Well, if Andrew thought the Grade D start was a bit slow, us Transitional and Main 3 race novices thought the pace was incredibly fast!
We – Group D entrants Sam, Rebekah, Jen, Brooke (who is now the poster girl for PIHCG), Ross, Liam and John – and Group E Carol, Greg and Judy took the train up on Friday and were supported by Ross’s wife Jo who drove the hired bus on the race days. This was our first race and a first ride of more than 80km. Carol, Ross and Jen were also committed to the Sunday race. For Rebekah, Sam and Liam, Ross and Jo this was a trip down memory lane as they had previously lived in Kal.
Group E commenced at 10.10 at a blistering pace of nearly 50kph! Carol’s crew formed their own peloton and supported each other for the next 4.5 hours. Damn sight tougher than doing it in 2.5 hours.
For Group D, we were on the front at the starting line but within 100 meters were overtaken by the other 40 cyclists. Brooke joined the peleton and manage to keep up for a while but then got dropped and cycled on her own for 60km – which must have been hard. The six of us, urged on by Jen, managed to reach mid 40kph but that clearly could not last. John had to have a comfort stop at about 20k (“it must be an age thing, I had no coffee and went just before the start – why do I need to go again?”) but caught the group up as the pace had dropped to a speed we are much more used to. Gradually the group splintered with John and Jen playing I-Spy to cope with the grind (Jen: two letter word beginning with C and E. Answer: cats eyes!! John: Jen there are no cats eyes – you’re hallucinating).
At 60k Jen eased up so John was on his own for about 40k but manage to catch up with our Group E buddies who advised him that Brooke was ahead. John and Brooke cycled the last 30k together and another chance to play I-Spy (“something beginning with T”: “tree” – got it in one!) to take our minds off an aching back, aching shoulders, and sore Achilles tendons.
Meanwhile Carol, Greg and Judy had been joined by Jen, Ross and Liam to come in 10 mins later followed shortly afterwards by Sam and Rebekah.
An amazing rise: well out of our comfort zones and out of our depth! But we all did it. I don’t know how Carol, Ross and Jen could do it all again on the Sunday.
Carol & John
Jen had booked a flight out of Leonora…so there was no option.. cycle together to Leonora. At the 30km mark the SAG wagon was right behind us .. by 50km I was ready to quit .no way I wanted to sit on the saddle for any more kms. Hell we had done 137km.. how can 103km be harder… well we had not factored on the wind… everything seemed like it was an uphill climb ..and pre-tenderised backside certainly makes for another level of pain. But Jo saved the day…. at 50km she suggested the only way to eat an elephant was in small pieces.. so every 10km thereafter Jo was waiting for us with food and encouragement….by the time we made it to Leonora the finish line was packed away….but we did make it under our own steam.. with considerable encouragement from the driver of the Sag wagon and Jo… I cannot say thank you enough.
John P. made the whole race seem easy…but he is used to such things – OK so he had not been on a road bike for 4 weeks… price one pays for a holiday.. and yes there was a little bit of work in there. Next time with some training it might be easier…. But then there is always the unpredictable wind. The race commentator did mention that the C grade was more like a B grade. It was tough for everyone and SPR was well represented..sticking together to help others through…that is the best thing