Upper Horton Pony Express Report

Well that’s it, 2013 NIPES series is done and dusted ( air filter companies may suffer from loss of sales and close down, lets hope they can hold out untill next years series ) haha but in all seriousness it was a good year of racing and i have learnt alot along the way.

Upper Horton, 12months ago this is where i had my first race. This is where i learnt the importance of setting your suspension up and that my fitness was disgusting. Alot has changed is those 12 months, anyway back to the day.

5am start, ute pre-loaded. Get up and race along the black top as the sun came up over the ranges, not a cloud to be seen. Today is going to be a good day. Arriving at Upper Horton the butterflies kicked in over drive. 1 point was all that held me on the podium. If i was going to have a good race today was the day to have it.

In the pits the atmosphere was a usual one, excited, pumped and keen to get it over and done with and get into the club house to wash down the dust with a nice roast dinner. The presence of my family as pit crew definitely topped the feel of the day as they have not been able to make it too a NIPES round all year. ( they also helped with photography )

So, with riders briefing over and done with its time for the sight lap, BRING IT ON

The track has some minor changes, a bit of a flat track section slashed into the plains grass was a ball to fly along ( also slippery and soft when you slid out on the first lap been too keen ) From rough memory it was 23kms … oh and it was plesently dusty. Its just not Upper Horton without dust!

So lining up on the start line of ironman one last time and i start to realise … this is the biggest this class has been ! 17 silly souls took on the ironman challange. I kick the big girl over untill she is on the compression, stradel the front wheel … 30 seconds untill show time ! The flag drops and im swinging over the bike, starting the big girl as my arse hits the seat, grabbed first and away i go … holy crap i pulled off a good start ! first corner and im 4th!

I hung onto the back of 3rd for a while untill i made the mistake in the flat grass section and laid the big girl out at speed, quickly picking myself up and fighting the big girl to start, i only dropped back to 5th. But quickly got my 4th back!

This is where i stayed 95% of the day, now some action shots

Not so much action … starting to hate life.

But i finished, 7 DNF’s in ironman alone. I was quiet proud, unfortunaly it was not good enough to hold my 3rd overall as the bloke in 5th overall won the day and knocked me down … by 2 points. But thats how racing goes ! 4th overall for the year, my first year racing. The creek swim with a few beers made the year worth it and i’ll be back next year to have a go with fingers crossed better results.

Hopefully you guys don’t get sick of my reports and fingers crossed ill be able to make a few trail rides with you guys.

rookie