Kawasaki G100 2018

When you pull into the carpark and the first face you see is multiple national champion Ben Thomas, already on his warm-up rollers, you know you’re racing with the big boys!

This was my 8^th Gorrick 100. The challenge of this event is one I have loved since I first raced it way back in 2007 at the original Swinley venue. For me it is as much a personal challenge as a race. There are no age categories to hide in, it is just you against 60 riders, the course and the clock.

After a year off and the move to Minley Manor the format has remained the same. 7 laps of an 8 to 9 mile circuit, with twists, turns, hills and drops aplenty. 11 years ago I toiled for nearly 8 hours in the saddle, at the time comfortably my longest ever ride. I would be hoping for a much faster time this year, but I knew the mental and physical battles to reach the finish line would be just the same.

The weather is always going to be a critical factor when racing 100km off-road. On Sunday Britain was in the middle of a bank holiday heat wave, so hydration was going to be key. I dropped off 9 bottles at the feed zone, one for each lap plus a couple of spares.

As we got underway in the dappled shade I was aware I’d probably started slightly too far back in the pack. At least this gave me the chance to warm-up slowly as we cruised through the opening sections of dusty forest trails. I gradually gained more positions than I lost over the opening 2 laps until I found myself in a fast moving group of 4. We were really hammering the trails in maximum attack mode. I knew it was a pace I couldn’t hope to maintain, but it was such a buzz I took my turns on the front and chased the others through the trees. It encapsulated everything I love about racing. It was awesome fun!

It came to an end mid-way around lap 4. I dropped my bottle while taking a much needed drink. On a warm day I couldn’t afford to leave the bottle behind so I quickly spun round, retrieved the bottle and chased after the group. I caught them quickly, but paid for my efforts and they soon rode away from me.

I was alone and it was payback time for that earlier fun. In any endurance event, you’ll have dark moments and it was now that I really struggled. It was as much a mental battle, knowing there were still hours of racing ahead as my body wilted. Lap 5 was tough and my paced slowed. It is not often I am left wishing for a full suspension bike, but the fatigue from the constant chatter of roots took its toll. My arms were screaming with lactic, making control of the bike as challenging as powering it along.

However, as is often the case I recovered and with renewed dynamism began to push the pace again. Into lap 6 I was feeling strong and reeling in back markers left, right and center. Then without warning cramp hit like a gunshot in my right leg. I briefly tried to ride through it, but even the subtle gradient I found myself on was too much. I stopped and stretched, the back markers repassing me no doubt inwardly smiling smugly to themselves! It looked pathetic, but in the end I had no choice but to push the bike to the top of the slope and freewheel down the other side. I had to seriously consider the very real likelihood that this would be my first Gorrick 100 DNF (Did Not Finish).

I devoured every bit of food I had on me and downed my drinks bottle in an effort to boost fuel and fluid reserves. I was now at least able sit on the bike and turn my legs over, but if I tried to put even a moderate amount of effort through the pedals the muscles would immediately spasm and lock rigid. Thankful for no more hills I crawled back to the feed zone where I took on board all my remaining water and food. The car was parked just behind me, but I never even looked at it. One lap to go.

A rider from Pivot Boompods pitted just as I limped away. Damn! I knew he would surely pass me before the end of the lap - if I even made it that far.

I was walking wounded, nursing myself along, staying off the brakes as much as I could trying to maintain momentum. I was spinning an easy gear doing my best to not appear weak and offer too much encouragement to the rider behind, who was inevitably closing me down.

With the cramp now troubling both legs I approached a section of track which dropped down into a gully with a steep rooted bank up the other side. At speed on the previous 6 laps I had just swept up and out, but I knew now if I needed to pedal out of the top of the incline the cramp would hit and that would be curtains. So instead, I the took the long way around. The Boompods rider stared at me in surprised disbelief as he swept through and past! The trouble is I am too competitive to just to let him go.

I was beginning to feel very strange on the bike. Light headed and dizzy I clipped a couple of trees as I tried to keep him in sight. On a fireroad descent I got close enough to grab his slipstream. I even had just enough momentum to dip in front of him as we entered the next section of singletrack. There was only 1.8 miles to go, but I was out for the count.

Riding in a slightly out of body experience I realized that I was catching someone ahead. Could anyone really be slower than me? I passed him too, the whole time thinking that if either of the riders behind had any kind of sprint finish left in them I was toast. The truth is they were probably struggling as much as me and I didn’t see them again. I crossed the line 24^th out of 60 in 5hrs 45min.

Exposed to the full heat of the sunshine in the car park the cramp hit me hard. I lay on the grass for some time before I could even contemplate trying to fold myself into the car for the drive home.

The Gorrick 100 is an event that dishes out equal levels of pleasure and pain! A day riding the bike in the sunshine, along glorious singletrack trails. The agony of fighting body and mind through cramp and exhaustion. The massive sense of achievement at the finish. I love it!