A new era.

So national champs was on sunday morning. I had spent a week practising the track, getting mentaly prepared, getting the bike ready and just preparing for probably the most important race i have done so far. I got an ok start in the sense that i was moving around with the front riders and feeling pretty comfortable (not in pain tryign to hold the pace). I got droped a bit before the single track but i knew i would catch them again as they slowed down to enter it (which i did) i raced this young gun up the hill and passed him with ease at the end and held him of down most of the berm track. I was feelign good and looking for the next riders to pass, i was probably in 10th place when i felt my back tyre start to slide all over the place... I had a flat tyre. i had to ride on a few corners before i found a good spot to stop and tried to fix it but had to stop a second because i was way too scatered to change a tyre with gloves on. it was changed in no time but my CO2 canister didnt fill it up rpoperly so i had to ride to the feed station and pump the rest in there. i continued to race on but i had lost alot of places, and time. I ended up coming in 18th which i felt pretty un happy with. I think i could have been mixing it with the top 7 or 8 had i not got that stupid puncture, but we will never know that.

It was a pretty crazy race though, Michael Baker won in his first year in U19s, Brenda Johnston got 2nd (i think he might have crashed), Trenton Day got 7th and there were a whole heap of new zealanders throughout the feild. To sum it up, the feild was very big, very close and some people had a great day, others had a shit day.

So this is the end of my XCO days now. I will still race nationals a bit, but my focus is on marathons now. Im looking forward to my training and racing now. the training is more relaxed, enjoyable and flexible. Im hoping my first race will be the Australian Championships in which I will race the u18s 69km (haha) race. And i will then try and win open in the Capital Punishment race here in Canberra. WhenI can get in a position where travel is less of a problem (sponsorship, money) I will start racing alot of marathons in spring and autum.

So im of for now, hit me up if you want to ride, and peace out.