew were involved in either the Womens Open race (112km), or the Masters Mens race for which the 35-54yrs category and 55+ category where combined because of 4 starters only in the latter group. Feel pity then for John Phillips who had prepared for a 50km race, only to find he had to endure 112km with the younger group! Also in the Masters race were Peter, Michael B, Stuart, Julian A, Brett, Bruce and Matt which meant we had a strong presence. Bolstering our moral from the sidelines Rob, Kim and Darryl gave support – thanks guys.

The race course itself was fairly unremarkable, starting with a 50km out and back hot-dog section and finishing with almost 3 full laps around the Roleystone High School hill. It’s easier to describe the hot-dog section as undulating rather than hilly, which suggests that the course is not hard. But that would be misleading because the total ‘ascent’ of 1135m over the course of the race indicates that it’s not really that easy at all – especially the last 3 laps.

Anyway, the ‘out’ part of the hot-dog was relatively subdued although as usual it feels difficult for the first few kilometres when you’re not warmed-up properly. The ‘almost mandatory’ early breaks and surges created little panic in the peloton. Even when 2 riders surged away from the group 2/3 of the journey to the turnaround, there seemed to be no great concern. Matt, Michael and I spent our fair share of time near the front of the bunch, not doing anything in particular, just enjoying the day and its racing activity. After the turn the pace quickened markedly with the GP boys making most of the action. I was unsure of their tactic, whether it was to try to tire us out, reel in the breakaway pair, or make a genuine break. Julian and Mike in particular were prominent at the front during this section, and it certainly was tiring trying to cover the GP boys’ moves which were having no other impact, so I decided to rest for a while at the back of the bunch. John and Brett were looking to be traveling pretty well at this stage. Mike continued to drive the peloton at a high steady pace, consistently at or near the front while the rest of us cruised for a while. Pete patrolled up and down a few times to lend a hand at the front and strengthen the SPR presence there.

At around the 85km mark, I wandered back up to the front to have another look at the pointy end of the race and to ensure I didn’t miss any opportunities which might arise now that the finish was becoming a more significant part of my thought process. I don’t recall exactly how it happened but Mike had eased himself 50m up the road, and I sort of just got up there to join him and nobody else came – I don’t really know why! A mini-break to 2 guys in green should have been ringing alarm bells in the collective mind of the bunch. Maybe we were just lucky to have made the break after all the tiring damage of surges and hills since the turnaround and just before another series of inclines. Well, I was lucky, but Mike had deservedly worked himself into that position, and I just was in the right place at the right time. We worked pretty hard though to stay away and were ‘rewarded’ when the ‘spares’ vehicle tagged us, slotting in between us and the trailing bunch.

Arrival back at Roleystone area really brought to the fore the pain of trying to stay away as we commenced our laps. I wan’t really sure how close the chasing bunch was, and now that we were mixed in with all the other categories doing laps, each backward sight of riders caused the heart and legs to pump harder and harder in fear that our race bunch was closing in on us. When would the pain stop? Mike moved ahead on the penultimate lap (I’m not sure if he knew there was still another lap to go) but I was able to catch him on the last lap and cross the line in third place, just ahead. Joy of joys – it was over, finished, done! Whatever the placing, I was so happy to finish.

Well done to everybody who turned out to ride or support, and congratulations to the breakaway duo who really deserved their top 2 placings.

The day was great, the riding conditions were perfect, the group pace was solid, the race ‘tactics’ were interesting, the SPR presence was significant, and finishing was such a joyful satisfying relief. That’s why I race!