a six pack after capital punishment

Just like cold beer, I thought of the 6 best things about the Capital Punishment 100km – May 20 2010

1. Catching up with mates.
Racing is a great way to catch up with old buddies, either locals or from out of town. It also gives you another ‘war story’ to re kindle the dialogue on email or phone conversation until the next race comes around.

2. Bitumen
I dreaded the thought of the 2 road stages when reading the race profile days before the event. But, when the first bitumen stage came a few k’s after Majura, I almost kissed the pavement like the Pope. The feeling was religious-like for me.

3. Lollies
My manners were poor when I got to the aid station at Majura Winery. My mother would not have been happy with the way I scoffed the lollies down, and the way I was snorting as I shoved more than my fair share of the complementary lollies down my gob. Sorry mum.

4. Pennies in the bank.
Racing in those conditions are tough. The benefits from pushing through the barriers, mental and physical, will last for years and return interest for many races to come.

5. The purpose built tracks of Stromlo
How sweet were the trails at Stromlo. Glen Jacobs and his crew deserve a cold beer for their efforts in building sustainable tracks that flow so sweetly.

6. Defeating the demons of Kowen and Stromlo
The 2003 Stromlo 24hr and 2006 Kowen 24hrs were raced in similar conditions, and I still carry the mental scares of those races and those tracks to this day. Riding through these trails last weekend brought back nightmares of these races. But this time – the trails didn’t beat me, and I finally said goodbye to the demons of races past….for the moment anyway.