Highland Fling

[manchunks]

Hi , sorry to invade your forums.
If anyone has an entry to the highland fling (1/2 fling ) that they can't use could you please PM me.
cheers

[Marky069]

Hello MC

I cannot help you there. I have just registered however for a new race close by that you may not have heard of yet.

the web address is the100ker.com.au and its down in the Jervis bay region in February.

Mark

[alchemist]

So who is in? Or has there been a lot of softness...?

[Boognoss]

After initially signing up to ride cyclocross and then having a girly-man dummy-spit and deciding not to ride at all, I have re-assessed and with the loan of a proper dually I will be doing the full Fling. So at this stage I'm riding it. Haven't actually ridden a MTB before so will have to give it a go the day before .

[leximack]

i had entered a while back but then got a better offer, so no fling for me this year. First i have missed for a few years.
Its a good fun day, so make sure you enjoy yourself.
Hopefully its not too hot out there

Don

[leximack]

so how did it go?

[Spiza]

Yeah come on... where are the race reports. Booger? Alche?

[alchemist]

race report? - I suck.

[Giant Rider]

Afer meeting up with Rainer and Simon at Wingelo about 38klm into the Fling and having to deal with the 20 minute bottle kneck coursed by a new extention to the first section of the race, everything was looking ok, a little down on energy which i put down to my lack of training having lostt almost 3 weeks after the scott crash (another story). Let the Wingelo with Rainer at a slow but steady pace a little after 10.30 everything looked fine,got to the 60klm water station started to cramp a little, Rainer had gone over the bars and was also cramping bad, mett back up with Simon and his friend, filled up on water and left this was about 1.10pm so speed wasnt really there this year much slower than year past by at least an hour if not more. by the time Rainer and i got to the half way hill he was cramping bad and so we slowly walked up. At the top Rainer called it a day and worked out the best fastest way back to Wingelo, i felt Rainer at about 2.10 with still 20klm to transition and about 1hr 20 to get there. Along the way Simon caught me, i was sick twice running on empty and knew it was gonna be close to not get to transition before cutoff (AT) 3.30, sure enough missed cut off by 10 minutes and caught the bus back with about 15 other riders. So all in all a shity days ride. Turns out that looks like the whole family has a bug, my 6 month old boy was sick all day, my wife was also not felling to well, and im sick no feeling to good either, i couldnt have just changed to the half fling on the saturday night at registration like i was thinking. With this ride will it my not be as had as the Angry Doctor without the right amount of training i would attempt the full fling.

Overall "I sucked"

[Spiza]

... i felt Rainer at about 2.10 with still 20klm to transition and about 1hr 20 to get there. Along the way Simon caught me, i was sick twice

Bloody hell Keith I'd be sick twice too if I caught you feeling up Rainer Poor Simon
Well done Keith and the rest of you guys. Cramps suck!!!

What happened alchemist? Crash?

[alchemist]

Race 1. The Dash...
After the drive down a few coffees at the Bike Shoppe I was feeling a little dehydrated so a little rehydration was required. With no bottle water available Huw had provided a suitable alternative.



The liquid consumed I lined up on the front row betweent a unicorn and a dinosaur (how much had I drunk...)

The roll down the hill, despite being neutral, was quite scary, pace was a little uneven and I dropped back a few spots before the car pulled off. Then it was on down up the little climb then on to the little descent and I was off the front. Unfortunately somebody in a KoM jersery clearly didn't know who I was gave chase and dragged Pez up to me. The track then split around a tree and I went right were as those that had pre-rode the course all went left so now I'm in 3rd sitting on Pez's wheel and not having to work too hard when bang! I hit a massive pot hole unsighted, thinking I'd at least flatted and probably broken something I pulled out of the line quickly. Discovering the tyre was still inflated and nothing was obviouselly broken, I jumped back in but having to leave space to see in front, a space people kept jumping into so I got shuffled further and further back before dropping off the back. Then I started seeing unicorns again before the climb. Spent most of the climb looking for a hand-up but none was forth coming before sprinting out the finish against an unseen opponent.



