Pa Egg tackles Gloucester
September 2005
The registration, bike check and kayak drop off at the river takes place on the Saturday afternoon. Many of the competitors were there early for a run down the river prior to the event. There was a great dinner put on for the competitors and support crew in the evening. Race start for the individual competitors was 8.00am and 8.30 am for the relay teams.
The race started at a hectic pace with the first 6km of the bike leg on bitumen over undulating hills. As the lead riders got closer to the dirt and hill section the pace picked up and I joined a number of riders falling behind the lead pack. The off road section was through cow paddocks, fire trails and sharp gullies with a few steep hills. I walked a couple but generally managed to keep going. One section of the track was next to an electric fence. Needless to say I managed to overbalance and get zapped on one section. After the hills it was a fast downhill to the causeway and into the kayaks. 22 km down.
A quick transition then it was down to the river with the kayak for the next 10km leg in grade 1 to 2 white water. The Wednesday before the river was a little higher and we took the kayaks over the causeway. See background behind bike. The kayak in front of me in the picture rolled near the rocks just as I took off, I had to go left and grab hold of the bank as the other boat was across the only exit point. His boat filled with water and he eventually cleared the start. The bike ride had taken it’s toll already, as soon as I started using the rudder pedals the tops of my legs started to cramp. I had to lay back in my seat for the majority of the trip which made it hard to paddle efficiently. I managed to pass around 10 kayaks on the trip down river, one of the rapids had around five kayaks upside down or undergoing repairs but I was also overtaken by a few of the longer kayaks. The practice I had over the last week was a real bonus as I just paddled up to each rapid and kept my head down and got through all the tricky sections without a problem. The race committee had removed one large tree and a stump from the river which certainly opened up the course. On some of the more difficult sections there were spectators and safety personnel. It was great to get a round of applause as you went through the white water. There was a strong head wind and it seemed to slow progress down the river. It took me around 1hr 15 min for the kayak leg.
I pulled in at the end of the kayak leg alongside another kayak. The poor guy fell over at least three times as his legs were numb and he had no feeling or balance. At least my feet were not numb this time but the cramps were still with me. As I carried the kayak out of the water one of the marshals called me over and handed me my numbered bag for the run leg. It was great as they waited till you were ready and handed you things as you needed them, it certainly made the transition easy. I had a packet of chips to help with the cramps then it was off on the 10km run back to the start. The cross country run was great, some bitumen, hills, gullies and mud. The course was well marked with drink stops scattered along the way. I had passed two runners on the way home then with 2 km to go, big cramps in both legs. I stretched as best as I could then hobbled back to the finish. Quite a few runners passed me in the last 2km. Once back at Gloucester it was a lap of the oval then through the finish line. I took around 1 hr to do the run, not too when I normally only run around 3km in training. The results are not out yet, but I think I was mid field of the 130 odd individual competitors. It was a great event and I will be back next year.
Pa Egg
