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AnonymousWicked effort guys sounds like you had a blast
I’m super impressed with all, wow what outcomes, all should be very proud of how they conducted themselves.
Big meanies I woulda let the kids have the day off school so next time they’ll be even more eager, school is not a reward for riding well…
A day off with a swim and icecream is though, maybe that’s what Moto is up to?again Congrats to all the competitors, especially the old Blokes as I couldn’t have faced a race in the weather we had yesterday, was bad enough swinging a hammer.
BC
Anonymous
AnonymousMoto wrote:
Quote:I’m not long arrived at work and it’s nice to sign on and see the well wishes for all the OBT’s that raced yesterday. Shame the kids had to go to school, I wish I didn’t have to come to work but then again I always wish that :laugh:I’ve pulled up pretty good today and feel fine. I have a few blisters on my hands that aren’t anywhere near as bad as they felt yesterday. My back muscles are quite sore, it feels like I’ve had a big workout session in the gym on them! Other than that I’m pretty good.
Report to follow.
PS – Eagle, Dan would have done bloody well to win the guy who beat me had lapped me!! :ohmy:
congrats moto, job well done, held the old bulls banner high for us all,as did the rest of the old ,and young bulls…
those people who say they could have won need to at least compete in one and see how hard it can be.. again you have come through with a monumental effort and you definetly have my respect as a rider 
AnonymousMy trip started off on Saturday morning and we left the Bay at around 10am. We made good time on the drive up and arrived at Mick’s place at around 12:30pm. When we got out of the car it was ridiculously hot and Mick and the family were lounging in the pool.
On Ktmrat’s advice Mick was gearing up to drink 6 litres of water in preparation for the race! As hard as that sounded I thought I should get some water down my neck too.
I left my bike and trailer at Mick’s place and headed towards Port Macquarie to check into the hotel. On our way there we stopped for a healthy KFC lunch. Shortly after we had checked in and decided to go for a walk around Port. We ended up in the pub and I was drinking a few corona’s (something I said i wouldn’t do)watching the NSW State Sea Kayak race which was pretty good, an 18Km sea kayak in those waves is pretty hardcore!
After a quick change at the hotel we went and had Thai for dinner (might explain my sore arse
) which wasn’t all that great, either way I ate it all for energy the next day. I was in bed by 10:30pm.Waking up early we got our stuff together and headed back out towards Mick’s place, it was already hot and I knew it was going to be another scorcher. With the bike loaded up again we set off for the track, driving up the road you could see the dust emanating from the juniors race and it was the first time I felt the nerves kick in too
Once there I sussed out where everything was and quickly caught up with the guys who had the OBT pit tent running. Rat was looking after his boys in the pits so I didn’t catch him until shortly before I raced. He stayed down in the fuel dump all morning looking after his nippers though…..you could never say the guy isn’t dedicated to their racing.
Puddles had the fully sik OBT set up going on with a cold shower and everything, top effort Puddles!
With all the laughing and joking the time passed pretty quickly and my nerves had all but gone. Then I heard the calls for the Seniors to get ready as we were 30 minutes away from starting. The nerves came back but I still felt strangely confident.
After our pep talk by the club’s officials we started up and headed out for our sighting lap. We got going and I was paying attention to the track noting the hazards and the ‘A’ and ‘B’ lines to no avail really as the course was so long you’d never remember anyway
Somewhere along the sighting lap somebody broke the bunting, this meant that for a moment I (and 10 or so others) were lost wondering where to go. The result was me, Kram and few others doing an extra half lap of the same stuff we had just ridden! With the sighting lap finished my confidence had diminished, it was a bloody hard track to ride for hours and I already had arm pump!
At the final briefing before we set off the official stated that the race was going to be 3 hours. What!! I was told at sign on that it was 2 hours so I didn’t bother bring the fuel down to the dump or the extra liquids for the camelback! Ktrmrat’s organisational skills went into overdrive here and he sorted it all for me which was a weight off my mind, he also offered to hold my bike for the start as Tyne couldn’t do it in thongs.
I heard over the tannoy that the Ironmen were to be the first to go. I rode my bike to the line and Dave told me which side he would stand so I could jump on the other way. Standing 10m or so in front of the bike we lined up ready to start. The kiddie standing next to me (who was the eventual winner of the ironman) had adopted a proper running stance. Realising I was just standing there normally and with a quick glimpse at the crowd I decided I should do the pose as well, for effect if nothing else!