We then all headed off for pizza, more wine and eventually a couple of beers (or a half a light beer or even none for some people...)

[Spiza]

Nice one Rob. I see you rode the cyclocross.
Perhaps not so much wine before the race next time

[alchemist]

Race 2. The Fling..

Rather than getting too involved with racing early on, we started somewhere in the middle of the field. A gentle roll out and cruise through the farms before getting held up in the single track by mountain bikers who can't apparently ride over a 3" log. Kim & the Bikeminded crew catch up at this point and start hurling abuse. Eventually back riding, pass a few people through the next grassy section and through the Roller Coaster. Up back on the forest roads the Bikeminded crew roll through, then McDuff. While chatting to McDuff on a descent and not paying attentions I hear the dreaded noise of the pinch flat. Wheel off tube in pumping furiously, the Elite field come hammering through, followed shortly by Kim (bugger).

Tyre inflated & I'm back on and chasing, it's a short distance to the creek crossing sharp at which point I discover I hadn't reconnected the brake which made getting around the sharp left handed and stopping before getting to the creek somewhat interesting. Through Boags drift I sight Kim again up ahead and chase on to her group, at which point though a little G-out my saddle adjusted itself, I tried to ride on but eventually had to stop to fix. Into transition & no sign of Kim, but I did run into my boss who must of come in just before me. Fill up and head back out.

At some point along here I caught and passed Kim again, as well as EHCW, McDuff & Gaz attending to an injured rider. Saw Helen at her marshal point, but she was on the phone organizing the evacuation of the injured rider. Into the single track and just cruised along, until tangles were the cramps hit. From here we rode together quite a bit with Kim bombing down the descents and me catching back on the flat section. We cruised into the Frequent Riders lounge refilled and rolled off again.

Not sure at what point along the next section I rode away from Kim but at Outerlimts I hear behind me "come on Rob let's get this over with" and she came flying through like it was the start of a 20km race. Bickchick also came through here having made up the 30 minute start the elite boys and girls had on the rest of us. Coming up to the road section back into Wingello Marcel catches me we ride together and at the road he offers a draft which I gladly accept 1 km up the road it's suddenly my turn. We catch Kim and she also sits in, after doing the big turn all the way into the wind I tell Marcel that it's about time it was his turn, he then rode to the front and promptly rode off!

In the Wingello I fill up and buy a Coke share it with Kim and we roll out together, the Angy Yeti is rolling down the road quicker than the Fireline and Kim yells at me to ride off and don't wait. I wasn't waiting but knew she'd catch me on the descent through the farm anyway. We rode together for quite a while and at about 15 km to go I asked if we were still racing, Kim said no, I replied good and no sneaky little attacks. Kim agreed... or so I thought.

At the last hill before the 10km to go mark Kim put in her sneaky attack, I had nothing and dropped right off. Gladly stopping to loan a pump to a couple of guys about halfway up the hill. The descent was fun but after the Free Bike wash I was creaping, with 7 km to go I was going a 7km/hr and getting increasingly depressed and disinterested about being out there for another hour at this pace. At Your Choice went the long way despite knowing that the short way would have suited me better. As I'm about to hit the tarmac the Van Terminator flies past after going the short way, a very brief attempt was made to get on his wheel (it was downhill & the Angry Yeti has a 48 dog) but I had nothing. At least I had nothing until the EHCW caught back up which gave me a little second wind and I dropped him like a stone. Rolled into the finish and straight to the Dirt Works trailer where I'd stashed my esky, very happy to find that Big Dog (the man is a legend) had filled it with ice so the beer was icy icy cold. Two very quickly Raddlers later I found Kim who had finished 10 or so minutes in front of me to be the first chick to complete the Fling SS.

Nice work Kim but next time...Pas de cadeaux, Pas plus de cadeaux

[EricH]

I have a 2011 Highland Fling Full Fling - Elite Male Entry which I would like to sell off for $120.
The race is full and you'll even save a couple of bucks.

Let me know if you're interested.