Swim: 1.3km
Bike: 130km / 2,400m
Run: 6k
Hours: 5h36

Think I’ll have to remember this day as the day of faff ! Many may have taken my mood for most of the afternoon to be due to my two crashes but not at all. Those things happen but faff is something that really gets me down and there was a lot of it. I knew it would happen but didn’t prepare myself .. I should learn the lesson. Meant my thoughts of a 2 hour run this afternoon pretty much evaporated. Plans afoot for tomorrow though and in the spirit of fair play I tried to make my intentions clear. Russ is going to join me which will put him in a good chance for yellow. He is strong and it only he was fully running fit he’d be a contender. Even with his running problems he’s in good shape and going well.

Today I rode 130km (did a little more looking for my sunglasses) with 2,100m ascent. Swam  “1500m” … given it took 16 minutes with a stop to chat I’m guessing it was short. And ran 6km in 30 minutes. Actually whilst running I picked up the pace as I decided this had to be about training. I’ve been running well and I need to continue that rather than just run at whatever pace to get the points.

The bike went well but confirmed I am no where near the bike form I’ve been in the past. 4:20 at Normalised power of 240 it pretty good but boy did I feel it. I was in the front group for the King Of The Mountains (KOM) but when it really started to go I didn’t have it and crossed in 6th. I did try a daft attack early on. Mainly for giggles and making it fun but also I just wondered whether I could psyche some of them out. It didn’t work at all. It did produce best ever power figures from 4s to 18s though !

Coming off the KOM I had my first mechanical which broke my front derailleur. It still works (at the moment). This meant I was off the back on the final descent and I thought to myself “at least it’ll be safe”. How wrong was I. Within the final KM of town I catch up with two campers and a swerve by the front guy without indication as he probably didn’t realise there was anyone behind him took Douglas down in front of me and though I was several metres back I couldn’t get out the way and went down snapping my rear hanger and getting some minor road rash. It was super slow motion and I can remember thoughts about how to minimise the crash. As the adrenalin rushed through me I was in a foul mood. I was so lucky not to trash my rear wheel as the derailleur was right in to the spokes.

I had to get the can the final 1km which is a first in Epic for me. Amazingly, last thing on Friday I decided to pack a spare hanger ! The bike seems OK now. The faff then started. Fixing my bike, then lunch then realising I’d left my sunglasses on the wall where I’d crashed. Absolutely gutted and sorry Jane … I lost your lovely present. Then ride to register, I get this done quick and go look for my sunglasses but they’re gone. back to the vans. Sit for a bit waiting for everyone and then wonder whether they’ve gone straight to rack. So I go rack and then come back and they still not back from registering. Hang around more wishing I’d just headed off running for 2 hours which had been my plan. Instead I sit getting demotivated and hacked off ! Finally we head for a swim which is lovely and then for a 30 minute run which after 2km I started to feel good.

Then drive up to the accomodation and wait again for our rooms and then food. It was a tough day all round. Lots to do and very stretching for the support crew. Hopefully tomorrow will be easier for them as they deserve it. For me I just want to get through tomorrow and get in to tuesday when days of big rides with swims and runs will start and the simplicity of Epic camp, ie swim, bike, run, eat and sleep, can resume.

BTW – I took photos but don’t have the time to upload so above it the profile for today. This is the first camp with a garmin so I may decide to just post profiles each day.

Now bed…