At this stage the nerves were running high, the sweat was trickling down inside my goggles and the marshal started the countdown. 5…4…3…2…1…GO!!!!
I ran towards my bike butterflies still exploding in my belly and jumped over the bike hitting the start button before I even had my arse on the seat. I had the throttle partly open and heard the click, click of the starter before the 300 zinged into life.
Adrenalin ripping through my body I pinned the bike and came upon the first corner very quickly. I was intently listening for other bikes but couldn’t hear any, I was concerned that someone would fly up my inside and clean me up on the first corner. I decided to have a super quick glance just before rounding the corner when I realised I had taken the hole shot and was in the lead!!!
Laughing my arse off in my helmet I was pumped to have gotten the lead. It was at this point that I went from jubilation to panic within a split second. I now thought ‘holy sh*t what do I do now?’
From the get go I had 2 quick dudes right up my clacker and I felt myself riding faster and faster to keep them at bay. I knew I was going too quick to maintain this pace but didn’t want to let them past, after all it is a race. Sensibility got the better of me and I ended up letting them through before they cleaned me up one of their frequent attempts to try and pass me.
I backed off the pace and chugged the rest of the lap out with a lay down on a tight sandy corner having pushed my wheel through it. After the first lap I was thinking I can’t do this for very long, the track was tight, rocky, rooty and sandy all the way round, there was absolutely no let up whatsoever.
The funny thing is that despite me wanting to jack it in I kept thinking of the Old Bulls. I wasn’t thinking about doing you proud by finishing I was thinking I’ll never hear the end of it if I don’t :laugh:
I pushed on crashing on the same corner for the first three laps. You go through high and low points during the race and every time I laid the bike down (especially on the same friggin corner) I had a low. Picking your bike up in that heat knowing you have the worst half of the course to navigate after plays on your mind.
3 laps in and I pull in for fuel, Ktmarat is there and puts the fuel in for me. Because the track is so unforgiving you don’t even have the chance the drink from your Camelbak without stopping so I used the opportunity to get a drink as my throat was bone dry. Despite Ktmrat and Puddles kind offer of a cold shower I wanted to get going, although I did stop for 30 seconds or so before the last couple of laps so that Ktmrat could throw some cold water on me, this helped alot actually.
Again, Puddles and Rat were trying to talk me into the shower but as much as I wanted to I had promised myself I would go until I couldn’t go anymore. Finding out at this point that the race had actually been shortened to 2 hours I fired the bike back up and left. Working out I only had 2 laps to go I counted every corner down.
At this point I knew only a bad crash or mechanical would stop me from finishing and I wanted to do the best I could. I knew I hadn’t been passed by team Mick & Moose and didn’t know where Kram and his neighbour were until I spotted Kram through the trees about half way through the last lap. He was closing quickly too.
I upped the ante again and was on the brink of crashing several times trying to keep some distance between us, I hadn’t seen him or his partner pass me and thought I’d be buggered if I’m going to let him do it a couple of K’s from the finish :laugh: I held on was relieved when I saw the chequered flag back at the start line.
After I had finished I just wanted to sit down and get my friggin helmet off, I pushed the bike back to the pit tent and got my helmet off, it felt like my head was going to explode with the heat and the extra effort I had put in in the last lap.
The boys were there with cold water and drinks and I sat down thanking the lords I’d finished, I was very happy with myself.
I had figured that if I was lucky I may have got 4th or 5th and I was really lucky I might jag 3rd. At the presentation when 3rd place was called out first and it wasn’t me I consoled myself with the achievement of finishing. The next thing I know my name was called for 2nd place, I couldn’t believe it! Sweeeeeeeeeeeet!!
In all I think I was lucky, the drive of my first ever race and the determination not to be mocked by you lot got me there. If the race had stayed as 3 hours the result may have been different. If it was cooler more people would have fronted and I would have had my arse handed to me too. The fact is they didn’t so I’ll take whatever I can get
I’ve been riding 16 months and my first foray into racing has been a true experience. I’ve learnt I’ll need to be alot fitter if I’m going to do the 4 Day and other such races so I’ll work on that. I’v been with Old Bulls for 15 of those 16 months and it’s truly great to have the support of the guys on here (even through the piss taking).
Big thanks to all the Old Bulls who helped, especially Ktmrat. You guys are the epitome of the Old Bull spirit
Sorry for the long report :blush:
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