Otway Classic (Feb 2010 - Bruno)

Like with many races someone talks you into doing it and such was the reason I fell into doing the Otway Odyssey. I think quietly my mate wanted to tap into my Ironman experience to help him through it. He has reminded me that he called me chicken when I said I was going to do the 50km easy option. Not liking being called chicken I entered the 100km!

Went to bed the night before to the sound of the ocean waves and at 5am in the morning I could hear something but it turned out to be a 30kph wind drowning out the noise of the waves! Poor Tristan became aware of this when his bike was ripped from the car roof driving to race start. Fortunately he was able to start. At 6am the temp was 26 degrees already so it was concerning me that you had to carry your fluid up massive hills and the first hydration stop was around 40k's into the race. Would it be enough?

Like arriving at many races you turn into the main street and there are hundreds of people in pitch darkness setting up their bikes. The race was 100km starting at Apollo Bay through the Otway ranges to Forrest and looping around the town riding the fantastic trails there. The start was a mass start and it was self seeding where you had to guess where you fitted in. The choices ranged from Olympian to granny ring. I wasn't a novice but not a front runner but tried to get to near the front and with a thousand starters - yep 1000 mountain bikes, it was a nervous wait for the horn hoping that my bars didn't get clipped by a sprinter coming through.

The first few k's was along the main road until we turned for the first two hours of mainly climbing. I was trying to follow Tedde's instructions to stay under 87% and I reckon most of the field passed me on the first hill which took about 38mins. When the road changed to gravel towards the crest it was extremely windy, dusty and to make matters worse the sun was right in our eyes. Strangely I saw three riders with broken chains within the first 10 kms of the race.

We turned off into a private property which is only open to the riders once a year so this part I hadn't been on before. Well there was creek crossing where everyone got off to try to stay dry by rock hopping. Then there were horrendous hills where everyone around us was walking up. I would estimate for the race there was roughly 30 mins of walking hills. The farm didn't appear to be as bad as they warned.

It was starting to heat up and I had a 3 litre camelback and a 600ml bidon on the frame. We crossed the main road to ride through these 4WD tracks which had some ruts full of water which made for muddy bikes and there was no going around them. Then they had these massive down and uphills where it was difficult to let go of the brakes on the descents. The first hydration station was a welcome sight but I only filled the bidon as I still had fluid in the CB.

Eventually we started on the single tracks which were very technical, turns, switchbacks, logs, twists and oh did I say hilly. At 67km you arrive at the Forrest football oval which is where you have your support crew give out your nutrition. Fortunately my support was more than a plastic bag on the side of the track. Sara, Jane and Brooke gave me a fresh Camelback and filled my bidon with coke and I was out of there in quick time. Some people were having a sit down picnic but the triathlete quick transition mentality got the better of me.

The tracks that followed were single tracks and it’s hard to describe all the different conditions but the one that sticks out was a narrow one on Mariners Run. It was a series of big dippers and by the time you hit the top of the third one you were going to get some air! The track fell away and turned pretty quickly so there was no time to feel fatigued, you had to concentrate so hard. I was feeling better with the coke on board but my enthusiasm got the better of me and I had my second stack and looked down and saw a golf ball size lump on my knee which wasn't there 30 secs before. Fortunately it was low speed but unfortunately it was on a rocky part of the track. People were really friendly and always asked if you were ok. I wonder if I said no would they pull up?

During the second half of the race I felt the back half of the bike bobbing a bit and gripping harder on cornering. I had a flat but thanks to the liquid called Stans which rolls around the inside of the tyres it sealed itself but I still reckon I lost at least 5 lb pressure. It is a big difference when you only have about 30 to begin with. Obviously the lower pressure didn't help with climbing either but I didn't want to stop and unpack my compulsory first aid kit, tools and find a canister to give it a pump up as I would probably over-inflate it anyway.

The track loops back through the football ground at 87km and thankfully Steeny handed me a cold coke as I headed out on the last 13km. They give certain sections of the course names like,
white knuckle slide, Brittany’s meltdown, hells elevator and sledge hammer! The hardest one to make out late in the day went something like:
Dontyawish
Yourgirlfrindwas hotlikeme

There was more climbing, walking and sliding - even in the last 5km. There was not a lot of people around by this time and you start to think are you on the right trail have I blitzed them (not) or am I bringing up the rear.

Finally you get to the fire trail which takes you in to the football ground, the crowds and music but no finisher’s medal, commemorative towel or catcher to hold you up. Just a girl with an English accent handing you a ticket for a free beer-that's mountain bike racing!

A few Stats:
Distance 100km
Competitors 1000
Finishers 695
Winning time (male) 4 hr 44m
Fastest female (Olympic road cycling medallist) 5hr 48min
Slowest time 11hr 22mins
Phil Anderson (former Tour de France) 5hr 31 min
Me 7hr 35 min
Max temp 34 degrees

Hope you enjoyed the read
Bruno