Marathon Challenge Avoca

I had the option of going to the Formula 1 this weekend but when I realized the Big Hill Events Marathon challenge was on at Avoca I knew I wouldn’t be able to join Ross is sneaking into the pits to get Bernie Ecclestone’s autograph.

The 45km race at the Big Hill events Marathon challenge was my first XC race 3 years ago, it holds a special place in my heart. I really enjoyed the course 3 years ago but wasn’t able to get back to it for the next 2 years. The course contains some amazing single-track; rocky, loose and steep. Just the way I like it. I vowed to myself that if I did a slower time than I did 3 years ago as a chubby mo fo on a 6 inch trail bike I would quit Mountain biking.

I choose to drive up this morning whilst others including Jade and Aleisha choose to camp at the winery where the event is based out of to make a weekend of it.  I’m not sure if my sensitive body could have dealt with camping because when I stepped out of the car at 7am I was immediately freezing, it was cold enough the freeze the balls off a brass monkey.

As with all events run by Big Hill Events everything was running like a well-oiled machine. I picked up my race plate and free gels in 2 seconds. I then was overjoyed to discover there was no porta-loos but ACTUAL toilets in the winery, the only downside was that due to the tough nature of the course everyone was shitting themselves resulting in a long line. With both the 45km and 90km having a lot of climbing you didn’t want to be giving a free scenic bus ride to My Hanky Poo.

I choose to ride my Rocky Mountain Vertex 990 for the race. The large amount of climbing meant I wanted something light but I knew the 990 could not only handle the rocky single track but would allow me to enjoy myself and the complaint frame would provide all the comfort I needed for the 45k’s. I also had a set of Enve carbon wheels to use for the weekend, I don’t want to sound like someone who has just got rich and become a scientologist but as soon as I rode these wheels I was a believer. Sure you can get some light aluminium wheels but they are no where near as stiff as these bad boys. I found myself riding along thinking how direct and stuff my bike felt. All I can say is try a pair, you will be a believer.

The first 50 minutes of the course involved a blast around the winery then an 8km climb. I figured on the climb that as I was only doing the 45km distance I should be able to stay with the 90km guys until the top when I turned off. Unfortunately my legs had other ideas, I tried to go with the first attack but all my legs did was blaze their middle finger up at me. I also realized at the point I hadn’t quite set my new saddle up level and it was pointing up slightly. My gooch was going to cop it today.

So with everything from my waist down in pain I settled into a rhythm and spun my way to the top. Once at the top of the climb I turned off and hit the Pyrenees endurance trail single track.  From here until the finish I was loving life. I would rate this as some of the best single track I have ridden in an XC race in Australia. It’s steep, rocky, fast and loose. Plenty of the corners have ruts or are banked so you can really dig into them. I ran Schwalbe Racing Ralphs 2.2 and they were perfect. The low rolling resistance was great for the climb and yet they provided ample grip for the steep and loose single-track.

A lot of people in the past have complained about the difficulty of the single-track in this race but variety is the spice of life and not every race should be run on groomed trails. It’s great to ride single track that is real challenge were you are constantly thinking about line choice and body position. Unfortunately I didn’t listen to my own advice and wasn’t paying attention to line choice, scrapping my tyres sidewall against a sharp rock. After realizing the cut was too big for my sealant to seal I changed the tube, as I was putting the tube in the tyre I saw 2^nd place ride past me.

I set off on the remainder of the uphill switchbacks after 1^st place but as soon as I hit the singletrack called “Sams Cherry” I forgot about racing and was just having fun. From there it was a little more climbing then then 3 steep pitches known as “the 3 sisters”.  Once over them it was a straight down a steep fireroad filled with water bars. This section has claimed a few riders in previous years so my plan was to keep my powder dry and my pecker hard, going fast when I could but being sensible.

After that it was a quick blast across the flat, some more rad single-track then a rip through the winery and across the line. I pushed hard across the flat sections hoping to catch first but realized it was not meant to be. I rolled across the line in 2^nd place less than a minute behind first and looking forward to ginger beer.

Jade managed to keep herself out of the winery cellar on Saturday night and finished in 4^th place in the women’s 45km while Aleisha was not far behind in 6^th.

I really hope that some form of event can take place here in the future as I really rate this course. Its races like these that make Monday’s hard. A big thanks most go out to Rohin and Alan at Big Hill Events, I cannot recommend their events enough,they are always well run, great value and good courses. They run some of the best events in Victoria including Buxton Bootcamp, Dirty Gran Fondo and Double Cross.