When nobblies become slicks

Tre-X Endurance was two weeks ago now and that seems like a lifetime. But looking at images and video of the event brings it all back.

The day was wet, which we were told is typical of the endurance race. I'd never ridden in wet and muddy conditions, so I was wary about the conditions. Even so, I chose to not do a practice lap before the start of the race. Retrospectively, I think that was a good idea-it would have spooked me!


Going into the race I had a simple goal. I wanted to come out of the swim feeling stronger than last time. I certainly did that. In fact, I felt stronger through the whole race and took time off my run. I finished without feeling fatigued and knew that all the work I'd put in with my trainer had paid off. Thanks Dayna and well done on your race and result!

My swim was exactly the same time as the last race. I really need to do my swim sessions without breaking every 50 metres, though!

My bike leg was a lot slower than the first race because of the mud and rain. It was so muddy that I had to stop two or three times to clean muck out of my tyres and brackets so my wheels would turn!!

Riding in mud is so different and with our climate and conditions, it's not something we get much practice at. My tyres had a thick coating of sticky mud on them part way through first lap of the mtb course. There was no tread to speak of and the ground was incredibly slippery. Most riders around me were walking their bikes through bad parts of the track. A few times I attempted to jog through it, but my feet were slipping around as much as my bike.

The rain came and went throughout the race and by the time I was on my second lap of the mtb course it seemed to have diluted the top layer of mud enough that it was no longer so sticky. I was able to stay on my bike a lot more on that lap and did a quicker time.

I felt so good the whole race and remember smiling and laughing a lot. I couldn't have been much happier when I crossed the finish line.


The guys from Phoenix Adventure were there, always smiling, helping out with advice and race tips and letting me crash their tent-a blessing given the weather! Thanks Andy, Miriam, Katherine, Shane, Alannah, Clarissa and Co and congratulations on your results!

There are so many events coming up, it's hard to keep track. I'll post a list of them soon, with links to the websites.

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