29 Apr 2009

I know it’s be a couple of months since the Otway Odyssey was held but I thought I’d post a few words and some photos anyway. Better late than never right?

What can I say about that Odyssey, it’s known as one of the hardest (if not the hardest) mountain bike marathon race in Australia and attracts the best races from all over the country. Let’s just say it held up its end of the bargain, it was tough, really tough and given its reputation, you have to stay focused when you‘re hurting and not let the thought of what‘s to come crush you. That pretty much sums up my race I’d say, I suffered cramps from about 90 minutes in (probably due to a case of gastro the day before) which pretty much made for an extra tough race.

Coming though transition after 60 odd kilometres I was convinced that I was riding at the back of the race and had no real drive to continue until I was told I was in fact just outside the top 20. That gave me a massive boost which made me regain focus, I remembered that I was in a similar situation the year before which meant I could still ride myself back into this race. I went out hard into the Yauhter Loop where I past several riders within the first few kms which fueled the fire. Mairina’s Run was as mind blowing as ever with its amazing banked corners that god himself may have carved. Dropping down into the gully after the last burms was when it all turned pear shaped, a stick went through my front wheel stopping the bike and sending me superman-ing headfirst into the gully, knocking the wind completely out of me. After picking myself up and searching around for my ejected bitons, a few riders that I had previously overtaken cruised on past which was a damaging blow for my head space. I got going again slowly as my lungs didn’t like breathing too heavily after taking a pounding during the crash. I had pretty much decided that I would pull the plug at next transition as I was hurting real bad and the final 13kms was nothing but fire road climbing death.

As I limped along in my sorry state, Alex Randall appear from behind and gave me the pep talk I needed to keep going and finish the race, the basic gist of it was harden up and don’t pull out. Alex and I rode together for the remainder of the race though the huge fire road climb of the final loop and crossed the line together in 25th and 26th place.

Posted by brett @ 9:35 pm

3 Responses to “Otway Odyssey 2009”

1. Thylacine Says:
   April 30th, 2009 at 3:27 pm

   Finally a damned race report! What am I paying you turkeys for!?! ;o)

2. brett Says:
   April 30th, 2009 at 3:41 pm

   I guess you get what you pay for.
   At first I was waiting to get the photos off the camera, then it became a lack of time.

3. Nelo Says:
   April 30th, 2009 at 6:01 pm

   I kinda figured you were off racing a series of the outer planetary circuit! Wondered when the words were going to flow again.

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