Day Night Thriller 12hr Solo Report

So much for the event title – this was a team event from way before I got to the start line! Following the training schedule set out by Coach (Robyn), hubby Shane servicing and preparing my bike, Big Gav for giving my wheels some love after their World Cup mission in Canberra (where Lisa taught them to go fast!)

Plan for this year was to try and stay in touch with the 2 riders that I placed behind at the Moonride – I didn’t know any of the other solo women, so didn’t know what to expect from them. I started the event in my usual style – being passed rapidly by the more confident and/or aggressive riders and ending up towards the back of the pack! I got a rark-up from hubby on my first time through the pits – something along the lines of everyone else being long gone!! I lost at least 5 minutes to my competition on this lap – something to work on for the future. I slowly began to work my way through the field – receiving a boost at one point by following PBR after he passed me – Dean makes a most excellent traffic cop J I was enjoying myself 3 laps in – pushing myself a little harder than I though I could, singing to myself along the trails (apologies to anyone who may have heard me) and through the pits “Whoooah – Livin’on a Prayer!!!” and some dodgy 70’s number that stuck in my head!! I rode with Jemima Brindle (Jim) for a while – managing to give her a laugh when I stupidly chucked my bike away over a tree root! Unfortunately she had to pull out of the event just after halfway with an upset stomach. Jim’s well and truly kicked my butt at the last couple of events & I was looking forward to seeing if I could stay closer to her this time.

Pit passes (no stops allowed!!) were a dream – Lisa was waiting every lap & would run alongside of me to pass my bottle and stuff food in my pocket. I didn’t drink much on the first few laps, but, once reminded, managed to get through enough fluid for the rest of the day. Gave they guys in the tent next to ours some entertainment as I fired empty bottles and cups into their site!

I got the shock of my life when I caught Megan (Dimozantos – 24hr Moonride winner) in the pit area – I had a very long WTF moment until I figured that I must have somehow been a lap down on her, and have clawed that back. Lisa told me to go and catch her – nice thought, but didn’t really work! I had a quick chat with Megan, tried to congratulate her on her efforts at World Solo Champs, but she soon picked up the pace and left me behind… I passed her back later that lap while she was stopped out on the trail and just kept on pedaling until I was told it was time to put my lights on.

The light stop went smoothly – except that I had my phone with me and my light battery was pressing on the camera button, so I heard beep-beep-beep-beep for the whole lap! Kind of hard to sing along to…

The low point of the roller coaster that is endurance riding kicked in for me at about the 8.5 hour mark… I had no legs, no energy & wanted to curl up and have a wee bawl!! Got back to the pits to tell the team that I’d blown, and that was it… Lisa made me stop and get some solid food in, got a hug from hubby and was off… must’ve done the trick cos I was singing again by the top pits!!


Riders on the whole were pretty well behaved – ended up leaning on a guy who tried to pass me as I was going around a rider up a climb, having a conversation that went something like “I say, old chap, that’s not really on. How about you wait until there’s a bit of space, what?” The pits themselves were a little dodgier – I think I did a passable imitation of a screaming psycho harpy more than once as riders did their best to t-bone me when starting their laps.


As time wore on I looked at my watch & had less than 90 minutes to go – not enough time for 3 laps, but plenty for 2. At this point I thought I was second, and was hoping I could hold on to that placing. I stopped for a feed – scoffed down some coffee-bean fudge (washed down with powerade), loaded up with coke and headed out for my last stint – Yay, I only have to do this once more!! It was time to sing again… w00t – last lap!! Goodbye river, goodbye tree roots, goodbye to the tree that I tried to ride into every lap… grovel up the climb into the pits – ACDC starts playing! I’ve got 10 minutes to get through the pits – easy! Down the hill, over the ramp, turn right, up the hill (being pushed by Lisa!!) to the Jamis site where Lisa tells me I’ve won!! My response went something like “You’re f**cken kidding me!!” Hugs all around, then parked my weary arse in front of the heater with a coffee & watched the team pack up. I think I may have had a couple of sips of pinot at one point while talking (babbling) to Lisa– apparently it helps to speed recovery!

Megan spoke to me after prizegiving – didn’t even see her on the podium! I’m extremely embarrassed to say that I hardly took in what she was saying… I’d love to catch up with her at some point when I’m a little more awake & compare notes.

Finally - thanks again to Lisa for keeping me fed, watered and on target… and for running around with Tigger tied to her head!!