Team Time Trial: Chasing the Llama

"Smile of pain with team-mate Von" (Photo by Shane Miller)

Sunday 24th July - it was pouring rain when I got out of bed. Hmm..should I race? It sure didn't look like that rain was going to stop anytime soon. I had just only recovered from a viral infection. Hmm...the body was feeling a little tired.

Nah, no excuses, I have to. It's about commitment. There was no way I could let my team-mate down. We had been planning this for weeks. Supposedly a 3-women team, unable to find a team replacement meant we were down to 2 people - Von Micich and I. All we needed were 2 people to finish, well, we were going to start with 2, and definitely finish with 2.

And so, I began the drive down to Bunninyong. It was pissing down all the way there. And Bruno Mars' "The Lazy Song" started playing on the radio. Gosh...so much temptation to turn around. No. Just like how I would in bike races, I started counting down the number of k's till I arrived.

Upon arrival, we immediately got together and signed up. The air was cold, but the rain had just stopped, and the sun was just trying to break through the clouds. Phew. It was pleasant surprise to have Gaelene, the SKCC Women's Cycling Organiser, there to set up a marque for us to warm up under.

SKCC 2. SKCC 2. The guy on the microphone had started calling us out. "Only 2 of you?" he asked. "Yes!" we piped. "Watch out for those hills out there!" he replied. "Yes, we'll be fine!"

5, 4,3,2,1..off we went. Having done a recce of the course, Von led us out - and soon we were on our way. A couple of revs in, and finding the right gears, we both settled into a nice rhythm. One of us would pull up the front for a while, the moment the speed started to lull, the other would drive up the front. We both knew each other's strengths, and played it out as best as we could.

As we kicked over one of hills, it was a nice surprise to see Shane Miller on the side road with his camera in hand. "You're doing well girls!" It was pity his team had pulled the pin on him that morning - and so he ended up being our spare's vehicle, support guy, camera man - all on 2 wheels! As we rode pass him, he would jump on his bike, and stay a little behind shouting out words of encouragement. Come a hill, he would then zoom pass us, and ride up a few hundred metres in front - and it soon became about chasing the Llama down.

20ks in - we were doing really well. I was sure glad that we had fixed our TT bars on - zooming down the hills on TT bars was just plain awesome! As we rounded the bend with 5kms to the turnaround point - I was starting to spin out. Click down, no one more, one more down. We had a massive tail wind on our backs.. brilliant! Well for 5ks that is.

The moment we turned around - smack! A massive head wind in our faces. Immediately our speed was less than half of what were pushing just a few minutes earlier. Hands on TT bars, backs fully aero. And with only 2 of us, it was going to be a tough. Whenever either was pulling a turn in front, it was copping the full blast. Just getting up to pull a turn was tough, holding it was even harder. "It'll get better once you hit the corner!" Shane screamed behind us. Spin, spin, spin.

Phew, it sure felt better once we hit the 30k mark - next challenge, the hills that we had just came flying down! That massive head wind had sapped a lot of our energy, and now, the countdown began.

My gut was really starting to play up from some weird virus I had caught 2 days before. All I could do was just lean over the bars, suck my drink bottle bit by bit, and tried my best not to throw up. Just focus on the road in front. Just focus on chasing down Shane. Just focus on Von's wheel. "15ks to go!" Von yelled out behind. It was great to have a team-mate's support.

Up ahead in the distance, we saw our longest and biggest climb of our day. Oh..my..gosh.. "Just pace it up!" And so, in silence, heart rate racing, only the sound of our deep breaths - we both slowly but surely spun our way to the top. Phew. Down the hill, up the hill. More undulations. We both started trying to laugh off whatever tired-ness we had. When we caught and passed one of the men's team in front of us, that really lifted our spirits!

Not long more. Kicking over the last hill, and as I was just about to throw everything into the last 2ks, I saw the finish line up ahead. Hm..sooner than expected! We both drove as hard as the legs would allow us - and crossed the line together.

We ended up finishing 4th - piped by a mere 28s from 3rd place. Although just a little short, we were both absolutely stoked with the result. Knowing we weren't on the best machines out there, both of us having only taken up racing in recent months, and with only 2 starters, our aim was to give it our best shot. And we sure did!!

The feeling of finishing a race well with a team-mate brought back good ol' memories of my younger days with my handball team. Winning races is sweet, but winning with team-mates is an even sweeter feeling. Thanks Von for the awesome support along the way, the encouragement to keep pushing through and for sticking it together right till the end. And the Llama, Shane - massive thank you for supporting both of us all the way through - it really made a difference!!