Isolated Flat

I could post so many pictures from today. The snow on the tents and cars, bikes on cars, people waiting, false starts, but really today was about snow. And wind. This 9km flat into a head wind with wind-chill would have been a killer.

With 400 riders (sort of) rearing to go, the camp site began awakening at 5.35. No doubt they were eating, carbo loading for the 80km ahead, sorting gear and bikes, putting on many layers of clothes, and then waiting.

Yes, it was still snowing and while it wasn't settling in camp, the hills around us were white. And it was blowing. Temp, 0 deg. Wind chill -10deg. So, at 8am the race organiser rightly decided that 400 people racing 80km in -10deg temps was too risky, so we all packed up at and 8.30 headed 60km back towards the finish line to Acheron. The drive was slow, 2hrs for the 60km, and windy, snowy and cold (by the looks of it from my air conditioned car). I was secretly quite happy not to be riding.

Then we stopped and conditions were assessed. After 30 minutes I had psyched myself into doing the last 20km, and assumed it would go ahead. We started changing tyres for the anticipated muddy and slippery conditions, and then ... the race was cancelled. Bugger, sort of. So back into the cars and driving the last 20km of the race. Wet, cold, even more snow, and very slippery. Good call, would have been miserable on a bike. As the race organiser said, many people would have tried to ride and not coped, and they couldn't have handled large volumes of cold wet riders. Fair enough.

Back to the race finish, a BBQ, spot prize draws, and then it was over. The 10th Anniversary of the Molesworth Muster was a washout. I bought a memorial t-shirt ;-)

Despite this, KD and I decided to carry on with the plan of staying the night. Coffee in town, check into the apartment, off to the pools for a soak, then back to the apartment for beer, wine and movies. Blissful. Not a hard day, but a long day. Buggered, and I never even got on my bike!

Right, so next year. I am going to train harder. Thing to do:

* Heart rate monitor, and train to it
* Start training off with a week riding in Rotorua - that really helped me this year
* Good diet and no drinking for 6 weeks pre-race
* Make more of a commitment.

Next year I'd like to do well. Challenge set.