The Dirtworks 100 is one of the iconic mountain bike races in Australia, it was one of the first popular 'marathon' races  and because of it's proximity to Sydney, has always been well frequented.  I thought I'd give it a go this year........probably the first and last time.

I'm definitely not saying it was a bad race, but when you need to factor in travel, crowds and over $100 entry fee, you begin to think that there's a better way to get a race in. St Albans is one of the most beautiful small towns I've had the pleasure of visiting, but the fact that it's only accessible by ferry means you loose a lot of travel time to and from the race, I lost over an hour in a queue on the way out. Then there's the fact that it really is a SMALL town,  food and beer supply was minimal and lead to long waits - even so, the pub (the third oldest in Australia) was a pleasure to sit in, so much so that I devoured six pales the night before the race....questionable race prep.  

Race day was no exception when it came to disappointments.

A major factor in the race was the clientele, I like to put them into four categories:
1. Pro riders - enough said.
2. Sydney roadies - bright coloured lycra, new dual suspension Giants in perfect condition, questionable off road skill, massive ego.
3. Sydney bogans - middle aged men, teenage clothes, new dual suspension Giants, questionable off road skills, 'extreme' ego.
4. Weekend warriors - those genuinely interested in cycling, all shapes and sizes.

Waiting over half an hour to use the toilet isn't really my idea of race prep. Then the race organisers thought they'd keep everyone happy by issuing us with transponders, meaning you didn't have to scramble to be at the front of the bunch for the start - your time began and ended as you rode over a sensor. They then asked riders to honestly organise themselves into 5 bunches, ranging from Pro riders to those who would finish the race in over 8 hours. If only retarded Sydney siders could let their egos go, such a plan would have been brilliant - I spent the entire race stuck behind said retards who refused to accept that there may be someone quicker than them......

At the start line the claim was made that the course was one of the most picturesque in the WORLD. I took my camera - never took it out, enough said. There were trains of riders too arrogant to let others pass, then instead of stopping to let riders pass said riders would slow down and get angry when they were forced onto B-lines - why not just freakin' stop!!!

I suppose all was worth it once I reached the bridge. I did have fun watching category 2 and 3 riders fail - nothing funnier than wet retards.

Having said ALL of that, I did have a ball on the last 50km of racing once I'd passed enough of the slower riders. The course was fast and much more technical than I thought it'd be.

I suppose what I'm trying to say is that I would have had a great weekend out there with a few mates, riding the same trails and enjoying the benifits of small town country pubs. Live and learn.

Oh, and i did it in 5 hours and nineteen minutes - i