Dusk 'Til Dawn

I have seen Dusk 'Til Dawn advertised for the past couple of years and always thought it was to far or too bad to get to so never give it to much of a thought to enter, then earlier this year my sister in law and her fella (Lee) moved near to Thetford this then give me a thought... 

Maybe I should enter! but it was another lapped race, I know I'm not good at these events due to the boredom factor of going round the same lap over and over, but for some reason this seemed diffident don't know if it was due the dark, or that the course was flat and fast (and dry) I'll never know. 

We arrived in the solo's area set up the tent and built camp, and went off to get some tea (the meal in the evening, some people call it dinner, but they are wrong) for the first time ever I felt like I had a proper support crew, Lee and Suzie had agreed to do shifts and do a couple of hours each in turns to supply me with food and water (well Torq energy drink). 

8pm came round quicker than I expected and along with the start of the race, I was hoping to get a couple of hours kip before the race but my mind was working overtime thinking of everything that needs doing I started to prep my bike fit the number board and chip, this was going to be the first race on the Whyte and only it's second ride. 

I lined up at the start line and waited, we didn't have to wait long, and we was off. The ground was a bit damp in places but nothing like Mountain Mayhem earlier in the year and was quickly drying up and becoming very fast, and for some reason I was flying, missed the first feed station (my fault because I couldn't find Suzie and we hadn't arranged a meeting point, first lesson learnt). I don't know if it was me or the bike but I seemed to be going faster and faster, I got to lap 4 and pulled in for my new bottle, my strategy was to get a new bottle each lap and down a gel to keep me going, it seemed to be working so far, at this point I was in 3rd place, all of a sudden I was in pain I had neglected to re apply some cream, I tried to ride through it but took some time out to try and sort my self out by this time I was down by 30 or more places.

By the time I plucked up the courage to get back out on the bike I was down in 80 odd'th I went out and did one final lap mostly standing and chafing, I got back a couple of placed to bring me back to 63rd. 

As a result the bike seems very good to ride and handles very well, it doesn't feel like a 29er and goes like one. 

BIG Thank you to my pit crew.